Italy votes to slash size of parliament by a third

ROME, Sept 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) —Italy has voted to cut the size of the country’s parliament by more than a third, exit polls suggest. More than 67% of people voted in favour of the change, according to a projection from state broadcaster RAI. The number of MPs in the lower house will be reduced…

Kenya’s top judge wants parliament dissolved over fewer women MPs

David Maraga says women are being discriminated against NAIROBI, Sept 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Kenya’s Chief Justice David Maraga has asked President Uhuru Kenyatta to dissolve parliament because it does not have enough female MPs. In a letter to Kenyatta, the chief justice said the failure to have more female MPs…

Germany revives hopes for EU-Mercosur deal

BERLIN, Sept 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said he still believes ratification of an EU trade deal with South America is possible, despite European anger over deforestation in Brazil. Even without reopening the text of the agreement, “there are some issues that we have to clarify, that…

US Pres Trump vows to block any TikTok deal that allows Chinese control

WASHINGTON, Sept 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A deal to restructure ownership of the popular video app TikTok was thrown into doubt Monday when President Donald Trump vowed to block any deal that allows its Chinese parent firm to retain any control. The comments raised fresh concerns over a weekend deal that…

Covid-19: US nears grim milestone of 200,000 deaths

WASHINGTON, Sept 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The death toll from the spread of the coronavirus in the United States was approaching over 200,000 on Monday, by the far the highest number of any nation. The United States, on a weekly average, is now losing about 800 lives each day to the virus.…

Botswana says toxins in water killed hundreds of elephants

A combination photo shows dead elephants in Okavango Delta, Botswana GABORONE, Sept 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Toxins in water produced by cyanobacteria killed more than 300 elephants in Botswana this year, officials said, announcing the result of an investigation into the deaths which had baffled and alarmed conservationists. Cyanobacteria are microscopic…

Covid-19: Spain asks for army’s help in battling surge

MADRID, Sept 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Madrid’s regional government chief requested the army’s help in fighting the coronavirus surge in the Spanish capital where local authorities ordered a partial lockdown of some poorer districts, prompting protests. At the height of the first wave of the pandemic in March-April, Spain deployed thousands of…

US announces ‘UN’ sanctions on Iran, Venezuela’s Pres Maduro

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo WASHINGTON, Sept 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States said it was imposing sanctions on Iran’s defence ministry and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro under a contested UN authority and demanded that Europe follow suit. President Donald Trump’s administration named 27 people or entities that it said…

Belarus opposition appeal to EU fails to unblock sanctions

Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya BRUSSELS, Sept 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) —  European Union foreign ministers failed to agree sanctions against Belarusian officials, despite an appeal by the country’s main opposition leader. After a sixth straight weekend of huge protests against President Alexander Lukashenko, opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya travelled to Brussels to…

New York police officer of Tibetan ethnicity charged with spying for China

Tensions between the United States and China have soared since US President Donald Trump took office NEW YORK, Sept 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US authorities have charged a Tibetan man serving as a New York police officer with espionage, accusing him of gathering information about the city’s Tibetan community for the…