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…

Colombia: 23 dead in clashes between rival rebel groups

BOGOTA, Jan 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least 23 people — four of them Venezuelans — were killed in fighting between rival rebel groups in Colombia’s border region with Venezuela, top Colombian officials said.   Civilians were “likely” among the casualties from clashes between members of Colombia’s last recognized guerrilla group,…

Covid-19: Infections soar in US Congress amid Omicron surge

WASHINGTON, Jan 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US Congress is experiencing an unprecedented rise in COVID-19 cases, with the seven-day positivity rate at a congressional test site surging to 13 per cent from just 1 per cent in late November, the Capitol’s attending physician said. Most coronavirus infections on Capitol Hill have…

4,400 migrants lost at sea bound for Spain in 2021, double previous year

Migrants wait to disembark from a Spanish coast guard vessel, in the port of Arguineguin, in the island of Gran Canaria BARCELONA, Jan 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — More than 4,400 migrants, including at least 205 children, were lost at sea trying to reach Spain in 2021, a monitoring group said –…

Haitian prime minister survives weekend assassination attempt: PM’s office

Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry PORT-AU-PRINCE, Jan 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Gunmen unsuccessfully attempted to assassinate Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry during an event on Saturday commemorating the Caribbean country’s independence, his office said in a statement. Henry’s office said on Monday that “bandits and terrorists” had tried to shoot the…

Brazil’s President Bolsonaro hospitalised due to intestinal blockage

Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro gestures while being hospitalized due to an intestinal blockage in Sao Paulo SAO PAULO, Jan 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was rushed to hospital early Monday with abdominal pain that doctors found was caused by a partial intestinal blockage, and is facing potential surgery…

Brazil: Jump in deforestation of world’s most biodiverse savanna alarms scientists

BRASILIA, Jan 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Deforestation last year rose to the highest level since 2015 in Brazil’s Cerrado, prompting scientists to raise alarm over the state of the world’s most species-rich savanna, a major carbon sink that helps to stave off climate change. The Cerrado, which is spread across several…