Brazil cities paralysed by nationwide strike
Reuters, Sao Paulo
Nationwide strikes led by Brazilian unions to protest President Michel Temer’s austerity measures crippled public transport in several major cities early on Friday across this continent-sized nation, while factories, businesses and schools closed.
In the economic hub of Sao Paulo, the main tourist draw Rio de Janeiro and several other metropolitan areas, protesters used barricades of burning tires and other materials to block highways and access to major airports.
‘Enormous progress’ in US-Mexico ties: Videgaray
Reuters, Mexico City
Relations between the United States and Mexico have seen “enormous progress” during the first months of the administration of US President Donald Trump, Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray said on Thursday.
His remarks followed a Wednesday night call between Mr Trump and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto in which the leaders discussed the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
2 Saudi soldiers killed in Yemen
AFP, Riyadh
Two Saudi soldiers were killed Thursday in a rocket attack near the border with war-torn Yemen, the interior ministry said.
They died in a simultaneous landmine explosion and rocket attack while on duty patrolling the border around Jazan, the ministry said in a statement carried by the official SPA news agency.
Albanian Parliament fails to elect president
AP, Tirana
The Albanian Parliament on Thursday failed for the third time to elect the country’s new president because no candidates have been nominated.
The governing left-wing coalition didn’t put up any candidates, saying it wants to include the center-right opposition in reaching a broader consensus. The same thing happened twice last week.
But the Socialist Party says Parliament shouldn’t wait any longer to elect a new president since the opposition has refused to participate in any dialogue.
