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Iran says France 'interfering' in case of jailed academic

December 31, 2019

He added that Iran would not forget Australia's "illegal" treatment of Negar Ghodskani, an Iranian woman arrested in 2017 over violating United States sanctions on Iran. He added: "It gives some sense of just how desperate 16 months in solitary makes you. Sooner or later you actually really feel you don't have anything left to get observed, nothing left to lose".

West Virginia governor fires 34 prison guard trainees who gave Nazi salute

December 31, 2019

The picture, which was taken at Glenville State College, has since been shared publicly by the West Virginia Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety, which has condemned the stunt and launched an investigation into the incident. When confronted by a staffer about the gesture and its rather obvious Nazi connotations, Byrd brushed off the concerns, allegedly saying that there was " nothing wrong " with the greeting since " people of all colors " were on the photo.

Pompeo to travel to Ukraine as impeachment grips Washington

December 31, 2019

Central Asia Strategy, the Secretary will stress U.S. support for a better connected, more prosperous, and more secure Central Asia", the State Department said . Mr Trump has said the call was "perfect" and has denied doing anything wrong. The top U.S. diplomat will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as well as the foreign minister, defense minister and members of civil society and the business community, the State Department said Monday.

Fausta, thought to be the world's oldest rhino, has died aged 57

December 31, 2019

According to the reports of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority , Fausta was the only oldest black corral rhino in the world . The statement said: 'Records show that Fausta lived longer than any rhino in the world and survived in the Ngorongoro, free-ranging, for more than 54 years'.

France waits on Macron as pension strike stretches on

December 31, 2019

Police used tear gas against protesters close to tourist hotspots like the Centre Pompidou museum of modern art, where some demonstrators had tried to erect barricades and set fire to them, and smashed up a bus stop. Half of the country's high-speed TGV trains were cancelled Monday, with more severe disruptions for regional trains, and similar disruptions are expected through the week.

Australian missing after he 'deliberately jumped' off cruise liner

December 31, 2019

The ship has bypassed its planned stop in Tauranga this morning, and is en route to Auckland. Search for the missing man has been called off, per RNZ . He says the search will resume if new information arises. A container ship with powerful lights on water assisted in the search, as well as one Air Force helicopter and two yachts but the man was not found.

Hong Kong protesters demand mainland China traders leave

December 31, 2019

The protest in Sheung Shui, near Hong Kong's boundary with the mainland, was part of efforts to pressure the government by disrupting economic activity. At around 2 pm, which roughly marked the start of the rally, for which the police had earlier issued a letter of no objection, the participants were urged to sign their names and write down their thoughts about the ongoing movement on a giant piece of cloth, a long black banner that was placed outside the Hong Kong City Hall.

Taiwan passes anti-infiltration law aimed at combating Chinese influence

December 31, 2019

The Taiwanese leader referred to her rejection of Chinese President Xi Jinping's call in January to reject independence and to embrace "peaceful reunification" with the mainland. China claims Taiwan as its territory, to be brought under Beijing's control by force if necessary. Meanwhile, the Taiwan People's Party (TPP), established in August by Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), received 1,350 votes, or 11.87 percent of the total, while the KMT received only 341 votes, or 2.99 percent.

Former deputy leader says UK’s Labour Party brutal, hostile

December 31, 2019

He finished by saying: "The fight continues". Ms Long Bailey also defended Labour's members as "crucial" to rebuilding Labour's electoral strength, and said that "our promise to democratise society will ring hollow if we can't even democratise our own party".

Forecast for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day

December 31, 2019

Winds from the west at 5 to 10 miles per hour may gust up to 20 miles per hour at times, making it feel more like the 40s. Winds will get a bit calmer Tuesday night, but they still will be blowing steadily between 11 and 15 miles per hour, making it feel like it's about 30 degrees.

U.S. man, 60, dies after being mugged for $1.40 on Christmas Eve

December 31, 2019

Later clips show two other men joining the attacker, one of them grasping a garbage bin, as the beaten man starts to stand up. Juan Fresnada, of Morrisania, was set upon by three assailants who stole $1 from him after pummeling him with punches and kicks, as well as a large trash can, according to police.

Sydney to continue New Year Eve`s fireworks despite massive protest petition

December 31, 2019

As the clock ticks past midnight, major cities in Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas will embrace the celebrations, but in many places the festivities will be marked by turmoil and political upheaval. In a tweet posted on Monday morning, the Minister for Regional NSW, Industry and Trade said it was a "very easy decision" to cancel the event and that doing so would "respect our exhausted RFS volunteers".

CAA is unconstitutional, no way for poor to show records: Priyanka Gandhi

December 31, 2019

Police strangulated and manhandled me. Apart from a judicial inquiry into the police action, Priyanka sought the Governor's intervention in asking the Home Department of the state to exercise restraint and to ask the Director General of Police to stop "violent, unlawful and criminal acts" by the UP government and police.

Hong Kong police arrest 15 in fresh protests

December 31, 2019

Hong Kong police said it's anxious that many young people have been arrested in the past week as officers faced off radical protesters across shopping malls in the city. Hundreds of people gathered in the central district on Monday night to remember people that have been killed or injured during the protests. While there is no official count of deaths, student Chow Tsz-lok died after a high fall during a pro-democracy rally in November.

Australian firefighters battle bushfires in suburban Melbourne

December 31, 2019

Powerful winds near the New South Wales-Victoria border lifted his 10-tonne truck off the ground and flipped it over, the service said. A second vehicle was also blown over in the same area and the firefighters on board were taken to hospital, the service said.

New Year's fireworks OK'd in Sydney as wildfire risk worsens

December 31, 2019

The forecast includes a high of 34 degrees in Sydney while Western suburbs can expect temperatures over 40. Severe fire danger ratings are in place on Monday for the southern Riverina, southern slopes, Monaro alpine region, southern ranges and far south coast.

Australian bushfires may have killed up to 30 percent of koalas

December 31, 2019

AS temperatures soar in Australia, breaking heatwave records, Australians and the Australian wildlife continue to suffer . The koala , which fortunately was unharmed by the forest fires in the region, was carefully escorted by Anna to nearby trees.

Trump faces backlash after sharing a tweet naming the alleged whistleblower

December 31, 2019

The whistle-blower, who works for the Central Intelligence Agency, has filed an official complaint that, among other concerns, pointed to a July 25 phone conversation in which Mr Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate former vice-president Joe Biden, a Democratic presidential hopeful.

Italy avalanches kill 4 in 24 hours, including woman and 2 girls

December 31, 2019

The mother, 25, and one of the girls could not be resuscitated at the scene after the 1,500ft-long mass of snow blanketed the glacier. A German man and his 11-year-old son were pulled out of the snow and revived. Italian authorities said all of the victims are believed to be German, although procedures to identify the victims have not yet been completed. Prosecutors are now investigating whether that slope should have been closed to the public that day, given a high risk of avalanches.

Dense fog in Delhi hits flight operations, train service

December 31, 2019

As per the 7.00 am update on flight operations, an airport official said there was dense fog but no "flight has been cancelled" yet. A thick blanket of fog engulfed the national capital on Monday morning affecting train and flight operations as visibility dropped drastically, with some observatories recording it at zero metres.

Joe Biden says he would consider a Republican as his running mate

December 31, 2019

Over the weekend in Iowa, in the midst of one of the most critical periods of campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination, Biden was forced to repeatedly clarify whether he would defy a subpoena after the issue arose during a Friday interview with the editorial board of the Des Moines Register .

Fire authorities give Sydney's New Year's Eve fireworks the green light

December 31, 2019

Visit Business Insider Australia's homepage for more stories . Ten areas including the Great Sydney Region are under a total fire ban today and conditions are predicted to remain catastrophic tomorrow. A final decision on whether the harbourside fireworks will go ahead will be made by the NSW RFS this afternoon. "And they look at our vibrancy, they look at our passion, they look at our success".

Police chief arrested in connection with family mass murder

December 31, 2019

The reports said he is doubted of having ties to organized crime, but details of his alleged role were not clear. Mexican officials believe the women and children, all of whom were part of the extended LeBaron family and maintained dual U.S.

Hate crime charges against man accused in Hanukkah stabbing

December 31, 2019

He pleaded not guilty to the charges and was ordered held on $5 million bail at his arraignment Sunday in Ramapo Town Court, where he's due to make his next appearance January 3. Last month, police said that they would increase patrols in Monsey in response to Jewish residents' fears. National concerns have prompted similar vows of heightened security across the country.

Yemen: Houthis blamed for attack on military parade

December 31, 2019

At least 21 people, including civilians, were injured in the explosion, al-Shoebi said. But there was no immediate claim of responsibility from the Iran-allied rebels, whose forces are present in the mountains just 60 kilometres (40 miles) north of Dhale.

Ivanka Trump Hints She Might Leave White House If Father Is Re-Elected

December 30, 2019

During her previous interviews, Melania has been saying that same thing about her 13-year-old son, Barron Trump . When asked about her opinion on the current situations revolving around Trump, Ivanka refused to confirm or deny any knowledge of any information, or even her understanding of Rudy Guiliani, who is now counseling Trump.

Tourists at risk as heatwave fuels Australia bushfires

December 30, 2019

The Emergency Management Commissioner, Andrew Crisp, warned that if visitors had not left before 9am (GMT 10pm), there would be "every chance" that they could not leave. Fires burning and smoke rising close to properties in Bundoora, Victoria state, on Monday. Wind gusts of above 100 km/h battered southeast Australia while temperatures over 40 degrees Celsius made firefighter's task extremely hard.

Ajit Pawar back as Maharashtra deputy CM as Uddhav expands Cabinet

December 30, 2019

Uddhav Thackeray is likely to give his son Aaditya, a newly-inducted cabinet minister, a role in a new CMO ministry on the lines of the PMO, sources said. The Cabinet can have 43 ministers as its strength cannot be more than 15% of legislators in the 288-member Assembly. Now the ministry comprises of seven members apart from the Chief Minister.

Weather could make New Year's Eve travel 'challenging'

December 30, 2019

In Boston, after a sunny Saturday with a high that hit 51 degrees ANd what's expected to be a cloudy Sunday with a high near 41, rain and sleet is expected to begin after 10 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. 1 NEWS meteorologist Dan Corbett has taken a look at the weather on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day and it's good news. The storm will arrive Sunday afternoon, December 29 and continue through Monday evening, December 30 in this region after bringing blizzard ...

Colorado daycare owner is charged for hiding toddlers behind a false wall

December 30, 2019

Attempts to reach Faith by telephone at Play Mountain Place and through the state public defender's office weren't successful. Faith's daycare license only permitted her to care for up to six children between the ages of zero and 13, more specifically, only two of these children could be under the age of two, according to an affidavit obtained by KRDO .

Cyprus court finds British woman guilty of fabricating rape claims

December 30, 2019

The court, in the town of Paralimni, ruled on Monday that she was guilty of a charge of causing public mischief. Judge Michalis Papathanasiou adjourned sentencing to 7 January. "However, we respectfully disagree with it". We believe there have been many violations of the procedure and the rights of a fair trial of our client have been violated.

Five stabbed in 'cowardly' attack on New York Hanukkah celebration

December 30, 2019

Just before 10 p.m. Grafton allegedly entered the home, right as the Rabbi was "lighting the candle". The NYPD released video Sunday showing two cops arresting Thomas at gunpoint at West 144th Street and Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo spoke to these fears in a statement early Sunday. "I think there are domestic terrorists". "There is zero tolerance for acts of hate of any kind and we will continue to monitor this horrific situation", she said in a ...

"He's so thirsty": koala given water in Adelaide as severe heatwave hits

December 30, 2019

Anna Heusler said that she and some friends were cycling in the hills near Adelaide , South Australia, when they encountered a koala on the road. "This koala walked precise up to me as I became descending and climbed up onto my bike while I gave him water".

Chinese court sentences 'gene-editing' scientist to three years in prison

December 30, 2019

Chinese scientist He Jiankui , who claimed he made the world's first "gene-edited" babies by altering human embryos in 2018, has been convicted on charges of practising medicine illegally, according to Chinese state media. He claimed a medical breakthrough that could "control the HIV epidemic", but it was not clear whether he had even been successful in immunising the babies against the virus because the team did not reproduce the gene mutation that confers this resistance, scientists told ...

Tropical cyclone Sarai leaves 1 dead, some 2000 evacuated in Fiji

December 30, 2019

At it's centre, Sarai's winds are reaching up to 120 kilometres per hour, with some gusts to 170 kilometres per hour. Meanwhile, the plans of thousands of tourists who flock to the South Pacific island nation over the Christmas-New Year holiday period were upended as flights were cancelled or delayed.

Five stabbed at rabbi's home in NY

December 30, 2019

He pleaded not guilty and his bail was set at $5 million. The assailant apparently fled in a gray auto and was arrested two hours later in New York City. Senator in 2020, wrote that everyone in America should be able to practice their religions in peace. "They should be prosecuted as domestic terrorists".

Top EU official says United Kingdom should prepare itself for further Brexit delay

December 30, 2019

Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission's new president, has said she is "very worried" about the current timetable set by the British government to negotiate the UK's post-EU relationship. But Johnson, who won a comfortable majority in the United Kingdom general election this month, insists he will not ask for more time and is preparing legislation to forbid such a move.

Suspected North Korean boat with bodies found in Japan

December 30, 2019

Found on the boats were three bodies with heads, two heads without bodies and two bodies without heads. Photo shows a part of a wrecked boat, though to be from North Korea , that had decomposing bodies inside. Generally, they are completely empty or contain human remains. The grisly find adds to the troubles that Japan and South Korea have with their neighbour North Korea, as strained diplomatic ties over the North's nuclear arms programme could make an investigation hard to carry out.

US Congresswoman Says Impeachment Will Only 'Embolden' Trump

December 30, 2019

In November, lawyers for the whistleblower - who is said to work in the U.S. intelligence community - issued a cease-and-desist warning to the president, saying their client was "in physical danger". Lisa Murkowski - have been critical of the coordination between Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and the White House in the lead up. "By making public the unsubstantiated name of the whistleblower Trump encapsulated the pathology of his presidency - a callous and cruel disregard ...

Pope Francis appeals for prayers for Somalia blast victims

December 30, 2019

At least 16 of the most severely wounded people from Saturday's truck bomb attack that killed at least 90 people in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu , have been airlifted to Turkey for treatment, Somali government officials said . The country's president, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo , described the attack as a "heinous act" in a video posted on his Twitter account. Since 2015, there have been 13 attacks in Somalia with death tolls above 20.

Freezing rain warning issued for parts of GTA ahead of storm Sunday

December 30, 2019

Travel conditions are expected to deteriorate this morning. The snow should become light tonight however it is expected to reintensify again Monday morning. An ice storm warning remains in effect for the western and central parts of MA beginning at 5 p.m. Sunday and lasting until 7 a.m. Tuesday. Freezing rain or rain is expected to develop near noon, or afternoon, and continue through the night into Monday morning.

Ukraine, rebels exchange prisoners

December 30, 2019

Experts said that a prisoner swap could be possible after the summit. Those released by Ukraine included five former members of the now-disbanded special police force Berkut who were charged in the killing of protesters in Kyiv in 2014, Ukrainian news site Hromadske quoted their lawyer, Igor Varfolomeyev, as saying.

Jeffrey Epstein’s Top Lackey Ghislaine Maxwell Now Under FBI Investigation

December 30, 2019

Epstein, 66, was found dead by apparent suicide in his Manhattan jail cell in August, shortly after he was arrested and charged with sex trafficking underage girls as young as 14 from 2002 to 2005. British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell in 2000. "Any co-conspirators mustn't leisure easy", he talked about in August. Maxwell , the daughter of late British media magnate Robert Maxwell , is an ex-girlfriend of Epstein who remained a member of his inside circle.

Co-star twins from 'My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding' die at age 32

December 29, 2019

May God look after them, may God have mercy on them. "Two twin boys, two handsome boys". Police were called to the scene around 11:30 a.m. after their two bodies were found near a farm, according to the Independent . I can't believe I have to type this together struggling to speak never mind put a sentence together, I'm gonna make you so so proud my bill , my life, my angel", according to the London Evening Standard .

Texas church shooting leaves 2 dead

December 29, 2019

The shooting was reported about 10am at the West Freeway Church of Christ in White Settlement. A third person has also been hospitalized, the AP reports. The gunman walked up to a server during communion with a shotgun and then opened fire, Isabel Arreola told KTVT-TV. The identities of the shooter and the victims have not been released.

US civilian contractor killed in Iraq base rocket attack

December 29, 2019

Hoffman said the US strikes will weaken the group's ability to carry out future attacks on Americans and their Iraqi government allies. "In response to repeated Kata'ib Hizbollah attacks on Iraqi bases that host Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) coalition forces, US forces have conducted precision defensive strikes ...

NYPD Steps up Patrols After String of Anti-Semitic Incidents

December 29, 2019

The vast majority of the crimes do not involve assault, but rather acts of vandalism, with graffiti or swastikas being scrawled on places that include synagogues, Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said in September , when he was the department's chief of detectives.

Man stabs woman in front of several children, kills her

December 29, 2019

The 35-year-old woman was rushed to a hospital where she was declared dead. The police department officers soon shifted him to the hospital, where he was declared in risky condition. Six children, ranging in ages from 8-16, were inside the home at the time of the attack. Eventually, the police spokeswoman said, he "turned his rage" upon his wife and her son, taking a knife from the kitchen and stabbing the 14-year-old when the teenager tried to disarm him and stabbing the woman and chasing ...

Texas youths killed in 'ambush' at rap video shoot

December 29, 2019

The victims appeared to be young Hispanic males, possibly in their early twenties, Gonzalez said. "We are now at 9 total gunshot wound victims: 2 were confirmed deceased at scene, 1 was critical, the others remain hospitalised", Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez tweeted .

Navy SEALS Fight Back Tears While Testifying Against Pardoned Platoon Chief

December 29, 2019

Numerous men followed Gallagher's case closely, the private group texts indicated, assuring each other that their leader would "answer to a higher power someday, and everything happens for a reason". In a statement to the Times issued by Gallagher's lawyer, he said: 'My first reaction to seeing the videos was surprise and disgust that they would make up blatant lies about me, but I quickly realised that they were scared that the truth would come out of how cowardly they acted on deployment'.

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