German backpacker was probably killed by her boyfriend, NSW inquest hears

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Investigator of 2005 cold case says it was ‘probable’ Tobias Moran killed Simone Strobel, despite charges being dropped

The lead investigator in the cold case of backpacker Simone Strobel has told an inquest he still believes she was probably killed by her boyfriend.

Strobel’s naked body was found hidden under palm fronds at a sports ground in Lismore in the New South Wales northern rivers region in February 2005, six days after she was reported missing.

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Middle East: UN aid chief condemns ‘daily cruelty’ in Gaza – DW (English)

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  1. Middle East: UN aid chief condemns 'daily cruelty' in Gaza  DW (English)
  2. UN aid chief warns of ‘gravest crimes’ committed in Israel’s war on Gaza  Al Jazeera English
  3. Famine is likely imminent in northern Gaza, hunger experts say  The Associated Press
  4. Video. Watch: Scale of Gaza's destruction before and after Israeli bombardments  Le Monde
  5. Gaza mother struggling to feed children says only death can end their suffering  Reuters
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Israel broadens airstrikes, killing displaced families without warning – Arab News

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  1. Israel broadens airstrikes, killing displaced families without warning  Arab News
  2. Israel Intensifies Strikes in Lebanon Amid Push for Cease-Fire  The New York Times
  3. Lebanon, Gaza and Syria hit by deadly Israeli strikes, reports say  CNN
  4. IDF troops kill terrorists, seize weapons in coordinated Gaza and Lebanon operations  The Jerusalem Post
  5. Israeli strikes kill dozens in Lebanon and isolated northern Gaza while Netanyahu and Trump speak  The Associated Press
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The White Stripes drop lawsuit against Trump campaign for unauthorised Seven Nation Army use

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The move follows a bitter Instagram post by Jack White condemning what the US can expect from choosing ‘a known, obvious fascist’

The White Stripes have dropped their federal lawsuit against Donald Trump for unauthorised use of their song Seven Nation Army in a video posted by campaign deputy director of communications Margo Martin in August.

Jack and Meg White are dismissing the case without prejudice and therefore could refile, Pitchfork reports. A lawyer for the band offered the website no comment.

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Ukraine hoped to force Russia to pick between 2 fronts. Putin chose both. – Business Insider

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  1. Ukraine hoped to force Russia to pick between 2 fronts. Putin chose both.  Business Insider
  2. 50,000 Russian and North Korean Troops Mass Ahead of Attack, U.S. Says  The New York Times
  3. US Says North Korean Troops Are Engaged in Fight Against Ukraine  Bloomberg
  4. North Korean soldiers joining Russia in combat, US State Dept says  Reuters
  5. Inside Ukraine's First Battle With North Korean Troops  Business Insider
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Trump expected to appoint China critics Marco Rubio and Mike Waltz | First Thing

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Rubio is reportedly in line for secretary of state, with Waltz expected to be made national security adviser. Plus, what’s behind all the celebrity lookalike contests?

Good morning.

Donald Trump has reportedly picked China critics Marco Rubio and Mike Waltz for the respective roles of secretary of state and national security adviser.

Who has been confirmed for Trump’s cabinet? The immigration hardliner Stephen Miller (as deputy chief of staff for policy); Susie Wiles (chief of staff); Lee Zeldin (Environmental Protection Agency administrator); and Tom Homan (“border tsar”).

What does his EPA pick mean for the environment? Trump said Zeldin’s appointment would “ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions”. Zeldin said in 2018 that he did not support the Paris climate agreement.

How much did Gallego win by? He took 50% of the vote to Lake’s 48%.

Was it a surprise? Gallego polled consistently ahead of Lake by several points, despite Trump easily beating Harris in the state.

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China Displays New Stealth Fighter in Race to Match U.S. – The Wall Street Journal

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  1. China Displays New Stealth Fighter in Race to Match U.S.  The Wall Street Journal
  2. China just showed off its answer to America's F-35 stealth fighter — the new J-35A  Business Insider
  3. China’s 6th-Gen Fighter? Beijing Unveils “Supersonic Aircraft” Capable Of Dropping “Munitions From Space”  EurAsian Times
  4. With new stealth fighter, China displays ambitions to challenge U.S.  The Washington Post
  5. China Unveils Its Second 5th-Gen Fighter, Looks Exactly Like This US Jet  NDTV
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Iran cites 19th century British maps in row over ownership of islands

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Tehran cites 1888 charts in effort to prove ownership of islands near strait of Hormuz that are also claimed by UAE

Maps drawn up more than 130 years ago on the instruction of the Marquess of Salisbury, the then British foreign secretary, have been cited by Iran in its deepening dispute with the Gulf states over the ownership of three strategic islands at the entrance to the critical strait of Hormuz waterway.

The dispute is threatening to damage Iran’s current efforts to form closer relations with its Gulf partners, and has also turned into an additional roadblock to improving Iran’s relations with the European Union.

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Woman from Wales died after gastric sleeve surgery in Turkey, inquest hears

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Janet Savage went into cardiac arrest after injury to abdominal aorta during operation in August last year

A woman died during an operation after travelling to Turkey for slimming surgery, an inquest heard.

Janet Savage, 54, was undergoing a gastric “stomach sleeve” operation but never came around from the procedure.

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Azerbaijan president lauds fossil fuels, knifes Western ‘hypocrisy’ in COP29 opener – POLITICO Europe

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  1. Azerbaijan president lauds fossil fuels, knifes Western ‘hypocrisy’ in COP29 opener  POLITICO Europe
  2. COP29 Climate Talks Focus on Financing  The New York Times
  3. Opinion | Signs of Impending COP-ocalypse  The Wall Street Journal
  4. Green Grifters  City Journal
  5. COP29 Climate Summit: Guterres urged faster progress, as CO2 emissions to hit record high  Reuters
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Musk’s influence on Trump could lead to tougher AI standards, says scientist

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Tycoon might help president-elect realise race for artificial general intelligence is a ‘suicide race’, says Max Tegmark

Elon Musk’s influence on a Donald Trump administration could lead to tougher safety standards for artificial intelligence, according to a leading scientist who has worked closely with the world’s richest person on addressing AI’s dangers.

Max Tegmark said Musk’s support for a failed AI bill in California underlined the billionaire’s continued concern over an issue that did not feature prominently in Trump’s campaign.

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No cease-fire in Lebanon until war objectives met, says Israel’s new defense minister – UPI News

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  1. No cease-fire in Lebanon until war objectives met, says Israel's new defense minister  UPI News
  2. US envoy for Lebanon says ‘there is a shot’ to get Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire soon  The Times of Israel
  3. Biden envoy says "there is a shot" of ceasefire in Lebanon soon  Axios
  4. Middle East latest: Israeli minister reports some progress toward cease-fire but Hezbollah unaware  The Associated Press
  5. Israel's new defense minister says Hezbollah is defeated; Netanyahu acknowledges approving pager attacks  NBC News
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Saudi crown prince says Israel committing ‘genocide’ in Gaza – BBC.com

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  1. Saudi crown prince says Israel committing 'genocide' in Gaza  BBC.com
  2. At Riyadh summit, Saudi crown prince backs Iran, accuses Israel of genocide  The Times of Israel
  3. Iran and Trump Are Front of Mind at Muslim Summit in Saudi Arabia  The New York Times
  4. Saudi Arabia’s MBS demands immediate end to Israel’s war in Gaza, Lebanon  Al Jazeera English
  5. Arab, Muslim leaders call for immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon at Saudi summit  Semafor
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