UN launches Libyan political dialogue forum

TRIPOLI, Oct 26 (NNN-Xinhua) — The Acting Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Libya, Stephanie Williams, launched the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) shortly after the signing of the permanent ceasefire agreement Friday. The forum will convene its first virtual meeting on Monday, while the direct in-person meeting of…

Venezuela holds election drill ahead of legislative elections

CARACAS, Oct 26 (NNN-Xinhua) — Venezuela on Sunday held an election drill in preparation for the legislative elections due on Dec 6 to familiarize voters with new electronic voting machines and iron out potential problems in the network of polling stations. All the stations were up and running, and voters…

Covid-19: Canadians urged to avoid large in-person gatherings as cases spike

A pedestrian wearing a face mask in seen in Ottawa OTTAWA, Oct 26 (NNN-Xinhua) — Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam urged Canadians to avoid large gatherings as COVID-19 cases spike in the country. Tam said in a statement that “now is not the time for hosting large in-person…

Update: UN chief shocked at attack on school in Cameroon

An abandoned classroom in a Government-funded French primary school in southwestern Cameroon UNITED NATIONS, Oct 26 (NNN-Xinhua) — UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed shock at the horrific attack on a school in Kumba in Cameroon’s Southwest region, in which several children were reportedly killed and several others wounded, said his…

Spanish PM announces State of Alarm to curb coronavirus

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (C) MADRID, Oct 26 (NNN-Xinhua) — Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced a State of Alarm in an attempt to halt the spread of coronavirus, days after Spain became the first European Union state to pass the grim one-million-case mark. The State of Alarm, effective…

Covid-19: Thousands protest against restrictions in Germany’s Berlin

BERLIN, Oct 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The German capital, which has one of the nation’s highest infection rates, has seen repeated anti-coronavirus protests. The rally was timed to coincide with the opening of a major health conference, which moved online. Some 2,000 demonstrators gathered at Berlin’s Alexanderplatz on Sunday to protest…

Court filing: US insists on need to ban TikTok

WASHINGTON, Oct 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US President Donald Trump’s administration has insisted on the need to ban TikTok due to national security concerns in a new court filing ahead of a plan to make the video app unavailable on Nov 12. The filing comes as the court considers the legality…

Thousands of seals found dead in Namibia

WINDHOEK, Oct 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — An estimated 7,000 Cape fur seals have been discovered dead at a breeding colony in central Namibia. Conservationist Naude Dreyer of the charity Ocean Conservation Namibia began noticing dead seals littering the sandy beaches of the Pelican Point colony near Walvis Bay city in September.…

Chile’s president calls on nation to work together for ‘new constitution’

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera SANTIAGO, Oct 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Chile’s President Sebastian Pinera called on the nation to work together for a “new constitution” after Chileans voted overwhelmingly to replace their dictatorship-era charter. “This plebiscite is not the end, it is the beginning of a path that we must all walk…

Covid-19: Bulgarian PM tests positive

SOFIA, Oct 26 (NNN-XINHUA) – Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said on his Facebook page on Sunday that he had tested positive for COVID-19 and is currently being treated at home. “After two PCR tests today, I am positive with COVID-19,” Boyko Borissov wrote on his Facebook, adding “at the…