Covid-19: France is sixth country with more than 10 million cases since start of pandemic

PARIS, Jan 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — France became the sixth country in the world to report more than 10 million COVID-19 infections since the outbreak of the pandemic, according to official data published on Saturday. French health authorities reported 219,126 new confirmed cases in a 24-hour period, the fourth day in…

US removes Ethiopia, Mali and Guinea from trade pact

WASHINGTON, Jan 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — President Joe Biden’s administration announced that it had excluded Ethiopia, Mali and Guinea from a US-Africa trade agreement, saying the actions of the three governments violated its principles. “The United States today terminated Ethiopia, Mali and Guinea from the AGOA trade preference program due to actions…

Jamaica to deport Colombian wanted in Haiti president assassination

KINGSTON, Jan 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A former Colombian military member implicated in last year’s assassination of Haiti President Jovenel Moise will be deported from Jamaica to his home country on Jan 3, Jamaica’s attorney general said. Mario Antonio Palacios, 43, is accused by Haitian authorities of forming part of a…

Sudan’s authorities order probe into mass protests

A man chants slogans during a protest to denounce the October military coup, in Khartoum KHARTOUM, Jan 2 (NNN-Xinhua) — Sudan’s Security and Defense Council ordered to speed up investigations into Thursday’s mass protests in the capital Khartoum and neighboring areas which resulted in the deaths of four protesters and…

Libyan security arrests foreigner possessing 32 hand grenades

TRIPOLI, Jan 2 (NNN-Xinhua) — The Libyan Ministry of Interior announced arresting a foreign national with 32 hand grenades in his possession in Garabulli city, some 50 km east of the capital Tripoli. The arrested individual faces charges of armed robbery, the ministry said, adding that machine gun ammunition was…

US mass shootings set record as gun violence surges in 2021

Gun violence spiked in 2020 and 2021, contributing to Philadelphia recording more homicides than ever before NEW YORK, Jan 2 (NNN-Xinhua) — The United States saw a record high of 691 mass shootings – with at least four victims in one incident – in 2021 as gun violence surged within…

Mexico, Afghanistan, India lead as 45 journalists killed globally in 2021 – IPI

VIENNA, Jan 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — In 2021, a total of 45 journalists were killed in connection with their work, an International Press Institute (IPI) research revealed.Mexico, Afghanistan and India are currently the three deadliest countries for journalists to work in.Of the number, nine journalists were killed in Sub-Saharan Africa, most…

Nigeria: Police raid bandits camp in Kaduna, rescue victims

Nigeria police raid bandits’ camp ABUJA, Jan 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Nigerian policemen raided a bandits’ camp belonging to one Isiya, a notorious bandit, located in Sabon Birni forest of Igabi Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State on Friday.One bandit was killed while two were arrested during the operation, the…

Modest requiem for a titan: South Africa holds modest state funeral for ‘Spiritual Father’ Tutu

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, here seen with Tutu’s widow Leah, called the late archbishop ‘the spiritual father of our new nation’ CAPE TOWN, Jan 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — South Africa on Saturday held a state funeral for Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the last great hero of the struggle against apartheid, that…

Covid-19: New curbs in England ‘last resort’ – minister

   LONDON, Jan 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Britain’s health minister insisted that reimposing coronavirus restrictions in England would be “an absolute last resort” and that the country must “try to live with Covid”.   Britain is among the countries in Europe hardest hit by the pandemic, registering nearly 149,000 deaths. On…