By Stefano Pozzebon, Natalie Gallón and Tara John, CNN The Nicaraguan government released more than 200 political prisoners, many of whom arrived in the United States on Thursday, according to officials, following years of repression by the country’s President Daniel Ortega. The authoritarian leader has jailed dozens of opposition figures and activists, particularly in the
Continue ReadingBy Paula Newton, CNN Two children were killed and six were injured when a city bus crashed into a day care center in a Montreal suburb Wednesday morning, authorities said. The driver of the bus, whom police said is a city transport employee, was arrested. Prosecutors said 51-year-old Pierre Ny St-Amand now faces two counts
Continue ReadingLeah Dolan, CNN Madonna has spoken out against criticism of her appearance after presenting at the Grammy Awards Sunday night. In her latest Instagram post, the multi-award-winning singer lamented being “caught in the glare of ageism and misogyny that permeates the world we live in,” after a close-up photo of her face went viral online
Continue ReadingBy Laura Paddison, CNN The Australian government on Wednesday turned down a proposal for a new open-cut coal mine near the Great Barrier Reef, invoking environmental laws and the risk of “irreversible damage.” The mining project, proposed by controversial Australian businessman Clive Palmer, would have been located less than 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from the
Continue ReadingBy Sahar Akbarzai, Bertha Ramos and Tara John, CNN Mexico is sending its beloved search and rescue dogs to Turkey, to help find survivors in the rubble following Monday’s devastating earthquake that toppled thousands of buildings in the country. At least 16 dogs, alongside their handlers, took off on Tuesday for Turkey, according to Marcelo
Continue ReadingBy Cheri Mossburg, CNN A fire from the battery of an electrical device aboard a United Airlines flight forced a Newark-bound plane to return to San Diego on Tuesday and sent four people to the hospital, officials say. The flight crew aboard United Flight 2664 prevented the fire from spreading further, and the plane returned
Continue ReadingBy Patrick Oppmann, CNN Elián González, the Cuban boy whose custody battle stoked Cold War-era tensions, has been nominated to serve in the island’s National Assembly, the communist-party daily Granma said Monday. The newspaper referred to González, now 29, as “representing the most worthy of the Cuban youth.” González’s nomination all but secures his post
Continue ReadingBy Lilit Marcus, CNN The earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on Monday has badly damaged Gaziantep Castle, a historic site and tourist attraction in southeastern Turkey. The castle collapsed during the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck in the early hours of February 6. “Some of the bastions in the east, south and southeast parts
Continue ReadingBy Sophie Tanno, CNN On a cold January morning, a mother-of-two dropped her young daughters off at school before taking her springer spaniel for their usual walk by the river. Mortgage broker Nicola Bulley greeted fellow dog walkers as she took a route along the River Wyre in Lancashire, northern England, police believe. During the
Continue ReadingAmarachi Orie, CNN Life simulation game “The Sims 4” has taken a few steps forward in imitating real life. Beyond choosing a Sim character’s body size, fat ratio or hair color, players — known as Simmers — can now give their teenage or adult Sims top-surgery scars or make them wear a chest binder or
Continue ReadingBy Lilit Marcus, Jessie Yeung and CNN’s Beijing bureau A Chinese vlogger is facing widespread online backlash and a monetary fine after she livestreamed herself cooking and eating a great white shark, a protected species in China. In the clip, the livestreamer, who calls herself Tizi, shows off the shark, which is about the same
Continue ReadingBy Lilit Marcus, CNN Hong Kong’s government has announced plans to give away 500,000 free airline tickets as part of efforts to revive its tourism industry and attract visitors back to the city. The “Hello Hong Kong” initiative was unveiled on Thursday but has been in the works for over two years. Tickets will be
Continue ReadingBy Rodrigo Pedroso, CNN A Brazilian senator says former President Jair Bolsonaro attended a meeting in December to overturn Brazil’s 2022 presidential election results, which granted current leader Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva the presidency. Senator Marcos do Val said in a press conference on Thursday, that both he and Bolsonaro were present at a
Continue ReadingBy Karol Suarez and Hira Humayun, CNN The former head of a zoo in Mexico‘s Guerrero state has been accused of having some animals killed for meat, among other incidents. The Guerrero Environment Department’s Director of Wildlife Fernando Ruiz said in a news conference on Tuesday that records of Zoochilpan Zoo in Chilpancingo misrepresented its
Continue ReadingBy Angus Watson, Teele Rebane and Sophie Tanno, CNN Cardinal George Pell remains a divisive figure even in death, with angry protests at his funeral in Sydney on Thursday and a former prime minister describing him as a “saint.” The Cardinal’s funeral took place at St. Mary’s Cathedral, with police forced to intervene as protesters
Continue ReadingBy Hilary Whiteman, CNN Authorities scanning a remote Australian highway for a tiny missing radioactive capsule have found it by the roadside, after a challenging search likened to trying to find a needle in a haystack. State emergency authorities announced the discovery on Wednesday afternoon, six days after the capsule was discovered missing from a
Continue ReadingBy Lilit Marcus, CNN Ongoing winter weather situations across the US continue to cause flight disruptions, with more than 2,000 flights already canceled for Wednesday. The effects of ice storms in the central and southern parts of the country have caused thousands of delayed or canceled flights across a wide swath of the US this
Continue ReadingBy Lilit Marcus, CNN More than 1,800 flights were canceled and many more delayed on Tuesday as a brutal ice storm continued to hit parts of the South and central United States, bringing a second day of transport problems. As wintry conditions affected an area from Texas to West Virginia, airplane tracking website FlightAware reported
Continue ReadingBy Karla Cripps, CNN Railways have long been a source of fascination for travelers, allowing us to experience journeys at a slower pace and revisit a time when packed airplanes and crowded airports weren’t the norm. Thailand has its own storied railway history dating back to the early 1900s, when Bangkok’s urbanites would climb aboard
Continue ReadingBy Stefano Pozzebon and Hira Humayun, CNN Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has called for emergency action to assist the country’s Yanomami indigenous group, according to a government statement on Monday. Living conditions among the relatively isolated Yanomani have deteriorated precipitously, with over 570 deaths from hunger over the last four years, according
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