Brazil’s culture minister fired after echoing Goebbels

The minister said his speech was a “rhetorical coincidence” BRASILIA, Jan 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Brazil’s culture minister has been sacked after using parts of a speech by Nazi Germany’s propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels in a video, sparking outrage. In the clip posted on the ministry’s Twitter page, Roberto Alvim detailed…

Seven people found dead after suspected exorcism in Panama

Paramedics evacuate one of the 15 people who were rescued PANAMA CITY, Jan 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The bodies of seven people have been found in a mass grave in an indigenous area of Panama where members of a religious sect were believed to be performing exorcisms, officials say. The victims…

Italy court rules migrant ship captain’s arrest not warranted

ROME, Jan 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Italy’s highest court on Friday agreed that Carola Rackete, the German captain of a migrant rescue ship, should not have been arrested for forcibly docking in Sicily.“This is an important verdict for all sea rescue activists!” Rackete said on Twitter.“No one should be prosecuted for…

Kenya cuts oil export target to 400,000 barrels per year

A truck loaded with crude oil en route to Mombasa from the oilfields in South Lokichar NAIROBI, Jan 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Kenya has cut its crude oil export projections to 400,000 barrels per year between 2021 and 2023 in what signals a depressing assessment in the international market.That forecast is…

United States wants withdrawal of all foreign troops from Libya

WASHINGTON, Jan 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States, which is scheduled to participate in this weekend’s Libya peace conference in Germany is expected to call for the withdrawal of all foreign forces from the war-ravaged nation and a resumption of the UN-backed peace process.The US State Department said Secretary of…

Cheetah smuggling out of Ethiopia ‘fuelled by exotic pets demand’ by Arabs

Cheetahs are trafficked from the Horn of Africa to the Gulf states ADDIS ABABA, Jan 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A growing demand for exotic pets in Saudi Arabia and the UAE is fuelling the smuggling of cheetahs in Ethiopia, a top Ethiopian wildlife official said.Every month, at least four cheetahs were…

Five die in Burkina Faso explosion

At least two others were wounded in the attack in Soum province OUAGADOUGOU, Jan 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Security officials in Burkina Faso say five soldiers were killed when their vehicle hit an explosive device in the north of the country.At least two others were wounded in the attack in Soum…

Kenya looks to secure border as Al-Shabaab launches deadly attacks

NAIROBI, Jan 18 (NNN-ALLAFRICA) — Kenya has endured a grim start to the new year as extremist group al-Shabaab launched attacks against a school, a police post and a military base shared by US forces.Observers are debating whether the surge of violence signals renewed strength by the terror group or…

Internet outage hits West, Central, southern Africa as major cable falters

ACCRA, Jan 18 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — Countries across the coast of West, Central and southern Africa are suffering an internet outage that started on Thursday. The situation remains unstable as at Friday (Jan 17).Reports indicate that mobile phone access is also partly impacted by the outage which was triggered by a…

Record 45 million people need urgent food aid in southern Africa: UN

Low growth, rising population, drought and floods have combined to worsen food insecurity in the region JOHANNESBURG, Jan 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — An unprecedented 45 million people in southern Africa are in urgent need of food aid due to drought, flooding and economic hardship, the UN said. “This hunger crisis is…