US violence: Memphis disbands special police unit after fatal beating video

MEMPHIS (Tennessee, US), Jan 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US city of Memphis on Saturday disbanded the special police unit whose officers fatally beat a young Black man, after graphic video of the assault sparked widespread shock and outrage. The video, which shows five officers repeatedly kicking and punching 29-year-old Tyre…

US Sec of State Blinken heads to Middle East as violence erupts

WASHINGTON, Jan 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was due Sunday in Egypt at the start of a Middle East trip on which he will look to use US influence to notch down Israeli-Palestinian tensions after an eruption of violence. Blinken, who will travel Monday and Tuesday…

M23 rebels take control of Kitshanga in eastern DR Congo; UN urges release of 13 kidnapped children by different rebel group ADF

The rebels took control of Kitshanga after capturing several villages on the road linking the town to the provincial capital Goma GOMA (DR Congo), Jan 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The M23 rebels have seized the strategic town of Kitshanga in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo after days of fierce fighting,…

US violence: Colorado supermarket shooting suspect unfit to stand trial, says Judge

A memorial honours the victims of a shooting that took place in March 2021 and left 10 people dead in Boulder, Colorado BOULDER (Colorado, US), Jan 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A man charged with killing 10 people at a Colorado supermarket nearly two years ago remains mentally incompetent to stand trial, a judge…

South Africa: Thapelo Amad elected first Muslim mayor of Johannesburg

South Africa’s Al Jama-ah party leader Thapelo Amad JOHANNESBURG, Jan 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A councillor from a small Muslim party has been elected mayor of Johannesburg after months of political manoeuvring and legal battles for control of South Africa’s business hub. Thapelo Amad, of the Al Jama-ah party, was voted in…

Peru Congress rejects president’s early elections request

Peru has been embroiled in a political crisis with near-daily protests since Dec 7 LIMA, Jan 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Peru’s Congress has rejected a request by embattled President Dina Boluarte to bring forward elections to December 2023, as protests that have killed dozens rage on against her leadership. Lawmakers agreed last month…

Italy’s Eni signs $8bn gas deal with Libya amid energy crunch

Eni Chief Executive Claudio Descalzi and National Oil Corporation head Farhat Bengdara sign the deal in Libya’s capital TRIPOLI, Jan 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Italian energy company Eni and Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) signed an $8bn gas production deal aimed at boosting energy supplies to Europe despite the insecurity and…

Germany faces biggest teacher shortage in 50 yrs: association

BERLIN, Jan 29 (NNN-XINHUA) — Germany’s education system is facing the “biggest shortage of teachers in 50 years” as a result of education policy failures, the country’s teachers’ association said. The problem is largely “self-made,” association president Heinz-Peter Meidinger told the Rheinische Post newspaper. The number of new teachers has…

South Africa gets 280 mn euros in EU grants for green transition

 PRETORIA, Jan 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The European Union announced it would invest more than 280 million euros in grants in South Africa to help the country green its coal-dependent economy. The money will “support policy reforms on green recovery, unlock green investments and build a knowledge-based transition,” the bloc said…

Retired NATO general Petr Pavel wins Czech presidential vote

          PRAGUE, Jan  28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Retired NATO general Petr Pavel beat a billionaire former prime minister in an election run-off on Saturday to become the fourth president of the Czech Republic, official results showed.       Pavel, a former paratrooper, won 58 percent of votes while Andrej Babis scored 42…