Magnitude 6.2 quake strikes near Indonesia’s Aceh province

The location of the quake in Indonesia BANDA ACEH (Sumatra, Indonesia), Jan 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — An earthquake of magnitude 6.2 struck southwest of Indonesia’s Aceh province on the island of Sumatra on Tuesday at a depth of 20.3 km, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said. The Indonesian meteorology and geophysics agency said…

India suffers hottest decade on record

A shepherd and their livestock walk across a dried out reservoir on the outskirts of Chennai NEW DELHI, Jan 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The last decade was India’s hottest on record with the national weather office calling the impact of global warming “unmistakable” and extreme weather killing more than 1,500 people…

UN resumes grain milling in starvation-threatened Yemen

A worker walks past a ship unloading grain at the Red Sea port of Hodeidah ADEN, Jan 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The UN World Food Programme has resumed the milling of grain for food aid to a starving population in Yemen after a halt in late December due to shelling damage, the…

French pension talks resume as govt seeks to end standoff

French unions have called for blockades of refineries and fuel depots starting Tuesday, when talks resume on the government’s pension overhaul PARIS, Jan 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — French officials prepared to restart talks with unions Tuesday over a pension overhaul that has sparked the country’s longest transport strikes in decades, which…

US and Iran must protect cultural sites, UNESCO says after Trump threat

PARIS, Jan 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Both Iran and the United States must observe a convention obliging states to preserve cultural sites, the UN’s cultural agency said, after President Donald Trump threatened to target Iran’s cultural heritage. UNESCO director-general Audrey Azoulay highlighted that both Tehran and Washington had signed a 1972…

Australia fires: RSAF Chinooks to bring relief supplies, help with evacuation

SINGAPORE, Jan 7 (NNN-CNA) — Two Chinook helicopters from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) will be used to bring in firefighting and relief supplies and to help evacuate people from areas affected by the Australian bushfires. The Chinooks took off from Oakey, Australia with 42 Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) soldiers bound…

Singapore Red Cross pledges S$100,000 for victims of Australia bushfires, Jakarta floods

SINGAPORE, Jan 7 (NNN-CNA) — The Singapore Red Cross (SRC) has pledged S$100,000 to support relief and recovery efforts for those affected by bushfires in Australia and the flooding in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, the organisation said. Australia is experiencing what has been touted as the worst wildfires it has…

US-Iran tension: UK reduces embassy staff in Iran, Iraq; Australia troops to remain in Iraq

LONDON/CANBERRA, Jan 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Britain has reduced staff at its embassies in Tehran and Baghdad to a minimum level due to escalating tensions following the US killing of a top Iranian military leader. The withdrawal of the diplomats is a precautionary step rather than based on specific intelligence of…

At least 16 killed in bus crash in Peru

Bodies covered with blankets at the site of the accident of a passenger bus that collided with other vehicles and rolled over in Arequipa LIMA, Jan 7 (NNN-Xinhua) — At least 16 people were killed and another 40 injured when a bus crashed on Monday morning into a number of…

Turkish FM arrives in Algeria to discuss Libyan crisis

ALGIERS, Jan 7 (NNN-Xinhua) — Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Monday evening arrived in Algeria for a two-day visit to mainly discuss the developments in Libya, official Algeria Press Service (APS) reported. The Turkish foreign minister was welcomed by his Algerian counterpart Sabri Boukadoum at the airport, APS said.…