Uganda: 17 suspects escape from police cells; 2 guards detained

KAMPALA, Dec 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — An unidentified number of suspects have broken out and escaped from Jinja Central police station cells.The two guards who were assigned the responsibility of keeping watch on the suspects throughout the weekend have since been arrested and detained at the same Jinja police station awaiting…

Ethiopia-Tigray conflict: TPLF rebels announce retreat to Tigray region, a step towards ceasefire

Rebel Tigrayan forces fighting the central government are withdrawing from neighboring regions MEKELLE (Tigray, Ethiopia), Dec 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Rebel Tigrayan forces fighting the central government are withdrawing from neighboring regions in northern Ethiopia, a spokesperson for the Tigrayan forces has said, a step towards a possible ceasefire after 13…

Ethiopia detains three journalists for interviewing terror group

The journalists are in police custody ADDIS ABABA, Dec 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A freelance video journalist accredited to the Associated Press and two other local journalists have been detained in Ethiopia, according to police and the country’s media regulator.Federal police accused the journalists in a statement later of “promoting terrorism”…

Covid-19: Christmas travel will fuel spread of Omicron, US expert warns

Dr Fauci (R) said the rapid spread of Omicron could leave US hospitals struggling WASHINGTON, Dec 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Christmas travel will increase the spread of the Omicron Covid-19 variant, even among the fully vaccinated, the top US infectious disease expert says. “There’s no doubt about this, [Omicron] has an extraordinary…

Russia expels two German diplomats in tit-for-tat move

    MOSCOW, Dec 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russia expelled two German diplomats in response to a spat with Berlin over a German court’s ruling that Moscow had ordered the 2019 assassination of an ex-Chechen commander in a Berlin park. “The German ambassador was informed that two diplomatic employees of the German…

US announces reward of $5m for info on Avijit attack mastermind

 WASHINGTON, Dec 21 (NNN-BSS) — The US Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, through its Rewards for Justice (RFJ) office has offered reward of up to $5 million for information on attack that left US citizen Avijit Roy dead and his wife, Rafida Bonya Ahmed, seriously injured.      “The Secretary…

Colombian authorities seize assets from arrested drug traffickers

BOGOTA, Decc 20 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Colombian prosecutors have seized assets worth around US $ 37.2 believed to have been acquired by Gulf Clan leader Dairo Antonio Úsuga, a.k.a. “Otoniel,” with money from illegal deeds. The decision was taken Sunday by the Specialized Directorate for Extinction of Property Rights of the…

Mexico tightens travel requirements on South American visitors

MEXICO CITY, Dec 20 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Mexican migration authorities have decided over the past few days to reinstate a visa requirement for travelers from Venezuela, Ecuador, and Brazil after it was detected large numbers of those alleged tourists were seeking to go on by land and try to cross into…

Somali forces kill 6 al-Shabaab militants in southern region

MOGADISHU, Dec 20 (NNN-Xinhua) — Somali National Army (SNA)’s special forces (Danab) on Sunday killed six fighters of al-Shabaab militant group during the operation in the southern region, military officials confirmed on Monday. SNA commanders who led the operation told the State-owned Radio Mogadishu that the security forces which have…

Japanese space tourists return to Earth after 12 days on ISS

ALMATY (Kazakhstan), Dec 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A Japanese billionaire returned to Earth on Monday, after 12 days spent on the International Space Station where he made videos about performing mundane tasks in space including brushing teeth and going to the bathroom. Online fashion tycoon Yusaku Maezawa and his assistant Yozo Hirano…