Leader of Kenyan drug organization sentenced to 25 years in U.S

NEW YORK, Aug 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A U.S. judge sentenced a leading Kenyan drug trafficker, Baktash Akasha, to 25 years in prison after he pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to import heroin and methamphetamine and other crimes. Prosecutors described Akasha, 42, as the leader of a crime family called…

Argentine economy minister resigns amid deepening crisis

BUENOS AIRES, Aug 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Argentina’s Economy MinisterNicolas Dujovne resigned Saturday after a week of economic tumult caused by President Mauricio Macri’s defeat in a primary poll ahead of a generalelection. Dujovne will be replaced by Hernan Lacunza, economy minister for BuenosAires province, Argentine media reported. The country’s peso…

British MPs press PM Johnson to recall parliament over Brexit

LONDON, Aug 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson came under pressure Sunday to immediately recall lawmakers from their summer holiday so parliament can debate Brexit. More than 100 MPs have written to Johnson to urge him to reconvene and let them sit permanently until Oct 31 — the…

Spain: Evacuations as Gran Canaria hit by new blaze

MADRID, Aug 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Authorities on the Spanish island of Gran Canaria were set to evacuate more residents as a forest firebroke out just days after another blaze raged in the same area. The island council said it had evacuated the Cross of Tejeda, a mountain pass popular for…

Lima 2019: Peruvian medal-winning Para athletes to receive apartments too

LIMA, Aug 18 (NNN-ANDINA) — Just like the 39 Peruvian medalists who reached the podium at the latest edition of the Pan American Games in Lima, their fellow Para athletes who win medals at the Parapan American event will be rewarded with a modern, specially-designed apartment at the Athletes Village located in…

Cameroon: 2-week power outage paralyzes capital; power company says three months to restore electricity

People are now resorting to generators for power. YAOUNDE, Aug 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Businesses, media and hospitals in Cameroon’s capital have been brought to a halt because of an unprecedented power failure that has gone on for nearly two weeks. The government has ordered the electric company, ENEO, to restore…

Gabon: Pres Ali Bongo makes first live public appearance after stroke

Gabonese President Ali Bongo attends a wreath-laying ceremony in Libreville LIBREVILLE, Aug 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Gabonese President Ali Bongo has appeared live in public for the first time almost 10 months after suffering a stroke, walking with a stick as he attended ceremonies in the capital, Libreville.The 60-year-old, whose every…

Eight killed in Ukraine hotel fire

KIEV, Aug 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Eight people were killed and ten wereinjured in a hotel fire in Ukraine’s port city of Odessa early Saturday,emergency services said. The fire broke out at 1.34 am in the southern city’s Tokyo Starhotel. Some 65 firefighters backed by 13 emergency vehicles put out the…

Venezuelans caught smuggling gold into Dominican Republic

CARACAS/SANTO DOMINGO, Aug 18 (NNN-TELESUR) — Six Venezuelans were arrested on Friday in the Dominican Republic for possible links to a gold smuggling ring, and are now in the process of being extradited.  Two Dominican Republic nationals involved in the operation were also captured. Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab said that…

Update: Sudan reach final power-sharing agreement

KHARTOUM, Aug 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Sudanese political crisis might be reaching its final stages following an agreement between the main opposition coalition and the ruling military council on Saturday. According to a statement from the Transitional Military Council (TMC), a final power-sharing agreement has been reached with the main opposition…