Cuban cigars hit record sales thanks to increasing Chinese demand

HAVANA, Feb 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Boosted by growing demand from China, sales of Cuban cigars reached a record US$537 million in 2018, a 7 per cent increase over the previous year despite global laws against tobacco, the partially state-owned Habanos reported. “China has surpassed France as the second biggest market…

Americans among group arrested in Haiti with arsenal of guns: Reports

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Feb 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Haitian police arrested a group of foreign nationals, including Americans, armed with semi-automatic weapons, Haitian newspapers reported, adding to uncertainty in the poor Caribbean country after more than a week of anti-government protests. The US State Department was aware that Haitian police arrested a group that…

US-China trade talks resume in Washington from Tuesday: White House

WASHINGTON, Feb 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US-China trade talks aimed at ending a damaging tariff war resumed from Tuesday (Feb 19) in Washington, the White House said. The last set of talks ended Friday in Beijing with no deal, though US President Donald Trump said the discussions were going “extremely well” and…

North Korea envoy en route to Hanoi ahead of Trump-Kim summit

BEIJING, Feb 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The North Korean special representative for the US arrived in Beijing on Tuesday, apparently en route to Hanoi to meet his Washington counterpart ahead of a second scheduled summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un in the Vietnamese capital. Kim Hyok Chol arrived in…

Budget 2019: 30% of Singapore Government expenditure to go towards defence, security and diplomacy

SINGAPORE, Feb 19 (NNN-CNA) — The Singapore government will spend about S$22.7 billion, or 30 per cent of its total expenditure in Financial Year (FY) 2019, on defence, security and diplomacy, Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat announced in his Budget statement. In FY2018, defence, security and diplomacy spending accounted for about 28…

Iran arrests militants linked to attack on Revolutionary Guards

TEHRAN, Feb 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) Revolutionary Guards have broken up a group of militants in southeast Iran who were linked to a suicide bombing that killed 27 guards near the border with Pakistan last week, the Corps said. “Sunday night, a terrorist cell was identified and destroyed in an operation,” the…

German Daesh fighters in Syria have right to return home: government spokesman

BERLIN, Feb 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — German citizens who have fought with the Daesh militant group in Syria have a fundamental right to return to Germany, a spokesman for the interior ministry said. At a regular news conference, the chief government spokesman added that Germany was in close consultation with the…

Angola seeks negotiated solution in Venezuela – FM Augusto

MINISTER OF FOREIGN RELATIONS, MANUEL AUGUSTO LUANDA, Feb 19 (NNN-ANGOP) — Foreign Affairs Minister, Manuel Augusto said that the Angolan government hopes that through dialogue; a peaceful solution will be reached to overcome the current political crisis in Venezuela. “We want to believe that a consensus can be reached in…

Liberia Gold Mine Collapse: Dozens Arrested At ‘Lawless’ Rescue Site

Liberia is rich in mineral deposits – and full of illicit mines MONROVIA, Feb 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — More than 60 miners, some armed, have been arrested at an illegal gold mine in north-eastern Liberia where around 40 people remain trapped in a collapsed pit, officials said. They “resisted” a team sent to…

Update: Nine Killed In Kashmir Gun Battle

  PULWAMA (Kashmir), Feb 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Ninepeople, including four Indian soldiers and a policeman, have been killed in Indian-administered Kashmir during a gun battle, police say. The clash occurred in Pulwama, where more than 40 Indian paramilitary police were killed in a bombing last week. A civilian and three…