Former Ivory Coast rebel leader Soro to run for president

ABIDJAN, Oct 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Former Ivory Coast rebel leader Guillaume Soro has announced he will run in next year’s presidential election, a vote seen as a major test of stability in the West African country after two civil wars this century. Soro, 47, led the rebels that tried and…

Morocco pardons journalist Hajar Raissouni jailed on abortion charges

RABAT, Oct 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A Moroccan journalist sentenced to a year in jail for premarital sex and having an abortion has been pardoned by King Mohammed VI, officials say. The justice ministry said the king’s intervention in the high-profile case was “an act of compassion and mercy”. Journalist Hajar Raissouni,…

Catalan protests: Region’s President urges immediate halt to violence

BARCELONA (Spain), Oct 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) —The president of Spain’s Catalonia region has called for an immediate halt to violence, as protests continued for a third night. “We condemn violence… This has to stop right now,” Quim Torra said. On Wednesday, protesters set up burning barricades and hurled projectiles at police in Barcelona, the capital…

Death toll from Philippine earthquake rises to 5

MANILA, Oct 18 (NNN-XINHUA) — The death toll from the 6.3-magnitude earthquake that struck North Cotabato province in southern Philippines on Wednesday has climbed to five people, local officials said. Mayor Reuel Limbungan of Tulunan town in North Cotabato said a seven-year-old child died in a house after a wall collapsed onto her in Datu…

Libya announces deportation of 95 illegal immigrants to Egypt

TRIPOLI, Oct 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Libya’s Immigration Control Department in the eastern city of Benghazi announced the deportation of 95 illegal immigrants to Egypt. The deported immigrants had “infectious diseases” and they went by buses through the Egyptian border, said the department. On Monday the department deported more than 100 illegal immigrants to Nigeria and…

Britain and EU strike Brexit deal but MPs cry foul

BRUSSELS, Oct 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Britain and the European Union reached a new divorce deal Thursday that could allow Brexit on Oct 31, but faced immediate opposition among MPs in London — who could still block it. The deal was sealed just hours before a summit of EU leaders that…

US Pres Trump hails ‘great news’ after Pence-Erdogan talks on Syria

WASHINGTON, Oct 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US President Donald Trump hailed “great news” following talks between his vice president and Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan on a ceasefire in northern Syria. “Great news out of Turkey,” Trump tweeted, shortly before Vice President Mike Pence announced in Ankara that Turkey had agreed…

Saudi company signs MoU for investing $2.5b in Bangladesh power sector

DHAKA, Oct 18 (NNN-BSS) — Saudi Arabia (KSA) based company, ACWA Power signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for investing around US$2.5 billion in power and energy sector in Bangladesh. Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) and ACWA Power signed the MoU for ‘Development of Natural Gas/R-LNG Based Combined Cycle Power…

Spain: 30 people arrested during Catalan protests – Police

MADRID, Oct 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Police in Spain said they arrested 30 people overnight across Catalonia for their roles in clashes with police during protests over the jailing of nine separatist leader over a failed 2017 independence bid. Pro-independence groups staged sit-ins outside Spanish government offices in a number of…

Kenya to open $1bn Chinese-built railway line

NAIROBI, Oct 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The second phase of Kenya’s new railway line, running from the capital Nairobi to Naivasha town, will be opened Wednesday for passenger services only.Cargo services will have to wait for the construction of a dry port, which could take longer than planned after the local…