Pope, on Madagascar visit, condemns clan culture of privilege, graft

Pope spoke out against “practices that lead to the culture of privilege and exclusion” ANTANANARIVO, Sept 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Pope Francis, on a visit to Madagascar, on Sunday condemned what he said was its clan culture of privilege and corruption that allows a very few to live in wealth while…

Chile: Mass protest in Santiago against abuses of Pinochet era

SANTIAGO, Sept 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Thousands of demonstrators poured into the streets of Santiago on Sunday to honour the victims of General Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship, in a march that started peacefully but ended in violence. Although it has been 46 years since the military coup that brought Pinochet to power,…

Brazil president undergoes hernia surgery, a year after knife attack

President Jair Bolsonaro underwent surgery to repair an abdominal hernia SAO PAULO, Sept 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro underwent surgery on Sunday to repair an abdominal hernia, his fourth operation since being stabbed in the stomach a year ago at a campaign rally, his doctors said. The operation…

Georgia: MPs approve controversial new prime minister

TBILISI, Sept 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Georgia’s parliament on Sunday confirmed an ex-interior minister accused of cracking down on protesters as the country’s new prime minister, fuelling political tensions in the ex-Soviet nation. Lawmakers voted 98-0 to confirm Giorgi Gakharia as premier in a vote boycotted by the opposition.Advertisement Gakharia, 44,…

Zimbabwe plans Mugabe’s funeral and burial next weekend

HARARE, Sept 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Zimbabwean government plans a state funeral for former ruler Robert Mugabe in a sports stadium in Harare next Saturday, with a burial ceremony a day later, it said in a memo sent to embassies. Zimbabweans have been confused about when they would get to…

US: Four crew missing after Glovis car carrier capsizes at Port of Brunswick

ATLANTA (Georgia,US), Sept 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Traffic at the Port of Brunswick was suspended as authorities raced to rescue crew from the 2017-built 7,700 ceu Golden Ray car carrier which was listing heavily and had caught fire in St Simons Sound, Georgia, near the Port of Brunswick. Authorities were notified of an…

US hopes for North Korea talks in days, weeks: Sec of State Pompeo

WASHINGTON, Sept 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States hopes to get back to denuclearisation talks with North Korea in the coming days or weeks, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said. Negotiations aimed at dismantling Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programmes have stalled since the collapse of a second summit between US President…

France says ‘non’ to Brexit delay, FM says patience wearing thin

PARIS, Sept 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — France’s patience with the United Kingdom’s failure to find an acceptable deal to leave the European Union is wearing thin, according to Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.“In the current circumstances, it’s no. … We are not going to go through this every three months,” Le…

More Americans will die after Pres Trump abruptly ends Afghan talks, Taliban say

The war between the Taliban and the US have been raging since 2001 KABUL/WASHINGTON, Sept 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — President Donald Trump’s decision to cancel Afghan peace talks will cost more American lives, the Taliban said,while the United States promised to keep up military pressure on the militants, in a stunning…

British Airways pilots ground planes in unprecedented 48-hour strike

British Airways pilots have begun a two-day strike LONDON, Sept 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — British Airways pilots began a 48-hour strike on Monday, grounding most of the airline’s flights and disrupting thousands of travelers’ plans in unprecedented industrial action over a pay dispute. The British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) last month…