78 illegal immigrants rescued, 1 body found off Tunisian coast: ministry

TUNIS, Dec 16 (NNN-Xinhua) — The Tunisian Maritime Guard on Wednesday rescued 78 illegal immigrants and recovered the body of another off the country’s southeastern coast. According to a statement released by the Tunisian Ministry of Defense, the recovered body belonged to an Egyptian national. These illegal immigrants’ boat, sailing…

EU slaps sanctions on Russian mercenary group Wagner

BRUSSELS, Dec 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The European Union has imposed sanctions on Russian private military contractor Wagner Group, as well as on eight individuals and three other energy companies in Syria accused of helping finance the mercenaries in Ukraine, Libya, and Syria.The EU accused the Wagner Group, whose members are…

French Pres Macron to meet Mali junta leader in Bamako over Russia, polls

Colonel Assimi Goita and French President Emmanuel Macron BAMAKO, Dec 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — French President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to visit Mali for a two day-visit on Dec 20-21.While in the Malian capital of Bamako, he will hold talks with transitional President Assimi Goita.According to Africa Intelligence group, the two…

Covid-19: South African Pres Cyril Ramaphosa being treated for covid

PRETORIA, Dec 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa is receiving treatment after testing positive for Covid-19, his office says. In a statement, it says the 69-year-old has mild symptoms and is isolating in Cape Town. South Africa has seen a surge of infections since the new Omicron variant…

Canada offers up to $40bn to compensate indigenous children

OTTAWA, Dec 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Canada has pledged up to C$40bn in compensation for indigenous children and families who suffered discrimination while in foster care. In September, a top court upheld a 2016 ruling that the government underfunded First Nations services compared with those for non-indigenous children. It ordered C$40,000…

Russia explosion: Teen detonates device at Orthodox Convent School, 8 injured

The 18-year-old man is reported to be a graduate of the Orthodox school in Serpukhov MOSCOW, Dec 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A Russian teenager has detonated an explosive device at an Orthodox school near a convent outside Moscow, injuring a number of people. Russia’s interior ministry says an 18-year-old man, a…

Channel tragedy: French authorities identify 26 victims – mostly Iraqi Kurds

PARIS, Dec 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — French authorities have formally identified 26 of the 27 bodies recovered after last month’s mass drowning in the English Channel. Sixteen Kurdish people from Iraq and four Afghans were among the victims, whose families are being informed. They included two friends from the same town…

Covid-19: UK removes all 11 African countries from red list as Omicron had spread widely

LONDON, Dec 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The government has said that all 11 countries will be removed from the UK’s travel red list from 4am on Wednesday. Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe are on the list. The red list was reintroduced in late…

Covid-19: US crosses 800,000 deaths

     WASHINGTON, Dec 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States, the country hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic, crossed 800,000 Covid-19 deaths on Tuesday, a tracker maintained by Johns Hopkins University showed.      The figure is greater than the entire population of several states, including North Dakota and Alaska.      Around…

UN blamed Taliban for at least 72 extrajudicial killings

   GENEVA, Dec 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The UN has said there are “credible allegations” of more than 100 extrajudicial killings in Afghanistan since the Taliban took power in August, with most blamed on the country’s new rulers.    UN deputy rights chief Nada Al-Nashif said she was deeply alarmed by…