French female jihadist gang sentenced to up to 30 years in jail

PARIS, Oct 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A French court sentenced five members of an all-female jihadist cell to between five and 30 years in prison over a failed bid to detonate a car bomb outside Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris. The case is the first to involve a group of women attempting…

British pedophile who abused up to 200 children, mostly from Malaysia, found dead in prison

Richard Huckle LONDON, Oct 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A man described as one of Britain’s worst pedophiles has been found dead in jail.Richard Huckle, 33, who claimed to have abused almost 200 Malaysian children, died at Full Sutton prison in Yorkshire, England on Sunday, the UK’s Ministry of Justice confirmed in…

Nigerian state enlists hunters in Boko Haram fight

MAIDUGURI (Nigeria), Oct 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Thousands of Nigerian hunters, armed with charmed amulets and intimate knowledge of harsh terrain, are preparing an offensive against the Boko Haram extremists who have ravaged the northeast for a decade, calling it “high time” they help soldiers end the deadly insurgency. Nigeria’s government…

UK: Queen Elizabeth delivers Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Brexit agenda

Queen Elizabeth II LONDON, Oct 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II on Monday gave a speech to reopen Parliament, outlining her government’s plans for the year ahead. Seated on a golden throne, the monarch read a list of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s plans for Brexit, as well as…

Several killed in Guinea protests against constitution change

CONAKRY, Oct 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least five people have been killed in Guinea during demonstrations called to oppose a possible change to the constitution that could allow President Alpha Conde to run for a third term. Police opened fire in clashes with demonstrators in the capital, Conakry as protests in the city of…

Nigerian police rescue 67 from ‘inhuman’ conditions at Islamic ‘school’, second rescue in a month

Pictured are some of the rescued captives ABUJA, Oct 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Police in northern Nigeria rescued nearly 70 men and boys from a second purported Islamic school where they were shackled and subjected to “inhuman and degrading treatments.”The raid in Katsina came less than a month after about 300…

Sudan: Talks under way between transitional government and rebels

The meeting has come after some rebel groups signed a draft agreement in Juba last month JUBA, Oct 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Peace talks between a delegation from Sudan’s newly-created sovereign council and a number of rebel leaders are under way in South Sudan’s capital, Juba. The discussions, which started on…

US slaps sanctions on Turkey as Syrian government returns to north

WASHINGTON, Oct 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States slapped sanctions on Turkey Tuesday as it demanded an end to its deadly incursion against Syrian Kurdish fighters, accusing its NATO partner of putting civilians at risk and allowing the release of Daesh extremists. The actions came hours after Syrian government troops…

Vatican security chief, papal bodyguard, steps down over leak

VATICAN CITY, Oct 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Domenico Giani, the Vatican’s longtime security chief and Pope Francis’ main bodyguard, has resigned over leaks related to an investigation into alleged financial wrongdoing in the Vatican. Giani, 57, a former member of Italy’s secret services, had been part of the Vatican security apparatus…

Poland’s parliament on knife-edge as opposition takes upper house

WARSAW, Oct 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Poland’s nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party appears to have narrowly won a second term in power, final results from Sunday’s parliamentary election showed, but its drive to push through its agenda may be hampered by its loss of the upper house. On a day…