A Kenyan man has pleaded not guilty in a US court to trafficking illegal ivory and rhino horn. Mansur Mohamed Surur was part of an “international conspiracy” responsible for the slaughter of more than 100 elephants and dozens of rhinos, federal prosecutors in New York say. It allegedly amounts to an estimated $7.4m (£5.4m) amassed over seven years. Some exports were hidden inside “pieces of art such as African masks and statues”, court documents allege. Money was paid to and from foreign customers by “international wire transfers, some which were sent through US financial institutions”, prosecutors say. Mr Surur was arrested last year in the Kenyan city of Mombasa and extradited to the US to face trial in New York. He also faces charges of money laundering and drug dealing. (BBC)…[+]
Nieuws volgens datum: 26 Jan, 2021
Biden raises vaccination goal to 1.5m a day after criticism
After criticism that his original goal was not bold enough, US President Joe Biden has said he expects the US will soon be able to vaccinate 1.5 million people a day. He had announced last week that 1m vaccines would be administered daily in the first 100 days of his presidency. But some media noted the US had already nearly reached that target under the Trump administration. Mr Biden also renewed Trump-era Covid bans on Monday, adding South Africa. In the first time formally taking reporters’ questions during his presidency, Mr Biden said on Monday that he hoped they would be able to get to 1.5 million vaccinations administered daily. “I think with the grace of God… we’ll be able to get that to 1.5 million a day,” the Democrat said. He added: “I hope we’ll be able to increase as we go along so we’ll get to 1.5 million. That’s my hope.”
Some media had questioned whether the new president’s target of one million shots per day was ambitious enough.
Last week, at the tail-end of the Trump administration, the US had already reached an average of around 980,000 vaccine doses administered daily. When an Associated Press news agency reporter asked last Thursday why Mr Biden had not aimed higher, he shot back: “You all said it’s not possible. Come on, give me a break man.”(BBC)…[+]
Covid: Dutch curfew riots rage for third night
Protesters defying a curfew in the Netherlands have clashed with riot police in a third night of unrest. More than 180 people were arrested on Monday in several cities. In Rotterdam, police fired a warning shot and used water cannon, after an emergency order failed to move demonstrators. Riots started at the weekend as protesters kicked back against newly imposed coronavirus restrictions. Prime Minister Mark Rutte has condemned what he called “criminal violence”. Police chief Henk van Essen said the riots no longer had “anything to do with the basic right to demonstrate”. The Netherlands has had nearly one million confirmed Covid cases since the start of the outbreak, with more than 13,500 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University in the US, which is tracking the pandemic. The government recently introduced a night-time curfew which runs from 21:00 (20:00 GMT) to 04:30. Anyone caught violating it faces a €95 (£84) fine. (BBC)…[+]
