Burundi records over 7 million malaria cases in 2019 – WHO

WHO: Malaria killed nearly 2,700 people this year in Burundi GENEVA, Oct 31 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — The World Health Organization says more than 7 million cases of malaria have been reported in Burundi this year. Officials blame the outbreak on factors including the lack of protective bed nets, problems with medicines…

South African police clash with protesting asylum-seekers

CAPE TOWN, Oct 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — South African police arrested around 100 foreign nationals occupying an office building in Cape Town as part of a sit-in protest against xenophobia, later releasing many of them.Hundreds of asylum-seekers have been camping at UN refugee agency (UNHCR) offices in South Africa’s capital Pretoria…

Aid workers killed in South Sudan: UN

JUBA, Oct 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The UN’s migration agency says three of its aid workers have been killed in fighting in South Sudan, near the borders with Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The UN’s migration agency says three of its aid workers have been killed in fighting in…

Restive Kashmir region set to lose autonomy, divided as Indian government breaks up Jammu-Kashmir state

A Kashmir girl rides her bike past Indian security force personnel standing guard in front of closed shops in a street in Srinagar NEW DELHI, Oct 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — India’s government will formally break up Jammu and Kashmir state into two federal territories on Thursday, as part of a sweeping…

Iraqi prime minister’s main backers agree to oust him

BAGHDAD, Oct 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi’s two main backers have agreed to work to remove him from office as protests against his government gained momentum in Baghdad and much of the Shi’ite south only to be met with violence. Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who leads…

Syria govt hits at “occupation”, opposition urges justice as peace panel opens

GENEVA, Oct 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Syria’s government condemned what it called the occupation of its land and the opposition demanded justice and peace at the opening of a U.N.-backed panel designed to bring about political reconciliation ending years of civil war. The first meeting of Syria’s so-called Constitutional Committee, composed…

Major roads reopen in Lebanon after prime minister resigns

BEIRUT, Oct 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Some major highways in Lebanon reopened, after the army urged protesters to lift roadblocks so that activities could return to normal following 13 days of demonstrations that paralysed the country and forced the prime minister to resign. Tuesday’s resignation toppled the coalition government of Saad…

Guinea-Bissau president names new PM but old one refuses to go

BISSAU, Oct 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Guinea-Bissau President Jose Mario Vaz named a new prime minister but his sacked predecessor refused to step down, intensifying a bitter power struggle between Vaz and the ruling party weeks ahead of a presidential election. Aristide Gomes, the dismissed prime minister, said he would not…

Mozambique’s main opposition party appeals election result

President Filipe Nyusi MAPUTO, Oct 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Mozambique’s main opposition party Renamo appealed the result of the Oct 15 general election, calling on the country’s top court to annul incumbent President Filipe Nyusi’s victory. Nyusi and his ruling Frelimo party won big in the election, which was hoped would…

South Sudan’s Machar urges delay to unity government as peace efforts stall

JUBA, Oct 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — South Sudan’s main opposition accused the government of failing to push through a peace deal and called for a six-month delay in the formation of a unity administration, casting a shadow over efforts to end years of fighting. The spokesman for former rebel leader Riek…