Ukraine crisis builds towards Biden-Putin talks

  STOCKHOLM, Dec 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Momentum was building for direct talks between US President Joe Biden and Russian leader Vladimir Putin as both sides sought to avoid a “nightmare” confrontation over Ukraine.    The Russian and US foreign ministers came face to face in Sweden to discuss recent allegations…

Covid-19: UK orders 114 mln additional vaccine doses

 LONDON, Dec 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The UK government said it has ordered 114 million additional Covid-19 vaccine doses, from pharmaceutical giants Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, to bolster its jabs drive over the next two years.   The orders — 60 million extra doses of the Moderna vaccine and 54 million more…

US government shutdown looms as lawmakers squabble

  WASHINGTON, Dec 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The threat of a US federal government shutdown loomed larger as lawmakers failed to reach a budget agreement with just days to go before the funding runs out.   Congress has until Friday night to come up with a new budget in order to…

Cruise line launched between Libya, Turkey

Libyan Minister of Transportation Mohamed al-Shohobi on Wednesday launched the first tourist cruise line between Libya and Turkey TRIPOLI, Dec 2 (NNN-Xinhua) — Libyan Minister of Transportation Mohamed al-Shohobi on Wednesday launched the first tourist cruise line between Libya and Turkey, the first trip of its kind in Libya in…

Covid-19: Canada finds first cases of covid in wildlife

OTTAWA, Dec 2 (NNN-Xinhua) — Canada has found the first cases of COVID-19 in three white-tailed deer, according to the Environment and Climate Change Canada on Wednesday. On Monday, the National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease confirmed the first detections of SARS-CoV-2 in three free-ranging white-tailed deer in Canada. These…

Madagascar food crisis caused more by poverty, natural weather than climate change – study

ANTANANARIVO, Dec 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Poverty, poor infrastructure and natural weather variability are bigger contributors to Madagascar’s food crisis than climate change, according to a study released on Thursday by international research collective World Weather Attribution. But the crisis still highlights vulnerabilities that will only worsen as global temperatures continue…

Covid-19: Cuba to upgrade homegrown vaccine to confront Omicron

HAVANA, Dec 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Cuban health authorities said that researchers in the communist-run country are upgrading its homegrown COVID-19 vaccines to ensure protection against the new Omicron variant. The Caribbean island nation, whose economy hinges on tourism, sharply eased entry requirements in mid-November following a successful inoculation drive with…

Ethiopian government says it retook string of towns from Tigray forces

The brutal conflict took a sharp turn about a month ago ADDIS ABABA, Dec 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Ethiopian government says its forces recaptured Shewa Robit, a town some 220km (135 miles) from the capital Addis Ababa, which was claimed last week by fighters from the northern Tigray region.Government spokesman…

South Africa busts cocaine haul worth over US$15 million

The haul was concealed in a shipment from South America DURBAN, Dec 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Authorities in South Africa have announced the seizure of drugs worth more than 240 million rands (equivalent to US$15 million) at the Durban habour.The Hawks, the country’s intelligence agency said in a statement that its…

Lesotho ex-PM Thomas Thabane charged with murdering wife

Thabane appeared at his 2017 inauguration with his current wife Maesaiah, two days after the killing of his estranged wife  MASERU, Dec 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Lesotho’s former Prime Minister Thomas Thabane has been charged with the 2017 murder of his estranged wife Lipolelo Thabane. His current wife, Maesaiah, was charged…