Spain: Six killed, two injured after bus plunges into river while crossing bridge

MADRID, Dec 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Six people died and two were injured after a bus plunged into a river while crossing a bridge in Spain’s northwestern Galicia region, officials said. The accident took place on Saturday night near the city of Vigo and the border with Portugal. The regional La…

Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict: Thousands rally in Nagorno-Karabakh to protest land blockade

STEPANAKERT (Azerbaijan), Dec 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) —  Thousands rallied on Sunday in Azerbaijan, in the Nagorno-Karabakh region’s largest city Stepanakert, to protest the blockade of the only land link to Armenia. For nearly two weeks Azerbaijani activists have blocked the Lachin corridor, the only land link to Armenia, to protest what…

Update: Up to 31 dead as savage US blizzard cuts power, snarls travel

 Snow blankets a neighbourhood in Cheektowaga, New York WASHINGTON, Dec  26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — More than 200,000 Americans woke up without power on Christmas morning as a days-long winter megastorm that hammered several eastern US states Sunday left more than 20 people dead. The extreme weather, a mix of prolonged blizzards…

Somalia: 14 Iranian fishermen freed years after abduction by Al-Shabaab

 MOGADISHU, Dec 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Fourteen Iranian fishermen have returned home after years in captivity by al-Shabaab militants in Somalia. They were freed after “lengthy negotiations with government officials, tribal chiefs and Somali elders,” Iranian news agency ISNA reports. They were flown back to Iran late on Saturday before being…

UK: Airport strikes could go on for months, says PCS Union

LONDON, Dec 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Strikes by Border Force staff at UK airports could go on for months unless the government enters talks over pay, the head of the PCS union has said. Mark Serwotka said the union had a “mandate” for walkouts up until May. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak…

Libya stresses support for initiatives to enhance image of Arabs

TRIPOLI, Dec 26 (NNN-XINHUA) — Libyan Minister of State for Communication and Political Affairs Walid Al-Lafi stressed Libya’s support for Arab initiatives that aim to enhance the image of Arabs. “The State of Libya renews its support for Arab initiatives to enhance the image of the Arabs in the face…

FARC dissident group announces end-of-year truce in Colombia

 BOGOTÁ, Dec 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A group of armed renegades who refused to sign a 2016 peace accord in Colombia have declared a unilateral ceasefire until the new year, the country’s peace commissioner tweeted. The dissidents of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) had refused to lay down their arms…

EU ‘strongly condemns’ Taliban ban on women working for NGOs

 BRUSSELS, Dec 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The EU condemned the Taliban’s ban on women working for NGOs in Afghanistan and said it was assessing the impact on its aid in the country. “The European Union strongly condemns the Taliban’s recent decision to ban women from working in national and international NGOs,” a…

Salvadoran troops encircle capital district in second gang crackdown

 SAN SALVADOR, Dec 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — More than 1,000 soldiers surrounded a district in El Salvador’s capital as part of President Nayib Bukele’s war on gangs, the second such operation this month in the Central American country. “As of this Saturday morning, the Tutunichapa district in San Salvador is totally surrounded,”…

US: Deadly blizzard leaves Christmas weekend deep freeze

WASHINGTON, Dec 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A fearsome winter storm continued to pummel parts of the United States with blizzard conditions after its powerful Arctic winds left over a million customers without power and caused Christmas travel nightmares. At least 17 weather-related deaths have been confirmed across eight states as heavy snow,…