Ecuador prison riot death toll rises to 27

 QUITO, July 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Ecuador raised to 27 the number of inmates killed in prison riots in two jails this week that forced the government to declare a state of emergency. President Guillermo Lasso had issued the order “to mobilize all necessary human and economic resources to re-establish order”…

US, Russia to hold new talks to encourage stability

    WASHINGTON, July 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States and Russia will hold high-level talks next week in the second bid in as many months to encourage stability in the tense relationship, officials said. The so-called Strategic Stability Dialogue, set up during a June 16 summit between US President Joe Biden…

Covid-19 cases surpass 40 million in Latin America and the Caribbean

 MONTEVIDEO, July 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The number of Covid-19 cases surpassed 40 million on Saturday in Latin America and the Caribbean. Since the first coronavirus infections were recorded last year, the number of cases in the region has reached 40,073,507, according to official data as of 0200 GMT. The number…

Morocco’s navy rescues 368 migrants bound for Spain

    RABAT, July 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Moroccan navy this week rescued 368 migrants including three children as they were trying to cross the Mediterranean to reach Spain, the official MAP news agency said. It said the migrants, mostly from sub-Saharan Africa, were rescued between Tuesday and Friday when their makeshift…

Venezuela says US military jet violated its airspace

     CARACAS, July 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Venezuela on Friday accused the United States, of violating its airspace, in what it said was a “blatant provocation,” warning it would “respond forcefully” to any maneuver it saw as an act of aggression. The incident came as the Colombian and US militaries took part…

Covid-19: France’s National Assembly approves stricter rules

PARIS, July 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The French National Assembly has approved the government’s move to tighten coronavirus rules.In a first reading early Friday morning, deputies approved a bill to extend the obligation to prove a negative coronavirus test, vaccination against or recovery from Covid-19.The lawmakers also gave their approval to…

Covid-19: Police in Slovakia use tear gas against vaccine opponents

Protesters blocked entry to Slovakia’s parliament  BRATISLAVA, July 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Protesters opposed to coronavirus vaccinations clashed with police outside the Slovakian parliament on Friday.Officials used tear gas to prevent hundreds of demonstrators from storming the National Council in the capital, Bratislava.One policewoman was injured, the TASR news agency reported,…

Government supporters celebrate the second filling of Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam

Thousands of government supporters gathered at Meskel Square in Addis Ababa ADDIS ABABA, July 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Thousands of government supporters gathered at Meskel Square in Addis Ababa to celebrate the second filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).Those joining the rally also made a show support for the…

Israel rejoins the African Union as an observer state

African Union Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat (right) with the Israel’s ambassador to Ethiopia Aleleign Admasu ADDIS ABABA, July 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — For the first time since 2002, Israel’s ambassador to Ethiopia, Aleleign Admasu presented his credentials as observer to the African Union.The African Union is the largest and most important organization…

Burkina Faso receives 150,000 coronavirus vaccines from U.S.

OUAGADOUGOU, July 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Burkina Faso has received a shipment of more than 150,000 Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccines doses from the US.A gift from the U.S. through the Covax initiative, that should help speed up vaccination in Burkina Faso which like other countries of the continent suffers from…