Brazil: 7 dead in shootout between police, suspected robbers

BRASILIA, April 27 (NNN-XINHUA) — At least seven people were killed Wednesday in a shootout between police officers and suspected criminals planning to rob highway toll booths in Brazil’s Goias state, the state Military Police confirmed. The incident took place in the early morning at a house in the town…

Lebanon tightens control over Syrian refugees amid increased tension

BEIRUT, April 27 (NNN-XINHUA) — The Lebanese government on Wednesday tightened regulations on Syrian refugees as tension between the displaced and the local Lebanese continues to grow. A statement released by the Lebanese Council of Ministers said the “refugee status” will be officially canceled for those who left the Lebanese…

7 killed in fire on passenger train in southern Pakistan

KARACHI, April 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least seven people were killed after a car on a moving passenger train caught fire overnight in southern Pakistan, officials said Thursday. Railways official Mohsin Sial said the train caught fire in Khairpur, a district about 500 kilometers north of Karachi, the capital of…

Cuba and Bosnia Herzegovina Deepen Bilateral Health Links

HAVANA, April 27 (NNN-ACN) — Zeljka Cvijanovic, President of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Cuban Health Minister Jose Angel Portal exchanged views about bilateral cooperation.The visiting head of state expressed her government interest in purchasing and developing vaccines and other Cuban pharmaceuticals.The Cuban Health minister explained about the local health system…

Malaysia mulling return of mask mandate in schools amid spike in COVID-19 cases

Students wear face masks in a classroom in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia KUALA LUMPUR, April 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Malaysia’s health ministry is mulling the implementation of a mask mandate in schools amid a rise in COVID-19 cases.  Health Minister Zaliha Mustafa said that she will meet with Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek…

Sudan crisis: Fighting flares up despite ceasefire

 KHARTOUM, April 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Fighting is continuing in parts of Sudan despite a 72-hour ceasefire largely holding. Sudan’s army chief has reportedly approved extending the ceasefire – due to expire on Friday – for 72 hours. Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan gave initial approval to the proposal from the regional…

Pope Francis gives women historic right to vote at meeting

 VATICAN CITY, April 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Pope will for the first time allow women to vote at an influential global meeting of bishops in October – a move that has been welcomed as a historic first. The new rules announced on Wednesday will give five religious sisters voting rights…

Iran: Senior Shia cleric on Assembly Of Experts shot dead at bank

Ayatollah Abbasali Soleimani died in hospital after being shot in the northern town of Babolsar  BABOLSAR (Mazandaran, Iran), April 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A senior Iranian Shia Muslim cleric and member of the powerful Assembly of Experts has been killed in a gun attack in northern Iran, state media report. Ayatollah…

Japan sets 30% target for women execs at big firms by 2030

TOKYO, April 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Japan’s prime minister ordered his government on Thursday to begin work on increasing the number of women executives in major companies to 30 percent or more by 2030. Women represented only 11.4 percent of executives in major listed companies in Japan in 2022, according to…

Global warming made Horn of Africa drought possible: report

PARIS, April 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A devastating drought that has struck the Horn of Africa could not have occurred without global warming, according to a new report released Thursday from an international team of climate scientists. “Human-caused climate change has made agricultural drought in the Horn of Africa about 100…