Indonesia Targets 33 Million Tonnes Rice Output This Year

JAKARTA, Sept 4 (NNN-ANTARA) – Indonesian Minister of Agriculture, Andi Amran Sulaiman, said yesterday, he was optimistic the country’s rice production would rise to 33 million tonnes this year, a key level for achieving self-sufficiency. The target surpasses last year’s production of 30.62 million tonnes. “As the Central Statistics Agency…

Fitch Affirms Mongolia’s “B+” Rating With Stable Outlook

ULAN BATOR, Sept 4 (NNN-APA) – The credit rating agency, Fitch Ratings, affirmed Mongolia’s long-term foreign-currency issuer default rating at “B+” with a stable outlook. Mongolia’s ratings are supported by strong medium-term growth, modest government debt and high per capita income, relative to “B” category peers, Fitch said. The agency…

Zionist Israel Rejects Hamas Ceasefire Offer, Vows To Press On With Gaza City Offensive

GAZA/JERUSALEM, Sept 4 (NNN-WAFA/MA’AN) – The Zionist Israeli regime yesterday, rejected Hamas’ proposal for reaching a comprehensive ceasefire deal in Gaza, to end the war, saying, its Barbaric army will continue to prepare for a major attack on Gaza City. In a press statement released yesterday, Hamas reiterated its willingness…

Egypt, Sudan Discuss Ethiopia’s Nile Dam, Affirm Shared Water Security

CAIRO, Sept 4 (NNN-MENA) – Egypt and Sudan, yesterday voiced rejection of any unilateral measures, regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), built on the Nile River, reaffirming that their water security is one and indivisible. The stance was announced in Cairo, during a meeting under the “2+2” consultation mechanism,…

Pakistani Exports Down 12.5 Percent Last Month

ISLAMABAD, Sept 4 (NNN-APP) – Pakistan’s merchandise exports declined 12.49 percent, year-on-year, in August, falling to 2.42 billion U.S. dollars, official data showed. The contraction marked the fourth decline in the past five months, with only July showing positive growth. On a month-on-month basis, exports dropped 9.98 percent, Pakistan Bureau…

Sri Lanka Seized Over 1,600 Illegal Firearms So Far This Year

COLOMBO, Sept 4 (NNN-XINHUA) – Sri Lankan law enforcement authorities, confiscated more than 1,600 illegal firearms, so far, this year, a senior police official said yesterday. Inspector General of Police, Priyantha Weerasooriya, speaking at the 159th Police Day commemoration in Colombo, said, officers have seized 1,612 firearms, during ongoing crackdowns.…

Wreckage Of Missing Helicopter Found In Indonesia

JAKARTA, Sept 4 (NNN-ANTARA) – The wreckage of a helicopter, carrying two crew members and six passengers, was found in a jungle, in Indonesia’s South Kalimantan province, an official said, last night. Rescuers recovered a body, believed to be a crash victim, at about 3:50 p.m. local time, roughly 100…

Yemen’s Houthis Claim Two Missile Attacks At C. Israel

SANAA/JERUSALEM, Sept 4 (NNN-SABA/MA’AN) – Yemen’s Houthis, yesterday, claimed launching two ballistic missiles, one of which carried a “fragmentation warhead,” on central Israel, targeting two “sensitive targets” in Tel Aviv. “The operation successfully achieved its objectives,” and caused millions of Israelis to “rush to shelters,” Houthi military spokesman, Yahya Sarea,…

13 Killed, 31 Injured In Blast In SW Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Sept 3 (NNN-APP) – At least 13 people were killed and 31 others injured, when a blast went off, in Pakistan’s south-west Balochistan province, yesterday, health and police officials said. Confirming the casualties, Waseem Baig, media coordinator of the provincial health ministry, said that, the death toll might further…

IMF Downgrades Cambodia’s Economic Growth Forecast To 4.8 Percent This Year

PHNOM PENH, Sept 3 (NNN-AKP) – The International Monetary Fund (IMF), today, revised down Cambodia’s economic growth forecast to 4.8 percent, from its Jan prediction of 5.8 percent. The country’s economy faces significant external headwinds, from trade policy uncertainty and regional tensions, the IMF said, in a press release. Kenichiro…