Mauritania’s new president takes office on Aug 1, victory validated

NOUAKCHOTT, July 2 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — Mauritania’s constitutional council has confirmed Mohamed Ould Ghazouani as the country’s president-elect. The council announced Monday that Ould Ghazouania had been elected to a five-year term. He is to be inaugurated on Aug 1. Ould Ghazouani, 62, a retired general who served as defense minister…

Colombia says FARC lawmaker accused of drug trafficking has gone AWOL

BOGOTA, July 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A Colombian FARC rebel leader turned lawmaker who is accused by the United States of conspiring to traffic cocaine has vanished in an apparent attempt to evade justice, President Ivan Duque said. Seuxis Paucias Hernandez, better known by his nom de guerre, Jesus Santrich, took…

Costa Rica education minister resigns under Evangelical fire for LGBTQ policy

SAN JOSE, July 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Costa Rica’s education minister Edgar Mora resigned on Monday following protests against policies including his support for gender-neutral bathrooms, in a sign the cultural issues that dominated last year’s presidential election remain divisive. Protesters included members of the Pentecostal Christian-aligned opposition party, as well…

Kenya, South Sudan to deepen trade ties, set up joint border commission

NAIROBI, July 2 (NNN-KBC) — Kenya and South Sudan have reached a deal to deepen their trade ties including a plan for Kenya to hold a trade expo in Juba in November. Kenya has also agreed to allocate land for a dry port to South Sudan at the Naivasha Special…

World Bank backs Kenya’s Big 4 Agenda

NAIROBI, July 2 (NNN-KBC) — World Bank Vice President for Africa Hafez Ghanem has assured of the Bretton Woods institution’s support for Kenya’s Big 4 development blueprint. Ghanem singled out the provision of affordable healthcare as an area that his organization is keen on collaborating with the Government to ensure…

US imprisons Rwandan linked to 1994 genocide for immigration fraud

BOSTON (US), July 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A US federal judge in Boston sentenced a Rwandan man to more than eight years prison on Monday for lying about his involvement in the East African country’s 1994 genocide. Jean Leonard Teganya, 47, was convicted in April of two counts of immigration fraud…

Tunisia president recovers, leaves hospital

TUNIS, July 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Tunisia’s 92-year-old President Beji Caid Essebsi, who was hospitalised last week in critical condition, returned home Monday after having recovered, his office said. “The head of state left the military hospital to his residence in Carthage after having received the necessary treatment and having recovered,”…

UK support for Hong Kong ‘freedoms is unwavering’: FM Hunt

LONDON, July 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Britain’s support for Hong Kong and “its freedoms is unwavering”, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said, but warned anti-government protesters against violence after they stormed the city’s parliament. The prime ministerial candidate tweeted “to stress UK support for Hong Kong and its freedoms is UNWAVERING on this…

France wants to reduce water use as rivers dry up

PARIS, July 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The French government wants to reduce water use by encouraging wastewater recycling and encouraging consumers to less water as the flow of rivers gradually slows due to climate change. Following months of discussion with local authorities and utilities, the environment ministry said in a report…

Disappointed Venezuelans lose patience with opposition leader Guaido as Pres Maduro hangs on

CARACAS, July 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Four days before Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido launched a military uprising in a bid to oust President Nicolas Maduro, he told supporters at a rally outside the capital, Caracas: “In the next few days, we’ll decide our destiny.” The 35-year-old, who had risen to…