Venezuela formalizes its application to join Brics

NEW DELHI, Aug 5 (NNN-PRENSA LATINA) — Venezuelan Executive Vice President Delcy Rodríguez assured on Friday in this capital that her country has formalized its request to join the Brics, whose Summit will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa, from August 22 to 24. President Nicolás Maduro made the request…

Ethiopia unrest displaces 12,000: UN agency

ADDIS ABABA, Aug 5 (NNN-XINHUA) — Unrest in Ethiopia’s western Gambella region has displaced at least 12,000 people, a UN agency said Friday. In its Ethiopia Situation Report, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) disclosed that at least 12,000 people were displaced due to recent…

Brazil row over switch to e-books in Sao Paulo schools

SAO PAULO, Aug 5 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Sao Paulo state government decided this week to largely replace textbooks with e-books in high schools, sparking a row in Brazil, where education experts and publishers warned the move could have negative consequences. Starting next year, students aged 14 and over at 5,300…

Fire near Spain’s border with France spreading rapidly

MADRID, Aug 5 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A forest fire on Spain’s Mediterranean coast near the French border was spreading rapidly on Friday, fed by strong winds and surrounding a popular tourist site. The blaze in the Portbou area burned around 200 hectares in three hours and could spread over 400 hectares,…

Argentina uses $775 mn Qatar loan to repay IMF

 BUENOS AIRES, Aug 5 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Argentine government said Friday it will use a loan from Qatar amounting to $775 million to make a payment to the International Monetary Fund as it awaits approval of a disbursement from the IMF for $7.5 billion. The credit operation would allow Qatar…

New York riot erupts as influencer touts game console giveaway

NEW YORK, Aug 5 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A New York gathering called by a popular online influencer drew an unexpectedly large crowd on Friday and degenerated into violence that left people injured, prompting a massive police turnout, authorities said. It all started with a posting on Instagram from 21-year-old Kai Cenat,…

Kenya-Israel to explore more opportunities in food production, blue economy

President William Ruto and Israel Ambassador to Kenya Michael Lotem at State House, Nairobi NAIROBI, Aug 5 (NNN-KBC) — President William Ruto has said that Kenya and Israel will explore opportunities for partnership in food production and irrigation, blue economy, border control and health areas. The Head of State spoke Friday…

Security officers intensify patrols along Kenya-Somalia border; nab foreigners joining Al-Shabaab terror group

NAIROBI, Aug 5 (NNN-KBC) — Security officers through heightened surveillance along the Kenya-Somalia border have nabbed six foreigners on their way to Somalia to join Al-Shabaab terrorist group. The six are Muhamed Jahad Farah, Saad Suleiman Saleh, Nadrik Mbwana Salum, Abdul Kadir Salum Seif and Ali Issa Ali, all Tanzanian…

Niger coup d’etat: ECOWAS defense chiefs highlight dialogue in tackling crisis

ABUJA, Aug 5 (NNN-XINHUA) — The defense chiefs of the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Friday said there should be comprehensive approaches in addressing the situation in Niger, and dialogue and negotiation “should be at the forefront.” The Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff of ECOWAS…

Ecuador: 5 dead, 7 injured in bus rollover

QUITO, Aug 5 (NNN-XINHUA) — At least five people were killed and seven injured Friday when an interprovincial bus overturned in east Ecuador’s province of Pichincha, the Integrated Security Service ECU 911 reported. In a statement, the emergency attendance institution said that the accident occurred early Friday morning on the…