France’s presidential rivals gear up for final week’s campaigning

PARIS, April 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The two remaining contenders in the French presidential race return to the fray Monday after a brief Easter pause in campaigning and ahead of a high-stakes televised debate. President Emmanuel Macron and challenger Marine Le Pen both have low-key meetings Monday, pacing themselves until Wednesday’s…

US violence: 2 teenagers dead, 8 wounded in shooting at Pittsburgh party

The short-term rental property where police say a shooting took place at a house party early Sunday morning PITTSBURGH, April 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Shots fired at a house party in Pittsburgh early Sunday killed two 17-year-olds and wounded at least eight other people, police said. Hundreds of people — the…

Sudan renews claim to disputed Fashaga area bordering Ethiopia

KHARTOUM, April 18 (NNN-Xinhua) — Sudan on Sunday reaffirmed its ownership of the disputed Fashaga district on the border with Ethiopia. “Fashaga is a Sudanese land,” acting Foreign Minister Ali Al-Sadiq told visiting UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Hanna Tetteh, according to a statement by Sudan’s…

Libya declares force majeure on major oil field stormed by protesters

TRIPOLI, April 18 (NNN-Xinhua) — Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) declared a state of force majeure over the El Feel oil field on Sunday as protesters forced the closure of the country’s major oil field. A group of protesters stormed the oil field and forced the workers to stop production,…

Covid-19: Algeria reports no new daily case for 1st time since Feb 2020 outbreak

ALGIERS, April 18 (NNN-Xinhua) — The Algerian Health Ministry said that no new COVID-19 cases were reported over the past 24 hours for the first time since the outbreak of the disease two years ago. The overall number of cases stabilized at 265,739, and the death toll remained at 6,874,…

President Kagame makes case for deeper Rwanda-Barbados ties

Kagame pays a courtesy call on Sandra Mason, President of Barbados BRIDGETOWN, April 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — During a one-day official visit, visiting Rwandan Pres Paul Kagame calls for strengthening of ties and cooperation with Barbados, the Caribbean nation.In Barbados, the head of state paid a courtesy call on Sandra Mason,…

South Sudan Mines minister Martin Abucha detained by soldiers released in Nimule

South Sudan’s mining minister Martin Abucha JUBA, April 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — South Sudan’s Mining Minister Martin Gama Abucha who was arrested by security agents in Nimule has been released after two hours in detention, a senior military officer said.Gen. Abucha was arrested on Saturday afternoon while travelling to the Adjumani…

Russia-Ukraine conflict: EU looks to Nigeria for more gas supply

Diplomats visit Nigeria ABUJA, April 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The European Union is strengthening relations with Nigeria as it seeks to diversify the sources of its natural gas imports in an attempt to reduce reliance on Russian energy.Nigeria is the fourth biggest liquified natural gas supplier to Europe. At least 40%…

Divers find ‘no leaks’ from fuel-laden ship sunk off Tunisia

The sunken Xelo vessel in the Gulf of Gabes, in southeastern Tunisia GABES (Tunisia), April 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Divers who inspected the hull of a tanker loaded with 750 tonnes of fuel that sank off southeast Tunisia detected no leaks on Sunday, officials said. The Equatorial Guinea-flagged Xelo, which sank Saturday in…

Joint West African force says more than 100 insurgents killed in recent weeks

MAIDUGURI (Nigeria), April 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A joint military force from Nigeria, Niger and Cameroon said it had killed more than 100 insurgents, including 10 commanders, in the past few weeks, as it intensifies a ground and air offensive in the Lake Chad region. Boko Haram fighters and its splinter…