Worldwide / 299

Face book set to restrict live streaming post NZ attack

April 01, 2019

Fifty people were killed in the Christchurch shootings, and the original video of the attack was viewed 4,000 times before it was removed . TechCrunch reports on an open letter published by Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg, in which she says the platform is "exploring restrictions" for limiting who can launch livestreams.

Polls open in Ukrainian presidential election

April 01, 2019

Zelensky and Poroshenko will face off for the presidency on April 21. She warned she might contest the final result . "I critically and soberly understand the signal that society gave today to the acting authorities", he said . Comedian and political newcomer Volodymyr Zelenskyy and incumbent Petro Poroshenko appear headed for a bitter presidential runoff vote in a country battling Russia-backed separatists, Moscow's seizure of a key chunk of its territory, a sluggish economy, and ...

Nepalese PM: 27 dead, 612 injured following massive storm

April 01, 2019

Prakash Tharu, a volunteer in Bara district hit hard by the storm, described the scene of devastation in the villages. Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli expressed sadness over the loss of lives while extending heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.

KSA Business: Saudi Arabia offers residency for international artists

April 01, 2019

Agence France-Presse (AFP) cited family members as having confirmed the release of blogger Eman al-Nafjan, Aziza al-Youssef, a retired lecturer at King Saudi University, and academic Rokaya al-Mohareb. The women's arrests drew global condemnation, including at the United Nations Human Rights Council, where a statement in March signed by 36 countries named some of the activists and called for their release.

Lights out in Sydney for an hour for Earth Hour conservation campaign

April 01, 2019

Earth Hour was first held in Sydney , Australia, in 2007. Others say Earth Hour demonizes electricity, when abundant, cheap lighting is one of mankind's greatest 20th century achievements. The city of Minneapolis issued a call for its residents and businesses to take part in Earth Hour by switching off lights for an hour starting at 8:30 p.m., and the city of Rochester announced it will turn off the lights on the dome at City Hall for the hour.

Southwest Removes Boeing 737 Max 8 From Flight Schedule Through May

April 01, 2019

The same system was implicated in the crash of another Boeing 737 Max in October in Indonesia , Lion Air Flight 610. Lion Air Flight 610, also a Boeing 737 MAX 8, came down over the Java Sea off Indonesia, killing all 189 people on board.

Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg calls for more regulation of the internet

April 01, 2019

As TechCrunch notes, this affirmation comes just days after their highly publicized and praised move to ban all white supremacist and "white separatist" content. 'We agree people should be able to find information about past announcements and major company news, which is why for years we've shared and archived this information publicly - first on our blog and in recent years on our Newsroom'.

Turkish lira slips after Erdogan loses control of Ankara in vote

April 01, 2019

In Ankara , the opposition People's Republican Party ( CHP ) won more than 50 percent of votes while the AKP trailed on around 47 percent, state news agency Anadolu said. During voting, two members of Saadet (Felicity), a religiously conservative party, died after a fight between two groups in Puturge in eastern Turkey, private DHA news agency reported.

Malaysia drops murder charge against Vietnamese woman in North Korea case

April 01, 2019

Vietnam had stepped up diplomatic pressure on Malaysia after Huong's first failed release bid, following the example of the Indonesian government which had mounted a sustained diplomatic offensive to secure the release of 27-year-old Aisyah.

Russian Federation says opened helicopter training centre in Venezuela

April 01, 2019

Two Russian air force planes landed in Venezuela on March 23, carrying almost 100 troops and 35 tons of materials, according to media reports. 'We will consider such provocative actions as a direct threat to global peace and security in the region.

Georgia lawmakers pass heartbeat abortion ban, joining four other U.S

April 01, 2019

Earlier this month, Republican governors in MS and Kentucky signed similar laws that, like the proposal in Georgia, have been called "heartbeat" bills . Activists have rallied at the state house to protest the legislation , chanting "shame" and " dissent " while clad in the red cloaks and white bonnets of characters from " The Handmaid's Tale , " a book and TV series that depicts a dystopian future where women are enslaved to rear children.

Wealthy Russian Businesswoman Dies In German Plane Crash

April 01, 2019

Another passenger and the pilot also died, but they are yet to be identified. A police spokesman in the central German state of Hesse said the plane came down near Egelsbach, 22 kilometers (13 miles) south of Frankfurt, and then caught fire.

Japan names the new era as it prepares for Emperor Akihito's abdication

April 01, 2019

The announcement allows only a month ahead of the switch for government, businesses and other sectors to adjust to the change that still affects many parts of Japan's society, even though the system is not compulsory and the emperor has no political power under Japan's postwar constitution.

Boeing 737 MAX makes emergency landing during United States transfer: FAA

April 01, 2019

It was expected to be rolled out by April , with the FAA to mandate the update with an airworthiness directive. The plane's Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System , or MCAS, automated flight control system, will now receive data from both " angle of attack " sensors, instead of just one.

Erdogan’s party takes solid lead in Turkey’s local elections - preliminary results

April 01, 2019

The Turkish lira was little changed in early trading after midnight in Istanbul. Elsewhere, Istanbul police detained seven people after a fight between candidates for muhtar (a village chief) in the Esenyurt district. The Malatya governorate said four individuals were detained. The municipal elections in Turkey held every five years. Erdogan has described the vote as a matter of survival for the country.

Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg calls for new global Internet regulations

April 01, 2019

Reached for comment, a Facebook spokesperson said the posts were "mistakenly deleted" due to "technical errors". Now, in a Washington Post piece that's part PR offensive and part cry for help, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is calling on governments worldwide to increase their efforts to regulate tech companies.

Arab leaders meet in Tunisia with eye on Trump's Golan move

April 01, 2019

Representatives from the 22-member league - minus Syria - aim to jointly condemn President Donald Trump's recognition of Israeli control over the Golan Heights , which Israel seized from Syria in the 1967 war, and Trump's decision a year ago to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Algerian army repeats call to declare president unfit for office

March 31, 2019

Ali Haddad, a powerful businessman who has helped fund Bouteflika's election campaigns, resigned Thursday as head of the influential FCE business forum. Under Article 102 of the constitution, the chairman of parliament's upper house, Abdelkader Bensalah, would serve as caretaker president for at least 45 days after Bouteflika's departure.

Biden doesn't recall alleged kissing incident from 2014

March 31, 2019

I was mortified. I thought to myself, 'I didn't wash my hair today and the vice president of the United States is smelling it. ... "And also, what in the actual f**k?" "My brain couldn't process what was happening". The former vice-president has been criticised before regarding his physical behaviour towards some women. Biden is the only candidate who has a prayer against Trump.

Dad's heart-wrenching post about daughter, 21, who vanished

March 31, 2019

Jordyn Spencer, one of those friends, said they believed that Josephson got into the wrong vehicle after calling for a ride share service. A college student from New Jersey got into a vehicle that she mistook for an Uber ride and ended being killed and buried in a rural field in SC, police in that state said Saturday evening.

Concerns in Beirut over Shebaa Farms Following Trump’s Golan Decision

March 31, 2019

Donald Trump's efforts to tear apart the North Atlantic alliance continued this week as he went against global law to declare Israeli sovereignty over Golan Heights - a Syrian territory occupied by Israel since the 1967 war. Ibrahim al-Assaf, speaking at an Arab League gathering in Tunisia, said the kingdom supported Syria's territorial integrity and a political solution based on dialog between the opposition and government.

'SNL' takes on the Mueller report with more of the same

March 31, 2019

Two days later, Barr sent a four-page letter to Congress that detailed Mueller's "principal conclusions". "Free at last", Trump claims from the information. "I do most of what people think", Bennett's Putin pleaded. "The pardons are already in the mail", Baldwin's Trump replied. At one point, DeNiro's Mueller says, "I've included hundreds of pages of evidence", and Bryant's Barr gives the punchline: "Most of it provided on live television by the president himself".

Theresa May risks 'total collapse' of government in Brexit impasse

March 31, 2019

The options that have so far gathered most support involve closer ties to the European Union and a second referendum. Meanwhile, shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry launched a highly personal attack on Mrs May, saying her judgment was impaired and she was "out of control".

Pope Francis visits Morocco to highlight Christian-Muslim ties

March 31, 2019

An estimated 12,000 well-wishers packed the esplanade outside the partly-finished 12th century mosque, some in traditional dress, according to Moroccan officials. But Moroccans are automatically considered Muslim if they are not born into the Jewish community, apostasy is socially frowned upon, and proselytising is criminalised.

Guns Drawn, Cops Raid Home of Sick Toddler at 1am

March 31, 2019

The doctor called child-welfare authorities on February 25 after the mother didn't show up at the agreed-upon emergency room , leading police in Chandler to knock on their family's door to check on the condition of the boy, who earlier in the day had a fever of 105°F (41°C) and was suspected to have meningitis.

Tourist falls to death while taking pictures at U.S Grand Canyon

March 31, 2019

On Thursday, a man from Hong Kong was taking pictures at an overlook of the Grand Canyon when he slipped and fell, according to a spokesman for Grand Canyon West. Park officials say another person died this week, but say the cause of that death has not been determined. The National Park Service and the local medical examiner's office are investigating.

Erdogan faces test to keep cities as Turkey votes

March 31, 2019

Erdogan, who has dominated Turkish politics for more than 16 years thanks in part to strong economic growth, has become the country's most popular, yet also most divisive, leader in modern history. Since 2016, Erdogan's government has replaced elected mayors from the pro-Kurdish party in in almost 100 municipalities, installing in their place government-appointed trustees and alleging the ousted officials had links to outlawed Kurdish militants.

Liberal Lawyer To Become Slovakia’s First Female President After Big Election Victory

March 31, 2019

Caputova won the election's first round two weeks ago with more than 40 percent of the vote. Liberal lawyer Zuzana Caputova won Slovakia's second-round presidential run-off Saturday, after the ruling party-backed candidate Maros Sefcovic conceded defeat.

Russian Federation scoffs at USA calls for withdrawal from Venezuela

March 31, 2019

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday warned Russian Federation and Cuba to keep their "hands off" Venezuela amid an ongoing political stalemate in the Latin American nation. The US has already pulled out its diplomats from Venezuela. "They have spent years stealing money and not doing maintenance", said Yolimar Arellano, a 43-year-old office worker in Caracas, who said she had electricity at home but no water.

Taliban attack kills 9 policemen in S. Afghanistan

March 31, 2019

Zabul: Nine policemen were killed after the Taliban terror group attacked a checkpoint at the Shahr-e-Safa district here on Saturday, according to an official. Pentagon said Afghanistan still has the "highest regional concentration of terrorist groups in the world " while SIGAR is not sure whether Afghanistan and the Taliban will ever get rid of the opium trade since it remains a major source of funding.

United Kingdom lawmakers vote 'No' on May's Brexit deal

March 31, 2019

Nigel Farage has called the day the United Kingdom was due to leave the European Union a "day of betrayal, a day of shame". The date was postponed to allow Mrs May more time to find a Brexit solution. In a closed-off meeting in the U.K. Parliament with members of her ruling Conservative Party on Wednesday evening, a beleaguered Theresa May told colleagues she would step down .

Suspect arrested in S Carolina university student's death

March 31, 2019

The Columbia Police Department had previously asked the public for help in tracking down Josephson, whom authorities said was last seen by friends at a local bar between 1:30 and 2:00 a.m. Police said they found blood and a cell phone in the back seat of the auto that both turned out to belong to Josephson. Friends of Josephson have since started a GoFundMe on behalf of her family to help with funeral expenses.

South Korean President's Approval Rating Falls to Record Low 43%

March 31, 2019

North Korea later threatened to quit the nuclear diplomacy, citing a lack of US steps to match disarmament measures it took previous year. Moon, who had often mediated between the leaders of Washington and Pyongyang in the past year, is expected to push for top-down diplomacy to break the current impasse.

Germany favoring France in Saudi export ban: Funke report

March 31, 2019

A Department of Energy official said the requests contained proprietary information and that the authorizations went through multi-agency approval process. Many are also specially concerned about the deal with Riyadh after a Washington Post article earlier, citing satellite imagery, said that there were speculation on how Saudi Arabia has built a facility to produce ballistic missiles.

At Least Six UK Brexiteer Ministers to Resign if PM Backs No

March 31, 2019

Now Britain faces a much longer delay, which would require a vote from the European Union , or it will be leaving the bloc on April 12 without a deal. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn refused to say whether his party would offer an option to remain in the European Union during these votes, but said the obvious choice was "a good economic relationship with Europe".

OxyContin maker says lawsuit aims to 'vilify'

March 31, 2019

The lawsuit, announced Thursday, March 28, alleges that through years of false and deceptive marketing, and by ignoring their duties to prevent the unlawful diversion of controlled substances, six national prescription opioid manufacturers, the Sackler Family, and four national prescription drug distributors are "largely responsible for creating the opioid epidemic that has ravaged NY, causing widespread addiction, overdose deaths, and suffering".

Jody Wilson-Raybould: Cassandra of the Trudeau Government

March 31, 2019

Former justice minister Jody Wilson-Raybould discusses the SNC-Lavalin case with then-clerk of the Privy Council Michael Wernic in a phone call released by the House of Commons justice committee Friday. She didn't even give it to the committee when she first testified. "This is about the integrity of the Prime Minister", she says, "the bigger problem is what it would look like down the line for the government".

Softer Brexit now possible, not DUP's priority

March 30, 2019

Ms Chambers said she hoped that common sense would prevail in the United Kingdom , but she said clarity was needed from the Irish government on what would happen in the event of a no-deal Brexit . May's former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab, who had opposed the deal, said he would now vote for it. ADS chief executive Paul Everitt, who speaks for the UK's aerospace sector, said: "The continued confusion in Government and Parliament has gone on for far too long and is costing industry ...

Palestinians mass at Gaza border to mark protest anniversary

March 30, 2019

While the COI acknowledged "acts of significant violence" from demonstrators, some of who threw stones and molotov cocktails at the border fence - which separated them and Israeli troops hundreds of meters behind it - the panel made clear that such actions "did not amount to combat or military campaigns", and did not warrant the amount of force deployed by Israeli forces.

Cease-Fire Talks Continue Ahead of Gaza Anniversary Rally

March 30, 2019

For instance, the IDF compared it to "calling Tinder a place to make friends" or saying "Shakira's hips lie". The fence protests, which began exactly a year ago, have been aimed in large part at breaking the Israeli-Egyptian blockade on Gaza , but haven't delivered major improvements.

WMO report sounds alarm over global warming

March 30, 2019

Outlining the report's key findings, Taalas warned of record greenhouse gas concentrations a year ago, that drove global temperatures towards increasingly unsafe levels. Super Typhoon Mangkhut affected 2.4 million people and killed at least 134, mainly in the Philippines. More than 1600 deaths were also associated with intense heat waves and wildfires in Europe, Japan and the U.S, causing record economic damages of almost $24 billion in the U.S alone.

Fire Out, 25 Dead in Bangladesh High-Rise Blaze

March 30, 2019

Fire service official Ershad Hossain said 13 units rushed to the site after the fire was reported at 12:52pm. They, however, said that the reason and source of fire could be ascertained after investigation. A seventh death from burns was recorded at the Dhaka Medical College hospital. Till the filing of this report, the fire is yet to be brought under control.

I’ve Taken Better Care of Puerto Rico Than ‘Any Living Human Being’

March 30, 2019

Outside the Capitol, Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló said the hurricanes showed why statehood is necessary. But Democrats and Republicans from Florida want the bill - which includes $600 million for Puerto Rico's bankrupt nutrition assistance program - to pass as is immediately.

European Union says UK Parliament's vote enough for exit

March 30, 2019

In the last round of indicative votes on Wednesday, none of the eight options put forward was able to command a majority of MPs. Some of the MPs who had opposed her plans were swayed after Mrs May said earlier this week that she would quit as prime minister if her deal, agreed with the European Union in November past year, got through parliament.

After another failed vote, what’s next for Brexit?

March 30, 2019

For decades, the bloc was the target of ridicule in Britain for what was perceived as European hubris and an inefficient bureaucracy. MPs will be voting on whether to back or reject the deal May brokered past year with Brussels. The EU executive, the commission, said a "no-deal" exit on April 12 was now "a likely scenario". He added that there's a " real fear in the current parliament " that Brexit might never happen.

Linda McMahon exits role as Small Business Administration head

March 30, 2019

This was a surprise for some because she was thought to have been in line to replace Wilbur Ross, but she is now taking this new gig instead. A third source outside the White House also confirmed she plans to leave the SBA. McMahon and her husband, Vince, founded and built World Wrestling Entertainment Inc., now a publicly traded sports entertainment company. She stepped down as CEO of WWE in 2009 to run for Senate in CT but lost to Democratic Party nominee Richard Blumenthal.

'Very Grave': Theresa May's Brexit Deal Fails For the Third Time

March 30, 2019

Amid business warnings that a no-deal Brexit could mean crippling tariffs, border gridlock and shortages of goods, a visibly frustrated May said the vote had " grave " implications . Many lawmakers believe the only way to solve the crisis will be a snap election - even though it would throw up a host of unknowns for the major parties.

Man Behind Fatal 'Swatting' Gets 20 Years

March 30, 2019

Additionally, Barriss pleaded guilty to 46 counts related to making false reports of bombs being planted at high schools, universities, shopping malls and television stations across numerous states. Their feud escalated over on Twitter, where Viner threatened to swat Gaskill over the loss. "If I could take it back, I would, but there is nothing I can do", Barriss told the court.

Prince William will visit Christchurch to honour mosque shooting victims

March 30, 2019

Facebook's ban was a shift in policy after criticism by civil rights groups that it was failing to confront extremism. Farid Ahmed , a survivor of the first mosque attack, was welcomed to sustained applause. Morrison later told reporters the service "was a thing of absolute beauty". Prince William joined NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on a panel at the World Economic Forum meeting in January.

Islamic State group kills 7 US-backed fighters in Syria

March 30, 2019

ISIS militants were blamed for several attacks in the Manbij area in recent months. Sharfan Darwish, of the Kurdish-led Manbij Military Council, told The Associated Press that the Tuesday morning attack hit a checkpoint at one the entrances of Manbij.

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