US: Los Angeles County declares state of emergency over homeless crisis

Tents of homeless people are seen in the rain in downtown Los Angeles, California LOS ANGELES (California), Jan 12 (NNN-Xinhua) — Los Angeles County, the most populous county in the United States, approved a motion to declare a state of emergency over its homeless crisis. Homelessness is a specific and…

Estonia orders Russian Embassy to reduce staff by half

TALLINN, Jan 12 (NNN-Xinhua) — The Estonian authorities gave the Russian Embassy here until Feb 1 to reduce its staff to eight diplomats and 15 administrative and technical employees. Russia’s Ambassador Vladimir Lipayev was summoned to the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and handed a diplomatic note. Estonia’s decision is…

UN releases funds to help victims of floods, violence in Cameroon

UNITED NATIONS, Jan 12 (NNN-Xinhua) — The United Nations has released US$6 million in emergency funding to aid thousands of victims of floods and violence in Cameroon, a UN spokesman said. Undersecretary-General Martin Griffiths, the world organization’s emergency relief coordinator, allocated the Central Emergency Response Fund’s aid to help people…

UN chief shocked by deaths in Peru protests; curb violence to ensure peace in Colombia

UNITED NATIONS, Jan 12 (NNN-Xinhua) — UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is shocked by the reported deaths in protests in Peru, said his spokesman. “The secretary-general is following with concern the situation in Peru and is deeply shocked by the number of deaths reported in the context of the protests that…

Peru: 85 ports closed, 1 person killed due to huge waves

LIMA, Jan 12 (NNN-Xinhua) — Unusually large waves along Peru’s coast have claimed at least one life and forced some 85 ports to close, the National Institute of Civil Defense (Indeci) said. The waves that have battered the coastline for two days range from “light to strong intensity,” and ports…

Preliminary results show Benin’s Progressive Union for Renewal leads legislative elections

COTONOU, Jan 12 (NNN-Xinhua) — The Progressive Union for Renewal (UP-R) garnered 928,947 votes in the legislative elections held Sunday and won 53 seats of the 109-member assembly, according to the provisional results announced Wednesday by the Autonomous National Electoral Commission of Benin. The announcement said that the UP-R, which…

US: Thousands of nurses go on strike for 3rd day in New York City

NEW YORK, Jan 12 (NNN-Xinhua) — Thousands of nurses from New York City’s Mount Sinai Hospital and Montefiore Bronx continued to be on strike the third day on staffing shortage, low wage and other issues. Hundreds of nurses wearing red hats continued to line both sides of Madison Avenue near…

Cuba to be President Pro Tempore of the G-77 + China

HAVANA, Jan 12 (NNN-ACN) — This month, Cuba will become, for the first time, President Pro-Tempore of the Group of 77 plus China, the largest and most diverse international forum for consultation among developing countries.Cuba will focus on specific actions to promote the 2030 Agenda, foster international solidarity in support…

Cuba and Chile hold political consultations

HAVANA, Jan 11 (NNN-ACN) — Cuba and Chile are holding their 6th Political Consultations between their foreign ministries on Jan 11, according to the Cuban Foreign Ministry.Chile’s undersecretary for Foreign Relations Ximena Fuentes, who leads her country’s delegation to the talks, was welcomed in Havana by Carlos de Cespedes, director…

Tanzania five years away from joining open skies

One of the Air Tanzania planes DAR ES SALAAM, Jan 12 (NNN-GNA) — Foreign airlines will have to wait for at least five years to start carrying passengers from Tanzania to another country while en-route to/from a home country, as the government demands more time before opening the skies.Like other…