Cargo ship on fire, spewing toxic gas off Canada’s Pacific coast: officials

  VANCOUVER, Oct 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A container ship has caught fire and isexpelling toxic gas off Canada’s Pacific coast, authorities said.   The Zim Kingston ship had been bound for Vancouver when the flames erupted,with the fire reported to the coast guard at around 11 pm local time, CBCNews…

Over 800 inmates escape following gunmen attack in SW Nigeria — official

ABUJA, Oct 24 (NNN-Xinhua) — More than 800 inmates escaped following an attack by unidentified gunmen on a custodial center in southwest Nigeria’s Oyo state, the country’s correctional service confirmed on Saturday. Olanrewaju Anjorin, spokesman for the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) in the Oyo state, said in a statement 837…

Spain vows to speed up aid to volcano-hit La Palma

LA PALMA, Oct 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Spain would speed up aid to the hard-hit agriculture and fishing industries on the island of La Palma, where part of the volcano’s cone collapsed on Saturday (Oct 23) and red hot lava continued to flow for more than a…

Cuban street protester sentenced to 10 years in prison: Family and NGO

This file photo from July 11, 2021 shows an anti-goverment rally in Havana, one of many that rocked Cuba that day HAVANA, Oct 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A Cuban man who took part in unprecedented nationwide street protests last July has been sentenced to 10 years in jail, the stiffest punishment yet…

New migrant caravan in Mexico pushes past blockade to head north

TAPACHULA (Mexico), Oct 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Several thousand migrants from Haiti, South America and Central America set off from southern Mexico headed north, clashing with law enforcement trying to hold the caravan back. Some people among the latest mass movement of migrants trying to pass north through Mexico said they…

Covid-19: Romania tightens restrictions as cases surge

BUCHAREST, Oct 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Romanian government will reintroduce a night curfew and make health passes mandatory for entry to most public venues from Monday, as well as sending school children on vacation for two weeks, as it seeks to stem a surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths. The…

Russian, Chinese warships hold first joint patrols in the Pacific

Russia and China have built closer diplomatic and military ties in recent years MOSCOW, Oct 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russian and Chinese warships held their first joint patrols in the Western part of the Pacific ocean from Oct 17 to 23, Russia’s defence ministry said in a statement. Moscow and Beijing,…

US meets Sudanese leaders to reaffirm support for democracy

Demonstrators protest against prospect of military rule in Khartoum KHARTOUM, Oct 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A US envoy underlined Washington’s support for a democratic transition to civilian rule in Sudan during talks with the head of its ruling council and the prime minister, the US embassy in Khartoum said on Saturday. It tweeted…

Seven prisoners found dead in Ecuador jail affected by riots

Inmates of the Regional de Guayaquil prison hold banners reading “We want peace,” “The law is killing us,” “Peace, no to violence” QUITO, Oct 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Ecuador’s SNAI prison authority has found the bodies of seven prisoners in the same jail where violence between gangs lead to the deaths…

Somali drama wins Pan-African film festival grand prize

OUAGADOUGOU, Oct 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Somalia’s entry “The Gravedigger’s Wife” by Finish-Somali writer-director Khadar Ayderus Ahmed won the prestigious Stallion of Yennenga grand prize for best film at the Pan-African film festival in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on Sunday. The poignant drama about a gravedigger’s struggles to raise money to pay…