World News Roundup: Pope names new cardinals; Italy orders bars and restaurants to close and more

Protesters return to Bangkok streets to pressure PM Thousands of people protested in the centre of Thailand's capital Bangkok on Sunday in the first demonstration since Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha ignored their Saturday night deadline to resign.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Protesters return to Bangkok streets to pressure PM

Thousands of people protested in the centre of Thailand's capital Bangkok on Sunday in the first demonstration since Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha ignored their Saturday night deadline to resign. It was also the first major show of force since Prayuth lifted Oct. 15 emergency measures that had been meant to stop three months of protests against the government and monarchy, but which brought tens of thousands of people onto the streets.

Italy orders bars and restaurants to close early as COVID rates surge

Italy on Sunday ordered bars and restaurants to close by 6 p.m. and shut public gyms, cinemas and swimming pools to try to halt a rapid resurgence in the coronavirus that has pushed daily infection rates to new records. The measures, which take effect on Monday and were agreed between Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte's government in Rome and regional authorities, arrived after two nights of protests in Naples and Rome against curfews introduced in a number of regions last week.

Malaysia's king rejects emergency rule in blow to premier

Malaysia's King Al-Sultan Abdullah rejected on Sunday a request by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin for him to declare a state of emergency in response to the coronavirus crisis, saying that he did not see the need. The move is a blow for Muhyiddin, who is facing a leadership challenge from opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim and infighting within his ruling coalition.

New fighting flares over Nagorno-Karabakh as Aliyev warns against Russian involvement

New fighting erupted between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces on Sunday over the mountainous enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh as both sides blamed each other for blocking a peaceful settlement to the conflict. Armenia accused Azeri forces of shelling civilian settlements. Baku denied killing civilians and said it was ready to implement a ceasefire, provided that Armenian forces withdrew from the battlefield.

Lebanese Christian cleric to Hariri: avoid 'secret deals' in forming cabinet

Lebanon's top Christian cleric urged Prime Minister-designate Saad al-Hariri on Sunday to avoid back-door deals and to quickly form a new government that will start lifting the country out of financial crisis. Veteran Sunni politician Hariri was named premier for a fourth time on Thursday, a year after huge protests against the ruling elite pushed him to quit.

Suicide bombing at Kabul education centre kills 24, students among the victims

A suicide bombing at an education centre in Afghanistan's capital Kabul killed 24 people including teenage students and wounded dozens more on Saturday, officials said. A Ministry of Interior spokesman, Tariq Arian, said security guards had identified a bomber who detonated explosives in the street outside the Kawsar-e Danish centre.

Tanzania opposition says Zanzibar campaign manager, candidate abducted days before vote

A Tanzanian opposition party said on Sunday both its campaign manager and its parliamentary candidate in semi-autonomous Zanzibar had been abducted by unknown assailants days before elections are due on Oct. 28. ACT-Wazalendo party said in statement the assailants attacked Nassor Mazrui, its Zanzibar campaign manager and the party's deputy secretary general for the archipelago, as he left his house to go to his office in Zanzibar town.

Left-leaning NDP projected to form majority British Columbia government: CBC

The left-leaning New Democratic Party (NDP) is on track to form a majority government in the western Canadian province of British Columbia, Canadian Broadcasting Corp (CBC) News projected after Saturday's election. The NDP has been running a minority government since 2017, with support of the province's Green Party. NDP leader John Horgan called an election in early September saying he wanted to ensure stability for the province as it responds to challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pope names new cardinals, putting his stamp on Church's future

Pope Francis named 13 new Roman Catholic cardinals on Sunday, including nine under the age of 80 who are eligible to enter a conclave to elect his successor after his death or resignation. They will be elevated to the high rank at a ceremony known as a consistory at the Vatican next month. Analysis: Fighting talk as besieged Thai loyalists try to rally

#KingKeepFighting was the hashtag used by the embattled Thai prime minister's operations centre at the weekend on a Twitter post with pictures of a walkabout by King Maha Vajiralongkorn. Faced by protesters' calls on Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha to quit and the monarchy's biggest challenge in decades, the royalist establishment is showing signs of attempting to mobilise a counterattack.

(With inputs from agencies.)