Air raids in Libyan capital kill five civilians, injures 10: ministry

TRIPOLI, Dec 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least five civilians were killed and 10wounded in overnight air strikes in a suburb of Libya’s capital, the unitygovernment’s health ministry said. “Violent air raids on the residential area of al-Swani killed fivecivilians and injured 10 others, some of them seriously,” said spokesman Amin…

Morocco bus crash kills 17; in Tunisia death toll rises to 26

RABAT/TUNIS, Dec 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A bus crash in northern Morocco killed 17 people as the vehicle overturned, the health ministry said, in thesecond such accident in North Africa the same day. The bus crashed on Sunday near Taza, a town between the Rif and Atlasmountains, local authorities said, with…

Suriname leader says he is victim of political game after murder conviction

Suriname’s President Desi Bouterse addresses the media in Paramaribo after arriving from China PARAMARIBO, Dec 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — President Desi Bouterse said he was victim of a “political game” when he returned to Suriname after a court found him guilty of murder in absentia for the 1982 execution of 15…

At least 14 killed in church attack in Burkina Faso

OUAGADOUGOU, Dec 2 (NNN-Xinhua) — Gunmen attacked a church on Sunday and left at least 14 dead and several injured in Burkina Faso’s eastern region, an official said. The attack occurred during a worship in a church in Hantoukoura town in the Foutouri department of Komondjari province, close to Burkina…

Libya: Tripoli international airport to resume flights on Dec 12

TRIPOLI, Dec 2 (NNN-Xinhua) — The Ministry of Transport of the UN-backed Libyan government announced that the Mitiga International Airport in the capital Tripoli will resume flights on Dec 12. A meeting was held to discuss the latest developments of the projects, in which a decision was made to reactivate…

Climate talks in Spain to open as ‘point of no return’ looms

MADRID, Dec 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Political leaders and climate diplomats are to meet in Madrid for two weeks of talks amid a growing sense of crisis.According to UN Secretary General António Guterres, “the point of no return is no longer over the horizon”.Meanwhile, Save the Children says that climate shocks…

Ex-Chad PM arrested on fraud allegations

N’DJAMENA, Dec 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A Chadian minister, who served as the country’s premier from 2013-16 was arrested on Sunday over fraud allegations, a police spokesman said. Kalzeube Pahimi Deubet was detained following a complaint from the stateinspectorate general for fraud, the spokesman said. Currently secretary-general of the presidency, his…

Russia cements role as gas ‘kingpin’ with three new pipelines

MOSCOW, Dec 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russian President Vladimir Putin andChinese leader Xi Jinping launch Monday a gas pipeline that is the first ofthree ambitious projects intended to cement Moscow’s role as top gasexporter. Putin and Xi are to inaugurate by video link-up the “Power of Siberia”pipeline, sending Siberian gas to…

Peru receives 834 cultural artifacts repatriated from six countries

LIMA, Dec 2 (NNN-ANDINA) — Peruvian Ministers Gustavo Meza-Cuadra (Foreign Affairs) and Francesco Petrozzi (Culture) presided over a handover ceremony of cultural objects repatriated from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, United States, and Guatemala. In total, 834 artifacts returned to Peru as part of the Foreign Cultural Policy Plan. According to Meza-Cuadra, the return…

Peru, world’s leading culinary destination for eighth consecutive year

MUSCAT (Oman), Dec 2 (NNN-ANDINA) — The World Travel Awards (WTA), known as the Oscars of the travel industry, have named Peru as the World’s Leading Culinary Destination for the 8th consecutive year. The announcement was made during the WTA Grand Final Gala Ceremony at the landmark Royal Opera House in Muscat (Oman),…