Covid-19: India approves further trials for first homegrown mRNA shot

BENGALURU (India), Aug 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — India has approved further clinical trials for its first homegrown mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine developed by Gennova Biopharmaceuticals, the government said, after the shot was found to be safe and effective in an early-stage study. Gennova is among a few pharmaceutical firms worldwide, including Moderna…

US Vice President Kamala Harris’ trip from Singapore to Vietnam delayed over ‘anomalous health incident’ in Hanoi

US Vice President Kamala Harris waves as she boards Air Force Two at Singapore’s Paya Lebar Air Base, on her way to depart for Vietnam on the second leg of her Southeast Asia trip ​ HANOI, Aug 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Vice President Kamala Harris pushed ahead with a trip to…

UN rights boss says she has credible reports of Taliban executions

GENEVA, Aug 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The UN human rights chief said that she had received credible reports of serious violations by the Taliban in Afghanistan, including “summary executions” of civilians and Afghan security forces who had surrendered. Michelle Bachelet gave no details of the killings in her speech to the Human…

US Pres Biden aims for Aug 31 Afghanistan pullout as risk of attacks rises

WASHINGTON, Aug 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Afghanistan’s new Taliban rulers said all foreign evacuations from the country must be completed by Aug 31, and the White House said US President Joe Biden is aiming to stick to the date due to the mounting threat of militant attacks. But Biden has left open the…

Covid-19: Japan seeks to expand state of emergency to 21 prefectures in total

TOKYO, Aug 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Japan is looking to expand a state of emergency to eight more prefectures, taking the total to 21 in all, to stem a rapid rise in coronavirus infections, the minister in charge of COVID-19 countermeasures said. The government has so far placed 13 of Japan’s…

Somalia’s army repels attack by al-Shabaab militants on military base

Al Shabaab fighters usually attack bases run by government forces, but the army repel and pushed them back MOGADISHU, Aug 24 (NNN-Xinhua) — The Somali National Army (SNA) said on Tuesday that its forces foiled an attack and inflicted heavy casualties on the militant group al-Shabaab. The suicide bombing attack…

Ukraine marks Independence Day vowing to reclaim annexed territory

KYIV, Aug 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Ukraine held its first military parade in several years, celebrating the 30th anniversary of its independence and declaring it would reclaim areas of its territory annexed by Russia. Units of the Ukrainian army, tanks, armored personnel carriers, missiles and air defence systems marched along the…

Mozambique ‘tuna bond’ scandal: Ex-President Guebuza’s son on trial

One of the loans was for Mozambique’s tuna industry  MAPUTO, Aug 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The son of Mozambique’s ex-president and 18 others have gone on trial over the $2bn “tuna bonds” affair. Ndambi Guebuza, son of former President Armando Guebuza, and the others face charges of blackmail, embezzlement and money…

Record number of migrants cross English Channel in a day

Nearly 12,500 migrants have arrived in the UK this year after making crossings in small boats  LONDON, Aug 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — More than 800 migrants crossed the English Channel to the UK on Saturday – setting a new record for crossings in a single day. The Home Office said nearly…

Zimbabwe to compensate victims of Mugabe-era massacre

Zimbabwe’s late president Robert Gabriel Mugabe HARARE, Aug 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) –Zimbabwe is to open talks about compensation for victims of a notorious 1980s massacre that took place when former president Robert Mugabe was in power, Zimbabwe’s government said.Some victims will also be exhumed and reburied according to local customs, the…