US: Pres Trump impeached for abuse of power

WASHINGTON, Dec 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — President Donald Trump was impeached for abuse of power in a historic vote in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, setting up a Senate trial on removing him from office after three turbulent years. By a 230 to 197 vote in the Democratic-majority House, the…

Libya’s eastern army attacks UN-backed government forces in Sirte

TRIPOLI, Dec 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The east-based army of Libya on Tuesday announced launching airstrikes on positions of the rival UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) forces in the city of Sirte, some 50 km east of the capital Tripoli. The airstrikes killed two of the UN-backed government forces and…

South Sudan’s Kiir and Machar say they will form government

JUBA, Dec 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and former rebel leader Riek Machar have agreed to form a transitional unity government even if they fail to resolve all their differences before a new deadline, the two leaders said. Kiir and Machar signed a peace deal last year…

El Clássico: Catalan protests at football match in Spain

BARCELONA, Dec 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Protesters have clashed with police outside a Barcelona and Real Madrid football match at Nou Camp in Spain. Thousands of fans inside the stadium held up banners urging the Spanish government to “sit and talk” with those demanding Catalan independence. The match had been postponed…

US House passes 1.4-trillion-USD spending plan ahead of government shutdown deadline

WASHINGTON, Dec 19 (NNN-XINHUA) — The US House of Representatives has passed a 1.4-trillion-U.S.-dollar spending package that will fund the government through the end of the fiscal year, as lawmakers in both chambers are rushing to avoid a government shutdown. The House approved the spending bill on Tuesday to keep the federal government open…

Rwanda evacuates 6,000 residents from areas threatened by heavy rains

KIGALI, Dec 19 (NNN-XINHUA) — The Rwandan government on said it has evacuated close to 6,000 residents from high-risk zones in different parts of the country threatened by heavy rains in the first three weeks of December. Some 4,000 of them are staying with their relatives, 1,500 living in government-rented houses while about 300 others…

UK: London street bans petrol, diesel cars

LONDON, Dec 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Petrol and diesel vehicles will be banned from a street in central London in an innovative attempt to reduce pollution, local authorities said.Officials said Beech Street, which runs underneath the Brutalist designed Barbican Estate, would become Britain’s first “24-7 zero emission street”.During an 18-month trial…

French Pres Macron’s West Africa visit: Ivory Coast, Niger lined up (Dec 20 – 22)

Emmanuel Macron PARIS, Dec 19 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — French President Emmanuel Macron is set to undertake a two-nation tour of West Africa, the presidency disclosed on Tuesday. He is expected to visit Ivory Coast before proceeding to Niger.His visit to Niamey has been described as a short one on Dec 22,…

UK and US call for more action to end Sahel conflict

The leaders of Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mauritania UNITED NATIONS, Dec 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The UK and the US have told the UN Security Council that West African governments were not doing enough to end escalating violence in the Sahel. Despite the presence of thousands of regional and…

Nigerian church set ablaze over missing child

The child allegedly went missing from the church last month ABUJA, Dec 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Protesters have set ablaze a church in Akure city, south-west Nigeria, following unconfirmed rumours that the body of a missing one-year-old child had been found buried by the altar.Witnesses said two of the protesters were…