World

Putin, Lukashenko confident of easing tensions over Belarus' detention of 33 Russians

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin expressed confidence on Friday that tensions over the 33 Russian citizens detained in Minsk last month can be resolved, the Kremlin said.

World

Rhino poaching in Namibia down 63% on tougher policing, penalties

WINDHOEK, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Rhino poaching fell 63% year-on-year in Namibia, the ministry of environment said on Friday, citing intensified intelligence operations by authorities and tougher sentences and fines for poachers.

India

India’s army of 600,000 virus-hunting women goes on strike

NEW DELHI, Aug 7 (Bloomberg): They helped eradicate polio in India and reduced the number of women dying during child birth. But the country’s catastrophic coronavirus outbreak, now the third-largest in the world, has pushed its all-female army of contact-tracing health workers to breaking point.

World

U.S. pledges over $17 million in initial disaster aid for Lebanon, says embassy

BEIRUT (Reuters) - The United States has pledged over $17 million (12.9 million pounds) in initial disaster aid for Lebanon, following Tuesday's Beirut port explosion, the U.S. embassy said on Friday.

Indonesia

Indonesia to start phase III clinical trials of Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine on Aug 10

JAKARTA, Aug 7 (The Jakarta Post/ANN): Indonesian scientists are set to start the phase III clinical trials of a potential Covid-19 vaccine developed by China-based biopharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech on Tuesday (Aug 10) in six different locations in the West Java provincial capital of Bandung.

Nation

High Court sides with Star Media Group's application for summary relief from construction firm

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here sided with Star Media Group Berhad’s application for summary relief from a construction company, regarding a dispute for a mixed development project in Section 13, Petaling Jaya.

Cricket

IPL clash sees England tour of India moved to early 2021

(Reuters) - England's limited overs tour of India that was scheduled for late September has been postponed to early 2021, officials confirmed on Friday.

Japan

Japan in deals with AstraZeneca, Novavax for Covid-19 vaccines

TOKYO, Aug 7 (Reuters): Japan plans to buy AstraZeneca Plc's experimental Covid-19 vaccine and fund a local company to manufacture Novavax's vaccine candidate, ramping up its stockpile plan as it battles surging infections.

Tennis

WTT ready to share recipe for functional 'bubble' - CEO

MUMBAI (Reuters) - World TeamTennis organisers are keen to share with other sports their experience of hosting a three-week tournament inside a bio-secure 'bubble' amid the COVID-19 pandemic, chief executive Carlos Silva told Reuters.

Motorsport

Bottas leads Hamilton in first practice at Silverstone

SILVERSTONE, England (Reuters) - Valtteri Bottas was fastest in first practice for the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix at Silverstone on Friday with team mate Lewis Hamilton making it a Mercedes one-two on the timesheets.

Cricket

Pope posts 62 but England labour in first test against Pakistan

MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - Ollie Pope scored a second successive half-century but could not push on as England moved to 159 for five at lunch on day three of the first test against Pakistan at Old Trafford on Friday.

World

UK says progress made on Brexit; EU trade deal can be done

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's top minister overseeing Brexit talks said on Friday that progress had been made with the European Union so he believed the two sides would clinch a free trade agreement.

Thailand

It's Thailand - Not "Thigh-land": Thais amused at Trump's slip

BANGKOK, Aug 7 (Reuters): Citizens of Thailand were surprised and bemused on Friday to discover their country's name had become a social media meme after US President Donald Trump mispronounced it.

Tencent

Trump ban on top messaging app risks snarling global business

Banning WeChat, the world’s most-used messaging app, has the potential to upend the international businesses of companies from Apple Inc to Walmart Inc and shut down personal communications between America and China.

AseanPlus News

Laos govt calls for public vigilance against dengue in rainy season

VIENTIANE, Aug 7 (Xinhua): The Laos government on Friday urged people countrywide to remain vigilant and step up efforts to stop the spread of dengue fever as the rainy season approaches.

Football

Barcelona coach Setien unperturbed by future ahead of Napoli game

BARCELONA (Reuters) - Barcelona coach Quique Setien says he is not worried that Saturday's Champions League last-16 second leg at home to Napoli could be his last game in charge of the team.

Football

Coman out against Chelsea after missing final Bayern training

BERLIN (Reuters) - Bayern Munich will be without winger Kingsley Coman after the Frenchman missed Friday's final training session with a muscle injury ahead of Saturday's second leg against Chelsea in their Champions League last-16 tie.

Football

Aberdeen match postponed after COVID-19 outbreak

(Reuters) - Aberdeen's Scottish Premiership match away to St Johnstone on Saturday has been postponed after two of the club's players tested positive for COVID-19 and six more are self-isolating.

WeChat

TikTok and WeChat: Chinese apps dogged by security fears

The United States has fired a new salvo in its rivalry with China, ordering sweeping restrictions against Chinese-owned social media stars TikTok and WeChat.

World

Old, new U.S. envoys the same - 'they bite off more than they can chew', Iran says

(Reuters) - A senior Iranian official said on Friday there was no difference between the outgoing and incoming U.S. special envoys for Iran because American officials “bite off more than they can chew”.