Iran Denounces “Hostage-Taking” Of Iranian National By U.S. Gov’t

TEHRAN, Jan 21 (NNN-ISNA) – Spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, Saeed Khatibzadeh, denounced the “blatant hostage-taking of Iranian national” by the U.S. government. Khatibzadeh made the remarks, when asked about the arrest, in the U.S., of Iranian university professor, Kaveh Lotfolah Afrasiabi, for allegedly acting as an unregistered “foreign agent”…

Palestine’s Abbas Congratulates Biden On His Inauguration

RAMALLAH, Jan 21 (NNN-WAFA) – Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, congratulated Joe Biden for his inauguration as the new president of the United States, and Kamala Harris as the vice president. Abbas expressed his “deep wishes for President Biden and Vice President Harris, to succeed in confronting the big challenges.” “We…

Israel Issues Tenders For 2,572 New Settler Homes

JERUSALEM, Jan 21 (NNN-MA’AN) – Israeli authorities issued tenders for 2,572 new housing units, in the occupied West Bank and annexed East Jerusalem, an Israeli settlement watchdog said yesterday. The tenders include some 2,112 new homes in the West Bank, and additional 460 new homes in East Jerusalem, Peace Now,…

Indian Gov’t Offers To Postpone Implementation Of Three Farm Laws

NEW DELHI, Jan 21 (NNN-PTI) – India is ready to postpone the implementation of the three farm laws by up to one-and-a-half years, even as talks with the agitated farmers continue to find a solution, said federal Agriculture Minister, Narendra Singh Tomar, yesterday. There has been a deadlock between farmers…

First ASEAN Digital Ministers Meeting And Related Meetings Begin In Kuala Lumpur Today

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 21 (NNN-BERNAMA) – The first ASEAN Digital Ministers Meeting (ADGMIN1) and Related Meetings, hosted by Malaysia begin here today. The two-day virtual meeting will be chaired by Communications and Multimedia Minister, Saifuddin Abdullah, with Prime Minister, Muhyiddin Yassin, delivering his keynote address virtually, during the opening ceremony. The meeting follows…

Kyrgyzstan’s Central Election Commission Approves Election Results

BISHKEK, Jan 21 (NNN-XINHUA) – The Central Election Commission (CEC) of Kyrgyzstan, approved the results of an early presidential election 10 days ago, at its meeting, held yesterday. Some 79.20 percent voted for Sadyr Zhaparov, that is, over half of the votes in the election. Thus, the CEC recognised Zhaparov…

China-Brunei Cooperation Expands In 2020: Ambassador

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan 21 (NNN-XINHUA) – Bilateral cooperation between China and Brunei in various fields, continued to develop and expand in 2020, Yu Hong, Chinese ambassador to Brunei, said here. “From Jan to Nov, 2020, bilateral trade volume between China and Brunei reached 1.72 billion U.S. dollars, up 104.1…

Roundup: Turkey Vaccinates Over One Million People Against COVID-19; Lebanon Reports Highest Daily Deaths

CAIRO, Jan 21 (NNN-MENA) – Turkey announced, the country has so far vaccinated 1.04 million citizens, during the first week of its nationwide mass inoculation programme. Meanwhile, Lebanon registered 64 COVID-19 deaths, the highest daily increase recorded. The vaccination process started across Turkey on Jan 14, with the vaccines developed…

Japan’s Main Opposition Party Condemns Government’s Slack In Virus Response

TOKYO, Jan 21 (NNN-NHK) – Japan’s main opposition party leader, took aim at the administration of Prime Minister, Yoshihide Suga, for its purported delayed action in responding to the pandemic sweeping the nation. The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan’s (CDPJ) leader, Yukio Edano, also slammed as being “extreme,” the government’s…

Egypt Welcomes UN-Brokered Libyan Agreement On Constitutional Roadmap

CAIRO, Jan 21 (NNN-MENA) – Egypt welcomed the recent UN-brokered agreement between Libyan rivals, on a constitutional roadmap, after their meeting in Egypt’s Red Sea resort city of Hurghada, to pave the way for a constitutional referendum, in preparation for later elections, said the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, yesterday. Egypt “appreciates…