Russia-Ukraine conflict: Oil jumps, Brent above US$116 per barrel as supply issues persist

gas prices, says analyst Reshna Reem Ganesan -March 3, 2022 11:00 AM LONDON, March 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Oil prices extended their rally on Thursday, with Brent rising above US$116 a barrel, as trade disruption and shipping issues from Russian sanctions over the Ukraine crisis sparked supply worries while US crude stocks…

Russia-Ukraine conflict: EU bans 70% of Belarus exports to bloc with new sanctions over Ukraine invasion

BRUSSELS, March 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The European Union has approved new sanctions against Belarus for its supporting role in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, effectively banning about 70 per cent of all imports from that country, the EU said. The fresh sanctions, which spare for now Belarusian banks, come after Minsk…

Russia-Ukraine conflict: World Bank halts all programmes in Russia, Belarus

WASHINGTON, March 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The World Bank said it had stopped all programmes in Russia and Belarus with immediate effect, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and “hostilities against the people of Ukraine”. In a statement, the multilateral development bank said it had not approved any new loans to…

Russia-Ukraine conflict: Nearly 17,000 Russian, Ukrainian tourists stuck in Dominican Republic

Tourists enjoy a beach in Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic SANTO DOMINGO, March 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Nearly 15,000 Russian and 2,000 Ukrainian tourists are stuck in the Dominican Republic due to travel restrictions imposed after Moscow’s invasion of its neighbor, the government in Santo Domingo said. The Caribbean country…

US to invite ‘non-political’ Myanmar representative to summit with ASEAN

WASHINGTON, March 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States said it would follow the lead of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) by inviting a non-political representative from military-ruled Myanmar to a summit with the 10-country bloc in Washington this month. President Joe Biden plans to host a special summit…

Russia-Ukraine conflict: Russian economy hit by series of sanctions

  PARIS, March 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — From closed airspace to frozen assets, Western countries have announced increasingly severe economic sanctions against Vladimir Putin, his relatives and inner circle — and on the Russian economy.    FINANCIAL SECTOR: More than any other area, the West has targeted the financial sector to…

Covid-19 has taken severe mental health toll, a 25% increase globally: WHO

 GENEVA, March 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Covid-19 pandemic has taken a dire toll on mental health, the WHO said Wednesday, indicating that cases of anxiety and depression had swelled by over 25 percent globally. In a fresh scientific brief, the World Health Organization also found that the Covid-19 crisis had…

UN agrees to create binding global treaty on plastic trash

 NAIROBI, March 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United Nations agreed to start negotiating a world-first global treaty on plastic pollution in what has been hailed a watershed moment for the planet. Nearly 200 nations at the UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi unanimously agreed to create an intergovernmental committee to negotiate and…

Russia-Ukraine conflict: Ukraine UN envoy accuses Russia of ‘genocide’

UNITED NATIONS, March 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Nations accused Russia of seeking to commit genocide in his country, speaking at a rare General Assembly debate on Wednesday, more than a week after Moscow’s invasion.   “They have come to deprive Ukraine of the very right to…

Nigeria step up efforts against kidnappings, school disruptions: Pres Buhari

Parents of abducted school children of Salihu Tanko Islamic School wait for news on their children in Tegina, Nigeria ABUJA, March 2 (NNN-Xinhua) — Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said efforts have been intensified to deal with issues of kidnapping and disruption of schools by criminals across the country. The government…