UN chief warns of South Sudan genocide unless world acts

In this Feb. 25, 2016, file photo, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon speaks to the media in Juba, South Sudan. Ban warned Monday, Dec. 19, that South Sudan will be heading toward genocide unless immediate action is taken to impose an arms embargo and pressure leaders of the world’s newest nation to end hate speech, incitement and violence.

Marathon runner’s death exposes cheating in China

The death of a runner in a half marathon in China’s southeastern city of Xiamen this month has highlighted an unexpected form of cheating. The death of a runner in the half marathon in Xiamen, revealed he had been running for the registered competitor, who has now been banned for life When a runner suffered a heart attack and collapsed 4.5 kilometres from the finish line, at first it seemed like a tragic death.

Berlin police assume truck was deliberately driven into Christmas market

BERLIN: Berlin police said on Tuesday that investigators assume the driver of a truck that ploughed into a crowd at a Berlin Christmas market, killing 12 people and injuring 48 others, did so intentionally in a suspected terrorist attack. The truck crashed into people gathered around wooden huts serving mulled wine and sausages at the foot of the Kaiser Wilhelm memorial church, which was left as a ruin after World War Two, in the heart of former West Berlin on Monday evening.

Mac on… Social care for the elderly

Crushed and covered in blood: Scenes of devastation amid the crumpled stalls of the Berlin Christmas market immediately after ‘terror attack’ Trump says terrorists ‘must be eradicated from the face of the earth’ after 12 die and 48 are hurt when lorry ploughs into Berlin market ‘People were tearing off wooden panels to get out’: Witness describes the moment a truck plowed into a Berlin Christmas market How Zsa Zsa seduced the world with sex, one-liners and VERY tall tales to become the world’s first celebrity to be famous just for being famous Obama pardons 78 felons and commutes 153 more as White House boasts of ‘greatest number of individual clemencies in a single day’ Ohio’s next three executions are postponed as the state struggles to get hold of the controversial drug Midazolam to carry out the killings Horror as Russian ambassador to Turkey is shot dead in art exhibition in Ankara … (more)

Shooter in Russian Ambassador Killing Was Member of Turkish Riot…

The man accused of assassinating Russia’s ambassador to Turkey was a member of the riot police in Ankara, Turkey, who used his police ID card to enter the building before the shooting, according to Interior Ministry sources. The suspect, identified as Mevlut Mert Altintas, was killed by the Turkish anti-terror police, the Interior Ministry said, after he allegedly shot the ambassador in an attack caught on camera.

Barra McGrory ‘should be sacked’ over his links to Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness

Crushed and covered in blood: Scenes of devastation amid the crumpled stalls of the Berlin Christmas market immediately after ‘terror attack’ Trump says terrorists ‘must be eradicated from the face of the earth’ after 12 die and 48 are hurt when lorry ploughs into Berlin market ‘People were tearing off wooden panels to get out’: Witness describes the moment a truck plowed into a Berlin Christmas market How Zsa Zsa seduced the world with sex, one-liners and VERY tall tales to become the world’s first celebrity to be famous just for being famous Obama pardons 78 felons and commutes 153 more as White House boasts of ‘greatest number of individual clemencies in a single day’ Ohio’s next three executions are postponed as the state struggles to get hold of the controversial drug Midazolam to carry out the killings Horror as Russian ambassador to Turkey is shot dead in art exhibition in Ankara … (more)

12 dead and 48 injured as truck rams into Berlin Christmas market

Emergency services at the scene where a truck ploughed into a crowded Christmas market outside the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin A “suspicious person” – thought to be the driver – was arrested near the scene and a passenger in the lorry died “on the spot”, authorities said. Berlin Police tweeted: “A suspicious person was arrested near #Breitscheidplatz.

Operation ‘Just Punishment’ nets 38 arrests for drug trafficking, firearms violations

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations , working jointly with other federal and local law enforcement agencies, conducted simultaneous takedowns Thursday in the municipality of Cayey and Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts and Florida, during an operation dubbed ‘Just Punishment’ that resulted in the arrest of 38 individuals for their alleged participation in a drug trafficking and illegal firearms conspiracy.

Decline in lifejacket use off rocks a concern

Water safety experts are concerned at evidence of a dramatic decline in lifejacket use among rock fishers on Auckland’s notorious west coast. The finding comes from a just-released survey of west coast rock fishers by Auckland University researcher Dr Kevin Moran, which highlights a more than 30% drop in lifejacket use.

Truck mows through German holiday market, killing 9

A passenger in the truck, which stopped after running down several vendor stands, was among the dead in a Berlin market. – A truck rammed into a crowded Christmas market in central Berlin on Monday evening, killing at least nine people and injuring around 50 as it tore through tables and wooden stands.

Ecuador quake kills two, injures 15

News selected on topics and regions – oil and gas, business, politics, IT, the South Caucasus, the Caspian Sea region, Central Asia Ranking of the Azerbaijani banking sector A 5.7-magnitude earthquake in northern Ecuador left two people dead and injured another 15 on Monday, as it caused substantial material damage, Reuters reported. The quake shook the country’s Esmeraldas province, which lies along the northern coast and border with Colombia, the Secretariat of Risk Management said.

A gunman tries to enter the US Embassy in Ankara

News selected on topics and regions – oil and gas, business, politics, IT, the South Caucasus, the Caspian Sea region, Central Asia Ranking of the Azerbaijani banking sector A gunman tried to enter the US Embassy in Ankara, police neutralised the attacker and took him into custody, Daily Sabah reported. Russian ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov died after he was badly wounded in an armed assault in Ankara Dec. 19, Turkish newspaper Milliyet reported.

Feature: Economic traps the new government should avoid

In December last year I analyzed the economic vision of the NPP as presented by their vice presidential candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia. The NPP campaigned on a vision of fiscal discipline, macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability all while reducing taxes and restoring some public sector benefits cut by the NDC government.

Small town boy helps shape the globe

Civil engineer Dr Ian Greenwood’s work in asset management takes him to places like here at the failed Chernobyl nuclear facility, war ravaged Ukraine and Boko Haram and Ebola affected Nigeria. Keeping his ear drums intact in a bomb blast, or what level of a hotel to stay in that would put him above a terrorist bomb blast set off in reception, yet low enough to be reached by a fire ladder, are just a couple of the health and safety requirements for civil engineer Doctor Ian Greenwood.

Trump links Islamist terrorists with Berlin attack

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Monday condemned the attack on a Christmas market in Berlin that killed 12 people, saying that “Islamist terrorists” were responsible for it. “ISIS and other Islamist terrorists continually slaughter Christians in their communities and places of worship as part of their global jihad,” Trump said in a statement quoted by Reuters and using an acronym for the Islamic State jihadist group.

Nine dead, 50 injured, as truck rams into Berlin Christmas market

Emergency services at the scene where a truck ploughed into a crowded Christmas market outside the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin A “suspicious person” – thought to be the driver – was arrested near the scene and a passenger in the lorry died “on the spot”, authorities said. Berlin Police tweeted: “A suspicious person was arrested near #Breitscheidplatz.

Israelis open San Francisco’s latest kosher bakery

Israeli friends Isaac Yosef, Avi Edri and head chef Yanni – who goes by one name – held a soft opening for their bakery Taboon in the city’s SoMa neighborhood last week, the San Francisco Gate reported. As Oakland’s Grand Bakery gets set to close this week after 55 years of operation, Taboon will become the city’s only true kosher bakery.

Senior Hamas member threatens Israel with ‘new conflict’

Hamas political bureau member Saleh al-Arouri on Sunday threated that his group would start a new round of fighting with Israel over its alleged “violation” of Muslim rights in Jerusalem. Speaking to Hamas’s Al-Aqsa television channel, Arouri referred to the proposed “Muezzin Law” in Israel, which would prohibit mosques from using loudspeakers for the call to prayer, saying that preventing the sound of the muezzin is a provocation which will result in a new conflict.

Chris Evans is in festive spirits for BBC Christmas party

Chris Evans is in festive spirits for BBC party: DJ, 50, wears snowflake jumper and Santa hat to Christmas lunch Making his way to the party in London after his Breakfast Show at the BBC Radio 2 studios, the 50-year-old sported a snowflake jumper and Santa hat with cycling shorts, leggings, and multicoloured Nike trainers. Playing Sir Derek Jacobi’s on-screen wife in the hit BBC series Last Tango In Halifax has sparked some real-life tension between the thespian and his co-star Anne Reid.

Meghan Markle holds hands with her onscreen boyfriend Patrick J Adams in Suits

Look away now Prince Harry! Meghan Markle holds hands with her onscreen boyfriend Patrick J Adams in new stills for TV show Suits She’s been dating Prince Harry for several months – and Meghan Markle can be seen holding hands with onscreen boyfriend Patrick J Adams in new Suits stills. The 35-year-old beauty returns to television screens on January 25 with the second half of the sixth season of the acclaimed show and her love life appears to be hotting up.

Jesinta Campbell reveals extraordinary price offered for wedding photos

Crushed and covered in blood: Scenes of devastation amid the crumpled stalls of the Berlin Christmas market immediately after ‘terror attack’ Trump says terrorists ‘must be eradicated from the face of the earth’ after 12 die and 48 are hurt when lorry ploughs into Berlin market ‘People were tearing off wooden panels to get out’: Witness describes the moment a truck plowed into a Berlin Christmas market How Zsa Zsa seduced the world with sex, one-liners and VERY tall tales to become the world’s first celebrity to be famous just for being famous Obama pardons 78 felons and commutes 153 more as White House boasts of ‘greatest number of individual clemencies in a single day’ Ohio’s next three executions are postponed as the state struggles to get hold of the controversial drug Midazolam to carry out the killings Horror as Russian ambassador to Turkey is shot dead in art exhibition in Ankara … (more)

1 in 4 in NZ emergency departments affected by alcohol

The latest snapshot survey of alcohol-related presentations to emergency departments in Australia and New Zealand has shown once again that alcohol continues to impact on staff, patients and health systems in both countries. In New Zealand, the survey shockingly revealed that one out of four patients were there as a result of the harmful use of alcohol.

1 in 8 Emergency Department presentations related to alcohol

The latest snapshot survey of alcohol-related presentations to emergency departments in Australia and New Zealand has shown once again that alcohol continues to impact on staff, patients and health systems in both countries. In Australia the survey revealed that one out of eight patients were there as a result of the harmful use of alcohol.

TRUMP: Assassination of Russian ambassador a ‘violation of all…

President-elect Donald Trump on Monday condemned the assassination of Russia’s ambassador to Turkey, calling it a “violation of all rules of civilized order” and saying it was carried out by a “radical Islamic terrorist.” “Today we offer our condolences to the family and loved ones of Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov, who was assassinated by a radical Islamic terrorist,” Trump said in a short statement.

12 killed after truck rams Berlin Christmas market crowd

A truck rammed into a crowded Christmas market in central Berlin on Monday evening, killing at least 12 people and injuring around 50 as it tore through tables and wooden stands. Police said a suspect believed to be the driver was arrested nearby and a passenger died as paramedics were treating him.