Indonesian Volcano Mt. Semeru On Alert Level Again After Eruption

JAKARTA, Dec 18 (NNN-ANTARA) – The Indonesian authority has put Mt. Semeru on level three alert status, the second highest level, as it has shown heightening volcanic activities again, and spewed thick hot clouds and lava in the past 24 hours. Head of the Geological Agency, at the country’s Energy…

Nine Terrorist Suspects Arrested In North Sumatra

JAKARTA, Dec 18 (NNN-ANTARA) – The Indonesian police’s anti-terror squad, locally known as Densus 88, arrested nine suspected terrorists, who are allegedly linked to the outlawed Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) militant group, in two cities in North Sumatra province. “We arrested them on Thursday. Seven of them were arrested in Medan,…

Turkey Aims To Upgrade Cooperation With African Nations: FM

ISTANBUL, Dec 18 (NNN-ANADOLU) – Turkey aims to carry its cooperation with African nations to a higher level, the Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu said, yesterday. Speaking at the Third Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit in Istanbul, Cavusoglu pointed out that, the three-day event focuses on the fields of healthcare, agriculture, and…

Vienna Talks To Continue After Few Days Of Break: Iran’s Top Negotiator

TEHRAN, Dec 18 (NNN-IRNA) – Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister and top negotiator in Vienna, Ali Bagheri Kani, announced yesterday that, the Vienna nuclear talks will continue after a few days’ break. Bagheri Kani expressed satisfaction with the talks on his Twitter account, saying, “We have made good progress this week…

Mongolia Sees No COVID-19 Deaths For First Time Since Apr

ULAN BATOR, Dec 17 (NNN-XINHUA) – Mongolia’s Health Ministry reported today that, no COVID-19 related deaths have been recorded in the country, over the past 24 hours, for the first time since Apr 4. So far, the viral disease has claimed a total of 1,968 lives, since its first case…

27 Feared Dead As Fire Breaks Out In Building In Osaka

TOKYO, Dec 17 (NNN-NHK) – Twenty-seven people were feared dead, as a fire broke out in a building in Osaka, on the Japanese island of Honshu, local media reported today. The fire started on the fourth floor of the six-story multi-tenant building, located near JR Osaka Station, according to the…

Vietnamese Capital To Spend 80 Million USD In Five Years To Alleviate Traffic Congestion

HANOI, Dec 17 (NNN-VNA) – The Vietnamese capital city, Hanoi, will pour in some 1.8 trillion Vietnamese dong (nearly 80 million U.S. dollars), to mitigate traffic congestion and ensure road safety in the 2021-2025 period, according to a target plan, recently approved by the municipal legislature. With the money allocated…

Egypt, Saudi Agree To Boost Cooperation In Maintaining Regional Security, Stability

CAIRO, Dec 17 (NNN-MENA) – Egyptian Foreign Minister, Sameh Shoukry, and his Saudi Arabian counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, yesterday agreed to boost cooperation in maintaining regional security and stability. “We discussed the issues of fighting terrorism, the developments in Libya, Sudan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen, and…

Mosquito, Locust Swarms Predicted To Descend On Aussie State

SYDNEY, Dec 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Prolonged flooding throughout Australia’s eastern states have created an ideal environment, to trigger plagues of destructive insects, as the nation approaches the peak of summer. The state of New South Wales (NSW), following its wettest ever Nov, is bracing for an unwelcome rise in locust…

Malaysia Reports 4,262 New COVID-19 Infections, Total Deaths Pass 31,000 Mark

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 17 (NNN-BERNAMA) – Malaysia reported 4,262 new COVID-19 infections as of midnight, bringing the national total to 2,707,402, according to the health ministry. Thirty-six of the new cases are imported, with 4,226 being local transmissions, data released on the ministry’s website showed. Meanwhile, 37 more deaths have…