US blacklists Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam, other officials

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam WASHINGTON, Aug 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States imposed sanctions on Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam, the territory’s current and former police chiefs and eight other top officials for what Washington says is their role in curtailing political freedoms in the territory. The sanctions…

Afghan grand assembly gathers to decide fate of Taliban prisoners

Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani speaks during a consultative grand assembly, known as Loya Jirga, in Kabul KABUL, Aug 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Thousands of Afghan elders, community leaders and politicians gathered to debate whether the government should release 400 hard-core Taliban prisoners, a move that would likely quickly clear the path…

Covid-19: UK ‘will not hesitate’ to add nations to quarantine list

LONDON, Aug 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) —The UK “will not hesitate” to add more countries to its travel quarantine list in order to protect public health, the chancellor has said. Rishi Sunak told Sky News “there is always the risk of disruption” to holidays during the coronavirus pandemic. Arrivals to the UK from Belgium, the…

US Pres Trump to meet Iraqi PM as ties rebound

WASHINGTON, Aug 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — President Donald Trump will meet Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi in Washington later this month, the White House said, highlighting a turn-around in relations since the US-friendly premier came to power. Tensions skyrocketed following a US strike on Baghdad in January thatkilled Iranian general Qasem…

China wants ‘unpredictable’ Trump to lose election as Russia supports him: US intelligence

WASHINGTON, Aug 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — China has boosted its efforts to influence the US presidential election in November and wants President Donald Trump to lose because it sees him as “unpredictable,” a top US intelligence official said. “We assess that China prefers that President Trump — whom Beijing sees as…

TikTok threatens legal action in US over Pres Trump order

WASHINGTON, Aug 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Video-sharing app TikTok threatened to take legal action in US courts against Pres Donald Trump’s executive order banning anyone under US jurisdiction from doing business with the company’s owner ByteDance. “We will pursue all remedies available to us in order to ensure that the rule…

Covid-19: 7-year-old boy becomes youngest dying of coronavirus in Georgia; 45 children died so far in US

WASHINGTON, Aug 8 (NNN-XINHUA) — A seven-year-old boy, who had noknown underlying health conditions, has become the youngest person known to die of COVID-19 in southern US state Georgia, local media reported. “Every COVID-19 death we report is tragic, but to lose someone so young isespecially heart-breaking,” Nancy Nydam, director…

Beirut blast: US Pres Trump to join donor conference call Sunday

WASHINGTON, Aug 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — President Donald Trump said that he would take part in an international conference call for donors organizing aid for Lebanon after the giant explosion in Beirut. Trump, who talked with his Lebanese counterpart as well as the conference’s organizer French President Emmanuel Macron, tweeted that…

Covid-19: Deaths in Latin America hit global high

Coronavirus has killed thousands around the world MEXICO CITY, Aug 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Latin America and the Caribbean surpassed Europe on Friday to become the region hardest-hit by coronavirus deaths, as India passed the sombre step of recording over two million infections. The world’s worst-hit region had reported 213,120 fatalities,…

Covid-19: Indian serum institute to make 100m virus vaccine doses

GENEVA, Aug 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Up to 100 million COVID-19 vaccinedoses could be made available for poorer countries by 2021 under adeal struck Friday for production at the Serum Institute of India. The deal was announced by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, for productionof two different potential vaccines at SII, the…
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