New Zealand Election To Be Delayed To Oct 17 Due To COVID-19

WELLINGTON, Aug 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) – New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, confirmed today that the general election will be held on Oct 17, four weeks after Sept 19, when the poll was originally scheduled. “The Electoral Commission, via the Ministry of Justice, has advised me that a safe and accessible…

Iran’s Top General Urges UAE To Reconsider Normalisation With Israel

TEHRAN, Aug 17 (NNN-IRNA) – The chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, urged the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to reconsider the establishment of diplomatic relations with Israel. In a meeting with commanders of Iran’s armed forces and media, Mohammad Hossein Baqeri, expressed regret, over a recent agreement between…

Palestine Stresses Commitment To Arab Peace Initiative

RAMALLAH, Aug 16 (NNN-WAFA) – Palestine said that, it will not allow the undermining of the Arab Peace Initiative and the resolutions of the United Nations, the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, after the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed an agreement with Israel. “The address for achieving…

21 Taliban Militants Killed In Afghanistan Clashes

KABUL, Aug 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) – At least 21 Taliban militants were killed and seven others wounded, in two Afghan provinces yesterday, the command of the Afghan Special Forces confirmed today. In western Badghis province, 12 militants were killed and another one wounded, after an airstrike was launched in support of…

Rains Trigger Flood In India’s Telangana State

NEW DELHI, Aug 16 (NNN-PTI) – Heavy rains triggered flooding in several areas of the southern Indian state of Telangana, including its capital city Hyderabad, officials said today. The incessant rains going on for the past three days, inundated the city and its rural areas. Streams and rivulets are flowing…

18 Killed, 21 Missing In Massive Nepal Landslide

KATHMANDU, Aug 16 (NNN-NEPALNEWS) – Personnel from Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and Nepal Army, along with local people, continued today, to search for missing people in a massive landslide that killed at least 18 people in central Nepal. Eighteen bodies have been recovered at Jugal Rural Municipality in Sindhupalchowk…

Four-Year Old Becomes Youngest Person Diagnosed With COVID-19 In Bhutan

THIMPHU, Bhutan, Aug 16 (NNN-XINHUA) – A four-year old child and her 34-year-old mother are the latest to be diagnosed with COVID-19, in Bhutan, as of Saturday. The child and her mother are primary contacts of a 25-year old man, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Aug 12, from Phuentsholing…

New Zealand Reports 13 New COVID-19 Cases

WELLINGTON, Aug 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) – New Zealand reported 13 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 today, said Director-General of Health, Ashley Bloomfield, from New Zealand’s Ministry of Health. Of these cases, 12 were from the community in Auckland and one was from a managed isolation facility. The 13 new cases brought…

Nepal Introduces 1,000-Rupee Notes Enabling Visually Impaired To Identify

KATHMANDU, Aug 16 (NNN-NEPALNEWS) – Nepal’s central bank introduced 1,000-rupee banknotes with a feature enabling the visually impaired people to identify the note easily, a senior official of the central bank, Nepal Rastra Bank, said. China Banknote Printing and Minting Corporation, printed and delivered the new 1,000-rupee notes, according to…

Australian PM Admits “Mistakes” In Cruise Ship COVID-19 Response

CANBERRA, Aug 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, said that, there were “humble learnings” from the Ruby Princess cruise ship, which has been linked to hundreds of COVID-19 cases and at least 22 deaths, after infected passengers were allowed to disembark in Sydney on Mar 19. The special…