Five killed in Chilean Air Force helicopter crash

SANTIAGO, Aug 2 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — All five occupants of a Chilean Air Force (FACH) helicopter that crashed Monday in the Los Lagos Region were reported dead, according to an official statement. A Bell-412 aircraft belonging to Aviation Group No. 5 suffered an accident at approximately 8.30 pm in the sector…

South Africa records preliminary trade balance deficit of R3.5bn

PRETORIA, Aug 2 (NNN-SANEWS) — The South African Revenue Service (SARS) says South Africa recorded a preliminary trade balance deficit of R3.5 billion in June 2023. According to SARS, the deficit is attributable to exports of R167.6 billion and imports of R171.1 billion, inclusive of trade with Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho…

Japan-South Africa collaboration set to improve quality of production

JOHANNESBURG, Aug 2 (NNN-SANEWS) — The Chief Director of Automotives at the the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic), Mkhululi Mlota says the Quality and Productivity Improvement (QPI) training programme will help give South Africa an edge over its competitors in manufacturing in the automotive sector.  He was…

South Africa: Rhino killings decrease by 11%

PRETORIA, Aug 2 (NNN-SANEWS) — In the first six months of this year, 231 rhinos were killed in South Africa, representing an 11% decrease when compared to the same period last year. This represents a decline of 28 animals killed for their horn. Addressing a media briefing on Tuesday, Minister…

The Pentagon is pulling 1,100 troops from the US-Mexico border mission

Migrants are escorted by US Army soldier after entering into El Paso, Texas from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico to be processed by immigration authorities WASHINGTON, Aug 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Pentagon is pulling 1,100 active duty troops from the US-Mexico border it deployed earlier this year as the government prepared for…

France launches evacuation flights from coup-hit Niger

Passengers are seen outside the Diori Hamani International Airport in Niamey NIAMEY, Aug 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The first of three flights to evacuate French and European citizens from Niger lifted off Tuesday evening, six days after a coup toppled one of the last pro-Western leaders in the militant-plagued Sahel. “There…

Pres Boluarte reaffirms Peru-US brotherhood ties

LIMA, Aug 2 (NNN-ANDNA) — Pres Dina Boluarte on Tuesday reiterated her commitment to strengthen bilateral relations and ties of brotherhood between Peru and the United States of America. This statement was issued to thank US counterpart Joe Biden for his greetings in a letter previously sent to her on the occasion of Peru’s…

US tightens visa conditions for Hungary on security concerns

BUDAPEST, Aug 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States tightened the conditions under its visa waivers programme for Hungarian citizens due to what it called Budapest’s failure to “address the security vulnerabilities” emanating from passports issued since 2011. Washington has repeatedly criticised Hungary’s fast-track passport system brought in by nationalist leader Viktor Orban — which…

Iceland suspends embassy operations in Russia

REYKJAVIK, Aug 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Iceland said it had suspended work at its embassy in Russia, the first European country to do so, as commercial, cultural and political relations had slumped to an “all-time low”. The Nordic country had announced in June that it would be closing its mission. “The decision to suspend…

France to evacuate nationals from Niger ‘very soon’: Embassy

PARIS, Aug 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — France will “very soon” start to evacuate its nationals from Niger, where a coup last week has unleashed anti-French protests, Paris’s embassy in Niamey said Tuesday. “In the face of a deteriorating security situation in Niamey, and taking advantage of the relative calm in Niamey,…