Update: At least 11 dead in Rio hospital blaze

RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least 11 people, many of them elderly, were killed when a fire swept through a hospital in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro as staff and desperate visitors battled to rescue patients from smoke-filled wards. Hospital authorities said the blaze late…

Venezuela ‘ready’ to defend itself after US invokes defence pact: foreign minister

GENEVA, Sept 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Venezuela is “ready” to defend itself, Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said Friday, after Washington invoked a regional defence pact that might justify such a move. “We are ready to protect ourselves, we are ready to react,” Arreaza told a news conference after meeting in Geneva…

U.S. imposes sanctions on North Korean hacking groups blamed for global attacks

WASHINGTON, Sept 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The U.S. Treasury on Friday announced sanctions on three North Korean hacking groups it said were involved in the “WannaCry” ransomware attacks and hacking of international banks and customer accounts. It named the groups as Lazarus Group, Bluenoroff, and Andariel and said they were controlled…

Hurricane Dorian forces Bahamas to find new schools for 10,000 displaced students

Marsh Harbour, Abaco Island, Bahamas: 10-year-old Torres talks to UNICEF’s Regional Emergency Specialist Hanoch NASSAU, Sept 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Bahamaian education officials are scrambling to find classroom space for up to 10,000 students displaced by Hurricane Dorian after the Category 5 storm ravaged two of the archipelago’s northern islands, destroying…

ECOWAS to discuss terrorism in Burkina Faso

 G5 Sahel Joint Force patch OUAGADOUGOU, Sept 14 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will be holding an Extraordinary Meeting in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso on Saturday, to deliberate on the growing threats of terrorism in the region. The summit has been described as a turning point…

Sudan prime minister visits South Sudan to back new peace roadmap with rebels

JUBA, Sept 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Sudan’s new Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok flew to South Sudan on a two-day visit to cement a new plan for peace talks with many of the rebel groups fighting against the government, brokered by Sudan’s southern neighbour. Hamdok, a former U.N. diplomat, took office three…

South Africa: Murder rate increases by 1.4%, parliament told

PRETORIA, Sept 14 (NNN-SANEWS) — Major General Norman Sekhukhune says 21,022 people were murdered during the 12 months ending March 2019. Sekhukhune said this when the Police Ministry appeared before the Portfolio Committee to present the annual Crime Statistics for the 2018/19 financial year. Briefing members of Parliament, he said…

Xenophobia: South Africa president cancels UN meeting trip to address pressing domestic issues

PRETORIA, Sept 14 (NNN-XINHUA) — South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will cancel the trip to attend the 74th United Nations General Assembly on Sept 23-26 to address the pressing issues affecting the country, said the office of the Presidency. South Africa currently faces the challenges of weak growth rate, xenophobic…

Angola and Vatican reinforce co-operation

Angola and The Vatican reinforce co-operation VATICAN CITY, Sept 14 (NNN-ANGOP) — The government of Angola and the Vatican on Friday morning signed a Framework Agreement that reshapes the bilateral relationship. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Manuel Augusto, represented the Angolan state in the ceremony of documents signing and exchange, which…

Brazil: Tribal leaders call for legalization of wildcat mining on indigenous territory

A deforested and burnt plot is seen in Jamanxim National Forest in the Amazon, near Novo Progresso, Para state MORAES ALMEIDA (Brazil), Sept 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Members of an indigenous tribe in the Amazon in northern Brazil on Friday called for wildcat miners to be allowed to prospect for gold…