Germany faces test of green credentials with new climate plan

Merkel’s coalition finalises German landmark climate plan BERLIN, Sept 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The German government prepared for all-night talks on a new climate policy that will determine whether Berlin is serious about engineering a paradigm shift in Europe’s largest economy or simply wants to make a token show of going…

EU wary of Brexit crash landing at high-stakes October summit

Finnish PM Antti Rinne (left), British PM Boris Johnson (centre) and French President Emmanuel Macron (right) BRUSSELS, Sept 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Britain finally put some documents on the table to break an impasse in its Brexit talks with the EU, but the bloc is worried that London is banking too…

Zimbabwe doctors say receiving death threats over strike

Health workers hold a candlelight vigil to protest the disappearance of Peter Magombeyi, the leader of their union, in Harare HARARE, Sept 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Striking doctors in Zimbabwe marched to parliament on Thursday to protest the disappearance of their union leader and press the government to increase their pay…

Tanzania tells WHO it has no Ebola cases – statement

GENEVA/DAR ES SALAAM, Sept 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Tanzania has formally told the World Health Organization (WHO) that it has no cases of Ebola after a woman died there earlier this month from an unknown illness following Ebola-like symptoms, the organisation said. “This followed earlier rumours of the death of one…

Ethiopia rejects Egypt’s plan for operating giant dam on the Nile

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) to be fully operational by 2022 ADDIS ABABA, Sept 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Ethiopia rejected a proposal by Egypt to operate a $4 billion hydropower dam the Horn of Africa country is constructing on the Nile, further deepening a dispute between the two nations over…

Central African militia suspects, one a soccer boss, hear war crimes charges

Patrice-Edouard Ngaissona THE HAGUE, Sept 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Two alleged leaders of Central African Republic militias, one of them prominent in African football, heard details of war crimes accusations against them at the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Thursday. Patrice-Edouard Ngaissona and Alfred Yekatom, who deny wrongdoing, were attending a…

Tunisia’s ousted president Ben Ali dies in Saudi exile-lawyer

ZINE El-Abidine Ben Ali TUNIS, Sept 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Tunisia’s ousted Pres Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali died in exile in Saudi Arabia on Thursday, days after a free presidential election in his homeland, his family lawyer said. “Ben Ali just died in Saudi Arabia,” the lawyer, Mounir Ben Salha, said.…

Saudi Arabia oil attacks: Weapons debris ‘proves Iran behind them’ – defence ministry

RIYADH, Sept 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) —Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry has shown off what it says is wreckage of drones and cruise missiles that proves Iranian involvement in weekend attacks on two oil facilities. It said 18 drones and seven cruise missiles were fired from a direction that ruled out Yemen as a source. Yemen’s…

Mozambique rebel group threatens attacks during election campaign

MAPUTO, Sept 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Breakaway Mozambique rebels threatened to step up violence if campaigning is not suspended for upcoming elections — the first after a landmark peace deal — as they claimed responsibility for two recent car attacks. The country is gearing up for Oct 15 polls as it…

Pakistan-administered Kashmir belongs to India, says FM Jaishankar

NEW DELHI, Sept 20 (NNN-BSS) – Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has said Pakistan-administered Kashmir belongs to India and expected that India to have “physical jurisdiction over it one day”. “Our position on Pakistan-administered Kashmir is, has always been and will always be very clear, it is part of…