Venezuelan prosecutor general calls on Brazil to extradite deserters

CARACAS, Jan 4 (NNN-Prensa Latina) — Venezuelan Prosecutor General Tarek William Saab said that he had sent an official communiqué to his Brazilian counterpart, Augusto Aras, warning him about the measure adopted by the Brazilian Government regarding five Venezuelan military deserters. He explained that the five deserters assassinated a Venezuelan…

Losing party in Guinea-Bissau vote appeals result

Losing presidential candidate Domingos Simoes Pereira. BISSAU, Jan 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Guinea-Bissau’s historic ruling party appealed to the Supreme Court on Friday after its champion lost in the volatile West African country’s presidential elections. Domingos Simoes Pereira, head of the PAIGC party, was credited with 46.45 per cent in Sunday’s…

French government huddles as unions vow to harden strike

A view of empty platforms of the Gare de Lyon train station during the 30th day of transport strikes in Paris PARIS, Jan 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Top French officials met to hash out their strategy ahead of fresh pension overhaul talks with unions who have threatened wider protests alongside a…

Mexico president calls for Julian Assange to be released from UK prison

MEXICO CITY, Jan 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador called for Wikileaks founder Julian Assange to be released from prison in London, urging an end to what he described as his “torture” in detention. Assange, 48, is in a British jail for skipping bail when he sought…

Brazil President Bolsonaro says he has a hernia

Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro BRASILIA, Jan 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro says he is suffering from a hernia, apparently as a result of being stabbed in the stomach in 2018, local media reported. “I’m pregnant,” the far-right leader joked with journalists at a hospital in Brasilia on Thursday night.…

Bulgaria to cull 24,000 pigs in African swine fever outbreak

SOFIA, Jan 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Bulgarian veterinary authorities said they would cull 24,000 pigs after detecting an outbreak of African swine fever at a pig farm in the northeast of the country. The outbreak is the first at an industrial farm since August when the virus hit six breeding farms…

Spain electoral board disqualifies Catalan president from office

Catalan regional president, Quim Torra MADRID, Jan 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Spain’s electoral board ordered that Catalan separatist president Quim Torra be disqualified from being a member of Catalonia’s regional parliament, meaning he would lose his presidential post. The electoral board decision comes after Catalonia’s High Court of Justice last month…

UN condemns military escalation in, around Libyan capital

TRIPOLI, Jan 4 (NNN-Xinhua) — United Nations (UN) senior officials condemned the recent military escalation in and around Libyan capital Tripoli, which has been witnessing a violent war between the east-based army and the UN-backed government. “I am horrified by these senseless indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas and civilian infrastructure…

Two giant pandas born in Belgium win “Panda Cub of the Year” Gold Award

BRUSSELS, Jan 4 (NNN-Xinhua) — Bao Di and Bao Mei, the two giant pandas born last year in the Belgian zoo of Pairi Daiza, won the “Panda Cub of the Year” Gold Award on Friday. The ceremony of 2019 Giant Panda Global Awards was held in Pairi Daiza. It was…

Libya’s east-based army declares mobilization against Turkish military interference in Libya

TRIPOLI, Jan 4 (NNN-Xinhua) — The commander of the east-based Libyan rebel army on Friday declared military mobilization against Turkey’s plan to send troops to Libya to support the UN-backed government. General Khalifa Haftar declared the mobilization in a televised speech, saying the ongoing fighting will intensify, and the battle…