Ethiopia crisis: UN calls for urgent seed, fertilizer aid for conflict-affected northern Ethiopia

ADDIS ABABA, May 8 (NNN-Xinhua) — The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) on Saturday called for the provision of seeds and fertilizers to farmers in conflict-affected northern Ethiopia ahead of main rainy season. “Seeds and fertilizers need to urgently be available for farmers across conflict-affected…

Morocco says foils 63,121 illegal immigration attempts in 2021

RABAT, May 8 (NNN-Xinhua) — Morocco foiled 63,121 illegal immigration attempts in 2021, the interior ministry said in a report published on Saturday. In the first quarter of 2022, the North African country foiled 14,746 illegal immigration attempts, according to the ministry report published after Friday’s meeting of the Moroccan-Spanish…

Somalia: 30 Burundian AU soldiers killed, 20 injured in al-Shabaab attack; many missing

MOGADISHU, May 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least 30 Burundian soldiers were killed and 20 others injured in Tuesday’s attack by al-Shabaab militants on an African Union base in southern Somalia, according to a Burundian official.The official, who requested anonymity, said that 10 soldiers died on the spot, and the rest…

Over 5,000 terror-related attacks killed 16K people in three years – ECOWAS

ACCRA, May 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — About 5,306 terror-related attacks took place in West Africa in three years, claiming over 16,726 lives, thousands of injuries and millions displaced and living under austere circumstances.Dominic Nitiwul, Ghana’s Minister of Defence, also said that as of the end of the first quarter of 2022,…

Peru’s government postpones meeting with Las Bambas mine protesters until Tuesday

Members of indigenous communities camp on the property of Chinese-owned Las Bambas copper mine, in Las Bambas, Peru LIMA, May 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Peruvian government postponed a meeting scheduled for Saturday with the indigenous communities protesting Las Bambas copper mine due to protest leaders taking too long to respond,…

Sinn Fein hails ‘new era’ for North Ireland after historic poll win

Sinn Fein deputy leader Michelle O’Neill, centre, speaks to the media next to party leader Mary Louise McDonald, right, in Magherafelt, Northern Ireland BELFAST, May 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Sinn Fein leader Michelle O’Neill acclaimed a “new era” for Northern Ireland as her Irish nationalist party handed a historic election defeat…

Mexico City demo seeks end to legal abortion

MEXICO CITY, May 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Some 2,000 people marched Saturday in Mexico City to demand the legal right to abortion be revoked, at the encouragement of the Catholic church and conservative groups. The procedure is already legal in seven of Mexico’s 32 states and in 2021 was decriminalized de…

Russia-Ukraine conflict: WHO gathers evidence for possible war crimes investigation against Russia

KYIV, May 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The World Health Organization (WHO) is gathering evidence for a possible war crimes investigation into attacks it says it has documented by Russia on healthcare facilities in Ukraine. WHO Emergencies Director Mike Ryan, on an unannounced visit together with WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, told…

Cuba: Death toll climbs to 25 in Havana hotel blast

  HAVANA, May 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The death toll after an explosion ripped through a luxury hotel in central Havana climbed to 25 people including a Spanish tourist, state television reported, after the Friday powerful blast due to a suspected gas leak.    Rescuers were still combing through what remained of the…

Russia-Ukraine conflict: ‘All women, children, elderly’ evacuated from Azovstal – Kyiv

KYIV, May 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Ukraine said that all women, children and elderly civilians were evacuated from the Azovstal steel plant in the destroyed port city of Mariupol where Ukrainian forces are holding out against Russian troops.  “The President’s order has been carried out: all women, children and the elderly have been evacuated from…