Brazil indigenous protesters suspend roadblock

Members of the Kayapo indigenous tribe look at police officers while blocking highway BR163 during a protest in the outskirts of Novo Progresso NOVO PROGRESSO (Brazil), Aug 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Indigenous protesters in Brazil agreed to suspend their roadblock of a key highway amid a court battle, but vowed to fight on…

Pres Abbas says Palestinians not worried about ‘nonsense’ Israel-UAE deal

President Mahmoud Abbas RAMALLAH, Aug 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that Palestinians were not concerned about the normalisation deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, referring to the accord as “nonsense”. In his first public remarks since the US-sponsored deal was announced last week, Abbas accused…

Covid-19: Lebanon orders two-week shutdown after virus surge

Health workers take swab samples from passengers who arrived at Beirut International Airport   BEIRUT, Aug 19 NNN-AGENCIES) — Lebanon’s interior ministry ordered businesses across the country to shut down for two weeks and enforced an overnight curfew from Friday after a rise in coronavirus infections. Tuesday’s decision allows for clearing…

Hurricane Genevieve barrels towards Mexico’s Baja California

MEXICO CITY, Aug 19, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Authorities in Mexico’s Baja California closed ports and beaches on Tuesday as Hurricane Genevieve barrelled towards the peninsula packing winds of nearly 195 kilometers per hour. At 0300 GMT Genevieve, a Category 3 hurricane, was located some 390kilometers south of the southern tip…

World Humanitarian Day: UN hails aid workers after record attacks

GENEVA, Aug 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United Nations paid tribute Wednesday to humanitarian workers now battling the COVID-19 pandemic after a year in which they found themselves under greater attack than ever before. The UN marked its World Humanitarian Day by remembering the 125 aidworkers who were killed in 2019,…

Mortar shells target US base in East Syria; no report of casualties

DAMASCUS, Aug 19 (NNN-Xinhua) — Mortar shells fell in the vicinity of a US base in Syria’s eastern province of Deir al-Zour on Tuesday, a war monitor reported. The mortar shells, launched by an unknown party, struck the the US base in the Koniko gas field in the eastern countryside…

Myanmar kicks off 4th meeting of 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference

File photo of Myanmar state counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi (centre) speaking during previous Panglong Peace Talk with ethnic representatives NAY PYI TAW, Aug 19 (NNN-Xinhua) — The fourth meeting of the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference of Myanmar kicked off in Nay Pyi Taw on Wednesday, with the aims…

Libya’s east-based army reopens oil ports after months of closure

LNA head Khalifa Haftar  TRIPOLI, Aug 19 (NNN-Xinhua) — The Oil Facilities Guard of Libya’s east-based army on Tuesday announced a decision to reopen the country’s oil ports and resume oil export after months of closure. Oil ports can restart operations in order to “preserve the production and export areas,…

Covid-19: Saudi Arabia’s cases cross 300,000 mark, as Iraq sees new record daily infections with 4,526 cases

Health workers and members of internal security forces wearing face masks stand inside Beirut international airport CAIRO, Aug 19 (NNN-Xinhua) — The total number of COVID-19 cases in Saudi Arabia crossed the 300,000 mark on Tuesday as Iraq set a new record in daily infections with 4,567 cases. Saudi Health…

Covid-19: Poland’s Health Minister resigns amid medical procurement allegations

Lukasz Szumowski WARSAW, Aug 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Poland’s health minister has resigned over questions about the procurement of questionable medical equipment. Dr. Lukasz Szumowski, a cardiologist and doctor who has been a leading figure in the government’s fight against the coronavirus, announced his resignation at a news conference in Warsaw.…