South Africa: Initiation schools suspended after circumcision deaths

The rituals associated with the passage into manhood are highly secretive  PRETORIA, Dec 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) —The South African authorities have suspended several initiation schools where boys have died in recent weeks taking part in circumcision ceremonies. The country’s religious and cultural commission said the schools in different areas of the Eastern…

US: Pres Trump to give annual address to Congress amid impeachment drama

 WASHINGTON, Dec 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The top Democrat in the US Congress, Nancy Pelosi, has written to President Donald Trump inviting him to give his State of the Union speech on Feb 4 amid the partisan impeachment battle. The annual speech would come during or soon after his trial in the Senate,…

French regulator fines Google €150m over search engine adverts

PARIS, Dec 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — France’s competition authority fined Google €150 million for anti-competitive behaviour and for having unclear advertising on the Google Ads page.The fine comes as France and other European countries maintain high levels of scrutiny on major U.S. tech companies such as Google, Facebook, Apple and Amazon,…

Brexit: MPs back Johnson’s bill

Prime Minister, Boris Johnson LONDON, Dec 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — MPs have backed Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s plan for the UK to leave the EU on Jan 31.They voted 358 to 234 in favour of the EU (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill, which now goes on to further scrutiny in the House of…

Germany: Cabinet approves ban on gay, transgender ‘conversion therapy’

BERLIN, Dec 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The German Cabinet approved a bill to ban the advertising or offering of “conversion therapy” to transgender and gay people. Germany moved one step closer to banning “conversion therapy” targeting transgender and gay people after its Cabinet approved a draft bill on Wednesday morning.The bill…

Nigeria: Ex-attorney general held by financial crimes agency over $1.3 billion oil deal

ABUJA, Dec 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Nigeria’s former attorney general was detained by the country’s financial crimes agency upon his return home on Thursday, the commission said in a statement, as part of an investigation into one of the oil industry’s biggest suspected corruption scandals.Mohammed Adoke was arrested by Interpol in…

Update: Fresh clashes in India as death toll hits nine

NEW DELHI, Dec 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Fresh clashes between Indian police and demonstrators erupted on Friday after more than a week of deadly unrest triggered by a citizenship law seen as anti-Muslim. Three protesters were shot dead on Thursday, taking the death toll to nine in the wave of anger…

French warship to spearhead European mission in Gulf from next year

The Frigate Courbet PARIS, Dec 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A European operation to ensure safe shipping in the Gulf region, scene of attacks on merchant vessels this year, will get underway next month when a French warship starts patrolling there, a French armed forces spokeswoman said. The French government has pushed…

Cuba to reform at its own pace despite US sanctions: Economy Minister Gil

Cuba will continue to enact economic reforms at its own pace regardless of the pressure exerted by a US embargo: Economy Minister Alejandro Gil HAVANA, Dec 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Cuba will continue to enact economic reforms at its own pace regardless of the pressure exerted by a US embargo, Economy…

IMF approves release of US$498.4 million for Ecuador

WASHINGTON, Dec 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The International Monetary Fund approved a delayed loan tranche for Ecuador, releasing nearly US$500 million under a three-year aid program. The IMF board gave the go-ahead for a US$4.2 billion loan in March to help support the oil-rich nation’s economic reforms, but massive protests led…