France: On day 22, transport strike heads for record

PARIS, Dec 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — : A transport stoppage that has caused daily travel misery for millions of people in France entered its 22nd day on Thursday, equalling the duration of a 1995 strike whose success against government reforms unions are hoping to repeat. With no end in sight, train…

Ukraine signs contracts with U.S. for more Javelin anti-tank missile systems

KIEV, Dec 27 (NNN-Xinhua) — Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said that it has signed contracts for more U.S. anti-tank missile systems, the advanced fire-and-forget portable anti-tank missiles. “During the 4th quarter … the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine managed to sign contracts for the supply of the second batch of anti-tank…

Libya: UN-backed government condemns deadly airstrike on Zawiya

A man walks on a street after an airstrike in Zawiya, Libya, on Dec 26. TRIPOLI, Dec 27 (NNN-Xinhua) — The UN-backed Libyan government on Thursday condemned an airstrike carried out by the rival eastern-based army on the city of Zawiya. The airstrike on Zawiya, some 45 km west of…

Niger: 14 security force members killed in militant attack

NIAMEY, Dec 27 (NNN-Xinhua) — Fourteen members of security forces were killed in a militant ambush while escorting a team of election officials in the west African nation of Niger, local authorities said. The attack occurred on Wednesday evening near the western village of Sanam, which is less than 300…

Argentine currency stable after implementation of economic emergency law

BUENOS AIRES, Dec 27 (NNN-Xinhua) — The U.S. dollar closed in Argentina on Thursday at 81.90 pesos per unit, a price that includes the new 30-percent tax for the purchase of foreign currency by private citizens, stipulated by the recently passed economic emergency law. The official price of the dollar…

Brazil’s jailed ex-pres Lula faces new indiction for corruption

BRASILIA, Dec 27 (NNN-Xinhua) — Brazil’s federal police indicted former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Thursday for another case of corruption. The case involves donations made by construction company Odebrecht to the Lula Institute the former president founded after he left office. According to the federal police, the…

Libya’s UN-backed government announces Turkish-Tunisian-Algerian alliance to support Libyan government

Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha TUNIS, Dec 27 (NNN-Xinhua) — Interior Minister of the UN-backed government of Libya Fathi Bashagha on Thursday revealed that a Turkish-Tunisian-Algerian alliance was formed to support the Libyan government. “There will be a great cooperation with Turkey, Tunisia and Algeria, and we will be in one…

Mexico vows to take Bolivia to court over embassy spat

MEXICO CITY, Dec 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Mexico threatened to takeBolivia to the International Court of Justice over what it calls harassmentof its diplomatic mission in La Paz, after its embassy sheltered some 20officials from the former government. The two countries have been in a spiraling spat since Mexico granted asylum…

Clashes in Central African Republic capital leave at least 30 dead

BANGUI, Dec 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least 30 people were killed in fighting between militiamen and traders in a restive district of Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic, a security official and a local imam said. “Thirty bodies have been brought to the mosque,” said Awad Al Karim,…

300 migrants rescued off Spain over two-day Christmas period

MADRID, Dec 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Around 100 migrants were rescued off the coast of Spain on Thursday, adding to around another 200 plucked offmakeshift boats on Christmas Day, Spain’s maritime rescue service said. More than half of them were found off the Costa Blanca on Spain’ssoutheastern coast, with 10 people…