Thirty-seven migrants feared dead at sea off coast of Spain’s Canary Islands

A migrant is transferred on a stretcher after being rescued by a maritime rescue helicopter, in Telde, on the island of Gran Canaria, Spain MADRID, Aug 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Thirty-seven migrants are feared dead after a dinghy carrying dozens of people capsized off the coast of Spain’s Canary Islands, the…

Afghan debacle set to cloud Merkel’s final Putin visit

  BERLIN, Aug 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — German Chancellor Angela Merkel will visit Russia’s Vladimir Putin in Moscow in the twilight of her reign on Friday, with Afghanistan set to be the final twist in their long and thorny relationship.   From alleged cyberattacks to the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria,…

Radio journalist murdered in eastern Mexico

  COATZACOALCOS (Mexico), Aug 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A radio journalist was shot dead on Thursday in a violence-ridden area of eastern Mexico, authorities said — the latest such murder in one of the world’s deadliest countries forreporters.    Jacinto Romero Flores, 60, was killed in Ixtaczoquitlan in Veracruz state where…

US: GoFundMe campaign raises $6mn for Afghan evacuation

  WASHINGTON, Aug 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A GoFundMe campaign to raise money for the evacuation of 300 vulnerable Afghans fleeing the Taliban has raised over $6 million.   The creator of the fundraising page, New York-based Tommy Marcus, asked for funds to organize flights out of the country for Afghans…

Venezuelan president announces cabinet changes

CARACAS, Aug 20 (NNN-Xinhua) — Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced several changes in his cabinet on Thursday, including the appointment of Mervin Maldonado as the new vice president for social and territorial socialism. The announcement follows the selection of several cabinet ministers as candidates of the ruling United Socialist Party…

Suspect in US Capitol bomb threat surrenders, taken into police custody

Multiple buildings on Capitol Hill, including the US Supreme Court, were evacuated following “an active bomb threat” nearby WASHINGTON, Aug 20 (NNN-Xinhua) — The suspect who drove near the US Capitol building Thursday threatening that the bomb in his vehicle would detonate ultimately surrendered and was taken into custody, US…

Uganda declares polio emergency, blames outbreak on Coronavirus

KAMPALA, Aug 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Uganda announced a polio emergency and blamed the outbreak to the Covid-19 pandemic during which resources were diverted from polio vaccination projects. The Health Ministry said in a statement that scientists have isolated a polio strain from two sewage treatment plants in the capital Kampala. The strain, it…

Algeria accuses Morocco of involvement in its deadly fires

A house burns during a wildfire in Tizi Ouzou, Kabylie region ALGIERS, Aug 20 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — Algeria has decided to “review” its relations with Morocco, accused of being involved in the deadly fires that ravaged the north of the country, according to a statement from the Algerian presidency.“The incessant hostile…

Somalia security forces kill 25 Shabaab fighters

Somali government says that in operations over the last months, it had killed hundreds of Al-Shabaab militants MOGADISHU, Aug 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Somali government says a joint operation by army and local forces in the central regions has killed 25 Al-Shabaab fighters.According to a statement from the Ministry of…

Tunisian navy rescues nearly 400 migrants after boats capsize

The boat accident included an unusually high number of women and children who have apparently perished TUNIS, Aug 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Tunisian naval forces rescued 396 migrants from drowning after several of their boats capsized in the middle of the night while making the journey across the Mediterranean to reach…