US: Earthquake rattles Salt Lake City in Utah state

Salt Lake City LOS ANGELES, March 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A shallow 5.7 magnitude earthquake struck near Salt Lake City on Wednesday, rattling residents and causing power outages in the western US state of Utah, the US Geological Survey reported. The USGS said the quake hit at 1309 GMT four kilometres north of…

Covid-19: Two US members of Congress test positive for coronavirus

WASHINGTON, March 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Two US lawmakers including a Florida representative on Wednesday became the first members of Congress to announce they have tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart’s office said in a statement that “just ashort while ago, he was notified that he has tested…

Update:Italy virus deaths hit record as Trump goes on war footing

ROME, March 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Italy on Wednesday reported nearly 500 new deaths from the novel coronavirus, the highest one-day official toll of any nation, as US Pres Donald Trump ordered sweeping new action against the pandemic and declared himself a war president. With the number of global coronavirus infections…

Covid-19: Costa Rica sees first death

SAN JOSE, March 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) –– Costa Rica saw its first death from the novel coronavirus Wednesday, an 87-year-old man who had been hospitalized, the government said. He was in intensive care at the hospital in Alajuela city, 15 kilometers northeast of the capital San Jose, where most of the…

UN-backed Libyan govt says indiscriminate shelling kills 3 children in Tripoli

TRIPOLI, March 19 (NNN-Xinhua) — Indiscriminate shelling killed three children in the south of the Libyan capital, said a local official. “Three children of one family were killed by indiscriminate shelling in Ain Zara, southern Tripoli,” said Amin Hashem, information adviser of the UN-backed government’s Ministry of Health. Both the…

Chile’s 2019 economic growth lowest in decade: central bank

SANTIAGO, March 19 (NNN-Xinhua) — The Chilean economy grew 1.1 percent in 2019, the poorest performance in a decade mainly due to social upheaval that disrupted productivity in the fourth quarter, the Central Bank of Chile said. The figure failed to meet the 3-percent economic growth forecast for 2019. According…

Covid-19: Chile declares state of catastrophe

Local workers clean the streets as a precautionary measure in Vina del Mar, Chile SANTIAGO, March 19 (NNN-Xinhua) — Chilean President Sebastian Pinera declared a 90-day state of catastrophe to step up the government’s action to combat the COVID-19 epidemic that has so far infected 238 people. At a press…

Covid-19: US Pres Trump plans to invoke Defense Production Act to combat coronavirus outbreak

WASHINGTON, March 19 (NNN-Xinhua) — US President Donald Trump said he will invoke the Defense Production Act, which allows the administration to force American industry to ramp up production of medical supplies, to combat the coronavirus pandemic. “It can do a lot of good things if we need it,” Trump…

UK PM denies intention to extend Brexit transition period

British Prime Minster Boris Johnson LONDON, March 19 (NNN-Xinhua) — British Prime Minister indicated that he is sticking to the timetable that will see Britain and European Union (EU) end the Brexit transition period at the end of this year. Currently, Britain and the EU are involved in talks to…

Covid-19: 1 mln China-donated masks arrive in Belgium en route to France

Medical materials from China arrive at the Liege airport in Belgium en route to France. The medical supply was mobilized by two Chinese charities to help combat the spread of COVID-19 LIEGE (Belgium), March 19 (NNN-Xinhua) — A batch of 1 million face masks arrived in Belgium on Wednesday en…