Drought Displaces 845,000 People In Ethiopia, Somalia: UN

UNITED NATIONS, Mar 9 (NNN-ENA) – The Ethiopia-Somalia drought has uprooted 845,000 people from their homes, and killed more than 1.5 million head of livestock in Ethiopia alone, a UN spokesman said yesterday. “We and our (humanitarian) partners, are scaling up assistance to people affected by the drought, and have…

Portuguese PM Announces Measures To Offset Energy Inflation

LISBON, Mar 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Portuguese Prime Minister, Antonio Costa, announced yesterday, a package of measures to soften the price increase of fuel and energy, recorded in recent days. The main measure is to return to consumers the Tax on Petroleum Products, that is charged by the government at the…

Australian Floods Could Cause Japanese Encephalitis Surge: Experts

CANBERRA, Mar 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Experts warned that catastrophic flooding, on Australia’s east coast, could exacerbate the country’s outbreak of Japanese encephalitis. Japanese encephalitis (JE) is a virus, spread through the bite of an infected mosquito to humans, horses and pigs. It can cause inflammation of the brain, nausea, high…

Malaysia Reports 31,490 New COVID-19 Infections, 79 More Deaths

KUALA LUMPUR, Mar 9 (NNN-BERNAMA) – Malaysia reported 31,490 new COVID-19 infections, as of midnight, bringing the national total to 3,680,953, according to the Health Ministry. There are 473 new imported cases, with 31,017 being local transmissions, data released on the ministry’s website showed. A further 79 deaths have been…

Biden Announces Imposition Of Energy Embargo On Russia

WASHINGTON, Mar 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) – U.S. President, Joe Biden, yesterday announced the imposition of an energy embargo on Russia, banning U.S. imports of oil, liquified natural gas and coal from Russia, over its ongoing military operations in Ukraine. “This means Russian oil will no longer be acceptable to U.S. ports,”…

Morocco, U.S. Hold Dialogue On Bilateral Ties, Regional Issues

RABAT, Mar 9 (NNN-MAP) – Morocco and the United States, yesterday, held a session of strategic dialogue on bilateral ties and regional issues, in the Moroccan capital of Rabat. The dialogue was held by Moroccan Foreign Minister, Nasser Bourita and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, Wendy Sherman, according to a…

German Green Party Ministries Oppose Longer Life-Span Of Nuclear Plants

BERLIN, Mar 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Two German ministries, led by Green Party politicians, Robert Habeck and Steffi Lemke, yesterday spoke out against extending the operating times of the country’s remaining nuclear power plants, despite possible energy supply bottlenecks, due to the Ukraine crisis. “As a result of weighing up the…

Electric Vehicles Account For One-Fifth Of New Cars Sold In Ireland In Feb

DUBLIN, Mar 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Electric vehicles (EVs), accounted for more than one-fifth of all new cars sold in Ireland in Feb, up nearly 123 percent year-on-year, according to the figures released by the country’s Central Statistics Office (CSO), yesterday. In Feb, 2,861 EVs, including 1,829 electric-only vehicles, and 1,032…

Russia Introduces “Silence Regime” In Ukraine For Safe Evacuation Of Civilians

MOSCOW, Mar 9 (NNN-TASS) – Russian armed forces declared a “silence regime” and the opening of humanitarian corridors, for the safe evacuation of civilians in Ukraine, starting 10:00 a.m. Moscow time (0700 GMT) yesterday. “Humanitarian corridors from Kiev, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkov and Mariupol are being opened,” local media reported, citing…

Domestic Gold Price Rises In Myanmar

YANGON, Mar 9 (NNN-MNA) – Myanmar’s domestic gold price has been surging to 2.01 million kyats (about 1,133.8 U.S. dollars) per tical (0.578 ounce), late yesterday, due to rising global gold price and appreciating local dollar rate, Yangon Region Gold Entrepreneurs Association Chairman, U Myo Myint, said. “The gold price…