4 killed in anti-personnel mine incident in South Senegal

DAKAR, Oct 23 (NNN-XINHUA) — Four people were killed and five injured, two of them seriously, on Friday in a mine explosion in southern Senegal, the Agency of Senegalese Press (ASP) reported. The people were returning from their Friday prayer on board a wagon when hit by the explosion in the…

US Pres Biden and French counterpart Macron discuss ‘stronger’ European defense

  WASHINGTON, Oct 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed strengthening European defenses in a telephone call Friday, the White House said, as Washington seeks to mend tiesafter a bitter row over submarine contracts.   The two leaders “discussed efforts to enable a stronger…

Covid-19: Peru surpasses 200,000 deaths – officials

  LIMA, Oct 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Peru, which has the world’s highest Covid-19 death rate per capita, has surpassed 200,000 deaths from the coronavirus, the health ministry said.   The ministry announced 25 new deaths over the previous 24 hours, taking the South American country over the symbolic threshold with…

Senior al-Qaeda leader killed in US drone strike in Syria: Pentagon

 WASHINGTON, Oct 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A senior al-Qaeda leader was killed in a US drone strike in Syria, the Pentagon said.   The Friday strike comes two days after a base in southern Syria, used by the US-led coalition fighting the Daesh group, was assaulted.   “A US airstrike today…

UN fears ‘mass atrocity crimes’ in Myanmar as troops gather in north

  UNITED NATIONS, Oct 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The UN said it feared an even greater human rights catastrophe in Myanmar amid reports of thousands of troops massing in the north of the Southeast Asian country, which has been in chaos since a February coup.   “We should all be prepared,…

Colombian linked to Haiti president’s murder captured in Jamaica

  BOGOTA, Oct 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A former Colombian military officer wanted by Haitian authorities over the assassination of President Jovenel Moise has been captured in Jamaica, Colombian authorities said.   Mario Palacios is accused of being one of 26 Colombian mercenaries who allegedly took part in the July 7…

Niger confirms 11 security personnel killed in attack

NIAMEY, Oct 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Eleven Nigerien security personnel died in an ambush against a regional prefect’s motorcade near the country’s border with Burkina Faso, the interior ministry said.   The ministry’s toll was higher than the deaths reported by local officials.   The attack by suspected jihadists on the…

US: Actor Alec Baldwin says ‘heart is broken’ after fatally shooting cinematographer

  SANTA FE (United States), Oct 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Hollywood star Alec Baldwin said his “heart is broken” after he fatally shot a cinematographer with a prop gun he had been told was safe on the set of a Western about an accidental killing.   The US actor and producer…

UN evacuates staff from Ethiopia’s Tigray after another airstrike

Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General UNITED NATIONS, Oct 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United Nations is evacuating some humanitarian personnel from Ethiopia’s Tigray region, following a new airstrike on the regional capital of Mekelle, a UN spokesman said.“Initial information from the ground indicates that civilians — including women and children — were…

Covid-19: Tanzania’s Zanzibar invites more airlines to revive tourism

Tourism is Zanzibar’s largest economic sector and it is essential for local socio-economic stability ZANZIBAR, Oct 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Tanzania’s Zanzibar authorities said its skies are open to international airlines in a move aimed at resuscitating its tourism sector.Top officials said authorities will ensure that all protocols on COVID-19 precautions are observed…