Covid-19: Austria lockdown for unvaccinated starts on Monday as daily infections hit an all-time high

The lockdowns across the Alpine country are to be enforced with random spot checks for the next 10 days VIENNA, Nov 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Austrian Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg said that a nationwide lockdown begins Monday for those not vaccinated against Covid-19 or recently recovered, as the EU member fights a…

US, France discuss Russian military activity in Ukraine

Ukraine has been fighting pro-Russia separatists in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions of eastern Ukraine WASHINGTON, Nov 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian about Russian military activity taking place “in and near Ukraine,” a US official said.   The…

Death toll in Texas concert tragedy rises to 10

 HOUSTON, Nov 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The death toll from a lethal crowd surge at a rap concert in Texas has risen to 10, a lawyer for the victims said, after a nine-year-old boy trampled during the event died of his injuries.   Scores were injured attending a performance by hip-hop…

Argentine gov’t loses congress majority, seeks opposition dialogue

 BUENOS AIRES, Nov 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Argentina’s President Alberto Fernandez called for dialogue with the opposition after Sunday’s midterm parliamentary elections, with projections showing his governing coalition has lost control of Congress.   Having already held a minority in the lower house Chamber of Deputies, Fernandez’s Frente de Todos (Everyone’s…

Suspected jihadists kill at least 20 in Burkina Faso

  OUAGADOUGOU, Nov 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Suspected jihadists killed at least 19 gendarmes and a civilian in an attack in northern Burkina Faso, officials said.   The pre-dawn attack, one of the deadliest to hit Burkinabe defence and security forces since jihadist violence erupted six years ago, targeted a “detachment…

DR Congo’s Constitutional Court drops trial of ex-PM

 KINSHASA, Nov 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Constitutional Court of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ruled that it had no jurisdiction to try former prime minister Augustin Matata, accused of massive embezzlement.    The trial opened last month, but had been swiftly adjourned when one of the defendants in the…

Police officer attacked by man with knife in southern France

The knifeman reportedly struck while unsuspecting officers were sitting in a car outside a police station PARIS, Nov 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A police officer was attacked by a man with a knife in Cannes, southern France, and his assailant has been “neutralised”, said French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin. The attack in…

Palma De Mallorca: Fleeing passengers shut down busy Spanish airport

 LA PALMA (Spain), Nov 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — One of Spain’s busiest airports shut down for nearly four hours on Friday after an apparent attempt by migrants to enter the country illegally. A plane flying from Casablanca in Morocco to Istanbul, Turkey, was diverted to Palma de Mallorca after a medical…

Chile’s desert dumping ground for fast fashion leftovers

Piles of used clothes have been discarded in Chile’s Atacama Desert ALTO HOSPICIO (Chile), Nov 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A mountain of discarded clothing including Christmas sweaters and ski boots cuts a strange sight in Chile’s Atacama, the driest desert in the world, which is increasingly suffering from pollution created by…

Covid-19: Germany’s seven-day incidence rate rises to record high

People queue to receive a vaccine against the coronavirus disease BERLIN, Nov 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Germany’s incidence rate measuring the number of new coronavirus infections per 100,000 people over the last seven days soared to 201.1 on Monday, a record since the pandemic erupted more than a year ago. The…