NEWS IN BRIEF

Honduras: 18 killed, 16 hurt in prison riot
AP, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Inmates, some with firearms, rioted at a prison in Honduras on Friday, killing at least 18 people and injuring 16 others, authorities said. The violence, which occurred in Tela in the Atlántida region on the Caribbean coast, came several days after Honduras declared a state of emergency in its prison system. The measure suspended civilian leaders in prisons and replaced them with a special commission led by military and police officers.

 

Brexit deal secures first win in new
parliament
AFP, London
Britain’s new parliament on Friday gave its initial approval to a revised EU divorce deal that sets up a high-stakes clash with Brussels over the sides’ future ties. The 358 to 234 vote paves the way for Prime Minister Boris Johnson to deliver on his winning general election promise to “get Brexit done” without further delays on January 31. But it also pushes Britain and the remaining 27 European Union member states closer to another cliff edge that could end decades of unfettered trade when the post-Brexit transition period shuts at the end of 2020.

 

Church is losing influence, pope warns
AFP, Vatican City
Pope Francis yesterday called on church leaders for a “change in mentality”, saying the Christian faith is less heeded—even ignored—in the modern world. New methods were needed to help “reposition our ways of thinking and our attitudes”, the pope warned in his traditional Christmas greetings to the Roman Curia, the Vatican’s top administrative body. “We are no longer the only ones today to produce culture, neither the first nor the most listened to,” the Argentinian pontiff said.

 

Six injured as giant cruise ships collide off Mexico
AFP, Mexico City
Six people were injured Friday when two enormous cruise ships operated by US-based Carnival collided off Mexico’s Caribbean coast, the company said. “Oh my God!” a man can be heard saying in a dramatic video of the Carnival Glory crashing into the Carnival Legend as it docked at the popular island resort of Cozumel. “Someone could have died!” he said.

 

230 suspected MS-13 gang members held
AFP, New York
Investigators have arrested more than 230 suspected MS-13 gang members in New York, Baltimore and El Salvador, US officials announced Friday, in a move celebrated by President Donald Trump. The operation against the Hispanic gang was the result of more than two years of investigative work, US drug agency DEA officials and the Suffolk County prosecutor said in a statement. Of more than 230 people arrested, 96 were from Long Island—a stronghold of MS-13 -- although the statement did not specify if they were American or foreign nationals.

 

 

NEWS IN BRIEF

Honduras: 18 killed, 16 hurt in prison riot AP, Tegucigalpa, Honduras Inmates, some with firearms, rioted at a prison in Honduras on Friday, killing at least 18 people and injuring 16 others, authorities said. The violence, which occurred in Tela in the Atlntida region on the Caribbean coast, came several days after Honduras declared a state of emergency in its prison system. The measure suspended civilian leaders in prisons and replaced them with a special commission led by military and police officers. Brexit deal secures first win in new parliament AFP, London Britains new parliament on Friday gave its initial approval to a revised EU divorce deal that sets up a high-stakes clash with Brussels over the sides future ties. The 358 to 234 vote paves the way for Prime Minister Boris Johnson to deliver on his winning general election promise to get Brexit done without further delays on January 31. But it also pushes Britain and the remaining 27 European Union member states closer to another cliff edge that could end decades of unfettered trade when the post-Brexit transition period shuts at the end of 2020. Church is losing influence, pope warns AFP, Vatican City Pope Francis yesterday called on church leaders for a change in mentality, saying the Christian faith is less heededeven ignoredin the modern world. New methods were needed to help reposition our ways of thinking and our attitudes, the pope warned in his traditional Christmas greetings to the Roman Curia, the Vaticans top administrative body. We are no longer the only ones today to produce culture, neither the first nor the most listened to, the Argentinian pontiff said. Six injured as giant cruise ships collide off Mexico AFP, Mexico City Six people were injured Friday when two enormous cruise ships operated by US-based Carnival collided off Mexicos Caribbean coast, the company said. Oh my God! a man can be heard saying in a dramatic video of the Carnival Glory crashing into the Carnival Legend as it docked at the popular island resort of Cozumel. Someone could have died! he said. 230 suspected MS-13 gang members held AFP, New York Investigators have arrested more than 230 suspected MS-13 gang members in New York, Baltimore and El Salvador, US officials announced Friday, in a move celebrated by President Donald Trump. The operation against the Hispanic gang was the result of more than two years of investigative work, US drug agency DEA officials and the Suffolk County prosecutor said in a statement. Of more than 230 people arrested, 96 were from Long Islanda stronghold of MS-13 -- although the statement did not specify if they were American or foreign nationals.