Covid-19: Florida sheriff bans face masks among officers

MIAMI, Aug 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A Florida sheriff ordered his officers to not wear face masks — and banned the safety gear from his office — even as the southern US state has hit record daily coronavirus death tolls. Sheriff Billy Woods, of central Florida’s Marion County, emailed deputiesTuesday to…

Roadside Bomb Hits U.S.-Led Coalition Truck In Southern Iraq

BAGHDAD, Aug 13 (NNN-NINA) – A roadside bomb explosion destroyed a truck belonging to the U.S.-led coalition forces in Dhi Qar province, in southern Iraq, the Iraqi military said. The blast took place at the al-Bataha intersection, near the provincial capital Nasiriyah, some 370 km south of Baghdad, which resulted…

Covid-19: Pre-orders of vaccine top five billion

PARIS, Aug 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Although none of the coronavirus vaccines under development has proved its efficacy yet in clinical trials, at least 5.7 billion doses have been pre-ordered around the world. First shipments of a COVID-19 vaccine created by Western laboratories have often been snapped up by the United…

Venezuelan court sentenced two former US soldiers to 20 years in prison over a failed coup to oust Maduro

CARACAS, Aug 12 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — A Venezuelan court sentenced two former US soldiers to 20 years in prison for their role in a failed incursion aimed at ousting President Nicolas Maduro in early May, chief prosecutor Tarek Saab said. Former Green Berets Luke Denman, 34, and Airan Berry, 41, admitted…

Covid-19: US announces sixth vaccine contract, for 100 mn doses

WASHINGTON, Aug 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — President Donald Trump announced a $1.5 billion contract with US biotech company Moderna for 100 million doses of an eventual coronavirus vaccine, the sixth such deal reached since May. “I’m pleased to announce that we have reached an agreement with Moderna to manufacture and deliver…

Brazil: Pres Bolsonaro calls surging Amazon fires a ‘lie’

Smoke rises from an illegal fire in Amazon rainforest reserve, north of Sinop in Mato Grosso state BRASILIA, Aug 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro angrily denied the existence of fires in the Amazon rainforest, calling it a “lie”, despite data produced by his own government showing that thousands…

Germany, Russia reject US sanctions threat against Nord Stream 2 pipeline

Heiko Maas is Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs. MOSCOW, Aug 12 (NNN-Xinhua) — German and Russian foreign ministers rejected US sanctions threat against the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project. “No state has the right to dictate Europe’s energy policy with threats, and this will not succeed,” German Foreign Minister Heiko…

Covid-19: Colombia surpasses 400,000 cases as neighbour Ecuador registers 862 more cases, 19 new deaths

BOGOTA/QUITO, Aug 12 (NNN-Xinhua) — The total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Colombia has reached 410,453, with 13,475 deaths, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection said. The ministry reported that over the last 24 hours, 12,830 new cases were registered, the highest daily addition since the first…

Brazil economy minister lost two more top deputies as ‘stampede’ of resignations continues

BRASILIA, Aug 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Brazilian economy minister Paulo Guedes said two of his top deputies had resigned in a “stampede,” news that could rattle market confidence in his reform agenda for Latin America’s biggest economy. Guedes, the powerful free-market guru to far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, is battling to steer…

US Pres Trump says coronavirus changed ‘great’ relationship with China’s Xi

WASHINGTON, Aug 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US President Donald Trump said his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping has frayed in the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic and that he has not spoken to his Chinese counterpart for a long time. “I used to have a very good relationship with…
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