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South Africa’s health regulator has approved Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for use by children aged 12 and older, paving the way for the government to offer vaccinations to teenagers. The South African Health Products Authority (SAPHRA) said the decision came after a review of updated safety and efficacy information submitted in …

Former US President Donald Trump used the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks to slam the “inept administration” of Joe Biden for its “incompetence” over the Afghan withdrawal in a video message on Saturday. “This is a very sad day,” Trump said in the message, adding that September 11 “represents …

Russia has sent armored vehicles and military equipment to Tajikistan, Afghanistan’s neighbor, against the backdrop of “growing instability” near the southern border, says the defense ministry. The ministry announced in a statement on Saturday it had transferred 12 armored vehicles and an array of military equipment, which includes close combat …

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has hailed the recent Baghdad conference, which aimed at promoting regional de-escalation and dialog, as an “important diplomatic achievement,” said Iraq is key to promoting stability between Iran and Saudi Arabia. In a blog post published on the website of the European External Action …

As the United States prepares to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks, families of the victims and others demand to know the truth about the deadliest strike on American soil and who was responsible for it. Faced with mounting pressure from 9/11 victims and their families, …

Republicans on Friday vowed to fight U.S. President Joe Biden’s new vaccine mandate covering big companies and federal employees, but business groups that often agree with them on issues like taxes are not joining in. The mandate, which the White House says would cover 100 million U.S. workers and applies …

The appointment of a new government in Lebanon is a “very important step” for the crisis-hit country, UN chief Antonio Guterres said Friday, wishing Prime Minister Najib Mikati “the best success.” Guterres added of the new government that “of course it is not enough, there are many other things to …

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday an all-out war with Russia was a possibility, to which Moscow responded by saying he was “divorced from reality.” Asked at the Yalta European Strategy (YES) summit on the possibility of war with Russia he said: “I think it may happen. It’s the …

A Sudanese military plane crashed in the White Nile south of the capital, Khartoum, killing all on board, authorities said on Friday. Authorities retrieved three bodies of officers, including a lieutenant colonel, the prime minister’s office said in a statement. Search efforts were still ongoing for others who were on …

The Taliban killed Rohullah Azizi, brother of former Vice President of Afghanistan Amrullah Saleh, Aamaj News reported on Friday. Sources told Aamaj that Azizi was arrested and shot on Thursday in Rokha district in Panjshir. His brother Saleh did not flee from the country like former President Ashraf Ghani. He …

The European Union rejected a British demand to renegotiate their deal governing the trading position of Northern Ireland, saying that to so would only bring instability and uncertainty. European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic, who oversees EU relations with post-Brexit Britain, said on Friday that the Northern Ireland protocol needed to …

A Swiss criminal court convicted Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, a power broker in international sports, of forgery on Friday in a trial over whether he used a bogus Kuwaiti coup plot to gain an advantage over political rivals. The sheikh had denied all the charges in the case, which has …

Nigerian officials cut communication lines in multiple parts of Katsina state as a crackdown on banditry in the northwest of the country spreads. Katsina state security adviser Ibrahim Ahmed told Reuters by phone that the government directed a communications blackout in 13 local government areas to hinder criminality in the …

Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest fell for the second consecutive month in August, compared to a year ago, according to preliminary government data published on Friday, with year-to-date figures for 2021 also showing a slight decline. Forest clearances in August totaled 918 square kilometers (354 square miles), down 32% from …

The first international commercial flight under Afghanistan’s new Taliban interim government departed Kabul on Thursday carrying more than 100 foreigners, including some U.S. citizens left behind after last month’s chaotic Western airlift. The flight marked an important step in the Taliban’s efforts to create a functioning state after they seized …

Unusually strong winds and high late-summer temperatures hindered efforts on Friday to tame a wildfire near a popular resort in southern Spain that has forced over 1,000 people out of their homes and killed an emergency worker. Since erupting on Wednesday evening, the blaze has burned through around 3,600 hectares …

Egypt has announced plans to provide more than 60 million people in rural areas with high-speed internet as part of a nationwide effort to develop the digital economy and drive job creation. “We want to improve internet connectivity for 60 million Egyptians living in around 4,500 villages by upgrading broadband …

Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati said on Friday he hoped to stop his country’s collapse and bring back prosperity. In an emotional speech after signing a decree with President Michel Aoun to form the new cabinet, Mikati said the situation in the country was “difficult,” adding that there were no reserves …

US President Joe Biden spoke with China’s Xi Jinping on Thursday amid growing frustration on the American side that high-level engagement between the two leaders’ top advisers has been largely unfruitful in the early going of the Biden presidency. Biden initiated the call with Xi, the second between the two …

British government’s traffic light system for international travel amid the COVID-19 pandemic could be replaced under a shake-up, UK media have reported, citing sources. The BBC has reported that the green and amber categories could be removed and replaced with a new system. A new system would allow vaccinated travelers …