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Catalans go to election in bid to solve independence crisis

BARCELONA, Dec 21 (AFP): Catalans voted Thursday in a crucial election that could mark a turning point for their region, just two months after a failed secession bid triggered Spain's worst political crisis in decades.High turnout was expected in a vote pitting leaders of the wealthy northeastern region's separatist movement...

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Pyongyang vows to retaliate over Washington ransomware blame

SEOUL, Dec 21 (Agencies): North Korea said Thursday that a U.S. accusation that it was behind a major ransomware attack was a "grave political provocation" and vowed to retaliate.Homeland security adviser Tom Bossert wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed published Monday that North Korea will be held accountable for...

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Ex-smokers to benefit if they eat two tomatoes a day

PARIS, Dec 21 (AFP): Adults who ate more than two tomatoes a day had a slower rate of natural lung function decline, with ex-smokers seeming to benefit most of all, scientists said Thursday. Similar benefits, they said, were observed for people who ate more than three portions of fresh fruit...

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Car drives into Melbourne pedestrians injuring 14

MELBOURNE, Dec 21 (BBC): The man who deliberately drove a car into a crowd in Melbourne is a drug user with mental health issues but no known terrorism links, police say.The Australian citizen of Afghan descent was taken into custody after a struggle at the scene of the incident.The car...

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Court acquits Indian ex-telco minister of corruption

NEW DELHI, Dec 21 (AFP): India's former telecoms minister was cleared Thursday of his alleged role in a multi-billion dollar rort that ballooned into one of the country's biggest-ever political scandals.A New Delhi court acquitted A. Raja of corruption and also dropped charges against a slew of other bureaucrats and...

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Four perish, 11 go missing as ferry capsizes off Philippines

MANILA, Dec 21 (AFP): Four people were killed and 11 others were missing Thursday after a ferry with hundreds on board capsized in stormy weather off the Philippines, rescuers said. Over 200 passengers and crew were plucked to safety after the Mercraft 3 keeled over in heavy seas en route...

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Over 100 rights, labour activists die in Colombia in 2017, says UN

BOGOTA, Dec 21 (AFP): More than 100 activists for human and labor rights were killed in Colombia this year, after a landmark peace deal between the government and FARC rebels, the United Nations said on Wednesday. The deaths occurred in rural zones where the FARC was active, and where government...

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News in Brief -(22-12-2017)

Myanmar Press Council calls for settling reporters’ case through media lawThe Myanmar Press Council has called for the government to settle the case of two detained Reuters reporters through the media law, according to a report on the Mizzima website. The statement was issued at a press conference at the...

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