Migrant boat with 10 dead bodies arrives in Sicily

Migrants wait to disembark the ship ‘Geo Barents’ run by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) as it is given permission to dock at the Sicilian port of Augusta after a week of waiting at sea ROME, Nov 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A boat carrying the bodies of 10 migrants found dead at…

Covid-19: Dutch police fire warning shots as riots hit Rotterdam

Police said the protests descended into rioting with dozens of people arrested and seven people injured ROTTERDAM, Nov 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Dutch police fired warning shots, injuring several people, after rioters against a partial COVID-19 lockdown torched a police car and hurled stones in Rotterdam on Friday. Chaos broke out…

Croatia violated girl’s rights before she was killed by train – Court

Madina Hussiny, pictured when her family was in the Serbian capital Belgrade  STRASBOURG, Nov 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Six-year-old Madina Hussiny was hit by a train in the dark after her Afghan family were ordered to return across the border by Croatian police. The accident happened in November 2017, a year…

Uganda’s Kampala bombings: Muslim cleric accused of jihadist links shot dead

Security operations have been launched since the explosions in the heart of Kampala  KAMPALA, Nov 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Security forces in Uganda have shot dead a Muslim cleric accused of working with an armed group linked to suicide bombings in the capital Kampala. Officials said Sheikh Muhammad Abas Kirevu had…

Pres Biden to hold Africa summit to boost US ties: Secretary of State Antony Blinken

ABUJA, Nov 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US President Joe Biden plans to hold a summit with African leaders to show US commitment to the continent, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Friday.    “President Biden intends to host the US-Africa Leaders Summit to drive the kind of high-level diplomacy and engagement…

Ethiopia-Tigray crisis: Food aid drivers detained in Ethiopia released – UN

   UNITED NATIONS, Nov 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — All of the World Food Program drivers arrested last week in Ethiopia’s conflict-torn north have been released, a UN spokesperson said.   Some 70 drivers for the UN food aid program were arrested in the capital of Afar province, on the only functional…

Somalia faces ‘rapidly worsening’ drought: UN

  MOGADISHU, Nov 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Somalia’s “rapidly worsening” drought has left more than two million people facing severe food and water shortages, the United Nations said, warning of a fourth consecutive season of poor rainfall in the conflict-wracked country.    “About 2.3 million people in 57 of 74 districts……

France-UK must step up cooperation on migrants: French Pres Macron

  PARIS, Nov 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — France must reinforce cooperation with Britain on the thorny question of migrant Channel crossings, French President Emmanuel Macron said, accusing London of “oscillating between partnership and provocation”.    The longstanding dispute has intensified in recent days after record numbers of migrants crossed the Channel…

Covid-19: German state Bavaria cancels all Christmas markets over virus

  MUNICH (Germany), Nov 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The German state of Bavaria cancelled all of its popular Christmas markets this year due to a surge in coronavirus infections as part of broader restrictions to fight the pandemic.    “The situation is very, very serious and difficult,” state premier Markus Soeder…

Hundreds try to cross EU border despite easing of crisis

    SOKOLKA (Poland), Nov 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Hundreds of migrants have again tried to cross the border from Belarus into Poland, Warsaw said, despite signs of the crisis easing after migrants left a makeshift encampment.   Polish border guards said there were attempted crossings by two groups on what is…