World briefs

ZIMBABWE’s state-run broadcaster says longtime President Robert Mugabe is due to address the nation shortly amid pressure to resign after nearly four decades in power. The announcement comes hours after the ruling party’s Central Committee fired Mugabe as party leader and said if he didn’t resign as the country’s president by noon today it would start impeachment proceedings. 

PHILIPPINES A court has convicted a man for a daring 2007 motorcycle bombing that killed a Muslim rebel-turned-congressman and three other people and wounded 10, including two legislators. 

SINGAPORE Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong says his country is expected to exceed expectations this year by recording economic growth above 3 percent. He said Singapore was benefiting from an improved world economy, but would have to press on with plans to restructure and upgrade the economy to sustain growth. 

TURKEY Officials have banned all events by lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex rights groups in the country’s capital. The ban took effect Saturday for an “indefinite” period and applies to all LGBTI film screenings, theaters, panels and exhibitions.

MOROCCO A stampede in a southern Moroccan village left at least 15 people dead and five others injured yesterday as food aid was being distributed in Sidi Boulalam, in the province of Essaouira, the Interior Ministry said.

GERMANY Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative bloc and two smaller parties struggled to find compromises yesterday on the thorny issues of migration and climate change as they sought to agree upon terms for a new coalition government.

KENYA Opposition leader Raila Odinga called yesterday for “international intervention” in the country’s election crisis, saying at least 31 supporters have been killed by police and militia since his return from an overseas trip on Friday.

ARGENTINA’s Navy detected seven brief satellite calls Saturday that officials believe may have come from a submarine with 44 crew members that hadn’t been heard from in three days. The communication attempts “indicate that the crew is trying to re-establish contact, so we are working to locate the source of the emissions,” the Navy said.

CHILE Billionaire businessman Sebastian Pinera is heavily favored to top yesterday’s election backed by Chileans who hope the former president can resuscitate a flagging economy, but polls suggest he won’t get enough votes to avoid a runoff.