Locust outbreak reaches South Sudan – officials

JUBA, Feb 29 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — South Sudan has the become the latest country to be hit by the worst locust outbreak that parts of East Africa have seen in 70 years. Around 2,000 locusts were spotted inside the country, Agriculture Minister Onyoti Adigo told reporters. Authorities will try to control…

Zambia first lady weeps over ‘gas attacks’ on children

First Lady of Zambia Esther Lungu LUSAKA, Feb 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Zambia’s First Lady Esther Lungu broke down in tears and fell to her knees as she appealed for an end to a spate of mysterious gas attacks that have spread across the country. Police have been unable to catch…

Cameroon’s international partners call for investigation into Anglophone village massacre

YAOUNDE, Feb 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Cameroon’s international partners including France and the United Nations have condemned last week’s killing of 23 villagers in a troubled English-speaking region. The incident on Friday took place in a region where armed separatists are campaigning for independence from the rest of Cameroon, which is…

US Sec of State Pompeo closes Africa tour with warning about China’s ’empty promises’

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo ADDIS ABABA, Feb 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday closed a three-nation Africa tour with a thinly-veiled swipe at China as he talked up Washington’s ability to stimulate growth and entrepreneurship on the continent.“Countries should be wary of authoritarian…

Despite trade wars, Pres Trump says US ‘open for business’

WASHINGTON, Feb 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — President Donald Trump saidthat he wants to avoid policies that make it difficult for other countries todo business with the United States — even as his administration has doneprecisely the opposite. Trump has imposed tariffs on billions of dollars in goods and launcheddisputes with most…

Brexit: Britain unveils points-based immigration plan

LONDON, Feb 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Britain unveils a newpoints-based immigration system that ends the free movement of people and prioritises those with high-skilled jobs. The scheme is meant to replace the one Britain followed as a member of theEuropean Union. Britain left the bloc after 47 years on Jan 31…

Libya’s UN-backed government suspends participation in Geneva peace talks

TRIPOLI, Feb 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Libya’s unity government announced it would halt its participation in UN talks aimed at brokering alasting ceasefire in the war-torn country where a fragile truce has beenrepeatedly violated. The pull-out came after a barrage of rocket fire hit a port in the capitalTripoli — the…

Update: 14 test positive among US plane evacuees from Japan cruise ship

The Diamond Princess was placed in a 14-day quarantine in early February WASHINGTON, Feb 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Fourteen people who had tested positive for the new coronavirus were among more than 300 US citizens and family members evacuated by plane from a quarantined ship in Japan, the US State Department said.…

Brazil: Pres Bolsonaro celebrates crime index falls to its lowest level in more than a decade

BRASILIA, Feb 17 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro celebrated after a crime index showed homicides fell to their lowest level in more than a decade during the first year of his term. Brazil had 41,635 killings in 2019, down 19% from the prior year and the least number of…

Brexit: France warns UK of bitter trade negotiations

French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian MUNICH (Germany), Feb 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — France has warned Britain to expect a bruising battle with the EU in post-Brexit trade negotiations.French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian predicted the two sides would “rip each other apart” as they strove for advantage in the negotiations.He…