News In Brief

Three opposition parties lose standing over Nicaragua vote

Three political parties that formed the main opposition to the leftist government in the Nov. 4 national elections have been stripped of their legal status because they refused to meet the Aug. 5 deadline for registering candidates. The National Council of Parties voted 6 to 2 Wednesday night to cancel the legal status of the Liberal Constitutionalist, Social Christian, and Social Democratic Parties. The three parties make up the Nicaraguan Democratic Coordinate coalition.

Meanwhile, Nicaragua's left-wing leaders plan to set up an early-warning system against air attacks from the United States, a senior official said Thursday.