Wildfires destroy 41,200 hectares of forest land in Chile

SANTIAGO, Feb 12 (NNN-Xinhua) — Wildfires have destroyed 41,200 hectares of forest land in southern and central Chile, the country’s National Forestry Corporation (CONAF) said. The figure represents an increase of 45 percent from last year in the area of forest land razed in the fire season, it said, adding…

No sanctions will unnerve or fracture national dignity: Venezuelan defense minister

CARACAS, Feb 12 (NNN-Xinhua) — Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez said that there are “no sanctions that will unnerve or fracture national dignity.” The minister said the Venezuelan military is underestimated by those who “have come with tricks by saying ‘if you come out against the Constitution and the…

Cameroon army intercepts boat carrying “mercenaries”

YAOUNDE, Feb 12 (NNN-Xinhua) — The Cameroonian army said that it has intercepted a boat carrying “mercenaries” in the high sea off Idenau in the southwest region of the African country. “They were intercepted by Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR). There were about 200 of them with five different nationalities including…

Namibia: 57 rhinos, 26 elephants poached last year

WINDHOEK, Feb 12 (NNN-Xinhua) — A total of 57 rhinos and 26 elephants were poached in Namibia in 2018, Minister of Environment and Tourism Pohamba Shifeta said. He said 120 suspected poachers were arrest last year. Shifeta said his ministry has called for harsher punishments for those found guilty of…

Zambia: Ban on plastic bags to prompt new business opportunities

LUSAKA, Feb 12 (NNN-Xinhua) — The Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) said that the country’s ban on disposable plastic bags will prompt new business opportunities around making reusable bags. “The regulation is further expected to encourage innovation in the handicraft subsector aimed at producing attractive, fashionable, yet durable carrier bags using…

Ukraine’s March presidential election to be held amid tight security

KIEV, Feb 12 (NNN-Xinhua) — Next month’s presidential election in Ukraine will be held amid heightened security measures, the country’s Interior Ministry said. According to preliminary estimates, between 60,000 and 62,000 law enforcement officers will be deployed across the Eastern European country to ensure the smooth run of the voting…

Dutch scientists probing mystery of mass bird deaths

DEN HELDER (Netherlands), Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — It was late on a stormy Saturday night when marine biologist Mardik Leopold’s phone rang at his home on the remote northern Dutch island of Texel. On the line was a coast-watch volunteer calling to tell him of reports of hundreds of dead guillemots…

Mexican Church suspended 152 priests across nine years for alleged abuse: Bishop

File pix of Pope Francis greeting the crowd at Paul VI Audience Hall in Vatican City during his weekly Audience in January. Pope Francis will receive bishops at the Vatican later in February to discuss worldwide revelations of sexual abuse in the Church, which have badly eroded the institution’s credibility.…

UAE and Africa startups meet to foster cooperation

DUBAI, Feb 12 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — Startups from the UAE and Africa will participate in the first-ever Chamberthon event organised and hosted by Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry during the Africa Tech Summit in Kigali, Rwanda, on Feb 13-15. The Manager, Public Relations and Corporate Communications, Dubai Chamber of Commerce…

South Africa: Pres Ramaphosa angered by power cuts

PRETORIA, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa says he is “quite angry” with the state-owned electricity firm Eskom over the rationing of power in the country for the first time since December. The company said homes and businesses would experience power cuts, known as load-shedding, because of…