Germany: Chancellor Merkel expresses “deep shame” during visit to Auschwitz

WARSAW, Dec 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed “deep shame” on Friday during her first visit as chancellor to the former Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland. “I feel deep shame when I think about the barbaric crimes committed here by the Germans. These were crimes and violations that transgressed all imaginable boundaries,”…

Bolivia’s ex-economy minister takes asylum in Mexico

LA PAZ, Dec 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Bolivia’s former economy minister, LuisArce — credited with steering the country through several years of stronggrowth — announced Friday he had joined ex-president Evo Morales in Mexico, where he has been given political asylum. “I thank the Mexican government for granting me political asylum…

Top US court blocks resumption of federal executions — for now

WASHINGTON, Dec 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US Supreme Court on Friday refused to lift a stay on federal executions, temporarily thwarting plans by Donald Trump’s Justice Department to imminently resume capital punishment. There have been just three federal executions since the death penalty wasreinstated by the US government in 1988,…

US Pres Trump pulls back on designating Mexico cartels as ‘terror’ groups

WASHINGTON, Dec 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US President Donald Trump on Friday pulled back on his stated plans to designate Mexican drug cartels as terror groups, saying he was doing so at the request of his counterpart Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Last month, Trump called for a “war” on the cartels…

IMF approves $247 million reform loan to Angola

WASHINGTON, Dec 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The IMF has approved a second tranche of a $247 million loan to be paid to Angola under its Extended Fund Facility following a review of the southern African oil producer’s progress under the program. The multi-lateral lender announced the move late on Thursday. The…

French strike against pension reform enters day two

PARIS, Dec 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A strike that crippled public transport and closed schools across France entered a second day on Friday, with trade unions saying they planned to keep going until President Emmanuel Macron backs down from a planned reform of pensions. The strike pits Macron, a 41-year-old former…

Kenya: Death toll rises in Nairobi building collapse

The residential block was made up of 57 single rooms NAIROBI, Dec 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Latest police figures indicate that four people have died and 29 others were injured after a residential building collapsed in Kenya’s capital city on Friday morning. So far 11 people have been rescued including a…

Togo to hold elections February next year: govt decree

LOME, Dec 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Togo will hold elections in February next year, a government decree said, when incumbent President Faure Gnassingbe is expected to seek a fourth term in office.The decree published after a cabinet meeting said the presidential election will be held on Feb 22 with a second…

Nigeria: Church members burnt during cleansing ceremony in Lagos pipeline explosion

LAGOS, Dec 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Residents of the Gloryland Estate in the Isheri-Olofin, Igando area of Lagos State were thrown into panic as a pipeline belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation exploded in the area. The fire, which started around 7.45am, was said to have killed one person, injured…

Rwanda opposition leader barred from leaving the country

Victoire Ingabire KIGALI, Dec 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A top Rwandan opposition leader has not been given permission to leave the country in order to pick up a human rights award.Victoire Ingabire wanted to travel to Madrid in Spain to collect the award but when she reached out to the minister…