US bans Malaysian firm’s gloves over forced labour

 WASHINGTON, Oct 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States has barred imports from a Malaysian latex glove maker over alleged labour abuses, the latest firm from the country to face such a ban.    The relatively affluent Southeast Asian nation is home to millions of migrant workers employed in manufacturing and…

Brazil, Colombia ‘united’ in defense of Amazon ahead of UN climate summit

Colombia‘s President Ivan Duque (L) and his Brazilian counterpart Jair Bolsonaro said their countries will carry “an unequivocal message of protecting” the Amazon BRASILIA, Oct 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro and his Colombia counterpart Ivan Duque said they would head to the next UN climate summit “united” in defence of the Amazon. The COP26…

Ecuador president refuses to testify over Pandora Papers leaks

Ecuador’s President Guillermo Lasso speaks to supporters who gathered outside Carondelet presidential palace in Quito QUITO, Oct 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Ecuador President Guillermo Lasso refused to testify to a parliamentary committee that is investigating revelations about the 65-year-old in the Pandora Papers leaks. The committee was convened by the opposition-dominated…

Panama, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic want US to curb Haitian migration

Migrants are seen at a temporary shelter in the village of La Penita, Panama PANAMA CITY, Oct 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The presidents of Panama, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic called on the United States to take “concrete measures” to curb the migration of Haitians across Latin America headed for…

Russia’s jailed Kremlin critic Navalny wins EU rights prize

Alexei Navalny being escorted from a police station outside Moscow BRUSSELS, Oct 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny was awarded the European Parliament’s annual human rights prize for his efforts to challenge President Vladimir Putin’s grip on power. Navalny, 45, who was poisoned in August 2020 by what…

US violence: Parkland gunman Nikolas Cruz pleads guilty to murdering 17 in high school campus

PARKLAND (Florida, US), Oct 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A Florida man has pleaded guilty to murdering 17 people in a 2018 mass shooting at a high school campus in Parkland, Florida. Nikolas Cruz, 23, also pleaded guilty to 17 counts of attempted murder for those he injured in the attack on…

Nigerian romance scam suspects targeted 100 women – FBI/Interpol

Many of the alleged victims are believed to be widows and divorcees  WASHINGTON, Oct 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Eight Nigerian men accused of an internet dating scam have been charged in a South African court after a massive international operation involving the FBI and Interpol. Authorities in the US, where the…

Ex-German soldiers arrested over alleged terror plot in Yemen’s war

Prosecutors say the accused wanted to fight in Yemen, which has been gripped by civil war for years  BERLIN, Oct 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Two former German soldiers have been arrested on suspicion of trying to form a terrorist mercenary force to fight in Yemen’s civil war, prosecutors say. Arend-Adolf G…

Covid-19: Pleas and regrets in Russian hospital as Covid rages

MOSCOW, Oct 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — For nearly 20 straight months, Yevgeny Ryabov has watched coronavirus patients come through the doors of his hospital in central Moscow. Lately, most are unvaccinated.      The Covid-ward coordinator observes how the virus ravages their bodies and, time after time, he hears the dying say…

UN Security Council calls for de-escalation of violence in Yemen

 UNITED NATIONS, Oct 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The UN Security Council called for “de-escalation” in Yemen in a unanimously adopted statement to counter “the growing risk of large-scale famine” in the country.   The 15 council members “stressed the need for de-escalation by all,” demanded an immediate nationwide ceasefire and called…