South African deputy president to be sworn in as lawmaker after delay

PRETORIA, May 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — South Africa’s deputy president, David Mabuza, will be sworn in as a lawmaker on Tuesday, a week after he requested a postponement to address accusations he had brought the ruling African National Congress (ANC) into disrepute, the party said. Mabuza had met the ANC’s Integrity…

Venezuela receives 4th batch of humanitarian aid from China

CARACAS, May 28 (NNN-Xinhua) — Venezuela received 68 tons of humanitarian aid offered by China on Monday, the 4th such batch with a shipment of medicine and other medical items. Venezuelan Health Minister Carlos Alvarado and Chinese Ambassador to Venezuela Li Baorong jointly hosted the handover ceremony of the shipment…

UN condemns attack on oil corporation’s clinic in Libya

TRIPOLI, May 28 (NNN-Xinhua) — A United Nations (UN) official has condemned an attack on a clinic in Tripoli, as fighting continues between the UN-backed government forces and the east-based army over control of the city. Stephanie Williams, deputy special representative of the UN secretary-general for political affairs to Libya,…

Sudan’s military council says early elections possible

KHARTOUM, May 28 (NNN-Xinhua) — Deputy Chairman of Sudan’s Transitional Military Council (TMC) Mohamed Hamdan Daqlu said the TMC does not mind holding early elections within three months to hand over power to the people rather than other trends with specific agenda. Daqlu made the remarks when addressing police forces…

South Africa: Spotlight on child protection

PRETORIA, May 28 (NNN-SANEWS) — South Africa is set to commemorate national Child Protection Week, which aims to raise awareness of the rights of children. Now in its 22nd year, the campaign — which kicks off on Sunday until June 9 — will be observed under the theme ‘Let Us…

Paraguay: 70,000 families displaced in flooding

ASUNCION, May 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Heavy flooding in Paraguay has displaced 70,000 families and is threatening to further inundate the capital Asuncion in the coming weeks, the country’s weather bureau said. Water levels on the Paraguay River are rising at a rate of 4-5cm every day and is only 46cm below…

Villagers kill Ebola health worker in eastern DR Congo

KINSHASA, May 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Villagers in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo killed a health worker engaged in the fight against a major Ebola outbreak and looted a treatment centre, according to an official report. “Part of the population of Vusahiro village, in the health sector of Mabalako (North Kivu…

Hundreds of prisoners start fires, wound staff in Ukraine riot

ODESSA (Ukraine), May 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A major riot involving 500 prisoners broke out at a penitentiary in the Ukrainian city of Odessa on Monday with the inmates setting fire to buildings and wounding seven staff members, officials said. Authorities deployed several hundred National Guard troops and police to help…

Mexico: Pres Lopez Obrador says will shop abroad if necessary to fix medicine shortages

MEXICO CITY, May 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador vowed to alleviate a medicine shortage in public hospitals, pledging to shop abroad for essential drugs if necessary and blaming the situation on companies upset about his crackdown on overpricing. The government promised to release about US$126 million…

Argentina government-controlled airline cancels flights due to strike

BUENOS AIRES, May 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Argentina’s government-controlled carrier Aerolineas Argentinas said it would cancel all Wednesday flights due to a one-day nationwide strike called by labour unions to protest the economic policies of President Mauricio Macri. The cancellations, which include 330 domestic and international flights, will impact some 37,000…