Spotlight: Pres Bolsonaro’s scorched earth diplomacy could cost Brazil

RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Offending French, German, Norwegian and UN leaders along the way, Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro has embarked on a diplomatic scorched earth policy that is fueling concern over potential long-term damage to Brazil’s global relations. He has made a habit of speaking undiplomatically, wading…

Xenophobia: 400 Nigerians indicate willingness to return from South Africa – Official

PRETORIA, Sept 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Nigerian Mission in South Africa says no fewer than 400 Nigerians have indicated interest and registered to be evacuated from South Africa following the recent xenophobic attacks. Nigeria’s Consul General in Johannesburg, Godwin Adama, said this in a telephone interview with News Agency of…

Canadian military deploys in wake of Dorian to clear roads, restore power

HALIFAX (Nova Scotia,Canada), Sept 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Canada’s government authorised hundreds of troops to help clear trees after Storm Dorian tore through the Atlantic coast overnight, leaving almost half a million people in three provinces without power. Dorian, classified as a strong post-tropical storm, hit Nova Scotia hard, leaving more…

French, Russian presidents discussed Ukraine, Iran by phone

PARIS, Sept 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — French President Emmanuel Macron and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin spoke by phone on Sunday ahead of a meeting of the joint Franco-Russian Council on security issues scheduled for Monday in Moscow, the French presidency said in a statement. They also discussed a recent prisoner…

Russia’s ruling party loses a third of seats in Moscow election after protests – RIA

MOSCOW, Sept 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russia’s ruling United Russia party, which supports President Vladimir Putin, has lost a slew of seats in the Moscow parliament, RIA news agency said on Monday, suggesting a tactical voting strategy pushed by opponents may have worked. Sunday’s poll was one of the most closely…

South Sudan rebel leader to meet president in Juba

Pope Francis kneels to kiss the feet of Kiir and Machar in the Vatican. Photo courtesy Newsision.co.ug JUBA, Sept 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — South Sudan’s exiled rebel leader Riek Machar is expected to make his first visit to Juba in a year for talks Monday with President Salva Kiir, government and…

One killed in new South Africa xenophobic rioting

JOHANNESBURG, Sept 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least one person was killed and five others injured in Johannesburg on Sunday, police said, after security forces clashed with looters in the latest outbreak of xenophobic violence. South Africa’s biggest city and other areas were hit by a surge of attacks against businesses…

Teenager swept by muddy floods in southern Algeria

ALGIERS, Sept 9 (NNN-Xinhua) — A yet unnamed young boy was missing in muddy floods caused by torrential rain in southern Algerian province of Bechar, the official APS news agency reported Sunday. Citing local authorities, APS news added that fire-fighting units had launched a wide scale search operation backed up…

Morocco: Death toll in bus crash rises to 14

RABAT, Sept 9 (NNN-Xinhua) — The death toll on Sunday’s bus accident near southeastern Morocco city of Errachidia has risen to 14, officials said. Rescuers are still combing the region to find the missing people after rain storms unleashed flash floods that overturned the bus at a bridge on a…

Triple polls boost for British PM Johnson as political scraps continue over Brexit

LONDON, Sept 9 (NNN-Xinhua) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was given a boost Sunday when three separate opinion polls gave his Conservative Party a lead over rivals. It came as a war of words continued following the resignation of one of Johnson’s key front bench ministers, Work and Pensions…