Ethiopia: Regional ruling party re-elected in Tigray, challenging federal government

Voters at a polling station during Tigray’s regional elections in the city of Mekele ADDIS ABABA, Sept 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The regional ruling party has won a landslide election victory in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region, officials said, as a confrontation looms with national authorities who have branded the vote illegal.…

Six killed in Burundi gun attack, weeks after similar incident

Suspected rebels have killed six people in Burundi GITEGA, Sept 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Suspected rebels shot and killed six people in northern Burundi, an official said, weeks after a similar attack was reported in a southern province. The group launched the attack in Kayanza province on Thursday night from the…

Patrice Lumumba’s death: Can a tooth settle the mystery over Congo’s independence hero?

A Congolese demonstrator takes part in a protest in Brussels BRUSSELS/GOMA, Sept 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Belgium’s federal court said on Friday it would hand over a tooth, suspected to be the only remains of the murdered Congolese independence hero Patrice Lumumba, to his family, a move that could finally unlock…

Congo gold miners scour rubble for bodies after cave-in; 50 feared dead

Congolese miners work at an artisanal gold mine near Kamituga in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo BUKAVU (DR Congo), Sept 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Informal gold miners in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo scoured rubble for more than 50 colleagues presumed dead after a mine collapsed under the…

US West Coast fires: Wind warning prompts fears of further spread

The Almeda fire, which caused this damage, is only 50% contained PORTLAND (Oregon, US), Sept 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) —The US National Weather Service has issued a “red flag warning” for areas of the West Coast, as high winds threaten to spread devastating wildfires still further. Gusts of up to 40 mph are expected…

Belarus protests: Opposition keeps up pressure on embattled Pres Lukashenko

MINSK, Sept 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) —Tens of thousands of people have been marching in the capital Minsk and other cities, in the latest of several weeks of mass protest against President Alexander Lukashenko. Large numbers of police have been deployed, blocking key areas. Police said they arrested about 400 people ahead of and during…

Mali coup: Opposition rejects transition deal as ‘power grab’

Last month’s coup was welcomed by many Malian civilians BAMAKO, Sept 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The opposition coalition which led mass protests in Mali ahead of last month’s coup has rejected a transition charter. On Saturday, the country’s military leadership agreed to establish an 18-month interim government until an election could…

Covid-19: Austria experiencing second wave – chancellor

VIENNA, Sept 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Austria is experiencing the start of a second wave of coronavirus infections, its chancellor said, as cases spike upwards in line with other EU countries. From Friday to Saturday, the Alpine nation of nearly nine million people reported 869 new cases — more than half…

Greek PM announces arms purchases as Turkey tension rises

ATHENS, Sept 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Greek Prime Minister KyriakosMitsotakis announced a “robust” arms purchase programmeand an overhaul of the country’s military amid tension with Turkey inthe eastern Mediterranean. “The time has come to reinforce the armed forces… theseinitiatives constitute a robust programme that will become a nationalshield,” the PM said…

US brands Chinese curbs on American diplomats ‘escalation’

WASHINGTON, Sept 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US called a decision by Beijing to impose restrictions on all American diplomats on Chinese soil an “escalation,” the latest rebuke in an ongoing tit-for-tat dispute over foreign missions. Relations between the world’s top two economies have deteriorated in recent months, with both sides…