Haitian government describes economic situation as catastrophic

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Oct 11 (NNN-Prensa Latina) — The Haitian government described the country’s economic situation as ‘catastrophic’ and suggested that this was linked to the strong protest movements of recent months. The newly appointed interim Finance Minister, Jouthe Joseph, told Radio Caraïbes that the precariousness in which many citizens live is…

Malaysia’s oil firm wins 3 exploration blocks in Brazil

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 11 (NNN-Xinhua) — Malaysia’s state-owned oil firm Petronas said Friday that it has successfully won three exploration blocks in the Campos Basin, offshore Brazil. The company said in a statement that its subsidiary Petronas Petróleo Brasil Ltda. (PPBL) has won blocks CM 661, CM 715 and CM…

Diaz-Canel elected president of Cuba

HAVANA, Oct 11 (NNN-Xinhua) — Cuban leader Miguel Diaz-Canel was elected on Thursday to serve in the newly-created post of president of the Republic of Cuba. The election took place at an extraordinary legislative session of the National Assembly of People’s Power, the single-chamber parliament. Currently serving as president of…

Colombian peace process moves forward through challenging period: UN envoy

Carlos Ruiz Massieu (Front), the UN secretary-general’s special representative and head of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia UNITED NATIONS, Oct 11 (NNN-Xinhua) — The top UN envoy in Colombia said that the peace process has continued to move forward through a challenging period. Two years after the successful conclusion…

Day 1 of US-China trade talks end with hopes for limited deal

WASHINGTON, Oct 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Top US and Chinese negotiators wrapped up a first day of trade talks in more than two months on Thursday as business groups expressed optimism the two sides might be able to ease a 15-month trade war and delay a US tariff hike scheduled for next week.…

Congo’s Ebola outbreak slows but still entrenched in insecure areas: WHO

GENEVA, Oct 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Ebola epidemic in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo has been confined to a rural area rife with militias and people on the move, making it harder to stamp out altogether, the World Health Organization (WHO) said. Only 14 confirmed infections were reported last week,…

South Africa president calls for tolerance towards migrants

CAPE TOWN, Oct 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) — President Cyril Ramaphosa urged South Africans to be tolerant of migrants following recent xenophobic violence, as hundreds of refugees camped outside UN offices demanding to be removed from the country, fearing for their safety. “We are insisting there needs to be more tolerance, there…

US vaping-related deaths rise to 26, illnesses to 1,299

WASHINGTON, Oct 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) — U.S. health officials reported 26 deaths and 1,299 confirmed and probable cases so far from a mysterious respiratory illness tied to vaping. Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 1,080 cases and 18 deaths from the illness. As of Oct 8,…

Venezuela rejects Brazil accusations over beach oil spills

Biologists at a marine mammal rehabilitation centre in Ceara State, Brazil, treating a turtle covered in oil. CARACAS, Oct 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Venezuela’s state oil company PDVSA denied accusations by Brazil that it was responsible for a massive oil spill that has polluted beaches on its northeastern Atlantic coast. Brazil’s Environment…

Hungary urges EU dialogue with Turkey to prevent new wave of migrants

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto BUDAPEST, Oct 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The European Union should have a dialogue with Turkey despite Ankara’s offensive on Kurdish-led forces in Syria, in order to avoid a fresh wave of migrants coming to Europe, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said. Turkish troops and their Syrian…