EU confirms commitment to Western Balkans enlargement but sets no date

European Council President Charles Michel (C), European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (R) and Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa KRANJ (Slovenia), Oct 7 (NNN-Xinhua) — The European Union (EU) is committed to the integration of the Western Balkans, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at the conclusion…

Study reveals huge scale of sexual abuse by French Church

Victims put up with isolation, shame and guilt PARIS, Oct 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Some 216,000 children and teenagers may have been victims of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church in France since the 1950s, according to an investigative commission.If victims in other institutions run by the Church are included, the…

Russia: Pres Putin decrees Father’s Day to honour men’s role in raising children

Vladimir Putin, Russian President MOSCOW, Oct 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the establishment of a Father’s Day to increase the appreciation of men in the family, the Kremlin announced.The 68-year-old, who has two adult daughters, decided by decree that the day is to be celebrated every…

State Department reveals number of nuclear arsenal in the US in 2020

WASHINGTON, Oct 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US administration revealed that the United States (US) had 3,750 nuclear warheads as of Sept 30, 2020, reversing former President Donald Trump’s decision to rank the numbers on the nuclear arsenal.“The United States is releasing newly declassified information on the US nuclear arsenal to…

Covid-19: Zimbabwe extends lockdown, but bars re-open – Information Minister

So far 3,117,895 people have taken the first dose of a vaccine in Zimbabwe HARARE, Oct 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Zimbabwe extended its Covid-19 lockdown by a further two weeks, but licenced bars will be allowed to re-open to fully vaccinated patrons.Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa told journalists following a Cabinet meeting…

Covid-19: Uganda’s education minister blocks reopening of international schools

Uganda’s First Lady and Education Minister, Janet Museveni KAMPALA, Oct 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Uganda’s Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni, who is also the country’s First Lady, has rejected pleas by the Belgian ambassador to reopen international schools before the end of the year.The envoy had made the request…

Moroccan authorities dismantle terrorist cell in Tangier

The operation was carried out by special forces in Morocco RABAT, Oct 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) –Moroccan authorities dismantled in Tangier a jihadist cell loyal to the Daesh terrorist group, made up of five young men who planned to attack police facilities or shops frequented by foreigners, the Moroccan anti-terrorism agency announced.In…

11 killed in new rebel attack in Central Africa: official

UPC militiamen, pictured near Bambari in 2019   BANGUI, Oct 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Eleven civilians were killed by rebels in eastern Central African Republic (CAR), where government forces are battling armed groups, a senior official said. The attack occurred on Tuesday near Bambari, the CAR’s fourth-biggest city, when three cars…

Kenya confirms bid for 2025 World Athletics Championships

Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge celebrates after winning the men’s marathon final during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games NAIROBI, Oct 6 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — Kenya confirmed its bid to host the 2025 Athletics World Championships, which if accepted, would bring the event to Africa for the first time. Nairobi has hosted both the…

African cinema could create 20 million jobs: UNESCO

Rwandese film Director Joel Karekezi GENEVA, Oct 6 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — Africa’s film industry is thriving and could create many millions of extra jobs if its potential was fully exploited, the United Nations said. In a report, the UN cultural organisation UNESCO said that an estimated five million people currently work…