Malnutrition, disease kill at least 139 displaced in Indonesia’s Papua: Aid group

File photo of a malnourished child receiving treatment. According to a global report, more than 11 million children now need humanitarian assistance and an estimated 1.8 million children are acutely malnourished. Photo courtesy of Hani Al-Ansi/dpa JAKARTA, July 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Thousands of people in Indonesia’s easternmost province of Papua…

Mexican president does not expect rise in violence after ‘El Chapo’ sentencing

MEXICO CITY, July 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said that he did not expect a rise in violence following the sentencing of drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman in the United States a day earlier. Guzman will spend the rest of his days behind bars in…

Morocco: Three sentenced to death for Scandinavian backpacker murders

SALE (Morocco), July 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Three Moroccan men were sentenced to death on Thursday for murdering two Scandinavian women in the Atlas mountains. Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, from Denmark, and Maren Ueland, 28, from Norway, were killed in their tent in December near the Moroccan village of Imlil, a…

Thousands converge on Sudan square for ‘martyrs’ rally

KHARTOUM, July 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Thousands of Sudanese demonstrators converged on a prominent square in Khartoum in a march through the capital to honour comrades killed in the months-long protest movement that has rocked the country. The rallies came a day after protest leaders and army rulers inked a power-sharing…

US-China officials discuss trade; Mnuchin eyes possible in-person talks

CHANTILLY (France)/WASHINGTON, July 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — U.S. and Chinese officials spoke by telephone on Thursday as the world’s two largest economies seek to end a year-long trade war, with U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin suggesting in-person talks could follow. Mnuchin and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer spoke with their Chinese…

Iran armed forces say all drones ‘safely returned’

TEHRAN, July 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Iran’s armed forces denied on Friday the United States had downed one of their drones, saying all such aircraft had “safely returned” to their bases, Tasnim news agency reported. US President Donald Trump claimed an American naval vessel downed an Iranian drone that threatened the…

Vietnam says preserved corpse of Ho Chi Minh in great condition

HANOI, July 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The embalmed corpse of Vietnam’s founding leader, Ho Chi Minh, is in great condition, state media said, a month after the government recruited a team of Russian experts to help preserve the former revolutionary’s body. In June, Vietnam formed a special council of Vietnamese and…

US to press religious freedom in North Korea: Pence

WASHINGTON, July 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Vice President Mike Pence vowed on Thursday (Jul 18) to press North Korea to respect freedom of religion, despite the narrow US focus on denuclearisation in high-profile summits. Pence made the pledge to a high-level State Department conference on religious freedom, which came weeks after…

Incoming EU chief von der Leyen says ‘we don’t want a hard Brexit’

BERLIN, July 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The future head of the European Commission said she would be minded to grant Britain an extension to talks on its exit from the EU if London gave good grounds, adding that an orderly departure was important to launch future ties on a good footing.…

Israel battles wildfires after record heatwave

JERUSALEM, July 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Israel sent teams of firefighters and planes to contain a blaze near Jerusalem as record temperatures fuelled wildfires across the country. Some 100 fires have been reported in Israel in recent days and “at least three or four areas had to be evacuated,” a public…