News in Brief -(24-10-2019)

Esper in Iraq to

discuss troops

leaving Syria

BAGHDAD, Oct 23 : US Defence Secretary Mark Esper arrived in Baghdad on Wednesday as chaos swirled along the Turkey-Syria border and Iraqi leaders chafed over reports that the US may want to increase the number of troops based in Iraq, at least temporarily. Esper's meetings Wednesday at the Iraqi Defense Ministry came a day after Iraq's military said American troops leaving northeastern Syria don't have permission to stay in Iraq. — AP

Pope calls for

dialogue to end Chile violence

VATICAN CITY, Oct 23: 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. — AFP

Syrian man sets

himself on fire

outside UN

GENEVA, Oct 23: A Syrian Kurdish man set himself on fire Wednesday outside the headquarters of the United Nations refugee agency and was receiving treatment for his injuries, police told AFP. The 31-year-old German resident did not provide any explanation for his actions, Geneva police spokesman Silvain Guillaume-Gentil said. — AFP

Myanmar seizes large amount of stimulants

YANGON, Oct 23: Myanmar authorities have seized a large amount of stimulants worth of 700 million kyats (466,600 US dollars) in Shan state, according to a release of the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC) late on Tuesday. The seizure was made by local anti-drug squad in Ywa Ngan township on Monday afternoon when the unit intercepted a car on Aung Ban-Ywa Ngan motor road. — Xinhua