Russia pioneering return of ‘Daesh children’

MOSCOW, Feb 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) – As the end nears for the Daesh enclave in Syria and the fate of jihadists’ family members becomes a prescient issue,Russia can be seen as a pioneer in systematically returning children ofIslamist fighters home. A potential homecoming of the many foreign women who have gone…

World bishops head to Vatican for sex abuse summit

VATICAN CITY, Feb 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Pope Francis gathers bishops from around the world at the Vatican this week for a hotly-awaited summit on tackling the wave of child sex abuse scandals assailing the Catholic Church. The heads of around 100 bishops’ conferences from every continent will convene from Thursday…

US Pres Trump’s top advisor predicts ‘hundreds of miles’ of border wall by 2020

WASHINGTON, Feb 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A top adviser to US Pres Donald Trump said that the president’s emergency declaration could allow “hundreds of miles” of barriers to be built on the Mexican border before the 2020 election. “You’re looking at hundreds of miles,” Stephen Miller said on “Fox News Sunday,” “probably…

US urges Europe to ‘take back’ hundreds of captured Daesh fighters

WASHINGTON, Feb 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US President Donald Trump called on his European allies to take back alleged militants captured in Syria, as Daesh fighters defended the last scrap of their “caliphate”. Daesh declared a proto-state across parts of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014, but has since lost all of…

South Africa: Activists try to protect endangered pangolins, sought after in Asia

JOHANNESBURG, Feb 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — As World Pangolin Day is marked around the globe, some conservationists in South Africa are working to protect the endangered animals, including caring for a few that have been rescued from traffickers. The eighth annual pangolin day is celebrated Saturday to raise awareness about the…

Ivory Coast: After deadly clashes, farmers and herders try dialogue

Bouna (Ivory Coast), Feb 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Gathered under the spreading baobab tree in Danoa town square, farmers and herders in a remote corner of Ivory Coast are finally talking about a dispute that has poisoned relations and destroyed lives. Nearly three years ago, the northeast region of Bouna plunged…

Sudan: Lawmakers cancel meeting on constitutional changes

KHARTOUM, Feb 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A Sudan’s parliamentary committee tasked with amending the constitution to allow President Omar al-Bashir to run for another term has abruptly canceled its meeting. State-run news agency SUNA says the meeting was scheduled for Sunday but has been postponed for “emergency reasons.” It says a…

Kenya recalls its ambassador to Somalia as territorial row escalates

NAIROBI, Feb 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Kenya has recalled its ambassador to Somalia after the Mogadishu government’s decision to auction oil and gas exploration blocks at the center of a maritime territorial dispute in the Indian Ocean, the foreign ministry said. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague is…

Tunisian police and protesters clash after death at police station

TUNIS, Feb 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Police in Tunisia fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators who protested after a young man died inside a police station near the coastal resort of Hammamet, witnesses said. The young man was arrested on Friday after a fight between groups of youths in the town…

Venezuela: Opposition leader Guaido calls for ‘million volunteers’ in aid standoff

CARACAS, Feb 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido set a goal of enlisting a million volunteers within a week to confronta government blockade that has kept tons of humanitarian aid, most of it from the United States, from flowing into the country. Guaido has given Feb 23 —…