News in Brief -2024-08-09

Majority of Americans believe upcoming
election vital to future of democracy
NEW YORK, Aug 08: Roughly 3 in 4 American adults believe the upcoming presidential election is vital to the future of U.S. democracy, although which candidate they think poses the greater threat depends on their political leanings, according to a new poll. The survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that most Democrats, Republicans and independents see the election as "very important" or "extremely important" to democracy, while Democrats have a higher level of intensity about the issue. More than half of Democrats say the November election is "extremely important" to the future of U.S. democracy, compared to about 4 in 10 independents and Republicans. — AP
Attend mosque or be punished, Taliban
chief tells public workers
KABUL, Aug 08: Afghan government employees must attend mosque five times a day or face punishment, Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada said Thursday in his latest edict enforcing an austere interpretation of Islam. Since the 2021 Taliban takeover Akhundzada has overseen sweeping restrictions on society-shutting many women and girls out of education, ordering male chaperones for females and effectively banning music. "The officials of the ministries and institutions of the (Taliban government) are obliged by Sharia to pray in congregation at their fixed times," said the order signed by Akhundzada. — AFP
Quake hits S Japan with minor damage
TOKYO, Aug 08: A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1 shook southern Japan on Thursday but no major damage was reported and only relatively minor tsunami waves lashed the coast. The quake hit at 4:42 pm (0742 GMT) off Kyushu at a depth of 25 kilometres (16 miles), the United States Geological Survey said. The USGS had initially reported two strong quakes, with magnitudes of 6.9 and 7.1, but later said there had only been one tremor. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) also said there was one quake with a magnitude of 7.1. Broadcaster NHK showed footage of traffic lights shaking violently in Miyazaki on Kyushu's southeast coast. —AFP
González won't appear before court
CARACAS, Aug 08: Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo González will not appear before the country's high court Wednesday for a hearing related to an election audit requested by President Nicolás Maduro, his campaign said. Venezuela's Supreme Tribunal of Justice on Monday ordered González, who represented the main opposition parties, Maduro and the other eight candidates in the July 28 presidential election to attend hearings scheduled through Friday. The hearings follow days of global criticism of Maduro and his loyal National Electoral Council over the election results. Electoral authorities declared Maduro the winner but have yet to produce voting tallies. — AP
Tight security in Nairobi ahead of protests
NAIROBI, Aug 08: Kenyan police patrolled the streets of the capital Nairobi on Thursday, roadblocks were set up on major arteries and many shops were shut ahead of planned new anti-government protests. The East African nation has been rocked by weeks of sometimes deadly demonstrations mostly led by young Gen-Z Kenyans against President William Ruto's two-year-old administration. The nation's acting police chief had warned on Wednesday that "criminals" intended to infiltrate the demonstrations and said people should not trespass on avoid "protected areas" such as the main international airport and State House, the president's official residence. — AFP