Russia and Myanmar cooperating on military equipment supplies: Report

MOSCOW, July 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russia is cooperating closely with Myanmar to supply military hardware including aircraft, the Interfax news agency cited Alexander Mikheev, the head of Russian state arms trader Rosoboronexport. Rights activists have accused Moscow of legitimising Myanmar’s junta, which seized power in a Feb 1 coup, by…

US forbids entry of former Honduran president accused of corruption

Former Honduran President Porfirio Lobo Sosa blacklisted from entering the United States WASHINGTON, July 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US government announced that former Honduran president Porfirio “Pepe” Lobo has been barred from entering the country on accusations of accepting bribes from drug traffickers in exchange for political favours.Lobo, who ruled…

US: Couple’s “baby gender reveal” ceremony that sparked California wildfire charged with manslaughter

LOS ANGELES, July 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A couple whose baby gender reveal ceremony sparked a wildfire in the US state of California that killed a firefighter last year have been charged with involuntary manslaughter.Refugio Manuel Jimenez Jr and Angela Renee Jimenez pleaded not guilty to charges involving the 2020 El…

Morocco opens investigation as detainee at US Guantanamo bay is transferred home

Transferred detainee from Morocco, Abdellatif Nacer 1 WASHINGTON, July 22 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — The United States sent back to his native country a Moroccan detainee at Guantanamo Bay on Monday, the first such transfer under Joe Biden, as Washington reaffirmed its goal of closing the controversial prison.Abdellatif Nacer, born in 1965…

Malian president survives assassination attack

BAMAKO, July 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Mali’s interim president Assimi Goita was “safe and sound,” his office announced, after he had been attacked on Tuesday by two armed men, one of whom wielded a knife, in the great mosque in the capital Bamako.The attack took place during prayers for the Islamic…

Covid-19: US-Mexican border restrictions extended until Aug 21

  MEXICO CITY, July 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US-Mexican border will remain closed to non-essential traffic until August 21 due to the coronavirus pandemic, the two countries said Wednesday, despite Mexico’s efforts to reopen the frontier.    The Mexican government in June proposed a plan to the United States to…

South Africa unrest: Death toll rises to 276 – govt

JOHANNESBURG, July 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The recent unrest in South Africa has claimed 276 lives, the government said, raising the death toll from 215 announced earlier his week.    “Since the unrest, a total of 234 deaths as related to the unrest were reported in KwaZulu-Natal to date,” a minister…

At least 20 dead in Mali boating accident

  BAMAKO, July 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least 20 people died while nine were rescued following a boating accident on an artificial lake in southwestern Mali, local officials said.   The mayor of nearby Baya said the passengers were heading for celebrations of the Muslim festival of Eid-al-Adha on Monday…

Russian Pres Putin, German Chancellor Merkel ‘satisfied’ with near completion of Nord Stream 2

 MOSCOW, July 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Kremlin said that Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel had expressed their satisfaction with the near completion of the controversial Nord Stream-2 pipeline during phone talks.   “The leaders are satisfied with the construction of Nord Stream-2 nearing completion,” the Kremlin…

Covid-19: South African president Ramaphosa welcomes Biovac-Pfizer collaboration for benefit of Africa

PRETORIA, July 22 (NNN-Xinhua) — South African President Cyril Ramaphosa welcomed the collaboration between South Africa’s Biovac Institute and the global pharmaceutical producer Pfizer to ensure countries in the continent have access to the COVID-19 vaccine. Ramaphosa made the remarks while commenting on the collaboration between Biovac and Pfizer to…