South Africa: Talks underway on the last straw

PRETORIA, Feb 28 (NNN-SANEWS) — South Africa’s Department of Environmental Affairs is currently engaging industry and consumer bodies on proposals to phase out or completely ban plastic products like straws and microbeads. Mark Gordon, the department’s deputy director-general for chemical and waste management, said the single-use products are considered to…

Sudan slams Western powers for rebuking state of emergency

KHARTOUM, Feb 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Sudan hit back at Western powers for calling President Omar al-Bashir’s decision to impose a nationwide state of emergency a “return to military rule” in the African country. The United States, Britain, Norway and Canada had on Tuesday rebuked Sudan over the state of emergency.…

Brazil: Rio officials close down Flamengo training centre after fire killed 10 players

RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Flamengo training centre where 10 teenage players died in a blaze earlier this month was shut down by the Rio de Janeiro government because it does not have the proper fire and safety permits. The city had ordered the facility, where the…

UK MPs back May’s new plan which could delay Brexit

LONDON, Feb 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — British MPs backed Prime Minister Theresa May’s newly-revised plan for leaving the European Union – which raises the possibility of delaying Brexit. Lawmakers approved a three-step plan unveiled by the embattled leader on Tuesday that would give her more time to renegotiate an agreement struck with the…

Haiti Carnival scrapped after unrest

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Feb 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Haiti’s minister of culture and communication announced that national Carnival celebrations will be cancelled in the wake of violent protests that paralysed the country for more than 10 days. “Organising a national Carnival requires preparation time,” Jean-Michel Lapin told reporters. “Technically, it is too late…

Gabon president returns home for second time since suffering stroke

LIBREVILLE, Feb 28 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) –President Ali Bongo presided over his first cabinet cabinet meeting in as many months. He returned to the country on Sunday after two rounds of medical convalescence in Morocco. Bongo was transferred from a Saudi Arabia hospital to Rabat after he was hospitalized last year when…

Algeria: Pres Bouteflika to submit re-election papers March 3 – campaign manager

ALGIERS, Feb 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika will submit his official application to seek re-election on March 3, his campaign manager said. “It is Bouteflika’s right to be a candidate,” Abdelmalek Sellal told a crowd in televised comments. Meanwhile, Bouteflika remains at a Swiss hospital, the Tribune de…

DR Congo child soldiers surrender arms and amulets

KANANGA (DR Congo), Feb 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) – “For me, the war is now over.” If words alone carry weight, there are hopes that a brutal conflict in Democratic Republic of Congo may draw to an end. The words were spoken by Mado, a hard-eyed child fighter all of 12-years-old from…

Nigeria Election: Atiku Abubakar Rejects Muhammadu Buhari’s Victory

Re-elected Nigerian Pres Muhammadu Buhari  ABUJA, Feb 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The runner-up in Nigeria’s presidential election has rejected the result as a “throwback to the jackboot era of military dictatorship”. Atiku Abubakar criticised what he called a “sham election” and has vowed to go to court. President Muhammadu Buhari, who was…

US Supreme Court mulls whether giant cross is unconstitutional

WASHINGTON, Feb 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) – The US Supreme Court deliberated Wednesday on whether a giant cross that serves as a war memorial is an unconstitutional state religious endorsement, as secularist critics contend. Supporters and critics of the 12-meter high Peace Cross in Bladensburg, just outside the capital Washington, presented arguments…