Vaping: US unveils partial ban on flavored e-cigarettes

WASHINGTON, Jan 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US government announced it was banning most flavored e-cigarettes in a bid to curb the rising tide of youth vaping, but under industry pressure it stopped short of the full ban promised in September by the White House.The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said…

Bird flu kills tens of thousands of turkeys in Poland; 40,000 other poultry to be slaughtered

WARSAW, Jan 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Up to 40,000 poultry are due to be slaughtered after bird flu was found responsible for the deaths of at least 25,000 turkeys in eastern Poland. Thursday’s mass slaughter of birds comes in the Lubartow area, a major poultry farming region, Polish veterinary authorities said.…

Ex-Mexican minister pleads not guilty in US to taking drug bribes

Genaro Garcia Luna NEW YORK, Jan 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Former Mexican public security minister Genaro Garcia Luna, accused of taking huge bribes to allow the notorious Sinaloa cartel to ship drugs into the US, pleaded not guilty in a New York court. The once-powerful Garcia Luna entered the federal courtroom…

Crisis Group: Djibouti, Eritrea face threats as US-Iran conflict escalates

ASMARA, Jan 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Red Sea strait of Bab el Mandeb, located between Yemen and the African countries of Djibouti and Eritrea is one of the areas that might be on the receiving end of rising escalations between the United States and Iran. In Yemen, the United States…

Britain temperature records tumbled in 2019

LONDON, Jan 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Britain recorded its highest ever summer and winter temperatures in 2019, ending one of the hottest decades in history, the Met Office said. As much of northern Europe sweltered in a July heatwave, the mercury hit 38.7 Celsius (101 Fahrenheit) in the east of England,…

NATO ‘monitoring situation’ after Iran general killed

BRUSSELS, Jan 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The NATO military alliance was monitoring the situation in Iraq closely with an eye to the safety of its training mission there after US forces killed an Iranian general. NATO maintains a limited presence in Iraq ro train government security forces and the alliance was…

Dying has become a luxury in crisis-ridden Argentina

BUENOS AIRES, Jan 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — No one can escape Argentina’s biggest economic crisis in almost two decades — not even the dead. The cost of buying, renting and maintaining graves and tombs is so high that many people opt to cremate their loved ones instead. Juan Tapia runs the…

Black box of crashed Taiwan military chopper located

Rescuers searching for survivors after a military Black Hawk helicopter smashed into mountains in Yilan county near Taipei TAIPEI, Jan 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The black box from a Taiwanese helicopter that crashed killing its military chieff has been recovered, the defence ministry said. The island is in mourning after the Black Hawk…

More talks needed on shape of Tunisian government before vote

Prime minister designate Habib Jemli TUNIS, Jan 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Tunisia’s designated prime minister will hold more talks on forming a government, the presidential office said, delaying parliament’s vote on the new cabinet that had been expected on Thursday. Prime Minister-designate Habib Jemli submitted his proposed cabinet list to President…

On Day 29, French rail strike makes history

A traveler walks on a empty platform at at Gare Montparnasse train station during the 29th day of transport strikes in Paris PARIS, Jan 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A labour walkout that has frustrated Paris commuters and marooned thousands of holiday travellers in France dragged into its 29th day on Thursday, becoming…