Ebrahim Raisi sworn in as Iran’s eighth president

Iran’s new President Ebrahim Raisi speaks during his swearing-in ceremony at the parliament in Tehran TEHRAN, (Aug 6 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Ebrahim Raisi has been sworn in as Iran’s eighth president. At the ceremony in the country’s parliament in Tehran on Thursday, Raisi, with a hand on a Quran, read the…

Madagascar arrests generals over assassination plot

ANTANANARIVO, Aug 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — High-ranking army and police officials have been arrested in Madagascar in connection with a failed attempt to kill the country’s president. The arrested include five generals and several active police officers, meaning 21 people are now being investigated over last month’s foiled assassination. Authorities have…

Covid-19: Libya to impose prison sentences, fines for curfew breaches

TRIPOLI, Aug 2 (NNN-Xinhua) — The Libyan Interior Ministry said that people who breach curfew instructions against COVID-19 could be punished with six months in prison or receive a fine of 200 dinars or both. The ministry said the decision aims to “save people’s lives, maintain their safety, and prevent…

Thousands take part in pro-Bolsonaro demonstrations in Brazil; against electronic voting

Thousands of mask-less pro-Bolsonaro Brazilians are protesting against the country’s electronic voting system BRASILIA, Aug 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Thousands of Brazilians took to the streets of Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia to support far-right President Jair Bolsonaro in protest against the country’s electronic voting system. In Rio, some 3,000 people marched…

Colombia ex-army chief will be charged over extrajudicial killings

Former commander of the Colombian Army General Mario Montoya BOGOTA, Aug 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Colombia’s attorney general’s office will charge former army commander General Mario Montoya for responsibility of 104 extrajudicial executions, as part of the “false positives” scandal. The false positives took place between 2002 and 2008, during the…

US: Flood watches in West as mudslides close major interstate

Mudslides closed some Colorado highways DENVER (Colorado, US), Aug 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Mudslides from heavy rains caused “extreme damage” to a major interstate and left it blocked with piles of boulders and logs, Colorado transportation officials said, as forecasters warned of more flash floods in the coming days across the Rocky…

Covid-19: Scuffles in Berlin as sceptics defy protest ban

Some protesters had “harassed and attacked” officers BERLIN, Aug 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Thousands of anti-lockdown demonstrators defied a court-ordered protest ban on Sunday and gathered in the streets of Berlin, resulting in scuffles with police. Police said some protesters had “harassed and attacked” officers and ignored roadblocks, disrupting traffic in parts…

US shooting: Young TikTok star shot in California movie theater dies

Suspected shooter 20-year-old Joseph Jimenez CORONA (California, US), Aug 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A young TikTok star who had been on life support after he and a friend were shot inside a Southern California movie theater has died, police and his family said. Anthony Barajas, 19, was watching “The Forever Purge”…

Panda loaned to France gives birth to twins: zoo

 SAINT-AIGNAN (France), Aug 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Huan Huan, a giant panda on loan to France, gave birth to twin cubs very early Monday, according to the Beauval zoo. The twins, born around 1 am, are Huan Huan and her partner Yuan Zi’s third cubs after the first panda ever born…

More than 700 saved from Mediterranean this weekend: aid group

More than 1,100 people died attempting the crossing in the first half of the year, says the IOM. MARSEILLE, Aug 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Rescue ships picked up more than 700 people trying to cross the Mediterranean in makeshift vessels this weekend, mainly off the coasts of Libya and Malta, a…