The Hong Kong Department of Health has banned direct flights from Vancouver operated by Air Canada for two weeks in response to COVID-19 cases. A statement posted to the department's website says health officials detected nearly 60 imported cases in the first two weeks of this month, including one passenger on an October 13th Air Canada flight from Vancouver. It says another passenger had failed to comply with disease prevention and control requirements, prompting officials to implement the ban, which will remain in effect until October 26th. Air Canada notes that its Toronto to Hong Kong fli

U.S. officials are working with Haitian authorities to try to secure the release of 12 adults and five children with a U.S.-based missionary group who were abducted by a gang notorious for killings, kidnappings and extortion. Police say the group was snatched by the 400 Mawozo gang on Saturday. As authorities seek the release of the group, local unions and other organizations expect to launch a strike Monday to protest Haiti's worsening lack of security. The Western Hemisphere's poorest nation is again struggling with a spike in gang-related kidnappings and other crimes. The kidnapping of the

U.S. officials are working with Haitian authorities to try to secure the release of 12 adults and five children with a U.S.-based missionary group who were abducted by a gang notorious for killings, kidnappings and extortion. Police say the group was snatched by the 400 Mawozo gang on Saturday. As authorities seek the release of the group, local unions and other organizations expect to launch a strike Monday to protest Haiti's worsening lack of security. The Western Hemisphere's poorest nation is again struggling with a spike in gang-related kidnappings and other crimes. The kidnapping of the

A man armed with a bow and arrows killed five people and wounded others near the Norwegian capital of Oslo. That's according to police in the town of Kongsberg who arrested the assailant on Wednesday evening. The police chief says there was ``a confrontation'' between officers and the suspect, but he did not elaborate. Two other people were wounded and hospitalized in intensive care, including an officer who was off duty and inside the shop where the attack took place. Police were alerted to the attack around 6:30 p.m. and arrested the suspect about 20 minutes later. The community is 66 kilom

Hundreds of people in Spain's Canary Islands are fearing for their homes and property after a new lava stream from an erupting volcano threatened to engulf another neighborhood on the island of La Palma. Island authorities ordered the evacuation of around 800 people from a coastal town after the lava took a new course on its way to the Atlantic Ocean. It was the first mass exit since 6,000 people were told to leave after the Cumbre Vieja volcano first erupted on Sept. 19. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez traveled to La Palma on Wednesday. He says that scientists say the volcano's activity

Hollywood's Captain Kirk, 90-year-old William Shatner, has blasted into space and safely returned to Earth in a convergence of science fiction and science reality. He set out Wednesday morning for the final frontier aboard a ship built by Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin company. The ``Star Trek'' hero becomes the oldest person to ride a rocket. The fully automatic spacecraft reached an altitude of 66.5 miles over the West Texas desert. The up-and-down flight lasted about 10 minutes, with Shatner and his three fellow passengers parachuting back to Earth in the capsule.

A coroner in Wyoming says slain cross-country traveler Gabby Petito died as a result of strangulation. The 22 year old woman's body was found last month near an undeveloped camping area in remote northern Wyoming along the border of Grand Teton National Park. Teton County Coroner Dr. Brent Blue said in a news conference Tuesday he was prevented by Wyoming law from saying much more about the case. The coroner had earlier classified Petito's death as a homicide but had not previously disclosed how she was killed. Petito's boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, is considered a person of interest in her disa

India reported 18,346 new COVID-19 cases on October 05 which is lowest in 209 days. 263 people died taking the death toll to 4,49,260 in the last 24 hours. Active caseload stands at 2,52,902. The total recoveries have climbed to 3,31,50,886 after 29,639 people were discharged from the hospital in the last 24 hours. 91,54,65,826 vaccine doses have been administered.

Drugmaker Merck says its experimental COVID-19 pill reduced hospitalizations and deaths by half in people recently infected with the coronavirus.It said Friday that it would soon ask health officials in the U.S. and around the world to authorize the drug's use.If cleared, the drug would be the first pill shown to treat COVID-19.That could be a major step forward in global efforts to control the pandemic. All COVID-19 therapies now authorized in the U.S. require an IV or injection. A pill that could be taken at home could keep many patients out of the hospital. The results have not been peer re