New York City names first female police chief

NEW YORK, Dec 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — New York City’s police force will be led by a woman for the first time in its 176-year history, Mayor-elect Eric Adams announced. Keechant Sewell, 49, is a 23-year veteran of the Nassau Police Department in nearby Long Island, where she became chief of…

Covid-19: German raids on extremists over Saxony leader death plot

Police searched several properties in the state capital Dresden and nearby Heidenau  DRESDEN (Saxony, Germany), Dec 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Police in Germany’s eastern state of Saxony have launched a series of raids after death threats were made against Premier Michael Kretschmer for backing coronavirus measures. Far-right anti-vaccination activists are suspected…

UN chief says cross-border aid to Syria rebel bastion vital

   UNITED NATIONS, Dec 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Cross-border humanitarian aid to Syria remains vital, the United Nations Secretary-General said in an internal report, as a UN authorization allowing aid into rebel-held areas in the country’s northwest without approval from Damascus is up for renewal.    A rare moment of cooperation…

Covid-19: Omicron spreading at unprecedented rate, WHO says

GENEVA, Dec 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The new coronavirus variant Omicron is spreading across the globe at an unprecedented rate, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned. Cases of the heavily mutated variant have been confirmed in 77 countries. But at a press conference, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it…

Update: 75 dead in Haiti truck explosion amid fears toll will rise

  CAP-HAITIEN (Haiti), Dec 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Fears grew Wednesday the death toll from a massive gas truck explosion in Haiti would climb as officials scrambled to provide care for dozens suffering burn injuries sustained in theaccident.   One day after the blast in Haiti’s second largest city of Cap-Haitien,…

Nine dead in Dominican Republic plane crash: airline

   SANTO DOMINGO, Dec 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Nine people, including Puerto Rican music producer “Flow La Movie” died Wednesday when a private plane crashed at the Las Americas airport in the Dominican Republic capital SantoDomingo, the aircraft’s owner Helidosa said.    Helidosa “regrets the tragic accident on one of its…

Covid-19: Zoo in Chile tests experimental vaccine on lions and tigers

SANTIAGO, Dec 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At the Buin Zoo on the outskirts of Chilean capital Santiago, a veterinarian sporting a tiger-striped face mask administers an experimental COVID-19 vaccine to a tiger in a cage, as another zoo worker feeds the animal chunks of raw meat via a pair of long…

France and Germany seek fresh peace talks with Russia

Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz (R), France’s President Emmanuel Macron (C) and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) at The European Council Building in Brussels, Belgium BRUSSELS, Dec 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The leaders of France and Germany sought to revive talks with Russia while keeping up pressure on Moscow to deter what…

UK inspectors slam detention facilities for migrants

UK inspectors slam detention facilities for migrants LONDON, Dec 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Migrants who crossed the Channel to Britain from northern France are being held in sub-standard conditions, despite government promises to improve accommodation, inspectors said on Thursday.  The findings by the Inspectorate of Prisons and independent volunteer monitoring groups came after visits…

Tunisia, Algeria sign 27 bilateral agreements

TUNIS, Dec 16 (NNN-Xinhua) — In the presence of Tunisian President Kais Saied and his Algerian counterpart Abdelmadjid Tebboune, 27 bilateral agreements were signed during a ceremony held on Wednesday at the palace of Carthage in Tunis. “These partnership agreements concern a wide range of areas including justice, public institutions,…