Brazil: Prisoner who dressed up as daughter to escape is found dead

Clauvino da Silva was serving a sentence of more than 70 years for drug trafficking BRASILIA, Aug 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Prison authorities in Brazil have found convicted drug dealer Clauvino da Silva dead in his cell, three days after an elaborate escape was foiled.Prison officials said it appeared that Silva…

US ends visa-free entry for visitors who have been to North Korea

WASHINGTON, Aug 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States has revoked visa-free entry rights for foreigners who have visited North Korea in the past eight years, potentially hampering the latter’s tourism industry.The US allows citizens of 38 countries – including South Korea, Japan and France – to enter for up to…

Zimbabwean opposition plans demonstrations over economy next week

HARARE, Aug 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Zimbabwe’s main opposition party is planning street demonstrations next week to protest against the government’s handling of the economy, which is mired in its worst crisis in a decade and has plunged most citizens into poverty. The southern African nation is enduring shortages of foreign…

Two missing in Guinea army chopper crash

CONAKRY, Aug 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Two officers were missing after a military helicopter crashed into the sea on Tuesday off the capital of the West African state of Guinea, the army said. The Ecureuil helicopter crashed near the seafront Onomo hotel close toConakry’s government district. The search for the two…

Gambia anger over move to free Jammeh regime’s hitmen

Yahya Jammeh ruled The Gambia for 22 years BANJUL, Aug 7 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — Three ex-army officers in Gambia, who told a truth commission they participated in killings ordered by former president Yahya Jammeh, will be released, a minister said. In July, Lieutenant Malick Jatta said he and two colleagues in Jammeh’s elite guard,…

Russia arms dump fire: Huge blaze in Siberia extinguished

Huge blasts and rising smoke as Russian arms depot explodes  MOSCOW, Aug 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) —Firefighters have put out a blaze at an ammunition dump in Siberia and munitions are no longer exploding there, the Russian military says. Ten massive Il-76 cargo planes and five Mi-8 helicopters are water-bombing the area, near…

Honduras: Gunmen kill 4 during family funeral, 4 others injured

TEGUCIGALPA, Aug 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) —Gunmen opened fire at a funeral in Honduras on Tuesday, killing four members of the same family in the northern city of San Pedro Sula, police said. The victims were burying Marlon David Portillo, 27, the son of an alleged local drug dealer known as the “Black Cat.” The father…

Libya: UN voices concern over continued violence in Murzuq as airstrike kills more than 40

TRIPOLI, Aug 7 (NNN-XINHUA) — An airstrike killed more than 40 people and injured more than 50 others in the southern Libyan city of Murzuq on Sunday, a local official said. “A building in central Murzuq where hundreds of people gathered for reconciliation meeting between rival parties in the city…

US: SpaceX launches Israeli satellite for communication services in Africa

WASHINGTON, Aug 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — U.S. private space company SpaceX on Tuesday launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying an Israeli-owned satellite to provide communication services for Africa. The rocket, carrying the AMOS-17 Satellite, blasted off at 7:23 p.m. Eastern Time from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force…

US: Lone wolves, free speech hinder FBI’s domestic terror fight

WASHINGTON, Aug 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The surge in attacks by extremists in the United States has caught law enforcement flat-footed andcalling for tough new “domestic terrorism” laws. But the tendency of attackers to act alone with no support network andlittle forewarning, plus the US administration’s hesitance to pursue amovement that…