US should avoid ‘warmongers’, says Iran on John Bolton’s firing

TEHRAN, Sept 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States should distance itself from “warmongers” after hardline national security adviser John Bolton was dismissed, Iran’s president Hassan Rouhani said. Bolton was one of the strongest advocates of the ongoing US “maximum pressure” policy towards the Islamic Republic.“Americans have to realise that warmongering…

World Bank endorses Somalia’s steady economic recovery

WASHINGTON, Sept 13 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — The World Bank has backed Somalia’s economy to grow above expectations for the next three-to-five years, if the country can sustain its current economic reform momentum.The Horn of Africa country has been in turmoil since 1991, when clan warlords overthrew President Siad Barre and then…

Indonesia forest fires surge, stoking global warming fears

File photo. JAKARTA, Sept 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The number of blazes in Indonesia’s rainforests has jumped sharply, satellite data showed Thursday, spreading smog across Southeast Asia and adding to concerns about the impact of increasing wildfire outbreaks worldwide on global warming.Illegal blazes to clear land for agricultural plantations have been…

Saudi raps oil producers over flouting of output cuts

ABU DHABI, Sept 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia urged oil producers to comply with output cuts decided last year in a bid to stabilise a slumping oil market and support prices.“Every country should live up to its commitments,” new Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said as…

UK: PM Johnson denies lying to Queen over Parliament suspension

Boris Johnson says he did not lie to the Queen LONDON, Sept 13 NNN-AGENCIES) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has denied lying to the Queen over the advice he gave her over the five-week suspension of Parliament.The prime minister was speaking after Scotland’s highest civil court ruled on Wednesday…

Bahamas: After Dorian, disease is next threat on shattered Abaco island

NASSAU, Sept 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Piles of debris, decaying human and animal corpses and fetid water on storm-hammered Great Abaco Island in the Bahamas are posing a new risk for those who survived Hurricane Dorian’s wrath: Disease. As the insect population temporarily cleared when Dorian slammed into the islands on…

Hungary: PM Orban hopeful on ties with new EU Commission after migration disputes

PRAGUE, Sept 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban said he was optimistic that the new European Commission would improve ties with the EU’s eastern members, long strained by disagreements over migration and multi-culturalism. The Visegrad Four group (V4) – Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia – has…

With Gaza war talk, Russia visit, Netanyahu fights on in election race

JERUSALEM, Sept 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday threatened war in Gaza and then flew to Russia to discuss Israeli freedom of action in Syria with President Vladimir Putin as a frenetic election race neared its end. Before Netanyahu embarked on a visit to the Black…

Nigeria plans VAT increase in push to raise non-oil revenues

ABUJA, Sept 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Nigeria plans to increase value-added tax on goods, the finance minister said, as Africa’s biggest oil exporter seeks to reduce its reliance on crude sales. Zainab Ahmed, addressing journalists after a cabinet meeting, said the government proposed raising VAT next year to 7.2% – up…

Kenya targets officials’ overseas trips in “brutal” spending cuts

NAIROBI, Sept 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Kenya plans “brutal” cuts to spending, including on government officials’ overseas trips, in an effort to rein in the fiscal deficit, its acting finance minister said. The government in its annual budget in June set a target to bring the fiscal deficit down to 5.6%…