Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon edges down, still high under Pres Bolsonaro

A deforested plot of the Amazon near Porto Velho, Rondonia State BRASILIA, Aug 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest fell 10 per cent in July from a year earlier, after four straight monthly increases, preliminary data showed on Friday, but destruction remains far higher than before President Jair…

Covid-19: Germany names Israel, Turkey, US as high-risk areas

Travellers line up at a check-in counter of the Cologne-Bonn Airport BERLIN, Aug 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The German government has upgraded Israel, Turkey and the United States to having a high COVID-19 risk, triggering a minimum five-day quarantine requirement for those who are unvaccinated, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for…

Spain starts returning Moroccan minors after Ceuta migration crisis

A Moroccan boy cries as he is helped by Spanish soldiers after he swam using bottles as a float, at El Tarajal beach, near the fence between the Spanish-Moroccan border MADRID, Aug 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) –Spain started sending hundreds of Moroccan youths, who in May crossed into its North African enclave…

Mexican president asks indigenous for forgiveness over Spanish conquest

People wearing traditional costumes dance to mark the 500th anniversary of the Fall of Tenochtitlan, at Zocalo square Mexico City MEXICO CITY, Aug 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador asked the country’s indigenous Mexica peoples for forgiveness for the abuses inflicted on them during the bloody 1521…

Russia ramps up Siberia blazes battle

Fires in Siberia have burned with an increasing intensity in recent years YAKUTSK (Russia), Aug 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russia launched a national response centre and deployed additional firefighters to battle record-setting wildfires tearing through its coldest region of Yakutia in Siberia. While Siberia sees an annual wildfire season each summer, the…

Border agency trials high tech controls as Europe fears surging Afghan migrants

An aerostat balloon system of the European Union’s border agency FRONTEX, equipped with high tech surveillance cameras, flies over the airport of Alexandroupolis, Greece ALEXANDROUPOLIS (Greece), Aug 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The EU’s border agency is trialling new high-tech surveillance equipment to detect migrant boats, just as rapid gains by Taliban…

US issues new terrorism threat warning ahead of 9/11 anniversary

Washington saw security intensified WASHINGTON, Aug 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US Department of Homeland Security issued a new terrorism threat advisory ahead of the anniversary of the Sept 11 terror attacks and amid a resurgence of the coronavirus pandemic. The National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin said the United States faces…

East Africa, India sign joint action plan to boost trade

NAIROBI, Aug 14 (NNN-Xinhua) — The East African Community (EAC) trading bloc and India have signed a joint action plan to boost bilateral trade by ensuring faster clearance of goods, officials said during the virtual signing ceremony on Friday. Both sides believed that the joint action plan will pave the…

UN chief calls on Taliban to halt offensive against gov’t forces

Taliban fighters in Herat UNITED NATIONS, Aug 14 (NNN-Xinhua) — United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on Taliban militants to immediately halt their offensive against government forces and return to the negotiating table in good faith, in the interest of Afghanistan, and its people. The top UN official told reporters…

Greek economy to grow despite Covid, fires; aided by tourism, says minister

         ATHENS, Aug 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Greece’s economy will weather the twin blows of the Covid-19 pandemic and massive wildfires this year, aided by better-than-expected tourism arrivals, the finance minister said. “It’s a good year compared to last year. Compared to our estimates…it’s much better,” Finance Minister Christos Staikouras…