UK’s Rwanda asylum law will have ‘harmful impact’ – UN

Filippo Grandi, the UN high commissioner for refugees UNITED NATIONS, April 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Top UN officials have raised the alarm over the UK parliament’s approval of a controversial bill that paves the way for asylum seekers to be deported to Rwanda.The Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill, aimed…

Congo Brazzaville declares mpox epidemic

Symptoms of mpox include fever, aches and skin lesions. BRAZZAVILLE, April 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Republic of the Congo has declared an epidemic of mpox after 19 cases were confirmed across five departments, including the capital Brazzaville.No deaths have yet been recorded, Health Minister Gilbert Mokoki said in a statement.He called…

Botswana declined request to host UK migrants – minister

Botswana is dealing with its own immigration issues, the country’s foreign minister says GABORONE, April 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Botswana’s foreign minister has told a South African TV channel that the British government approached his country to ask whether it would be willing to receive migrants deported from the UK.He didn’t…

Portugal’s Carnation Revolution, 50 years on

LISBON, April 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Portugal marks Thursday the 50th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution, a military coup that put an end to Europe’s longest-running dictatorship and 13 years of colonial wars in Africa. The 1974 revolt by a group of young military captains quickly turned into a popular uprising…

Colombia: Ancient giant tortoise fossils found in Colombian Andes

BOGOTA, April 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Paleontologists have discovered giant tortoise fossils in Colombia dating back some 57 million years, the university leading the excavation said, with the findings key to understanding South America’s prehistoric eras. The fossils of the extinct reptiles — Puentemys mushaisaensis — were about 1.5 meters long…

Canada’s LNG Energy signs Venezuela oil contract

MONTREAL, April 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Canada-based LNG Energy Group announced on Wednesday it had signed an agreement with Venezuela’s state-owned PDVSA Petroleo, though the renewal of US oil sanctions could potentially pose problems. The company’s statement said the deal to develop and produce oil and gas in Venezuela was closed…

Mauritania president says running for second term in June polls

NOUAKCHOTT, April 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Mauritania President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani said Wednesday he would run for a second term in presidential elections due in June. Ghazouani, 67, has been at the helm of the vast West African country since 2019 and provided stability in the Sahel region, which faces rising…

South Africa: President Ramaphosa sets sights on five million EPWP jobs in next five years

  BHISHO (Eastern Cape, South Africa), April 25 (NNN-SANEWS) — President Cyril Ramaphosa believes that the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) remains a critical policy instrument to tackle unemployment and reduce poverty as government grapples with high levels of joblessness.  The President has since pledged on behalf of government to…

Use of alcohol and e-cigarettes among youth ‘alarming’: WHO

A woman holding an e-cigarette COPENHAGEN, April 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The widespread use of alcohol and e-cigarettes among adolescents is “alarming”, according to a report released by the World Health Organization’s (WHO) European branch, which recommended measures to limit access. Based on survey data from 280,000 young people aged 11, 13 and…

US: Pro-Palestinian protests spread at universities

Protesters gather to show support for Palestinians in Gaza, outside of Columbia University in New York City NEW YORK, April 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Spiralling pro-Palestinian protests that are rocking universities across the United States spread to more campuses on Wednesday (Apr 24), triggering suggestions from a senior Republican leader that…