Russia-Ukraine conflict: EU members strike deal to cut Russian gas use

BRUSSELS, July 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The European Union member states reached agreement on how to cut their consumption of gas by 15 percent and reduce their dependence on Russian supplies. “This was not a Mission Impossible!” the EU presidency, currently held by the Czech Republic, tweeted.  “Ministers have reached a political agreement on…

Old bomb kills 13 scrap scavengers in northeast Nigeria

KANO (Nigeria), July 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Thirteen scrap-metal collectors in northeast Nigeria’s Borno state were killed when a bomb they excavated blew up, security sources said.  Sixteen metal scavengers from a displaced persons’ camp in Bama found the bomb while digging for scrap on Monday in the bush on the outskirts of town.…

Uruguayan FM hopes other Mercosur countries will join Chinese FTA talks

MONTEVIDEO, Jul 26 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — After meeting with members of a Chinese delegation who are in Montevideo since Saturday, Uruguayan Foreign Minister Francisco Bustillo said he hoped the other members of Mercosur would soon join the Free Trade Agreement negotiations because the Asian giant was “open to cooperation both with…

Somalia PM given 10 more days to form government

Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre MOGADISHU, July 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Somalia’s parliament agreed on Monday to give Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre more time to form a government, a month after his appointment in the troubled Horn of Africa nation. Barre was initially expected to name a cabinet within…

Pres Museveni to launch Uganda’s second armoured vehicle factory

NAKASONGOLA (Uganda), July 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — President Yoweri Museveni on Wednesday to launch Uganda’s second armoured vehicle factory in Nakasongola.  The factory was built by the United Arab Emirates firm, Streit Group, in partnership with the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC), the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) commercial arm that produces goods…

Mozambique arrests father planning to sell his three albino children for witchcraft rituals

Some sub-Saharan African countries have suffered a wave of assaults against albinos, whose body parts are sought for witchcraft practices in the belief that they bring luck and wealth MAPUTO, July 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A father who wanted to sell his three albino children for use in witchcraft rituals was…

Zimbabwe launches gold coins to tackle soaring inflation

HARARE, July 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Zimbabwe’s central bank on Monday (July 25) launched gold coins in an effort to help curb soaring inflation amid a slump in the country’s currency. The central bank’s main interest rate was more than doubled this month to 200% after the annual rate of inflation…

Ghana records third Marburg virus death

ACCRA, July 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Ghana has recorded one more death from the Marburg virus bringing to three the number of deaths since the outbreak of the virus began here. The victim is a relative of one of the first two cases. Marburg is a highly infectious disease in the…

UN experts in Addis start work to investigate war

ADDIS ABABA, July 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The UN Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia is in the country’s capital, Addis Ababa, for the first work visit since its establishment in December last year. The commission is an independent entity mandated to conduct investigations to establish the facts and the…

Firefighters tackle California wildfire as heat wave grips parts of US

LOS ANGELES, July 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Firefighters were battling California’s largest wildfire of the summer on Monday, a blaze near famed Yosemite National Park that has forced thousands of people to evacuate, officials said. The Oak Fire in central California comes as parts of the United States remain in the…