| Van slams into pedestrians on Tokyo road, injuring 8 people Posted: 31 Dec 2018 11:24 PM PST  TOKYO (AP) — A minivan slammed into pedestrians early Tuesday on a street where people had gathered for New Year's festivities in downtown Tokyo, injuring eight people, police said.
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| Man crashes car into crowd in Tokyo Posted: 01 Jan 2019 05:19 AM PST  Nine people have been injured after a man deliberately ploughed his car into crowds celebrating New Year's Eve along a famous street in Tokyo, police and media said on Tuesday. With an "intent to murder", a man identified as 21-year-old Kazuhiro Kusakabe drove a small vehicle into Takeshita Street in Tokyo's fashion district of Harajuku at 10 minutes past midnight. According to national broadcaster NHK, Kusakabe told police he was acting in "retribution for the death penalty" without giving more precise details. NHK footage showed a small box vehicle with a smashed front and paramedics carrying people on stretchers into ambulances. Local media said a container of kerosene was found inside the rental car. The attacker, who reportedly drove the vehicle from the western region of Osaka, has told investigators that he planned to burn the vehicle, according to private network Fuji TV. One witness told NHK it was a "ghastly scene". "I saw some guys collapsed on the street. As I walked closer toward the scene, many more people had fallen on the ground. By the time I reached the exact place, paramedics were already there helping people," he said. Another witness, who runs a clothing shop in the area, said: "I am shocked that something like this happened on Takeshita Street." Police immediately cordoned off the street, which during the day is packed with tourists trying to get a taste of Japan's extravagant youth and food culture. One college student suffered serious injuries during the attack and was undergoing surgery, the police spokesman told AFP. Local media reported the student was in a coma. Kusakabe was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, police said.
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| Garbage Takes a Toll on National Parks Amid the Government Shutdown Posted: 01 Jan 2019 12:05 AM PST  "We're going to start seeing significant damage," said an official at the National Parks Conservation Association
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| Trump closes out 2018 with a litany of complaints Posted: 31 Dec 2018 10:29 AM PST  The president spends New Year's Eve on his favorite social media platform.
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| Young girl shot dead by man opening fire on vehicle in Walmart car park Posted: 31 Dec 2018 07:08 AM PST  Jazmine Barnes was shot as her family drove out of a Walmart car park in Texas. Jazmine and her mother, LaPorsha Washington, were hit by bullets. Ms Washington was taken to hospital to be treated for her injuries, but Jazmine was pronounced dead at the scene.
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| The 10 Most Expensive Cars Sold at Auction in 2018 Posted: 31 Dec 2018 11:55 AM PST |
| US judge says Obamacare can stand while appeal is heard Posted: 30 Dec 2018 11:56 PM PST  A US judge who ruled earlier this month that Obamacare is unconstitutional has said the health care law can stand while his decision is appealed. Opposition Democrats, who have seen the law survive previous legal and legislative attacks, view it as a signature achievement of former president Barack Obama. Republicans on the other hand dismiss it as governmental overreach and President Donald Trump made repealing the law a key part of his campaign platform.
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| Iraqi warplanes strike Islamic State leaders in Syria: military Posted: 31 Dec 2018 04:53 AM PST ![Iraqi warplanes strike Islamic State leaders in Syria: military]( "Iraqi warplanes strike Islamic State leaders in Syria: military") Iraqi warplanes hit a meeting of Islamic State leaders near Deir al-Zor in Syria on Monday, destroying the building they were gathered in, the military said in a statement, without giving further details about the militants targeted. The statement said F-16 fighter jets carried out the raid around al-Sousa village in eastern Syria, as "30 leaders from Daesh (Islamic State) gangs" met in the building. The strike came a day after Iraq's government hinted at greater involvement for its armed forces in Syria as the U.S. begins withdrawing troops from the country.
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| 9 hurt as car rams into famed Tokyo street on New Year's Eve Posted: 31 Dec 2018 07:50 PM PST  Nine people were hurt, one seriously, when a man deliberately ploughed his car into crowds celebrating New Year's Eve along a famous Tokyo street, police and media said Tuesday. With an "intent to murder", 21-year-old Kazuhiro Kusakabe drove a small vehicle into Takeshita Street in Tokyo's fashion district of Harajuku at 10 minutes past midnight, a police spokesman told AFP. According to national broadcaster NHK, Kusakabe told police he was acting in "retribution for the death penalty" without giving more precise details.
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| It's Already 2019 Across the World: Here's What the New Year Looks Like in Sydney, Tokyo and Other Cities Posted: 31 Dec 2018 10:01 AM PST  Celebrations have already begun in countries like Samoa, Sydney, North Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand and Indonesia.
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| Nasa sends final commands to New Horizons probe before historic flyby of Ultima Thule Posted: 31 Dec 2018 01:54 PM PST  Nasa flight controllers have sent their final set of commands to the space agency's New Horizons spacecraft ahead of its planned historic flyby of the icy Ultima Thule. The spacecraft is on a path to pass by the 30-kilometre-wide body on Tuesday, marking a new record for the furthest object ever explored in the Solar System — roughly 6.5 billion kilometres from the Earth. "The spacecraft is healthy and we're excited!" Alice Bowman, the mission operations manager, told reporters at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab in Maryland.
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| Woman slain with 2 children, mother was recently widowed Posted: 31 Dec 2018 10:31 AM PST  ST. CHARLES, Mo. (AP) — The man accused of killing a suburban St. Louis woman, her children and her mother began dating the woman as she rebuilt her life following her husband's death from cancer.
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| Dozens of cities in eastern, southern US set new rainfall records in 2018 Posted: 01 Jan 2019 03:46 AM PST  Rainfall records were shattered across the eastern and southern United States during 2018, but what led to such a persistently wet year?
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| Sen. Elizabeth Warren gets a head start on 2020 by launching exploratory committee Posted: 31 Dec 2018 08:28 AM PST  Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., became the first major Democrat to take an official step towards running for president in 2020, by launching an exploratory committee on Monday.
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| Iran hosts Taliban peace talks, eyeing opening after US drawdown Posted: 01 Jan 2019 04:31 AM PST  The Taliban discussed Afghanistan's "post-occupation situation" with Iran in their latest meeting, the group said Tuesday, as Tehran makes a more concerted and open push for peace ahead of a possible US drawdown. The remarks come after Iran confirmed Monday that the Taliban had visited Tehran for a second round of talks in just a few days that are aimed at ending the 17-year conflict. The Taliban delegation discussed with Iran "the post-occupation situation, restoration of peace and security in Afghanistan and the region", the militants said in a statement posted on social media and emailed to journalists. It signals a growing confidence among the Taliban for US troops to pull out of Afghanistan, after US officials last month told various media outlets that President Donald Trump had decided to slash the number of boots on the ground. There have been reports in the past of talks between Iran and the Taliban, but they have typically been denied by Tehran. Afghan National Army soldiers stand guard at a checkpoint ahead of parliamentary elections, in Kabul, Afghanistan Credit: AP Tehran's peace push will be viewed with concern by hawks in Washington, who fear that Trump's planned withdrawal of troops from Syria and Afghanistan will cede regional influence to Iran. The Taliban also met with the United States, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in the United Arab Emirates earlier in December as part of a flurry of diplomatic efforts to end the war. But the Taliban refused to meet a delegation from Afghanistan. The group said Saturday its representatives would not meet "with those of the Kabul administration" at the next meeting expected to be held in Saudi Arabia later this month. Iran's deputy foreign ministry Abbas Araghchi will travel to Afghanistan in the next two weeks, the foreign ministry said, without giving further details. Iran and Afghanistan share a nearly 600-mile border, and have had a complex relationship in recent years. Tehran has long supported its co-religionists in Afghanistan, the Shia Hazara minority, who were violently persecuted by the Taliban during its rule in the 1990s. Iran worked alongside the United States and Western powers to help drive out the Taliban after the US-led invasion in 2001. But there have been allegations, from Western and Afghan sources, that Iran's Revolutionary Guards have in recent years established ties with the Taliban aimed at driving out US forces from Afghanistan.
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| Merkel's Message to Europe: Stand Up Against Nationalism in 2019 Posted: 31 Dec 2018 02:17 AM PST  Signaling she intends to use her clout even as a lame-duck leader, Merkel evoked the horror of Europe's 20th-century wars in her New Year's Eve address while calling for Europe to stand together in 2019 as the U.K. heads toward the exit consumed by domestic political battles and populists seek gains in an EU-wide election. Merkel's comments reflect her determination to keep using the power of her office to shape the political agenda after a year of waning authority in which she agreed to step aside as chancellor by 2021 and gave up the leadership of her Christian Democratic Union. "We are committed to a more robust, more decisive European Union," Merkel said.
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| China taking advantage of Taiwan's openness, warns Tsai Posted: 31 Dec 2018 08:59 PM PST  China's manipulation of Taiwan's democratic openness is the biggest threat to the island's security, President Tsai Ing-wen said Tuesday, as she called on Beijing to seek peaceful means to solve their differences. Relations between China and Taiwan have spent two years in the doldrums since the election of Tsai, who has refused to acknowledge Beijing's stance that the island is part of "one China". Tsai's comments came a day before Chinese President Xi Jinping is due to give a landmark speech on Taiwan.
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| Times Square New Year's Eve ball drop to celebrate journalists and press freedom Posted: 31 Dec 2018 06:27 AM PST  A test run of the Times Square New Year's Eve ball drop is performed on 30 December. Organisers of the Times Square ball drop, New York City's traditional New Year's ceremony, have invited a group of journalists to press the ceremonial button. Tim Tompkins, president of the Times Square Alliance, said in a statement it was "fitting to celebrate free press and free speech as we reflect on where we've been during the past year and what it is we value most as a society".
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| Police seek woman who killed manicurist after failing to pay Posted: 31 Dec 2018 11:54 AM PST ![Police seek woman who killed manicurist after failing to pay]( "Police seek woman who killed manicurist after failing to pay") LAS VEGAS (AP) — Las Vegas police searched Monday for a woman accused of using a stolen car to run over and kill a nail salon worker after failing to pay for a $35 manicure.
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| Indonesia's latest tsunami raises global questions over disaster preparedness Posted: 30 Dec 2018 07:02 PM PST  The Dec. 23 tsunami killed around 430 people along the coastlines of the Sunda Strait, capping a year of earthquakes and tsunamis in the vast archipelago, which straddles the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire. "Indonesia has demonstrated to the rest of the world the huge variety of sources that have the potential to cause tsunamis. More research is needed to understand those less-expected events," said Stephen Hicks, a seismologist at the University of Southampton.
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| American Girl's 2019 'Girl of the Year' is a junior chef with a screen-time obsession Posted: 31 Dec 2018 01:48 PM PST ![American Girl's 2019 'Girl of the Year' is a junior chef with a screen-time obsession]( "American Girl's 2019 'Girl of the Year' is a junior chef with a screen-time obsession") Blaire Wilson has green eyes, red hair, a food sensitivity and struggles with screen time. She's also a budding chef on her family's sustainable farm.
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| Afghan special forces fight IS; Taliban kill 15 policemen Posted: 01 Jan 2019 02:29 AM PST ![Afghan special forces fight IS; Taliban kill 15 policemen]( "Afghan special forces fight IS; Taliban kill 15 policemen") KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghan special forces launched a new offensive against the Islamic State group in eastern Nangarhar province, killing 27 militants, officials said Tuesday. Meanwhile, Taliban attacks in northern Afghanistan killed 15 members of the country's security forces.
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| Top Republican says Trump vows to 'destroy' IS before leaving Syria Posted: 31 Dec 2018 01:44 AM PST  A senior Republican senator said Sunday that President Donald Trump had promised to stay in Syria to finish the job of destroying the Islamic State group -- just days after announcing he would be withdrawing troops immediately. "The president understands the need to finish the job," Lindsey Graham told reporters outside the White House after what he described as a two-hour lunch meeting. "He told me some things I didn't know that made me feel a lot better about where we're headed in Syria," the South Carolina lawmaker said.
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| Judge rejects Kevin Spacey's plea to avoid court appearance as actor confirms he will plead not guilty to sexual assault Posted: 31 Dec 2018 11:21 AM PST  A judge in Nantucket has ordered Kevin Spacey to appear in court next week for his arraignment on sexual assault charges, denying the two-time Oscar winner's plea for him to be excused from what he described as a media circus. Spacey said in court documents, filed on Monday, that will plead not guilty to indecent assault. The 59-year-old actor is accused of groping an 18-year-old employee of the Club Car, a restaurant and bar on the island of Nantucket, in July 2016. In the court documents, obtained by The Telegraph, he asked the judge that he be exempt from the January 7 arraignment, arguing that his presence would "amplify the negative publicity already generated in connection with the case." His lawyer added that his presence would heighten the "prejudicial media interest" in the case and contaminate the jury pool. The judge swiftly denied Spacey's request, ordering that he attend the court proceedings. Kevin Spacey, pictured during his time as director of the Old Vic theatre in London Credit: Clara Molden for The Telegraph His lawyers have been trying for some time to avoid the spectacle of the two-time Oscar winner appearing in court. On Thursday Michael Giardino, the Cape and Islands assistant district attorney, filed a motion saying that the prosecution did not agree to the defence's request that Spacey be allowed to stay away. The prosecution argued that Massachusetts state rules for criminal procedure require that a defendant appear at arraignment. Lawyers for both sides agreed on the January 7 arraignment date during a December 20 hearing, at which Clerk-Magistrate Ryan Kearney found probable cause to charge Spacey. This allegation was first made public by the accuser's mother, former news anchor Heather Unruh, in November 2017. Former Boston news anchor Heather Unruh speaks at a press conference in Boston November 8, 2017 during which she accused actor Kevin Spacey of allegedly sexually abusing her son in July 2016 Her son told investigators in the autumn that he was the one who approached Spacey that summer night, wanting a photo, and proceeded to drink heavily with the House of Cards actor after finishing his shift before the alleged assault took place, some time after midnight, police reports in the case show. Spacey's lawyers on December 20 argued that there were "inconsistencies" in the accuser's story, and claimed that he didn't pull away from the actor for three minutes. The accuser has admitted telling Spacey he was 23 – the legal age for drinking in the state is 21. Spacey has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than a dozen men — some of them teens at the time of the alleged incidents — but the Nantucket case is the first to result in criminal charges. It carries a possible five years in prison.
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| Former Bernie Sanders Staffers Voice Concerns About 'Sexual Harassment and Violence' on 2016 Campaign Posted: 31 Dec 2018 08:39 AM PST  The letter states that the signers aim to meet in person with Sanders and other campaign staffers, including Jeff Weaver, the Senator's 2016 campaign manager.
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| Did this cheap Porsche 944 survive the Sahara desert? Posted: 01 Jan 2019 08:38 AM PST  Ben Coombs set out to drive from England to South Africa in a Porsche 944. With a badly behaved Porsche and all manner of terrain problems, here's what happened…
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| New Year's Eve celebrations: Watch the fireworks as London joins world in welcoming 2019 Posted: 31 Dec 2018 09:23 PM PST  London has welcomed 2019 with a dazzling firework display and the chimes of Big Ben. Some 100,000 ticket-holders lined the banks of the Thames to watch 70,000 projectiles made up of eight tonnes of fireworks fire into the sky from three barges and the London Eye. Edinburgh also put on a spectacular display, with around 75,000 party-goers gathering in the centre of the city to see in 2019. Below are pictures and details from all the big displays in the major cities around the world. Happy New Year! London celebrates as Big Ben awakes The words "London is open" rang in the new year as the capital welcomed 2019 with a dazzling riverside fireworks display. The phrase was spoken in seven languages around two minutes past midnight as the city skyline filled with lights in the largest annual display in Europe. New Year's Eve celebrations: world welcomes 2019, in pictures A soundtrack featuring Europe's finest musical artists celebrated the diversity of the capital, after Big Ben, silent for much of 2018 due to renovations, chimed once more. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said the sold-out display would show Europe that the capital will remain "open-minded" and "outward looking" post-Brexit. He said Westminster politicians had given the world the impression that Britain is "insular, inward looking", as Britain begins the new year countdown to Brexit. Mr Khan said he hoped this year's event would "send a message of support" to the more than one million European citizens for whom London is home. He has previously expressed his backing for a People's Vote and has voiced his concerns over the effects of a no-deal Brexit on the capital. He vowed that London would remain the same after March 29 2019, and said the fireworks display was about "showing the world, while they're watching us, that we're going to carry on being open-minded, outward looking, pluralistic". Fireworks light up the sky over the London Eye in central London during the New Year celebrations Credit: PA Some 100,000 ticket-holders lined the banks of the Thames to watch 70,000 projectiles made up of eight tonnes of fireworks fire into the sky from three barges and the London Eye. Mr Khan continued: "We, in my opinion, are one of the greatest cities in the world, one of the reason we are one of the greatest cities in the world is because of the contribution made by Europeans." "I think diversity is a strength and I think what tonight is about is celebrating that diversity. "I hope that members of Parliament, members of the Government will see the fireworks tonight, will listen to the soundtrack and will reflect on what sort of country they want to live in post-March. Edinburgh's huge street party People from around the world have welcomed in the new year at a colourful street party - in the shadow of Edinburgh castle - in the "home of Hogmanay". The jubilant crowd counted down the 10 seconds to midnight before a fireworks display lit up the sky above the famous landmark, with the soundtrack provided by German band Meute. Fireworks light up the sky in Edinburgh during the Hogmanay New Year celebrations Credit: PA A mass rendition of Auld Lang Syne then rang out around the city when the fireworks fell silent. The events were the main focus of the street party which ran for several hours over December 31 and January 1. Organisers of Edinburgh's Hogmanay planned this year's events to celebrate the ties between Scotland and Europe as the UK prepares to leave the EU in 2019. Soggy start for New York A drenching rain couldn't keep crowds from packing Times Square for the traditional crystal ball drop and a string of star performances. Christina Aguilera pumped up the crowd, performing in a snow-white dress and coat while partygoers danced in their rain ponchos. Bebe Rexha sang John Lennon's "Imagine" just before the midnight ball drop. Confetti drops over the crowd as the clock strikes midnight during the New Year's celebration in Times Square Credit: AP The celebration took place under tight security. Partygoers were checked for weapons and then herded into pens, ringed by metal barricades, where they waited for the stroke of midnight. But the weather forced police to scrap plans to fly a drone to help keep watch over the crowd. Revellers were paying up to $10 for plastic ponchos trying to stay dry. Umbrellas were banned for security reasons. Paris sees in 2019 Parisians and tourists gathered on the Champs-Elysees to celebrate New Year's Eve under heavy security. Anti-government protesters from the yellow vest movement have issued calls on social media for "festive" demonstrations on the famous avenue. Fireworks illuminate the sky over the Arc de Triomphe during the New Year's Day celebrations on the Champs Elysees, in Paris Credit: AP Paris police set up a security perimeter in the area, with bag searches, a ban on alcohol and traffic restrictions. The Interior Ministry said Sunday that the heavy security measures are needed because of a "high terrorist threat" and concerns about "non-declared protests." President Emmanuel Macron gave his traditional New Year address to briefly lay out his priorities for 2019, as some protesters angry over high taxes and his pro-business policies plan to continue their demonstrations in coming weeks. A protester wearing a "Yellow vest" (gilet jaune) demonstrates in front of a row of French police on the Champs-Elysees in Paris Credit: AFP Ahead of midnight, a light show illustrating the theme of brotherhood took place on the Arc de Triomphe monument at the top of the Champs-Elysees. Fireworks time in Athens Happy New Year ΕΛΛΑΔΑ! Anyone in Greece right now? Send us back a shout and where you are celebrating right now! #happynewyearpic.twitter.com/zNJIxdAu0H— The Pappas Post (@PappasPost) December 31, 2018 New Year in Nairobi Fireworks explode over the UAP Old Mutual Tower during New Year celebrations in Nairobi Credit: Reuters An impressive display at the Burj Khalifa in Dubai Fireworks crackled at Dubai's Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, as hundreds of thousands of spectators gathered downtown to watch the spectacular display. The fireworks replace last year's somewhat anticlimactic LED lightshow that ran down the facade of the 828-meter-tall (2,716-foot) tower. Dubai New Year's Eve 2018 LIVE: Watch Burj Khalifa fireworks stream https://t.co/XnBC8eS4wfpic.twitter.com/Kug053x0jA— Time Out Dubai (@TimeOutDubai) December 31, 2018 Cafes and restaurants with a view of the Burj Khalifa charge a premium for their locale on New Year's Eve. Casual sandwich chain Pret a Manger, for example, charges $817 for a table of four. That price gets you hot and cold drinks and some canapes. For burgers near the action, fast food chain Five Guys charged $408 per person for unlimited burgers, hotdogs, fries, milkshakes and soda. That magnificent show and this magnificent shot from @tgfromdubai is ������! Happy New Year everyone!#burjkhalifa#dubaipic.twitter.com/F2ylFZWvEB— Movenpick Hotel Apartments Downtown Dubai (@movenpickDDubai) December 31, 2018 Dozens injured in the Philippines Dozens of people were injured in New Year celebrations in the Philippines. It came as powerful firecrackers were set off in one of Asia's most violent celebrations, despite a government scare campaign and threats of arrests. The Department of Health said it has recorded more than 50 firecracker injuries in the past 10 days. Officials had urged centralised fireworks displays to discourage wild and sometimes fatal merrymaking. The notorious tradition, worsened by celebratory gunfire, stems from a Chinese-influenced belief that noise drives away evil and misfortune. A New Year's Eve reveler in Manila Credit: Reuters Pope sends his blessings Pope Francis has rounded out the most problematic year of his papacy by presiding over a vespers service and praying before the Vatican's giant sand sculpture Nativity scene. During his homily on Monday, Francis lamented how many people spent 2018 living on the edge of dignity, homeless or forced into modern forms of slavery. Francis noted that Rome alone counts some 10,000 homeless and said: "During the winter their situation is particularly hard." Pope Francis greets faithful in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican Accompanied by his chief alms-giver, Francis then walked out into St. Peter's Square, where he greeted pilgrims and prayed before the Nativity scene, carved out of 720 tons of packed sand. On Tuesday, Francis will celebrate Mass to mark the start of a new year and officially leave behind 2018, which saw a new eruption of the clergy sex abuse scandal. Russia raises a glass As Russians raised toasts to celebrate across the country's 11 time zones, President Vladimir Putin stressed the need to rely on internal resources to improve living standards. In a televised address just before midnight, Putin said that "we can achieve positive results only through our own efforts and well-coordinated teamwork." Fireworks over the Kremlin Credit: AFP Raising life quality remains the top priority, he said, adding that it's necessary to tap domestic resources to achieve the goal as "there wasn't and there won't be anyone to help." The statement sounded like an oblique reference to continuing Russia-West tensions and Western sanctions. The nation's festive mood was marred by the collapse of an apartment building Monday in Magnitogorsk that killed at least four. Putin visited the city to oversee rescue efforts. Chilly start in China New Year's Eve isn't celebrated widely in mainland China, where the lunar New Year in February is a more important holiday. But countdown events were held in major cities, and some of the faithful headed to Buddhist temples for bell-ringing and prayers. Outdoor revellers in Beijing had to brave temperatures well below freezing. Additional police were deployed in parts of Shanghai, where a New Year's Eve stampede in 2014 killed 36 people. Fireworks explode over Victoria Harbour during New Year celebrations in Hong Kong Credit: AFP In Hong Kong, festive lights on skyscrapers provided the backdrop for a fireworks, music and light show over Victoria Harbor on a chilly evening. North Korea welcomes 2019 with fireworks and musical performances After an eventful year that saw three inter-Korean summits and the easing of tensions over North Korea's nuclear program, Korean - North and South of the border - entered 2019 with hopes that the hard-won detente will expand into a stable peace. Thousands of South Koreans filled the streets of the capital, Seoul, for a traditional bell-tolling ceremony near City Hall. Dignitaries picked to ring the old Bosingak bell at midnight included famous surgeon Lee Guk-jong, who successfully operated on a North Korean soldier who escaped to South Korea in 2017 in a hail of bullets fired by his comrades. A "peace bell" was tolled at Imjingak, a pavilion near the border with North Korea. Japan, South Korea and small parts of Russia and Indonesia ring in the New Year Russians got to enjoy performances from actors and dancers dressed up as characters including Father Frost and the Snow Maiden, as small parts of the country took part in a count down to midnight. Father Frost and Snow Maiden Credit: Yuri Smityuk\\TASS via Getty Images Fireworks in Vladivostok, Russia Credit: Yuri Smityuk\\TASS via Getty Images Ramming attack mars Tokyo celebrations Japan celebrated the New Year in style on Monday night. People hold balloons during the count down event at the Prince Park Tower Tokyo hotel Credit: Getty However, nine people were hurt, one seriously, when a man deliberately ploughed his car into crowds celebrating New Year's Eve along a famous Tokyo street. With an "intent to murder", 21-year-old Kazuhiro Kusakabe drove a small vehicle into Takeshita Street in Tokyo's fashion district of Harajuku at 10 minutes past midnight, a police spokesman told AFP. According to national broadcaster NHK, Kusakabe told police he was acting in "retribution for the death penalty" without giving more precise details. Policemen stand next to a car which plowed into pedestrians on New Year day in Tokyo Credit: Reuters One college student suffered serious injuries during the attack and was undergoing surgery, the police spokesman told AFP. Kusakabe was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, police said. Fireworks glitter over Sydney Harbour Parts of Australia including Sydney are celebrating the New Year, with the city putting on a spectacular fireworks display over the harbour. The Opera House was thrown into sharp relief by the fireworks, which were watched on television by people all over the world. The celebrations in Sydney were slightly dampened by inclement weather, with thousands of people waiting to watch the fireworks battered with torrential rain and a thunderstorm. New Zealand celebrates 2019 It is officially 2019 in New Zealand, as cities including Auckland set off fireworks and spectators danced and cheered. The annual Wondergarden festival is also taking place, with revelers flooding to Auckland to enjoy the music and ring in the New Year. Partygoers were allowed to make as much noise as they liked between 6pm and 2am, after the council in Auckland promised not to attend any noise complaints during those hours. "New Year's Eve is always a great time for celebration in Auckland and from a noise control perspective we don't tend to see significant increases in complaints over the course of the night generally because there seems to be higher levels of tolerance to noise as many people choose to stay up later to enjoy the midnight entertainment. Because of this, we do relax our policy slightly on New Year's Eve and only attend complaints after 2am which is often the time when most festivities have come to an end," Max Wilde, the council's team manager for Licencing Response told the New Zealand Herald. Samoa is the first country to ring in 2019 Samoa was the first country to celebrate the New Year with an inevitable fireworks display. Samoa welcomes the New Year in style. This government initiative is a special commemoration marking Samoa as the first country to welcome the New Year. The fireworks display will be an ongoing annual celebration... https://t.co/6gqwrEd0Oa— Government of Samoa (@samoagovt) December 31, 2018 Interestingly, just an hour's flight away is American Samoa, which has to wait 24 hours to ring in 2019 because of the time difference.
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| New York's Times Square gears up for soggy New Year's Eve Posted: 31 Dec 2018 12:43 PM PST  Hundreds of tourists, some wrapped in raincoats, clustered in a rainy Times Square on Monday afternoon to await the midnight descent of the illuminated ball that has marked the arrival of the new year in New York City for more than a century. Christina Aguilera, New Kids on the Block and Sting were among the musical performers slated to entertain throngs filling the streets ahead of the ball drop, the focal point of New Year's Eve celebrations across the United States. Steady rain was forecast in New York City into the new year.
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| 12 migrants found on beach as UK mulls more Channel patrols Posted: 31 Dec 2018 02:50 PM PST  LONDON (AP) — Police picked up a group of 12 migrants found on a beach in southwestern England as top British officials met Monday to discuss the increasing numbers of people attempting to cross the English Channel from France to England.
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| New Year's Day, Mega Millions and college bowl games: 5 things to know Tuesday Posted: 31 Dec 2018 10:20 PM PST  Happy 2019! There are plenty of college bowl games to watch and a Mega Millions drawing. Here's what else you need to know Tuesday.
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| What to expect from special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation in 2019 Posted: 01 Jan 2019 08:04 AM PST  The expectation is that special counsel Robert Mueller could finalize his report and provide it to the Justice Department as early as February, but Mueller's office does not comment publicly on its progress or the timeline; chief intelligence correspondent Catherine Herridge reports from Washington.
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| Around 100 Central Americans try to enter US on New Year's Eve Posted: 01 Jan 2019 03:13 AM PST  Around 100 Central American migrants made a failed attempt on New Year's Eve to cross over from Mexico into the United States. An AFP journalist observed the smaller group of Central Americans gathering around 8:00 pm Monday night (0400 GMT Tuesday) in an area called Playas de Tijuana on the Pacific coast.
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| Manchester terror: knife attack suspect detained under Mental Health Act Posted: 01 Jan 2019 02:21 PM PST  The suspect in the stabbings at Manchester Victoria Station on New Year's Eve has been detained under the Mental Health Act, police said. Police said the 25-year-old man arrested over the stabbings has been detained under the Mental Health Act on Tuesday evening after being assessed by medical staff. This comes after a police sergeant stabbed in the incident was praised for showing "incredible bravery" to prevent a suspected terrorist from rampaging through a train station just yards from the scene of the Manchester Arena suicide bombing. A couple in their 50s were seriously injured in the "frenzied" and "random" New Year's Eve attack on a platform at Manchester Victoria Metrolink station. The police officer, who is in his 30s, was also wounded as he and three colleagues rushed to the scene after hearing "a blood curdling scream". Police said that a terrorism investigation into the incident "remains ongoing". Andy Burnham, the mayor of Manchester, on Tuesday said the attack had been deliberately staged close to the site of the Manchester Arena bombing, which killed 22 people in 2017. Police chiefs and politicians praised the officers' actions in putting themselves at risk to save the couple and prevent the man, who was dressed in black, marauding through the station just before 9pm. He had been heard shouting Isil-inspired slogans during the attack and after his initial arrest on suspicion of attempted murder. Asst Chief Constable Sean O'Callaghan from British Transport Police said: "I am incredibly proud of the four officers who were immediately on scene last night, detaining a man who was wielding a knife. "They were fearless, running towards danger and preventing further harm coming to passengers." The suspect, aged 25, was caught on video shouting "Allahu akbar" – meaning "God is great" in Arabic – as he was ushered into the back of a police van following his arrest. Witnesses said he was heard to scream: "Long live the Caliphate" in possible reference to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil), while another claimed he shouted: "As long as you keep bombing other countries, this sort of s---- is going to keep happening." A house in Cheetham Hill, north Manchester – thought to be his last known address – was searched yesterday by counter-terrorism police. Neighbours suggested the suspect was of Somali-origin and was thought to have lived in the Netherlands before moving to the UK about 10 to 15 years ago. One neighbour said his mother, who has five children, was a nurse while his brother worked at Manchester airport. A police source said the suspect was refusing to cooperate and detectives were working to establish his identity. He is believed to have acted alone, In a statement Greater Manchester Police, said on Tuesday evening: "The 25 year old man arrested on 31 January 2018 following the incident at Manchester Victoria Station has been assessed by specialist medical staff and detained under the Mental Health Act. "The Counter Terrorism investigation remains ongoing." "There is nothing to suggest the involvement of other people in this attack, but confirming this remains a main priority for the investigation." A house in Cheetham Hill, Manchester, which was raided as part of the investigation Credit: Pat Hurst/PA The attack took place at a tram station that forms part of the complex that includes the Manchester Arena, where in May 2017, Salman Abedi, an Isil supporter, blew himself up killing 23 people, more than half of them children, as they left an Ariana Grande concert. Mr Burnham told The Telegraph: "This attack has brought back some very painful memories for everyone involved, particularly given how close it was to the Manchester Arena, which appears to have been deliberate.But the city is strong, united and resilient and the way the incident was dealt with by the emergency services and others was exemplary." Video footage from the scene shows the man pinned to the ground by police. He was thought to have carried two knives, one of which appeared to be a foot-long kitchen knife. In the days before the New Year's Eve attack, Isil had urged its followers to carry out a knife attack in the UK. The British Transport Police officers had been patrolling the adjacent Victoria train station when they rushed to help the couple from Manchester who suffered multiple stab wounds. They used a Taser stun gun and "Captor gel", an irritant designed to incapacitate suspects, in arresting the man. The woman was stabbed in the face – suffering a "significant injury" to her forehead – while the man was wounded in the stomach. They are expected to remain in hospital for some time while the officer stabbed in the shoulder was discharged on Tuesday morning. Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said: "My thoughts are with the couple who are still being treated in hospital for their serious injuries and with the brave British Transport Police officer who was also stabbed during the attack. We are treating this as a terrorist investigation which is being led by counter terrorism officers with support from Greater Manchester Police."
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| Pompeo says cooperation with Israel over Syria and Iran to continue Posted: 01 Jan 2019 08:45 AM PST  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said as he met with Pompeo in the Brazilian capital that he planned to discuss how to intensify intelligence and operations cooperation in Syria and elsewhere to block Iranian "aggression." In his first public comments on Trump's decision, Pompeo said it "in no way changes anything that this administration is working on alongside Israel." "The counter-ISIS campaign continues, our efforts to counter Iranian aggression continue and our commitment to Middle East stability and the protection of Israel continues in the same way it did before that decision was made," he said. Trump announced last month that he planned to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria, declaring that they had succeeded in their mission to defeat Islamic State and were no longer needed in the country.
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| Most popular Yahoo News photo galleries of 2018 — the countdown Posted: 30 Dec 2018 09:01 PM PST  Check back in because we'll be counting down the top 10 until New Year's Eve.
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| Coronation of Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn set for May 4-6 Posted: 01 Jan 2019 12:22 AM PST  BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn will have his official coronation on May 4, the palace announced Tuesday.
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| Hillary Clinton calls 2018 'a dark time for our country' in sombre new year message Posted: 01 Jan 2019 03:11 AM PST  Hillary Clinton has described 2018 as a "dark time" for America in a new year Instagram post. The Democrat former presidential candidate said she was "grateful to everyone who brought light into it" – including activists, journalists, election organisers, candidates and protesters. "In many ways, 2018 was a dark time for our country," Ms Clinton wrote.
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| Read Defense Secretary Jim Mattis' Farewell Message Posted: 31 Dec 2018 07:18 AM PST  Jim Mattis, the outgoing Secretary of Defense, told staff to "keep the faith in our country" in a farewell message sent on Monday.
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| Russian baby found alive in 'New Year's miracle' after 35 hours under rubble of collapsed building Posted: 01 Jan 2019 12:11 PM PST  Russian rescuers find baby boy alive after 35 hours under the rubble of a collapsed apartment building
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