Dec 31 Raging wildfires trap 4,000 at Australian town’s waterfront By Tristan Lavalette, Associated Press Wildfires burning across Australia's two most-populous states have trapped residents of a seaside town in apocalyptic conditions, destroyed many properties and caused at least two fatalities. Continue reading
Dec 31 Iran-backed Iraqi militia, protesters breach U.S. Embassy compound By Qassim Abdul-Zahra, Associated Press Dozens of Iraqi Shiite militiamen and their supporters broke into the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad on Tuesday, smashing a main door and setting fire to a reception area, prompting tear gas and sounds of gunfire, angered over deadly U.S. Continue reading
Dec 30 Watch 3:28 News Wrap: Taliban attack in northern Afghanistan kills 14 In our news wrap Monday, an attack claimed by the Taliban killed 14 people in northern Afghanistan. Hours earlier, Taliban officials had said they agreed to a temporary cease-fire -- but gave no details. Also, North Korean leader Kim Jong… Continue watching
Dec 30 Watch 9:54 How U.S. airstrikes could affect ongoing tensions with Iran Words and actions between the U.S. and Iran are escalating. On Sunday, U.S. military strikes on an Iraqi militia group backed by Iran killed 25 fighters in what the U.S. said was retaliation for rocket fire that killed an American… Continue watching
Dec 30 Iran-backed Iraqi militia vows revenge for U.S. strikes By Qassim Abdul-Zahra, Associated Press The U.S. attack — the largest targeting an Iraqi state-sanctioned militia in recent years — and the calls for retaliation, represent a new escalation in the proxy war between the U.S. and Iran playing out in the Middle East. Continue reading
Dec 30 Chinese scientist linked to gene-edited babies sentenced to prison By Ken Moritsugu, Associated Press He disappeared from public view shortly after he announced his research at a conference in Hong Kong 13 months ago, apparently detained by authorities. Continue reading
Dec 30 Mike Pompeo to visit Ukraine amid Trump impeachment proceedings By Matthew Lee, Associated Press As the Senate weighs options for a trial, Pompeo will depart Thursday on a five-nation tour of Europe and Central Asia. Ukraine will be the first stop on the trip, the State Department said Monday. Continue reading
Dec 29 Watch Making NewsHour Weekend: A year of covering resilience and hope By PBS NewsHour This year, NewsHour Weekend’s Ivette Feliciano and Zachary Green reported on stories that epitomized human resilience, including a Haitian doctor’s fight against HIV and AIDS, how the Jewish community in Pittsburgh is healing a year after the Tree of Life… Continue watching
Dec 29 U.S. strikes hit Iraqi militia blamed in contractor’s death By Ellen Knickmeyer, Associated Press U.S. forces conducted “precision defensive strikes” against five sites of Kataeb Hezbollah, an Iran-backed Iraqi militia, a Defense Department official said. Continue reading
Dec 29 Ukraine, eastern rebels swap prisoners in move to end war By Evgeniy Maloletka, Associated Press Ukraine turned over 124 people and the separatists freed 76, according to figures from officials of the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s republics, the two separatist governments in the rebel area. Continue reading