Russia says ties with US still in ‘crisis’ despite prisoner swap

MOSCOW, Dec 10 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russia said that its ties with the United States were still in “crisis” despite a prisoner swap involving US basketball star Brittney Griner and Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. Tensions between Moscow and Washington have soared in recent months over a range of issues, peaking…

Zambia to repatriate body of student killed in Ukraine

LUSAKA, Dec 10 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The body of a Zambian student who died fighting in Ukraine after being jailed in Russia is to be repatriated on Sunday, Zambia’s foreign ministry said. Lusaka had demanded an urgent explanation from Moscow over the death of Lemekhani Nathan Nyirenda, 23, in September while…

US: 18-year-old university student Jaylen Smith elected mayor of a small town in Arkansas

EARLE (Arkansas, US), Dec 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — An 18-year-old university student is the incoming mayor of a small town in the northeast of the U.S. state of Arkansas. U.S. media outlets including Little Rock, Arkansas, TV station KATV reported Jaylen Smith won a runoff election on Tuesday to become the…

Equatorial Guinea: Teodoro Obiang sworn in for a sixth term; holds the record for longest-serving head of state outside of a monarchy

MALABO, Dec 9 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — Equatorial Guinea’s President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, 80, who holds the world record for time in power for a living head of state excluding monarchs, is sworn in for a sixth, seven-year term. Members of the international community, including the US government, have raised concerns over…

Russian emergency services battling massive fire in Moscow suburb

MOSCOW, Dec 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russian firefighters on Friday battled a massive blaze the size of a football pitch which broke out overnight in a shopping centre in a Moscow suburb, emergency services said. “In the Moscow region, firefighters are putting out a fire the size of 7,000 square metres,” Russia’s Ministry…

Chile monitor the activity of the Villarrica Volcano

SANTIAGO, Dec 9 (NNN-TELESUR) — On Thursday, the Villarrica volcano maintains intense seismic activity in the La Araucania region in Chile. In recent days, it has unleashed a fire column that can be seen especially at night and oscillates between 80 and 220 meters above the level of the crater.…

Colombia records two more leaders killed, 183 in 2022

BOGOTA, Dec 9 (NNN-TELESUR) — The murder of two more leaders in the Colombian departments of Bolivar and Guaviare was denounced by the Institute for Development and Peace Studies (Indepaz).  Since the signing of the Peace Accords in 2016, the total number of murdered leaders stands at 1,403 victims, while…

Russia’s Gazprom increases gas supplies to China

MOSCOW, Dec 9 (NNN-PRENSA LATINA) — Russia once again reached the maximum daily gas supply to China through the Siberian Force gas pipeline, exceeding its obligations by 16 percent, Gazprom informed on Thursday.     According to a communiqué from the Russian company, Gazprom met the Chinese side’s request to increase daily…

Ecuador reports over 30 violent deaths in 24 hours

QUITO, Dec 9 (NNN-PRENSA LATINA) — Violence continues in Ecuador, where 31 violent deaths were reported in just 24 hours despite the state of emergency issued in three provinces, according to local press.     Territories where exceptional measures are in force are among those which reported the highest homicide toll: Guayas…

US airport workers demand better working conditions

WASHINGTON, Dec 9 (NNN-PRENSA LATINA) — Hundreds of workers at 15 airports in the United States stopped their work to draw attention to their current working conditions and in favor of legislation that improves them, reported media outlets.     At some of these hubs, those in Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, New…