Thousands of Australians flee to beaches to escape bushfires

Thousands of tourists and residents swarmed to beaches on Australia's east coast on Tuesday to escape fierce wildfires bearing down on several seaside towns at the peak of the summer holiday period.

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Australia bushfire emergency: 'We were all terrified for our lives'

David Jeffrey was among thousands who fled to the beach in Mallacoota as fires approached the town.

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'I feel complete' in Uganda - George the Poet

London-born spoken word artist and podcaster George the Poet reflects on belonging, diaspora and his Ugandan heritage before his first gig in the country.

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South Korea indicts former justice minister and confidant of president

South Korean prosecutors indicted former Justice Minister Cho Kuk on Tuesday on a dozen charges including bribery, two months after he resigned over a scandal involving family investment and university admissions for his children.

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Saudi Arabia condemns attacks by Iran-backed militias against American forces in Iraq

Saudi Arabia condemned attacks launched last week by Iranian regime-backed militias against American forces in Iraq, an official source said in statement published by the state-owned Saudi Press Agency.

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China rattles saber - and offers friendship - days before Taiwan's elections

With just days to go before Taiwan's elections, its giant neighbor is trying a push-and-pull strategy on the island Beijing claims as Chinese territory, rattling its saber while trying to coax electors with outwardly friendlier policies.

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'Persist in 2020' - Hong Kong gears up for New Year countdown unrest

Hong Kong police will deploy more than 6,000 officers on New Year's Eve, local media reported on Tuesday, as protesters plan rallies around the city to urge people not to give up the fight for democracy in 2020.

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Thousands of people trapped in Australian coastal town by huge wildfires

Thousands of tourists and residents in an Australian seaside town hunkered down in public buildings or waded into water at the seafront on Tuesday as wailing emergency sirens warned of a looming, fierce firefront.

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Three people feared dead in Australian bushfires: authorities

Three people caught in bushfires in Australia's southeast are feared dead, authorities said on Tuesday, as huge fire fronts cause widespread devastation and forced thousands of holidaymakers to flee to beaches to escape the flames.

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2019 in news: The alternative end-of-the-year awards

From the ridiculous to the more ridiculous, the weird stories that caught the eye this year.

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Citizenship Act protests: Why fear has gripped Muslims in this Indian state

The Muslim community in Uttar Pradesh is living in fear after a new citizenship law came into effect.

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China internet: Top talking points of 2019 and how they evaded the censors

From rebellious numbers to state-backed trends, China's internet was a noisy place in 2019.

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Africa's year in pictures 2019

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

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Tech 2019: Our biggest technology stories

Social media scandals dominate the list of the most-read news stories by the Tech desk this year.

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'Man on the Moon' moment - the year's big breakthroughs

The year of treating the untreatable: 2019 breakthroughs that could transform medicine.

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Huawei: 'Survival will be our priority' in 2020

The firm admits life will be "difficult" after the Trump administration banned the firm in the US.

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Huawei: 'Survival will be our priority' in 2020

The firm admits life will be "difficult" after the Trump administration banned the firm in the US.

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UK and US considered Nigeria naval blockade over Saro-Wiwa execution

The UK and US considered an oil embargo after activist Ken Saro-Wiwa was hanged, document reveals.

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The digital links of 2019's global protests

Protests in Hong Kong, Chile and the Middle East all shared an online presence which helped connect the movements.

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National living wage to rise by 6.2% in April

The government says it will boost pay by more than four times the rate of inflation.

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What were the top business stories of 2019?

It was a year of unrest and upheaval, with protests in Hong Kong, and US-China trade tensions.

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Local shops urge action to save cash machines

The Link network should raise the fee it pays cash machine operators, say convenience store owners.

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Australia: Volunteer firefighter killed by 'freakish' wind

There are also concerns in Australia that "extraordinary fire behaviour" will increase the flames.

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North Korea's Kim urges 'positive and offensive' security ahead of nuclear talk deadline

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called at a ruling party meeting for "positive and offensive measures" to ensure security ahead of a year-end deadline he has set for denuclearization talks with the United States, state media KCNA said on Monday.

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Chinese court sentences Early Rain Church pastor to nine years jail for subversion

A Chinese court sentenced the pastor of the Early Rain Covenant Church, Wang Yi, to nine years in prison on charges of inciting subversion of state power and illegally operating a business.

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Hong Kong to end year with multiple protests, kick off 2020 with big march

Hong Kong will end 2019 with multiple protests planned for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day aimed at disrupting festivities and shopping in the Asian financial hub, which has seen a rise in clashes between police and protesters since Christmas.

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Chinese court sentences 'gene-editing' scientist to three years in prison: Xinhua

A Chinese court sentenced the scientist who created the world's first "gene-edited" babies to three years in prison on Monday, according to the official Xinhua media.

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Tesla delivers its first 'Made in China' cars

The move comes as the US-China trade war US companies to shift production out of China.

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Tesla delivers its first 'Made in China' cars

The move comes as the US-China trade war US companies to shift production out of China.

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Hong Kong to end 2019 with multiple protests; big march planned for Jan. 1

Hong Kong will end 2019 with multiple protests planned for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day aimed at disrupting festivities and shopping in the Asian financial hub, which has seen a rise in clashes between police and protesters since Christmas.

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'A day we do not often see': Australia's southeast under huge fire threat

Tens of thousands of residents and holiday makers across a swathe of Australia's southeast were urged to evacuate on Monday, as soaring temperatures and strong winds fanned massive bushfires.

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