Israel Impedes Reconstruction In Gaza: Palestinian Official

GAZA, Dec 13 (NNN-WAFA) – A senior Palestinian official, yesterday accused Israel, of impeding the process of reconstruction in the besieged Gaza Strip, which is ruled by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas). Naji Sarhan, undersecretary of the Hamas-run ministry of housing and public works, told a news conference in Gaza…

One Palestinian Killed, Two Injured By Israeli Soldiers In West Bank

RAMALLAH, Dec 13 (NNN-WAFA) – A Palestinian man was killed, and two others injured today, by Israeli soldiers in the West Bank city of Nablus, Palestinian medics and eyewitnesses said. Head of the Emergency and Ambulance Department, at the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, Ahmad Jibril, said, 31-year-old Jamil al-Kayyal was…

“West Side Story” Tops North American Box Office In Opening Weekend

LOS ANGELES, Dec 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Disney and 20th Century Studios’ musical drama, “West Side Story” took the top spot, at the North American box office, in its debut weekend, with an estimated 10.5 million U.S. dollars, according to studio figures released by measurement firm Comscore, yesterday. Based on the…

Sudan Denies Ethiopian Accusations Of Supporting Rebel Forces

KHARTOUM, Dec 13 (NNN-SUNA) – Sudan denied Ethiopian accusations of supporting the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which is fighting the Ethiopian army. “Sudan controls all of its internationally recognised territories and borders with neighbouring Ethiopia, and has never, and will never, allow its use for any aggressions,” said Sudan’s…

Cuba Holds National Craft Fair With Mask Mandates

HAVANA, Dec 13 (NNN-CAN) – Cuba held its National Craft Fair, in the country’s capital city of Havana, yesterday, with mask mandates and COVID-19 protocols in place. It was the first time that artisans from across the country had come together, since the pandemic began on the island in Mar,…

Palestine Seeks To Increase Annual Trade Exchange With Jordan To 500 Million USD: Official

RAMALLAH, Dec 13 (NNN-WAFA) – Palestine is seeking to increase the annual trade exchange with Jordan to 500 million U.S. dollars, authorities announced yesterday. “Palestine seeks to raise the volume of trade with Jordan, following understandings reached recently between the two sides,” Amjad Ghanem, Palestinian Authority cabinet’s chief of staff,…

Malaysia Reports 3,490 New COVID-19 Infections, 17 New Deaths

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 13 (NNN-BERNAMA) – Malaysia reported 3,490 new COVID-19 infections as of midnight, bringing the national total to 2,691,639, according to the health ministry. Fourteen of the new cases are imported, with 3,476 being local transmissions, data released on the ministry’s website showed. Seventeen more deaths have been…

At Least 37 Cholera Cases Reported In Tanzania’s Southern Highlands

DAR ES SALAAM, Dec 13 (NNN-IRIN) – At least 37 cases of cholera have been reported in Tanzania’s southern highlands region of Rukwa, a medical official said yesterday. Benjamin Chota, Nkasi district chief medical officer in the region, said, the first three cases of cholera were reported at Korongwe ward…

Russia’s COVID-19 Cases Top 10 Million

MOSCOW, Dec 13 (NNN-TASS) – Russia registered 29,929 new COVID-19 cases, over the past 24 hours, taking its total caseload to 10,016,896, the official monitoring and response centre said, in a statement, yesterday. The nationwide death toll grew by 1,132 to 289,483, while the number of recoveries increased by 31,391…

Powerful Storms “New Normal” In Era Of Climate Change, Says U.S. Official

NEW YORK, Dec 13 (NNN-XINHUA) – Powerful storms like the ones that tore through parts of the central United States last weekend, are the “new normal” in an era of climate change, and the severity, duration and magnitude of the storms this late in the year were “unprecedented,” Deanne Criswell,…