Heatwaves: Greek wildfire rages near Athens; homes, hospital evacuated

Smoke rises as a wildfire burns on Mount Penteli, in Athens ATHENS, July 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A Greek wildfire fuelled by gale-force winds raged in the mountainous region of Penteli near Athens on Tuesday, prompting authorities to order the evacuation of at least four areas and a hospital. Heavy clouds…

Mexico: 3 migrants and 2 Mexicans dead, 12 injured in highway crash

A view of the highway entrance to Tijuana, Baja California, at the international United States Border with Mexico in San Diego TAPACHULA (Mexico), July 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Three migrants and two Mexican citizens are dead and a dozen migrants are recovering from injuries following a highway accident in northern Mexico,…

US: Police arrest 17 lawmakers at abortion rights protest outside Supreme Court

 WASHINGTON, July 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least 17 Democratic lawmakers, including prominent progressives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar, were arrested at an abortion rights protest outside the Supreme Court in Washington on Tuesday, police said. The US Capitol police said on Twitter that the demonstrators had blocked traffic on a…

Russia-Ukraine conflict: Russian Pres Putin praises ‘useful’ summit with presidents of Iran, Turkey

TEHRAN, July 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russian leader Vladimir Putin praised his talks with the presidents of Iran and Turkey, speaking after a three-way summit on the Syrian conflict overshadowed by Moscow’s intervention in Ukraine. Putin said the Syria summit in Tehran had been “truly useful and rather substantial”, describing the…

A soldier, three rebels killed in east DR Congo clash

BENI (DR Congo), July 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A soldier and three rebels were killed in fighting on Tuesday near the Democratic Republic of Congo’s eastern border city of Beni, a military spokesman said. The rebels were said to be members of the feared Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), which the Daesh group…

DR Congo to auction drilling rights in rainforest

Lake Kivu, also in the east, where three gas blocks are located KINSHASA, July 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Democratic Republic of Congo says it will auction rights to drill for oil in more than two dozen areas, including a rainforest region that green groups say should be protected. Twenty-seven blocks…

Somalia: Breakaway Somaliland suspends BBC for ‘undermining the state

HARGEISA, July 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Authorities in Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia, on Tuesday suspended the operations of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), accusing the broadcaster of “undermining the credibility of the Somaliland state.” Information minister Saleban Yusuf Ali Kore told a press conference in the northwestern region’s capital…

Indigenous Canadians hopeful ahead of Pope’s apology for school abuse

EDMONTON (Alberta, Canada), July 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — For decades, trauma has lingered in the tiny Indigenous Canadian community of Maskwacis. But some hope to finally find a degree of closure during a visit by Pope Francis to apologise for the Church’s role in a century of abuse. The pontiff will…

IMF okays Ksh 28B loan to Kenya for budgetary support

WASHINGTON, July 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Kenya has secured the immediate release of Ksh 27.8 billion ($235.6 million) from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to shore up its budgetary needs. The loan which is the third review under the 38-month arrangement with the lender was approved Monday by the IMF Executive…

Tanzania secures $1B from IMF to accelerate economic recovery

WASHINGTON, July 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved a 40-month $1.04 billion credit facility to Tanzania to catalyze growth and withstand spillover effects from the war in Ukraine. Following the approval by the IMF Executive Board Monday, the East African country will receive an immediate release…