Palestinian wounded in Gaza clash dies ahead of new protest

  GAZA CITY, Aug 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A Palestinian has died from injuries sustained during weekend clashes with Israeli forces on the Gaza border, the territory’s health ministry said, ahead of fresh protests called for Wednesday.   Following Saturday’s unrest — which wounded dozens and left an Israeli police officer…

Colombian President kicks off South Korean tour in search for paths to economic recovery

SEOUL, Aug 25 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Colombia’s President Ivan Duque has landed in Seoul to start his South Korean investment-seeking tour to try to reactivate the South American country’s economy after setbacks from the coronavirus pandemic. “We are going to have meetings with the large Korean business conglomerates to invest in…

Coal mine blast kills 4 in central Colombia

BOGOTA, Aug 25 (NNN-Xinhua) — A methane gas explosion at a coal mine in central Colombia left at least four people dead, another injured and seven miners trapped underground on Tuesday, authorities said. According to the state-run National Mining Agency (ANM), the blast at the mine in the town of…

G7 leaders agree it is ‘moral duty’ to help Afghans: von der Leyen

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen BRUSSELS, Aug 25 (NNN-Xinhua) — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that G7 leaders agreed that it was their collective “moral duty” to help Afghan people amid the current situation in Afghanistan. “We all agreed that it is our moral duty…

Gold up for grabs as Tokyo Paralympic sport starts

 TOKYO, Aug 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Paralympic sport got under way in Tokyo on Wednesday, after a high-energy and poignant opening ceremony, with the first golds up for grabs in cycling, wheelchair fencing and swimming. The national stadium hosted the colourful opener on Tuesday night, themed around the story of a…

US Supreme Court revives ‘Remain in Mexico’ immigration policy

 WASHINGTON, Aug 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US Supreme Court allowed the revival of an immigration policy that forced asylum seekers to wait in Mexico for their court dates, in a blow to President Joe Biden. Under former president Donald Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” program, tens of thousands of non-Mexican asylum…

US VP Harris in Hanoi as Afghan debacle rumbles

 HANOI, Aug 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Vice President Kamala Harris began a visit to Vietnam Wednesday to stress US commitment to Asia, a trip critics have slammed as tone-deaf given the parallels with the superpower’s evacuations from Saigon and Kabul. Harris will meet the communist state’s president and prime minister in…

Covid-19: WHO slams ‘shocking disparity’ in access to vaccines in Africa

  BRAZZAVILLE, Aug 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The World Health Organization hit out at the “shocking disparity” in access to coronavirus vaccines, with only four countries in Africa able to meet their inoculation targets so far.   “Globally, 140 countries have vaccinated at least 10 percent of their populations,” WHO chief…

Afghans race to flee Taliban after US confirms Aug 31 airlift deadline

 KABUL, Aug 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Afghans faced an increasingly desperate race to escape life under the Taliban after President Joe Biden confirmed US-led evacuations will end Aug 31. More than 70,000 people have already been evacuated, but huge crowds remain outside Kabul airport hoping to flee the threat of reprisals…

Covid-19: Mask wearing outdoors to be compulsory in US state of Oregon

 LOS ANGELES, Aug 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Masks will have to be worn outside in Oregon, the state’s governor announced, as the United States grapples with a surge in Covid-19 cases. The mandate, which takes effect Friday, makes the northwestern state the first in the country to re-introduce a rule that…