News Headlines - 14 November 2020

▽War crimes feared in Ethiopia’s Tigray, Amnesty reports massacre | Al Jazeera

Fighting between Ethiopian government forces and rebellious northern leaders could spiral out of control and war crimes may have been committed, the United Nations said on Friday, as repercussions spread around the volatile Horn of Africa.
The 10-day conflict in Tigray region has killed hundreds, sent refugees flooding into Sudan, and raised fears it may draw in Eritrea or force Ethiopia to divert troops from an African force opposing al-Qaeda-linked fighters in Somalia.

▽Egypt finds treasure trove of over 100 sarcophagi - France 24

Egypt announced Saturday the discovery of an ancient treasure trove of more than a 100 intact sarcophagi, dating back more than 2,500 years ago, the largest such find this year.
The sealed wooden coffins, unveiled on site amid fanfare, belonged to top officials of the Late Period and the Ptolemaic period of ancient Egypt.
They were found in three burial shafts at depths of 12 metres (40 feet) in the sweeping Saqqara necropolis south of Cairo.

▽Teck to test antimicrobial copper on Vancouver transit network

Diversified resource company Teck has announced that it will test antimicrobial copper coatings on high-touch transit surfaces on public transport in Vancouver, Canada... The antimicrobial copper coatings will be used on buses and Vancouver’s SkyTrain, the city’s light rapid transit system. Copper alloy surfaces are naturally antimicrobial and have self-sanitising properties, with research showing that these surfaces can eliminate up to 99.9% of harmful bacteria and viruses.
The project is the first implementation of this kind in North America and continues Teck’s efforts to promote antimicrobial copper surfaces being used in healthcare and public spaces as part of the company’s Copper & Health programme.

▽Italy’s PM Promises Kids Santa Won’t Be Put In Lockdown

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has reassured children that Santa Claus will be able to deliver presents as normal this Christmas. His guarantee came after five-year-old Tommaso wrote a letter begging the Premier not to put Santa Claus in lockdown... Reassurance from Italy’s PM came yesterday in the form of a Facebook post. “Father Christmas assured me that he already has an international travel certificate: he can travel everywhere and distribute gifts to all the world’s children,” Conte wrote.

▽Tunnel plan near Stonehenge gets UK government consent

The British government went against the recommendations of planning officials Thursday, approving controversial plans for a road tunnel to be built near the prehistoric monument of Stonehenge in southern England.
The project, which is aimed at trying to ease traffic along a stretch of road widely prone to gridlock, has been touted for decades but has faced vociferous opposition from local residents as well as archaeologists.