Nigerian government declares free train rides from Dec 24 to Jan 4

ABUJA, Dec 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Federal Government has declared free train rides for citizens from Dec 24 to Jan 4, 2022.Fidet Okhiria, Managing Director, Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) disclosed this in an interview with newsmen on Friday in Abuja.“The decision which was made in collaboration with the Ministry of…

Sudan women protest against ‘rape by security forces’

Women have played a major role in protests against October’s coup in Sudan  KHARTOUM, Dec 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Hundreds of women have rallied in Sudan against sexual violence following allegations that 13 women and girls were raped at a protest on Sunday. The UN said it had received “disturbing reports”…

Russian Pres Putin hails multiple launch test of hypersonic missile

 MOSCOW, Dec 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — President Vladimir Putin said the Russian military successfully fired a simultaneous salvo of its Zircon hypersonic missiles, calling it “a big event” for the country. As world powers race to develop advanced weaponry, Russia has carried out a number of successful tests of its Zircon…

Covid-19: US to lift travel ban on southern Africa – official

  WASHINGTON, Dec 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States will next week lift the travel ban imposed on several southern African nations when the Omicron variant of Covid was first detected, officials said.    Countries around the world restricted travel from southern Africa after the variant was detected in South…

Myanmar airstrikes displace more people along Thai-Myanmar border

A Thai soldier sits in front of a blocked road leading to the Thailand-Myanmar border BANGKOK, Dec 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Myanmar’s military carried out more airstrikes on a rebel-controlled area near the Thai border, the rebel group said on Friday, in the latest escalation of violence that has sent hundreds fleeing…

Two US women lawmakers carjacked at gunpoint in Philadelphia and Chicago

Mary Gay Scanlon has been in Washington since 2018  WASHINGTON, Dec 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Two US women lawmakers have had their cars and possessions snatched from them at gunpoint in separate carjacking in the city of Philadelphia and Chicago. Congresswomen Mary Gay Scanlon’s car was later found about 72km away…

Toll in migrant shipwreck off Greece rises to 11

 ATHENS, Dec 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The death toll from a migrant boat sinking of Greece rose to 11 on Friday, as scores of others, including dozens of children, were rescued following the shipwreck, the coastguard said.    The boat carrying migrants ran aground on an islet north of the Greek…

Palestine calls for UN protection against Israeli settlers’ assaults in West Bank

RAMALLAH, Dec 24 (NNN-Xinhua) — Palestine called on the United Nations Security Council to protect the Palestinian people against the Israeli settlers’ assaults in the West Bank. The Palestinian presidency said in a press statement that it urges the international community, especially the UN Security Council, “to urgently intervene to…

DR Congo declares end of meningitis outbreak in northeastern region

KINSHASA, Dec 24 (NNN-Xinhua) — Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) declared Thursday the end of a meningitis outbreak in the territory of Banalia, in northeastern Tshopo province, according to Health Minister Jean-Jacques Mbungani. Declared in early September of 2021, the meningitis outbreak has killed 205 out of a total…

Covid-19: 55 people test positive on US cruise ship

MIAMI, Dec 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Fifty-five people have tested positive for Covid-19 aboard a Royal Caribbean International cruise ship that set sail Saturday from the southeastern US state of Florida, the company said.    The infections on the “Odyssey of the Seas” involved passengers and crew members, even though 95 percent…