Bolivia seeks to enhance ties with Spain after expelling its diplomats

Bolivia’s Foreign Minister Karen Longaric  LA PAZ, Jan 3 (NNN-Xinhua) — Bolivia’s interim government said it plans to send a high-level envoy to Madrid in a bid to strengthen ties after it expelled two Spanish diplomats earlier this week. In an interview with a local newspaper, interim Foreign Minister Karen…

Sudan: 18 killed in military plane crash in West Darfur

18 people killed when a Sudanese military transport plane crashed in West Darfur KHARTOUM, Jan 3 (NNN-Xinhua) — A Sudanese military plane crashed on Thursday shortly after taking off from El Geneina airport in West Darfur State, killing 18, said the army. The Antonov 12 plane “crashed five minutes after…

Iran: Khamenei vows “severe revenge” for Soleimani’s killing

TEHRAN, Jan 3 (NNN-Xinhua) — Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday vowed “severe revenge” after the United States killed Major General Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Islamic republic’s Quds Force, in an air strike in Baghdad, Iranian state TV reported. Those who shed the blood of General Soleimani…

Greece, Cyprus, Israel condemn Turkey’s decision to deploy troops in Libya

ATHENS, Jan 3 (NNN-Xinhua) — Greece, Cyprus and Israel condemned Turkish parliament’s approval of troop deployment in war-torn Libya. “This decision constitutes a gross violation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1970 (2011), imposing an arms embargo on Libya and seriously undermining the international community’s efforts to find a…

Update: Australia braces for horror bushfire weekend

A firefighter in the New South Wales town of Jerrawangala SYDNEY, Jan 3 (NNN-Xinhua) — Australia is once again bracing for extreme fire conditions on Friday, with widespread evacuations amid warnings that conditions could significantly deteriorate over the weekend. Strong winds and temperatures above 40 degrees celsius were forecast for…

Greece, Cyprus, Israel sign EastMed gas pipeline agreement

Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades (L, Front), Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (C, Front) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R, Front) are seen before the signing of an agreement for the construction of the Eastern Mediterranean (EastMed) natural gas pipeline, in Athens, Greece ATHENS, Jan 3 (NNN-Xinhua) — Greece, Cyprus,…

Update: Indonesia flood rescuers hunt for missing after 43 killed

JAKARTA, Jan 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Indonesian rescuers mounted a desperate search Friday for those missing after flash floods and landslides sparked by torrential rains killed at least 43 people across the Jakarta region, leaving whole districts under water and thousands homeless. Around a dozen people were still unaccounted for after…

Sudan: More than 20 dead, many displaced after violence in West Darfur

KHARTOUM, Jan 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least 24 people were confirmed killed after a camp for internally displaced people was attacked in Sudan’s West Darfur, an international peacekeeping official said, as top officials arrived to try to calm the violence. Krinding Camp, just east of state capital el-Geneina, was raided…

Guinea-Bissau: Former PM Embalo wins presidential election

 BISSAU, Jan 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Former Guinea-Bissau Prime Minister Umaro Cissoko Embalo has been elected president after winning a run-off vote against another ex-prime minister. The 47-year-old beat rival Domingos Simoes Pereira by about 54% to 46%, the electoral commission announced. Pereira vowed to contest the result, alleging “electoral fraud”.…

As haze levels in Singapore worsen, the risk of dying increases: Study

SINGAPORE, Jan 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) —Increased haze levels in Singapore are “significantly associated” with a higher risk of dying, a study by researchers from several healthcare institutions has found. The study, published in the academic journal Atmosphere, looked at the relationship between the number of deaths and the daily average Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) in…