UN fears ‘mass atrocity crimes’ in Myanmar as troops gather in north

  UNITED NATIONS, Oct 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The UN said it feared an even greater human rights catastrophe in Myanmar amid reports of thousands of troops massing in the north of the Southeast Asian country, which has been in chaos since a February coup.   “We should all be prepared,…

Colombian linked to Haiti president’s murder captured in Jamaica

  BOGOTA, Oct 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A former Colombian military officer wanted by Haitian authorities over the assassination of President Jovenel Moise has been captured in Jamaica, Colombian authorities said.   Mario Palacios is accused of being one of 26 Colombian mercenaries who allegedly took part in the July 7…

Niger confirms 11 security personnel killed in attack

NIAMEY, Oct 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Eleven Nigerien security personnel died in an ambush against a regional prefect’s motorcade near the country’s border with Burkina Faso, the interior ministry said.   The ministry’s toll was higher than the deaths reported by local officials.   The attack by suspected jihadists on the…

US: Actor Alec Baldwin says ‘heart is broken’ after fatally shooting cinematographer

  SANTA FE (United States), Oct 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Hollywood star Alec Baldwin said his “heart is broken” after he fatally shot a cinematographer with a prop gun he had been told was safe on the set of a Western about an accidental killing.   The US actor and producer…

UN evacuates staff from Ethiopia’s Tigray after another airstrike

Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General UNITED NATIONS, Oct 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United Nations is evacuating some humanitarian personnel from Ethiopia’s Tigray region, following a new airstrike on the regional capital of Mekelle, a UN spokesman said.“Initial information from the ground indicates that civilians — including women and children — were…

Covid-19: Tanzania’s Zanzibar invites more airlines to revive tourism

Tourism is Zanzibar’s largest economic sector and it is essential for local socio-economic stability ZANZIBAR, Oct 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Tanzania’s Zanzibar authorities said its skies are open to international airlines in a move aimed at resuscitating its tourism sector.Top officials said authorities will ensure that all protocols on COVID-19 precautions are observed…

Covid-19: Morocco suspends flights with three European nations over Coronavirus cases

Moroccan flag RABAT, Oct 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Morocco has suspended flights with Germany, Britain, and the Netherlands over Covid-19 concerns.The Moroccan national carrier, Royal Air Maroc, said “upon decisions of national authorities and following the pandemic situation,” flights with the three countries were suspended starting from late Wednesday.“To support our…

Libya hosts international talks to shore up stability ahead of polls

Libya’s Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, second right, and Foreign Minister Najla al-Mangoush, right, stand with Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nasser al-Mohammad al-Sabah, left, and Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan at the international conference aimed at supporting stability in Libya TRIPOLI, Oct 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — An…

Schoolchildren storm DRC parliament over striking teachers’ pay

Congolese students inside the parliament building in Kinshasa KINSHASA, Oct 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Hundreds of schoolchildren have stormed the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) parliament building, demanding the government raise teachers’ pay to end a strike that has stopped lessons for more than two weeks.The teachers went on strike…

Fire kills 16 at Russian explosives factory

 MOSCOW, Oct 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Sixteen people were killed and one person was missing after a deadly fire broke out at a Russian explosives factory southeast of Moscow on Friday, local authorities said.    The blaze took place in the village of Lesnoy, 300 kilometres from the capital in the…