US: Dallas man who went to Syria to join Daesh indicted in Texas

WASHINGTON, Aug 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A 23-year-old Texas man has been indicted for providing support to a terror organisation after travelling to Syria to join the Daesh group, the US Justice Department said. Omer Kuzu, a US citizen born in Dallas, Texas, was indicted by a federal jury in that…

Brazil: Pres Bolsonaro appoints military men to investigate dictatorship abuses

BRASILIA, Aug 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro appointed two members of the armed forces to a commission investigating deaths and disappearances during the brutal 1964-81 military dictatorship. Bolsonaro is an unapologetic admirer of the dictatorship, under which he served as an artillery officer, and has caused outrage by…

US Pres Trump says he is considering a blockade or quarantine on Venezuela

WASHINGTON, Aug 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US President Donald Trump said he is considering a quarantine or blockade of Venezuela, as the United States steps up pressure on President Nicolas Maduro to relinquish power. Asked by a reporter whether he was considering such a measure given the amount of involvement by China…

Italy: Fresh African migrant stand-off with Interior Minister Salvini

ROME, Aug 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A charity rescue ship run by German NGO Sea-Eye was blocked outside Italian territorial waters on Thursday with 40 migrants on board, after Italy’s interior minister banned it from entering. The migrants on the Alan Kurdi ship, rescued on Wednesday off Libya, hail from West…

Hamza bin Laden’s death no big blow to Al-Qaeda: US experts

WASHINGTON, Aug 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The reported death of Osama bin Laden’s son and heir to the Al-Qaeda mantle is unlikely to do much damage to the militant group’s resurgence, US terror experts said. While Hamza bin Laden was being groomed as a leader of the group his father founded and led…

Singapore scientists discover new cancer drug that could be alternative to chemotherapy

SINGAPORE, Aug 2 (NNN-CNA) — Singapore scientists have discovered a new antibody drug that could potentially be used as an alternative for chemotherapy in treating cancer. In a scientific advisory issued on Thursday, the Agency for Science, Technology and Research’s (A*STAR) Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) announced the findings of a…

Free trade agreement between Singapore and Britain in the works: Vivian Balakrishnan

BANGKOK, Aug 2 (NNN-CNA) — Singapore is working with Britain on a trade deal that will port the provisions of the EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (EUSFTA) to the United Kingdom, said Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan. This is regardless of whether Britain proceeds to leave the EU on Oct 31, with or without a deal,…

Conciliatory tone as top diplomats from United States and China meet in Bangkok

BANGKOK, Aug 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and China’s top diplomat Wang Yi met face-to-face for the first time this year on Thursday and Wang said they discussed ways to promote China-U.S. ties despite “recent disturbances”. The words contrasted with the scorn Chinese officials have heaped…

Kenya’s dusitD2 hotel reopens after January attack that killed 21

NAIROBI, Aug 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The five-star dusitD2 Hotel in Nairobi reopen its doors to guests on Thursday, six months after 21 people were killed in an attack on the hotel and office complex by Somalia’s al Shabaab militants. Nairobi is a major hub for expatriates working in East Africa…

Tunisia prime minister Youssef Chahed to run for president following Essebsi’s death

TUNIS, Aug 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Tunisia’s liberal prime minister, Youssef Chahed, will run for president in an early election expected on Sept. 15, his Tahaya Tounes party said, making him one of the likely frontrunners to succeed Beji Caid Essebsi, who died last week. Essebsi, 92, a secularist who helped…