South Africa to step aside from G20 during United States presidency

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa PRETORIA, Jan 24 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — South Africa’s finance minister, Enoch Godongwana, has confirmed that the country will step back from its G20 engagements during the United States presidency of the grouping.Speaking at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos on Thursday, he described the decision…

UN rights chief slams ‘routine abuse’ of migrants in US

GENEVA, Jan 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United Nations rights chief voiced astonishment at the “now-routine abuse” of migrants by US authorities, urging Washington to end practices “tearing apart families”. Volker Turk called on the United States to ensure migration policies and enforcement practices respect human dignity and due process and…

Icy storm threatens Americans with power outages, extreme cold

NEW YORK, Jan 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Americans stripped supermarket shelves Friday ahead of potentially “catastrophic” winter weather that threatened at least 160 million people across the country with transportation chaos, blackouts and life-threatening cold. The massive storm system was set to drop a mix of freezing rain and heavy snow…

US strike on alleged drug-smuggling boat kills two in Pacific

WASHINGTON, Jan 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US military said it killed two alleged drug traffickers in a strike on a boat in the eastern Pacific Friday, while the Coast Guard was searching for a third person who survived. “Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the…

Russia-Ukraine conflict: Russia demands Ukraine’s Donbas region ahead of Abu Dhabi talks

ABU DHABI, Jan 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russia said it was not dropping its key demand that Ukraine pull out of its eastern Donbas region, ahead of three-way talks between Ukrainian, Russian and American officials in the UAE. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said territory remained the key issue and would be…

Uganda army chief says 30 opposition supporters killed, 2,000 arrested

KAMPALA, Jan 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Uganda’s army chief and son of newly re-elected President Yoweri Museveni said Friday that 30 opposition supporters had been killed and 2,000 detained in the wake of the vote. Opposition leader Bobi Wine remained in hiding on Friday after accusing security forces of raiding his…

Guinean president accepts resignation of PM, gov’t

CONAKRY, Jan 23 (NNN-XINHUA) — Guinean President Mamady Doumbouya on Thursday accepted the resignation of Prime Minister and Head of Government Amadou Oury Bah, along with that of all members of the government, according to an announcement by Amara Camara, Minister Secretary-General of the Presidency of the Republic. Camara said…

Mexico deploys 145 firefighters to put out wildfires in Chile

MEXICO CITY, Jan 23 (NNN-TELESUR) — Mexico’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs (SRE) announced the deployment of 145 firefighters from the National Forestry Commission (Conafor) to combat recent wildfires in the south of Chile. The firefighters arrived in Concepcion City following instructions from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who reaffirmed Mexico’s solidarity…

Mali’s junta creates a new ministerial-level post to oversee the mining sector

BAMAKO, Jan 23 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — Mali’s military junta has created a new ministerial-level post to oversee the mining sector, tightening the government’s direct grip on the country’s crucial gold industry, and has appointed a former Barrick Mining executive to the job. The legal texts establishing the role state that the…

Nigeria’s strategy to combat illegal logging and poaching

ABUJA, Jan 23 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — Facing catastrophic deforestation, Nigeria is deploying an unconventional defense: recruiting the very poachers and loggers who once threatened its last wildlife refuges. In Okomu National Park, the NGO Africa Nature Investors (ANI), now trains former offenders as armed rangers. With Nigeria having lost 96% of…