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…

Caribbean: Tropical storm warning issued for hurricane-hit Bahamas

MIAMI/NASSAU, Sept 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A tropical storm warning was issued on Friday for the northern Bahamas as UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned of the dangers of climate change during a visit to the hurricane-battered archipelago. The Miami-based National Hurricane Center said a depression had formed near the Bahamas…

Zimbabwe settles row to give Mugabe hero’s burial

The casket of former president Robert Mugabe is carried by the presidential guard to an air force helicopter for transport to a stadium where it will lie in state, at his official residence in the capital Harare, Zimbabwe. Photo courtesy of Ben Curtis  HARARE, Sept 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Zimbabwe’s former…

Spain: Flash floods in south-eastern region kill at least five

The floods have swept away cars and forced the evacuation of hundreds of people  MADRID, Sept 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least five people have died and 3,500 have been evacuated from their homes after flash floods struck south-eastern Spain. Rivers burst their banks as some areas of Valencia, Murcia and eastern…

UN to deploy assessment mission to El Salvador to support anti-graft commission

On Sept 6, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele announced an agreement with the Organization of American States (OAS) to create the International Commission against Corruption and Impunity in El Salvador (CICIES) UNITED NATIONS, Sept 14 (NNN-XINHUA) — UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres decided to deploy an assessment mission to El Salvador as a first step to…

US: Pres Trump says not to pick Sec of State Pompeo as National Security Advisor

WASHINGTON, Sept 14 (NNN-XINHUA) — US Pres Donald Trump said that he will not ask Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to assume a dual role of being his fourth national security advisor after the ouster of John Bolton. Trump told reporters at the White House that he discussed the idea with Pompeo and “he (Pompeo)…

British PM Johnson prepares for Brussels showdown in bid to win Brexit deal

LONDON, Sept 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed that he will hold a crucial meeting in Brussels on Monday in his latest bid to win a Brexit deal. During a visit on Friday to the county of Yorkshire, Johnson said during a keynote speech that he would be meeting the European Union…

Called-off Afghan peace process: Congress orders US Taliban negotiator Khalilzad to testify

WASHINGTON, Sept 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US envoy charged with negotiating with the Taliban was ordered to testify by the Democratic-led House of Representatives, which complained it had been kept in the dark on the now called-off peace process. Representative Eliot Engel, the chairman of the House Foreign AffairsCommittee, issued…