US drone strike targets Daesh ‘planner’ in Afghanistan: Pentagon

A US military helicopter is pictured flying above the US embassy in Kabul WASHINGTON:, Aug 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US military said it had carried out a Friday drone strike against a “planner” of the Islamic State-Khorasan, the group which claimed credit for the deadly suicide bombing at Kabul airport.…

Kabul bombers must be brought ‘to justice’: UN Security Council

   UNITED NATIONS, Aug 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United Nations Security Council urged the international community to bring the perpetrators and instigators of the twin suicide bombings at Kabul airport to justice, in a joint statement released Friday. “The members of the Security Council underlined the need to hold perpetrators,…

Three die in plane crash in Slovakia

BRATISLAVA, Aug 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Three people were killed when their small plane crashed near the village of Mokry Haj in western Slovakia on Friday, the emergency services said. The four-seater plane was registered in neighbouring Czech Republic and was flying from there when it crashed at 0840 GMT near…

US: Tropical Storm Ida a hurricane menace to New Orleans

MIAMI (Florida, US), Aug 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Tropical Storm Ida has prompted a hurricane warning for New Orleans and a state of emergency for the state of Louisiana as it pushes across the Caribbean toward an initial strike on Cuba Friday.Unfortunately, all of Louisiana’s coastline is currently in the forecast cone…

Mauritius welcomes ban on British stamps in disputed Chagos Islands

Stamps like this 10r Lion Fish featuring the British Indian Ocean Territory can no longer be used on the Chagos islands PORT LOUIS, Aug 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Mauritius has hailed a decision by the UN postal agency to ban British stamps from being used on the Chagos archipelago in the…

Covid-19: Third dose of vaccines coming up for second half of September in Brazil

BRASILIA, Aug 27 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Brazilian health authorities announced the third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine will begin to be distributed during the second half of September 2021, for people over 70 years of age who have completed their full treatment more than six months ago. The “booster doses” will…

Pres Bolsonaro mandates Brazilian federal gov’t agencies to cut down electricity consumption

BRASILIA, Aug 27 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro has issued a decree ordering all federal agencies to cut down electricity consumption between 10 and 20% from September to April 2022, in the face of an unprecedented shortage in supply from less expensive sources. The measure is aimed at avoiding…

Covid-19: WHO begins shipping Chinese vaccines despite some misgivings

BRUSSELS, Aug 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The World Health Organization’s pandemic programme plans to ship 100 million doses of the Sinovac and Sinopharm COVID-19 shots by the end of next month, mostly to Africa and Asia, in its first delivery of Chinese vaccines, a WHO document shows. The Chinese shipments will…

Pentagon bracing for more attacks after troops killed at Kabul airport

WASHINGTON, Aug 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US forces helping to evacuate Afghans desperate to flee Taliban rule braced for more attacks on Friday after a Daesh suicide bomber killed 103 people, including 13 US soldiers and 28 Taliban members outside the gates of Kabul airport. Two blasts and gunfire rocked the area outside the airport…

Covid-19: Pres Biden eviction moratorium shot down by US Supreme Court

About 3.5 million Americans said they face eviction in the next two months  WASHINGTON, Aug 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US Supreme Court has ruled to allow evictions to resume across the country. It blocked the Biden administration’s Covid-related moratorium on evictions, which would have extended protections to millions of Americans.…