Migrant massacre puts focus on Mexican police corruption

MEXICO CITY, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) – The massacre of a group of migrants whose charred bodies were found in northern Mexico has shone a spotlight on the entrenched links between police and criminals in the violence-ridden country. A dozen elite police officers have been arrested for their allegedinvolvement in the…

Squeezed by sanctions, pandemic, Cuba finally opens up economy

HAVANA, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Cuba is undergoing a paradigm shift: after decades of tight, centralized control, the communist government is opening up the bulk of its economy to the private sector. While economic decline and spiralling unemployment are the main drivers,analysts say the liberalization measures can also be seen…

Venezuela reports 2020 inflation of 3,000 percent

CARACAS, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Venezuela ended 2020 with inflation of nearly 3,000 percent, the central bank said. The oil-rich country is mired in the worst economic crisis of its modernhistory and struggling through its seventh straight year of recession. Venezuelans endure acute shortages of food and medicine and even…

Covid-19: US acquires 200 mn new doses as vaccine drive begins in pharmacies

WASHINGTON, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) – US President Joe Biden announced plans to vaccinate most Americans by the end of July with the help of 200 million newly acquired doses, as the country’s inoculation campaign kicked off a new phase in drugstores and supermarket pharmacies, some of which will offer shots…

House rests Trump impeachment case, defense begins Friday

WASHINGTON, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — House prosecutors wrapped up their impeachment case against Donald Trump on Thursday with an impassioned appeal to the Senate to convict the former president of inciting the deadly Jan 6 attack on the US Capitol and bar him from ever holding office again. “We humbly,…

Haiti judge accused of alleged coup plot released from prison: lawyer

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A Haitian Supreme Court judge who was arrested on charges of taking part in an alleged coup plot has been released from prison, his attorney said. Judge Yvickel Dieujuste Dabresil “was just freed” and has returned home,his lawyer Marc-Antoine Maisonneuve said. With Haiti in another…

Covid-19: Argentina opens healthcare centers at tourism resorts to treat virus

BUENOS AIRES, Feb 12 (NNN-Xinhua) — Argentina’s President Alberto Fernandez unveiled a series of new modular healthcare centers at 19 tourism resorts to treat the novel coronavirus disease. “Argentines have once and for all understood the importance of public healthcare just when the pandemic hit us,” Fernandez said via videoconference…

UN reports 79 pct rise in Haitians needing aid over last February

Haitians line up for food assistance UNITED NATIONS, Feb 12 (NNN-Xinhua) — Humanitarians at the United Nations on Thursday reported a 79 percent increase over last February in the number of people needing assistance in Haiti, including 4.4 million who are food insecure. The UN Office for the Coordination of…

Covid-19: Latvia’s leaders get vaccine to send message

A medical worker prepares the COVID-19 vaccine at a hospital in Riga, Latvia RIGA, Feb 12 (NNN-Xinhua) — Latvia’s top state officials whose office duties involve ensuring national security and the functioning of the state received the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine on Thursday, local media reported. The officials…

Majority of US senators urge Pres Biden to press Turkey on rights

WASHINGTON, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A bipartisan majority of the US Senate urged President Joe Biden’s administration to push Turkey to do more to protect human rights.Fifty-four of the 100 senators signed the letter, which accused Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of marginalizing domestic opposition, silencing critical media, jailing journalists…