Australia Reports More Than 1,000 New COVID-19 Cases For 1st Time

CANBERRA, Aug 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Australia reported more than 1,000 new COVID-19 cases for the first time, since the start of the pandemic. As many as 1,123 new locally-acquired cases of COVID-19 were recorded across Australia this morning. Despite the record number of infections, Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, said in…

Thailand welcomes more international tourists after expansion of travel programme

BANGKOK, Aug 26 (NNN-TNA) – Over 3,000 international tourists have visited other designated tourist areas beyond Phuket in Thailand, since a new programme took effect on Aug 16, Thailand’s Centre for Economic Situation Administration, said. The “Phuket Sandbox 7+7 Extension” programme, reduces the mandatory stay in Phuket for fully vaccinated…

Russian Pres Putin holds talk with China’s Xi and Pakistan’s Imran Khan on Afghan situation

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping MOSCOW, Aug 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping have agreed their countries will step up efforts to counter “threats” emerging from Afghanistan following the Taliban’s takeover, the Kremlin said. In a phone call, the…

Japan’s Ex-Foreign Minister Kishida Plans To Challenge Suga In Liberal Democratic Party’s Leadership Race

TOKYO, Aug 26 (NNN-NHK) – Japan’s former Foreign Minister, Fumio Kishida, plans to run in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)’s leadership race, competing against Prime Minister, Yoshihide Suga, who doubles as the party chief, local media reported, yesterday. Kishida, who heads a faction of the party, is slated to…

Malaysian Aviation Commission Revises 2021 Passenger Traffic Forecast Downwards

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 26 (NNN-Bernama) — The Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM) has revised its 2021 passenger traffic forecast downwards, expecting a contraction of between 77.0 per cent and 80.2 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y), equivalent to between 5.3 million and 6.1 million passengers. This was significantly lower compared to the 18.9…

Afghan girl born on US military plane named Reach, after aircraft’s code name

BERLIN, Aug 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — An Afghan girl born aboard a US military plane as her family was fleeing Taliban rule was named Reach after the aircraft’s code name, US military officials said. The baby’s mother went into labor on Saturday while being flown to a US military base in…

AirAsia Is Travel-Ready With Highest Safety, Hygiene Standards In Place

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 26 (NNN-Bernama) — AirAsia Group is ready to fly with its operating crew and frontline staff 100 per cent vaccinated, group chief executive officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said. This is happening alongside numerous contactless safety and hygiene measures in place to ensure the highest standards are…

Malaysian Ringgit Extends Gains vs US Dollar

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 26 (NNN-Bernama) — The Malaysian ringgit has extended its winning streak for the fourth consecutive day Thursday, spurred by better risk appetite for risky assets and emerging currencies, underpinned by the positive market sentiment, dealers said. At 9 am, the local note stood at 4.1950/2000 versus the…

US to ensure Americans, partners can leave Afghanistan beyond Aug 31: Blinken

WASHINGTON, Aug 26 (NNN-Xinhua) — US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the United States would work to ensure Americans and Afghan partners could leave Afghanistan beyond Aug 31, the planned deadline for the ongoing evacuation led by the US military. President Joe Biden confirmed on Tuesday that his…

42.4 Per Cent Of Malaysia’s Population Fully Vaccinated

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 26 (NNN-Bernama) — Some 42.4 per cent of Malaysia’s population or 13,842,928 individuals have completed both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine as of Wednesday, according to the COVID-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee Special Committee (JKJAV). An infographic shared on the committee’s official Twitter showed as of Wednesday,…
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