German FM calls on Greece, Turkey to discuss natural gas dispute

Turkish Foreign Minsiter Mevlut Cavusoglu (R) and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas BERLIN, Aug 26 (NNN-Xinhua) — Before his mediation trip, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas called on Greece and Turkey to discuss their territorial claims in the Mediterranean. “A further escalation can only harm everyone, but above all those…

Covid-19: Spain calls on army to fight virus as WHO signals slowdown

MADRID, Aug 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Spain said it will call in the army to try to help curb the spread of the coronavirus as parts of Europe and Asia battle new surges, while data from the UN health agency suggested the pace of transmission was easing in many parts of…

Alexei Navalny: Russia dismisses accusations against Pres Putin

Alexei Navalny is now being treated at the Charité hospital in Berlin  BERLIN, Aug 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Kremlin has dismissed accusations that President Vladimir Putin sanctioned the poisoning of critic Alexei Navalny. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the allegations were untrue and could not be taken seriously. Doctors in Germany,…

US unrest: Wisconsin black man shot in the back by police ‘will need miracle’ to walk again

Jacob Blake (left) was shot several times in the back by police KENOSHA (Wisconsin, US), Aug 26 (NNN-Agencies) — The lawyers for the family of a black man shot in the back by police in the US state of Wisconsin say he will need a “miracle” to walk again. Jacob…

Argentina: Tango World Championships moves online due to virus

BUENOS AIRES, Aug 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Argentina’s annual Tango WorldChampionships gets underway Wednesday, but instead of hundreds of dancers competing in an arena in Buenos Aires, the pandemic means participants are competing virtually. Coronavirus restrictions in the South American country, which reported arecord daily 8,713 cases Monday, mean the judges…

Algeria sets date for referendum on new constitution

Algerians have been pushing for political reforms ALGIERS, Aug 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Algeria’s President, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, has announced that a referendum on a new constitution will be held in just over two months, on Nov 1.A draft of the proposed constitution released earlier this year indicated that it would give…

Covid-19: Germany extends shorter work hours scheme

BERLIN, Aug 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A German scheme that tops up pay forworkers who lost work hours because of the coronavirus pandemic has been extended by another year to stave off mass job losses. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s ruling coalition of conservatives and centre-left Social Democrats agreed on Tuesday to allow…

US accuses Israel’s Teva of fixing drug prices as 5 other companies heavily fined

NEW YORK, Aug 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US Justice Department charged Israeli generic drug giant Teva of illegally fixing drug pricesbetween 2013 and 2015. Teva and several co-conspirators agreed to fix prices, rig bids, andallocate customers for generic drugs” including the popular cholesterol-regulating medicine Pravastatin, the Justice Department said in…

US: National Guard and military helping to fight California fires

LOS ANGELES, Aug 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The help comes amid a staffing shortage on the fire lines that has caused officials to make wrenching decisions about what areas to save and which ones to let burn. The National Guard and US military have sent assistance to the site of massive…

Madagascar, 11 escapees recaptured after prison break

The police opened fire, killing 20 inmates ANTANANARIVO, Aug 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The police in Madagascar say 11 out of 31 prisoners who escaped from a facility in the south-east of the country on Sunday have been recaptured.The police and army were deployed to Farafanga prison when dozens of prisoners…