Canada court awards compensation for families of airliner downed by Iran

MONTREAL, Jan 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A Canadian court has awarded more than CAN$100 million in compensation to the families of six people who died aboard a Ukrainian passenger jet shot down over Tehran almost two years ago, local media said. Iran shot down Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 shortly after…

Covid-19: Chilean zoo jabs big cats, orangutan

Bornean orangutan Sandai receives his second dose of an animal coronavirus vaccine at the Buin Zoo in Chile BUIN (Chile), Jan 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Bengal tiger Charly and Bornean orangutan Sandai, both members of endangered species, have received coronavirus vaccines at a Chilean zoo in a Latin American first. Charly,…

Update: Haitian PM says he was targeted in assassination attempt

Prime Minister Ariel Henry PORT-AU-PRINCE, Jan 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry said in an interview on Monday that he was targeted in an assassination attempt during weekend national day celebrations. “An attempt has been made against me personally. My life has been put in the crosshairs,” said…

Four beekeepers detained after protest in Chilean capital, police stung by bees

Beekeepers detained by riot police after they blocked the street with honeycombs full of bees in front of the Chilean presidential palace, in Santiago SANTIAGO, Jan 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Four beekeepers were detained after protesting in front of Chile’s presidential palace in Santiago on Monday, according to local officials, with…

Covid-19: Mozambican president, first lady test positive

President Filipe Nyusi and his wife Isaura MAPUTO, Jan 4 (NNN-Xinhua) — Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi and his wife Isaura Nyusi have tested positive for COVID-19, the presidential office announced in a statement. They president and first lady, both asymptomatic, got a positive result from a routine test on Monday…

Libyan parliament urges elections commission to set new date for presidential election

TRIPOLI, Jan 4 (NNN-Xinhua) — Libya’s House of Representatives, the parliament, urged the High National Elections Commission to propose a new date for the presidential election as soon as possible. The House of Representatives made the call in a statement after a parliament session, during which 80 of its members…

Wind restarts fire engulfing South Africa’s parliament

  CAPE TOWN, Jan 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A fire engulfing South Africa’s parliament continued to rage as night fell on Cape Town on Monday, after strong winds reignited the blaze that firefighters had declared under control just hours earlier.    A 49-year-old man has been charged over starting the inferno…

Snow storm batters US east, piling onto holiday chaos

 WASHINGTON, Jan 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — After a bruising holiday week of flight cancellations and record surges in Covid-19 cases, a powerful winter snow storm Monday further snarled US transport, shuttering the federalgovernment and bringing Washington to a standstill.    The storm packed an unexpectedly fierce punch and appeared to have…

In record year, over 28,000 migrants crossed English Channel: report

LONDON, Jan 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A record number of more than 28,000 migrants crossed the Channel from France to the UK in small boats last year, the PA news agency reported Tuesday, based on its analysis of government data.   As people smugglers exploited demand, charging thousands of pounds for…

Haiti: 11 killed in foiled prison break

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Jan 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Ten inmates and a police officer were killed during an attempt to escape from a Haitian prison, police said.    “The toll that we have is eleven dead, including a police officer,” police spokesman Gary Desrosiers said of the incident which took place Friday at…