Senior UN Official Calls For Efforts To Preserve Iran Nuclear Deal

UNITED NATIONS, Dec 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) – UN Undersecretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, called for efforts to preserve the Iran nuclear deal. “The Iranian nuclear issue is an important non-proliferation subject, with consequences for regional and global peace. In achieving the JCPOA, concerned countries showed that their dialogue…

China’s Lunar Rover Travels About 600 Metres On Moon’s Far Side

BEIJING, Dec 23 (NNN-XINHUA) – China’s lunar rover Yutu-2, or Jade Rabbit-2, has survived 719 Earth days, and travelled 600.55 metres, on the far side of the moon as of yesterday. Both the lander and the rover of the Chang’e-4 probe have ended their work for the 25th lunar day,…

Japan’s Ex-Farm Minister Yoshikawa Resigns As Lawmaker After Graft Scandal

TOKYO, Dec 23 (NNN-NHK) – Former farm minister, Takamori Yoshikawa, resigned as lawmaker in the lower house of parliament yesterday, following allegations that he received five million yen (48,000 U.S. dollars) from a lobbyist. The 70-year-old, citing health reasons, submitted his resignation to the House of Representatives Speaker, Tadamori Oshima,…

Indonesia Reports 6,347 New COVID-19 Cases, 172 New Deaths

JAKARTA, Dec 23 (NNN-ANTARA) – The COVID-19 cases in Indonesia rose by 6,347 in the past 24 hours to 678,125, with the death toll adding by 172 to 20,257, the Health Ministry said yesterday. According to the ministry, 5,838 more patients were discharged from hospitals, bringing the total number of…

India’s COVID-19 Tally Rises To 10,075,116, Death Toll Reaches 146,111

NEW DELHI, Dec 22 (NNN-PTI) – India’s COVID-19 tally rose to 10,075,116 today, as 19,556 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 146,111 with 301 new deaths. There are…

Palestinian Official Slams Israeli Settlement Activities

RAMALLAH, Dec 22 (NNN-WAFA) – A Palestinian official warned that, the ongoing Israeli settlement activities in the Palestinian territories, would foil the choice of the two-state solution. Walid Assaf, head of the National Committee to Resist the Wall and Settlements, said, “Israel would thwart the two-state solution and end the…

Gaza Holds Bicycle Marathon For Physically Challenged People

GAZA, Dec 22 (NNN-WAFA) – Dozens of Palestinians with physical disabilities joined a bicycle marathon, in the besieged Gaza Strip yesterday. Wearing artificial limbs, around 30 competitors from all over the coastal enclave, aged between 16 and 45, joined the event that kicked off at the Nuseirat Refugee camp. The…

Iran, P4+1 Highlight UN Resolution To Preserve 2015 Nuke Deal

TEHRAN, Dec 22 (NNN-IRNA) – The foreign ministers of Iran and the P4+1 (Britain, France, Russia and China plus Germany), stressed the importance of implementing a United Nations resolution, to preserve the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Following an unofficial video…

Bangladesh To Provide COVID-19 Vaccine For 45 Million People

DHAKA, Dec 22 (NNN-BSS) – Bangladesh’s cabinet decided to vaccinate at least 45 million people before May or June. After a cabinet meeting with Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina in the chair, Cabinet Secretary, Khandker Anwarul Islam, told reporters, the cabinet gave its approval to a proposal to vaccinate a total…

Thousands Asked To Self-Isolate In Australia’s Northern Territory Amid Pandemic Fears

CANBERRA, Dec 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Thousands of people in Australia’s Northern Territory (NT) have been asked to self-isolate and get tested for COVID-19. Natasha Fyles, NT’s Health Minister, urged more than 3,800 people, who travelled to the NT from Sydney since Dec 11, to get tested immediately, in response to…