Marches and boycotts mark start of school year in Belarus

People take part in a protest against the results of the presidential elections, in Minsk MINSK, Sept 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Hundreds of students boycotted the start of the school year in Belarus on Tuesday, answering a call from exiled opposition figure Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya to demand new elections and keep the…

Covid-19: Texts books and face masks, Europe’s children return to school

French secondary school students, wearing protective face masks, stand in the courtyard at the College Jules Valles school during its reopening in Saint-Leu-d’Esserent PARIS, Sept 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Tens of millions of pupils returned to school in France, Poland and Russia on Tuesday, their rucksacks loaded with exercise books, geometry…

Two Mauritians killed, 2 missing in tugboat-barge collision near site of Japanese ship oil spill

A general view shows the bulk carrier ship MV Wakashio, that ran aground on a reef, at Riviere des Creoles, Mauritius PORT LOUIS, Sept 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Two crew members from a tugboat involved in cleaning up an oil spill off Mauritius were killed late on Monday when their vessel…

Niger floods kill 51, drive thousands from their homes

Houses are surrounded by floodwaters in Farie Haoussa, Tillaberi, Niger NIAMEY, Sept 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Severe flooding in Niger this month has killed 51 people and destroyed thousands of homes after torrential rains caused rivers to burst their banks, authorities said. Floods are common during Niger’s rainy season, when overflowing…

Zimbabwe suspects elephants died from bacterial infection

A group of elephants are seen near a watering hole inside Hwange National Park HARARE, Sept 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Eleven young elephants found dead near Zimbabwe’s biggest game park may have succumbed to a bacterial infection, the country’s parks agency said, after it ruled out poaching and cyanide poisoning. The…

Zimbabwe says foreign white farmers can apply to get back seized land

The number of white farmers has dropped to about 200 from 4,500 when land reforms began 20 years ago HARARE, Sept 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Foreign white farmers settled in Zimbabwe whose land was seized under Robert Mugabe can apply to get it back and will be offered land elsewhere if…

Sudan: Ousted Pres Bashir appears at trial over 1989 coup

Al-Bashir came to power in 1989 after he led a military coup against democratically elected Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi KHARTOUM, Sept 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Ousted Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir appeared in court on Tuesday at the start of a trial over the military coup in which he took power in…

Guinea: Pres Conde accepts nomination to seek third term

CONAKRY, Sept 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Guinea President Alpha Conde has accepted his party’s nomination to run in October’s election, the party said, taking advantage of a new constitution to seek a third term that his opponents say is unconstitutional. Conde, who was first elected in 2010, pushed through a change…

US: Tropical storms Nana, Omar form in Atlantic on same day

MIAMI, Sept 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Tropical storms Nana and Omar formed Tuesday as the Atlantic hurricane season nears its peak, meteorologists said, with Nana expected to turn into a hurricane and hit Central America. Currently swirling in the Caribbean, Nana will pass near the coast ofHonduras on Wednesday before intensifying…

Mali: French forces kill civilian in bus says vehicle did not slow down as ordered

BAMAKO, Sept 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — French troops in Mali killeda civilian Tuesday and wounded two others after a bus refused to slow down in a volatile area despite their orders, the French army command said. The incident occurred about 50 kilometres from the city of Gaoin Mali’s troubled north. The…