Sierra Leone officially becomes 23rd African country to ban death penalty

Sierra Leone president Maada Bio FREETOWN, Oct 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Sierra Leone has formally abolished the death penalty, becoming the 23rd African country to repeal capital punishment.President Julius Maada Bio signed the bill into law after legislators in the former British colony had voted unanimously in its favour on July…

Afghanistan: US and Taliban hold first face-to-face talks since withdrawal

Funerals were held for victims of a suicide attack  WASHINGTON, Oct 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US officials have met Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban for their first face-to-face talks since Washington pulled its troops from the country in August. The talks in Qatar are focusing on issues including containing extremist groups, the evacuation…

Colombian nun kidnapped in Mali in 2017 is freed

BAMAKO, Oct 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A Colombian nun kidnapped in Mali four years ago has been freed. Gloria Cecilia Narváez was taken hostage in 2017 while working as a missionary in Koutiala, about 400 kilometres east of the capital Bamako. It is not clear whether a ransom was paid to…

Brazil: Extreme drought in triggers fatal sand storms

 SAO PAULO, Oct 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Unusually powerful sandstorms have left at least six people dead in Sao Paulo in recent weeks, local media said, as southeastern Brazil grapples with severe drought.   Scenes of huge orange dust clouds rumbling across the countryside — with winds of up to 100…

Congo’s US$6 billion China mining deal ‘unconscionable’, says draft report

KINSHASA, Oct 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Democratic Republic of Congo should renegotiate its US$6 billion infrastructure-for-minerals deal with Chinese investors, according to the draft of a report commissioned by a global anti-corruption body of governments, companies and activists. The draft describes the deal that was first signed in 2008 as “unconscionable”…

Bootleg alcohol kills 17 in Russia

   MOSCOW, Oct 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Seventeen people in Russia have died after drinking surrogate alcohol containing highly toxic methanol, officials said Friday, with investigators launching criminal probes.   The deaths are the latest in Russia from the consumption of a cheap alcohol substitute, a persistent problem that authorities have…

Morocco names new government, keeps foreign, interior ministers

King Mohammed VI has final say on all major decisions, while the new government’s main task will be to implement a development model that the palace has commissioned RABAT, Oct 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Morocco’s King Mohammed VI named a new government on Thursday after last month’s election, keeping the foreign…

Ex-Nazi guard, 100, refuses to discuss atrocities at trial

Presiding judge Udo Lechtermann (3rd R) and other judges are pictured before the opening of a trial against defendant Josef S (L) sitting next to his lawyer Stefan Waterkamp (2nd L) in Brandenburg an der Havel, northeastern Germany BRANDENBURG AN DER HAVEL (Germany), Oct 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A 100-year-old former…

Nigeria rescues nearly 200 kidnap victims in northwest

Nigerian security forces have rescued nearly 200 kidnap victims during raids on camps of criminal gangs in dense forests in the country’s northwest, police said ABUJA, Oct 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Nigerian security forces have rescued nearly 200 kidnap victims during raids on camps of criminal gangs in dense forests in…

Outgoing German Chancellor Merkel pays farewell visit to Rome, meets PM Draghi

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi welcomes visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Rome, Italy ROME, Oct 8 (NNN-Xinhua) — Italy’s Prime Minister Mario Draghi thanked outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel for playing a “decisive role” in shaping the future of the European Union (EU). His remarks came at the conclusion…