Saudi Arabia to cut oil exports in April

RIYADH, March 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Saudi Arabia plans to cut its crude oil exports in April to below 7 million barrels per day (bpd), while keeping its output well below 10 million bpd, a Saudi official said, as the kingdom seeks to drain a supply glut and support oil prices.…

Russian passenger jet makes emergency landing in Azerbaijan over bomb threat

BAKU, March 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A Russian Ural Airlines jet bound for Moscow from Bahrain with 225 people aboard made an emergency landing in Baku, Azerbaijan because of a suspected bomb on board the plane, Baku airport said. Flight U6-1116 was en route to Moscow’s Domodedovo airport on Monday when…

Syria war: ‘Modest advances’ made into Daesh enclave – SDF commander

BAGHOUZ (Syria), March 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — U.S.-backed fighters are moving slowly into Daesh’s final pocket in eastern Syria to avoid losses in the face of sniper fire and landmines, one of their commanders said. Warplanes flew above Baghouz, a cluster of houses on the banks of the Euphrates at the…

Update: US ready to take ‘immediate’ action after Ethiopia plane crash

WASHINGTON, March 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) – US regulators ordered Boeing to make urgent improvements to the best-selling jet involved in a deadly Ethiopia plane crash — but ruled out grounding the fleet as investigators worked to piece together the aircraft’s final moments. The Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 crashed minutes…

US condemns Cuba, Russia for backing Venezuela’s Maduro

WASHINGTON, March 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) – US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo took aim at Cuba and Russia for their support of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who Washington wants to remove from power. He rejected Maduro’s assertion that the US was responsible for a widespread blackout, instead pointing the finger at…

Update: Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika Drops Bid For Fifth Term

Abdelaziz Bouteflika, pictured here in 2017, has not spoken in public since 2014  ALGIERS, March 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has postponed the April 18 presidential elections and said he will not seek a fifth term in office. “There will be no fifth term,” Bouteflika was quoted as…

Ethiopian Airlines Crash: US FAA Says Boeing 737 Max 8 Is Airworthy

 WASHINGTON, March 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US Federal Aviation Administration has told airlines it believes Boeing’s 737 Max 8 model to be airworthy, after two fatal crashes inside six months. An Ethiopian Airlines plane en route from Addis Ababa to Nairobi crashed six minutes after take-off on Sunday, killing all…

Wonder Woman Star Gal Gadot Wades Into Netanyahu Row Over Israeli Arabs

JERUSALEM, March 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot has become embroiled in a row with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the status of the country’s Arab minority. “Love your neighbour as yourself,” the Israeli actress said, amid wrangling over the role of Israeli Arab parties in upcoming…

Myanmar’s gems emporium kicks off in capital city

YANGON, March 12 (NNN-XINHUA) — The 56th Myanmar Gems Emporium kicks off in the capital city of Nay Pyi Taw, attracting over 2,600 gems merchants from China, Thailand, Australia and the United States, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation. The emporium, which also attracted over 900 local gems merchants, will put…

Dhaka urges Korea to recruit Bangladeshi manpower

DHAKA, March 12 (NNN-BSS) – State Minister Md Shahriar Alam urged South Korea to recruit more Bangladeshi nationals under its Employment Permit System (EPS) for foreign workers. He made the request when Ambassador of South Korea to Bangladesh Hu Kang Ilat met him at his office at foreign affairs ministry…