Africa to be declared polio-free: WHO

LAGOS, Aug 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The World Health Organization (WHO) is set to certify that the African continent is free from wild polio, four years after the last cases appeared in northeastern Nigeria. “Thanks to the relentless efforts by governments, donors, frontline health workers and communities, up to 1.8 million…

Militants kill 13 in eastern Congo villages: UN, army

BENI (DRCongo), Aug 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Suspected militants killed 13 people during raids on two villages in eastern Congo, the army and a village chief said, the latest in a spate of attacks the United Nations says may constitute war crimes. The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a Ugandan armed group…

Sudan ready to cooperate with ICC over Darfur, says PM

Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok KHARTOUM, Aug 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Sudan’s prime minister said the country was ready to cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) so those accused of war crimes in Darfur appear before the tribunal, a list that includes ousted President Omar al-Bashir. Bashir, who has been in…

Update: California wildfires – US Pres Trump declares major disaster

Fire-fighters are working 72-hour shifts but say it is not enough to contain the blazes WASHINGTON, Aug 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US President Donald Trump has declared that wildfires burning through homes and devastating precious forestry in parts of California are a major disaster and has released federal aid. Over 14,000…

Belarus summons Nobel Prize winner after Minsk mass rally

MINSK, Aug 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) —Police in Belarus have summoned Nobel prize winner Svetlana Alexievich for questioning over a criminal case against a new opposition council. The council, founded by exiled opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, was set up after the disputed election earlier this month. Alexievich, winner of the 2015 Nobel prize…

Covid-19: Guinea-Bissau extends state of emergency for another 15 days

BISSAU,Aug 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — President of Guinea-Bissau Umaro Sissoco Embalo announced his decision to extend the country’s state of emergency for another 15 days until Sept 8 as COVID-19 persists. “The decision to maintain the state of emergency was taken after consultation with the high commissioner in charge of the fight against COVID-19, as…

Tropical storm Laura lashes Cuba, expected to become hurricane by US landfall

HAVANA, Aug 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Tropical Storm Laura pounded Cuba with heavy rains Monday as it barrelled toward the US, where forecasters predicted it would strengthen to a hurricane after leaving 24 people dead and a swath of destruction in the Caribbean. “Strengthening is expected when the storm moves over…

Covid-19: Virus means at least a 5-year hit to South Africa GDP – UN

JOHANNESBURG, Aug 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — South Africa’s economy will take at least five years to recover from the impact of the coronavirus, the United Nations said, with poverty and inequality expected to rise sharply in 2020. The UNDP said GDP would decline by 7.9 percent this year due to the…

Fire crews make progress battling historic California blazes

LOS ANGELES, Aug 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Thousands of firefighters made small progress on Monday as they battled to contain historic wildfires in California, with potentially dangerous lighting storms proving milder than expected and temperatures easing. Governor Gavin Newsom said some 625 fires were burning throughout the state and had scorched…

US Pres Trump gets Republican nomination and claims election being rigged

CHARLOTTE (North Carolina, US), Aug 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — President Donald Trump opened his bid for a second term after securing the Republican nomination Monday in typically combative fashion by claiming Democrats want to “steal” the election that polls currently show him losing. Minutes after the party completed the nomination vote…