Chad elections: Pres Deby takes early lead, partial results show

Chadian president Idris Deby Itno N’DJAMENA, April 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Chad President Idriss Deby has taken a strong early lead and appeared poised to extend his three-decade rule, partial provisional results of the April 11 presidential election released by the election commission showed.Deby has won a majority in all but…

Covid-19: Bolivia officially requests to buy Cuba’s Soberana 02 vaccine

The Vice-Minister of Foreign Trade and Integration of Bolivia, Benjamín Blanco, made official the Government’s intention to buy the anti-COVID-19 Soberana 02 vaccine candidate from Cuba. Blanco, accompanied by the Deputy Minister of Health Insurance, Alejandra Hidalgo, met with the Chargé d’Affaires of the Cuban embassy, Danilo Sánchez, to finalize actions…

Brazil: Food insecurity hits 125 million amid covid-19 crisis

BRASILIA, April 18 (NNN-TELESUR) — At least 125.6 million Brazilians have not eaten in appropriate quantity and quality since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the latest data by the Food for Justice Research Group. Based at the Free University of Berlin, the project measured the levels of…

Covid-19: Paraguay eyes harsher measures as Easter restrictions yield results below expectations

ASUNCION, April 18 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Paraguay’s Health Ministry admitted further restrictions are under consideration after a strict lockdown and other measures imposed during the Easter weekend failed to yield the desired results regarding a slowdown in the spread of the covid-19 disease. The Ministry released an epidemiological update and warned…

Chile’s judiciary imposes first ever jail sentence on politician found guilty of corruption

SANTIAGO, April 18 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Former conservative Senator Jaime Orpis has been bestowed with the dubious honour of becoming Chile’s first-ever politician to be handed down a jail sentence for his involvement in acts of corruption. Orpis, of the ultra-conservative Independent Democratic Union (UDI) party, of the current government coalition…

US shooting: Minnesota police promise not to detain, pepper-spray journalists covering protests

Protesters chant ‘No justice, No peace’ in front of the Brooklyn Center Police Department, as protests continue after former police officer Kim Potter fatally shot Daunte Wright, in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota MINNEAPOLIS, April 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Minnesota police promised not to detain, threaten or rough up journalists covering protests over…

US imposes visa restrictions over Ugandan election

WASHINGTON, April 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States is imposing visa restrictions on Ugandan officials who it accuses of undermining democracy. The announcement from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken follows the arrests of hundreds of opposition supporters in Uganda. “There are consequences for interfering in the democratic process,” he…

Covid-19: Germany to mourn 80,000 pandemic victims at memorial

BERLIN, April 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Germany will hold a national memorial service on Sunday for its 80,000 victims of the coronavirus pandemic, sharing the pain of grieving families and those who died alone because of Covid curbs. Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will join an ecumenical service in…

Five Nigerian troops killed in insurgent attack

KANO (Nigeria), April 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Five Nigerian soldiers were killed, four injured and dozens missing when Daesh-aligned militants attacked a military base in northeast Nigeria’s Borno state, Fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) on Friday dislodged troops from a base in Kamuya village, 35 kilometres from…

Colombia rebel clash leaves 15 dead

BOGOTA, April 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least 14 guerrillas and one soldier were killed Saturday in clashes in southwest Colombia between the army and dissidents from the FARC ex-rebel force, which disarmed after signing a 2016 peace deal. “In military operations, 14 people were neutralized” in the town of Algeria,…