Fire at unauthorized orphanage in Haiti kills 15 children
Fifteen children died in a fire that swept overnight through an orphanage in Haiti run by a U.S. Christian non-profit group, authorities said on Friday, triggering renewed controversy over the proliferation of non-registered orphanages in the poorest n…
Mexican activists splash presidential palace red, protesting murder of women
Dozens of activists flocked to Mexico’s presidential palace on Friday to protest violence against women, chanting “not one murder more” and splashing one of its large, ornate doors with blood-red paint and the words “femicide state.”
Canada’s Trudeau demands from Iran independent probe into downed airliner
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he had “impressed upon” Iran’s foreign minister on Friday that a complete and independent investigation into the shooting down of a Ukrainian passenger plane in January had to be carried out.
In new attack on site of massacre, 21 killed or missing in Mali
At least 21 people were dead or missing on Friday after an attack on a village that was the scene last year of Mali’s worst civilian massacre in recent memory, the government said.
Egypt confirms first coronavirus case, says affected person is a foreigner
Egypt confirmed on Friday its first coronavirus case and said the affected person was a foreigner who had been put into isolation in hospital.
Lebanon ex-premier Hariri blames political rivals for crisis
Lebanon’s ex-Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri, in his first major address as an opposition figure after the formation of a new cabinet, charged his rivals with pushing the country to near-collapse and cast doubt on their ability to win foreign support.
U.S. bans Sri Lankan army chief from entry, citing civil war abuses
The United States barred Sri Lanka’s army chief, Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva, from entering the country over accusations of human rights violations including extrajudicial killings in 2009 during the country’s civil war, U.S. Secretary of State …
Venezuelan’s Maduro calls his decision allowing dollar transactions ‘correct’
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Friday his decision to allow transactions in dollars in the crisis-torn South American country was “correct” and taken “in the midst of a war.”
U.S., Taliban reach violence reduction pact that could lead to U.S. withdrawal
The United States has reached agreement with the Taliban on a weeklong reduction of violence that could lead to a U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, a senior administration official said on Friday, while cautioning that the insurgents must honor …
WHO says joint China mission to start coronavirus probe this weekend
A World Health Organization-led mission to China will start its outbreak investigation this weekend and will focus on how the new coronavirus is spreading and the severity of the disease, the WHO’s director-general said on Friday.
