Southern Somali state shutters main city, airport ahead of Thursday election – senior local official

GAROWE (Somalia), Aug 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The southern Somali state of Jubbaland has blocked access to the capital city Kismayo and its main airport ahead of Thursday’s vote to elect a president of the semi-autonomous region, a senior regional official said. The move underscores escalating tensions between Jubbaland authorities and…

Update: Italy’s president accepts Conte’s resignation, calls for consultations

President Sergio Mattarella ROME, Aug 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Italian President Sergio Mattarella has accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and will kick off consultations with party leaders on Wednesday to seek a solution to the political crisis, his office said. Mattarella will start his meetings at 4.00 p.m.…

Dominican’s largest drug trafficking gang dismantled after raids, says prosecutor

SANTO DOMINGO, Aug 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Dominican Republic’s top prosecutor said that the Caribbean nation’s largest drug trafficking gang has been dismantled, a group that allegedly used two former professional baseball players to launder assets. Former Major League Baseball pitcher Octavio Dotel was arrested earlier on Tuesday, while Luis…

Colombia laments lack of aid for growing Venezuela migration crisis

Venezuelans gather to cross into Ecuador from Colombia BOGOTA, Aug 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — International donors have been significantly less generous in their support of Venezuelan migrants than other global refugee crises, Colombia’s foreign minister said, as he repeated a request for more aid money. Colombia has borne the brunt of…

More than a hundred migrants feared dead off Libya coast: MSF

TRIPOLI, Aug 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said it fears that a boat packed with migrants sunk off the Libyan coast with more than a hundred people dead. “We have every reason to fear the worst – that over 100 lives were lost and nobody will ever know…

Venezuela to produce some 13 million tons of inputs in 2020

CARACAS, Aug 21 (NNN-Prensa Latina) — The Venezuelan government plans to produce 13,540,000 tons of food for next year, despite the limitations of the blockade imposed by the United States. Fruits, tubers, roots, legumes, cereals, tropical crops, eggs, meat, milk and their derivatives are the sustenance that the country estimates…

Cuban population decreases and ageing increases

HAVANA, Aug 21 (NNN-Prensa Latina) — The demographic trend in Cuba points to the population decrease and aging, according to data from the National Statistics and Information Bureau (ONEI). 20.4% of Cubans are 60 years old and older, the newspaper Granma reported, which considers the Cuban demographic aging as accelerated.…

Kenya’s crude oil to hit international market next week

NAIROBI, Aug 21 (NNN-KBC) — Kenya’s maiden crude oil will hit the international market next week destined for China. The crude oil will be shipped by Chinese state owned firm ChemChina which won the tender to buy the maiden Kenyan oil early this month. Petroleum Principal Secretary Andrew Kamau has…

Cameroon: A dozen passengers kidnapped in Far North region

YAOUNDE, Aug 21 (NNN-Xinhua) — Unknown gunmen kidnapped a dozen passengers Tuesday afternoon in Cameroon’s Far North region, according to security sources. Local officials said they were abducted along a highway in Dabanga, a locality in Logone and Chari division of the region. The Cameroon army is conducting a rescue…

Uganda abolishes mandatory death penalty

KAMPALA, Aug 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Parliament in Uganda has passed a law that abolishes the mandatory death penalty for certain crimes, amending four different laws that had earlier prescribed capital punishment, including the Anti-Terrorism Act. If approved by President Yoweri Museveni, the amendments will restrict the death penalty to just…