New intra-Afghan peace talks to be held in China
AP, Islamabad
A fresh round of intra-Afghan peace talks will be held in China next week, Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said Tuesday, raising hopes for renewed negotiations, even as violence surges in Afghanistan’s 18-year war.
The talks planned for Oct. 28 and 29 will be the first meeting between Taliban and prominent Afghans from Kabul since a July round of talks held in Doha, the capital of the Middle Eastern State of Qatar, where the Taliban maintain a political office.
Striking Chicago teachers to protest during morning rush hour
Reuters, Chicago
Striking Chicago teachers planned to march and hold a protest during the morning rush hour in the city’s downtown on Wednesday in their push for smaller class sizes and more support staff in the third-largest U.S. public schools system.
Classes were canceled for the fifth straight day on Wednesday for the Chicago Public Schools’ 300,000 students, who have been out of school and without after-hours activities since last Thursday when the system’s 25,000 teachers went on strike.
Pope calls for dialogue and end to Chile violence
AFP, Vatican City
Pope Francis launched an appeal Wednesday for dialogue and an end to violent protests in Chile which have claimed 15 lives and left 200 injured.
“I hope that by putting an end to violent demonstrations dialogue can be used to to find solutions to the crisis and confront the difficulties that have generated it, for the sake of the entire population,” he said during a weekly general audience.
Migrant killed, two missing in Greek coastguard collision
AFP, Athens
A migrant was killed, six were hurt and two were missing on Wednesday after a migrant boat collided with a Greek coastguard patrol vessel, officials said.
The collision occurred in the dark near the Aegean island of Kos, the coastguard said, adding that the migrant boat, carrying 34 people, had no lights on.
A man and a three-year-old child were reported missing while the injured and survivors were taken to a hospital on Kos.
