France targets mosques in crackdown on radical Islam

Local residents, firemen, and police officers stand outside a mosque after an incident where two elderly men were seriously injured in Bayonne, southwestern France, on Oct 28, 2019 PARIS, Dec 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — French authorities inspected dozens of mosques and prayer halls suspected of radical teachings starting on Thursday as part…

Covid-19: Singapore to contribute US$5 million to COVAX, to help less wealthy countries access vaccines

SINGAPORE, Dec 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Singapore will contribute US$5 million (S$6.67 million) to help bring COVID-19 vaccines to people in low- and lower-middle-income countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in a joint statement. The contribution will go towards the COVID-19 Vaccine Global…

Covid-19: Italy sets tough restrictions for Christmas, New Year holidays

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte ROME, Dec 4 (NNN-Xinhua) — No travels between regions for Christmas and a national curfew on New Year’s Eve are among the new rules imposed in Italy ahead of the forthcoming holidays. The restrictions are carried in a cabinet decree passed on Thursday, and they…

Covid-19: Chile rolls out pandemic restrictions for holidays, solar eclipse

A total eclipse is spectacular to see SANTIAGO, Dec 4 (NNN-Xinhua) — The Chilean government on Thursday announced special social-distancing regulations for Christmas, New Year and the Dec. 14 total eclipse of the sun, in a bid to avoid mass gatherings amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The special plans respond to…

UN condemns deadly attack on students in western Libya

TRIPOLI, Dec 4 (NNN-Xinhua) — The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Thursday condemned a deadly attack on school children in the city of Al Ajaylat, some 80 km west of the capital Tripoli. “UNSMIL strongly condemns the brutal attack against children as they were leaving school in…

Jordan’s FM meets Israeli counterpart on Palestinian issues

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi AMMAN, Dec 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Thursday met with his Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi to discuss the issues related to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. During their meeting at the…

US slaps sanctions against Iranian entity, individual

The US Treasury Department building in Washington D.C WASHINGTON, Dec 4 (NNN-Xinhua) — The United States imposed sanctions against an Iranian entity and its director allegedly related to Iran’s chemical weapons research. The Treasury Department said in a statement that it had designated Shahid Meisami Group and its director, accusing…

Afghanistan: 3 killed, 14 wounded in bomb explosion in eastern province

Security personnel are seen after a suicide car bomber struck an army base GARDEZ (Afghanistan), Dec 4 (NNN-Xinhua) — Three security forces members were killed and 14 civilians wounded in a bomb explosion at a main traffic circle in Gardez city, capital of Afghanistan’s eastern Paktia province on Thursday, local…

Covid-19: Brazil’s death toll tops 175,000

BRASILIA, Dec 4 (NNN-Xinhua) — Brazil recorded 755 more deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, raising the total number of fatalities to 175,270. According to the Brazilian Ministry of Health, the country averaged 544 daily deaths in the past seven days. Tests also detected 50,434 cases of infection…

Covid-19: Iran’s cases surpass 1 mln; Turkey reports 32,381 new cases

A man wearing face mask is seen by a river in Tonekabon, Iran CAIRO, Dec 4 (NNN-Xinhua) — The tally of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Iran, the worst-hit country in the Middle East, crossed the threshold of 1 million on Thursday. Meanwhile, Turkey reported 32,381 cases, including 6,511 symptomatic patients,…