Malta shuts down national airline, opens new one

VALLETTA, March 31 (NNN-XINHUA) — Malta’s national airline, Air Malta, ceased operations on Saturday, 50 years after its first flight, making way for a new flag carrier that starts flying on Sunday. Air Malta began operations in 1974 but eventually became loss-making, forcing successive governments to implement measures to stop…

Kenya, Tanzania forge deal on trade barriers

The Namanga Border Point between Kenya and Tanzania KISUMU (Kenya), March 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Kenya and Tanzania last week agreed to resolve at least 14 trade barriers that have stifled business between East Africa’s largest economies.Of the 14 issues discussed in the meeting held in Kisumu, only three were fully…

Ethiopia repatriates 70,000 nationals from Saudi Arabia

ADDIS ABABA, March 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Ethiopia has opted to take back thousands of its nationals who had been living in squalid conditions in Saudi Arabia.The decision was announced last week in Addis Ababa but will actually begin in early April, targeting some 70,000 Ethiopians.It may be the noblest thing…

Peru: President Boluarte denounces “systematic attack,” calls for defending democracy

LIMA, March 31 (NNN-ANDINA) — Pres Dina Boluarte on Saturday said there is a systematic attack and harassment against her. Within this framework, she called for defending democracy during an Address to the Nation from the Lima-based Government Palace, joined by Ministerial Cabinet members. She said the prosecutorial raid on her home carried…

Bodies of 8 suspected migrants found on southern Mexico beach

 OAXACA (Mexico), March 30 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The bodies of eight suspected migrants, believed to be victims of a boat accident, were found on a beach in southern Mexico’s Oaxaca state on Friday, the prosecutor’s office said.  “The victims were reportedly involved in an accident while traveling aboard a boat off…

Algerian Red Crescent to send 162 tons of additional humanitarian aid to Gaza Strip

ALGIERS, March 30 (NNN-XINHUA) — The Algerian Red Crescent said that it will send 162 tons of additional humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. The aid will be transported from Algeria’s Boufarik Military Airport to Egypt’s Al-Arish Airport, and then to Gaza through the Rafah crossing point. Another 150 tons…

Ecuador sets up new committee to address security emergencies

QUITO, March 30 (NNN-XINHUA) — A new committee has been set up to coordinate inter-institutional actions to respond to security emergencies in Ecuador, the government announced on Friday. Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa signed an executive decree to create the Crisis Management Committee, the General Secretariat of Communication of the Presidency…

Ethiopia reports 3.2 mln malaria cases in 8 months

ADDIS ABABA, March 30 (NNN-XINHUA) — Malaria cases are surging in Ethiopia with 3.2 million cases having been reported over the past eight months, the health ministry said. Warning against the rapid spread of the disease across different parts of the East African country, the ministry said some 70,000 people…

PAHO: Historic dengue outbreak to hit mainly Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay

WASHINGTON, March 30 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — According to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Latin America is looking ahead at the worst dengue season in history, mainly due to the global increase in temperatures and extreme weather. The worst scenario is likely to occur in Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay. “Last year…

Climate change is slowing heat waves, prolonging misery: study

WASHINGTON, March 30 (NNN-AGENCIES) –: Climate change is causing heat waves to slow to a crawl, exposing humans to extreme temperatures for longer than ever before, a study published in Science Advances said. While previous research has found climate change is causing heat waves to become longer, more frequent and…