NGO rescues more than 270 people in central Mediterraean

A German NGO said Saturday that one of its migrant rescue ships has picked up more than 270 people from the central Mediterranean Sea in three operations since Friday.
#ngo #mediterraneansea

5 700 flights scrapped as Omicron hits Christmas weekend travel

At least 5 700 flights have been cancelled worldwide over the long Christmas weekend and thousands more were delayed, a tracking website reported Saturday, as the highly infectious Omicron variant brings holiday travel headaches to millions.
#omicron #christmastravel

More than 30 killed, bodies burnt in Myanmar's Kayah state

More than 30 people, including women and children, were killed and their bodies burnt in Myanmar's conflict-torn Kayah state on Friday, according to a local resident, media reports and a local human rights group.
#myanmar #kayah

At least 30 dead in migrant boat accidents in Greece

Greek coast guards scoured for survivors in the Aegean Sea on Saturday after the latest in a series of migrant boat accidents that have killed at least 30 people in just days.
#greece #migrantboat

Harry and Meghan remember Tutu’s 'infectious laughter' as they pay tribute to 'The Arch'

Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, released a statement following the news of the death of Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Tutu, the last surviving South African laureate of the Nobel Peace Prize, died in Cape Town on Sunday at the age of 90.
#meghanmarkle #desmondtutu #princeharry

UK's red list to be scrapped – reports

The United Kingdom’s much-criticised “red list”, which bans visitors from countries it deems to have a high risk associated with Covid-19, could soon become a thing of the past.
#ukredlist #uk #covid19

Europe's bizarre rules for Covid-19 vaccine passes

Efforts in Europe to encourage vaccine use through certificates proving vaccination, a negative test result or evidence of having had Covid-19 have created a mountain of regulation.
#europe #covid19vaccine

Putin Reveals New Alliance With China To Create Space Weapons

VLADIMIR Putin has revealed a new alliance with China to create space weapons that could unleash havoc in the West if its satellites were targeted.
#vladimirputin #china

TikTok sued by content moderator traumatised by graphic videos

TikTok’s 10 000 content moderators are exposed to a regular diet of child pornography, rapes, beheadings and animal mutilation, according to a lawsuit filed against the video-sharing platform and its parent, ByteDance.
#tiktok #graphicvideos

32 dead in Bangladesh ferry fire – police

At least 32 people died on Friday when a packed ferry caught fire in southern Bangladesh, police said. "The three-storey Obhijan 10 caught fire mid-river. We have recovered 32 bodies. The death toll may rise. Most died from the fire and a few by drowning after they jumped into the river," .
#bangladesh #ferryfire