Nigeria: Dozens of mourners ‘killed by Boko Haram’ at a funeral in Borno state

Men pray during a burial ceremony MAIDUGURI (Nigeria), July 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least 65 people have lost their lives after suspected Boko Haram militants opened fire on a funeral in Nigeria’s north-eastern state of Borno. Gunmen arrived on motorcycles and in vans at the village near the state capital,…

South Africa presidential panel backs limited land seizures

PRETORIA, July 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A presidential panel in South Africa has proposed expropriation of land without compensation, but in limited circumstances. Land held purely for speculative purposes or occupied by tenants should be given away, it advises. White people, who make up just 9% of the population, own 72%…

WHO hails new DRC aid in fight against Ebola

ABUJA, July 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) –The World Health Organization (WHO) said a shortage in funding to halt the spread of the deadly Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo was finally being filled. Tedrus Ghebreyesus, the WHO director general , said that several countries had renewed pledges of financial aid…

Guinea: Four killed in rock slide at gold-mining site

CONAKRY, July 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least four people including a two-year-old girl and her mother were killed in a rock slide at a gold-miningsite in northeast Guinea, officials said. The accident happened on Saturday evening in Kintinian, in the northeastregion of Siguiri, said Mamadi Magassouba, a public figure in…

Britain: PM Johnson makes first Scotland trip in bid to boost union

LONDON, July 29 (NNN-AGENCIES)–– New British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will make his first official visit to Scotland on Monday in an attempt to bolster the union in the face of warnings over a no-deal Brexit. Johnson will visit a military base to announce new funding for localcommunities, saying that…

Peru: Pres Vizcarra urges elections to end ‘institutional crisis’

LIMA, July 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Peru’s President Martin Vizcarra offered to cut short his term and hold elections to end what he called aninstitutional crisis. He said Sunday in a speech to Congress this would also involve shortening the term of the legislature. As it stands, general elections are scheduled…

Russia: Opposition leader Navalny hospitalised after ‘allergic reaction’ in jail

MOSCOW, July 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny who was taken from jail to hospital suffering an allergic reaction could have been exposed to an “unknown chemical substance”, his doctor said. The Putin critic is serving a 30-day jail sentence for calling a massprotest after authorities blocked prominent…

US intel chief to leave Trump administration

WASHINGTON, July 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US intelligence chief Dan Coats will leave office next month, Pres Donald Trump announced, after a tenure in which he was regularly at odds with the president. The departure of Coats — who has, however, sought to avoid directconfrontation with Trump during his time as…

Antigua – Barbuda and Kosovo establish diplomatic relations, abolish visa requirements

(Sitting left to right) Ambassadors Vlora Citaku and Sir Ronald Sanders. Frymezim Isufaj and Joy-Dee Davis, Minster Counsellors (Standing left to right) WASHINGTON, July 27 (NNN-CARIBBEANNEWS) — The governments of Antigua and Barbuda and the Republic of Kosovo signed agreements simultaneously establishing diplomatic relations and abolishing visa requirements between their…

Lesotho: 700,000 Basotho face severe hunger – UN

MASERU, July 27 (NNN-ALLAFRICA) — While politicians continue bickering over power, Lesotho faces its worst hunger crisis in recent years with at least 600,000 needing urgent food aid by the end of this year. The figure could increase to more than 700,000 by the time of the next harvest in…