Twenty-five civilians killed in Niger’s lawless west

  NIAMEY, Nov 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Suspected jihadists killed 25 civilians in Niger in a lawless desert region near the border with Mali, local officials said.   Niger, the world’s poorest country by the benchmark of the UN’s Human Development Index, faces jihadist insurgencies both on its western flank abutting…

US: Two men found guilty of Malcolm X murder to be exonerated after admission by authorities of a historic miscarriage of justice

  NEW YORK, Nov 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Two men found guilty of the 1965 assassination of civil rights leader Malcolm X are to have their convictions thrown out, one of them posthumously, in an admission by US authorities of ahistoric miscarriage of justice.   Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance will…

The West wants to turn Ethiopia into the next Libya, Iraq – PM Abiy’s party

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed  ADDIS ABABA, Nov 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Ethiopia’s ruling party, the Prosperity Party, PP, has accused the West of wanting to turn the country into another Iraq or Libya.The Horn of Africa nation is facing a politico-security crisis that has seen rebels threaten to attack the…

Covid-19: UK records another 38,263 new coronavirus cases

A woman walks past a sign of a coronavirus testing centre in London, England LONDON, Nov 18 (NNN-Xinhua) — Britain has registered 38,263 new COVID-19 infections, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 9,675,058, according to official figures. The country also reported a further 201 coronavirus-related…

Covid-19: South Africa likely to see lower deaths in fourth wave, says epidemiologist

JOHANNESBURG, Nov 18 (NNN-Xinhua) — South Africa is likely to experience a fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic but the numbers of hospital admissions and deaths will probably not be as high as those in previous waves, a senior epidemiologist said. “The numbers of infections and detected cases may be…

Covid-19: Over 7,400 refugees receive jabs in Ethiopia – UNHCR

A Somali child refugee receives a vaccine for measles at the United Nations transit centre in Dolo Ado near the Ethiopia-Somalia border ADDIS ABABA, Nov 18 (NNN-Xinhua) — Some 7,425 refugees presently residing in Ethiopia have received COVID-19 jabs, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has said. The…

UN envoy urges stakeholders in Somalia to complete lower house elections this year

Conflict and drought have led to food shortages in many parts of Somalia UNITED NATIONS, Nov 18 (NNN-Xinhua) — The UN envoy for Somalia, James Swan, urged stakeholders to move quickly to conclude the lower house elections before the end of the year. “Although progress is being made, the efforts…

UN chief reiterates call for immediate release of UN staff members detained in Ethiopia

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres  UNITED NATIONS, Nov 18 (NNN-Xinhua) — United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reiterated his call for the immediate release of 10 UN staff members detained four days ago in Ethiopia. “As far as the secretary-general is aware, the staff members are being held without…

US drug overdose deaths surpass 100,000 for first time, spurred by COVID-19 pandemic

WASHINGTON, Nov 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — More Americans than ever before died from drug overdoses over a 12-month period, according to federal data, as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted medical care and increased mental health woes, and as more lethal drugs flooded the streets. The record of more than 100,000 overdose deaths…

34,000 protest in Greece on anti-junta revolt anniversary

Tens of thousands of people joined protests in Greece’s two largest cities on Wednesday, marking the anniversary of a 1973 student revolt against a US-backed junta ATHENS, Nov 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Tens of thousands of people joined protests in Greece’s two largest cities on Wednesday, marking the anniversary of a…