Bahrain says work in Syria embassy 'continuing': BNA

Bahrain's embassy in Damascus and the Syrian diplomatic mission in Manama have been operating "without interruption", the Bahraini foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday, a day after the United Arab Emirates reopened its embassy in Syria.

from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2QUIu3H

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US shutdown impasse over Trump's wall drags on

Both chambers of congress adjourn within minutes of opening their sessions on the disputed budget.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2Q6qNc1

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North Korea defector hack: Personal data of almost 1,000 leaked

A personal computer at a resettlement centre in South Korea was found to have been infected.

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

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Sheikha Latifa: Mary Robinson 'backed Dubai version of events'

A former UN rights chief is accused of supporting Dubai's version of events over Sheikha Latifa.

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

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Anak Krakatau: How a tsunami could wipe out the last Javan rhinos

There are only 67 Javan rhinos left in the world and they all live in sight of Anak Krakatau volcano.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2ESxBc5

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Alexandre Benalla: Row over sacked Macron aide's Africa trip

A business trip to Africa by ex-security aide Alexandre Benalla embarrasses the French presidency.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2AjGk33

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New York skyline turns blue

The strange skyline over the borough of Queens had New Yorkers scratching their heads.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2GJ7czl

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Who are this year's most influential people?

Frankie McCamley compiles our alternative power hot list and explains the origins of the Insta influencers.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2So8T6F

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The reggaeton artist challenging sexist stereotypes

Colombian female reggaeton artist Gelo Arango wants to change the sexist, macho stereotypes in her genre.

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

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DR Congo: Why are UN blue helmets there?

DR Congo has one of the largest contingents of UN peacekeepers in the world.

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

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NFL's Jay Ajayi on Nigeria's role in Super Bowl win

The Philadelphia Eagles had never won the Super Bowl before, but British-Nigerian athlete Jay Ajayi helped to end that record.

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

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New York awe-struck as sky over Queens turns blue

Social media users wondered if aliens had landed when a power station blast lit up the sky.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2LAnF7w

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Michelle Obama takes 'most admired woman' title from Hillary Clinton

The former first lady ends Hillary Clinton's 17-year run in the top slot of the annual Gallup poll.

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

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The Skripals and the Salisbury poisoning: What happened next?

One poisoning, five victims, and a diplomatic scandal. But what happened when the news moved on?

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2CCNX68

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Why smartphones are skewing young Indians’ ideas of sex

There seems to be a huge market for videos of rape shared via mobile, which has many worried.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2AhNUv4

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Hassan al-Kontar: Inside the story of his rescue from Syria

"These are the real heroes". The Syrian stuck in airport praises people who helped bring him to Canada.

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

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What awaits any Rohingya refugees who return to Myanmar?

Bangladesh wants to send them back to Myanmar, but they will not be welcomed and their future is unclear.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2BM8hAm

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Africa's week in pictures: 21-27 December 2018

A selection of the best photos from across Africa this week.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2EPoQi9

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Mystery hacker steals data on 1,000 North Korean defectors in South

The personal information of nearly 1,000 North Koreans who defected to South Korea has been leaked after unknown hackers got access to a resettlement agency's database, the South Korean Unification Ministry said on Friday.

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

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Bangladesh's violent vote campaigning ends ahead of weekend poll

Campaigning for Bangladesh's general election ended on Friday after weeks of violence, mainly against workers and officials from an opposition alliance, that has drawn criticism from the United States and others.

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

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China cracks down on Marxist group after Mao birthday detention

A top Chinese university has cracked down on a campus student Marxist society, replacing its leadership after its former head was detained and questioned by police on the sensitive 125th birthday of the founder of modern China, Mao Zedong.

from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2Sk5TI9

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Watch that Tweet! China cracks whip on government social media image

China's cabinet has warned government departments to clean up their social media image amid a drive to bolster the government's online presence to help reach tech-savvy young people who get their information from smartphones.

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

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Bangladesh slows down mobile internet speeds ahead of election: Daily Star

Bangladesh has ordered the shutdown of high-speed mobile internet services ahead of this weekend's national election, the Daily Star reported on Friday citing an email sent to mobile operators by the telecom authority.

from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2Sp6dp8

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China says new financial information rules aimed at providers for institutions

China's internet regulator said on Friday the recently published rules governing financial information providers are aimed at firms supplying information to an institutional audience and to specific investors, rather than the general public.

from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2EPT0Tr

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U.S. Coast Guard suspends search for missing cruise crew member

The U.S. Coast Guard said on Thursday it has suspended its search for a British crew member who went overboard from a Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean.

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

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Collapse in India's onion prices could leave Modi smarting in election

A spike in the price of onions has led to the ouster of governments in Indian elections in the past. Now, prices of the staple have collapsed, and many impoverished farmers are saying they will make Prime Minister Narendra Modi pay in next year's general election.

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

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Bereaved Guatemalan mother recalls hopes son would ease U.S. entry

Between heavy sobs, Catarina Alonzo explained that when her husband left Guatemala to try to reach the United States, they hoped taking their 8-year-old son would make it easier for the pair to get in. Instead, the boy fell ill and died.

from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2rXR7LR

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Corbyn: Labour bid to force general election matter of 'when, not if'

British opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn told the Independent newspaper the Labour party's attempt to force a general election by tabling a no-confidence motion was a matter of "when, not if."

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

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Former Macron bodyguard in spotlight over consultancy work

A sacked security aide to French President Emmanuel Macron who was at the center of a scandal that shook the government this summer is under fresh scrutiny over the nature of his recent work as a consultant.

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

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Venezuela murder rate dips, partly due to migration: monitoring group

The murder rate in Venezuela, one of the world's highest-crime countries, dipped in 2018 as some criminals apparently joined millions of law-abiding compatriots in leaving the crisis-stricken country, a local crime monitoring group said in a report on Thursday.

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

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