Soaring Food Costs Take Toll On New Zealand Kids: Study

WELLINGTON, Aug 8 (NNN-RNZ) – The high living cost in New Zealand has prevented children from leading a healthy life, according to a study published today. The costs of groceries in New Zealand have risen at historically high rates over the past six years, making it virtually impossible for families…

Fire Killed One, Displaced 200 In Philippine Capital

MANILA, Aug 8 (NNN-PNA) – A 69-year-old man with Alzheimer’s disease, died in a fire that hit a residential area in the Philippine capital, the Bureau of Fire Protection said, today. The bureau said, the fire, which broke out around 5:30 p.m. local time, in a district in Manila City,…

Helicopter Crash In Nepal Killed Pilot, Four Chinese Passengers

KATHMANDU, Aug 8 (NNN-XINHUA) – Four Chinese passengers and the pilot were killed, when a helicopter crashed in Nuwakot district of Nepal’s Bagmati province, yesterday afternoon. “Five people onboard the helicopter, including the pilot, have been killed. We have collected all the dead bodies,” Nepal Police spokesperson, Dan Bahadur Karki,…

ASEAN Discuss Strategies To Scale Up HIV Services

VIENTIANE, Aug 8 (NNN-KPL) – Representatives from member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), gathered in Laos, to discuss ways to improve strategies for scaling up HIV programmes. Laos’ Ministry of Health hosted the meeting, in the Lao capital, Vientiane, on Aug 5-6, to introduce progress made…

Thai Constitutional Court Dissolves Main Opposition Move Forward Party

BANGKOK, Aug 8 (NNN-TNA) – Thailand’s Constitutional Court, yesterday, dissolved the main opposition Move Forward Party, ruling its efforts to amend a law against defaming the kingdom’s royal family, violated the constitution. The judges voted unanimously to order the dissolution of the Move Forward Party, and impose a ban on…

Hostilities, Continuing Displacements Challenge Gazans’ Access To Aid: UN

UNITED NATIONS, Aug 8 (NNN-XINHUA) – A seemingly endless cycle of violence-induced displacement, is making it increasingly difficult for Gazans to access the assistance they need, UN humanitarians said, yesterday. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said that, relentless hostilities and recurring evacuation orders force displacement.…

Saudi Arabia Condemns Haniyeh Assassination As Violation Of Iranian Sovereignty, Int’l Law

RIYADH, Aug 8 (NNN-SPA) – Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister, Walid al-Khuraiji, stated yesterday that, the assassination of Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, was a violation of Iran’s sovereignty and international law. Al-Khuraiji made these remarks, during a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah. He emphasised…

Japan Started 8th Ocean Discharge Of Fukushima Nuclear-Tainted Wastewater

TOKYO, Aug 8 (NNN-NHK) – Despite persistent opposition at home and abroad, Japan yesterday, started its eighth round of release of nuclear-contaminated wastewater from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, into the Pacific Ocean. Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), the plant’s operator, will discharge about 7,800 tonnes of wastewater…

Fuel Tanker Caught Fire In Bali, Killing Five

JAKARTA, Aug 8 (NNN-ANTARA) – A tanker carrying fuel, near Indonesia’s Bali resort island, caught fire yesterday, killing five crew members and injured 15 others, the authorities said. Bali’s Karangasem Police Section said, the tanker was sailing near Tepekong Island, in Candidasa waters, heading to Badas Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara…

Water Shortage Deepens Suffering Of Palestinians In War-Torn Gaza

GAZA, Aug 8 (NNN-XINHUA) – For months, the six-member family of Palestinian man, Emad Abu Hamad from Khan Younis city, in the southern Gaza Strip, has been reeling from their daily suffering caused by the ongoing war. When Emad returned to his house, he was shocked that it was destroyed.…