Bolivia to produce toothpaste made of coca leaves: Gov’t

LA PAZ, July 9 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — The Bolivian government announced the creation of the state-run Empresa Pública Productiva de Industrialización to start the production of a new brand of toothpaste made from coca leaves to fulfill the Constitutional mandate to capitalize on a native and ancestral natural resource, which is the…

Brazil: Presidential hopeful Lula now wears bulletproof vests during political rallies

BRASILIA. July 9 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva began wearing a bullet-proof vest during a mass rally in Rio de Janeiro after a homemade explosive device containing excrements blew up, although nobody was injured. Lula is ahead on all polls for the Oct 2 presidential…

Venezuela’s Conviasa suspends Caracas-Buenos Aires route

CARACAS, July 9 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Venezuela’s flag carrier Conviasa has announced it will halt its Caracas-Buenos Aires route at least until September in light of the refueling problems all its aircraft face for belonging to a company blacklisted by the US Treasury.  The decision came in the aftermath of the…

Update: Thousands await trial in South Africa a year after deadly riots

JOHANNESBURG, July 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A year after the worst unrest to hit South Africa in decades, only 50 people have been convicted over the violence, with the suspected masterminds and thousands of others still awaiting trial, the defence minister said. More than 350 people were killed during almost ten…

Russia-Ukraine conflict: Pres Putin warns of ‘catastrophic consequences’ on energy market

Russian President Vladimir Putin takes part in a ceremony to raise the national flag on new fishing vessels built at domestic shipyards MOSCOW, July 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russian President Vladimir Putin warned of possible “catastrophic consequences” of Western sanctions on the global energy market. “Sanctions restrictions on Russia will bring…

Billions of people rely on wild species for food, fuel, income: UN

PARIS, July 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Rampant exploitation of nature is a threat to the billions of people across the world who rely on wild species for food, energy and income, according to a new report from United Nations biodiversity experts published Friday. From fishing and logging to the use of…

Kenya: 18 died, 2 injured in Nairobi-Mombasa highway accident

NAIROBI, July 9 (NNN-KBC) — Eighteen people have died in a road accident involving a PSV matatu and a trailer between Taru and Samburu along Mombasa – Nairobi highway. According to Coast Regional Traffic boss Peter Maina, two others have been seriously injured. The bodies of the deceased have been…

Canada, US, Mexico to maintain trade flows in emergency situations

OTTAWA, July 9 (NNN-Xinhua) — Top trade officials of Canada, the United States and Mexico announced that the three North American countries will work to ensure trade flows in emergency situations. Canadian Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development Mary Ng, Mexican Secretary of Economy Tatiana…

Peru has welcomed over 750,000 tourists so far in 2022

LIMA, July 9 (NNN-ANDINA) — Foreign Trade and Tourism Minister Roberto Sanchez highlighted the fact that Peru has received more than 750,000 tourists so far this year —a result that allows us to look forward to the tourism sector’s reactivation. This was stated during a conference from the Presidency of the…

Peru: Covid-19 cases total 3,662,685; death toll reaches 213,652; Confirmed monkeypox cases total 21

LIMA, July 9 (NNN-ANDINA) — The number of citizens infected with COVID-19 rose to 3,662,685 and the death toll reached 213,652 in Peru as of July 7 at 10:00 p.m. (local time), the Ministry of Health (Minsa) reported. Within this framework, 3,593 cases were detected and 7 people passed away due to…