African Nations Championship kicks off in Algeria

Algerian Prime Minister Ayman Benabderrahmane (C), FIFA President Gianni Infantino (R) and President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Patrice Motsepe attend the opening ceremony of the 7th African Nations Championship (CHAN) at Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algiers ALGIERS, Jan 14 (NNN-Xinhua) — The seventh edition of the African…

Cubans will elect new Parliament in March

HAVANA, Jan 14 (NNN-ACN) — Cuba’s National Electoral Council is deploying intense work to guarantee National Elections in March 26, when the deputies to the National Assembly of People’s Power (Cuban Parliament) are elected.Electoral Council vice-president Tomas Amaran told reporters about main actions underway towards the election. He said that…

Lithuania: Blast rocks gas pipeline, no injuries – operator

VILNIUS, Jan 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — An explosion damaged a gas pipeline in northern Lithuania on Friday with no injuries reported, the operator said, adding that the blast was not thought to be suspicious. The explosion on the pipeline which links the Baltic states to Poland happened at around 5 pm…

Brazil: Probe sought of former president Bolsonaro for Jan 8 riots

BRASILIA, Jan 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Brazilian authorities moved to investigate ex-president Jair Bolsonaro for “instigation and intellectual authorship” of the Jan 8 sacking of government buildings in Brasilia. Seeking permission from the Supreme Court to add Bolsonaro to the suspect list, the office of the prosecutor general (PGR) cited a…

‘Disastrous’ flood warning in California as another storm hits

LOS ANGELES, Jan 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Disastrous flooding could hit parts of California this weekend, forecasters warned Friday, as the eighth storm in succession barreled in over land already too waterlogged to soak up any more rain. The most populous US state has been pummeled by near-record downpours over a…

Morocco-Algeria spat spills into football with Morocco’s African cup no-show

RABAT, Jan 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The decades-long rivalry between North African neighbours Morocco and Algeria has spilled onto the football pitch, leaving the Moroccan team out of the African Nations Championship (CHAN). The Atlas Lions’ under-23 team, winner of the last two CHAN tournaments, withdrew its participation on Friday after…

South Africa: Pres Ramaphosa regrets load shedding – Presidential Spokesperson

PRETORIA, Jan 14 (NNN-SANEWS) — Presidential Spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, says President Cyril Ramaphosa deeply regrets the current energy situation which has plunged the country into Stage 6 load shedding. Magwenya was updating the public on the President’s public programme and topical issues of public and media interest.  “The President acknowledges…

Raft of single-use plastic items to be banned in England: govt

LONDON, Jan 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — England will ban a wide range of single-use plastic items from October including plates and cutlery in order to limit their “devastating” effect on the environment, the government said Saturday. The new legislation will also cover single-use trays and certain types of polystyrene cups and…

Three frontrunners as Czechs vote for new president

PRAGUE, Jan 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Polling stations closed after day one of Czech presidential polls Friday with a billionaire, a general and an academic leading in the first of a likely two-round vote seen as too close to call. The winner will replace Milos Zeman, an outspoken and divisive political…

Peru: Police detain ringleader linked to Shining Path terrorist group

AYACUCHO (Huamanga, Peru), Jan 14 (NNN-ANDINA) — Peruvian National Police (PNP) agents and Public Ministry special prosecutors, sent from Lima, detained Ayacucho People’s Defense Front (Fredepa) Chairwoman Rocio Leandro Melgar —also known as “Comrade Cusi”— at the Home of Teachers building in the city of Ayacucho, Huamanga province. Leandro Melgar was part of…