US job creation surges in April as unemployment hits 49-year low

WASHINGTON, May 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States had another giant month of job creation in April, confirming the strength of the world’s largest economy as President Donald Trump prepares to fend off challengers in next year’s election. Government data showed continued vigor in the vast services sector, with unemployment…

Trump hails ‘very positive’ Venezuela talks with Putin

WASHINGTON, May 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) –– President Donald Trump said he held “very positive” talks Friday with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on the crisis in oil-rich Venezuela, where Washington is pushing to oust the Moscow-backed president. The US leader adopted a strikingly conciliatory tone following a more than hour-long conversation…

Main UK parties take Brexit battering in local elections

LONDON, May 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Britain’s governing Conservatives and the Labour main opposition took a drubbing Friday (May 3) in English local elections as voters vented their frustration with the Brexit deadlock. Prime Minister Theresa May’s Conservatives lost control of several local authorities and hundreds of seats but Labour failed…

Four more Saudi women activists freed pending trial

RIYADH, May 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Saudi Arabia on Thursday released at least four more detained women activists pending trial, campaigners said, bringing the total number of women provisionally freed to seven. They are among 11 activists, some of whom have accused interrogators of sexual abuse and torture during nearly a…

Rights groups sue over US decision to hold asylum seekers without bond

WASHINGTON, May 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Immigrant rights groups asked a US court to reverse a Trump administration decision that allows asylum seekers who cross the border illegally to be held without bond. The groups, which include the American Civil Liberties Union, say an April 16 decision by US Attorney General William Barr…

Amsterdam to ban polluting cars from 2030

AMSTERDAM, May 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Gasoline and diesel fuelled cars and motorcycles will be banned from Amsterdam from 2030 in an effort to clean up the city’s air, the Dutch capital’s council said. “Pollution often is a silent killer and is one of the greatest health hazards in Amsterdam,” said…

US expects China to add international military bases

WASHINGTON, May 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US Defence Department expects China to add military bases around the world to protect its investments in its ambitious One Belt One Road global infrastructure programme, according to an official report released on Thursday. Beijing currently has just one overseas military base, in Djibouti,…

Malaysian minister takes aim at ‘sensationalised displays’ on palm oil at Singapore Zoo

SINGAPORE, May 3 (NNN-CNA) — Malaysian Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok has accused the Singapore Zoo of putting up displays that shed a negative light on palm oil and called for countries in Southeast Asia to present a united front in supporting the industry.  When delivering her keynote address at the Singapore…

Supply of fresh produce from Malaysia not disrupted, says Singapore agency after certification deadline

SINGAPORE, May 3 (NNN-CNA) — There has been no disruption to the supply of fruits and vegetables from Malaysia, said the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) on Thursday, a day after a deadline for Malaysian exporters to meet a certification requirement. The May 1 deadline, imposed by the Malaysian Health Ministry, requires exporters to…

Indonesia sees drop in hotspots due to peatland restoration efforts, says agency

SINGAPORE, May 3 (NNN-CNA) — The number of hotspots in restored peatlands in Indonesia has dropped by nearly 93 per cent since 2015, on the back of restoration efforts. The figure was revealed by the head of Indonesia’s peatland restoration agency Nazir Foead, on the sidelines of the 6th Singapore Dialogue on Sustainable…