Cuba crash: Mum mourns son who would have turned 22

Maidi Charchabal holds a picture of her son Daniel Terrero Charchabal, 22, who was killed in Cuba's worst aviation disaster. Photo / AP

Cuba: At morgues and in church services, Cubans are mourning loved ones who died in the country's worst air disaster in three decades. Island authorities say they have identified 20 bodies and recovered all human remains from the field next to Havana's international airport where a passenger jet crashed on Saturday, killing 110 people. Maidi Charchabal's son Daniel Terrero would have turned 22 years old today. She wept at Havana's Institute of Legal Medicine as she waited for experts to complete their identification of his body. Charchabal said she hoped to receive Daniel's body so she could "be able to be with him on his birthday."

Palestinian territories: A 20-year-old Palestinian, Fathi Harb, is in critical condition after publicly setting himself on fire but his motives remain unclear with family believing he was despairing over Gaza's dire living conditions and Hamas, the Islamic militant group that rules the territory, alleging personal problems. Suicide is strictly forbidden in Islam and cases are rare in conservative Gaza but dozens were reported last year. Several cases of self-immolation have also been reported in Gaza over the past years. This was the first time, however, that one was filmed and posted online.

United States: The teenagers killed in a Massachusetts car crash were identified as high school track team members with a promising future. The five teens, all males, were traveling in one car in East Bridgewater when it crashed into a tree yesterday. Stoughton superintendent Marguerite Rizzi called the crash "the worst nightmare of any school administrator." Police responded to the scene to find a sedan that had rolled over, and 17-year-old Christopher Desir, of Brockton, 17-year-old Eric Sarblah and 16-year-old Nick Joyce dead. Seventeen-year-old David Bell, of Stoughton died of his injuries on the way to a hospital. The district attorney's office said the 17-year-old driver was being treated at a hospital. His name was not released.

Stunning announcement from Italy’s new government means the EU project is crumbling before our eyes. Do UK remoaners even notice? https://t.co/UFsxHhlpY2

— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) May 16, 2018

Italy: One of Italy's two main populist leaders said that he and his rival finally have agreed on who should be the next premier — neither of them — in what would be the nation's first populist-led government. Exactly 11 weeks after a parliamentary election with inconclusive results created political gridlock, League leader Matteo Salvini said he and 5-Star Movement leader Luigi Di Maio have settled both on a choice for premier and the makeup of the Cabinet. In that coalition government, which should take power soon, "neither I nor Di Maio" will be premier, Salvini told reporters. He and Di Maio will reveal their pick to Italian President Sergio Mattarella. Italian media say the President is expected to summon the two political leaders to the presidential palace tomorrow.

United States: Police say a 14-year-old boy posing as a New York police officer is under arrest for snatching a legally blind man's wallet in a Manhattan subway station — while pretending to help him. The youth was in custody today, nearly a week after he fled the station at 34th Street and Eighth Avenue. Police say he approached the 64-year-old man, offering to lead him past a turnstile. Security video shows the teen unzipping the man's backpack and taking out the wallet. The boy then bolted, and a credit card was charged US$500 at a nearby store. The teen faces charges of grand larceny and criminal impersonation of a police officer.

Brazil: About two dozen African migrants were brought ashore in northeastern Brazil after being rescued at sea by fishermen, Brazilian authorities said. The Government of Maranhao state said the group of 25 people from Senegal, Nigeria, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Cape Verde landed yesterday. Two Brazilians were also among those rescued. The Government said the 27 people were dehydrated and received medical care and meals. Federal police are looking into whether any crimes were committed against the group.

The tricky rescue operation took hours as firefighters became stuck in the manure as they tried to rescue the boy. https://t.co/Q8nnlCoRsQ

— Plymouth-WM Patch (@PW_Patch) May 20, 2018

United States: Officials say emergency crews rescued a 3-year-old boy who fell into a manure pit on a farm near Philadelphia. Emergency responders were called to the Honey Brook Township farm after the child fell into the 1.8m to 3m pit inside a large barn. Fire crews tried to get in to help but quickly became stuck, and as they developed a plan they tried to calm the frightened victim. Two rescuers with rope harnesses worked their way inside, and after building a plywood platform were able to move through the pit to the victim. The boy was taken to hospital with minor injuries.

Greece: Two people have been arrested as suspects in an attack that left the mayor of Greece's second-largest city hospitalised, Thessaloniki police said. About a dozen people set upon Thessaloniki Mayor Yiannis Boutaris at a ceremony honouring Greek victims of purges carried out by Turks during World War I. He was thrown to the ground and kicked. "I lived a nightmare," the 75-year-old Boutaris said after he was discharged from the hospital today. The mayor was in a state of shock when he arrived at the hospital where he was treated for a leg injury and bruises, Ippokratio General Hospital director Vana Papachristodoulou said. Police are looking for more suspects. The Greek government blamed the beating on "extreme-right thugs."

Berlin police say activists protesting rising rents and gentrification in the German capital have occupied nine vacant buildings. https://t.co/yRHqHqrC5C pic.twitter.com/BibZeljDMJ

— ABC News (@ABC) May 20, 2018

Germany: Berlin police say activists protesting against rising rents and gentrification in the German capital have occupied nine vacant buildings. The dpa news agency reported that apartments in the trendy Kreuzberg, Neukoelln and Friedrichshain neighbourhoods were among the buildings taken over. The protesters hung banners out windows and tweeted using the hashtag #besetzen, German for "occupy." Real estate prices and rents have skyrocketed in Berlin in recent years, creating affordability pressures that have been the subject of demonstrations for stricter rent control and more affordable housing. The building occupiers issued a statement saying they are staging a "radical intervention against the principle of speculative vacancies." It was not immediately clear how many activists were involved or how long they planned to stay the buildings.

Palestinian territories: President Mahmoud Abbas was hospitalised with fever today just days after undergoing surgery on his ear, an official said. The 83-year-old Abbas has endured a series of recent health scares which have revived anxiety over who will succeed him. Abbas had an ear operation last week, and returned to the hospital late Saturday for a follow-up. Saed Sarahneh, of Istishari Arab hospital, said that "all tests are normal and his condition is reassuring." He did not elaborate. Another Palestinian official said Abbas has pneumonia and is on a respirator and is receiving antibiotics intravenously. He said he is conscious and lucid.

- agencies