Worldwide / 203

New Zealand gun buyback nets 50,000 weapons

December 22, 2019

Mark Mitchell from the opposing National Party said police failed to buy back 'anywhere near the number of firearms it was aiming for .' As there is no gun registry in New Zealand, estimates of how numerous now illegal semi-automatic firearms were in circulation differ wildly.

Team Trump tries to defend his ugly comments about deceased rep

December 22, 2019

At his Wednesday night rally in Battle Creek, Mich., Trump said that he gave John Dingell "A-plus treatment" after he died by lowering the flags to half-staff and said that Debbie Dingell later thanked him. "You brought me down in a way you can never imagine and your hurtful words just made my healing much harder", she wrote. John Dingell, who died in February, was an iconic figure in MI who was admired across party lines, and was one of the most popular political figures in the state during ...

United pulls 737 Max from flights until June

December 22, 2019

The 737 MAX has been grounded since March after two crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia killed 346 people within five months, costing the plane manufacturer more than $9 billion (6.91 billion pounds) so far. The stock has lost almost 22 per cent in value since the Ethiopian Airlines crash in March that led to the worldwide grounding of the MAX. Southwest Airlines recently said it agreed on a partial settlement with Boeing for an undisclosed amount and will share $125 million of the payment ...

More than 230 suspected MS-13 gang members arrested

December 22, 2019

PHOTO: Graffiti painted by MS-13, a violent Central American street gang adorns a building in Central Islip, New York , in Suffolk County, Dec. 1, 2005. Shortly after the announcement , Trump tweeted: "We are getting MS-13 gang members, and many other people that shouldn't be here, out of our Country!" He personally visited Long Island twice in 2018.

Trump seeks rapid exoneration in Senate after impeachment

December 22, 2019

It is likely that Trump will be exonerated because a two-thirds majority is required for conviction. As darkness fell and lawmakers prepared to depart for the year, McConnell wondered from the Senate floor why in the world the Republicans should give ground to persuade House Democrats "to send us something we do not want".

Giuliani brags about forcing out Ukraine ambassador

December 22, 2019

Giuliani, one of Trump's most loyal defenders, told Laura Ingraham on " The Ingraham Angle " that he helped forced out Yovanovitch because she was corrupt and obstructing the investigation into Ukraine and the Bidens. Giuliani's motives for attacking me". Statements in Trump's indictment showed that the allegations about Yovanovitch were either unfounded or out of context.

Diplomats Race To Defuse Tensions Ahead Of North Korea’s Deadline

December 22, 2019

North Korea has repeatedly known as for the U.S. to drop its "hostile coverage" earlier than extra talks, as its self-imposed year-end deadline for denuclearisation negotiations approaches. Unless sanctions are removed by then, the North Korean dictator is threatening a Christmas gift to accompany his traditional New Year speech. North Korea's United Nations envoy declared this month that denuclearization was off the table, and some analysts say Pyongyang could soon conduct a test for a ...

Zarif hails Rouhani-Abe ‘substantive, friendly’ talks

December 22, 2019

Tehran's violations - all announced in advance and verified by International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors - have been an attempt to pressure the other world powers involved, France, Germany, Britain, China and Russian Federation, to offer new economic incentives to offset the effect of the American sanctions.

4-magnitude quake jolts Pakistan

December 21, 2019

Natural disaster tremors felt across the national capital around 5.15 pm on Friday evening. Earlier on December 7, quake tremors were reported in some parts of Sindh along with adjoining areas. Many reported feeling the tremors in Delhi's neighbouring Gurgaon and Noida and Rajasthan's capital Jaipur. People came out of their homes in panic and started reciting verses from the Holy Quran.

Australia records its hottest day

December 21, 2019

The country has warmed about 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) since 1910, with a sharp spike in temperatures in recent years. "People should take those conditions seriously and do everything possible to avoid heat as much as possible", said Richard Broome, director of environmental health in the state of New South Wales .

Idris Elba to receive Sierra Leone citizenship on first visit

December 21, 2019

The couple was invited to breakfast with President Julius Maada Bio on Friday, when Elba and Dhowre received diplomatic passports after accepting new roles as "brand ambassadors" for Sierra Leone, who is still recovering from years of civil war, which It ended in 2002, and a massive Ebola outbreak, which killed almost 4,000 between 2014 and 2016.

U.S. Democrats seek high-profile trial for Trump in Senate

December 21, 2019

Pelosi has so far failed to guarantee the articles of impeachment will be sent to the Senate at all. "This afternoon, my friend the Democratic leader and I had a cordial conversation, we discussed potential paths forward following the House Democrats' precedent-breaking impeachment of President [Donald] Trump.as of today however, we remain at an impasse", McConnell said during remarks on the Senate floor on Thursday.

Chicago baby kidnapped 55 years ago reportedly found

December 21, 2019

Days converted to weeks. Two years after a vigorous search by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, local police and even postal services, a boy who was thought to be Paul was found abandoned outside a New Jersey shop and reunited with the Fronczaks.

White House Mulls Legal Attempt to Debunk Trump Impeachment

December 21, 2019

Democrats, who are yet to pick a candidate from the big field of hopefuls, say Trump's economic boom and the rosy macro-economic statistics ignore reality for swaths of the country. Republican Senator Ted Cruz said it would not bother him if Pelosi did not send over the impeachment articles. Asked how he felt about Pelosi potentially withholding the articles of impeachment, the Republican said: "If the speaker wants to hold onto them it's fine with us".

Missing Surveillance Footage Near Jeffrey Epstein’s Jail Cell Has Been Found

December 21, 2019

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Swergold told U.S. District Judge Kenneth Karas during the hearing that it's prosecutors' understanding "that the video no longer exists", according to The Journal News. Epstein in the destroy turned into as soon as stumbled on boring on August 10 and his death turned into as soon as called an obvious suicide nonetheless no formal resolution has been made.

Epilepsy Foundation Goes After Users Who Tweeted Seizure-Triggering Messages

December 21, 2019

The foundation said that it has launched an investigation into the matter filing formal criminal complaints with authorities. The attackers targeted the foundation's handle and used hashtags to post videos and GIFs that used triggering light flashes.

7-year-old Texas boy writes heartbreaking letter to Santa

December 21, 2019

The shelter, Safehaven of Tarrant County, posted the letter to social media Wednesday morning, noting that the organization called him Blake instead of his real name for his own protection. Over the course of the year, that figure jumps to 10 million men and women. The average client of the Fort Worth-based shelter is a mother of three children, Jacob said.

Australian state declares bushfire emergency

December 21, 2019

New South Wales fire commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said firefighters everywhere were grieving the " huge loss " of the two men who were caught in "the worst imaginable set of circumstances". The annual Australian fire season, which peaks during the Southern Hemisphere summer, started early after an unusually warm and dry winter. Temperatures eased on Friday but were expected to return to near-record highs on Saturday, which firefighters fear will stoke some of the around 100 fires ...

Prince Philip taken to hospital as a "precautionary measure"

December 21, 2019

He was taken to hospital for a check-up after that collision and later surrended his driver's licence . What does this mean for him and the royal family's Christmas ? Prince Philip , whom retired in August 2017, after having took part in a lot more than 22,000 official public engagements since their wife's accession to your throne in 1952.

Family finds owl in Christmas tree, updates followers on ensuing 'OwlGate'

December 21, 2019

The tree was already covered in owl ornaments as Katie is a huge fan, it turns out though it wasn't the ornaments that were causing a fuss with India, it was the living and breathing version. According to the Nature Center employee, the Eastern screech owl looked hungry and suggested that the family feed it some raw chicken. One of the center's employees recommended they tried feeding the owl some chicken, a task the family also documented on Facebook .

British Parliament to vote on Brexit agreement on December 20

December 20, 2019

MPs have voted to give Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Brexit Withdrawal Agreement Bill a second reading, paving the way for Britain to leave the European Union on January 31. But some opposition MPs have criticised the prime minister for removing the opportunity for parliament to oversight his negotiating priorities in the next phase of talks and for getting rid of workers' protections.

NSW declares emergency to fight wildfires, Australia/NZ News & Top Stories

December 20, 2019

Morrison said the two firefighters were "bravely defending their communities with an unmatched spirit and a dedication that will forever set them apart amongst our most courageous Australians". Australia has been fighting wildfires across three states for weeks, with blazes destroying more than 700 homes and almost 1.2 million hectares of bushland.

Mass protests erupt across Poland over plan to punish judges

December 20, 2019

On Thursday the lower house of parliament started the debate on the judicial reforms. The warnings come ahead of street protests planned in cities and towns across Poland on Wednesday evening in an effort to stop the legislation. Poland joined the European Union in 2004 and is an important beneficiary of European Union funds for agriculture and infrastructure projects. The European Court of Justice ruling in November left it up to the Polish courts to decide whether a new disciplinary ...

'I Want Immediate Trial': Trump Slams Democrats Day After His Impeachment

December 20, 2019

He told a cheering crowd: "While we're creating jobs and fighting for MI, the radical Left in Congress is consumed with envy and hatred and rage, you see what's going on". "The vote did not reflect what had been proven". "That's right, the president attacked security guards, Democrats, the media and dishwashers", Meyers said.

Former Indian lawmaker gets life for rape of teen

December 20, 2019

Section 376 (2) of IPC deals with the offence of rape committed by a public servant who "takes advantage of his official position and commits rape on a woman in his custody as such public servant or in the custody of a public servant subordinate to him".

Rudy Giuliani associate received $1M from indicted Ukrainian oligarch's lawyer, court told

December 20, 2019

Rebekah Donaleski discovered the source of the money. The revelation came during a bail hearing for Mr. Lev Parnas , an associate of President Trump's personal attorney Rudolph W. Bondy said last month that Parnas is willing to tell Congress that Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., met with Ukraine's former top prosecutor about investigating the activities of Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden .

Prosecutors order arrest of Bolivian ex-President Evo Morales

December 20, 2019

Morales governed the South American country for nearly 14 years before resigning last month and leaving Bolivia . He initially received asylum in Mexico and then arrived in Argentina last week. His resignation followed an Organization of American States audit that found serious irregularities in the way votes were counted in the October 20 election.

Person Dead, 2 Injured In Stabbing At Beaverton Shopping Center

December 20, 2019

UPDATE 3:45 p.m.: Salvador Martinez-Romero, 20, was brought into open court Thursday afternoon and arraigned on murder and other charges. He is in jail on suspicion of murder, attempted murder and robbery. The two stabbed carjacking victims were being treated at a hospital for serious injuries, police said. He then allegedly abandoned that auto about five minutes later and stole a woman's vehicle in Tigard, stabbing her as well.

Citizenship Act protests: Thousands held across India for defying ban

December 20, 2019

One protestor, Kawalpreet Kaur, who according to her Twitter profile is the Delhi President of All India Student's Association, posted that police had filled 14 buses with detainees at the Red Fort landmark. They say faith should not be made a condition of citizenship. Protests against CAA that were earlier confined to the northeast, have swept the country over the past week after several protesters, including students clashed with the police in Delhi's Jamia Milia Islamia on December 15.

UK prosecutors charge U.S. diplomat's wife over fatal car crash

December 20, 2019

The family were filmed on Sky News reacting to the charge. The family of Harry Dunn, from left, mother Charlotte Charles, stepfather Bruce Charles, family spokesman Radd Seiger, father Tim Dunn and stepmother Tracey Dunn speak to the media outside the Ministry Of Justice in London, Friday, Dec.

Homo erectus: Ancient humans survived longer than we thought

December 20, 2019

The lone exception was Ngandong, on the Indonesian island of Java. Professor Rainer Grün , Director of Griffith's Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution (ARCHE ), played a key role in the worldwide research team that pinpointed the first comprehensive age for the last known occurrence of Homo erectus globally, in central Java, Indonesia .

Journalist Wins $30,000 in Sex Assault Case That Sparked Japan’s #MeToo Movement

December 20, 2019

She says she awoke about 5 a.m., naked under Yamaguchi in a hotel room, as she recounted to The New York Times in 2017. Increase: Supporters of freelance journalist Shiori Ito spend a banner exterior the courthouse in Tokyo as of late.

Radio show canceled after "nice school shooting" remark

December 20, 2019

Bonniwell said on the show Tuesday afternoon, "You wish for a nice school shooting to interrupt". A comment to which his wife/co-host replied, "No, don't even say that! He didn't say that". 710 KNUS has replaced the Chuck and Julie Show with America First, presented by Sebastian Gorka - a former aide to President Trump. President Donald Trump was impeached by the US House of Representatives.

Trump Blasts Christianity Today as Far Left Magazine

December 20, 2019

The White House has defended Trump's rally remarks, noting that he's a "counter-puncher" who is trying to hit back at Democrats who just went through with their "partisan witch hunt". As far as the impact of the announcement, Wallis says it may impact two groups of evangelicals the most: suburban white women and younger evangelicals who are already jaded by older evangelicals' embrace of Trump.

Clive Lewis announces he plans to stand in the Labour leadership contest

December 20, 2019

Stayt interrupted: "Who are still there". "I don't want to manage the labour movement, I want to unleash it". Appearing on ITV's Peston on Wednesday evening, the shadow cabinet member similarly argued: "It's the leaders who decide and the advisers who advise, and there should not be any mixing up of the two".

Charges dropped against freed Taliban hostage Joshua Boyle

December 20, 2019

The court heard Boyle's 911 call from the day Coleman walked out of the couple's Ottawa apartment at the end of December 2017. The 19 charges filed against Boyle included assault, assault with a weapon, forcible confinement, assault by biting, assault with a broomstick, administering a noxious substance and sexual assault.

Chinese National Arrested for Illegally Entering Mar-a-Lago

December 20, 2019

During questioning, Lu invoked her right to counsel, according to Ogrodnick. It was the second time this year that a Chinese national was arrested at the property. The club was criticised for an apparent lack of security in April when Zhang Yujing, 33, was arrested after attempting to enter while carrying multiple mobile phones and a thumb drive containing malware.

1 shot dead, 2 injured at assisted living complex

December 20, 2019

Witnesses reported three suspects shot the victims outside the mall, jumped in a black Dodge Charger and fled, police said. One of the victims, a 47-year-old employee, was pronounced dead at the scene. The other is undergoing surgery at Rhode Island Hospital in Providence. Westerly, a beachside town in southwestern Rhode Island, has a population of about 23,000 people.

Hassan Diab Picked as Lebanon’s PM, Vows Swift Cabinet Formation

December 20, 2019

Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri stepped down after a wave of protests ripped through Lebanon in the middle of October. Hariri did not say who he would nominate for the post in the consultations which President Michel Aoun is due to host on Thursday.

Vladimir Putin says Trump was impeached for ‘made-up reasons’

December 20, 2019

Trump was the third president in USA history to be impeached, and he now faces a trial in the Senate that is expected to start next month. Putin - who will shortly mark 20 years since Boris Yeltsin dramatically handed him the presidency at first of 2000 - confronted the media with Russian Federation nonetheless remoted internationally and hypothesis rising about his personal plans when his mandate ends in 2024.

House takes up Trump's impeachment ahead of historic floor vote

December 20, 2019

Democrats in the House of Representatives are now in the debate stage, and an "aye" vote from 233 or more of them is required to advance the articles through the House to the Senate. But the president was not fazed by the vote, instead remarking that it had made him politically stronger. What does impeachment mean for Donald Trump? The House vote on Wednesday was just the latest, but also unquestionably the biggest, in a string of controversies that have buffeted the turbulent presidency ...

Boris Johnson vows to 'finish the job' on Brexit

December 20, 2019

Johnson won a landslide in last week's general election , securing an 80-seat majority, and Friday afternoon's vote is expected to sail through without a hitch for the government. A third major change is the removal of a schedule that promised to protect workers' rights, which Johnson's government has promised to tackle in separate legislation.

Judge rules Edward Snowden must pay government book proceeds

December 20, 2019

Snowden's book or anything else he submitted in good faith". Snowden's book, Permanent Record , was first published back in September and has since become a New York Times Bestseller. The federal government's lawsuit didn't attempt to limit the book's distribution, but asked the judge to allow the government to collect all the proceeds from the book.

China's Xi praises Macau while protests rock Hong Kong

December 20, 2019

Members of the Executive Council of the Macao SAR were sworn in by Ho. Chinese President Xi Jinping lavished praise on Macau today for instilling patriotism and rejecting political strife, in stark contrast to his tough words for neighbouring Hong Kong as it convulses with unrest.

Trump impeachment: Pelosi and McConnell set for battle over Senate trial

December 20, 2019

US President Donald Trump has announced that Jeff Van Drew, a New Jersey Democrat who broke with his party to vote against Mr Trump's impeachment , is officially switching parties and becoming a Republican. A Senate trial would kick off a politically-charged year heading into the presidential election, which will pit Trump against one of a field of Democratic contenders, including Biden, who have repeatedly criticized Trump's conduct in office and promised to make it a key issue.

Boeing delays 737 MAX return to service

December 20, 2019

Muilenburg assured Trump that the company's plan to stop production on the troubled plane would not result in layoffs, he told AFP. American regulators have said they will not be able to approve the jets' return to service before 2020. Boeing and its chief federal regulator continue to engage in magical thinking about the fiasco known as the 737 MAX - and reality continues to intrude.

Australia heatwave: Two volunteers firefighters die in crash

December 20, 2019

The opposition leader's call comes after Prime Minister Scott Morrison dismissed a remuneration scheme for volunteer firefighters, arguing "they wanted to be there". Stay safe, stay together. "He'll be back at work shortly and then he'll be off to India leading a delegation to advance Australia's interests". "Firefighters out on the fire front right up and down the eastern seaboard and across Western Australia are not going to get a break, and that is what concerns us", he told Region Media .

NSW bushfires: RFS names two firefighters killed south-west of Sydney

December 20, 2019

Three other volunteer firefighters in the truck were treated by paramedics. The deaths had shocked the NSW RFS "to the core", Mr Fitzsimmons said. At least 20 homes were destroyed and several firefighters were injured while battling blazes in the state on Thursday as the fires continue to be fueled by unpredictable winds and scorching temperatures.

Maguindanao massacre: Philippine Supreme Court to deliver verdict

December 19, 2019

Leaders of the Ampatuan family, a powerful political dynasty, had been accused of orchestrating the killings in a bid to quash an election challenge from a rival clan. Ampatuan, his father and other siblings and relatives were placed under arrest after negotiations with officials of then-president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo .

Iran leader urges deeper Muslim monetary links to fight US 'hegemony'

December 19, 2019

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has underlined the need for cooperation among Muslim countries to fend off pressures by big powers, particularly the U.S., Press TV reported . The Iranian leader suggested that Islamic-majority countries could support one another, for example, by signing new banking cooperation agreements and forming new financial mechanisms.

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