Notre-Dame of Paris ‘saved’ after fire destroys steeple

Paris’s landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral on fire. Photo courtesy of Anadolu PARIS, April 16 (NNN-DAILYSTAR) – A catastrophic fire engulfed the upper reaches of Paris’ soaring Notre Dame Cathedral as it was undergoing renovations Monday, threatening one of the greatest architectural treasures of the Western world as tourists and Parisians watched…

ECRL: CCCC to refund part of RM3.1 bln advance payment

KUALA LUMPUR, April 15 (NNN- Bernama) — China Communications Construction Company Ltd (CCCC) has agreed to refund part of the RM3.1 billion advance payment for the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) Phase 2, Double Tracking and the Northern Extension under the original contract. “RM500 million will be refunded within a…

N. Korea marks late founder’s birthday, no provocation against U.S.

PYONGYANG, April 15 (NNN-KYODO) – North Korea on Monday marked the 107th anniversary of the birth of its founder Kim Il Sung with no outward provocation against the United States despite the collapse of their second denuclearization summit in late February. The anniversary, known in the country as the “Day…

Najib’s trial resume with defence to cross-examine first witness

KUALA LUMPUR, April 15 (NNN- Bernama) — The trial of former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s case involving RM42 million of SRC International Sdn Bhd funds will resume today with his defence team to cross-examine the first witness. On April 3, High Court Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali…

Chinese Ambassador to Chile Rejects Pompeo’s Allegations

China’s Ambassador to Chile, Xu Bu. Photo courtesy of Plenglish SANTIAGO DE CHILE, Apr 15 (NNN- Prensa Latina) – China’s Ambassador to Chile, Xu Bu, has slammed allegations by US State Secretary Mike Pompeo during his recent visit to Santiago and termed them absurd and baseless. During his stay in…

Philippines, Croatia sign MOU for defense cooperation

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana. Photo courtesy of PNA MANILA, April 15 (NNN-PNA) — The Philippines and Croatia recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Defense Cooperation, which seeks to strengthen bilateral defense relations between the two nations. The MOU, which was signed by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Croatian…

Daesh leader, 3 aides killed in eastern Iraq

BAGHDAD, April 15 (NNN- Xinhua) — Iraqi forces killed on Sunday a prominent Daesh leader and three of his aides in the eastern province of Diyala. Acting on intelligence reports, Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS), backed by the Iraqi army’s gunships and the U.S.-led coalition aircraft, carried out an operation in Himreen…

Large-scale military exercises kick off in Kuwait

KUWAIT CITY, April 15 (NNN-Xinhua) — Large-scale military exercises kicked off on Sunday in Kuwait, the Kuwait News Agency reported. Hashim Al-Rifai, undersecretary of the Kuwaiti National Guard, said that the week-long drill involves eight nations and 13 government bodies, including the United States, Britain and Italy. The annual drill…

‘Libyan civil war giving opening for Daesh to rise’

ANTALYA, Turkey, April 15 (NNN-ANADOLU) – The current Libyan civil war is benefiting the terrorist group Daesh, according to one expert on the region. The sides in the civil war “which were fighting Daesh are now fighting each other,” said Tarek Megerisi, a policy fellow with the North Africa and…

Libya: Tripoli government shoots down Haftar forces jet

TRIPOLI, Libya, April 15 (NNN-ANADOLU) – Libya’s UN-backed government announced on Sunday that they shot down a fighter jet belonging to eastern Libyan-based forces waging an offensive on the capital Tripoli. The war jet of commander Khalifa Haftar’s forces was shot down in the ar-Rabi Valley, south of Tripoli, the…