Sudan’s PM resigns as deadly crackdown on protesters goes on

  KHARTOUM, Jan 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Sudan’s civilian Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok resigned Sunday, more than two months after a coup and following another deadly crackdown on protesters, with the military now firmly incontrol.   Sudan had been undergoing a fragile journey toward civilian rule since the 2019 ouster of…

Presidents Putin and Erdogan vow to improve ties after tensions

  KREMLIN/ISTANBUL, Jan 3(NNN-AGENCIES) — Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, pledged to improve ties during a call, both sides said, after tensions mounted over drones and NATO in recent weeks.    Turkey, a NATO member since 1952, has angered Moscow by supplying combat drones…

South African national assembly entirely destroyed by fire

  CAPE TOWN, Jan 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A massive fire in South Africa’s houses of parliament in Cape Town has “burned down” the entire National Assembly where elected parliamentarians sit, a spokesperson said.   “The entire chamber where the members sit… has burned down,” Moloto Mothapo said, adding that the…

Covid-19: Dutch police disperse thousands protesting against lockdown measures

AMSTERDAM, Jan 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Riot police with batons and shields tried to break up a crowd of several thousand who had gathered in the Dutch capital on Sunday to protest against COVID-19 lockdown measures and vaccinations. Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema issued an emergency ordinance, empowering police to clear the…

Update: Huge fire brings down roof at South Africa parliament

   CAPE TOWN, Jan 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A massive fire in South Africa’s houses of parliament in Cape Town caused the roof of the old National Assembly building to collapse on Sunday as the blaze continued to rage after eight hours.   No casualities have been reported in the fire, which has also…

Update: Tutu’s ashes buried in Cape Town cathedral

   CAPE TOWN, Jan 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — South Africa’s spiritual father Archbishop Desmond Tutu, hero of the anti-apartheid struggle, was laid to  rest at dawn on Sunday in the Cape Town cathedral where he once preached against the brutal white-minority regime.   Nobel Peace Prize winner Tutu died a week ago, aged…

Russia: Five killed in bus crash in Ryazan region

    MOSCOW, Jan 2 (NNN-TASS) — Five people were killed and another 21 suffered injuries in a bus crash in Russia’s Ryazan region, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.     “According to updated information, 21 people suffered injuries in the accident,” the statement reads.     A doctor at the…

Fire at South African parliament in Cape Town

   CAPE TOWN, Jan 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A major fire broke out in the South African parliament building in Cape Town on Sunday.    Firefighters were present at the building as large flames and a huge column of smoke were seen at around 0530 GMT.    “The roof has caught…

Tunisia launches national consultation on reforms

President Kais Saied TUNIS, Jan 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) –Tunisia has launched a wide-ranging national consultation process that will help in drafting a new constitution, the North African country’s technology ministry said. Part of a reform package pushed by President Kais Saied, who is seeking to bolster his authority, the exercise called on…

Mali proposes five-year election delay to West African bloc

Colonel Assimi Goita staged a second coup in May 2021 when he pushed aside the interim president that had taken over after President Boubacar Ibrahim Keita’s removal in August 2020, and took the job himself BAMAKO, Jan 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Mali’s interim authorities have proposed to its West African neighbours…