Update: Europe endorses Brexit deal and urges UK MPs to back it

BRUSSELS, Oct 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — European Union leaders endorsed a hard-fought Brexit deal with Britain on Thursday, but Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces an uphill battle getting it through the British parliament. “It looks like we are very close to the final stretch,” EU CouncilPresident Donald Tusk told reporters after…

Turkey, US agree on Syria ceasefire to force Kurdish fighters’ withdrawal

ANKARA, Oct 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Turkey has agreed to suspend its Syriaoffensive for five days and will end the assault if Kurdish-led forceswithdraw from a safe zone along the border, US Vice President Mike Pence and Turkish officials announced after high-stakes talks. The agreement for the 120-hour pause eased what…

Fierce gun battle rocks El Chapo’s bastion in Mexico

CULIACAN (Mexico), Oct 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Heavily armed gunmen in four-by-four trucks fought an intense battle against Mexican security forcesThursday in the city of Culiacan, capital of jailed kingpin Joaquin “ElChapo” Guzman’s home state of Sinaloa. Sustained, heavy gunfire ground the western city of 750,000 people to ahalt, in a…

Council of Europe, U.N. agency urges Bosnia to move migrants camp

SARAJEVO, Oct 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The U.N. migration agency and the Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner urged Bosnia to relocate an overcrowded migrant camp, warning of a humanitarian risk because of “deplorable” conditions.Bosnia has been struggling with a rise in migrant arrivals since nearby European Union member states Croatia,…

Qatar to end controversial migrant worker restrictions

DOHA, Oct 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Qatar announced plans to scrap key aspects of its controversial “kafala” labour rules, including the requirement for some workers to obtain employers’ permission to change jobs and exit permits to leave the country.Qatar has made a series of reforms to its employment regulations since being…

45 inmates die due to lack of care in Congolese prison

BUKAVU (DR Congo), Oct 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Medical staff working at a prison in Bukavu in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo say 45 inmates have died due to lack of care since the beginning of the year.Some sick prisoners were taken to the city’s main hospital but…

Ethiopia’s e-Visa reaches 200,000 mark

Ethiopia introduced e-visas in 2017 ADDIS ABABA, Oct 18 (NNN-GNA) — With the introduction of e-visa service back in June 2017, Ethiopia has opened its doors for foreign visitors wider than ever before. Ever since, the e-visa service has redefined visitors’ travel experience, easing entry into the country with digitized…

Italy retrieves seven bodies from Oct 7 migrant shipwreck

Emergency services carry bodies from a migrant shipwreck that took place on Oct 7 back to the Italian island of Lampedusa LAMPEDUSA (Italy), Oct 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Italy has recovered the bodies of a child and six other people from the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea, more than a week…

South Africa endures power cuts as Eskom generators still out

JOHANNESBURG, Oct 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — South Africa will experience power cuts for a third day on Friday but is unlikely to be affected through the weekend as more generating units return to service, utility Eskom acting chief executive said. Eskom has since Wednesday been forced to impose power cuts for…

Guinea government confirms nine people killed in political protests this week

CONAKRY, Oct 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Nine protesters were killed this week in Guinea during demonstrations against a possible change to the constitution that could let President Alpha Conde seek a third term, the government said. Police opened fire on demonstrators on Monday as they ransacked military posts and blocked roads…