Journalist found dead in northwest Mexico

MEXICO CITY, Aug 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A crime reporter has been found dead in northwestern Mexico, authorities said — the latest suspected murder in what is already one of the deadliest years yet for the country’s press. The body of Juan Arjon Lopez, an independent journalist who ran a news…

Malta receives first shipment of monkeypox vaccine

VALLETTA, Aug 17 (NNN-Xinhua) — Malta has received its first consignment of the monkeypox vaccine through a joint procurement mechanism of the European Union (EU), Health Minister Chris Fearne said. In a post on Twitter, he said the primary contacts of confirmed monkeypox cases would be the first to get…

Death toll from heavy rains, floods in Sudan climbs to 75

The death toll from flooding triggered by torrential rains in Sudan has risen to 75 and destroyed or damaged tens of thousands of homes. KHARTOUM, Aug 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The death toll from the recent heavy rains and floods in Sudan has climbed to 75, the country’s National Council for…

World’s first malaria vaccine to benefit millions of children: UNICEF

UNICEF said that in 2020, nearly half a million children died from malaria in Africa alone UNITED NATIONS, Aug 17 (NNN-Xinhua) — British pharmaceutical company GSK has been awarded a contract to produce the world’s first malaria vaccine so that millions more children will be protected against the killer disease,…

Monkeypox: Ecuador’s cases climb to 19; Bolivia confirms 15 cases

QUITO, Aug 17 (NNN-Xinhua) — Ecuador has detected three new cases of monkeypox, bringing the total number of national cases to 19, Minister of Public Health Jose Ruales said. “We have no hospitalized or severe cases. All are mildly ill and under home supervision while we conduct contact tracing,” the…

Covid-19: US First lady Dr Jill Biden tests positive

First lady Dr Jill Biden WASHINGTON, Aug 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US First lady Dr Jill Biden has tested positive for Covid-19 and is experiencing mild symptoms, her spokesperson said.“After testing negative for Covid-19 on Monday during her regular testing cadence, the First Lady began to develop cold-like symptoms late in…

Three firefighters die in Morocco forest blaze

   RABAT, Aug 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Three firefighters died and two others were seriously injured in a forest fire in northern Morocco that was suspected to have been started deliberately, authorities said. The firefighters were in a vehicle that plunged into a ravine while they were battling the blaze in M’diq-Fnideq…

Cuba authorizes foreign investment in wholesale, retail

   HAVANA, Aug 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Cuban government has announced it will allow foreign investment in domestic wholesale and retail trade for the first time in 60 years, in a move aimed at addressing critical shortages of goods. The decision could also give a boost to local industry, all without…

Water levels on Lake Garda, Italy’s largest lake, drop to 15-year low

SIRMIONE (Italy), Aug 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The pedalos lie far from the water’s edge and the flat stone slabs around the Sirmione peninsula are exposed after drought reduced the level of Italy’s Lake Garda to a 15-year low. Italy’s largest lake, a major tourist destination nestled among mountains in the…

US cuts water allowance for some states, Mexico as drought bites

WASHINGTON, Aug 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Some US states and Mexico must cut their water usage to avoid “catastrophic collapse” of the Colorado River, officials said as a historic drought bites. More than two decades of well below average rainfall have left the river – the lifeblood of the western United…