Ukraine denies reports of prisoner swap with Russia

Sailors of Ukrainian naval ships, which were seized by Russia in November 2018, attend a court hearing in Moscow earlier this month. KIEV, Aug 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Ukraine on Friday (Aug 30) denied reports that a prisoner swap with Russia was underway, as announced earlier by some Russian media and…

Colombia: Troops kill nine FARC dissidents in raid – Pres Duque

 Military Police of Colombia BOGOTA, Aug 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Colombian troops killed nine FARC dissidents in a raid on Friday in what the president said was “a clear message” to their leaders who have formally rejected a 2016 peace agreement and announced a return to arms. President Ivan Duque said he had…

Brazil: Pres Bolsonaro to stop using France’s Bic pens amid spat over Amazon fires

BRASILIA, Aug 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro said he will stop using disposable pens made by France’s Bic to sign official documents, while a diplomatic spat continues over fires in the Amazon basin. “A pen (of the Brazilian brand) Compactor and no more Bic, will work,” Bolsonaro said, confirming…

5,000 bodies found in unmarked graves in Mexico since 2006

Police and forensic personnel stand by an unmarked grave in Guerrero state MEXICO CITY, Aug 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Nearly 5,000 bodies have been found in more than 3,000 unmarked graves since Mexico deployed the army to fight drug trafficking in 2006, the government said in its first comprehensive report on…

Update: Judge rejects first bid to block UK parliament suspension

LONDON, Aug 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Opponents of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s move to suspend parliament in the final weeks before Brexit lost the first of several legal bids to stop him on Friday. Scottish judge Raymond Doherty rejected the request for a temporary injunction pending a full hearing in the case…

Fires not the only threat facing Amazon: Environmental experts

LIMA, Aug 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Raging wildfires have drawn the world’s attention to the Amazon but immolation is just one of the dangers facing the world’s largest rain forest, environmental experts across the region say. The Amazon, covering 5.5 million square kilometers over nine countries, faces ever more serious threats…

Guinea-Bissau incumbent president Vaz to seek re-election, as independent candidate

President Jose Mario Vaz  BISSAU, Aug 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Guinea-Bissau president José Mario Vaz, said he would be seeking re-election in November.“I will be a candidate in the November 24 elections,” Vaz said in front of thousands of supporters in Bissau, capital of the tiny West African country.Excluded from the…

Eritrea ‘joins coalition to protect elephants’

African elephant GENEVA, Aug 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Eritrea has joined the Elephant Protection Initiative (EPI), the conservation coalition that wants to end the trade in ivory says. Eritrea had “one of Africa’s most northerly and isolated elephant populations”, the EPI said in a tweet. The announcement was made in Geneva…

Nigeria deploys helicopters to combat rising insecurity

ABUJA, Aug 31 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — The Nigerian police force announced that helicopters had been deployed to help deal with a rising spate of insecurity across the country.Arrangements have been made for all geographical zones of the country according to an order from the police chief, M. A. Adamu. He also…

UN keeps sanctions on persons blocking peace in Mali

UNITED NATIONS, Aug 31 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — The U.N. Security Council has voted unanimously to extend its sanctions regime in Mali targeting those who delay implementation of a 2015 peace agreement.The French-sponsored resolution extends the sanctions regime until Aug 31, 2020, and the mandate of the panel of experts monitoring their…