Finland picks youngest-ever prime minister

Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin HELSINKI, Dec 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Finland’s Social Democrats elected a 34-year-old former transport minister to the post of prime minister on Sunday, making her the youngest head of government in the country’s history. Sanna Marin narrowly won Sunday’s vote to replace outgoing leader Antti Rinne,…

Saudi Arabia to host major snooker event for first time

File photo RIYADH, Dec 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Saudi Arabia has agreed a deal with World Snooker to host a ranking event for the first time after signing a 10-year deal with the sport’s governing body.The Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters will be held in Riyadh from October 4-10 with total prize…

100 people near New Zealand volcano when it erupted, unknown numbers unaccounted for: PM Ardern

WELLINGTON, Dec 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — About 100 tourists were “on or around” New Zealand’s White Island volcano when it erupted on Monday, and an unknown number are unaccounted for, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said. “It is very much an evolving situation and of course all our thoughts arewith those affected,”…

Myanmar leader Suu Kyi departs for genocide hearings amid fanfare at home

YANGON, Dec 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Myanmar leader and Nobel peace prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi departed on Sunday for the U.N’s top court in The Hague to defend the country against charges of genocide of its Rohingya Muslim minority. Suu Kyi was pictured smiling as she walked through the…

Al-Shabaab kills 10 bus passengers in Kenyan border town

Al-Shabaab has targeted Kenya many times since the country joined a regional peacekeeping force to fight the militants WAJIR (Kenya), Dec 9 (NNN-XINHUA) — At least ten people were killed and several others injured after extremist group, al-Shabaab, ambushed a commuter bus in northeast Kenya on Friday evening, the police…

Ethiopia, UN join hands to find durable solutions to displacement crisis

ADDIS ABABA, Dec 9 (NNN-XINHUA) –The Ethiopian government and humanitarian partners have launched a national initiative, dubbed Durable Solutions Initiative (DSI), that aimed to provide conducive conditions for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Ethiopia to rebuild their lives. The national initiative, which was developed by the Ethiopian government, the United…

Libyan UN-backed gov’t forces announce downing of east-based army’s fighter jet

TRIPOLI, Dec 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The forces of Libya’s UN-backed government announced that they shot down a fighter jet belonging to the east-based army on Saturday in the city of Zawiya, some 45 km west of the capital Tripoli. “Our forces shot down a MiG-23 fighter jet belonging to the…

FBI says investigating Florida Naval Base shooting as “act of terrorism”

The main gate at Naval Air Station Pensacola WASHINGTON, Dec 9 (NNN-XINHUA) — The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said that they are investigating a deadly shooting by a Saudi national at a naval base in Florida as “an act of terrorism.” “We work with the presumption that this was an act of terrorism,”…

Peruvian authorities arrest 27 army members for fuel theft

LIMA, Dec 9 (NNN-XINHUA) — Peruvian authorities have arrested 27 members of the military, including high-ranking officials, on suspicion of stealing fuel between 2013 and 2018, local media reported Sunday. An investigation led to the preliminary 10-day arrests of generals Augusto Villarroel, Carlos Mayca and Moises Chavez, and 24 other officers and army men,…

Russian Pres Putin set for landmark Paris talks on Ukraine conflict

PARIS, Dec 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russian leader Vladimir Putin will for thefirst time hold formal talks with Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyover the conflict in Ukraine’s east on Monday, in a much-anticipated summit in Paris. No comprehensive peace deal is expected from the afternoon meeting —mediated by French President Emmanuel Macron…