Chile keeping close monitoring of large fleet of Chinese fishing vessels

SANTIAGO, Oct 13 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — The Chilean government is keeping close tabs on a large fleet of Chinese fishing vessels that has stirred up controversy further north along the Pacific coast of South America, Foreign Minister Andres Allamand said. Allamand said Chile´s Defense Ministry and Navy were monitoring the advance…

Thousands of indigenous people march to end Colombian violence

CALI (Colombia), Oct 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Thousands of indigenous people demonstrated in southwestern Columbia on Monday demanding an end to violence, on the day commemorating Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the Americas. Dressed in green and red and carrying traditional sticks, the demonstrators converged on the city of Cali where they hope…

Belarus threatens to fire on anti-Lukashenko protesters

 Police detain a man MINSK, Oct 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Belarus threatened to fire on protesters to break up demonstrations against President Alexander Lukashenko, as EU foreign ministers agreed to impose sanctions personally targeting the strongman leader. The use of live firearms would mark a major escalation in the two-month standoff between…

Covid-19: Thousands pray in Portugal’s main Catholic site for end to pandemic

Pilgrims take part in a candlelight vigil at the Catholic shrine of Fatima, Portugal LISBON, Oct 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Standing in circles marked to keep social distance, thousands of faithful gathered and held candles at one of Catholicism’s most famous sanctuaries in Portugal on Monday evening, with many praying for the…

Covid-19: As pandemic rages, Mexicans pray to death ‘saint’

Mexico’s ‘Saint Death’ has no shortage of followers during a pandemic that has claimed tens of thousands of lives MEXICO CITY, Oct 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Their arms raised towards the sky, worshippers of Mexico’s “saint” of death pray before a giant cloaked skeleton asking for protection from the coronavirus and its…

Covid-19: Peru opens Machu Picchu for a single Japanese tourist after almost seven-month wait

Jesse Takayama’s (left) original plan had been to spend only a few days in Peru to take in Machu Picchu LIMA, Oct 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Peru opened the ruins of Machu Picchu for a single Japanese tourist after he waited almost seven months to enter the Inca citadel, while trapped…

IMF to launch talks on new Argentina loan in November

WASHINGTON, Oct 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The IMF said it will start talks with the government of crisis-ravaged Argentina on a new rescue package in mid-November. A team from the Washington-based crisis lender met with officials in Buenos Aires in recent days to discuss the country’s challenges amid the coronavirus pandemic,…

Russia shuns US lunar program, as space cooperation under threat

WASHINGTON, Oct 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russia is unlikely to participate in the Moon-orbiting station planned by the United States, a Russian official said, marking the probable end of the type of close cooperation seen for two decades on the International Space Station (ISS). The proposed new station, called the Gateway,…

Covid-19: DR Congo students return amid teachers’ strike over unpaid wages

KINSHASA, Oct 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Students returned to school in DR Congo on Monday after a six-month closure because of the coronavirus pandemic, with teacher strikes piling pressure on the government’s promise of free primary education. President Felix Tshisekedi took office early last year on the pledge, but questions persist…

Covid-19: Johnson & Johnson pauses vaccine trial as participant becomes ill

WASHINGTON, Oct 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Johnson & Johnson said it had temporarily halted its Covid-19 vaccine trial because one of its participants had become sick. “We have temporarily paused further dosing in all our Covid-19 vaccine candidate clinical trials, including the Phase 3 ENSEMBLE trial, due to an unexplained illness…