Nicaragua elections: Opposition alliance agrees on a contender to challenge Pres Ortega

MANAGUA, July 30 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — The main opposition alliance in Nicaragua named a former right-wing guerrilla and a beauty queen as its candidates for the coming presidential election in November. The Citizens Alliance for Liberty, CXL, nominated Oscar Sobalvarro, 68 as president hopeful and ex-Miss Nicaragua 2017, Berenice Quezada, 27…

Attack kills 19 civilians in West Niger

NIAMEY, July 30 (NNN-Xinhua) — Nineteen civilians were killed on Wednesday in an armed attack in western Niger near the border with Mali, the Interior Ministry announced. A group of unidentified armed individuals attacked the Banibangou district of the Deye Koukou village in the Tillabery region, causing 19 deaths, three…

Covid-19: Stalled Russian vaccines cause global anger

Millions have received promised Russian Sputnik V vaccines, but deliveries are falling short of orders MOSCOW, July 30 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Countries across the globe say they’ve been let down by broken promises and stalled deliveries of Russia’s Sputnik V Covid vaccine. Scores of countries enlisted Russia’s help through deals to…

Ethiopia’s Tigray crisis: Fighting escalates despite ceasefire

Amhara, which neighbours Tigray, has mobilised its militias and special forces ADDIS ABABA, July 30 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Intense fighting is being reported in Ethiopia’s Amhara state – the latest sign that the war that erupted in the Tigray region in November is spreading. Federal forces as well as Amhara regional troops…

Covid-19: Mexico deaths 35pc more than reported – statistics agency

 MEXICO CITY, July 30 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Mexico recorded more than 200,000 deaths from the coronavirus in 2020 — 35 percent more than originally reported by the government, the national statistics institute said. According to preliminary figures based on administrative records, 201,163 deaths from Covid-19 were registered in Mexico last year,…

US steps up efforts to fight virus surge fueled by Delta variant

 WASHINGTON, July 30 (NNN-AGENCIES) — President Joe Biden on Thursday stepped up actions to combat the spread of Covid-19’s surging Delta variant, asking every US federal worker to either declare they are fully vaccinated or wear masks and be tested. “We have the tools to prevent this new wave of…

Toxins likely in smoke from German chemicals blast

The cause of the explosion is not yet known LEVERKUSEN (Germany), July 30 (NNN-AGENCIES) — German environmental authorities said they were working on the assumption that the smoke generated from the blast that hit a chemicals plant in Leverkusen could contain toxic compounds.The environment agency in the state of North…

Covid-19: France questions UK’s discriminatory and excessive quarantine decision

The UK has signaled out France due to the persistent presence of the Beta variant PARIS, July 30 (NNN-AGENCIES) — France said it failed to understand why it was exempted from a new rule allowing fully-vaccinated European Union citizens to enter England without having to quarantine.From next week, travellers fully…

French nuclear tests in Pacific: Pres Macron wants higher compensation paid to victims

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to the media at Papeete’s harbor PAPEETE (Tahiti), July 30 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A quarter of a century after France’s last nuclear test in the South Pacific, President Emmanuel Macron floated the prospect of better compensation for the victims during a visit to the French territory on…

Covid-19: Zimbabwe approves Johnson & Johnson vaccine for emergency use

HARARE, July 30 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — Zimbabwe has approved the U.S. Johnson and Johnson Coronavirus vaccine for emergency use.It is the first vaccine produced by a Western country to be licensed in the country.Zimbabwe’s Drug Control Authority said in a letter to the government cited by journalists that the vaccine meets its quality,…