Foreigners flock to Canada for monkeypox vaccine

MONTREAL, Aug 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — With the monkeypox vaccine in short supply in the United States, thousands of foreigners, including Americans are flocking to Montreal to get their shots. Canada’s second-largest city, located about 70 kilometers north of the US border in Quebec province, has decided to make the vaccine…

Easyjet pilots strike in Spain as cabin crew call off strike after reaching wage deal

MADRID, Aug 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Easyjet’s Spanish pilots walked out on Friday, calling for the reinstatement of conditions they enjoyed before the coronavirus pandemic, two weeks after a strike by the low-cost carrier’s cabin crew had resulted in a deal. Coming at the height of the summer tourist season, the…

Russia could buy yuan, rupees, Turkish lira for rainy day fund – central bank

MOSCOW, Aug 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russia is considering buying the currencies of “friendly” countries such as China, India and Turkiye to hold in its National Wealth Fund (NWF), having lost the ability to buy dollars or euros due to sanctions, the central bank said. The bank said it was sticking…

US says China used Pelosi’s Taiwan visit as pretext to alter status quo

WASHINGTON, Aug 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US Indo-Pacific coordinator Kurt Campbell said that China “overreacted” to US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan and used it as a pretext to try to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. The American response would be patient and effective, and the…

US lawmakers pass landmark climate, health plan in big win for Pres Biden

WASHINGTON, Aug 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US lawmakers adopted President Joe Biden’s sprawling climate, tax and health care plan – a major win for the veteran Democrat that includes the biggest ever American investment in the battle against global warming.  Passage in the House of Representatives along strict party lines came…

Sierra Leone President pledges full investigation into killings during unrest

People run away during an anti-government protest, in Freetown, Sierra Leone FREETOWN, Aug 13 (NNN-XINHUA) — Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio said that the government will conduct a full investigation into the killings of at least four police officers and several civilians during a recent unrest. The president made…

Spain, Portugal hail Germany call for Europe gas link

  MADRID, Aug 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Spain and Portugal backed Germany’s call for a gas pipeline linking the Iberian peninsula with central Europe, with Madrid saying its part of the connection could be “operational” within months. The proposal came as Europe struggles to find ways to rapidly reduce its energy dependence…

Germany suspends military operations in Mali

BERLIN, Aug 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The German defence ministry said it had suspended most of its operations in Mali after the local military-led government denied flyover rights to a UN peacekeeping mission. “The Malian government has once again refused to give flyover rights to a flight planned today (Friday)” for the rotation of…

Author Salman Rushdie severely injured in stabbing at lecture in New York; suspect in custody

NEW YORK, Aug 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Salman Rushdie, the author whose writing led to death threats from Iran in the 1980s, was stabbed Friday as he was about to give a lecture in western New York, authorities said. The 75-year-old author was stabbed at least once in the neck and…

French region urges youth meningitis vaccinations after death

LYON (France), Aug 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Officials in southeast France said they were urging some 56,000 young people to get vaccinated against meningitis, after 12 cases over the past year that led to at least one death. The alarming number of Meningococcal B cases may be linked to a new…