At least 7 dead in Ecuador traffic accident

QUITO, Feb 23 (NNN-Xinhua) — At least seven people were killed and more than 30 injured in a traffic accident in the southwestern province of Guayas, according to the Transit Commission of Ecuador (CTE). The accident occurred on early Saturday morning when an interprovincial bus collided with a trailer from…

Shooting reported at shisha bar in Germany’s Stuttgart, no injuries

A gunman on Saturday attacked a shisha bar in Stuttgart BERLIN, Feb 23 (NNN-Xinhua) — A gunman on Saturday attacked a shisha bar in southwestern German city of Stuttgart, local media N-TV reported. Police said there was no one in the building when the incident occurred. The perpetrator could have…

Two Polish climbers die in Slovakia’s High Tatra mountains

BRATISLAVA, Feb 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Two young Polish climbers fell totheir deaths in Slovakia’s High Tatra Mountains on Friday amid high winds and heavy snow, local rescuers said Saturday evening. Slovakia’s Mountain Rescue Service (HZS) said its rescuers “found twobodies of Polish climbers (aged 27 and 25 years)”, on Saturday…

Italy: Fear, isolation cloaks town at centre of coronavirus outbreak

CODOGNO (Italy), Feb 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The streets are silent, shops are shuttered and the few people who venture from their homes shun company in the small Italian town of Codogno under the shadow of a new coronavirus outbreak. “It’s a ghost town, it’s horrible for us,” a young woman…

Germany reopens hate speech and gun law debates after shisha bar killings

German flags fly at half-mast for the victims of two shootings that left nine people dead in Hanau BERLIN, Feb 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Germany faced calls to toughen gun ownership laws and step up efforts to track far-right sympathisers after the suspect in one of its worst mass shootings since…

Sudan to investigate latest violence against protesters in Khartoum

A Sudanese protestor carries a national flag as others burn tyres in the centre of the capital Khartoum during a demonstration calling for the reinstatement of soldiers who were forced into retirement after they voiced support for last year’s revolution KHARTOUM, Feb 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok…

Uganda and Rwanda sign extradition treaty

Rwanda’s foreign affairs minister, Vincent Biruta (R) and his Ugandan counterpart, Sam Kutesa sign the extradition treaty in Gatuna GATUNA (Rwanda), Feb 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The foreign ministers of Rwanda and Uganda have signed an extradition treaty at the conclusion of the summit at the common border presided over by…

Togo votes as president Gnassingbé expected to win fourth term

 Togolese president Faure Gnassingbé shakes hands with voters at the polls LOME, Feb 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Togo voted Saturday in an election widely expected to see president Faure Gnassingbé claim a fourth term in power and extend his family’s half-century domination of the west African nation. The incumbent, 53, was running…

EU budget: Talks end amid stand-off between ‘frugal’ and other nations

France’s Pres Emmanuel Macron BRUSSELS, Feb 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — An EU budget summit ended without agreement following a stand-off between wealthy “frugal” member states and other countries. The so-called “frugal four” of Denmark, Austria, Sweden and the Netherlands said they would not accept a budget of more than 1% of the bloc’s GDP. France’s…

Lesotho: PM Thabane, on medical checkup in South Africa, denies fleeing as murder charges loom

Thomas Thabane has announced that he will step down in July MASERU, Feb 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) —Lesotho’s Prime Minister Thomas Thabane has denied reports that he has fled to South Africa after he failed to appear in court to face charges of murdering his estranged wife in 2017. He has gone there for a…