Ex-South African convict becomes Mayor and gives up his salary

Gayton McKenzie’s Patriotic Alliance (PA) entered into a coalition with the ruling ANC party  PRETORIA, April 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A former convict who was recently appointed as mayor of a South African municipality has pledged to give up his salary and other trappings of the office. In his inauguration speech,…

Russia-Ukraine conflict: Ukraine is ‘crime scene’, says International Criminal Court

KYIV, April 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — War crimes prosecutors visiting the site of civilian killings called Ukraine a “crime scene”, as tens of thousands of Ukrainians fled their country in advance of a fresh assault to the east. The visit by the International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor to Bucha — the Kyiv…

Russia-Ukraine conflict: Diplomatic battle rages at UNESCO over Russia meeting

PARIS, April 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A dispute has erupted at the UN cultural agency over Russia’s hosting of its World Heritage Committee in just two months, which Western nations say they will boycott over the invasion of  Ukraine. Russia is due to host the annual meeting of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee in the…

Int’l agencies call for urgent aid to address food insecurity

 WASHINGTON, April 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Major international organizations issued an appeal for urgent measures to deal with rising food insecurity in poor countries, including providing financing to support farmers and increase food supplies.  “It is critical to quickly provide support for food insecure countries in a coordinated manner,” the heads…

AU dissolves AMISOM, forms transition organ; The new deadline for troops to leave Somalia is December 2024

MOGADISHU, April 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council has dissolved the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), paving the way for a transitional organ that will manage the complete handover of security responsibilities to the Somali army in 2024.  The new organ, which was also…

Update: UK PM and chancellor apologise and pay lockdown party fines

UK PM Boris Johnson LONDON, April 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister of Great Britain and Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer, have both paid fines for attending a surprise birthday celebration for Boris Johnson in the Cabinet Room on June 19, 2020.The PM’s wife, Carrie Johnson, who…

Algeria accuses Morocco of killing 3 in Western SaharaAlgeria accuses Morocco of killing 3 in Western Sahara

A map showing Western Sahara and Morocco ALGIERS, April 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Algeria accused its neighbor Morocco of killing three people in an attack on the edge of the contested territory of Western Sahara on Tuesday. Media connected to the Polisario independence movement reported an air strike on Sunday that hit a convoy…

Brazil gaining ground in the US beef market: main exporter in first two months of 2022

BRASILIA, April 13 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Brazil in the first two months of this year became for the first time ever, the main supplier of beef to the United States. In January the US took 45,400 tons of Brazilian beef and in February 25,600, totaling 71,000 tons, ahead of more traditional…

Update: Nearly 60 dead in South Africa floods 

DURBAN (South Africa) —The death toll from floods and mudslides after rainstorms struck the South African port city of Durban and surrounding areas in KwaZulu-Natal province has climbed to 59, authorities said. The country’s meteorologists forecasted more “disruptive” rains on the way Tuesday night but expected the “rainfall system” to…

South Sudan takes key step towards unifying armed forces

JUBA, April 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — South Sudan’s government announced the creation of a unified armed forces command, implementing a key provision of the 2018 peace deal that observers hope will ease the country’s recovery from years of war. The world’s newest nation has struggled to draw a line under a…