Armenia and Azerbaijan to work towards peace deal

The two neighbours have been involved in a decades-long conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh BAKU, Dec 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Armenia and Azerbaijan say they will move towards normalising relations, and will exchange prisoners captured during the fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh. The two neighbours have been involved in a decades-long conflict over the disputed territory.…

Peru: Pres Boluarte completes one year in office

LIMA, Dec 8 (NNN-ANDINA) — Pres Dina Boluarte on Thursday (Dec 7) completes one year in office, after being sworn in before the Congress of the Republic, thus becoming the first woman to constitutionally assume the country’s top office. Boluarte —a native of the Andean region of Apurimac and a lawyer by…

Zimbabwe records 53 cholera deaths as confirmed cases rise

HARARE, Dec 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — ZIMBABWE has recorded a cumulative 9,895 suspected cases of cholera, 9,466 recoveries and 53 confirmed deaths, the cabinet has announced. Addressing journalists during a post-cabinet press briefing, information minister Jenfan Muswere said the nation had recorded close to 10,000 suspected cases. “The nation is informed…

WHO roots for increased taxes on alcohol and sugary sweetened beverages

GENEVA, Dec 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The World Health Organization has called on countries to increase taxes on alcohol and sugary sweetened beverages saying new data reveal a low global rate of taxes being applied to unhealthy products. According to WHO, 2.6 million people die from drinking alcohol every year and…

Russia gun violence: 14-year-old girl shoots dead classmate and herself, 5 others hurt

MOSCOW, Dec 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A Russian teenager on Thursday shot dead a classmate and injured five others before killing herself in a school in Bryansk near the Ukrainian border, investigators said. School shootings are relatively rare in Russia, which has strict gun laws, but have become more common in…

Seychelles declares state of emergency after huge explosion, floodings

The explosion happened in an industrial area just south of the capital, Victoria VICTORIA (Seychelles), Dec 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A state of emergency has been declared in Seychelles, after a massive explosion at an industrial zone on the main island, Mahé as well as flooding. The blast ripped through the…

Russia presidential election set for March 17, 2024

MOSCOW, Dec 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russian lawmakers on Thursday set the date of the country’s 2024 presidential election for March 17, moving Pres Vladimir Putin a step closer to a fifth term in office. Members of the Federation Council, Russia’s upper house of parliament, voted unanimously to approve a decree…

Death toll rises to 69 in northern Tanzania’s deadly floods, landslides

DAR ES SALAAM, Dec 7 (NNN-XINHUA) — The death toll went up to 69 in northern Tanzania’s recent flash floods and landslides as rescuers recovered four bodies from mudflow caused by the landslides Wednesday, said authorities. The information was disclosed by Mobhare Matinyi, the chief government spokesperson and director of…

UN chief calls for peaceful settlement of Venezuela-Guyana territorial dispute: spokesman

UNITED NATIONS, Dec 7 (NNN-XINHUA) — UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for the peaceful settlement of the territorial dispute between Venezuela and Guyana, said his spokesman. “The secretary-general strongly supports the use of solely peaceful means to settle international disputes. He further recalls that, pursuant to the (UN) Charter and…

US gun violence: Suspect arrested after Texas shooting spree leaves six dead

HOUSTON, Dec 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A Texas gunman has been arrested after a rampage across the US state left six people dead and three injured, including two police officers, authorities said. The shooting spree occurred over the span of several hours Tuesday in Austin, where four people were shot dead…