Philippine army to deploy 4,500 more troops to fight terrorists in southern islands

MANILA, Sept 6 (NNN-Xinhua) — The Philippine army will deploy an additional 4,500 troops next year in the islands of Sulu in the southwest to fight terrorists, a Philippine lawmaker said. Johnny Pimentel, chairperson of the strategic intelligence committee in the House of Representatives, said the Department of National Defense…

Update: Taliban say resistance holdout Panjshir Valley ‘completely captured’

  KABUL, Sept 6 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Taliban said Monday they had captured the last pocket of resistance in Afghanistan, the Panjshir Valley.   Following their lightning-fast rout of Afghanistan’s army last month — and celebrations when the last US troops flew out after 20 years of war — the…

Covid-19: Poor US jobs growth shows Delta variant impact

 WASHINGTON, Sept 6 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US economy added fewer jobs than expected in August as employment rose by 235,000. The figure was well down on the 1.05 million jobs created in July, adding to fears that the recovery from the pandemic may be running out of steam. Despite the…

Update: Guinea-Morocco World Cup qualifier postponed after Conakry coup d’etat

Members of the Guinea Armed Forces drive through the central neighbourhood of Kaloum in Conakry CONAKRY, Sept 6 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Morocco’s national team have been evacuated from the Guinean capital Conakry and their World Cup qualifier against Guinea has been postponed because of a coup d’etat in the West African country.…

Twins conjoined at head separated after rare surgery in Israel

Both girls are expected to lead completely normal lives BEERSHEBA (Israel), Sept 6 (NNN-AGENCIES) — One-year-old twin girls who were born conjoined at the back of their heads have seen each other for the first time after undergoing rare separation surgery in Israel. The 12-hour operation at the Soroka Medical…

Covid-19: EU and Astrazeneca reach deal to end vaccine row

BRUSSELS, Sept 6 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The EU and UK-Swedish drug-maker AstraZeneca have settled a row over a shortfall in coronavirus vaccines that affected the European rollout earlier this year. AstraZeneca has agreed to deliver 200 million doses of its vaccine, which had been promised under a contract, to the EU…

Covid-19: New Zealand lifts lockdown, barring virus-hit Auckland

  WELLINGTON, Sept 6 (NNN-AGENCIES) — New Zealand will mostly lift its Covid-19 lockdown this week, with only the country’s infection epicentre Auckland to remain under strict stay-at-home orders, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Monday.   About three million New Zealanders will no loger be under stay-at-home orders as of…

Covid-19: Spain’s ‘Fallas’ festival returns after pandemic pause

VALENCIA (Spain), Sept 6 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Valencia’s “Fallas” festival wrapped up with fireworks and the burning of colourful sculptures on Sunday after returning to the eastern Spanish city following a pandemic-induced hiatus.   The five-day festival is traditionally held in March but was cancelled last year as the Covid-19 pandemic…

Update: Afghan resistance calls for ceasefire as Taliban tighten control

KABUL, Sept 6 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The last anti-Taliban forces in Afghanistan have acknowledged suffering major battlefield losses and called for a ceasefire.    Following their lightning-fast rout of Afghanistan’s army last month — and celebrations Monday when the last US troops flew out after 20 years of war — the…

Crews work to contain oil spill in Gulf after Ida’s passage

   WASHINGTON, Sept 6 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Workers have deployed containment booms and skimmer devices as they attempt to contain a sizable oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico discovered after Hurricane Ida roared through the area,the US Coast Guard said Sunday. The spill is in waters off Port Fourchon, Louisiana…