U.S. “Inhumane” Sanctions Block Iran’s Purchase Of COVID-19 Vaccines: Central Bank Head

TEHRAN, Dec 8 (NNN-IRNA) – The governor of Iran’s central bank said yesterday, the U.S. “inhumane sanctions” have blocked Iran’s purchase of vaccines, needed to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. “Because the purchase of the COVID-19 vaccine has to be done through the official channels of the World Health Organisation (WHO),…

Uzbek President Pardons Over 100 Inmates Ahead Of Constitution Day

TASHKENT, Dec 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Uzbekistan’s President, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, pardoned 104 inmates, including 13 foreigners serving terms in Uzbek prisons, ahead of the country’s Constitution Day, Uzbek Justice Ministry said yesterday. According to a presidential decree, six people were fully released from prison, 50 were released on parole, and others…

India’s COVID-19 Tally Reaches 9,677,203, With 32,981 New Cases

NEW DELHI, Dec 7 (NNN-UNI) – India’s COVID-19 tally reached 9,677,203 today, as 32,981 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours, according to the latest data from the federal health ministry. According to the data, the death toll mounted to 140,573, as 391 more patients died since yesterday.…

Roundup: Iran’s COVID-19 Cases Rise To 1,040,547 As Turkey Reports Highest Daily Deaths

CAIRO, Dec 7 (NNN-MENA) – Iran’s COVID-19 cases surged to 1,040,547, with 11,561 new infections. Meanwhile, Turkey registered 195 more deaths, the highest daily record in the country. Iran, the hardest-hit country in the Middle East, reported 294 new deaths, in the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll to…

Iran’s IRGC Says “Satellite-Guided Instruments” Used In Assassination Of Nuke Scientist

TEHRAN, Dec 7 (NNN-IRNA) – Satellite-guided equipment has been used in the assassination of Iran’s top nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) announced, yesterday. “Advanced electronic instruments, guided by satellite, were used in the assassination of Martyr Fakhrizadeh,” the IRGC spokesman, Ramezan Sharif, was quoted as…

100th Joint Patrol On Mekong River Set To Begin

KUNMING, Dec 7 (NNN-XINHUA) – Law-enforcement officers from China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand, will start the 100th Mekong River joint patrol tomorrow, a police officer in China’s Yunnan Province said, Sunday. Over the last nine years, officers from the four countries have jointly patrolled a total of 56,100 km along…

Space Capsule Carrying Asteroid Samples Recovered In South Australia

CANBERRA, Dec 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) – A space capsule, carrying samples from a faraway asteroid, has landed safely in the South Australian outback. Authorities yesterday recovered the capsule, which was sent towards Earth by the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Hayabusa2 spacecraft, following a six-year, 5.25-billion-km mission, to collect rocks from the…

Evacuation Notice Issued On Australia’s Fraser Island As Bushfire Approaches

SYDNEY, Dec 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Residents on Australia’s Fraser Island were instructed to evacuate, as an out of control bushfire threatened lives, in a region known as Happy Valley. Warnings remained in place today for residents in Happy Valley to “leave immediately,” as firefighters struggled to stop the spread of…

More Than 60,000 Koalas Impacted By Devastating Bushfire In Australia

SYDNEY, Dec 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) – The animals impacted by Australia’s “black summer” blazes, included over 60,000 koalas, according to a report released today. The report was commissioned by environmental group, World Wide Fund for Nature Australia (WWF-Australia), recounting the devastating losses of habitats across the country. Dermot O’Gorman, CEO of…

Nationwide Curfew To Remain As Fiji Fights COVID-19

SUVA, Dec 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) – The nationwide curfew from 11:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. (local time) will remain effective in Fiji, as the island country continues to fight COVID-19, Fijian Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama, said today. Speaking in parliament, Bainimarama said, the curfew will remain, as the fight against COVID-19…