France, US set two week target for resolving digital tax spat – minister

PARIS, Jan 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — France and the United States have given themselves two weeks to try and resolve a row over a French digital tax, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said. “I had a long talk with U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. We have decided to step up efforts…

Puerto Rico declares emergency, activates National Guard after earthquakes

A Puerto Rican flag hangs within the rubble as store owners remove supplies from Ely Mer Mar hardware store, which partially collapsed after an earthquake struck Guanica SAN JUAN, Jan 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vazquez declared a state of emergency and activated the National Guard on Tuesday…

US man shoots group of kids throwing snowballs at cars; two injured

A person holds a snowball in this file photo. MILWAUKEE 9US), Jan 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Police in the northern US state of Wisconsin said they are looking for a man who shot two children who threw snowballs at his car over the weekend. The children – a 12-year-old girl and a 13-year…

Smoke from Australia bushfires reaches Brazil

Charred farmland in Cobargo, Australia SAO PAULO, Jan 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Smoke from bushfires raging across Australia reached Brazil on Tuesday, an arm of the National Institute for Space Research said on Twitter. Referring to satellite images, the agency’s Department of Remote Sensing said the smoke had arrived in Brazil’s…

US aviation regulator bans airlines from flying over Gulf, Iraq, Iran after missile attack

US Federal Aviation Administration ban civilian flights over the airspace of Iraq and Iran, as well as over waters in the Gulf WASHINGTON, Jan 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it would ban US carriers from operating in the airspace over Iraq, Iran, the Gulf of Oman and the…

US: Pres Trump backs off threat to bomb Iran’s cultural sites

Iran’s Bam and its Cultural Landscape represents an outstanding example of an ancient fortified settlement: UNESCO WASHINGTON, Jan 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US President Donald Trump backed away from his earlier insistence that he has the right to order the bombing of Iran’s cultural treasures during a war.Facing strong criticism that such…

US: Pentagon chief of staff Kevin Sweeney resigns

Kevin Sweeney WASHINGTON, Jan 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Kevin Sweeney has resigned as Pentagon chief of staff after serving the defense secretary for two years. “I’ve decided the time is right to return to the private sector. It has been an honor to serve again alongside the men and women of…

Update: Pres Trump says ‘all well’ after Iranian missiles target US troops

WASHINGTON, Jan 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — President Donald Trump said that initial casualty assessments indicated “all is well” after Iranian missiles targeted two bases housing US troops in Iraq. He tweeted that “assessment of casualties & damages taking place now. So far, so good!” Trump did not go on evening television…

Costa Rica protests US travel advisory alert

SAN JOS, Jan 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Costa Rica vehemently objected to the US government’s decision to raise the alert level for tourists visiting the Central American country due to the risk of crime. “We express energetic protest on the part of the Costa Rican government for the decision to change…

WHO: 6,000 deaths recorded in 2019 following measles epidemic in DR Congo

UNICEF: A mother holds her 3-month-old baby as he receives a vaccination against measles at a health centre in Lubumbashi KINSHASA, Jan 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — More than 6,000 people died since the start of 2019 as a result of the “world’s worst measles epidemic” raging across the Democratic Republic of…