Senegal rebels face defeat as locals back army offensive

The Casamance region has been restive for years DAKAR, Feb 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A military offensive in Senegal’s southern region of Casamance has thrown separatist rebels on the back foot, raising the prospect that one of Africa’s oldest conflicts may finally end.Thousands have died since the Casamance Movement of Democratic…

US Pres Biden facing ‘serious dilemmas’ on Afghan troop withdrawal: official

WASHINGTON, Feb 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US President Joe Biden faces “serious dilemmas” in Afghanistan as a deadline to withdraw troops nears and the Taliban show no sign of ending their bloodshed, a top US official warned. The US leader has ordered a review of the deal Washington cut with the…

Covid-19: France recommends single vaccine shot for people who recovered from infection

PARIS, Feb 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) –France recommended that people who have already recovered from Covid-19 receive a single vaccine dose, becoming the first country to issue such advice. All three Covid-19 vaccines approved for use in the European Union are administered in the form of two doses, delivered several weeks apart. This is because clinical…

Ugandan army female pilot dies in Entebbe helicopter crash

The wreckage of the UPDF jet ranger KAMPALA, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Uganda army spokesperson has confirmed that one pilot died from the mishap involving a jet ranger on Thursday during a flight training session.The deceased was identified as Captain Caroline Busingye. She was involved in the incident along…

Covid-19: African nations still encouraged to use AstraZeneca vaccine

Africa is only now beginning to see the large-scale arrival of COVID-19 vaccines ADDIS ABABA, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — African countries without the coronavirus variant dominant in South Africa should go ahead and use the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, while the World Health Organization…

Biden administration seeks pause in US WeChat ban litigation

NEW YORK, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Biden administration asked a UScourt to suspend litigation connected to former president DonaldTrump’s proposed ban on WeChat while it reviews the policy. The Justice Department filed a request with the US Court of Appeals seekinga suspension of the case. That follows action Wednesday…

ICC to elect new prosecutor to daunting job

THE HAGUE, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The International Criminal Court’smember countries are set to elect a new chief prosecutor for the war crimestribunal on Friday, a gruelling job whose current holder is under USsanctions. Four candidates from Britain, Ireland, Italy and Spain are vying to replaceoutgoing prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, who…

US, Europe accuse Russia of blocking Ukraine war solutions

UNITED NATIONS, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US and Europe accused Russia of blocking any solution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine. The remarks came during a UN Security Council video conference convened by Moscow to mark the sixth anniversary of the Minsk II accords, agreed in February 2015 to…

Migrant massacre puts focus on Mexican police corruption

MEXICO CITY, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) – The massacre of a group of migrants whose charred bodies were found in northern Mexico has shone a spotlight on the entrenched links between police and criminals in the violence-ridden country. A dozen elite police officers have been arrested for their allegedinvolvement in the…

Squeezed by sanctions, pandemic, Cuba finally opens up economy

HAVANA, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Cuba is undergoing a paradigm shift: after decades of tight, centralized control, the communist government is opening up the bulk of its economy to the private sector. While economic decline and spiralling unemployment are the main drivers,analysts say the liberalization measures can also be seen…