Suspect in downing of flight MH17 denies any involvement at trial

Sabine ten Doesschate and Boudewijn van Eijck, lawyers of Oleg Pulatov THE HAGUE, Sept 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — One of four suspects on trial for the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 has denied any involvement with firing or supplying the missile allegedly used in its destruction, a lawyer said in…

Covid-19: New US cases rise in 27 states for two straight weeks

A lion statue that sits outside the New York Public Library building wears a mask in the Manhattan borough of New York City NEW YORK, Sept 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The number of new COVID-19 cases in the United States has risen for two weeks in a row in 27 out…

Brexit deal: Majority of Britons doubt PM can get good deal with EU – poll

LONDON, Sept 29 (NNN-XINHUA) — An opinion poll released in London found that 58 percent of people in Britain don’t believe Prime Minister Boris Johnson can get a good deal with the European Union (EU). The majority of people also think the British government has failed to prepare for a…

Covid-19: Nearly 280,000 US schoolchildren have had coronavirus – CDC study

WASHINGTON, Sept 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Almost 280,000 school-aged children were infected with the novel coronavirus between March 1 and Sept 19, according to detailed data released in a report by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The figure accounted for roughly four percent of the total US…

Mexico: 13 dead in bus crash

MEXICO CITY, Sept 29 (NNN-AGENCIE) — At least 13 people were killed and 21 injured on Monday when a bus veered out of control and slammed into a rock face in southern Mexico, the authorities said. The accident happened before dawn on a highway in the state of Chiapas near…

UN Council likely to meet Tuesday on Nagorny Karabakh: diplomats

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The UN Security Council is expected to hold emergency talks Tuesday behind closed doors on the ethnic Armenian region of Nagorny Karabakh, where fierce fighting has raged since the weekend. Germany and France are leading the push for the meeting, with other European council…

Covid-19: France unveils big budget as virus cases worsen

PARIS, Sept 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — France launched a free-spending budget plan on Monday, saying a fresh spike in new Covid-19 cases justified its unprecedented loosening of the purse strings. After 460 billion euros ($537 billion) of emergency spending this year to save the economy from the virus fallout, the government…

Covid-19: WHO wants 120m rapid virus tests for poorer states

GENEVA, Sept 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Some 120 million rapid tests for Covid-19 will be made available to poorer countries at $5 each, the World Health Organization announced Monday. The WHO said the $600 million scheme would enable low- and middle-income countries to close the dramatic gap in testing for the…

Covid-19: Pres Trump administration to distribute 150 mn rapid coronavirus tests

WASHINGTON, Sept 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US President Donald Trump announced the distribution of 150 million rapid coronavirus tests ordered from Abbott Laboratories that are able to deliver a result in 15 minutes and display it in a similar format to a home pregnancy kit. “Here’s our plan: 50 million tests…

US squeezes China’s biggest chip-maker SMIC

SMIC has denied any military links. WASHINGTON, Sept 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US Department of Commerce has written to American suppliers of China’s biggest chip manufacturer, warning them of “unprecedented risks” that their products could be used by the Chinese military. The letter reminds the firms they must apply for…