Germany to speed up Mali withdrawal as UN mission ends

Policemen of the United Nations Stabilisation Mission in Mali patrol BERLIN, June 30 (NNN-AGENCIES) — German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has said the country is looking to pull its soldiers out of Mali faster, though still in an ordered manner, in light of the planned end of a United Nations…

Calm in Sierra Leone despite contested election result

Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio has been sworn in for a second term FREETOWN, June 30 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The streets of Sierra Leone’s capital were quiet a day after President Julius Maada Bio was sworn in for a second term following an election his main rival slammed as “not…

UK immigration: In blow to PM Sunak, court rules Rwanda deportation plan unlawful

Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak LONDON, June 30 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A British court has ruled that the government’s controversial plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda is unlawful as the African nation cannot be considered a safe third country.In a major setback for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who has pledged…

Canada wildfire smoke chokes millions in North America

MONTREAL, June 30 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A deep orange-brown sun shined through hazy skies as smoke from Canadian wildfires spread across North America and beyond, choking millions of people and triggering severe air quality alerts. The number of fires and the amount of land scorched, as well as the amount of…

South Africa: Government to assist Inanda tornado victims to rebuild their homes

DURBAN, June 30 (NNN-SANEWS) — The South African Government says it will assist the households affected by the tornado that ripped through Inanda, northwest of Durban, to rebuild their homes. This was announced during an in-loco inspection led by Human Settlements Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi, who visited the area, to assess…

Southern Africa Customs Union pivotal to regional economic growth: Pres Ramaphosa

MBABANE (Eswatini), June 30 (NNN-SANEWS) — President Cyril Ramaphosa says it is pivotal that the Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU) achieve its mandate if Southern Africa’s economies are to withstand the “seismic shifts” that the global economy is now going through. The President was speaking at the 8th SACU Heads…

Update: Policeman who killed French teen says ‘sorry’ to the family – Lawyer

NANTERRE (France), June 30 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The policeman who killed a French teenager in a Paris suburb on Tuesday, sparking violent protests across the country, has apologised to the family while in custody, his lawyer said. “The first words he pronounced were to say sorry and the last words he said were…

Chinese spy balloon did not gather data over US: Pentagon

WASHINGTON, June 30 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Chinese spy balloon shot down by a US fighter jet over the Atlantic in February did not collect intelligence as it flew across the United States, the Pentagon said. “It’s been our assessment now that it did not collect while it was transiting the United States…

Mexico heatwaves: Extreme heat kills more than 100 – Government

MEXICO CITY, June 30 (NNN-AGENCIES) — More than 100 people have died due to extreme heat in Mexico in June, the government said, following a series of heatwaves in the Latin American nation. Scientists say global warming is exacerbating adverse weather, with many countries experiencing record-high temperatures. Over 1,000 heat-related emergencies were…

Eid in Sudan: Muslims celebrating amid sound of gunfire despite ceasefire announced

 KHARTOUM, June 30 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Muslims in Sudan have been celebrating Eid al-Adha amid the sound of gunfire despite a ceasefire announced by the warring military groups. Residents said heavy artillery and airstrikes were heard in Khartoum state. Others say they are too afraid to even attend the outdoor prayers…