Italian ship rescues migrants as Rome vows to ‘stop’ them landing

ROME, March 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — An Italian charity ship rescued some 50 migrants at sea off Libya Monday, prompting Rome to warn it was ready to “stop once and for all” such private vessels from bringing those saved to Italy. Italy’s hardline Interior Minister Matteo Salvini has repeatedly declared Italian…

Singapore leaders express condolences over Indonesia flash floods

SINGAPORE, March 19 (NNN-CNA) — President Halimah Yacob and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong have written to Indonesian President Joko Widodo to express their condolences over the flash floods in Papua, Indonesia.  The floods, which hit late on Saturday, have killed least 77 people. Dozens more are missing.  In her letter,…

Italy’s La Scala opera house to return Saudi millions

La Scala is the home of opera in Milan ROME, March 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Italy’s La Scala opera house is to return more than €3 million to Saudi Arabia after a funding plan with the kingdom triggered a public backlash.The deal would have allowed the Saudi culture minister a seat…

Israeli rabbi, wounded in Palestinian attack, dies: hospital

JERUSALEM, March 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — An Israeli rabbi died on Monday of wounds from a Palestinian attack a day earlier in the occupied West Bank in which a soldier was killed – an incident that played into Israeli politics three weeks before a national election. The rabbi, Achiad Ettinger, 47,…

U.N. rights expert: Israel depriving Palestinians of clean water

GENEVA, March 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Israel is depriving millions of Palestinians of access to a regular supply of clean water while stripping their land of minerals “in an apparent act of pillage”, a United Nations human rights investigator said. Michael Lynk, U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian…

South Africa assisting cyclone-hit Mozambique

PRETORIA, March 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has deployed soldiers to assist in recovery operations in neighboring Mozambique, which has been badly hit by Cyclone Idai. The cyclone has killed at least 150 people across southern Africa. Mozambique’s port city of Beira has borne the brunt of…

Three Dead In Record Flooding In US Midwestern States

WASHINGTON, March 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Thawing snowpack and heavy rains have brought historically high flooding to several Midwestern states and have led to thousands of evacuations. Three people have died, including a man who officials say was trying to rescue strangers from freezing flood waters. Record-breaking flooding in at least…

Indonesia: Five dead, one missing after flooding, landslides in Yogyakarta

Photo courtesy BASARNAS YOGYAKARTA (Indonesia), March 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) —Torrential rains that have hit Yogyakarta over the past few days have resulted in flooding and landslides in several locations, taking the lives of at least five individuals with one person still missing. The local Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) revealed that Imogiri district in Bantul regency was…

Australia: 7 charged in large-scale cannabis bust

SYDNEY, March 19 (NNN-XINHUA) —Seven people faced court on Tuesday following a large scale cannabis bust involving over 80 officers in the Australian State of New South Wales (NSW). An eight-month investigation led to the seizure of the drugs with a street value of up to 640,000 U.S. dollars. Strike Force Bato was formed…

Israel Should Review Rules Of Engagement Before Gaza Anniversary: UN Commission

GENEVA, March 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The UN Independent Commission of Inquiry on the protests in the Palestinian Gaza Strip urged Israel to immediately ensure that its security forces’ rules of engagement are revised to comply with international legal standards. The commission presented its findings Monday to the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), “after investigating all…