Arab Islamist shows clout with prime-time speech in Israel

Mansour Abbas, leader of the United Arab List, also known by the Hebrew name Ra’am delivers a statement in Nazareth JERUSALEM, April 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The leader of an Arab Islamist party in Israel delivered a prime-time address in Hebrew on Thursday that was carried live by major TV networks,…

Ukraine says Russia massing troops on border, US warns Moscow

Some observers say the reported Russian troop buildup is a test for the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden KIEV, April 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of building up troops on his country’s border as the United States warned Russia against “intimidating” Ukraine. Kiev has been locked…

Covid-19: Sao Paulo exhumes old graves to make space for surging burials

Gravediggers wearing protective suits exhume old cement graves at Vila Nova Cachoeirinha cemetery in Sao Paulo SAO PAULO, April 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Brazil’s biggest city sped up efforts to empty old graves, making room for a soaring number of COVID-19 deaths as Sao Paulo city hall registered record daily burials…

Niger ‘coup’ thwarted before president’s inauguration on Friday

Security sources say the presidential guard fought off the assailants  NIAMEY, April 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) —Niger says it thwarted an attempted coup just days before the inauguration of the next president. Armed attackers tried to seize the presidential palace in the early hours of Wednesday but were fought off by the presidential guard,…

Taiwan: At least 34 killed after train derails inside tunnel

People in unaffected carriages walking along train tracks with their belongings  TAIPEI, April 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least 34 people have died after a train carrying some 350 passengers derailed Friday inside a tunnel in Taiwan. Taiwan’s Central Emergency Operation centre says rescuers are struggling to access four carriages inside the tunnel…

US couple arrested in plan to join Daesh in Yemen

WASHINGTON, April 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A US couple was charged withsupport for a terror group after trying to board a Yemen-bound ship to jointhe Daesh group, the Justice Department said. James Bradley, 20, of New York and Arwa Muthana, 29, from Alabama werestopped as they stepped onto the gangplank of…

Seven convicted in Hong Kong over unauthorized protest in 2019

It was not clear when the group would be sentenced HONG KONG, April 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Seven Hong Kong pro-democracy figures were convicted on Thursday for taking part in an unauthorized protest in 2019.Prominent pro-democracy activist Martin Lee and media mogul Jimmy Lai were among those found guilty in a…

Europe’s heat and drought crop losses tripled in 50 years: study

PARIS, April 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The severity of crop losses driven by heatwaves and drought have tripled in the last fifty years in Europe, accordingto a study that highlights the vulnerability of food systems to climatechange. Research published recently in the journal Environmental Research Letters,looked at agricultural production in 28…

Mexican ex-mayor among those charged in massive Miami meth haul: US

MIAMI, April 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States has charged a Mexicanex-mayor and five others for trafficking the largest shipment of meth seizedin Miami history, officials said. Adalberto Comparan, who was formerly mayor of Aguililla in Michoacan and alleged leader of Mexico’s United Cartels, and five other individuals face drug…

Covid-19 overwhelms ICUs in Syrian capital

DAMASCUS, April 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Inside the emergency room of a hospital of the Syrian capital, an elderly woman with Covid-19 waited for a bed at an intensive care unit packed with coronavirus patients. Sitting on a wheelchair barely an arms-length from another patient, thewoman in her seventies tilted her…