Joint Statement on the Developments in Syria – Department of State

  1. Joint Statement on the Developments in Syria  Department of State
  2. UN officials raise alarm over escalating violence in northwest Syria  UN News
  3. Syria: US, Germany, France, UK call for de-escalation  DW (English)
  4. A Statement by the UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria, Adam Abdelmoula, On the recent escalation of hostilities in Aleppo [EN/AR]  ReliefWeb
  5. White House: Syria attack caused by regime's reliance on Russia and Iran  The Jerusalem Post
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Philippines’ Marcos says presence of Russian submarine ‘very worrisome’ – Reuters

  1. Philippines' Marcos says presence of Russian submarine 'very worrisome'  Reuters
  2. "Very unique" Russian submarine spotted in the South China Sea; Philippines deploys navy ship, warplanes  CBS News
  3. 'Very worrisome': Philippines President alarmed by Russian submarine in South China Sea  ABC News
  4. Russian attack sub spotted in West PH Sea  INQUIRER.net
  5. Marcos Calls Russian Sub in South China Sea ‘Very Worrisome’  Bloomberg
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Marshall Brickman, Woody Allen’s Oscar-winning co-writer, dies aged 85

Screenwriter co-wrote Annie Hall and Manhattan, penned the Jersey Boys musical, and wrote for Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show and The Muppet Show

Marshall Brickman, the Oscar-winning screenwriter who wrote some of Woody Allen ’s best films, the Broadway musical Jersey Boys and a number of Johnny Carson’s most beloved sketches, has died aged 85.

Brickman died Friday in Manhattan, his daughter Sophie Brickman told the New York Times. No cause of death was given.

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Morning Bid: Trump’s BRICS warning shines light on emerging FX – Reuters

  1. Morning Bid: Trump's BRICS warning shines light on emerging FX  Reuters
  2. Trump threatens 100% tariff on BRICS countries if they pursue creating new currency  CNN
  3. No Contest: Why Trump’s Tariff Threat Over The Dollar Seems Unnecessary  Forbes
  4. Trump threatens 100% tariff on the BRIC bloc of nations if they act to undermine US dollar  The Associated Press
  5. Trump Weaponizing Dollar Seen as a Needless BRICS Provocation  Bloomberg
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No deal between Woolworths and warehouse workers – as it happened

This blog is now closed

Man dies after balcony fall during police operation

A man is dead after falling from a balcony during negotiations in a Queensland police operation.

I’m proud to announce today that I’m going to join the Libertarian party.

I believe in small government. I believe in the entrepreneurial ability of Australians. Get government out of the way, get government out of their hands. That’s what the Libertarian party stands for. Unfortunately, the Liberal party that I used to be a member of appears to have abandoned all those values.

I was there working on a contract basis for a small period of time. But look, I think the future in this country as a conservative party, to the right of the Liberal party, is with the libertarian.

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Taiwan’s president meets Hawaiian leaders in visit condemned by China – POLITICO

  1. Taiwan’s president meets Hawaiian leaders in visit condemned by China  POLITICO
  2. Taiwan president's Hawaii trip draws Chinese anger  BBC.com
  3. Taiwan’s president visits East-West think tank as China criticizes his 2-day visit to Hawaii  The Associated Press
  4. Taiwan’s President Visits Pacific Islands to Counter China’s Influence  The New York Times
  5. On Brief Stop in U.S., Taiwan President Sends Signal to Both China and Trump  The Wall Street Journal
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Victoria clubs give more money to themselves in guise of ‘community benefits’ for tax breaks

Latest disclosures include clubs who claim millions spent on their own golf and racecourses as donations to broader community

Poker machine venues in Victoria have significantly increased the amount of gambling revenue they are spending on themselves, while justifying it as a “community benefit” to get a tax cut.

Victoria’s community benefit scheme provides a tax cut to clubs that reinvest 8.33% of gambling revenue back into the community. But these clubs are able to list upgrades to their own golf courses, renovations and operating costs – which help keep gambling rooms open – as community benefits.

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Two people dead in Mornington Peninsula shooting as police search for man who fled scene

Victoria police say man and woman died with gunshot wounds after reports of altercation at Rye home about 4am

Victoria police are searching for a man after a woman and a man were shot dead on the state’s Mornington Peninsula.

Police were called to an altercation between a group of people at an address on Parson Street in Rye shortly after 4am on Monday. Police arrived to find a man and woman with gunshot wounds.

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Bob Bryar, former My Chemical Romance drummer, dies aged 44

Longest-standing drummer of pop-punk band said to have influenced emo movement was found dead in Tennessee

Bob Bryar, the former drummer of the US pop-punk band My Chemical Romance which was said to have influenced the youth culture movement emo, has died aged 44.

Bryar’s body was found in his home in Tennessee last week. The entertainment news outlet TMZ, which was the first to report his death, said that according to police no foul play was suspected as his possessions, including musical equipment and weapons, were untouched.

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Justin Trudeau promises Trump that Canada will increase border surveillance

Canadian PM dines with Trump, who vowed tariffs unless country stops migrants and drugs from entering US

Justin Trudeau promised Donald Trump that Canada would increase surveillance over the long undefended joint border, a senior Canadian official said on Sunday. The Canadian prime minister flew to Florida on Friday to have dinner with the US president-elect, who has promised to slap tariffs on Canadian imports unless Ottawa prevents undocumented people and drugs from crossing the frontier.

Canada sends 75% of all goods and services exports to the United States and tariffs would badly hurt the economy.

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Ireland’s Main Parties Edge Out Sinn Féin, Early Election Results Show – The New York Times

  1. Ireland’s Main Parties Edge Out Sinn Féin, Early Election Results Show  The New York Times
  2. Martin Says Time to 'Get on With the Work' Following Ireland's General Election  Bloomberg
  3. Ireland headed for coalition government, exit poll suggests  NPR
  4. Irish general election: Two-thirds of seats declared in tight three-way battle  BBC.com
  5. Martin says time to ‘get on with the work’ following Ireland’s general election  The Independent
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Trump threatens 100% tariff on Bric nations – BBC.com

  1. Trump threatens 100% tariff on Bric nations  BBC.com
  2. Trump threatens 100% tariff on BRICS countries if they pursue creating new currency  CNN
  3. Gold Slips as Trump’s BRICS Currency Warning Boosts US Dollar  Bloomberg
  4. Trump is now threatening 100% tariffs on the BRICS group — which comprises 9 emerging market countries  Business Insider
  5. Trump threatens 100% tariff on the BRIC bloc of nations if they act to undermine U.S. dollar  CNBC
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Michael Rowland to leave ABC News Breakfast after ‘15 years of 3am starts’

The 55-year-old is the program’s longest serving male co-host, and hinted in September that he was ‘looking forward to something less intense’

After 15 years of waking up at 3am to host ABC News Breakfast, Michael Rowland is calling it quits.

The co-host of the public broadcaster’s breakfast offering has told viewers his final show will be on 13 December, followed by a long break.

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New plan would ‘transform’ end of life care for 100,000 in England and Wales

Palliative care commission set up to provide high-quality, holistic support following assisted dying vote

MPs, doctors and charities have drawn up a blueprint to deliver an “unprecedented transformation” of care for 100,000 people a year in the final stages of their lives.

After parliament’s historic vote last week to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales, a commission on palliative care has been set up to help improve end-of-life care.

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