Syria Forms New Gov’t, Leaving Top Ministers Unchanged

DAMASCUS, Aug 31 (NNN-SANA) – Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, ordered the formation of a new government on Sunday, keeping top ministers unchanged. The top unchanged ministers include Minister of Defence, Ali Abdullah Ayyoub, Foreign Minister, Walid al-Moallem, and Interior Minister, Mohammad Khaled al-Rahmoun. The Syrian cabinet is made up of…

Kuwait Reports 646 New COVID-19 Cases, 84,224 In Total

KUWAIT, Aug 30 (NNN-KUNA) – Kuwait on Saturday, reported 646 new COVID-19 cases and three more deaths, raising the tally of infections to 84,224, and the death toll to 528, the Health Ministry said in a statement. Currently, 7,703 patients are receiving treatment, including 92 in ICU, according to the…

48 Syrian Soldiers Killed In One-Week Battle With Daesh: Watchdog

DAMASCUS, Aug 30 (NNN-SANA) – A total of 48 Syrian soldiers and pro-government fighters have been killed over the past week, during battle with the Daesh group in eastern Syria, a war monitor said. The Daesh militants carried out attacks, bombings and shelling against government forces in the desert region…

Latest Syrian Constitutional Talks End After “Challenging Week”

GENEVA, Aug 30 (NNN-SANA) – The latest session of the United Nations-mediated Syrian constitutional talks concluded in Geneva on Saturday afternoon, without announcing the date for the next meeting, as expected. “We just concluded the session, after what I would call a challenging week,” UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir…

Rocket Lands In Green Zone In Iraq’s Capital

BAGHDAD, Aug 30 (NNN-NINA) – A Katyusha rocket on Saturday evening, landed inside the heavily fortified Green Zone, in Iraq’s capital Baghdad, causing no human casualties, the Iraqi military said. The rocket was fired from an area near the Qanat al-Jaish waterway, or Army Canal, in eastern Baghdad, and landed…

Over 200 Dead From COVID-19 In Nepal As Fatality Doubles In Two Weeks

KATHMANDU, Aug 30 (NNN-NEPALNEWS) – Nepal recorded over 200 deaths from COVID-19, as the fatality from the pandemic doubled in just two weeks, Nepal’s Ministry of Health and Population said. Even though the fatality rate was low compared to infections in the earlier months, there has been a surge in…

Effective Measures Diminish Migration Of Desert Locusts In Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Aug 30 (NNN-APP) — The migration of desert locusts to summer breeding areas of Pakistan subsided, due to the effective operation of the government against the pest, local media reported. Quoting a report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Dawn News said, the country made good progress against…

India Not To Participate In Next Month’s Military Exercises In Russia

NEW DELHI, Aug 30 (NNN-PTI) – India late yesterday, announced that, its defence forces will not participate in this year’s multilateral military exercises “Kavkaz-2020,” to be hosted by Russia from Sept 15 to 27. The decision not to participate was taken, in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, tweeted the principal…

COVID-19 Cases Increase To 749 In Myanmar, 16 New Infections

YANGON, Aug 30 (NNN-MNA) – The total number of COVID-19 cases in Myanmar increased to 749 as of this morning, according to a release from the Ministry of Health and Sports. A total of 16 new COVID-19 confirmed cases, including 10 local transmission cases and six imported cases, were reported…

Kazak President Says Closure Of Nuclear Test Site Largely Reduces Nuclear Threat To Int’l Community

NUR-SULTAN, Aug 30 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Kazakh President, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, said, denuclearising the former Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, largely reduced the threat of nuclear proliferation to international community. Semipalatinsk was the primary testing venue for Soviet Union’s nuclear weapons, with over 450 tests carried out since 1949. On Aug 29, 1991,…