NEWS IN BRIEF_2026-07-16

NZ detects first H5N1 bird flu case, starts
vaccination of endangered species
WELLINGTON, July 15: New Zealand reported its first case of the deadly H5N1 bird flu after a migratory seabird found on a beach near the capital, Wellington, tested positive, Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard said on Wednesday. The case in a brown skua seabird comes after the virus was detected last month in Australia, the last continent to report the virus. The virulent H5 strain has spread through wild bird and mammal populations since 2021, killing millions and infecting poultry and dairy farms as well as some farmworkers. — Reuters
Biden to release memoir 'Promise Me,
America' after US midterm elections
NEW YORK, July 15: Former US President Joe Biden will publish a new memoir this November reflecting on his presidency, key policy decisions and his decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race, his publisher announced on Wednesday. The memoir, titled "Promise Me, America," is scheduled for release on November 17, about two weeks after the US midterm elections in which Democrats hope to regain control of Congress. According to publisher Little, Brown and Company, the book will cover a range of topics, including the US economy, major domestic and foreign policy decisions, and Biden's choice to end his bid for a second term in office. — AP
Morocco releases dissident
journalist Ali Lmrabet
RABAT, July 15: A Moroccan prosecutor said on Wednesday he had ordered the release of veteran journalist and political commentator Ali Lmrabet after questioning him, although an investigation continues following allegations of defamation and libel. Lmrabet, 66, who holds French nationality and lives in Spain, was arrested on Sunday on arrival at Tangier airport. He is a political commentator on social media and has been an outspoken critic of Morocco's political system for decades. — Reuters
Italy's coalition vows to pursue
election law reform after setback
ROME, July 15: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's right-wing coalition on Wednesday vowed to press ahead with a new election law, a day after a bruising parliamentary defeat on a key aspect of the reform. In a secret ballot on Tuesday, a proposal championed by Meloni's Brothers of Italy to allow electors to express preference votes for candidates on party lists was defeated by a single vote, partly due to ruling coalition defections. The loss, which triggered opposition calls for Meloni to resign, has highlighted strains within the coalition before a general election due next year. It represents another major blow for the prime minister after a stinging defeat at a referendum on a justice reform in March. — Reuters