Deadly alcohol poisoning casts shadow over the Laotian backpacker town – The Associated Press

  1. Deadly alcohol poisoning casts shadow over the Laotian backpacker town  The Associated Press
  2. Free shots and beer buckets in party town at centre of suspected methanol deaths  BBC.com
  3. Laotian tourist hotspot overshadowed by string of deadly poisonings  South China Morning Post
  4. Sixth person dies after suspected mass drink-spiking in Laos  Yahoo! Voices
  5. Canada issues travel advisory for Laos after six tourists die from tainted alcoholic drinks  Toronto Star
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Philippine VP says she’s hired assassin to kill country’s president, wife – The Times of Israel

  1. Philippine VP says she’s hired assassin to kill country’s president, wife  The Times of Israel
  2. The Philippine vice president publicly threatens to have the president assassinated  The Associated Press
  3. Philippine vice president makes public assassination threat against country's president  Fox News
  4. Philippines VP Sara Duterte threatens Marcos assassination if she is killed  Al Jazeera English
  5. Marcos’ Office Calls Duterte’s Comments a Threat to His Life  Bloomberg
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Masked gang broke into home of Conor McGregor accuser, Dublin court was told

Incident revealed after civil court found MMA fighter had assaulted Nikita Hand in December 2018

A gang of masked men broke into the home of a woman who had taken a civil case against the mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor that accused him of raping her, it can now be revealed.

The incident was referred to at the start of the court case in Dublin but could not be reported until now as it emerged during legal discussion while the jury were not present.

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Islamic State is primed to be thorn in the side of incoming Trump administration

The terrorist group has been looking to be active this holiday season, with online chatter about attacks increasing

Amid a presidential campaign with foreign policy discussions more focused on the wars in Ukraine, Gaza and Lebanon, the Islamic State stayed under the radar while calling on supporters and operatives to attack Americans on election day.

The FBI thwarted a serious plot in Oklahoma City only weeks before the vote, prompting a similar public reaction to news involving the terror group that has become customary of late: is the Islamic State a renewed threat?

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Rich nations raise COP29 climate finance offer to $300 billion as developing nations fume – CNBC

  1. Rich nations raise COP29 climate finance offer to $300 billion as developing nations fume  CNBC
  2. Rich countries boost COP29 climate finance offer as developing nations seethe  Reuters
  3. Climate-vulnerable islands storm out of COP29 negotiation room in row over funding  Sky News
  4. Pressure ramps up at UN talks to reach a deal for cash to curb and adapt to climate change  The Boston Globe
  5. Poorer countries face $300B take-it-or-leave-it climate deal after testy meeting  POLITICO Europe
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Huge election year worldwide sees weakening commitment to act on climate crisis

Among sweeping rightwing electoral victories across the globe, the ‘big loser of the elections has been climate’

An unprecedented year of elections around the world has underscored a sobering trend – in many countries the commitment to act on the climate crisis has either stalled or is eroding, even as disasters and record temperatures continue to mount.

So far 2024, called the “biggest election year in human history” by the United Nations with around half the world’s population heading to the polls, there have been major wins for Donald Trump, the US president-elect who calls the climate crisis “a big hoax”; the climate-skeptic right in European Union elections; and Vladimir Putin, who won another term and has endured sanctions to maintain Russia’s robust oil and gas exports.

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South Africa’s illegal gold miners are locked in an underground standoff with police – NPR

  1. South Africa's illegal gold miners are locked in an underground standoff with police  NPR
  2. South Africa's illegal 'zama-zama' mining industry: Gang-controlled 'towns' grow underground  BBC.com
  3. South Africa’s underground hypocrisy  JNS.org
  4. South African miners trapped underground: What you need to know  Al Jazeera English
  5. Judgment reserved in saga of trapped miners  IOL
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Russia will keep testing new ballistic missile, Putin says – CNN

  1. Russia will keep testing new ballistic missile, Putin says  CNN
  2. Putin says Russia attacked Ukraine with a new missile and threatens Western countries arming Ukraine  NBC News
  3. With Memes and in State Media, Many Russians Cheer on Putin’s Threats  The New York Times
  4. Retired major general reacts to Russia’s use of new weapon in Ukraine  CNN
  5. Putin says Russia will keep testing new missile in combat  Reuters
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Kayaker Trapped on Australian River Has Leg Amputated in 20-Hour Rescue – The New York Times

  1. Kayaker Trapped on Australian River Has Leg Amputated in 20-Hour Rescue  The New York Times
  2. Kayaker's leg amputated at Tasmania river after 20-hour rescue to free him from rocks  CBS News
  3. Kayaker’s leg amputated in 20-hour ordeal trapped between rocks on Australia river  CNN
  4. Tourist’s leg amputated in dramatic 20-hour rescue  New York Post
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Starmer seeks to hire EU negotiator in pursuit of relations reset

Salary of at least £153,000 offered by Cabinet Office for ‘principal adviser’ to prime minister

Ministers are hiring a new EU negotiator as Keir Starmer seeks to reset Britain’s relationship with Europe.

The post, worth at least £153,000 a year and advertised by the Cabinet Office, would act as a representative for all of the UK’s dealings with the bloc.

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As Band Aid marks 40th anniversary critics take aim at Africa stereotypes

Latest version of Do They Know It’s Christmas fundraiser reignites debate about ‘problematic’ lyrics and imagery

Forty years ago this week, a group of pop stars gathered at a west London studio to record a single that would raise millions, inspire further starry projects, and ultimately change charity fundraising in the UK.

Do They Know It’s Christmas, Bob Geldof and Midge Ure’s festive charity behemoth, would go on to raise almost £150m for famine relief and development in Ethiopia and elsewhere in Africa. To mark the anniversary, on Monday a new version of the single – its fifth – will be released under the name Band Aid 40.

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