Russia-Ukraine conflict: Russia says strike on Odessa Port hit Ukrainian ‘military infrastructure’

MOSCOW, July 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russian missiles destroyed Ukrainian “military infrastructure” in a strike on Ukraine’s Black Sea port of Odessa, crucial for grain exports, Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman said Sunday. The strike Saturday came a day after Kyiv and Moscow signed a landmark agreement hammered out over months of…

Latin America up for increasingly worsening weather: UN WMO

GENEVA, July 24 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — The consequences of climate change will continue to worsen in Latin America and the Caribbean, affecting health, development, and food supplies, according to a report from the UN’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The document, titled “The State of Climate in Latin America and the Caribbean…

“Half” of Venezuela’s cabinet down with COVID-19: Pres Maduro

CARACAS, July 24 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Half of Venezuela’s members of the ministerial cabinet are down with COVID-19, President Nicolás Maduro announced. “We have half the cabinet with coronavirus; everyone is sick,” said Maduro, who said those infected were Executive Vice President Delcy Rodríguez; Minister of Productive Agriculture and Land, Wilmar…

Biden-Fernández meeting put off due to US President’s COVID-19

WASHINGTON/BUENOS AIRES, July 24 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Argentine President Alberto Fernández was told to wait for his one-on-one meeting with his US colleague Joe Biden, who, despite announcements from the White House that he was doing well after testing positive for COVID-19, has been forced to rearrange his engagements involving personal…

California wildfire rages as US engulfed in heat wave

More than 500 firefighters are working to extinguish the flames with assistance from aircraft LOS ANGELES, July 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A California wildfire ripped through thousands of acres Saturday after sparking a day earlier, as millions of Americans sweltered through scorching heat with already record-setting temperatures due to climb. The…

Kenya Govt releases Ksh 8B for the maize subsidy programme

NAIROBI, July 24 (NNN-KBC) — Agriculture CS Peter Munya says the Kenyan government has released Ksh 8 billion in order to finance the 4-week National Maize Flour Subsidy Programme announced Wednesday. The funds will allow millers to implement the subsidy programme announced by President Uhuru Kenyatta which has seen the…

Over 50 million in Eastern Africa to face acute food insecurity in 2022

NAIROBI, July 24 (NNN-KNA) — Over 50 million people are in danger of experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity this year across seven Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) countries in the Horn of Africa. The affected states include Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda. According to…

El Salvador suspends football committee that sparked clash with FIFA

SAN SALVADOR, July 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — El Salvador’s national sports institute, INDES, suspended a government-backed committee that temporarily supplanted the national football federation, FESFUT, in a bid to stave off a clash with the sport’s global governing body, FIFA. FIFA had said if the committee appointed by INDES was not…

Libya to increase daily oil production to 1.2 mln barrels

The El Sharara oilfield TRIPOLI, July 24 (NNN-Xinhua) — The state-owned National Oil Corporation (NOC) of Libya said that it plans to increase the daily oil production to 1.2 million barrels. “The NOC is striving to increase production and bring it back to its normal rates of 1.2 million barrels…

EAC leaders call for fast tracking admission of Somalia into bloc

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia was a special guest of the EAC Heads of State meeting in Arusha, Tanzania DAR ES SALAAM, July 24 (NNN-Xinhua) — Leaders of the East African Community (EAC) have directed the EAC Council of Ministers to fast track verification for admission of the Federal…