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Showing posts from August, 2020

French lieutenant-colonel stationed at a NATO base in Italy charged with spying for Russia

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A senior French military officer has been charged with espionage for allegedly passing top secret documents to Russian intelligence, Florence Parly, the defence minister, said on Sunday. The lieutenant-colonel, who has not been named, is stationed at a NATO base in Italy. He was detained by France’s General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI), the equivalent of MI5, 10 days ago. The officer was about to return to Italy after a holiday in France, Europe 1 radio reported, and is being held at La Santé prison in Paris. Ms Parly said the defence ministry had referred the case to public prosecutors. She declined to give details about the nature of the information allegedly given to Russia, saying the matter was sub judice. “We have taken all necessary measures. Now justice must be allowed to take its course while respecting the secrecy of the investigation… It is for the judicial system to decide what he is guilty of and whether he is guilty.” If convicted, the officer risks life impri

Op-Ed: Kamala Harris' vice presidential run is a campaign to be America's second Black president

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Black grievances put Harris on the ticket; her's is the face of leadership the country is demanding now. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/32EPkx5

Schools are more segregated than 30 years ago. Here's what's driving the change.

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School integration programs once broke down barriers. Today, white and Black students in cities like Minneapolis are growing up apart. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/34QwXYI

Leaked memo: White House counsel pushed to downgrade Kushner’s clearance over "serious" concerns

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Don McGahn wrote that an FBI background check raised "serious additional concerns" about Kushner's clearance from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2YSqWqH

What is the right-wing group Patriot Prayer linked to Portland confrontations and who is Joey Gibson?

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The fatal shooting of a supporter of the right-wing group Patriot Prayer has shined a spotlight on the group and its founder, Joey Gibson. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2YJWMG4

Indian economy likely to see record quarterly slump as pandemic hits

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India's economy likely suffered its largest quarterly slump on record, data is expected to show on Monday, as coronavirus-related lockdowns add to already-declining consumer demand and investment. Economists in a Reuters poll predicted that gross domestic product in world's fifth-largest economy will contract by 18.3% in the June quarter, compared to 3.1% growth in the previous quarter, the worst performance in at least eight years. India has reported over three and a half million cases of the novel coronavirus - third behind only the United States and Brazil. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2DhihXo

UN labor body: Qatar 'dismantles' kafala employment system

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New labor rules in the energy-rich nation of Qatar “effectively dismantles” the country's long-criticized “kafala” employment system, a U.N. labor body said Sunday. The International Labor Organization said as of now, migrant workers can change jobs before the end of their contracts without obtaining the permission of their current employers. Qatar also has adopted a minimum monthly wage of 1,000 Qatari riyals ($275) for workers, which will take effect some six months after the law is published in the country's official gazette, the ILO said. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/34NIwAa

You Can’t Be Pro-Life Unless You Oppose Abortion

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Election times in non-pandemic years can bring out some of the best and the worst of America. Both parties, in their convention productions, were maybe a mix of both. The aspirational, inspirational moments are the best, which, of course, may be a bit too much of a promise about what electing one ticket to the White House could ever possibly do. At the same time, they are important reminders that policy isn’t mere ideological adherence -- it affects human lives, family lives. It’s important, noble work. In campaign season, it can become harder to remember it isn’t everything, though.We don’t get our meaning from politics, politics is a necessary exercise -- our vote and our engagement in politics is one way we live out our civic responsibilities. Politics is not a never-ending reality-TV show for our entertainment or distraction. It’s not religion. As Sister Deidre Byrne put it during her Republican Convention segment, there’s such a thing as eternal life, and this life -- including po

New report deepens mystery around Trump’s sudden and suspicious visit to Walter Reed hospital

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Vice President Mike Pence was reportedly prepared to take over the presidential duties from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2YRCI4A

The alt-right group Patriot Prayer, associated with a man killed in the Portland protests, has a history of provoking left-wing groups: 'This was just a matter of time'

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An Anti-Defamation League researcher fears that Aaron Danielson's killing will spur more bloodshed between right- and left-wing groups. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/3lwfdIh

Russian opposition activist hospitalised after attack outside his home

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A 22-year-old Russian opposition activist has been hospitalised after what supporters said was a vicious attack by two men outside his house in Moscow. Yegor Zhukov, who came to prominence last year when he was arrested and tried over opposition protests, posted pictures of his bruised and bloody face to social media following the attack. He was taken to hospital for an MRI scan which showed he had “fortunately managed to avoid serious injuries or internal bleeding,” a spokesman said. The activist “remained calm and even joked about what happened,” his team said in a social media post, adding that he was allowed home following tests. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2ExzMU1

Letters to the Editor: California's blackouts prove it: We still need oil and gas for energy

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California's leaders need to set aside ideology and admit that in the near term, the state still needs fossil fuels to prevent blackouts. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2EHLjQd

Trump losing military support in election: poll

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Just 37.4 percent of active personnel in the US military support President Donald Trump's re-election, while 43.1 percent back his Democratic opponent Joe Biden, according to a new poll Monday. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/3hMbiVk

Worth the wait: Yellowstone’s Giantess Geyser erupts for first time in six years

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Giantess is one of the biggest geysers in the national park, and typically explodes between twice and six times a year In these troubled times there comes a point where we all need to let off steam.For this huge geyser in Yellowstone park, the moment was now and the eruption was spectacular, after a six-year wait.But, for the rest of us, watching this natural phenomenon is strangely meditative and beautifully distracting from much of the bad news around, despite the violent geothermal forces propelling it.Giantess Geyser spouted for the first time in more than six years in Yellowstone National Park, which straddles part of Wyoming and a little of Montana, on 25 August, according to the US National Park Service (NPS).“She” has more typically erupted between twice and six times a year in the past, according to the NPS website, and blasts a spout up to 200ft high.“The surrounding area may shake from underground steam explosions just before the initial water and/or steam eruptions,” the NP

Black Lives Matter is just tip of iceberg. Economic gain, worker protections, voting also key

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'My work is about uprooting structural racism from every aspect of our society — our economy, our government and our communities.' from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/3gDBf88

Biden on protests: ‘These are not images of some imagined Joe Biden America in the future, these are images of Donald Trump’s America today’

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Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden on Monday challenged the Republican talking point that people will not be safe in the United States with Biden as president. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/3gJ7cMj

Indiana Congressman introduces bill to ban protest 'thugs' from receiving unemployment aid

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U.S. Rep. Jim Banks introduced a bill that would ban people from receiving unemployment aid if convicted of a federal offense related to protests. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/3lC00p5

Trump intel officials announce they will no longer offer Democrats election security briefings

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Democrats condemn "shocking abdication" of responsibility as intelligence officials scale back from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2YR6Soz

An LA teacher said she and her daughter had to flee their home after she received threats for wearing a Black Lives Matter t-shirt to class

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On the first day of school, the English teacher in Los Angeles wore a shirt that read, "I can't breathe," a message associated with the BLM movement. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2QDwGAa

Cuomo says state considering indoor dining in NYC, but

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Despite progress in New Jersey and other parts of New York, indoor dining in New York City may not happen any time soon, Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio suggested on Monday. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/32Ij4sX

Swift Boat mastermind to launch massive super PAC to boost Trump

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The late effort, expected to include some of the party's biggest givers, comes as Trump has been overwhelmed by Joe Biden on TV. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2QGHkWY

Hawaii to require visitors to fill out online 'Safe Travels' form before travel

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Beginning Tuesday, Hawaii will require all visitors to fill out a "Safe Travels" application, including health and contact information, before travel. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/3lxSRWx

U.S. Senate's McConnell eyes revamped coronavirus relief bill, Mnuchin tells Fox Business

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The Trump administration and Senate Republicans have been in regular contact over possible coronavirus relief measures and the Senate's top Republican will "hopefully" unveil a new bill next week, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Monday. Asked about the collapse of talks with Democrats over aid legislation, Mnuchin told Fox Business Network that he and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows have been speaking regularly with Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/31KxmtS

Ghislaine Maxwell reportedly allowed in person legal visit despite coronavirus lockdown

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Ghislaine Maxwell has reportedly been allowed an in-person visit by her legal team in what is believed to be the first permitted in a New York City federal jail during the pandemic lockdown. According to the New York Daily News, Maxwell, who is facing six criminal charges, was allowed to hold a face to face meeting at Sunset Park’s Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn on Friday morning. All involved reportedly wore masks during the meeting. Other inmates, who have been in lockdown since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, have had neither family, nor legal visits. Maxwell has been held on remand for less than two months. “I’m incredulous really that she was the first one when there are those of us who have been waiting for nearly six months to have an in-person visit with our clients,” Susan Marcus, a lawyer representing detainees in the centre, told the paper. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/32TkC3F

Dramatic last-second launch abort grounds spy satellite

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The "hot-fire abort" derailed plans for three launches in just two days from Florida's Space Coast. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2GbvfqH

Italy sends help to Banksy's overloaded migrant rescue boat

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The Italian coastguard sent help on Saturday to a rescue boat funded by British street artist Banksy after the vessel issued urgent calls for assistance, saying it was stranded in the Mediterranean and overloaded with migrants. The coastguard said a patrol boat dispatched from the southern Italian island of Lampedusa had taken on board 49 of "those considered most vulnerable" among the 219 migrants picked up by the ship since Thursday off the coast of Libya. Despite the help from Italy, it has still not found a safe port for the rest of the mainly African migrants on board. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/32HrSPE

Trump's RNC polling bounce more about 'subtraction on the Biden side,' pollster suggests

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President Trump's post-Republican National Convention polling bounce was particularly evident among white and suburban voters, a new Morning Consult poll shows.Overall, the RNC helped Trump shrink Biden's previously 10-point lead to a six-point advantage, 50 percent to 44 percent. Among suburbanites, Biden led by 14 points after the Democratic National Convention (54 percent to 40 percent), but after the RNC finished, that had dwindled to a 50-42 margin. Trump also increased his lead from two points to eight points among white voters, though his already-dismal prospects among voters of color got slightly worse.While the results are good news for the Trump campaign, they aren't necessarily that drastic in a larger context. That's because the two conventions are seemingly tied to one another — Biden received a boost in favorability ratings after the DNC, but the numbers went back down to their pre-convention standing after the RNC, which means it was mostly a wash, Mornin

Fact check: Biden tax plan would raise rates for those who make more than $400K, corporations

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The claim that families who make $75,000 would see their tax rate double under the Democratic nominee's plan is false. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2ExzNr7

Riot in Sweden after anti-Muslim Danish leader banned

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At least 10 people were arrested, and several police officers injured, in violence which broke out in southern Sweden after an anti-Muslim Danish politician was blocked from attending a Koran-burning rally, police said Saturday. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/3gHbVyb

Death toll in China restaurant collapse climbs to 29

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The number of people killed when a restaurant in northern China collapsed has climbed to 29, state media said Sunday, with efforts to find survivors brought to a close. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/3hI8NTR

Berlin police break up "anti-coronavirus" protest of 18,000

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More than 3,000 officers were deployed to help maintain the demonstration after anti-restriction and far-right supporters took to social media to call on people to arm themselves and take part in the protest. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/31DqjmO

"His politics are appalling": Steve Mnuchin's family speaks out in disgust over his fealty to Trump

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His family has not only criticized him but publically accused him of racism from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/3b9jTii

Mauritius fishermen battle to save dozens of dolphins near oil spill

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Yasfeer Heenaye, a fisherman near Pointe aux Feuilles on the island's eastern shore, said he had counted at least 45 dead dolphins since they were first discovered on Wednesday, and said half a dozen more dolphins were in the bay fighting for their lives. "The preliminary autopsy report has excluded that oil played a role, however we sent some samples of the dead dolphins to La Reunion to determine why the animals couldn't swim and their radar wasn't functioning," Jasvin Sok Appadu from the Fisheries Ministry said on Sunday . from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2QB6PbU

Counter-protester who pulled a gun on Black Lives Matter protesters in Florida after a fight erupted won't be charged

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A counter-protester in Tallahassee, Florida won't be charged for pulling a gun on BLM protesters as officials said he was "lawfully defending himself." from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/31IP2WN

Trump to visit Wisconsin city on Tuesday where police shot Black man in the back

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U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday will visit Kenosha, Wisconsin, the city that has seen unrest since a white police officer shot a Black man in the back, a White House official told reporters on Saturday. Trump will meet law enforcement officials and assess damage in the city where the officer shot Jacob Blake, who is paralyzed from the waist down and remains in hospital, the official said. A 17-year-old boy is being held by authorities in Kenosha on suspicion of shooting three people who were protesting the shooting of Blake. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/3bdjxqT

A former Department of Homeland Security official said Trump is letting right-wing extremists 'start a race war'

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Domestic terrorism expert Elizabeth Neumann told Yahoo News those at the RNC who cast protesters as a dangerous threat were putting on a "sideshow." from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/3jutnI4

If the police officer who shot Jacob Blake can prove he feared an 'imminent risk of death or great bodily harm,' his shooting could be legally justified

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An officer shot Jacob Blake while he had his back turned toward them. If they reasonably feared for their lives, it may be legally justified. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2EAayUG

More migrant arrivals fuel local anger in Italy's Lampedusa

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A fishing boat carrying nearly 370 migrants landed overnight on the Italian island of Lampedusa, the country's news agencies said on Sunday, fueling anger from local officials over a recent rise in illegal arrivals. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/3ly551y

Fact check: Biden tax plan would raise rates for those who make more than $400K, corporations

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The claim that families who make $75,000 would see their tax rate double under the Democratic nominee's plan is false. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2ExzNr7

In Colorado town, the post office delivers much more than the mail

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Leadville, Colo., has no car dealership, no Walmart, no department store and no dependable internet service. The post office fills important gaps. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2D9XvJ0

Mom rips gun and shoe from man accused of kidnapping her 1-year-old, Georgia cops say

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The child has since been found safe, officials say. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2QQGo2p

Trump retweeted a message from the far-right OAN network calling anti-racism protests an attempted 'coup'

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The president has been accused of exploiting fear for political gain, and refusing to address the legitimate concerns that have led many to protest. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2EwSECF

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez may have a lot to do with Joe Kennedy's primary struggles

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Rep. Joe Kennedy III (D-Mass.) could soon be out of politics, and an unlikely colleague may have something to do with it, Politico reports.Kennedy is challenging Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) in the statewide Democratic primary for Markey's seat, which he's held since 2013. Politico notes that Kennedy tries to hit the 74-year-old Markey by criticizing his support for the 1994 crime bill and the Iraq War when he was in the House, both of which would seemingly put him in trouble with the progressive left. But the incumbent has maintained a lead over his 39-year-old challenger in large part thanks to an army of young voters, who, with a push from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), view Markey as key to the climate change movement.Mary Ann Marsh, a Boston-based Democratic consultant, told Politico that Ocasio-Cortez, the Sunrise Movement, and Justice Democrats have "allowed this remarkable makeover" of the veteran lawmaker who has been in Congress for 44 years, turning hi

Dramatic last-second launch abort grounds spy satellite

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The "hot-fire abort" derailed plans for three launches in just two days from Florida's Space Coast. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2GbvfqH

Sex workers blame Bella Thorne for changes at OnlyFans that harm their income

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The content subscription platform said its new transaction rules were not due to one user and will "continue to review these limits" amid the backlash. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/3ju6Pah

Hong Kong's pro-democracy camp is resisting the city's universal coronavirus testing plan

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Pro-democracy activists, including a health care workers union, in Hong Kong on Sunday called for a boycott of the city's universal coronavirus testing plan, Reuters reports.The opposition is not unconcerned with the virus, but is instead worried by the fact that medical staff from mainland China are supposed to assist with carrying out the plan at a time when many Hong Kong residents believe Beijing is stripping away their freedoms and enhancing its already strong grasp on the city, especially after the passing of a controversial national security law earlier this year and the postponement of September's legislative elections.The union, the Hospital Authority Employees Alliance, was formed during last year's pro-democracy protests and has 20,000 members. It believes universal testing is not an efficient use of resources, arguing that focused testing is the better play for Hong Kong at this point during the pandemic, prompting suspicions about ulterior motives. Union leader

Dramatic last-second launch abort grounds spy satellite

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The "hot-fire abort" derailed plans for three launches in just two days from Florida's Space Coast. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2GbvfqH

Trump accidentally says the U.S. 'pioneered the fatality rate' — among other verbal slips

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When you speak for an hour and 10 minutes, you're bound to make a flub or two, and President Trump made a few notable ones during his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention.At the very beginning, Trump said he "profoundly" accepted this nomination for president of the United States, rather than "proudly." At another point, he should have said "personal protective equipment," but just uttered "personal" before trailing off. However, one slip stood out above the rest.When talking about the coronavirus pandemic, which has left at least 180,000 Americans dead, Trump was supposed to say, "Thanks to advances we have pioneered, the fatality rate has been reduced by 80 percent since April." Instead, Trump said, "Thanks to advances, we have pioneered the fatality rate." Whoops. > President Trump: "Thanks to advances, we have pioneered the fatality rate" pic.twitter.com/FOf6oBZRlH> > -- Tyler Buch

Virtually the Best: Kids’ Furniture for an A+ Home-Learning Setup

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/34FYkEK

Derek Chauvin, former officer accused in George Floyd's death, wants murder charges dismissed

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Attorneys for Derek Chauvin, former Minneapolis officer accused of killing George Floyd, have asked a judge to dismiss the murder charges against him. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2EGLH1n

Australia open to talks over where NZ mosque shooter serves life sentence

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Australia's prime minister said on Friday he was open to discussions over whether Australian mass killer Brenton Tarrant, jailed for life without parole this week for the New Zealand mosque shootings, should serve his sentence in his home country. Scott Morrison told broadcaster Channel Seven he had not received a formal request from New Zealand for such a transfer, although New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters suggested it after Tarrant was sentenced on Thursday. "We'll have an open discussion and look at the issues around this," Morrison said, adding that the views of the affected families would need to be considered first. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/31E828Q