Portugal seeks to attract worker immigration

LISBON, Aug 20 (NNN-Xinhua) — Portuguese Minister of Economy and the Sea Antonio Costa Silva said that the government will take measures to facilitate the immigration to Portugal and ease the shortage of workers, which he described as “the heart of the government’s concerns.” Speaking at the opening of the…

Flash flood warning issued for drought-hit western US

LOS ANGELES, Aug 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Drought-stricken parts of the western United States were warned to be on alert for flash flooding, with up to 15 centimeters of rain expected in some areas. The National Weather Service said “a significant heavy rainfall event” could strike Arizona and New Mexico, leading…

Update: 8 civilians killed in Mogadishu hotel attack – security official

MOGADISHU, Aug 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least eight people were confirmed dead in a militant attack on a hotel in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu, a security official said Saturday, as Somali forces continued to battle gunmen holed up inside the building. “The security forces continued to neutralise terrorists who have been…

European countries ‘concerned’ by Israeli raids of Palestinian NGOs

BERLIN, Aug 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Nine European countries, including France and Germany, said they were “deeply concerned” by the Israeli government’s forced closure of several Palestinian NGOs operating in the occupied West Bank. The Israeli military on Thursday said it had conducted overnight raids of seven organisations in Ramallah, the…

UK: Ministers accused of ‘provoking’ strikes as tube action disrupts London travel

People waiting for buses outside Victoria tube station on Friday LONDON, Aug 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Ministers have been accused of “deliberately provoking” strikes as industrial action on the underground in London caused travel disruption. Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) workers walked out on Friday over issues including jobs and pensions, halting most services…

Somalia: Attackers seize control of hotel in Mogadishu

MOGADISHU, Aug 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Attackers seized control of a popular hotel in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, following two car bomb blasts and gunfire. Abdikadir Abdirahman, director and founder of Mogadishu’s Aamin ambulance services, said late on Friday so far nine wounded people were carried away from the hotel. “Two…

Regional bloc condemns “terrorist attacks” against Venezuelan facilities

CARACAS, Aug 20 (NNN-Xinhua) — The Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America – People’s Trade Agreement (ALBA-TCP) on Friday condemned recent “terrorist attacks” against two Venezuelan facilities. In a statement issued in Caracas, the bloc’s Secretary General Sacha Llorenti strongly denounced the attacks on a gas pipeline managed…

Commonwealth Sec-Gen Scotland praises Kenya’s commitment to peace

Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland NAIROBI, Aug 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland has lauded Kenya’s top presidential candidates for their commitment to upholding peace despite a dispute over the electoral results.On Thursday, a delegation of US legislators led by Senator Chris Coons held talks with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta,…

95 killed in South Sudan communal conflicts

JUBA, Aug 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least 95 people have been killed in communal conflicts in South Sudan in July alone, the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) has reported. A humanitarian snapshot released by UNOCHA on Thursday adds that more than 17,500 people were also displaced.“At…

22 dead in Chad heavy rains since June: UN

N’DJAMENA, Aug 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Torrential rains have caused the death of 22 people in Chad since June, with more than 110,000 affected, a UN report has said. The rains had also destroyed more than 2,200 hectares of agricultural land, the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said.…