Venezuelan migrant shipwreck death toll rises to 28

CARACAS, Dec 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least 28 Venezuelan migrantsdied when a boat heading for Trinidad and Tobago sank, AttorneyGeneral Tarek William Saab said. The boat left Guiria in the northeastern state of Sucre on Dec6 but never reached its destination. The first bodies started appearing last Friday while coastguardsperformed…

Army deployed as record snowfall blankets parts of Japan

TOKYO, Dec 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Japan deployed the military tohelp residents trapped by record snowfall that has blanketed parts of thecountry, with 10,000 homes losing power in the north and west. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga called an emergency cabinet meeting and urged the public to be cautious, as local media…

Covid-19: International team seeking coronavirus origin to go to China in January – WHO

GENEVA, Dec 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) –– The World Health Organization said that a team of international experts would travel to China next month to help investigate the animal origins of Covid-19. “I can confirm that this will take place in January,” WHO spokesman Hedinn Halldorsson said. A year into the novel…

Russian Pres Putin says hopes to resolve discord with US under Biden

MOSCOW, Dec 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — President Vladimir Putin saidthat he hopes the administration of incoming US President Joe Biden will work with Russia to resolve disagreements between the countries. Putin told reporters at his annual end-of-year press conference thatrelations had become “hostage” to US domestic politics and said he hoped…

Covid-19: France’s Pres Macron tests positive

PARIS, Dec 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — French President Emmanuel Macron tested positive for Covid-19, the presidency said, adding that he wouldnow self-isolate for the next week. He is one of several world leaders who have contracted Covid-19, includingBritish Prime Minister Boris Johnson and US President Donald Trump. Macron was tested Thursday…

UK and Mexico sign trade deal: savings of £59 million worth of duties

LONDON, Dec 17 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — The UK signed a trade deal with Mexico, locking in tariff-free trade and other benefits for British businesses and consumers. The UK-Mexico Trade Continuity Agreement will particularly benefit the automotive, pharmaceutical, textiles, agriculture, food and drink industries and other manufacturing industries, the sectors where the…

Covid-19: Pres Bolsonaro says Brazil has guaranteed access to 300 million vaccines

BRASILIA, Dec 17 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — The government of President Jair Bolsonaro said that Brazil has guaranteed access to 300 million vaccines, mainly those developed by Oxford University along with AstraZeneca pharmaceutical and Brazil’s Fiocruz foundation, as well as vaccines from the Covax Facility international initiative. The government is also in…

Chile: New constitution will reserve 17 of 155 congressional seats for indigenous communities

SANTIAGO, Dec 17 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Chilean lawmakers approved a bill to reserve 17 of 155 seats for representatives of indigenous communities in its upcoming constitutional convention, a measure lauded as “historic” by the government of President Sebastian Piñera. Chileans in October voted overwhelmingly in favor of rewriting the country’s dictatorship-era…

Lockdown fuels child labour in Zimbabwe

A child works in a mine HARARE, Dec 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Reduced economic activity brought about by the prolonged lockdown to slow down the spread of Covid-19 may be fuelling child labour in Zimbabwe’s informal gold mines.Latest research by the Zimbabwe Environmental Lawyers Association (Zela), a vocal watchdog of the…

US accuses Switzerland, Vietnam of manipulating currency

WASHINGTON, Dec 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US Treasury accused Switzerland and Vietnam of manipulating their currencies, partly to gain a trade advantage over American exports. In the semi-annual foreign exchange report, Treasury found the two countries were intervening in currency markets to affect balance of payments, and in the case of…