Dec 12 elections: Protest city, Algiers shunned by most Algerian candidates

The five candidates for the Dec 12 elections ALGIERS, Nov 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Campaigning has officially started for the Dec 12 presidential election in Algeria – but on the first day all but one of the five candidates chose to stay away from the capital, Algiers – the city where opposition to the poll…

‘32 militants killed’ in Burkina Faso sex slave raid

Security forces in Burkina Faso have been under pressure as militant attacks increase OUAGADOUGOU, Nov 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The army in Burkina Faso says it has killed 32 armed men – described as “terrorists” – during two operations in the north of the country, the first of which resulted in…

Nigeria bandits ‘slit throats and kill children’

Many villagers have been attacked in Nigeria’s Zamfara state over the years ABUJA, Nov 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Nigerian police say at least 14 people have been killed and many others wounded in an attack by armed men on a village in Nigeria’s north-western Zamfara state.Residents say the death toll was…

Volta secessionists declared wanted, police to place them on Interpol red alert

Charles Komi Kudzordzi [with walking stick] declared Western Togoland independent on Nov 16 ACCRA, Nov 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Police are on a manhunt for the leader of a separatist group that declared independence for Western Togoland last Saturday, sources at the Ghana police CID headquarters said. The source said “we…

Floods affect over 547,000 people in Somalia: UN

MOGADISHU, Nov 19 (NNN-XINHUA) — Flooding in parts of Somalia has impacted more than 547,000 people, of whom 370,000 have been displaced from their homes, destroying livelihoods and infrastructure in the Horn of Africa nation, the UN said. Citing figures from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)-led protection and…

Mali army loses 24 soldiers in Niger border attack

BAMAKO, Nov 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) —Twenty-four soldiers have been killed in an attack by militants in eastern Mali, the country’s army has said. Another 29 were also injured during a joint operation between troops from Mali and Niger in the Gao border region. Mali’s army said 17 “terrorists” were killed and 100…

Russia returns Ukrainian boats seized off Crimea

Russia’s coastguard tows a seized Ukrainian vessel out of the port in Kerch  KIEV, Nov 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) —Russia has returned three navy boats to Ukraine almost a year after they were seized in the Black Sea off the Crimean Peninsula, officials say. The two gunboats, Berdyansk and Nikopol, and the Yana…

More than 100,000 children in migration-related US detention: UN

Child migrants are seen outside the US Border Patrol McAllen Station in a makeshift encampment in McAllen, Texas GENEVA, Nov 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States has the world’s highest rate of children in detention, including more than 100,000 in immigration-related custody that violates international law, the author of a United Nations…

Curfew imposed in Port Sudan after tribal clashes

KHARTOUM, Nov 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Police in Port Sudan said it had imposed a night-time curfew in the Red Sea city after clashes broke out between members of two tribes in Sudan’s main economic hub. The curfew came into effect at 5 pm Monday and would remain until 5 am…

Libya air raid kills 7 including Bangladeshi: ministry

The aftermath of a reported air strike on a factory, south of the Libyan capital Tripoli   TRIPOLI, Nov 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least seven civilians, including a Bangladesh national, were killed and 30 injured in an air strike that hit a biscuit factory in southern Tripoli, Libya’s health ministry…