Monkeypox cases total 770 in Portugal

LISBON, Aug. 12 (NNN-Xinhua) — Portugal has registered a total of 770 confirmed monkeypox cases as of Thursday since the first case reported in May, said the Portuguese Directorate-General for Health (DGS). The Portuguese health authorities said 60 new cases were confirmed last week, indicating “a decreasing trend in the…

Colombia seeks to restart peace talks with ELN guerrilla in Havana

Alvaro Leyva (L) and Bruno Rodriguez HAVANA, Aug 12 (NNN-Xinhua) — The Colombian government wants to resume peace talks with the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla in the Cuban capital, Colombia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Alvaro Leyva said. “We hope to resume dialogues with ELN in this land of peace to…

Fuel, food, fertilizer as Russia’ Putin holds phone chat with Mali junta leader

Vladimir Putin, Russian President MOSCOW, Aug 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russian President Vladimir Putin has held a telephone conversation with Mali’s military ruler, Colonel Assimi Goita.In a statement released by the Russian presidency, the two leaders are said to have discussed bilateral relations and other areas of mutual interest and cooperation.“They…

Heatwaves: Wildfires rage, farmers struggle as another heatwave bakes western Europe

THE ruins of a house destroyed by fire in Belin-Beliet, south-western France HOSTENS (France), Aug 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — European nations sent firefighting teams to help France tackle a “monster” wildfire, while forest blazes also raged in Spain and Portugal and the head of the European Space Agency urged immediate action…

Heatwaves: Swiss army airlifts water to thirsty animals in Alpine meadows

CHARMEY (Switzerland0, Aug 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Swiss army helicopters have been drafted in to airlift water to thousands of thirsty farm animals sweltering under this summer’s soaring temperatures in the country’s Alpine meadows. Lower rainfall this year forced farmers to call on the army to swoop in with much-needed refreshments…

Mali declares 3 days of mourning after attacks kill dozens

A UN convoy travels between Gao and Kidal, in Northern Mali BAMAKO, Aug 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Authorities in Mali have declared three days of mourning beginning Thursday after a pair of terror attacks killed dozens of soldiers over the weekend. In the most deadly incident, 42 soldiers were killed and 22 others…

Nearly 900,000 people displaced in DR Congo since January – UN

KINSHASA, Aug 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Nearly 900,000 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been displaced since the start of the year, the UN’s humanitarian agency said, amid rebel fighting in the country’s east. In a report, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that more…

Ethiopia starts power generation from second turbine at mega-dam

ADDIS ABABA, Aug 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Ethiopia kickstarted electricity production from the second turbine at its controversial mega-dam on the Blue Nile on Thursday, despite continuing objections by Egypt and Sudan over the project. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed also confirmed that a third filling of the multi-billion-dollar Grand Ethiopian Renaissance…

Thousands protest Sudan military rule

KHARTOUM, Aug 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Thousands of Sudanese protesters rallied Thursday against last year’s military coup and to demand civilian rule and better living conditions. Demonstrators in downtown Khartoum shouted for the army to “go back to the barracks”. Sudan has been reeling from political unrest, a spiralling economic crisis and…

Ethiopia govt in ‘direct engagements’ with Tigray rebels: AU

ADDIS ABABA, Aug 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Ethiopian government and Tigrayan rebels have had “direct engagements”, the African Union said in a statement, in the first official confirmation of such contacts between the two warring sides. The government has been locked in a grinding conflict with the rebels, but in…