At least 2,500 illegal miners arrested in Zimbabwe

HARARE, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least 2,500 illegal miners have been arrested in Zimbabwe in an effort to thwart illegal mining and violence in the country. At least 206 more illegal miners were arrested over the weekend, bringing to 2,529 the number nabbed countrywide under the ongoing “Operation Chikorokoza…

AU to implement first cross-border high-speed train projects

ADDIS ABABA, Feb 12 (NNN-XINHUA) — The African Union (AU) is preparing to implement two cross-border high-speed train projects, the first infrastructure projects of its kind, the AU’s Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy Abou-Zedi Amani said. “One flagship project of Agenda 2063 is a high-speed train connecting African capitals,” said…

FAO, Namibia launch farmers’ support project in drought-affected regions

WINDHOEK, Feb 12 (NNN-XINHUA) — Namibia in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO) launched a 10 million Namibian dollars (about 667,000 U.S. dollars) agriculture input scheme to assist farmers in averting the challenges of a ravaging drought in the central town Okahanjia. The program which will run for six…

Britain moves to end early release of convicted terrorists

PM Boris Johnson LONDON, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Britain will end the automatic early release of convicted terrorists under new fast-tracked legislation introduced to parliament on Tuesday. The legislation follows an attack earlier this month by a militant just days after he was set free half-way through his jail term,…

Russia: Covid-19 prankster faces five-years’ jail for Moscow metro stunt

Video uploaded to a prank site showed Dzhaborov collapsing on the floor of the train as people rush to help him, before they turn and flee as he begins seizing MOSCOW, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Police in Moscow have arrested a man suspected of imitating a Covid-19 victim and collapsing on…

Covid-19: UK team tests China virus vaccine on mice

LONDON, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A team of British scientists believe they have become the first to start animal testing of a vaccine for the new Covid-19 virus that has killed more than 1,000 people.Researchers at Imperial College London said their ultimate goal was to have an effective and safe…

Spanish legislators voted to decriminalise euthanasia

MADRID, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Spanish legislators have voted in favour of a draft bill that could see the country become the seventh in the world to decriminalise euthanasia, overcoming years of opposition from the Roman Catholic Church and conservative politicians.Legislators on Tuesday discussed a draft bill, proposed by the…

Venezuela officially adds civilian militia to armed forces

CARACAS, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Venezuela has designated its civilian militia as part of the country’s military, according to the country’s official gazette, an administrative change that on paper at least will vastly expand the armed forces that have been crucial in keeping President Nicolas Maduro in power.The militia now…

US: Pres Trump says military may consider discipline for ousted aide Vindman

WASHINGTON, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US President Donald Trump said the military may consider disciplining former National Security Council aide Alexander Vindman, who testified in Trump’s impeachment trial and was fired by the White House along with his twin brother.Vindman, an Army lieutenant colonel, provided some of the most damaging…

Kenya, FBI partner on first anti-terror task force outside US

US President Donald Trump and President Uhuru Kenyatta at the White House WASHINGTON, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Kenya has been chosen as the site for the first US-funded Joint Terrorism Task Force to be located outside the United States, the State Department said. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is…