Briefly

MOROCCO

In a 1st in 50 years, UN bodies gather in Africa

The International Monetary Fund and World Bank gathered in Morocco on Monday for their first annual meeting on African soil in 50 years, under pressure to reform to better aid poor nations blighted by debt and climate change. The IMF and World Bank traditionally hold their annual gathering of finance ministers and central bank governors outside their Washington headquarters every three years. The IMF and World Bank last held their meetings in Africa in 1973, when Kenya hosted the event. "A prosperous world economy in the 21st century requires a prosperous Africa," IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said last week.

CAMEROON

Landslide triggered by heavy rain kills 27

At least 27 people have been killed after heavy rains caused a section of a hillside covered in precariously built houses to collapse in Cameroon's capital Yaounde. Rescuers were still searching for victims on Monday after the landslide happened in the district of Mbankolo, northwest of Yaounde, on Sunday evening. Landslides are frequent during the rainy season in the city of nearly 3 million people, where shacks are often put up on its many hills. Torrential rainfall caused a dam containing a man-made lake situated on higher ground to burst, public broadcaster CRTV and a local official said. "Relief material is underway, and the government extends condolences to the bereaved families," Minister of Territorial Administration Paul Atanga Nji said.

UNITED STATES

4,000 more workers join auto strike

Union workers at Mack Trucks went on strike on Monday after voting down a tentative five-year contract agreement that negotiators had reached with the company. The United Auto Workers said 4,000 unionized workers walked out at 7 am, adding to labor turmoil in the industry that has ensnared all three big Detroit automakers. With those workers joining picket lines, the total number of UAW members that are on strike now exceeds 30,000 across 22 states, the union said on Monday. UAW President Shawn Fain said in a letter to Mack's parent company Volvo Trucks that 73 percent of workers voted against the deal in results counted on Sunday.

Agencies - Xinhua