Covid-19: Fearful Papua New Guinea calls for WHO help

PORT MORESBY, July 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Papua New Guinea has asked for World Health Organization help after a rapidly spreading new coronavirus outbreak sparked preparations for large-scale community transmission in the under-resourced country. Having mostly dodged the COVID-19 pandemic until now, Papua New Guinea reported Thursday it had detected three…

Covid-19: Cases top 3 million in Europe

PARIS, July 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — More than three million cases of the coronavirus have been reported in Europe, more than half of them in Russia, Britain, Spain and Italy. Europe has registered 3,002,861 infections, out of a global total of 15,237,784. The continent remains the hardest hit in terms of…

Missing bodies found in deadly Colombia helicopter crash

BOGOTA, July 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Colombian army said they recovered two bodies from a helicopter crash in a jungle region where guerrillas are active, bringing the toll to 11 dead and six wounded. The Black Hawk helicopter went down on Monday with 17 people aboard on a stretch of…

Colombia imposes life sentence for rape, child murder

BOGOTA, July 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Colombian president Ivan Duque enacted a constitutional reform Wednesday that sets a life sentence for those found guilty of rape or child murder. “Today Colombia has said no to those thugs that try to usurp the tenderness, innocence and principles of our children,” said Duque.…

Venezuela blasts US reward offer for capture of top official

CARACAS, July 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Venezuela’s government blasted a US$5 million US reward offer for information leading to the arrest of the country’s Supreme Court president, likening it to something out of the Wild West. Washington “disrespects the Supreme Court of Justice, in the person of its president, Maikel Moreno,…

Covid-19: US infections, hospitalisations rise, crisis could worsen

Workers roll a casket down a city street outside the Andrew T. Cleckley Funeral Services funeral home, where it was found to be storing dead bodies in unrefrigerated U-Haul vehicles WASHINGTON, July 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States has revisited the grim milestone of recording more than 1,000 COVID-19 deaths…

Covid-19: Don’t expect first vaccinations until early 2021 – WHO

GENEVA, July 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Researchers are making “good progress” in developing vaccines against COVID-19, with a handful in late-stage trials, but their first use cannot be expected until early 2021, a World Health Organization (WHO) expert said. WHO is working to ensure fair vaccine distribution, but in the meantime it…

Covid-19: Mexico says China plans US$1b loan to ease Latin America’s access to vaccine

Chinese vaccine maker CanSino Biologics’ sign is pictured on its building in Tianjin, China MEXICO CITY, July 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — China plans to provide a US$1 billion loan to make its coronavirus vaccine accessible for countries across Latin America and the Caribbean, the Mexican foreign ministry said. In a statement,…

Brazil President Bolsonaro extends quarantine, still tests positive for COVID-19

President Jair Bolsonaro BRASILIA, July 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has again tested positive for the new coronavirus, his office announced, saying he would extend his two-week quarantine and suspend upcoming travel plans. Bolsonaro, who has faced criticism for downplaying the pandemic and flouting social distancing measures, has been…

Covid-19: Fake testing kits seized from 77 countries in international crackdown – Interpol

The fake kits were discovered in raids across dozens of countries PARIS, July 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Some 17,000 fake COVID-19 testing kits discovered during raids against illicit food and drink products across dozens of countries, have been siezed by the International Police (Interpol). 407 people linked to the seized $40…