Russian apartment block blast kills at least four, dozens missing: agencies

Rescuers scrambled amid freezing temperatures to recover people trapped in the rubble of a Russian city apartment block that collapsed in a gas explosion on Monday, killing at least four people and leaving dozens missing, news agencies reported.

Source: https://reut.rs/2AlD07G

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Iran TV chief sacked over uncensored Jackie Chan sex scene

A regional channel showed Jackie Chan's Shinjuku Incident without censoring an "immoral" part.

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Pete Tong NYE 'balloon drop' cancelled after protests

Organisers had planned to release 130,000 balloons at a Manila nightclub to ring in the new year.

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US zoo intern fatally attacked by lion in North Carolina

Alexandra Black, 22, had recently graduated and started working at the centre only 10 days before.

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UAE court upholds 10-year jail sentence of rights activist Mansoor

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

Source: https://reut.rs/2CGyqlT

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Bosnian town cancels New Year celebrations due to protests

The mayor of the northwestern Bosnian town of Banja Luka has canceled Monday's New Year celebrations for security reasons after protesters demanding the truth about a student's death prevented a public concert taking place the previous evening.

Source: https://reut.rs/2TjCHkN

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Iraqi warplanes strike Islamic State leaders in Syria: military

Iraqi warplanes hit a meeting of Islamic State leaders near Deir al-Zor in Syria on Monday, destroying the building they were gathered in, the military said in a statement, without giving further details about the militants targeted.

Source: https://reut.rs/2CGJeAH

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French court orders sending Central African Republic war crimes suspect to ICC

A French court has authorized Central Africa Republic soccer executive and alleged militia leader Patrice-Edouard Ngaissona to be handed over to the Hague war crimes tribunal, a judicial source said on Monday.

Source: https://reut.rs/2SuiwR4

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Violence, gangs cast pall over life in Honduras

Ana Luz, sister-in-law of Ronald Blanco, looked on grimly as neighbors of the murdered Honduran man washed away the rills of blood left where his bullet-ridden body had lain outside his house in a troubled barrio on the outskirts of Tegucigalpa.

Source: https://reut.rs/2AlAgao

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Bangladesh PM rejects complaints of rigging after landslide win

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday rejected opposition complaints of vote rigging and said people had gone to the polls enthusiastically in a largely peacefully general election that her ruling alliance swept with a landslide.

Source: https://reut.rs/2SorsaG

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Families, friends of trapped Indian miners lose hope after 18 days

Relatives of at least 15 Indian miners trapped in a "rat-hole" mine for 18 days said on Monday they have given up hope that any of them would be found alive, even as rescue operations were stepped up.

Source: https://reut.rs/2BTJkmT

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Fired bodyguard contradicts French presidency on Macron contacts

Emmanuel Macron's former security adviser said on Monday he regularly spoke to the French president, contradicting the presidency that has tried to distance itself from him since he was sacked for violent conduct that fueled a political scandal.

Source: https://reut.rs/2R3uqVB

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Israeli spy sees possible threat from Iraq as Iran's clout grows

Iran could use its growing clout in Iraq to turn the Arab country into a springboard for attacks against Israel, the top Israeli intelligence official said on Monday.

Source: https://reut.rs/2BORXz8

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Palestinian court jails U.S.-Palestinian for life for Jerusalem land sale

A Palestinian court sentenced an American-Palestinian on Monday to life imprisonment for violating a ban on selling land to Israelis, judiciary officials said.

Source: https://reut.rs/2QboPah

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Bangladesh election commissioner rejects call for fresh election

Bangladesh's chief election commissioner rejected on Monday an opposition demand for a fresh election, after widespread opposition complaints that vote rigging handed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling party victory.

Source: https://reut.rs/2VmkEMw

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More work to do on Brexit assurances, says UK PM May's spokeswoman

Britain still has work to do to get the assurances from the European Union it needs over its Brexit agreement, Prime Minister Theresa May's spokeswoman said on Monday, adding that May had spoken to other EU leaders over the Christmas holiday.

Source: https://reut.rs/2QdQk30

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