Briefly

LIBYA

200 migrants rescued on Mediterranean

More than 200 illegal migrants were rescued off the Libyan coast on Thursday, said the International Organization for Migration."200+ migrants were just returned to Libya. In the past few days, six boats carrying 500+ migrants departed from Libya. Most of them were returned by the coast guard," the IOM tweeted. The rescued migrants included women and children.

CANADA

Ottawa lifting freeze on arms to Riyadh

Canada is lifting a freeze on weapons exports to Saudi Arabia and has renegotiated a much-criticized $14 billion contract to sell General Dynamics Corp armored vehicles to Riyadh, Ottawa said on Thursday. The "significant improvements" to the contract would secure thousands of jobs at the US firm's Canadian subsidiary, where the vehicles are being made, Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said. The announcement marks a retreat by the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who said in 2018 he was looking for a way out of the deal.

YEMEN

Sporadic attacks strain unilateral truce

Pro-government forces on Thursday accused the Houthi militia of launching an artillery shelling against a residential area in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah. Sporadic attacks were also recorded in many areas of the country despite the announcement of a two-week unilateral cease-fire by the Saudi-led coalition over coronavirus concerns. Yemen's internationally recognized government on Friday announced the first confirmed case of the virus.

Agencies - Xinhua