BUENOS AIRES: Argentina plans to keep in place for now a ban on incoming flights from Mexico as the South American nation copes with the H1N1 swine flu scare, the health ministry said. Argentina's Health Minister Graciela Ocana told reporters that chief of staff Sergio Massa "informed me that it has been decided that the suspension of incoming flights from Mexico will continue." On Monday Argentine officials are to assess how long the ban will remain in place. Ocana said the virus was not spreading in Argentina, which has so far no confirmed cases of the disease, although the number of suspected cases rose from 17 to 29 according to daily figures reported by deputy health minister Carlos Soratti.Ocana added that 203 Argentines are to arrive on a special flight from Mexico early Monday and would face immediate checks by doctors at the airport. The ban on incoming flights was put in place on Tuesday after a high-level crisis meeting.
BEIRUT: Thousands of people converged Saturday on central Beirut to mark the fourth anniversary of the assassination of Lebanese former premier Rafiq Hariri.Waving Lebanese flags and carrying pictures of the slain leader, men, women and children gathered under sunny skies in Martyr's Square where members of the parliamentary majority were to address the crowd. The rally comes as final preparations are underway in The Hague for the launch of the international tribunal set up to bring Hariri's killers to justice. It also comes as the country prepares for legislative elections in June that will pit Western-backed political parties against a Hezbollah-led alliance backed by Syria and Iran.Hariri died in a massive car bombing on February 14, 2005 that also killed 22 others. The assassination was widely blamed on then Lebanese power-broker Syria, which has denied any involvement. The attack on the Beirut seafront was one of the worst acts of political violence to rock Lebanon since t...
Comments