US court acquitted main defendant in Mozambique fraud case

Mozambique is reportedly one of the most indebted countries in the world NEW YORK, Dec 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A US court acquitted the main defendant in a bribery case that plunged Mozambique into its worst-ever financial crisis following a trial in which he implicated the country’s president. The New York…

British rail union starts month-long strike over dispute about closing train doors

 Striking workers outside Waterloo station on Monday LONDON, Dec 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Union members on one of Britain’s busiest railway networks walked out on Monday, on the first day of a planned 27-day strike that could affect hundreds of thousands of commuters. The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) stopped work…

Kirchner in court days before assuming Argentine vice-presidency

Former Argentine president Cristina Kirchner BUENOS AIRES, Dec 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Argentina’s ex-president Cristina Kirchner arrived in court on Monday to give evidence in a corruption trial in which she is charged with diverting public funds, just a week before she returns to the country’s government as vice president. Kirchner,…

Pres Putin signs law making Russian apps mandatory on smartphones, computers

MOSCOW, Dec 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed legislation requiring all smartphones, computers and smart TV sets sold in the country to come pre-installed with Russian software. The law, which will come into force on July 1 next year, has been met with resistance by some electronics retailers, who…

Vulnerable migrants brace for winter in dismal Lesbos camp

More than 18,000 asylum seekers are crammed into the Moria migrant centre LESBOS ISLAND (Greece), Dec 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Amid the filth around the dismal camp of Moria on the Greek island of Lesbos, a refugee and his son pick up firewood and transport it in a stroller, hoping to…

Russia refused request to hand over MH17 suspect: Netherlands

Volodymyr Tsemakh, suspected of involvement in the downing of the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 plane in 2014, reacts inside a defendants’ cage during a court hearing in Kiev, Ukraine Sept 5, 2019. AMSTERDAM, Dec 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russia has refused a Dutch request to hand over a suspect in the…

Ethiopia PM soldiers on with new party despite opposition from top ally

Abiy signed on behalf of the ODP which he leads ADDIS ABABA, Dec 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is pressing on with plans of the new Prosperity Party (PP) despite an open opposition by a close ally and Minister of Defence Lemma Megerssa.Abiy met with leaders of…

Nato Summit: PM Boris Johnson to call for unity at UK Summit

 LONDON, Dec 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) —UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to call for Nato unity, amid growing tensions within the military bloc. A summit to mark the founding of the 29-member defence alliance 70 years ago begins near London on Tuesday. The two-day gathering is overshadowed by a bitter row…

Chile’s economic activity sees biggest plunge in decade

SANTIAGO, Dec 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Chile’s economy contracted 3.4% in October from the same month a year ago, the central bank said, posting the single biggest drop in a decade as weeks of violent protests began sending shockwaves through the Chilean economy. Riots in Chile began on Oct 18 over…

UNICEF condemns killing of children in Libya

Migrant children walk outside a detention centre located in Tripoliy TRIPOLI, Dec 3 (NNN-XINHUA) — The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) condemned airstrikes that killed children in the south of the Libyan capital Tripoli and the southern town of Um Al-Aranib. “UNICEF is deeply saddened with the reports that children have been killed and…