Sudan looks to pyramids to attract tourism – and hard currency

The Royal Cemeteries of Meroe Pyramids in Begrawiya at River Nile State MEROE (Sudan), Nov 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Portuguese architect Tania Monteiro and her husband are almost alone as they tour Sudan’s pyramids, a world-class attraction long neglected by the world. “People are really, really nice, always very welcoming,” Monteiro…

Spy Swap: Five freed in Russia-Lithuania-Norway exchange

Frode Berg, sentenced to 14 years in prison, had admitted working with Norwegian intelligence MOSCOW, Nov 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) —Russia has taken part in a carefully co-ordinated spy swap with Norway and Lithuania, in a deal that required the Lithuanians to change their laws. It took place at Lithuania’s southern border with…

Avian flu outbreaks: US officials, industry groups laud China’s lifting of restrictions on poultry imports

WASHINGTON, Nov 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US officials and industry groups lauded China’s lifting of restrictions on imports of American poultry products, which could lead to more than 1 billion US dollars in annual sales of US poultry to China. “This is great news for both America’s farmers and China’s consumers,” US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer…

Pres Trump issues pardons in US war crimes cases

WASHINGTON, Nov 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US President Donald Trump on Friday pardoned a former soldier convicted of murder and a Green Beret charged with killing a suspected Taliban bomb-maker, defying warnings that the move would be an abuse of the powers afforded him under the US Constitution. Trump dismissed a…

Cameroon opposition party wants security beefed up for February 2020 polls

Cameroonian President, Paul Biya YAOUNDE, Nov 16 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — Cameroon’s opposition party, the Social Democratic Front has agreed to participate in the February 2020 legislative and municipal elections only if the government put in place favourable security measures.The elections had been postponed twice due to growing threats from armed separatists…

Over 2,000 girls in Malawi rescued from early marriages in 25 years

LILONGWE, Nov 16 (NNN-MANA) — NGO Plan International Malawi has managed to withdraw over 2,000 girls from early marriages since 1994.Plan Director for Southern Africa, Charles Businge disclosed the development to Malawi News Agency (Mana) when they were celebrating 25 years of its existence in the country in Lilongwe.He said…

US: Pres Trump’s adviser Roger Stone convicted of lying to Congress

Roger Stone WASHINGTON, Nov 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US President Donald Trump’s adviser Roger Stone has been convicted on seven counts of lying to Congress, obstruction and witness tampering.The court heard he lied about his efforts to learn more about when WikiLeaks would publish damaging emails about Hillary Clinton in 2016.The…

US Pres Trump to attend NATO summit in London to urge defence spending hike

President Donald Trump WASHINGTON, Nov 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — President Donald Trump will try to convince U.S. allies that they should increase defense spending when he attends a meeting of NATO leaders next month in London, the White House said.Trump, who met this week at the White House with NATO Secretary-General…

Kenya and Somalia restore ties amid sea border row

President Abdullahi (L) met with President Kenyatta in Nairobi for the first time since March NAIROBI, Nov 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Kenya and Somalia have agreed to normalise diplomatic relations despite an ongoing maritime boundary case at the International Court of Justice.The rapprochement will start with restoration of the issuance of…

Education takes lion’s share of Zimbabwe’s 2020 budget, health comes second

HARARE, Nov 16 (NNN-ALLAFRICA) — Zimbabwean Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube has allocated the second biggest chunk of his 2020 budget to health proposing a $6.5 billion vote to the struggling sector.This comes at a time the country’s health sector is crippled following the downing of tools by doctors and nurses…