Aircrash: footballer Sala died from head and trunk injuries

LONDON, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Argentine footballer Emiliano Sala died of “head and trunk injuries”, an inquest in England heard as it began to examine his death in a plane crash in the sea. Sala, 28, had signed for English Premier League side Cardiff City and was flying to his new…

Germany woos US in Europe gas battle

BERLIN, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Germany will put on a show of unity with the United States Tuesday in talks on importing natural gas, as Berlin battles accusations an under-construction pipeline deepens European energy dependence on Russia. Economy Minister Peter Altmaier will meet the US deputy energy secretary, Dan Brouillette,…

UN willing to broker end to Venezuela crisis: Sec-Gen Guterres

UNITED NATIONS, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) – United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres renewed his offer to help broker an end to the crisis in Venezuela during talks with the country’s foreign minister. Guterres met with Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza in New York, at the request of Caracas, as the standoff between…

Five killed in pre-election violence in Nigeria: police

WARRI (Nigeria), Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Five people were killed in southeast Nigeria during clashes between supporters of the two main political parties, police said, just days before a general election. The victims, members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), were shot and killed on Sunday in an apartment…

Pro-govt supporter killed in Senegal clashes ahead of polls

DAKAR, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) – A pro-government campaigner was killed in eastern Senegal on Monday, in the first fatality from a string of pre-election clashes between supporters of President Macky Sall and the opposition. A police official said the individual was stabbed during “scuffles” between the Unity and Assembly Party…

US Muslim lawmaker sorry for tweet that sparked anti-Semitism row

Photo courtesy Ilhan Omar Twitter WASHINGTON, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Ilhan Omar, one of the first two Muslim women in the US Congress, “unequivocally” apologized Monday after suggesting US support for Israel is fueled by money from a pro-Israel lobby group. The Minnesota freshman has faced criticism for weeks over…

Desperate Venezuelan migrants turn to Colombia coca plantations

A Venezuelan migrant working as a leaf picker in a Colombian coca plantation. File picture PACELLI (Colombia), Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) – They were once manual laborers, taxi drivers, fishermen and merchants. But Venezuelan migrants fleeing poverty and shortages of basic necessities have been forced into new work: picking coca leaves…

Russia’s Gazprombank rejects report on Venezuelan oil giant’s new accounts

MOSCOW, Feb 12 (NNN-TASS) — The report that Venezuela’s state oilcompany PDVSA has opened its new accounts in Russia’s Gazprombank has nothing to do with reality, a spokesman for the credit organization said. “The report by Reuters agency does not correspond with reality. As one ofthe world’s major oil companies,…

Catalan separatists’ long-awaited trial to begin Tuesday in Madrid

Catalonia People react as they celebrate the unilateral declaration of independence of Catalonia outside the Catalan Parliament, in Barcelona. Photo courtesy PTI MADRID, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) – The historic trial of 12 Catalan separatist leaders involved in a bid to secede from Spain that plunged the country into crisis starts…

Thailand to release refugee footballer after Bahrain dropped extradition request

BANGKOK, Feb 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Thailand dropped extradition proceedings against detained Bahraini refugee footballer Hakeem al-Araibi on Monday (Feb 11), following a global outcry over the risks he faced if sent home. “We have been informed that Bahrain wants to withdraw the (extradition) request … if they don’t want him, we…