Nicaragua’s Highways among the Best in the Continent

MANAGUA, July 11 (NNN-Prensa Latina) — The World Economic Forum has reported that Nicaragua”s highways are among the best on the continent and the second best in Central America. According to the study, Nicaragua’s road infrastructure is in seventh place in the Americas, surpassed in quality by the United States,…

Cameroon’s traditional rulers hailed over appointment of female notables

YAOUNDE, July 11 (NNN-Xinhua) — Cameroon’s Minister of Territorial Administration Paul Atanga Nji praised traditional rulers in three northern regions of the country for appointing women for the first time ever to head important traditional positions. “This is an innovation. Everybody knows that chieftaincy is a kind of conservative organization…

Mercosur-EU trade deal “highway to growth” for Argentina: president

BUENOS AIRES, July 11 (NNN-Xinhua) — The free trade agreement reached at the end of June between the South American trade bloc Southern Common Market (Mercosur) and the European Union (EU) is a “highway to growth” for Argentina, President Mauricio Macri said. “It is a highway to growth because it…

Foreign investors keen on Cuba despite U.S. sanctions, says Pres Diaz-Canel

HAVANA, July 11 (NNN-Xinhua) — Increasing sanctions imposed by the United States have failed to discourage foreign investors from doing business in Cuba, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said. Addressing a parliamentary session to assess economic and social issues, Diaz-Canel acknowledged Washington has stepped up its sanctions regime against Cuba in…

UN envoy says has “constructive” discussions with Syrian gov’t

DAMASCUS, July 11 (NNN-Xinhua) — The visiting UN special envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen said that he had “very constructive” discussions with Syrian government officials. Speaking to reporters following his meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem in the capital Damascus, Pederson said the talks achieved solid progress, particularly in…

Algerian parliament elects first opposition figure as speaker

ALGIERS, July 11 (NNN-Xinhua) — The Algerian parliament late on Wednesday elected unanimously Slimane Chenine, an Islamist-oriented lawmaker, as the new speaker of the People’s National Assembly, lower house of the parliament. Chenine was elected to replace Mouad Bouchareb, who resigned a week ago. The election was broadcast live on…

South Africa eyes air transport link to India

PRETORIA, July 11 (NNN-SANEWS) — Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane says South Africa will look at creating an air transport link to India in a push to claim a bigger share of tourist arrivals from that region. Participating in a debate on the department’s budget vote in Parliament on Wednesday, Kubayi-Ngubane…

Bombed Tripoli migrant detention centre being emptied: UN

GENEVA, July 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A migrant detention centre in Tripoli, hit by a deadly air strike last week, is being gradually emptied following a decision by Libyan authorities to release its inmates, the UN refugee agency UNHCR said. The July 3 air strike on Tajoura detention centre killed 53 people…

Thai king endorses new cabinet weeks after disputed election

BANGKOK, July 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn has endorsed the new civilian cabinet of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha following a March 24 election, the Royal Gazette said. The endorsement comes after weeks of discussion, after Prayuth was picked by military-appointed senators and lawmakers who were elected in a vote…

Iraq: New Kurdish PM says priority is stronger Baghdad ties, rather than independence

ERBIL (Iraq), July 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Two years after a failed independence bid plunged Iraq’s Kurdistan Region into months of instability, the new regional prime minister said his priority was strengthening ties with Baghdad, signalling dreams of self-rule should be put on hold. Masrour Barzani, sworn in as regional prime…