US brands South Asian jihadists as terrorists

WASHINGTON, Dec 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States announced it was designating South Asian Al-Qaeda and Pakistani Taliban leaders as terrorists, vowing action as alarms grow over Afghanistan. The targeted jihadists including four leaders of Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), a regional branch of the jihadist network, including its self-styled “emir”…

No appeals in flight MH17 trial: Dutch prosecutors

THE HAGUE, Dec 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Dutch prosecutors said they will not appeal the acquittal of a Russian man over the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 as it would be a “great burden” for families. Oleg Pulatov was found not guilty by a Dutch court on Nov 17 while…

Cuba to choose new legislature next year

HAVANA, Dec 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Cuba said that congress, which eventually elects the president, would be decided on March 26, 2023, after an unusual voting process in the one-party state where opposition parties are illegal. In a brief statement, the state council summoned voters “to national elections,” even though Cubans will…

Ecuador: Gunmen kill head of Pichincha prison where deadly riots broke out

QUITO, Dec 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The warden of an Ecuadoran prison where deadly riots broke out two weeks ago was killed by gunmen on Thursday, the federal prisons agency announced. Retired police colonel Santiago Loza took up his post as head of Quito’s Pichincha 1 prison on Nov 9. But just…

Italy landslide death toll rises to 11

   ROME, Dec 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Rescuers pulled another three bodies from the wreckage caused by a landslide on the Italian island of Ischia, bringing the death toll to 11, with one woman still missing.      A wave of mud and debris swept through the small town of Casamicciola…

US, France vow to settle spat over green industry subsidies

 WASHINGTON, Dec 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — President Joe Biden said US support for green industry was not intended to be at Europe’s expense as he and French leader Emmanuel Macron pledged to surmount a serious transatlantic trade dispute. Speaking after summit talks at the White House, both stressed cooperation amid European…

Peru slaughters more than 37,000 poultry after bird flu outbreak

LIMA, Dec 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Peruvian authorities have culled at least 37,000 birds on a chicken farm due to bird flu, officials said. After previously affecting wildlife in several areas nationwide, this outbreak took place at a farm in Huacho, north of Lima, the national agricultural health agency SENASA said. “They…

Gangsters kill 12, burn down houses in Haiti: mayor

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Dec 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Gang members in Haiti killed 12 people and burned down houses in a town near the capital, an official said. Police and residents had ejected gangsters from the town of Cabaret north of Port-au-Prince several days ago but they returned and attacked Tuesday night, said Mayor…

Mexico reports over 3,000 mpox cases and four deaths

MEXICO CITY, Dec 1 (NNN-PRENSA LATINA) — Mexico has accumulated 3,362 contagions and four deaths related to monkeypox, which was renamed mpox by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Secretariat of Health stated in its Epidemiological Surveillance Technical Report on Wednesday.     The Secretariat stated on its website that in spite…

Kenyan Gov’t set to appeal High Court ruling on GMO ban

NAIROBI, Dec 1 (NNN-KBC) — The Kenyan Government is set to appeal the High Court ruling that stopped the importation and distribution of genetically modified crops. Livestock Principal Secretary Harry Kimutai says the government is confident that the appeals court will overturn the ruling since the government carried meetings with…