Sierra Leone election: Country awaits results in tense poll

FREETOWN, June 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Sierra Leoneans are awaiting general election results following a tense campaign marred by violence. There was a high turnout, with voters saying the process was smooth despite ballots opening hours late in many areas. There had been concern about potential clashes in the run up to…

Russian defence minister makes first appearance on TV since Wagner crisis

MOSCOW, June 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russian state television on Monday broadcast footage of Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu inspecting Russian troops, in his first public appearance since a failed mutiny by Wagner forces. Shoigu — the target of fierce criticism by the mercenary group’s chief Yevgeny Prigozhin — went to a…

Nigerian anti-drug agency seizes over 5000 kg of cannabis in operations

LAGOS, June 26 (NNN-XINHUA) — Nigeria’s anti-drug agency has seized more than 5,000 kilograms of cannabis in two operations in the past week in Lagos, the country’s economic hub, and arrested two suspects for alleged ties to a drug trafficking network. The operations were carried out in the Lekki area…

Gabon’s presidential election to be held on Aug 26

LIBREVILLE, June 26 (NNN-XINHUA) — Gabon’s presidential, legislative and local elections will be held on Aug 26, Michel Stephane Bonda, president of the Gabonese Election Center, announced on Sunday. The deadline for submitting candidacies for all the elections is July 11. The presidential campaign will open on Aug 11 and…

Honduras sets curfew after drug-related shooting leaves 11 dead

Forensic personnel remove the body of one of the eleven people killed in a pool hall in Choloma TEGUCIGALPA, June 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — President Xiomara Castro declared a curfew Sunday in a region of Honduras where suspected hitmen hired by drug traffickers shot and killed 11 people in a billiard…

Sudan welcomes statement by UN rights chief condemning paramilitary forces: ministry

OHCHR calls for immediate action to stop the killing of civilians fleeing El Geneina, capital of West Darfur KHARTOUM, June 26 (NNN-XINHUA) — The Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the UN human rights chief’s condemnation of atrocities carried out by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in West Darfur…

East African Legislative Assembly blocks use of Kiswahili during sitting

The East Africa Legislative Assembly during a session in Arusha, Tanzania ARUSHA (Tanzania), June 26 (NNN-GNA) — Kiswahili, the lingua franca and an official language of the East African Community (EAC), has been blocked from use at the regional parliament.Some legislators insist that debate should only be made in English…

UN again accuses Rwanda of backing M23 as Kigali protests DRC’s FDLR support

M23 rebels UNITED NATIONS, June 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United Nations has again accused Rwanda of offering support to the M23 rebel group that is fighting the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) government.A new UN Group of Experts report on the DRC, claims that Rwanda is supporting the M23 through…

UK: Prince William to launch new homelessness initiative

 LONDON, June 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Britain’s Prince William will launch Monday a new UK-wide initiative aiming to show that it is possible to end homelessness and make it “rare, brief, and unrepeated”, Kensington Palace announced. William, 41, the heir to the throne, and his charitable Royal Foundation will help give…

Canada wildfires: Montreal has worst air of any major city in the world as wildfires rage

MONTREAL, June 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Forest fires in Canada left Montreal blanketed with smog on Sunday, giving it the worst air quality of any major city in the world, according to a pollution monitor. Quebec province’s most populous city had ‘unhealthy’ air quality according to IQAir, which tracks pollution around…