Iran asks Pakistan to move against militants who killed 27 Guards

TEHRAN, Feb 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Iran urged neighbouring Pakistan on Saturday to crack down on militants who killed 27 of its Revolutionary Guards in an attack near the border or expect military action by Tehran “to punish the terrorists”, state media reported. “If Pakistan does not carry out its responsibilities,…

Zimbabwe cancels flagship arts fest over economic crisis

HARARE, Feb 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — This year’s edition of Zimbabwe’s flagship Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA) has been called off due to the social and economic crisis. “HIFA will not stage the event in 2019,” organisers announced in a statement, adding “the decision has been taken after much…

Foreign Ministry thanks Cambodia over release of 47 Malaysian detainees

PUTRAJAYA, Feb 16 (NNN-BERNAMA) — Foreign Ministry thanked the Cambodian government for ensuring the release of the 47 Malaysians who were detained in the Banteay Meanchey prison recently. In a statement Friday night, the ministry confirmed that all 47 of them had been freed as of 7.30pm (Malaysian time). “The…

Israeli forces injure 20 Palestinians at Gaza border

GAZA, Feb 16 (NNN-WAFA) – At least 20 Palestinians, including a child, were injured by live bullets on Friday as Israeli forces attacked hundreds of protesters at Gaza-Israel border, according to the Ministry of Health. The forces fired live bullets and rubber-coated steel rounds at the protesters who gathered at…

Gaza’s humanitarian crisis must be addressed: UN Sec-Gen Guterres

UNITED NATIONS, Feb 16 (NNN-WAFA) – In his address to the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, which was established by the UN General Assembly in 1975, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza must be “immediately addressed”.…

Mexico announces 5.2 billion USD bailout for Pemex

MEXICO CITY, Feb 16 (NNN-Xinhua) — The Mexican government said that it will provide 107 billion pesos (5.2 billion U.S. dollars) to help the state-run Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) improve its financial condition. During a press conference, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said that the plan would “lift a fiscal…

4 killed, 5 wounded as landslide strikes western Indonesia

JAKARTA, Feb 16 (NNN-Xinhua) — Four people were killed and 5 others sustained injuries as landslide struck West Java province of western Indonesia, official said on Saturday. Torrential rains led soils of a hill at Sukamakmur village of Bogor district to slide down and hit a house on Friday night,…

Lebanese government wins vote of confidence

BEIRUT, Feb 16 (NNN-Xinhua) — The new Lebanese government won on Friday the vote of confidence with 111 votes out of 128 after discussing the ministerial statement for four days during this past week, Tele Liban local TV Channel reported. Prior to the voting, Prime Minister Saad Hariri gave a…

Daesh militants kidnap 8 civilians in western Iraq

BAGHDAD, Feb 16 (NNN-Xinhua) — Daesh militants Friday kidnapped a total of eight civilians in two incidents in Iraq’s western province of Anbar, a provincial police source said. In one incident, five civilians went in the early morning to the desert near the town of Rawa, some 280 km northwest…

Chinese president meets U.S. trade representative, treasury secretary, hailing “important progress”

BEIJING, Feb 16 (NNN-Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday met with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who were here for a new round of China-U.S. high-level economic and trade consultations, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, saying “important progress for…