Bulgaria to elect new president in runoff

SOFIA, Nov. 17 (NNN-Xinhua) — Bulgaria’s head of state will be decided in a runoff on Sunday, according to the country’s election commission. According to the final results of the first round on Nov 14, Bulgaria’s incumbent President Rumen Radev received 49.42 percent of the votes and will head to…

Space rivalry: Russia admits destroying satellite with space missile strike

MOSCOW, Nov 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russia admitted to destroying one of its satellites during a missile test, but rejected US accusations that it had endangered the International Space Station. US officials on Monday accused Russia of a “dangerous and irresponsible” strike on a satellite that had created a cloud of debris and…

At least 1,000 arrested, including UN staff, since Ethiopia state of emergency: UN Sec-Gen

  GENEVA, Nov 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The UN voiced alarm at surging arrests in Ethiopia since the country introduced a state of emergency on Nov 2.   The United Nations human rights agency said most of those detained in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa as well as in Gondar, Bahir…

Migrants: Humanitarian activists to face criminal charges in Greece

   ATHENS, Nov 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Two dozen humanitarian activists who helped migrants reach Greece three years ago face charges including espionage and criminal membership in a keenly watched trial opening Thursday on the island of Lesbos.    Human Rights Watch this week said the activists had provided “life-saving aid…

US President Biden calls on Congress to ratify treaty on ozone depletion

  WASHINGTON, Nov 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US President Biden urged Congress to ratify an international treaty amendement that aims to reduce human-made chemicals that damage the Earth’s protective ozone layer.   Biden urged the Senate to back ratifying the 2019 Kigali amendment to the Montreal Protocol, which has been signed…

Update: Armenia, Azerbaijan end border conflict after hours of clashes

  YEREVAN/BAKU, Nov 17 (NNN-XINHUA) — Armenia’s Defense Ministry said that fighting ended along the border with Azerbaijan after a Russia-brokered ceasefire agreement.   The ministry said that due to the agreement reached through Russian mediation, hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan stopped along the eastern borderline of Armenia as of…

5 dead in Ukraine’s nursing home fire

  KIEV, Nov 17 (NNN-XINHUA) — Five people were killed in a fire in a private nursing home in Dnipro city of central Ukraine, the National Police said in a statement.   According to the statement, five women aged between 75 and 89 were found dead after the fire broke…

Journalist Fenster back in US after release from Myanmar jail

US journalist Danny Fenster (second from left) is reunited with his family at JFK airport NEW YORK, Nov 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — An American journalist jailed for six months by Myanmar’s military rulers arrived back in the United States on Tuesday, one day after he was pardoned and released from prison. “It feels…

Pres Biden bans Nicaragua officials from entering United States

Nicaraguan citizens search for their names on the electoral roll list during the general elections in Nicaragua WASHINGTON, Nov 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — President Joe Biden banned members of the Nicaraguan government from entering the United States as he issued a broad proclamation in response to an election that Washington has…

UN Security Council renews arms embargo on Somalia, authorization to inspect vessels

The United Nations Security Council holds a meeting on the situation in Somalia at the UN headquarters in New York UNITED NATIONS, Nov 17 (NNN-Xinhua) — To enforce an arms embargo on Somalia, the United Nations Security Council decided to reauthorize a maritime interdiction of illicit weapons imports and charcoal…