2019: The New Year begins with a bang in New Zealand

Auckland has said goodbye to 2018 and got the world's New Year celebrations officially underway.

from BBC News - Home https://bbc.in/2Ss0PBN

Bomb outside shopping center kills two, wounds 28 in Philippines

A crude bomb, blamed by security forces on a small pro-Islamic State militant group, killed two people and wounded dozens on Monday in the southern Philippines, an army commander said.

from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2SoHsJW

Vatican spokesman, deputy resign suddenly

The spokesman for the Vatican and his deputy resigned suddenly on Monday, an official statement said.

from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2CHSnsO

UAE court upholds 10-year jail sentence of activist Mansoor: sources

A United Arab Emirates appeals court upheld a 10-year jail sentence against pro-democracy campaigner Ahmed Mansoor for criticizing the government on social media, two sources familiar with the case said on Monday.

from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2TeQ05Y

Bahrain top court upholds sentence against activist Rajab: lawyer

Bahrain's high court upheld on Monday a five-year jail sentence against human rights activist Nabeel Rajab, his lawyer said, in a move described by campaign groups as "political persecution" and "utterly outrageous".

from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2EZopms

Amal Fathy: Egypt court imposes jail term over harassment video

Amal Fathy faces two years in jail for criticising the state for failing to tackle sexual harassment.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2Rkn27y

Mother of the Hubble: Tributes paid to Nasa scientist

Dr Nancy Grace Roman, the first woman to hold a senior leadership position at Nasa, has died at 93.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2SoZ7kp

Hopman Cup: Serena Williams & Roger Federer to play for first time

Roger Federer and Serena Williams will meet on court for the first time at the Hopman Cup on Tuesday.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2AmrZTG

2019: The New Year begins with a bang in New Zealand

Auckland has said goodbye to 2018 and got the world's New Year celebrations officially underway.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2Ss0PBN

Australian cane toads hitch a lift on python's back after storm

Paul Mock filmed the cane toads riding the python, known as Monty, after a bad storm in Kununurra.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2GOcA4a

Duterte: Outrage as Philippines president says he sexually abused maid

Rights groups call the Philippine president's comments "repulsive" and "unworthy of his position".

from BBC News - Home https://bbc.in/2VjtESU

Australian cane toads hitch a lift on python's back after storm

Paul Mock filmed the cane toads riding the python, known as Monty, after a bad storm in Kununurra.

from BBC News - Home https://bbc.in/2GOcA4a

Israel jails Palestinian for Briton's killing, says is mentally ill

An Israeli court sentenced a Palestinian to 18 years imprisonment on Monday for stabbing to death a British woman in Jerusalem last year, under a plea bargain acknowledging he is mentally ill.

from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2AjUS2I

May would be 'good time' for Trump visit to UK after Brexit: envoy

U.S. President Donald Trump might visit Britain in May 2019 after the country's departure in March from the European Union, the U.S. ambassador to Britain, Woody Johnson, said on Monday.

from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2SvGZ8z

UAE appeals court upholds 10-year jail sentence against activist Ahmed Mansoor: sources

A United Arab Emirates appeals court upheld a 10-year jail sentence against prominent pro-democracy activist Ahmed Mansoor on charges of criticizing the Emirati government on social media, two sources familiar with the case said on Monday.

from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2SrYGGf

Severn Bridge shut as drone flown from the top

Police arrested a man, aged in his 20s, who had climbed to the top of the bridge to fly a drone.

from BBC News - Home https://bbc.in/2Aqvqsn

UAE appeals court upholds 10-year jail sentence against activist Ahmed Mansour: sources

A United Arab Emirates appeals court upheld a 10-year jail sentence against prominent pro-democracy activist Ahmed Mansoor on charges of criticizing the Emirati government on social media, two sources familiar with the case said on Monday.

from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2ThN5JV

Russia detains American in Moscow over suspected spying

Russia's domestic security service (FSB) said on Monday it had detained an American citizen suspected of spying in Moscow.

from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2VhO6U0

Four terrorism suspects to appear in Dutch court

Four men suspected of belonging to a terrorist organization will appear in court on Monday, two days after being arrested in Rotterdam, a prosecution spokesman said.

from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2QamOew

Brexit: US ambassador to UK Johnson warns on trade deal

Donald Trump's pledge on trade cannot happen if the PM's Brexit deal goes through, says Johnson.

from BBC News - Home https://bbc.in/2RukV0O

Mother of the Hubble: Tributes paid to Nasa scientist

Dr Nancy Grace Roman, the first woman to hold a senior leadership position at NASA, has died at 93.

from BBC News - Home https://bbc.in/2SoZ7kp

Russian security agency arrests 'US spy' in Moscow

The FSB security agency says a US man named Paul Whelan has been charged with spying.

from BBC News - Home https://bbc.in/2CHzCFI

Philippines deadly storm and landslides kill more than 60

An official says people did not take precautions as the storm was not classed as a typhoon.

from BBC News - Home https://bbc.in/2VkEYy4

Russian security agency arrests 'US spy' in Moscow

The FSB security agency says a US man named Paul Whelan has been charged with spying.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2CHzCFI

Duterte: Outrage as Philippines president says he touched a maid

Rights groups call Rodrigo Duterte's comments "repulsive" and "unworthy of his position".

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2VjtESU

Deadly blast ruins Russia housing block in Magnitogorsk

At least three people died in a suspected gas explosion in the city of Magnitogorsk.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2EYqvTq

Russian apartment block blast kills three, dozens missing: agencies

Russian rescuers were on Monday searching for people still trapped under the rubble of a city apartment block that partly collapsed in a suspected gas blast, killing at least three, RIA said.

from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2RqSEbw

Iran says Afghan Taliban arrived in Tehran, held peace talks

Iran said Taliban representatives from Afghanistan negotiated with Iranian officials in Tehran on Sunday, as the Islamic Republic seeks to advance peace talks in the neighboring country to curb the influence of other Islamist groups.

from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2RkjGBu

Bangladesh's PM Hasina wins third straight term; opposition cries foul

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has won a third straight term, sealing a landslide with almost all the seats in parliament, officials said on Monday, while the opposition rejected the result as rigged and called for a fresh vote.

from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2VkO9P2