Vote counting under way in Malawi’s presidential election rerun

LILONGWE, June 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Polls have closed in Malawi’s hotly contested presidential vote, the second time in just over a year, after incumbent President Peter Mutharika’s re-election was annulled by the courts over irregularities. Some 6.8 million people were eligible to vote in Tuesday’s rerun, practically a two-horse race between…

Ivory Coast nabs terrorist leader after deadly border post raid

The raid resulted in the arrests of other people directly involved in the attack ABIDJAN, June 24 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — Ivorian authorities announced the capture of a terrorist leader who led a deadly attack on a military post at Kafolo, on the northeastern border with Burkina Faso on June 11 following…

Covid-19: South Africa to start Africa’s first vaccine pilot

JOHANNESBURG, June 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — South Africa will roll out the continent’s first coronavirus vaccine trial this week, the university leading the pilot said, as the country grapples with the highest number of cases in Africa. The vaccine, developed by the Oxford Jenner Institute, is already being evaluated in Britain,…

$4 trillion fund holders tell Brazil to halt deforestation

PARIS, June 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Investment funds managing close to $4 trillion in assets called on Brazil to halt deforestation of the Amazon in an open letter warning that biodiversity loss and carbon emissions from the practice posed a “systemic risk” to their portfolios. The managers from countries across Europe,…

Covid-19: Brazilians flock to beaches as health ministry reports 54,000 new cases in a day

Beachgoers enjoy Ipanema beach in Rio de Janeiro RIO DE JANEIRO, June 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Brazil reached more than a million confirmed coronavirus cases and 50,000 deaths over the weekend as throngs of people swarmed Rio de Janeiro beaches, but the World Health Organization said that even more cases were…

EU warns China over Hong Kong security law

EU warning China of “very negative consequences” if it goes ahead with a proposed controversial security law for Hong Kong BRUSSELS, June 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The EU warned China it would face “very negative consequences” if it presses ahead with a new security law for Hong Kong, stepping up pressure on Beijing over…

Fifteen killed in brutal attack on indigenous Mexican village

Firefighters work on a burning car after an operation by security forces against organized crime in Guanajuato state MEXICO CITY, June 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Assailants killed 15 inhabitants of an indigenous village in southern Mexico that has been plagued by local disputes, authorities said, in one of the most brutal…

Somali soldiers end protest over unpaid salaries

Somali soldiers blocking African Union peace keeping forces MOGADISHU, June 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) —Soldiers in the Somali capital Mogadishu have ended their protest over unpaid salaries. They had blocked roads in the city, with some saying they had not received wages in over a year. Local television footage showed troops blocking vehicles…

US held off sanctioning Chinese over Uighurs to pursue trade deal: Pres Trump

 WASHINGTON, June 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — USPresident Donald Trump says he did not sanction Chinese officials further over the detention of Muslims in Xinjiang as he was in the “middle of a trade deal”. Trump told the Axios news site that achieving a “great” deal meant he could not impose “additional sanctions”. China…

Covid-19: Pres Trump says US toll could surpass 150,000

NEW YORK, June 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The death toll from the coronavirus pandemic in the United States could surpass 150,000, President Donald Trump said. “It could get up to 150,” Trump said in an interview with the cable television channel Spectrum News. “It could go beyond that. “But we would…