Namibian president reaffirms commitment to press freedom

KUALA LUMPUR, April 19 (NNN-BERNAMA) — Namibian President Hage G. Geingob reaffirmed his commitment to media freedom during an address on Wednesday – a day before the country successfully reclaimed its top position among African nations in the 2019 World Press Freedom Index. In the global ranking of 180 countries revealed on Thursday by…

News agencies looking at mechanisms to fight fake news

HANOI, April 19 (NNN-VNA) — Members of the Organisation of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) expressed concern over the spread of fake news and its negative impact on society, during the 44th OANA Executive Board Meeting which took off here Wednesday. Hosted by Vietnam News Agency (VNA) from April 18-20, participants…

Sudan’s military council sacks foreign ministry undersecretary

Sudan’s foreign ministry building in Khartoum. Photo courtesy of SUNA. KHARTOUM, April 19 (NNN–XINHUA) — Sudan’s Transitional Military Council announced Thursday that Undersecretary of Sudanese Foreign Ministry Badr-Eddin Abdalla Mohamed Ahmed has been relieved from his post. Quoting a statement by the military council, Xinhua reported that Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan, head…

India completes second phase of GE voting

CHANDIGARH (India), April 19 (NNN-BERNAMA-ANADOLU) — Indians on Thursday voted in a second phase of general elections for 95 constituencies spread over 11 states and a union territory, Anadolu Agency reported, quoting the Indian election commission. Speaking to the media after polls closed, Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Umesh Sinha said that the…

Malaysia’s current account balance to remain in surplus for 2019

KUALA LUMPUR, April 19 (NNN-BERNAMA) — Malaysia’s current account balance will remain in surplus for 2019 and the economy is not experiencing a current account deficit, said Tony Pua, political secretary to the Finance Minister. Pua today issued a statement in response to a Bloomberg interview hosted by David Ingles with the invited guest,…

Outgoing Japanese Monarch pays respects to Gods

ANKARA, April 18 (NNN-BERNAMA-ANADOLU) — Days ahead of his abdication, the outgoing Japanese monarch on Thursday paid his respects to the Shinto gods, Anadolu Agency reported, quoting local media.  Emperor Akihito, who is set to step down at the end of this month, visited the Ise Shrine, one of Japan’s holiest sites, in Mie Prefecture,…

Strong earthquake hits Taiwan, Malaysian reported injured

TAIPEI, April 18 (BERNAMA-NNN-CNA) — A strong earthquake shook Taiwan at early Thursday afternoon, causing several injuries, damaging buildings and disrupting public transportation. The magnitude 6.1 earthquake hit Hualien County in eastern Taiwan,with an intensity level of 7 — the highest on Taiwan’s intensity scale — felt in Hualien, 5 in New Taipei and 4 in Taipei.…

N. Korea calls for replacing Pompeo with ‘more careful and mature’ negotiator

SEOUL, April 18 (NNN-BERNAMA-YONHAP) — North Korea called Thursday for replacing U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo with a “more careful and mature” negotiator, accusing the top American diplomat of failing to understand Pyongyang’s position and causing the denuclearization talks to become “entangled.” A senior North Korean foreign ministry official…

Withdrawing from Rome Statute made to avoid parties taking advantage, says foreign minister

By Nur Ashikin Abdul Aziz KUALA LUMPUR, 18 April (NNN-BERNAMA) — Malaysia’s decision to withdraw from the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) early this month was made to prevent certain parties from taking advantage of the confusion that arose regarding the issue. Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah said…

Update: Najib’s trial Day 5: Total of 17 cheques issued through Najib, SRC accounts

KUALA LUMPUR,  April  18 (NNN-BERNAMA)  — The High Court here was told today that the  Penang UMNO Liaison and Johor Bharu UMNO received payments  of RM1 million and RM300,000, respectively, through Ambank cheques belonging to former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in 2015. Ambank senior manager (cheque processing centre) Badrul Hisam Mohamad,…