Lebanon asks Interpol to arrest Russian ship captain, owner over port explosion

Members of the Lebanese army and the French military walk at the damaged site of the massive blast in Beirut’s port area BEIRUT, Oct 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Lebanon has asked Interpol to issue arrest warrants for the Russian captain and owner of the ship that brought the explosive material that…

US wildfires: California wine country firefight intensifies, progress made in deadly Cascades blaze

A helicopter drops water on the Glass Fire in Calistoga, California CALISTOGA (California, US), Oct 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — California firefighters coping with limited resources and worsening weather struggled for a fifth day to subdue flames menacing the famed Napa Valley wine region, while major progress was reported against a separate, deadly…

North Korea’s Kim Jong Un tours flood-hit town, sister reappears in public

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspects sites of reconstruction in Kimhwa County PYONGYANG, Oct 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected recovery efforts in a flooded village, his latest visit to areas damaged by recent typhoons, while his sister reappeared in public for the first time…

Covid-19: Six months after shutting its borders, Australia to allow New Zealanders to enter

A cyclist wears a protective face mask in Melbourne after it became the first city in Australia to enforce mask-wearing in public SYDNEY, Oct 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Australia will within weeks allow residents of New Zealand to enter the country without having to quarantine, Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said,…

Guatemala president orders capture of US-bound Honduran migrants

PUERTO BARRIOS (Guatemala), Oct 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei ordered the detention of thousands ofHondurans who entered his country as part of a US-bound caravan of migrants. “At this moment the order has been issued to detain in Guatemalan territory all of those (Hondurans) who have entered the…

Update: EU leaders back Belarus sanctions, warn Turkey

BRUSSELS, Oct 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — EU leaders agreed to impose sanctionsagainst members of the Belarus regime on Friday and fired a warning at Turkey over its gas drilling activities in the eastern Mediterranean. In a summit statement hammered out over more than six hours of haggling,the 27 leaders warned Ankara…

Update: US Pres Trump, First Lady tests positive for Covid, quarantines in White House

WASHINGTON, Oct 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US President Donald Trump has tested positive for Covid-19 along with First Lady Melania Trump but is “well” and will continue to perform his duties while quarantined at the White House, his doctor said Friday. Trump, who first announced the news of his positive test…

Turkey and Greece set up military hotline amid energy tensions

Tensions rose after Turkey sent this exploration vessel to waters near Greek islands BRUSSELS, Oct 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Turkey and Greece have set up a military hotline in a bid to reduce the risk of clashes in the Mediterranean, where the two are locked in a row over energy resources…

Lebanon and Israel agree to talks to end sea border dispute

Lebanon’s parliament speaker Nabih Berri BEIRUT, Oct 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Lebanon and Israel have agreed to a framework for U.S.-mediated talks aimed at ending a long-running dispute along the border between the two nations that have fought several conflicts.Still in a formal state of war, Lebanon and Israel have contested…

Brazil’s Bolsonaro rejects Biden’s offer of $20 billion to protect the Amazon

Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro BRASILIA, Oct 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro has slammed US presidential candidate Joe Biden for his remarks about the Amazon rainforest during Tuesday’s presidential debate, saying it was “difficult to understand such a disastrous and unnecessary declaration.” Bolsonaro, an ally of President Donald Trump,…