Flashfloods Swamp Northeast Australia, Hundreds Evacuated

All Images: Brent Paterson via Reuters, AFP

Cyclone Jasper Brings Flashfloods in Queensland

The Australian state of Queensland was hit by floods due to heavy rain caused by tropical Cyclone Jasper, which barrelled in off the Coral Sea late last week. Queensland's tourist city of Cairns has been almost surrounded by flood water, which has washed away parts of major highways running into the city.

Rescue teams in Queensland evacuated more than 300 people overnight, police said. Military helicopters have been dispatched to help inundated areas cut off by the floods. In Wujal Wujal, Nine people, including a seven-year-old patient, huddled for safety overnight on the roof of a hospital. Police said the group eventually clambered to a safer location before flood waters rose again.

The flooding also led to crocodiles flushing into towns in Queensland. Kiley Hanslow, the chief executive of the Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire Council, told ABC that crocodiles were swimming around the water in the town centre. Earlier, the Queensland Police warned that floodwaters would likely wash crocodiles and all other sorts of things into residential areas.

A report by the news agency AFP said that more flooding is expected in Queensland on Monday as weather officials have predicted more rain. Major flood warnings have gone out.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Monday (Dec 18) condemned the missile launches by saying they posed a threat to peace and stability. Addressing a gathering of Southeast Asian leaders in Tokyo, Prime Minister Kishida also said the launches violated resolutions of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

Underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, who is the most wanted criminal in India, has reportedly been poisoned and admitted to a hospital in Pakistan’s Karachi city. According to unconfirmed media reports, Dawood is in a critical condition.

In other news from around the world, at least three people were injured, one critically, and the armed suspect was killed after a shooting incident in downtown Austin, Texas last Saturday.

Click on the headlines to read more:

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-koreas-missile-launches-a-threat-to-peace-and-stability-japanese-pm-kishida-670710">North Korea's missile launches a threat to peace and stability: Japanese PM Kishida</a>

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Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Monday (Dec 18) that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-fires-ballistic-projectile-says-south-korea-670644">North Korea's latest missile launches&nbsp;</a>violated resolutions of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and were a threat to peace and stability.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-most-wanted-criminal-dawood-ibrahim-poisoned-in-pakistan-report-670678">Dawood Ibrahim, India’s most wanted criminal, poisoned in Pakistan: Report &nbsp;</a>

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India’s most wanted criminal, Dawood Ibrahim has reportedly been poisoned and admitted to a hospital in Pakistan’s Karachi city.&nbsp;The 65-year-old underworld figure, who is responsible for the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, was allegedly poisoned by one of his men and was rushed to hospital two days ago.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-at-least-three-injured-suspected-dead-after-shooting-in-downtown-austin-670716">US: At least three injured, suspected dead after shooting in downtown Austin</a>

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At least three people were injured, one critically, and the armed suspect was killed after a shooting incident in downtown Austin, Texas on Saturday night (Dec 16). This was hours after the police said that they were responding to another shooting that happened at the city’s Barton Creek Square Mall where one person was shot and sustained minor injuries.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-external-affairs-minister-jaishankar-to-travel-to-russia-later-this-week-670680">India’s External Affairs Minister Jaishankar to travel to Russia later this week</a>

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India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr S Jaishankar, is set to embark on a key diplomatic visit to Russia later this week, aiming to bolster the strategic partnership between the two nations.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;Freezing temperatures, snow, ice blanket China, highways shut

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Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Monday (Dec 18) condemned the missile launches by saying they posed a threat to peace and stability. Addressing a gathering of Southeast Asian leaders in Tokyo, Prime Minister Kishida also said the launches violated resolutions of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Monday (Dec 18) condemned the missile launches by saying they posed a threat to peace and stability. Addressing a gathering of Southeast Asian leaders in Tokyo, Prime Minister Kishida also said the launches violated resolutions of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, who is the most wanted criminal in India, has reportedly been poisoned and admitted to a hospital in Pakistan’s Karachi city. According to unconfirmed media reports, Dawood is in a critical condition. In other news from around the world, at least three people were injured, one critically, and the armed suspect was killed after a shooting incident in downtown Austin, Texas last Saturday. Click on the headlines to read more: North Korea's missile launches a threat to peace and stability: Japanese PM Kishida Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Monday (Dec 18) that North Korea's latest missile launches violated resolutions of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and were a threat to peace and stability. Dawood Ibrahim, India’s most wanted criminal, poisoned in Pakistan: Report India’s most wanted criminal, Dawood Ibrahim has reportedly been poisoned and admitted to a hospital in Pakistan’s Karachi city. The 65-year-old underworld figure, who is responsible for the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, was allegedly poisoned by one of his men and was rushed to hospital two days ago. US: At least three injured, suspected dead after shooting in downtown Austin At least three people were injured, one critically, and the armed suspect was killed after a shooting incident in downtown Austin, Texas on Saturday night (Dec 16). This was hours after the police said that they were responding to another shooting that happened at the city’s Barton Creek Square Mall where one person was shot and sustained minor injuries. India’s External Affairs Minister Jaishankar to travel to Russia later this week India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr S Jaishankar, is set to embark on a key diplomatic visit to Russia later this week, aiming to bolster the strategic partnership between the two nations. Watch | Freezing temperatures, snow, ice blanket China, highways shut ×

Morning brief: Japan condemns North Korea's missile launches, Dawood reportedly poisoned, and more

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Monday (Dec 18) that North Korea's latest missile launches violated resolutions of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and were a threat to peace and stability.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Monday (Dec 18) that North Korea's latest missile launches violated resolutions of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and were a threat to peace and stability. The launches are "not only a clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions but also a threat to peace and stability of the region and we strongly condemn" them, Kishida told a gathering of South-East Asian leaders in Tokyo, the news agency AFP reported. On Monday, North Korea launched a long-range ballistic missile with the potential capability of striking the United States, South Korea's capital Seoul and Japan's capital Tokyo. This firing followed the test of a shorter-range missile on Sunday night. Missile launches pose a threat to Pyongyang's neighbours: US Apart from Japan, the US also condemned North Korea's latest missile launches. Speaking to AFP, a State Department spokesperson said, "These launches, like the other ballistic missile launches Pyongyang has conducted this year, are in violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions." The spokesperson added that the launches posed a threat to Pyongyang's neighbours and undermined regional security. On Monday, the South Korean military said that it detected the launch of a long-range ballistic missile from the Pyongyang area on Monday that flew 1,000 kilometres before splashing down in the East Sea. According to the Japanese defence ministry, the missile was an ICBM-class missile with a potential range covering all of the United States. "The ICBM-class ballistic missile launched this time, if calculated based on the trajectory, depending on weight of warhead, could have a flying range of over 15,000 kilometres (9,320 miles)," said Shingo Miyake, parliamentary vice-minister of defence. In 2023, North Korea fired four ICBMs, with the last launch in July. (With inputs from agencies)

North Korea's missile launches a threat to peace and stability: Japanese PM Kishida

Certain parts of Terminal 1 of the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) were evacuated on Sunday night (Dec 17) following a bomb threat. In a post on X early Monday, the airport's authority said, "Due to a developing security-related incident, law enforcement has evacuated the upper level of Terminal 1 and temporarily closed FLL's Departures entrance in an abundance of caution until further notice.

Certain parts of Terminal 1 of the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) were evacuated on Sunday night (Dec 17) following a bomb threat. In a post on X early Monday, the airport's authority said, "Due to a developing security-related incident, law enforcement has evacuated the upper level of Terminal 1 and temporarily closed FLL's Departures entrance in an abundance of caution until further notice. "As a precaution, the upper level of FLL's Terminal 1 is evacuated and the entrance to the Departures roadway is temporarily closed due to an ongoing law enforcement investigation. Motorists, however, can still access the lower-level/arrivals road," it added. Man detained in connection with incident In a subsequent post, the authority said that law enforcement officers cleared the security incident in Terminal 1 and all airport roadway and terminal operations were returning to normal. Travel Advisory Update No. 2: Law enforcement has cleared the security incident in Terminal 1 and all airport roadway and terminal operations are returning to normal. We appreciate your patience during this incident. — Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Int'l Airport (FLL) (@FLLFlyer) December 18, 2023 × A report by the Miami Herald on Monday said that a man was detained for questioning over the incident. Citing the airport's flight tracker, the report said that dozens of flights out of FLL appeared to be delayed. The airlines operating in Terminal 1 include United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Allegiant Air, Alaska Airlines, Copa Airlines, and Bahamasair, the report added.

US: Fort Lauderdale airport evacuated over bomb threat

Researchers in Australia are building the world's first brain-scale computer which will go online next year. According to a report by NewScientist last Tuesday (Dec 12), the supercomputer called DeepSouth is being built by the International Centre for Neuromorphic Systems (ICNS) in Sydney in partnership with Intel and Dell.

Researchers in Australia are building the world's first brain-scale computer which will go online next year. According to a report by NewScientist last Tuesday (Dec 12), the supercomputer called DeepSouth is being built by the International Centre for Neuromorphic Systems (ICNS) in Sydney in partnership with Intel and Dell. The supercomputer would be built at the Western Sydney University. Unlike normal computers, DeepSouth's hardware chips are designed to implement spiking neural networks, which model the way synapses process information in the brain, the report said. The report added that neuromorphic computers (similar to DeepSouth) have been built earlier but DeepSouth would be the largest yet. This supercomputer would be capable of 228 trillion synaptic operations per second which is on par with an estimated number of synaptic operations in a human brain. How will DeepSouth be helpful? Speaking to NewScientist, ICNS member and project lead Andre van Schaik said that while DeepSouth won't be more powerful than any existing supercomputer, it would help advance the understanding of neuromorphic computing and biological brains. "We need this ability to better learn how brains work and how they do what they do so well," Schaik said. Also read: AI can become hackers' new tool by simply manipulating prompts to computers Meanwhile, Ralph Etienne-Cummings from John Hopkins University (who is not part of the project), told the publication that DeepSouth would advance the study of science more quickly as researchers would be able to repeatedly test models of the brain. "If you are trying to understand the brain this will be the hardware to do it on," he said, adding, that two types of researchers would be interested in this- those studying neuroscience or those wanting to prototype new engineering solutions in Artificial Intelligence (AI). Etienne-Cummings also said that the upcoming supercomputer could pave the way for much higher energy efficiency in computing. What are the key benefits of this supercomputer? According to a statement released by Western Sydney University, DeepSouth would facilitate super-fast, large-scale parallel processing using far less power. The supercomputer would be scalable allowing for the addition of more hardware to create a larger system or scaling down for smaller portable or more cost-effective applications. Another crucial benefit of DeepSouth would be in AI. "By mimicking the brain, we will be able to create more efficient ways of undertaking AI processes than our current models," the statement said.

Australian researchers building world's first human brain-scale computer. It will go online next year

The Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Monday (Dec 18) accused Israel of intentionally starving civilians in the Gaza Strip as a part of its ongoing offensive against Hamas in the besieged Palestinian territory.

The Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Monday (Dec 18) accused Israel of intentionally starving civilians in the Gaza Strip as a part of its ongoing offensive against Hamas in the besieged Palestinian territory. In a report, the HRW called starvation a war crime, and said, "Israeli forces are deliberately blocking the delivery of water, food, and fuel, while willfully impeding humanitarian assistance, apparently razing agricultural areas, and depriving the civilian population of objects indispensable to their survival." Omar Shakir, HRW's Israel and Palestine director, said that for more than two months, Israel had been depriving Gaza's population of food and water. "World leaders should be speaking out against this abhorrent war crime, which has devastating effects on Gaza’s population," Shakir added. 'A constant search for things needed to survive' Speaking to the HRW, 11 displaced Palestinians in Gaza described their profound hardships in securing necessities. "We had no food, no electricity, no internet, nothing at all. We don’t know how we survived,” one man who left northern Gaza told the New York-based rights group. Click here to follow all updates on Israel-Hamas war Another man from southern Gaza, who is a father of two kids, said, "You are on a constant search for things needed to survive." Gazans living in the southern part of the besieged Palestinian territory described the scarcity of potable water, the lack of food leading to empty shops and lengthy lines, and exorbitant prices. "In addition, Israel’s continuing blockade of Gaza, as well as its more than 16-year closure, amounts to collective punishment of the civilian population, a war crime. As the occupying power in Gaza under the Fourth Geneva Convention, Israel has the duty to ensure that the civilian population gets food and medical supplies," the HRW further said in its report. Israel hits back at HRW, calls it 'antisemitic organisation' The Israeli government on Monday slammed the HRW's report, calling the rights group an "antisemitic and anti-Israeli organisation." "Human Rights Watch ... did not condemn the attack on Israeli citizens and the massacre of October 7 and has no moral basis to talk about what's going on in Gaza if they turn a blind eye to the suffering and the human rights of Israelis," foreign ministry spokesman Lior Haiat told the news agency AFP. Also read: Israel knew about Hamas' financial network in 2018, but did nothing, says report Last Friday, Israel had approved "temporary" delivery of much-needed aid to Gaza via its Kerem Shalom crossing. According to an Egyptian Red Crescent official, a humanitarian aid convoy entered Gaza through the crossing on Sunday. On Monday, 79 trucks would be reaching the war-torn region, the official added. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel-Hamas war: Starvation used as a weapon of war in Gaza Strip, says HRW

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said early Sunday (Dec 17) that his party- the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) won the parliamentary election, extending the populist outfit's rule in the Balkan country.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said early Sunday (Dec 17) that his party- the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) won the parliamentary election, extending the populist outfit's rule in the Balkan country. According to a report by the news agency AFP, President Vucic told reporters that his party would have an absolute majority in parliament with 127 seats, adding around 76 per cent of ballots had been counted. AFP reported that even though the president was personally on the ballot in the parliamentary and local elections, the electoral battle was largely seen as a referendum on his government. "My job was to do everything in my power to secure an absolute majority in the parliament," he said. Official results are yet to be announced later in the day, but Vucic appeared certain of his party's performance. An expansion of presence for the ruling party With Vucic's victory announcement, the SNS is hoping to expand its presence in the 250-seat parliament. AFP reported that in last year's election, the party secured just 120 seats, resulting in a coalition government. During Sunday's election, the SNS still faced potentially hard-fought municipal races in the capital Belgrade, particularly from the loose coalition of opposition parties and candidates running under the Serbia Against Violence banner. Serbia Against Violence was launched following back-to-back mass shootings in the country this year. The movement garnered mass anti-government protests over several months. Speaking to the news agency, a candidate linked with the movement said, "We call on all political actors in Serbia and the international community not to remain silent in the face of this brutal robbery." Oppn alleges irregularities in poll On Sunday, another movement (Serbia Against Violence) leader Radomir Lazovic alleged numerous irregularities in the election citing "vote buying" and "falsification of signatures". "We may have had the dirtiest electoral process," Lazovic said. AFP reported that posts on social media fuelled rumours that the government allowed unregistered voters from neighbouring Bosnia to cast ballots illegally. However, Ana Brnabic dismissed the claims. (With inputs from agencies)

Serbian parliamentary poll: President Vucic claims his SNS party has won elections

Meta to Review How Gaza War Content was Handled on its Platforms

An Examination in Two Specific Cases in War

Meta's independent oversight board has said it would review how the social media giant handled violent content on its platforms regarding two cases in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
The cases are related to hostage-taking and bombing in the conflict.

A report by the news agency Reuters said that the first case is related to an Instagram video showing the aftermath of an explosion in the Gaza Strip's biggest hospital Al-Shifa. This video, which had a caption that Al-Shifa was targeted by the usurping occupation (in an apparent reference to Israeli forces) was taken down. The video also showed visuals of injured and dead children.

The Second Case: A Woman's Plea to Her Kidnappers

The second case that Meta would review is a Facebook video that showed a woman begging her kidnappers (Hamas militants) not to kill her as she was driven away on a motorbike. The caption of the video urged Facebook users to raise awareness about what happened on Oct 7. The board said the video was initially taken down, but reversed its decision in response to trends around how hostage kidnapping videos were being shared.

Meta said that it welcomed the independent board's review and pledged to implement the board's decision in both cases.

Israel has continued its offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying that his country will not stop "until complete victory.

Israel has continued its offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying that his country will not stop "until complete victory." The conflict between the warring factions has been going on for more than two months. A report by The New York Times (NYT) on Saturday (Dec 16) said that Israel knew about Hamas' vast financial network in 2018 but took no action. As per the report, Israeli intelligence got its hands on secret documents that laid out details about what amounted to a private equity fund that Hamas used to finance its operations. The documents, which were pilfered from a senior Hamas official's computer, listed assets worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Click here to follow all updates on the Israel-Hamas war The documents were a potential roadmap for choking off Hamas’s money and thwarting its plans, the report said, adding that Israeli agents who obtained the records shared them inside their government and the United States. But nothing happened. A failure to prioritise financial intelligence NYT reported that Hamas controlled mining, chicken farming, and road-building companies in Sudan, twin skyscrapers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a property developer in Algeria, and a real estate firm listed on the Turkish stock exchange. However, none of these companies named in the documents faced Israeli or American sanctions. Both Israeli and American officials failed to prioritise financial intelligence which showed that tens of millions of dollars flowed from these companies to Hamas at the same time the Palestinian militant group was buying new weapons and preparing an attack. Also read: Israeli officials knew about Hamas' attack plan over a year ago, says report Officials said that this money helped Hamas build up its military infrastructure and also helped the group lay the groundwork for the Oct 7 attack. Speaking to the publication, Udi Levy, a former chief of Mossad’s economic warfare division, said that everyone talked about the failures of intelligence on the Oct 7 attack but none talked about the failure to stop the money. “It’s the money — the money — that allowed this,” Levy said. 'Netanyahu disinterested in Hamas' portfolio' Amid hopes that the discovery of Hamas' financial network would be disrupted by Israel and the US, the officials at the top levels of both governments were focused on imposing a series of sanctions on Iran. The NYT report said that neither country prioritised Hamas at the time. Israel believed at that time Hamas was more interested in governing than fighting. Udi Levy was part of a team investigating terror finances called Task Force Harpoon, which tracked Hamas' money network over many years. In 2015, the team found out what it called the militant group's secret investment portfolio. Levy told NYT that he recalled briefing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the portfolio. “But he didn’t care that much about it,” the former top Mossad official added. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel knew about Hamas' financial network in 2018, but did nothing: Report

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said on Sunday (Dec 17) that France could play a "significant role" in avoiding a war in Lebanon as Israel has exchanged regular fire with Lebanese militants since its conflict with Hamas started on Oct 7.

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said on Sunday (Dec 17) that France could play a "significant role" in avoiding a war in Lebanon as Israel has exchanged regular fire with Lebanese militants since its conflict with Hamas started on Oct 7. Addressing a press conference in Tel Aviv with his French counterpart Catherine Colonna, Foreign Minister Cohen said, "France could play a positive and significant role to prevent a war in Lebanon." French Foreign Minister Colonna, meanwhile, told reporters that Paris was deeply concerned over the situation in the Gaza Strip. "Too many civilians are being killed," Colonna said while stressing that victims of Hamas' Oct 7 attack should not be forgotten. She is due to meet families of French hostages still held in Gaza and to call for an immediate and durable new humanitarian truce. Click here to follow all updates on Israel-Hamas war Since the Israel-Hamas war started, Israel and Lebanese militant groups, primarily Hezbollah have been in border skirmishes along the Israel-Lebanon border. Hezbollah backs Hamas and has said it is engaging in combat (with Israel) in support of the Palestinian militant group. Israeli soldier killed in Lebanese border The Israeli army said on Saturday that a soldier was killed and two others were wounded by a hostile aircraft on the Lebanese border. "Sergeant Major (reservist) Yehezkel Azaria, from Petah Tikva... fell during an operational activity in the Margaliot area, aged 53 at the time of his death," a statement from the army said. A military spokesperson told the news agency AFP that the attack was the result of an incursion by the hostile aircraft. The army reported the incursion earlier in the day, saying that air defences "intercepted a hostile aircraft that crossed from Lebanon into Israel." "An additional hostile aircraft that crossed from Lebanon was identified and fell in Margaliot... In response, IDF artillery is striking in Lebanon," the army statement added. Also read: Israel knew about Hamas' financial network in 2018, but did nothing: Report This attack comes a day after Lebanese citizens said that the Israeli army dropped leaflets on parts of southern Lebanon, warning them not to help Hezbollah. As per AFP, since the cross-border exchanges began, more than 120 people have been killed on the Lebanese side, most of them Hezbollah fighters but also a Lebanese soldier and 17 civilians. On the Israeli side, four civilians have been killed in addition to the seven soldiers, authorities said. (With inputs from agencies)

France could play 'significant role' to avoid war in Lebanon: Israeli foreign minister

PM Modi: State election win is a message for upcoming 2024 elections

Indian PM Modi: State election win is a message for upcoming 2024 elections

Today, the world's largest office, the Surat diamond exchange, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, surpassing the Pentagon in size. Completed in July at a cost of ₹ 32 billion, it has a construction area of 6.7 million square feet. The US landmark has 6.5 million square feet in size and was first inaugurated in 1943.

Indian PM Modi inaugurates Surat Diamond Exchange, says one more diamond added to city

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