Venezuela allows flights to and from Portugal to resume

CARACAS, Feb 10 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — The Venezuelan government of President Nicolás Maduro gave the nod to the resumption of commercial flights to and from Portugal, which were halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Venezuela’s National Institute of Civil Aeronautics (Inac) released a list of destinations in which Portugal appeared once…

Millions of mangrove trees to be planted in Mozambique

MAPUTO, Feb 10 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Up to 100 million trees are to be planted in Mozambique’s dwindling mangroves, in a conservation deal between the southern African nation and mangrove reforestation specialists Blue Forest. Mangroves are an important protection against climate change, mitigating the effects of cyclones and floods. One acre…

US university in $250m payout for doctor’s sex abuse

Gynaecologist James Heaps also faces criminals sexual abuse charges  LOS ANGELES, Feb 10 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The University of California has agreed to pay nearly $250m to over 200 women who allege they were sexually assaulted by a campus gynaecologist. Multiple women accuse the university’s Los Angeles site (UCLA) of deliberately…

ICJ orders Uganda to pay $325m for DR Congo occupation

Uganda worked with local militias to loot gold from Ituri  THE HAGUE, Feb 10 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Uganda has been ordered to pay $325m to the Democratic Republic of Congo for its role in the conflict there. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled Uganda had violated international norms as an…

Salah Abdeslam: Paris attacks defendant denies killing anyone

Salah Abdeslam is believed to be the only remaining survivor of the group of attackers PARIS, Feb 10 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The main defendant in the trial over the 2015 Paris attacks has denied killing or hurting anybody. Prosecutors say Salah Abdeslam, 32, is the only surviving member of the IS…

Covid-19: EU warily sees ‘stabilisation’ of Covid wave

 LYON, Feb 10 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The European Union is cautiously welcoming a “stabilisation” of the latest wave of the coronavirus pandemic but knows it must do more to help poorer nations, especially in Africa with jabs, officials said Wednesday.    “Saying that we have turned the corner… is not a…

UN Security Council has ‘concern’ over Burkina Faso, won’t say ‘coup’

UNITED NATIONS, Feb 10 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The UN Security Council expressed “serious concern” over Burkina Faso’s“unconstitutional change of government” last month, but chose not to describe it as a military coup or even condemn it outright.   After negotiations diplomatic sources called difficult, the council unanimously adopted their formal declaration,…

Restive Central African Republic appoints new PM to head same cabinet

 BANGUI, Feb 10 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Central African Republic’s Economy Minister Felix Moloua became premier on Wednesday after the president fired the post’s predecessor.    Moloua is to retain his ministry position while also becoming the new head of government in the former French colony, according to a presidential decree…

Ancient Roman Theatre in Libya’s Sabratha inaugurated after renovation: UN

TRIPOLI, Feb 10 (NNN-Xinhua) — The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) announced the inauguration of the ancient Roman Theatre in Libya’s western city of Sabratha following its renovation supported by the European Union. “In cooperation with the Ministry of Local Government, the Department of Antiquity and UNESCO (through the International…

Nigerian troops kill 4 terrorists in gunfight

ABUJA, Feb 10 (NNN-Xinhua) — Nigerian troops killed four terrorists in a gunfight in the southeastern state of Anambra earlier this week, the army said. The military received a distress call on Monday, which reported that some terrorists were enforcing an illegal sit-at-home order and firing gunshots sporadically in a…