Tents arrive for survivors of a quake that killed 126 in freezing, high-altitude Tibet – The Associated Press

  1. Tents arrive for survivors of a quake that killed 126 in freezing, high-altitude Tibet  The Associated Press
  2. Urgency mounts in search for survivors of powerful Tibet earthquake  Reuters
  3. Tibetans living in India and Nepal join prayers for victims of earthquake  Yahoo! Voices
  4. A look at recent deadly earthquakes in China  The Associated Press
  5. Magnitude 7.1 Earthquake Strikes China Near Nepal, Killing At Least 126  The Weather Channel
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Venezuela detains two Americans among group of ‘mercenaries’ – DW (English)

  1. Venezuela detains two Americans among group of 'mercenaries'  DW (English)
  2. More Americans jailed in Venezuela pose a test of Trump’s deal-making foreign policy  The Associated Press
  3. 2 Americans arrested in Venezuela on eve of Maduro inauguration over ‘terrorism’ claims  Fox News
  4. Two Americans, five other 'mercenaries' detained in Venezuela  FRANCE 24 English
  5. Venezuelan Regime Hunts for Foreign Hostages to Pressure Its Rivals  The Wall Street Journal
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Man accused of setting fire to Caulfield racecourse grandstand also broke into Jewish centre, court hears

Alleged arsonist Travis Bird, 51, charged with nine offences over Tuesday’s blaze and another three grassfires at nearby Attenborough park

A man accused of setting fire to a heritage-listed racecourse grandstand before breaking into a Jewish community centre will remain behind bars after facing court.

Travis Bird, 51, appeared at Melbourne magistrates court on Wednesday after being charged with nine offences – four counts of arson, two of trespass and one each of burglary, criminal damage and theft.

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Foreign tourists among three dead after Rottnest Island seaplane crash

Privately owned Cessna 208 Caravan 675 plane was carrying seven people when it crashed off Western Australia coast

Three people have died after a seaplane crashed near Western Australia’s popular tourist destination Rottnest Island with seven people on board.

The privately owned Cessna 208 Caravan 675 seaplane is believed to have struck a small limestone outcrop called Phillip Rock while taking off from Rottnest Island, off the coast of Perth, at about 4pm local time on Tuesday.

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Fire reaches Getty Villa museum grounds in California, but structures not burned

Fueled by major windstorm, Pacific Palisades fire touches museum site but officials say collection safe

A rapidly spreading wildfire in southern California reached the grounds of the Getty Villa museum north of Santa Monica on Tuesday, but officials said no structures had burned and the collection was safe.

The Pacific Palisades fire, fueled by a major windstorm and prompting mass evacuations in Los Angeles county, burned some trees and vegetation on site at the Getty Villa, but museum leaders said the galleries and archives were protected.

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Trump floats “Gulf of America,” seizing Panama Canal in wide-reaching presser – Axios

  1. Trump floats "Gulf of America," seizing Panama Canal in wide-reaching presser  Axios
  2. Mexico's president tries turning tables on Trump with 'nice' naming idea of her own  Fox News
  3. Trump says he will change the name of the Gulf of Mexico. Can he do that?  The Associated Press
  4. Poking Fun at Trump, Mexico’s President Suggests U.S. Should be Called ‘Mexican America’  The New York Times
  5. Can Republicans actually change the name of the Gulf of Mexico?  MSNBC
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Trump Raises Using Military or Economic Force to Take Greenland and the Panama Canal – The New York Times

  1. Trump Raises Using Military or Economic Force to Take Greenland and the Panama Canal  The New York Times
  2. January 7, 2024 - Presidential transition news  CNN
  3. Greenland, Panama and Faucets: Trump Conference Shows Hints of Chaos to Come  The New York Times
  4. The Political Logic of Trump’s International Threats  The Atlantic
  5. ‘Hell will break out’: Trump hints at military moves in Mideast, Americas  Al Jazeera English
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Indonesia places a $28bn bet on free school meals – Financial Times

  1. Indonesia places a $28bn bet on free school meals  Financial Times
  2. Indonesian government tells ranchers to import cattle for school meals programme  Reuters
  3. Indonesia kicks off ambitious $45b free meal plan  ABC News
  4. Indonesia launches free meals program to fight stunting  NPR
  5. Indonesia’s US$4 billion free meal scheme: feeding dreams or fuelling debt?  South China Morning Post
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Chinese Ship Suspected of Cable Sabotage May Have Had Two AIS Devices – The Maritime Executive

  1. Chinese Ship Suspected of Cable Sabotage May Have Had Two AIS Devices  The Maritime Executive
  2. Taiwan, China trade barbs over undersea cable damage  Reuters
  3. Taiwan Says It Suspects a Chinese-Linked Ship Damaged an Undersea Internet Cable  The New York Times
  4. Taiwan believes China is behind damage to one of its crucial undersea cables  Business Insider
  5. Chinese Vessel Cuts Taiwan Internet Cable in Apparent Sabotage  The Wall Street Journal
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Former Cambodian opposition politician shot dead in Bangkok – reports

A gunman on a motorcycle opened fire on the dual Cambodian-French national as he arrived in Thai capital from Cambodia’s Siem Reap

A former Cambodian opposition lawmaker and French national was fatally shot by a gunman in Thailand’s capital of Bangkok on Tuesday, Thai police have confirmed.

Lim Kimya, 74, died at the scene, police said, and was attacked just hours after he arrived in Thailand from the Cambodian city of Siem Reap by bus, accompanied by his French wife and brother.

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Former Cambodian opposition politician shot dead in Bangkok – reports – The Guardian

  1. Former Cambodian opposition politician shot dead in Bangkok – reports  The Guardian
  2. Former Cambodian Opposition Member Lim Kimya Killed in Bangkok  The New York Times
  3. Suspected killer of former Cambodia lawmaker arrested, Thai police say  Reuters
  4. Thai police hunt hitman for shooting of Cambodian opposition figure  Al Jazeera English
  5. Suspected killer of former Cambodian MP arrested  Bangkok Post
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Biden designates two new national monuments after advocacy from tribes

Chuckwalla and Sáttítla monuments in California will be safeguarded against extraction and energy development

Joe Biden will designate two new national monuments in California in his last days in office, after tribes and environment groups asked him to take urgent action.

The designation of the Chuckwalla monument in southern California and the Sáttítla monument in the far north of the state will place 840,000 acres (339,935 hectares) of land under protection, shielding it from extraction and energy development.

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Schools in England face ‘death by a thousand cuts’, headteachers say

Rising costs likely to outstrip funding in coming year, despite recent injections of additional money

Schools in England are facing “death by a thousand cuts”, headteachers have said, after a leading economics thinktank said rising costs are likely to outstrip funding in the coming year, despite recent injections of additional money.

Without more ambitious government investment in education, the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) said there could be yet more cuts in England’s already depleted schools, reducing pastoral support and curriculum choice, while class sizes are likely to grow.

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