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Pope Francis to get COVID-19 vaccine next week
Pope Francis says that he will soon receive a coronavirus vaccination, perhaps as early as next week, while calling the inoculation a duty for everyone.
“I believe that ethically everyone needs to receive the vaccine,” Francis said in an interview with Italy’s TG5 that will air Sunday.
Francis did not specify the exact timing of his inoculation, but the pontiff said the Vatican’s vaccine rollout will begin next week and that he had already booked an appointment.
Francis’s plan sends a significant pro-vaccine signal to the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics. But it also marks a crucial step in safeguarding an 84-year-old who is missing part of a lung, doesn’t like to wear a mask and relishes face-to-face interaction.
Vatican watchers had widely anticipated that Francis would be administered the jab, and he has spoken favorably for months about the international vaccine effort, calling it a light of hope “in this time of darkness.”
Until now, though, the Vatican had remained vague on its vaccine plans for the pope. The Holy See only said that its campaign would first target the elderly, medical personnel, and those most in contact with the public
The Vatican’s health director said the city-state would be using the vaccines produced by Pfizer-BioNTech.
Francis suggested his own perspective on vaccines had been shaped by childhood memories of polio, when “so many kids ended up paralyzed because of this and there was a desperation to receive the vaccine.”
“I don’t know why some will say, ‘No, the vaccine is dangerous.’” Francis said.
“But if doctors offer it to you as something that can work, that poses no special risk, why not take it? There is a suicidal denialism that I wouldn’t know how to explain, but today you need to take the vaccine.”
The journalist who conducted the Friday interview of the pope, Fabio Marchese Ragona, shared a passage of the transcript with The Washington Post.
Almost since the beginning of the pandemic, Francis seemed to have the vaccine on his radar.
In May, he said that the search for vaccines should be “transparent and selfless.”
And he has said several times that leaders must ensure that vaccines are provided to the poor, the sick and the vulnerable.
Once fully vaccinated with the two doses, Francis — and the church — will still have to behave cautiously.
Medical experts say even those vaccinated should wear a mask. But the pontiff can more easily resume some of the activities that have been on hold for nearly a year, like international travel.
Francis is planning a trip in early March to Iraq, what will be his first venture outside of Italy since the start of the pandemic.
Francis, who complained of feeling “caged” during Italy’s initial spring lockdown, has made it clear that he does not want to be a Zoom-only pope.
As that initial clampdown loosened, Francis tried to reclaim the parts of his papacy he seemed to miss the most, mixing to a greater degree with crowds and meeting with pilgrims. Even amid Europe’s second wave, Francis has continued to host groups and hold in-person meetings.
Francis’s resistance to mask-wearing has perplexed some inside the church, and by forgoing masks in meetings he is bucking the Vatican’s own safety protocols.
Neither he nor the Vatican has offered an explanation for his decision to generally go mask-free.
– Washington Post
Uncategorized
Lagos-Calabar coastal road: Train track work begins 2025, says minister
Lagos-Calabar coastal road: Train track work begins 2025, says minister
The Federal Government plans to begin constructing train tracks on Section I of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway in 2025.
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, made this announcement during an inspection of Sections I and II of the project, which are located within Lagos and being handled by Hitech Construction Company Ltd, on Friday, December 20, 2024.
The details of the announcement were published in a statement on the ministry’s official website on Saturday.
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“The President has given very serious attention to road infrastructure. Don’t forget that this Coastal Highway and, of course, the four Legacy Projects all have the train track incorporated. The construction of the train track for this section I is going to take off in 2025,” Umahi stated.
The Works Minister outlined plans to enhance the Lagos-Calabar Highway in Sections I and II of Phase 1, including solar-powered CCTV cameras, lay-bys every 5-15 kilometers, and security posts for improved safety and monitoring.
He announced that 20 kilometers of Section 1 are scheduled for commissioning by May 2025. The Federal Controller of Works, Engr. Olukorede Kashia, noted challenges such as large refuse dumps and unsuitable soil conditions requiring extensive remediation during the project.
Lagos-Calabar coastal road: Train track work begins 2025, says minister
Entertainment
Copyright: Court orders Adele’s song removed from platforms
Copyright: Court orders Adele’s song removed from platforms
A Brazilian court has ordered the removal of Adele’s 2015 song Million Years Ago from radio and streaming platforms worldwide following a copyright lawsuit filed by local composer Toninho Geraes.
The ruling, delivered by Judge Victor Torres, comes after Geraes accused the British singer of copying his 1996 classic Mulheres, originally performed by Brazilian artist Martinho da Vila.
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Geraes claims the track from Adele’s album 25 closely mirrors his 1995 composition, demanding recognition and compensation for the alleged infringement.
In the lawsuit, Geraes is seeking $160,000 in moral damages, lost royalties, and a songwriting credit on Adele’s track.
The court has also imposed a fine of $8,000 per act of non-compliance on the Brazilian subsidiaries of Sony Music and Universal Music Group.
Copyright: Court orders Adele’s song removed from platforms
Uncategorized
Marketers react after NNPCL slashes petrol price to N899 per litre
Marketers react after NNPCL slashes petrol price to N899 per litre
The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has praised Dangote Refinery’s management for bringing the price of its gasoline down to N899.50K per litre.
PETROAN spokesperson Joseph Obele said in a statement on Thursday that the action is a huge relief for drivers and Nigerians in general.
“This price reduction, a decrease of N71 per litre from the initial price of N970, is a significant relief for motorists and Nigerians at large, especially during the holiday season,” PETROAN stated.
According to PETROAN president, Billy Gillis-Harry, Dangote Refinery’s price cut would lessen Nigerians’ suffering and lower living expenses over the holiday season.
“The price reduction will alleviate the suffering of Nigerians and reduce the cost of living and transportation during this festive period,” he said.
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Anthony Chiejina, a company representative, stated that the price cut is intended to reduce transportation expenses during the holiday season. Additionally, the refinery stated that customers could purchase an extra litre of fuel on credit for every litre of fuel purchased with cash.
In November, the privately held refinery reduced the price of its gasoline to N970 per litre. “To alleviate transport costs during this holiday season, Dangote Refinery is offering a holiday discount on PMS. From today, our petrol will be available at N899.50 per litre at our truck loading gantry or SPM.
“Furthermore, for every litre purchased on a cash basis, consumers will have the opportunity to buy another litre on credit, backed by a bank guarantee from Access Bank, First Bank, or Zenith Bank,” said Chiejina.
News Direct earlier reported that oil marketers have continued to rely on imports to deliver gasoline across the country, even though two significant refineries in Nigeria started producing the fuel within the last three months.
According to data gathered last week, marketers imported 2.3 billion litres of gasoline between September 11 and December 5, 2024. This ongoing importation runs counter to previous declarations made by certain marketers who stated their intention to cease importing and instead concentrate on locally produced goods.
Marketers react after NNPCL slashes petrol price to N899 per litre
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