President | Common News Update

Apr82021 by adminNo Comments

Ukrainian president visits eastern frontline as tensions rise with Russia

World

Ukraine's president has visited the country's eastern frontline amid an escalation of tensions with neighbouring Russia that has raised fears of a resumption of large-scale hostilities.In Moscow, a senior Kremlin official sternly warned Ukraine against using force to reclaim control of the rebel east, saying that this might force Russia to step in to protect civilians there. The conflict with Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine erupted shortly after Moscow's 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula. More than 14,000 people have died in the fighting. Image: Ukraine's President Zelenskyy told soldiers they were 'a true example of heroism'. Pic: Associated Press Analysis: Russia using old Putin tactic to justify military pr...

Mar172021 by adminNo Comments

John Magufuli: Tanzania’s president dies aged 61 after health rumours

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AFPTanzania's President John Magufuli has died aged 61, the country's vice-president has announced.He died on Wednesday from heart complications at a hospital in Dar es Salaam, Samia Suluhu Hassan said in an address on state television.Mr Magufuli had not been seen in public for more than two weeks, and rumours have been circulating about his health.Opposition politicians said last week that he had contracted Covid-19, but this has not been confirmed."It is with deep regret that I inform you that today... we lost our brave leader, the president of the Republic of Tanzania, John Pombe Magufuli," Vice-President Hassan said in the announcement.She said there would be 14 days of national mourning and flags would fly at half mast.Obituary: Tanzania's 'bulldozer' president John MagufuliMr Magufu...

Mar42021 by adminNo Comments

Iran’s president warns against ‘political games’

World

March 4 (UPI) -- Iran's President Hassan Rouhani warned European signatories of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear deal Thursday against "political games," at a board meeting for the international agency. "The (International Atomic Energy) Agency is not a venue for political games," Rouhani said Thursday, Tasnim News Agency reported. "Political games must be abandoned. The Agency is a place for technical work." Advertisement Amid suggestions that the three European signatories of the nuclear deal, Germany, France and Britain, collectively known as the E3, would consider a resolution censuring Iran for its nuclear program, Rouhani added "I advise them not to do that." The E3 decided Thursday not to present the resolution censuring Iran. IAEA Director Rafael Grossi said...

Feb212021 by adminNo Comments

Niger voters return to polls in second round for president

World

Polls opened in Niger for the second round of voting in the country’s presidential elections, after none of the 28 candidates won an absolute majority in December’s voteBy DALATOU MAMANE Associated PressFebruary 21, 2021, 9:39 AM• 2 min readNIAMEY, Niger -- Polls opened Sunday morning in Niger for the second round of voting in the country’s presidential elections, after none of the 28 candidates won an absolute majority in December’s vote.Former foreign affairs minister Mohamed Bazoum, who received about 39% of the vote in the first round, is running against former president Mahamane Ousmane, who won nearly 17% of the vote, according to the National Independent Electoral Commission.The winner of Sunday's vote will succeed President Mahamadou Issoufou who is stepping down after serving two ...

Feb202021 by adminNo Comments

Italy’s president, pope mark year anniversary of first Italian COVID-19 case

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Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Italy's President Sergio Mattarella and Pope France marked the one-year anniversary of the first Italian COVID-19 case by honoring health workers. The first Italian COVID-19 case was identified in Lombardy on Feb. 20, 2020 in a 38-year-old man, a research article shows. Two tourists from China had tested positive in Rome on Jan. 30. A few days after the first Italian tested positive, additional cases popped up in the surrounding area, and soon other cases, mostly in the northern area. Areas in Lombardy and Veneto went into lockdown first and by March 8 lockdowns began nationwide. Advertisement Mattarella announced the creation of a National Day to honor "health, social welfare and volunteer personnel," in a message Saturday to the President of the National Federation of O...