Millions of Kenyans facing starvation

NAIROBI, Aug 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — More than 2.5 million Kenyans are facing starvation as drought and food security situation in the country continues to deteriorate, says National Drought Management Authority (NDMA). The agency, in its latest report, has said that the number of people currently facing acute food shortage stands…

Parliament suspension: Queen approves PM’s plan

LONDON, Aug 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The British Parliament will be suspended just days after MPs return to work in September – and only a few weeks before the Brexit deadline.Boris Johnson said a Queen’s Speech would take place after the suspension, on Oct 14, to outline his “very exciting agenda”.But…

Ukraine’s new parliament set for marathon first session

KIEV, Aug 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Ukraine’s new parliament will meet for the first time on Thursday, dominated by the party of ex-comedian President Volodymyr Zelensky who has an unprecedented chance to fulfil his political ambition of “breaking the system”. The 41-year-old won a landslide election in April and his young…

Update: Brazil’s Bolsonaro fuels spat with Macron over Amazon fires

BRASILIA, Aug 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro repeated a demand for French leader Emmanuel Macron to withdraw recent remarks, accusing France and Germany of “buying” the Latin American country’s sovereignty with Amazon fire aid. Bolsonaro’s latest comments came during an escalating diplomatic spat between Brazil and Europe that…

Update: Toll rises to 28 in Mexico bar fire attack

MEXICO CITY, Aug 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Gunmen burst into a Mexican strip club in a hail of bullets and killed at least 28 people as they trapped revelers inside and started a raging fire, officials said. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador condemned the “shameful” attack in the city of Coatzacoalcos,…

Morocco flood kills seven at football match: officials

Seven people died when river burst its banks and flooded a village football pitch where a game was being played. RABAT, Aug 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least seven people were killed Wednesday when a river burst its banks and flooded a village football pitch where a game was being played…

South Africa’s Eskom may need more bailouts by end-March – Treasury

National Treasury’s director general, Dondo Mogajane PRETORIA, Aug 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The South African government may be forced to inject more money into state power firm Eskom by the end of March next year, should the struggling utility fail to meet its borrowing plan, a National Treasury presentation to parliament…

Amid safety fears, Burundi to repatriate 200,000 refugees from Tanzania

There are approximately 200,000 Burundian refugees in Tanzania BUJUMBURA, Aug 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Tanzania says it has reached an agreement with neighbouring Burundi to begin sending back all 200,000 Burundian refugees from October, adding that the repatriation will take place in collaboration with the United Nations. However, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said in a statement…

Japan to drive Africa investment with enhanced trade insurance -Abe

TOKYO, Aug 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Japan will offer enhanced trade insurance to boost private sector investment in Africa, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said as his country competes with rival China for influence in the resource-rich continent. “Let me make a promise,” Abe told the Tokyo International Conference on African Development…

Kenya anti-graft body EACC suspends planned merger of Telkom Kenya, Airtel Kenya

NAIROBI, Aug 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Kenya’s anti-graft Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has suspended a planned merger of Telkom Kenya and Airtel Kenya pending a probe into misappropriation of funds at Telkom, an EACC spokesman said. India’s Bharti Airtel had said in February its unit Airtel Networks Kenya Ltd had…