Bolivia court disqualifies ousted ex-pres Morales from running for Senate

LA PAZ, Feb 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Bolivia’s supreme electoral court disqualified exiled former president Evo Morales from running for a Senate seat in May’s general election, saying he did not meet residencyrequirements. Morales is currently living in exile in Argentina having fled Bolivia inNovember after resigning as president following three…

Algerians to mobilise to mark protest movement’s first birthday

ALGIERS, Feb 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Algeria this weekend marks a year since the birth of an unprecedented protest movement known as “Hirak” — one that quickly forced an ailing president from power and is now looking to maintain momentum. Anti-government protesters and groups have designated Friday and Saturday a landmark…

Mexico: 24 bodies uncovered in mass grave

MEXICO CITY, Feb 21 (NNN-XINHUA) — Mexican authorities havediscovered 24 decomposed bodies in a mass grave in a rural area of westMichoacan state, local prosecutors said. The victims were killed between four and six months ago and many haveclose-range gunshot wounds or even been decapitated, said Michoacan attorney general Adrian…

China reports 889 new coronavirus cases, death toll surpasses 2,200

BEIJING, Feb 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — China had 889 new confirmed cases of coronavirus infections on Thursday, the National Health Commission said on Friday, up from 394 cases a day earlier. That brings the total accumulated number of confirmed cases in mainland China so far to 75,465. The death toll from the…

Vietnam police charge 7 over UK truck deaths

Police move the lorry container where bodies were discovered, in Grays, Essex, Britain HANOI, Feb 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Police in Vietnam have charged seven people in connection with the deaths of 39 migrants whose bodies were discovered in the back of a truck near London last year. The victims, who…

France, Germany sign contract to develop fighter jet prototype

A full-scale model of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) jet at the Paris Air Show PARIS, Feb 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — France and Germany signed a €150 million (US$161.84 million) deal on Thursday to develop a prototype of the next generation fighter jet, a project seen as vital for Europe…

Ahead of Trump’s visit, Indian city cleans the swamp

Taj Mahal NEW DELHI, Feb 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Ahead of the much-awaited visit of US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania to Agra next week, the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has mounted a massive image makeover of the Taj city. According to reports, over 500 cusecs of…

Israel, Palestinian Authority agree to end trade dispute: Officials

JERUSALEM/RAMALLAH, Feb 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) have reached an agreement to end a five-month long trade dispute, officials said. The dispute, which opened a new front in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, began in September when the PA announced a boycott of Israel calves. The Authority exercises…

No relent in fighting in northwest Syria, deepening misery for civilians

ZAZ (Syria)/ANKARA, Feb 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russian warplanes struck at rebel-held towns in northwest Syria again on Thursday  and Turkish artillery supported insurgent attacks elsewhere as officials from the two countries struggled to reach a compromise to halt an escalation in the Syrian war. In Geneva, the United Nations refugee…

Fears over China virus evacuees spark clash in Ukraine

A plane carrying 45 Ukrainians and 27 foreign nationals from Wuhan, the epicentre of the deadly coronavirus outbreak, arrived in Kharkiv on Thursday KIEV, Feb 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Dozens of people protested outside a hospital in central Ukraine and some briefly clashed with police over plans to quarantine evacuees from…