115 killed in military crackdown in Nigeria: Amnesty

 ABUJA, Aug 6 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Amnesty International on Thursday accused Nigerian security forces of using excessive force and killing at least 115 people in a crackdown on separatist agitators in the country’s restive southeast. Violence has flared in Nigeria’s southeastern states this year, claiming the lives of at least 127…

Covid-19: Australia’s Sydney posts record cases as lockdown is widened

 SYDNEY, Aug 6 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Sydney reported a record number of new Covid-19 cases and five virus deaths Thursday, as authorities expanded the lockdown in Australia’s largest city to neighbouring regions. Six weeks after Sydney’s five million residents were told to stay home, the number of new infections in New…

Covid-19: India records 42,982 new cases

 NEWDELHI,  Aug 6 (NNN-PTI) — India saw a single day rise of 42,982 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 31,812,114, while the active cases increased to 411,076, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday.    The death toll climbed to 426,290 with…

Covid-19: Grim toil for morgue workers as Thai virus cases rise

 BANGKOK, Aug 6 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Thailand’s morgue workers are battling exhaustion as the kingdom’s latest Covid-19 wave hits new highs and the death toll mounts. The daily total of new cases broke the 20,000 threshold for the first time on Wednesday, a feat repeated on Thursday. Authorities announced 160 more…

Greece battles to control fire close to ancient Olympic site

 ATHENS, Aug 6 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Greek firefighters battled to bring under control two major fires raging near Olympia and on the island of Evia as the country swelters in a record-breaking heatwave. More than 170 firefighters, around 50 trucks, six helicopters and water-bombing aircraft were deployed near the ancient archeological…

Covid-19: More than 200 million coronavirus cases worldwide; deaths toll reach 4,257,424

PARIS, Aug 6 (NNN-AGENCIES) — More than 200 million cases of Covid-19 cases have been registered worldwide since the novel coronavirus emerged in China in December 2019, according to a tally from official sources compiled at 0700 GMT on Thursday. The number of infections is currently rising sharply, driven primarily…

Covid-19: China to provide 2 billion vaccines to world this year – Xi

  BEIJING, Aug 6 (NNN-AGENCIES) — China will provide 2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines for the world and offer 100 million U.S. dollars to COVAX throughout this year, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Thursday in a written message to the first meeting of the international forum on COVID-19 vaccine…

Covid-19: Moderna says vaccine durable for at least six months

   WASHINGTON, Aug 6 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Moderna said that protection from its Covid-19 vaccine remained strong for at least six months, and the variant-specific boosters shot it is testing generated a “robust” antibody response to Delta.   In a final analysis from its Phase 3, or final stage, clinical trial,…

Covid-19: India deliver 30 out of 109 pledged ambulances to Bangladesh

   DHAKA, Aug 6 (NNN-BSS) — India sent 30 out of 109 pledged life support ambulances to Bangladesh for further enhancing shared effort of the two countries to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.   During the state visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bangladesh on March 26-27, he had announced…

UK becomes dialogue partner of ASEAN

  LONDON, Aug 6 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United Kingdom (UK) has agreed a new partnership with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).   The partnership, which is the first ASEAN has agreed in 25 years, will lead to closer cooperation between the UK and the region on a range…