Libya’s warring leaders eye Berlin truce talks after failure in Moscow

TRIPOLI, Jan 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Libyan military strongman Khalifa Haftar agreed “in principle” to attend a peace conference in Berlin after the head of Tripoli’s UN-recognised government Fayez al-Sarraj signalled he would be present.The talks come as world powers step up efforts for a lasting ceasefire, nine months since an…

‘Locust swarm’ forces Ethiopian Airlines plane to divert

ADDIS ABABA, Jan 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A swarm of what appeared to be locusts forced a passenger plane off its course in Ethiopia, the flight operator says.Pilots were preparing to land the Ethiopian Airlines flight from Djibouti to Dire Dawa on Thursday when clouds of insects slammed into the plane’s…

Update: Egypt responds to Turkey’s statement on arrest of 4 Anadolu journalists

CAIRO, Jan 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Egyptian Foreign Ministry alleges that Anadolu, Turkish News Agency, is an “illegal” company founded by the Muslim Brotherhood, which is outlawed in Egypt and has been designated a terrorist group since 2013. Ahmed Hafez, a spokesperson for the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, stressed in a statement…

Turkey protest Egyptian police raid on Anadolu, Turkish news agency

File photo ANKARA, Jan 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Turkey’s foreign ministry has summoned the senior Egyptian diplomat in the country to protest against a raid by Egyptian police on the Cairo office of Turkey’s state news agency, Anadolu. Four employees of the agency, one Turk and three Egyptians, were arrested following…

Son of noted Muslim preacher shot in South Africa

Islamic Preacher Youssef Ahmed Deedat  DURBAN, Jan 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A South African activist and son of a deceased prominent Muslim preacher is fighting for his life in a hospital after he was shot outside a court in the coastal city of Durban on Wednesday. Police colonel Thembeka Mbele said…

UN: Armed group frees kidnapped hostages in Nigeria

ABUJA, Jan 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) – An armed group has released three aid workers and other civilians who had been held hostage in northeast Nigeria since late December, according to the United Nations. The people were kidnapped on Dec 22 by fighters posing as soldiers who stopped a convoy of commercial…

US indicts Malian over deadly 2016 attacks in Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso

WASHINGTON, Jan 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US Justice Department unveiled murder and conspiracy charges Thursday against a Malian who played a “central role” in suicide bomb attacks in Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast in 2016 that killed 49. The department said Mimi Ould Baba, 32, assisted the planning and preparation…

Lesotho: PM Thabane to resign over alleged links to wife’s murder

MASARU, Jan 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Lesotho’s Prime Minister Thomas Thabane has bowed to pressure to step down over evidence allegedly linking him to the murder of his estranged wife, according to the ruling party.The announcement on Thursday followed accusation by senior members of the All Basotho Convention (ABC) party that…

Australia: Relief as rain falls over bushfires

SYDNEY, Jan 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Rain fell across parts of bushfire-ravaged eastern Australia on Thursday and more wet weather was forecast, giving some relief following months of catastrophic blazes fuelled by climate change. The fires, unprecedented for Australia in terms of duration and intensity, have claimed 28 lives and killed…

Puerto Rico: Thousands of earthquake survivors wait for relief

WASHINGTON/SAN JUAN, Jan 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US Pres Donald Trump approved a disaster declaration for Puerto Rico on Thursday over the series of earthquakes that first hit the island last month.  Trump’s approval will make federal funding available to affected individuals in the municipalities of Guánica, Guayanilla, Peñuelas, Ponce, Utuado and Yuaco,…