Cuba sentences protester to 5 years for ‘enemy propaganda’

HAVANA, March 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A Cuban man who staged a rare protest over the detention of a dissident rapper has been slapped with a five-year prison term for disobedience and “enemy propaganda”. In December 2020, Luis Robles took to a central street in Havana with a handwritten sign reading:…

UN urges world to halt worsening Afghanistan crisis

GENEVA, March 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United Nations urged the world to stand by Afghanistan at a pledging conference on Thursday where it is seeking a record $4.4 billion in humanitarian assistance to the broken country. The Taliban seized power in Afghanistan on Aug 15 amid the hasty withdrawal of…

Covid-19: 23 countries yet to fully reopen schools, says UNICEF

UNITED NATIONS, March 31 (NNN-Xinhua) — As the COVID-19 pandemic enters its third year, 23 countries – home to around 405 million schoolchildren – are yet to fully reopen schools, with many schoolchildren at risk of dropping out, said the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Over the past two years, nearly…

21,000 passengers affected, 136 flights canceled in Colombia after plane’s emergency landing

BOGOTA, March 31 (NNN-Xinhua) — More than 21,000 passengers were affected and 136 flights were cancelled in Colombia, following the emergency landing of a commercial plane at a major airport near the city of Medellin, Civil Aviation Director Jair Orlando Fajardo said. The front landing gear of the LATAM Airlines…

Tunisia foils 4 illegal immigration attempts off eastern shore

Migrants rescued by Tunisia’s national guard during an attempted crossing of the Mediterranean TUNIS, March 31 (NNN-Xinhua) — Tunisia has foiled four illegal immigration attempts to cross the Mediterranean to the Italian coast, private radio station Shems FM reported. “Units of the Tunisian Maritime Guard have secured on Tuesday night,…

Portugal’s new government of PM Costa sworn in

Portugal’s Prime Minister Antonio Costa LISBON, March 31 (NNN-Xinhua) — The new Portuguese government headed by Prime Minister Antonio Costa was sworn into office by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa on Wednesday. At the swearing-in ceremony, the president said the new government has “exceptional conditions to be able to do…

Covid-19: Pres Biden says pandemic not over, receives 2nd booster shot

WASHINGTON, March 31 (NNN-Xinhua) — US President Joe Biden said that the COVID-19 pandemic is not over before receiving his second COVID-19 booster shot. “We’re now in a new moment in this pandemic,” Biden said in remarks from the White House. “It does not mean that COVID-19 is over.” The…

US: Opening statements in Daesh Beatle jihadist El Shafee Elsheikh trial

 RICHMOND (Virginia, US), March 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — An ex-British jihadist on federal trial in the US has said he was fighting on behalf of “suffering Muslims”. El Shafee Elsheikh, 33, stands accused of hostage-taking and conspiracy to commit murder as part of a group of Daesh militants, known as the…

DR Congo: M23 rebels deny shooting down UN helicopter; 8 peacekeepers died

The UN has refused to be drawn into the blame game as investigations into the crash continue  KINSHASA, March 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Rebels in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have denied shooting down a UN helicopter, killing eight peacekeepers on-board. DR Congo’s army had blamed M23 rebels for the…

Brazil: Police say Pres Bolsonaro committed no crime in interference probe

Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro BRASILIA, March 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Federal police in Brazil looking into whether President Jair Bolsonaro interfered in police work have cleared him of committing any crime, according to a document sent to the country’s Supreme Court. The document also exempted from criminal liability former Justice Minister…