Mali ready to negotiate with jihadists – President

Pres Ibrahim Boubacar Keita BAMAKO, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Mali’s president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita confirmed that his government is in talks with jihadist insurgents, an option that had been long rejected even as conflict deepened in the West African country.The disclosure comes as the Malian government said that it had…

Sudan agrees ousted ex-president Omar al-Bashir must face ICC

Omar al-Bashir was convicted of corruption in December KHARTOUM, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Sudan’s rulers have agreed to hand over ousted ex-President Omar al-Bashir to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to face genocide and war crimes charges. Bashir is accused of serious crimes in a conflict that broke out in…

Somalia: Father chose executioners for child rapists

Ilyas Aden BOSSASSO (Somalia), Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The father of a 12-year-old Somali girl said her family appointed the executioners to carry out the killing of the two men convicted of raping and killing her. Abdifatah Abdirahman Warsame and Abdishakur Mohamed Dige were shot dead at a public square…

Novel coronavirus named ‘Covid-19’: UN health agency

GENEVA, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The World Health Organisation said “Covid-19” would be the new official name for the deadly coronavirus that was first identified in China on Dec 31. “We now have a name for the disease and it’s Covid-19,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Geneva,…

Brazil police kill suspect in Rio councilwoman’s murder

RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A suspect in the 2018 assassination of an outspoken Afro-Brazilian member of Rio de Janeiro’s city council was shot to death Sunday after he fired on police sent to arrest him, Brazilian authorities said. Adriano Magalhaes da Nobrega, who had been on the…

Scotland is taking steps towards independence vote: Sturgeon

BRUSSELS, Feb 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Scotland is already taking steps to hold a referendum on independence and believes it is a matter of when rather than if the country separates from the rest of Britain, Scotland’s First Minister said. “We should agree a process between ourselves and the UK government…

Germany reports outbreak of H5N8 bird flu in backyard poultry

PARIS, Feb 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) –Germany has reported an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N8 bird flu virus in a backyard in the southwestern part of the country, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) said. The virus killed 44 birds out of a flock of 69 in Bretzfeld, in the…

Singapore tourism to take ‘significant hit’ in 2020 due to coronavirus, up to 30% fewer visitors expected

Recent travel restrictions on tourists from China – the largest source market – have battered businesses that rely on them, with some reporting a drop in sales of up to half SINGAPORE, Feb 11 (NNN-CNA) — The tourism sector will take a “significant hit”, with visitor arrivals estimated to fall…

G77, UN express full support for China’s efforts to contain novel coronavirus

UNITED NATIONS, Feb 11 (NNN-Xinhua) — The Group of 77 (G77) and the United Nations expressed full support for China’s fight against the novel coronavirus. The G77 expresses its full support to the comprehensive efforts made by the Chinese government to contain the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, and recognizes…

Evo Morales travels to Cuba for health reasons

BUENOS AIRES, Feb 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Former President of Bolivia Evo Morales has travelled to Cuba “for health reasons” and will return to Argentina next weekend, Morales’ press office said. “Former President Evo Morales undertook an unscheduled journey to Cuba last night for health reasons. His return is scheduled for…