Vietnam police seize more than 320,000 used condoms

The condoms were washed, reshaped and repackaged before being resold HANOI, Sept 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Vietnamese police have seized more than 320,000 used condoms that were to be illegally resold to unsuspecting customers, local media report.Footage showed dozens of bags that together weighed 360kg in a warehouse that was recently…

Covid-19: Flag memorial marks 200,000 US deaths

The coronavirus death toll passed 200,000 in the US this week WASHINGTON, Sept 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A sea of American flags can be seen on the lawn of the National Mall in Washington DC, each one representing some of those who have died with Covid-19 in the country during the…

UN’s sex education project in Zambia faces opposition on religious grounds

LUSAKA, Sept 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A sex education project in Zambia being sponsored by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has been rejected by the country’s minister for religious affairs.Godfridah Sumaili is quoted by local media as saying the project promotes gender identities, sexual orientation and reproductive health rights alien…

South Sudan government figures embezzled $36m – UN panel

The UN report came six days after President Salva Kir fired the country’s finance minister JUBA, Sept 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — High-ranking politicians and bureaucrats in South Sudan have siphoned off at least $36m in public funds, sometimes with the connivance of international corporations and banks, a United Nations commission has…

ECOWAS might lift Mali’s sanctions on Friday

Mali’s junta asked for the sanctions to be lifted after Bah Ndaw was named president BAMAKO, Sept 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The West African bloc ECOWAS will likely decide on Friday whether to lift potentially crippling sanctions imposed on Mali after last month’s coup, its mediator said. The mediator, Nigerian former…

Nigerian fuel tanker explosion kills 25 in Lokoja

The crash happened on a major highway in Lokoja ABUJA, Sept 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least 25 people have been killed in central Nigeria after a fuel tanker exploded following a collision with other vehicles. A primary school pupil and students are reported to be among the dead. The crash…

Amnesty urges EU to rethink Libya cooperation over refugee abuse

Amnesty said the EU did not pressure Libyan authorities to respect the rights of refugees TRIPOLI, Sept 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A prominent rights group has called on the European Union to reconsider its cooperation with Libya over “horrific abuses” being committed against refugees and migrants in the North African country.…

US unrest: Discrimination against Blacks has cost US economy $16 trillion – Citigroup report

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, pictured here with President Donald Trump WASHINGTON, Sept 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States’ longstanding discrimination against minority groups, especially Blacks, is biting the US economy hard. A new report by US-based firm Citigroup claims the US economy lost $16 trillion due to racism and…

EU refuses to recognise Lukashenko as Belarus president

BRUSSELS/MINSK, Sept 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The European Union refuses to recognise Alexander Lukashenko as president of Belarus, saying the August election results and his inauguration this week lacked democratic legitimacy, the EU’s diplomatic chief said. “The European Union does not recognise their falsified results. On this basis, the so-called ‘inauguration’…

Russia calls for strengthening WHO, removing obstacles for partnership in healthcare sector

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 25 (NNN-TASS) — Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for strengthening the capability of the World Health Organization (WHO) and for removing barriers for partpership in the healthcare sector. “As to healthcare, just like in economy, we now need to remove, as many as possible, obstacles to…