16,000 flee amid clashes at Colombia border

BOGOTA•At least 16,000 people have been displaced from their homes by armed conflict in the border region between Colombia and Venezuela, the United Nations said.

Human rights abuses carried out during fighting between rebel groups and government forces between March 14 and July 5 provoked a mass exodus from the the Catatumbo region that straddles the border between the South American neighbours, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said on Tuesday.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Facebook testing interactive ad concept

LONDON•Facebook is testing augmented reality advertisements on its news feed ahead of the holiday shopping season in the United States.

The ads will let users virtually interact with different products - from trying on Michael Kors sunglasses and accessories to visualising furniture in a room.

Facebook said on Tuesday that Sephora, Bobbi Brown, Pottery Barn, Wayfair and other brands will start testing the concept this summer. The company had earlier tested the feature in Facebook Messenger bots for businesses.

REUTERS

Muslim scholars call for peace in Afghanistan

JEDDAH • More than 100 Muslim scholars from around the world meeting in the Saudi holy city of Mecca issued an urgent appeal yesterday for peace in Afghanistan as they ended a two-day conference.

The international gathering, which focused on prospects for peace in Afghanistan, was sponsored by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, based in nearby Jeddah. Mr Yousef al-Othaimeen, the head of the 57-member organisation, ended the meeting by urging a ceasefire for Afghanistan.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE