Covid-19: Countries agree to negotiate WHO pandemic accord

  GENEVA, Dec 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — World Health Organization member states agreed to start building a new international accord on how to handle future pandemics and ensure there can be no repeat of Covid-19.    The economic turmoil and millions of lives lost during the coronavirus crisis triggered calls for new international defences…

US violence: Man charged with killing his four children, mother-in-law in shooting

LOS ANGELES, Dec 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A man was charged with killing his four children and mother-in-law over the weekend inside a home in the western US state of California, authorities said. Germarcus Lamar David, 29, faces five counts of murder and three counts of assault on a child causing…

Canada bans travelers from Egypt, Nigeria and Malawi over Omicron fears

   MONTREAL, Dec 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Canada on Tuesday banned travellers from Egypt, Nigeria and Malawi over fears of the spread of the new Omicron coronavirus variant, bringing to 10 the number of African countries targetedby Ottawa.    “Foreign nationals who have transited or stayed in these 10 countries cannot…

Poland extends migrant crisis border restrictions

 WARSAW, Dec 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Poland on Tuesday extended emergency measures restricting access to its border with Belarus which is at the centre of a migrant crisis the West blames on Minsk.   The interior ministry announced the extension of a controversial state of emergency that bars all non-residents —…

Germany: Cocaine worth 2.7 million euros found in car in Bavaria

BERLIN, Dec 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Police officers have found 27 kilograms of cocaine in a car during a check on a motorway in southern Bavaria.The police estimate it would have a street value of at least 2.7 million euros.The car was stopped on the A8 motorway on Sunday, near the…

US lifts Colombia’s FARC ‘foreign terrorist’ designation

Members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) patrol a roadway near San Vicente del Caguan, Colombia, in 1999 WASHINGTON, Dec 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States revoked its designation of the Colombian group the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia as a “foreign terrorist organization”, allowing US officials to…

Barbados names Rihanna ‘National Hero’ as country becomes world’s newest republic

Barbadian president, Sandra Mason and musician, Rihanna BRIDGETOWN, Dec 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Rihanna was conferred with a national hero honor by her home nation of Barbados during the country’s historic republic declaration ceremony on Tuesday. The event was held in the capital city of Bridgetown, and the acclaimed R&B singer…

Uganda says it launched joint raids with DRC against ADF

Congolese soldiers patrol the village of Mwenda, recently attacked by the Allied Democratic Forces, in Rwenzori Sector, northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo KAMPALA, Dec 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Ugandan military has said it launched joint air and artillery raids with forces from the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)…

US imposes visa restrictions on nine Cuban officials

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken WASHINGTON, Dec 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States imposed visa restrictions against nine Cuban officials over their government’s crackdown on demonstrators earlier this month, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. Blinken accused the officials, including high-ranking members of the Ministry of Interior and Revolutionary…

Covid-19: Second Omicron case confirmed in Spain, two more suspected

MADRID, Dec 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Spain detected a second case of the Omicron coronavirus variant on Tuesday and expects to confirm another two by the end of the week, while Basque authorities said they planned to declare a health emergency amid a rapidly rising caseload. In Madrid, a 61-year-old woman…