Russian Pres Putin says world must prevent ‘collapse’ of Afghanistan

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and German Chancellor Angela Merkel MOSCOW, Aug 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russian President Vladimir Putin called on the global community to prevent the “collapse” of Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover. “The Taliban movement control almost the entire territory of the country,” he told a televised press…

PM Johnson says UK will work with Taliban if necessary

LONDON, Aug 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Britain would work with the Taliban if necessary after the militants capture of Afghanistan, and defended his foreign minister who has come under fire for his handling of the situation. “What I want to assure people is that our political…

Brazil: Pres Bolsonaro asks Senate to impeach a Supreme Court justice

Pres Jair Bolsonaro BRASILIA, Aug 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro raised the stakes in his battle with the country’s Supreme Court, sending the Senate a request for the impeachment of one of its justices. Bolsonaro is seeking to impeach Justice Alexandre de Moraes after he opened an investigation…

Morocco wants strong ties with Spain after diplomatic rift, king says

Morocco’s King Mohammed VI RABAT, Aug 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Morocco is keen to strengthen ties with Spain after a rift between the two countries this spring, Moroccan King Mohammed said, though he added the crisis had shaken mutual trust. “We are keen today to strengthen (ties) bearing in mind the…

Covid-19: Serbia to donate 50,000 doses of vaccine to Angola

LUANDA, Aug 21 (NNN-Xinhua) — Serbia will donate at least 50,000 doses of Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine to Angola under an agreement signed Friday in Luanda between the two countries. Russia’s Sputnik V is one of the five vaccine brands that are being administered in Angola, in parallel with AstraZeneca,…

US wildfires: Dixie Fire burns over 700,000 acres in California

Firefighters work in an area hit by the Dixie Fire near Greenville town in Northern California SAN FRANCISCO, Aug 21 (NNN-Xinhua) — The Dixie Fire has burned more than 700,000 acres as of Friday afternoon in remote Northern California of the United States. The fire, which started on July 14…

Ethiopia’s Tigray crisis: US accuses Abiy’s government of blocking aid

USAID says food aid in Tigray is on the brink of running out  ADDIS ABABA, Aug 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US international development agency has blamed the Ethiopian government for a shortage of humanitarian aid in the country’s conflict-torn Tigray region. USAID accused the government of “obstructing” access to Tigray,…

Covid-19: Chile receives more Sinovac vaccines

SANTIAGO, Aug 21 (NNN-XINHUA) — Chile received a new shipment of COVID-19 vaccine doses from the Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinovac. The shipment, which was delivered at the Santiago international airport,  will allow more people to receive vaccination, said Deputy Health Minister Paula Daza. The Chinese vaccine was approved for emergency…

US uses helicopters to rescue Americans trapped at hotel to Kabul airport

 WASHINGTON, Aug 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US military in Afghanistan sent helicopters to rescue over 150 Americans unable to reach the Kabul airport gates, an official said, in the first evidence that US forces werewilling and able to go beyond the US-secured compound to help people seeking evacuation.   The…

Morocco says keen to keep Algeria-Spain gas pipeline open

  RABAT, Aug 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Morocco wants to keep open a pipeline supplying Algerian gas via the kingdom to consumers in Europe, a senior official has said, despite a downturn in relations between the North Africanrivals.   The operating contract for the Moroccan section of the Maghreb-Europe Gas Pipeline,…