Section: National Newswatch (Canada)
The Latest: Africa sees average 8% rise in new virus cases
NAIROBI, Kenya — Africa’s top public health official says the continent has seen an average 8% rise in new coronavirus cases over the past month as infections creep up again in parts of the continent of 1.3 billion people. John Nkengasong says “we expected it to happen” and warns that when the virus comes back for a second wave, “it seems...
Trump loyalists get top Pentagon jobs after Esper firing
WASHINGTON — A day after President Donald Trump fired Defence Secretary Mark Esper, three staunch loyalists to the president were named to top defence jobs. Among them was a former Fox News commentator who failed to get through Senate confirmation because of offensive remarks he made, including about Islam. The abrupt changes sent reverberations...
Belarus nuclear plant stops power output soon after opening
KYIV, Ukraine — Belarus’ first nuclear power plant stopped generating electricity the day after it was formally opened by President Alexander Lukashenko and some of its equipment needs to be replaced, a Belarusian official told The Associated Press on Tuesday. Lukashenko inaugurated the Russian-built and -financed Astravyets plant on...
Kremlin: Putin won’t congratulate Biden until challenges end
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin won’t congratulate President-elect Joe Biden until legal challenges to the U.S. election are resolved and the result is official, the Kremlin announced Monday. Putin is one of a handful of world leaders who have not commented on Biden’s victory, which was called by major news organizations on...
Club-wielding police in Belarus arrest over 500 protesters
KYIV, Ukraine — Club-swinging police went after demonstrators in Belarus’ capital who were demanding the resignation of the country’s authoritarian president on Sunday, the 90th consecutive day of protests. Human rights activists said hundreds of people were arrested. Thousands of demonstrators tried to enter the centre of Minsk from...
Disabled hold rally in Belarus to demand president step down
KYIV, Ukraine — More than 200 disabled people rallied in Belarus’ capital Thursday, continuing a nearly three-month wave of protests triggered by the disputed reelection of the country’s authoritarian leader. They demonstrated in Minsk’s central avenue chanting “Go away!” and “Your time is over!” to demand President Alexander...
Ottawa’s silence necessary during U.S. election uncertainty: democracy experts
OTTAWA — The political silence in Ottawa was deafening on Wednesday after Donald Trump’s bombastic declarations of victory in the U.S. presidential election and his threat to take his re-election fight to the Supreme Court. Trump was following through on his plan to claim a triumph even though mail-in votes were still being legally counted,...
Police fire warning shots as thousands protest in Belarus
KYIV, Ukraine — Thousands of protesters in Belarus swarmed the streets of the capital to demand the resignation of the country’s longtime president for the 13th straight Sunday and encountered police firing warning shots in the air and using stun grenades to break up the crowds. As many as 20,000 people took part in the rally, the Visana...
Georgia’s ruling party wins vote; opposition urges protests
TBILISI, Georgia — Georgia’s ruling party won the country’s highly contested parliamentary election, according to preliminary results announced Sunday that the opposition refused to recognize as valid and used to call for protests, saying they were manipulated. Georgia’s Central election commission said that with 95% of ballots...
After year of disruption, America set to choose a path ahead
WASHINGTON — After a year of deep disruption, America is poised for a presidential election that renders a verdict on the nation’s role in the world and the direction of its economy, on its willingness to contain an escalating pandemic and its ability to confront systemic racial inequity. But the two men on the ballot, President Donald...
