California police were hunting a gunman Thursday after a shooting broke out at a high school north of Los Angeles, with "multiple victims" confirmed.
"This is an active shooter situation," the local sheriff's department tweeted, as police and ambulances swarmed the area around Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, 40 miles (65 kilometers) north of Los Angeles.
It said the suspect, described as a male Asian with black clothing, was still on the run.
The city of Santa Clarita tweeted that there were "multiple victims injured" in the early-morning shooting.
Police spokesman Bob Boese, speaking on the local NBC news channel, said there were "at least three" victims but cautioned that it was not clear if all victims had been located.
"Our deputies are doing a systematic search of the campus, still looking for the suspect," Boese said. He said one weapon had so far been recovered.
No official details were immediately available on the condition of the victims.  Aerial video from the NBC ...

'Multiple victims' in school shooting near Los Angeles

PTI Automatic

A strong 7.1-magnitude earthquake hit off the coast of North Maluku province in eastern Indonesia early Friday, seismologists said, with the US tsunami warning centre saying a tsunami was not expected.
The quake hit 140 kilometres (87 miles) northwest of the coastal town of Ternate at a depth of 45 km, according to the US Geological Survey.
The US tsunami warning centre said a "destructive Pacific-wide tsunami is not expected." The Indonesian meterological and climatology agency, however, warned people to stay clear of beaches as a precaution.
The quake was felt strongly in Ternate at 1:17 am local time (1617 GMT), sending sleeping residents fleeing their houses.
Indonesia experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its position on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", where tectonic plates collide.
Last September, a 7.5-magnitude quake and a subsequent tsunami in Palu on Sulawesi island killed more than 2,200, with 1,000 more declared missing.
On December 26, 2004, a ...

Strong 7.1 earthquake off Indonesia

The International Criminal Court on Thursday approved a full investigation into Myanmar's alleged crimes against the Rohingya, as the southeast Asian nation faced mounting legal pressure worldwide over their fate.
Judges backed a prosecution request to probe allegations of crimes against humanity and persecution over Myanmar's 2017 bloody military crackdown against the minority Muslim group.
The ICC decision comes after a week in which former democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi was named in an Argentine lawsuit over crimes against the Rohingya, and Myanmar faced a separate genocide lawsuit at the UN's top court.
More than 740,000 Rohingya people were forced to flee over the border into sprawling camps in Bangladesh, in violence that United Nations investigators say amounts to genocide.
The Hague-based ICC, set up in 2002 to try the world's worst crimes, said it had "authorised the prosecutor to proceed with an investigation for the alleged crimes within the ICC's jurisdiction" relating to 

ICC approves probe into alleged Myanmar Rohingya abuse

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan insisted Ankara would not give up the Russian S-400 missile defence system to purchase the equivalent US Patriot missiles in comments published Thursday.
"It is out of the question to leave the S-400s and go towards the Patriots when we are at this point" of strengthening relations with Russia, Erdogan told Turkish journalists on board his plane after talks with US President Donald Trump Wednesday.
"We said 'But we would buy the Patriots too'. However, we will also have the S-400," he added, quoted by Hurriyet daily.
Erdogan had earlier in the interview spoken about Turkey and Russia's improving bilateral relations, focusing on issues such as natural gas and the rising number of Russian tourists coming to Turkey.
Erdogan said the proposal to buy Patriots in lieu of S-400s was an "affront" to Turkey's sovereign rights.
"We absolutely do not think this is right," he said.
Turkey-US ties are strained over multiple issues including Syria but they are 

Erdogan says would buy Patriots but won't give up S-400s

Ukrainian lawmakers on Thursday approved an increase in defence spending that will mark a new record, as President Volodymr Zelensky vows to end the country's long conflict with Russian-backed separatists.
Approving the country's 2020 budget, lawmakers voted for a 16 per cent increase in both defence and security spending, bringing it to nearly USD 10 billion, or 5.45 per cent of gross domestic product.
Prime Minister Oleksiy Goncharuk has said the main priority will be purchases of weapons and military equipment needed to fight the separatists.
Backed by Moscow, the rebels seized control of parts of eastern Ukraine five years ago in a conflict that has claimed some 13,000 lives.
Zelensky, a comedian-turned-politician who shocked observers by winning this year's presidential election, has said ending the conflict is his top aim.
He said this month that next year's defence budget would be the largest in Ukrainian history, adding: "We are proud of it, we support our military."
Ukraine's 

Ukraine lawmakers approve record defence spending for 2020

Four protesters were killed by tear gas canisters in Baghdad on Thursday as security forces tried to snuff out the largest grassroots movement to sweep Iraq in years.
Iraq's political elite has come under renewed pressure in recent days from both the street and the international community to seriously address calls for reform.
The UN, Washington and human rights groups have all criticised Baghdad authorities' harsh response to the protests, which has left more than 330 people dead since the start of October.
Early Thursday, four protesters were killed when they were hit by tear gas canisters near the capital's main protest camp in Tahrir (Liberation) Square, medical sources told AFP.
In heated skirmishes, groups of young men wearing surgical masks and construction helmets tossed back tear gas canisters at riot police stationed behind concrete blast walls.
The protesters have occupied the square for three weeks, braving live rounds, stun grenades and even machine gun fire.
Security ...

Tear gas grenades kill Iraq protesters as govt feels heat

Moldovan lawmakers on Thursday approved a new minority government controlled by the Socialist Party of pro-Russian President Igor Dodon, two days after the dissolution of a pro-European government.
The former Soviet republic between Romania and Ukraine has been rocked by political crises in recent years linked to sharp divisions between pro-European parties and those who favour closer ties with Moscow.
The pro-Russian Socialist Party has only 36 lawmakers in the 101-seat parliament but managed to form a government with support from 27 lawmakers of the Democratic Party led by exiled oligarch Vlad Plahotniuc.
A total of 62 lawmakers approved the new government with 47-year-old technocrat Ion Chicu as prime minister. Six of the 11 cabinet members previously served as Dodon's aides.
Dodon signed a decree on the new government and lawmakers swore an oath to formally take power, his press service said.
New prime minister Chicu is not a member of the Socialist Party. He is an economist who ..

Moldova forms pro-Russian minority government

Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer prepared to face off for a place in the last four of the ATP Finals on Thursday after Matteo Berrettini made history with a consolation win in London.
The heavyweights, who have won the season-ending tournament 11 times between them, will meet for the 49th time in a repeat of this year's Wimbledon final.
Djokovic, who holds a 26-22 advantage, has won their past five meetings, including their epic five-set battle in the final at Wimbledon in July, during which he saved two championship points.
The Serbian is bidding to equal Federer's record of six ATP Finals titles and is also challenging Rafael Nadal for the year-end number one ranking.
The second seed, 32, will leapfrog Nadal to finish in the top spot if he wins the title at the O2 Arena and Nadal does not reach the final.
The Serbian, who can claim a record-equalling sixth year-end number one finish, is hungry to finish the year on top.
"One of the two biggest achievements that you can have as a ...

Djokovic, Federer set for ATP Finals showdown after Berrettini win

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko on Thursday said US envoy Gordon Sondland did not tell him aid to Kiev depended on opening a probe into Donald Trump's potential 2020 rival Joe Biden.
Democrats accused Trump and his allies of freezing some USD 400 million in military aid to Ukraine to get President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate former vice president Biden and his son.
Trump has dismissed the allegations that led to the opening of an impeachment inquiry into his presidency as a "witch hunt".
Sondland, America's Trump-appointed ambassador to the European Union, this month gave key testimony to the impeachment inquiry that he told a Ukraine official US military aid was contingent on Kiev investigating Biden.
"Ambassador Sondland did not tell us, and for sure did not tell me, about a connection between the assistance and the investigations," Prystaiko told journalists in Kiev.
Sondland told Ukrainian officials in Washington on July 10 that a summit between Zelensky and Trump 

Ukraine FM says US envoy did not link Biden probe to aid

Italy was poised to declare a state of emergency for Venice Thursday after an exceptional tide surged through churches, shops and homes, causing millions of euros worth of damage to the UNESCO city.
Tourists larked around in the flooded St Mark's Square in the sunshine, snapping selfies in their neon plastic boots and taking advantage of a respite in bad weather which has driven the high tides.
Sirens warning of fresh flooding rang through the canal city early Thursday but the water level remained low compared to Tuesday's tide, the highest in 50 years.
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, who has called the flooding "a blow to the heart of our country", met Venice's mayor and emergency services before jumping in a speed boat to visit businesses and locals affected by the tide.
Residents whose houses had been hit would immediately get up to 5,000 euros (USD 5,500) in government aid, while restaurant and shop owners could receive up to 20,000 euros and apply for more later, he said.
Several .

Italy to declare state of emergency in Venice after flood

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo vowed on Thursday that the United States will keep fighting the Islamic State group, reassuring worried allies convened in Washington.
"The United States will continue to lead the coalition and the world on this essential security effort," Pompeo said as he opened a day of talks in Washington.
Foreign ministers or other senior officials from 31 nations came to Washington for the meeting initiated by France after President Donald Trump stunned them last month by announcing a US troop withdrawal from Syria.
Pompeo dwelled little on Trump's decision but said that US forces were positioned to "make sure ISIS will never get a second wind", using an alternative acronym for the group.
He highlighted the October 26 raid by US forces that killed the extremist group's chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as well as other leaders of the movement.
"Ask them if there's a deficit of American leadership in fighting ISIS," Pompeo said sarcastically.
Pompeo instead pressed for ...

Pompeo: US 'will continue to lead' against IS

A judge in Slovakia has stepped down after being linked with a businessman accused of ordering the killing of an investigative journalist, officials said on Thursday.
Bratislava judge Miriam Repakova is among several members of the judiciary alleged to have exchanged text messages with murder suspect Marian Kocner. She is the first judge to be forced to step down.
The businessman is accused of ordering the February 2018 murder of Jan Kuciak, a reporter who had been investigating Kocner's business activities.
The killing triggered mass protests that forced Prime Minister Robert Fico to resign, and inspired anti-corruption activist Zuzana Caputova to successfully run for president.
Presidential spokesman Martin Strizenec said the judge had resigned on Wednesday but would continue to serve until the end of November.
Prosecutors have charged Kocner with ordering the assassination of Kuciak and are also investigating his role in several cases of suspected fraud.
Four other people were also 

Slovak judge resigns over links to murder suspect

China on Thursday said eliminating tariffs was a "condition" for reaching a trade agreement with the United States, a demand US President Donald Trump said earlier this month that he had rejected.
The Commerce Ministry's remarks showed a sizeable distance still separates the Washington and Beijing dispute Trump's announcement last month that they had reached a "phase one" deal.
Beijing and Washington have been embroiled in an 18-month trade war which has weighed on the global economy, and two sides have slapped punitive tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars in two-way trade.
Amid signs of easing tensions, the Chinese commerce ministry last week said the two sides had agreed on a plan to roll back tariffs in stages -- only to have US President Donald Trump deny that any such plan had been made.
Trump warned on Tuesday that he could even increase tariffs further if a partial deal with Beijing failed to materialise.
"The Chinese side has repeatedly stressed that the trade war should 

Tariffs' removal a 'condition' for US trade deal: China

Reykjavik has its penis museum and from this weekend London will have a vagina museum -- a place to tackle taboos and learn a little bit more about women's bodies.
In the heart of Camden, a tourist centre and hub of alternative culture in the north of the British capital, the sign for the "Vagina Museum" on an old barn door attracts a few curious glances.
Nestled between shops selling vintage clothes and souvenirs, it is the first permanent museum in the world dedicated to this part of the female anatomy.
"I found out there was a penis museum and no vagina equivalent, so I made it," said founder Florence Schechter, a science communicator.
Far from being a cabinet of curiosities, the little museum intends to be instructive, with its first goal to expose myths around the vagina.
Some of the claims displayed and then debunked are that "if you use a tampon you are no longer a virgin", "periods are dirty" and that "the clitoris is impossible to find".
For Schechter, who has already ...

London's new Vagina Museum: education, not titillation

Russia on Thursday recognised Jeanine Anez as acting president of Bolivia following weeks of turmoil and the resignation of Evo Morales.
"We have taken note of the announcement that the second deputy speaker of the Senate, Mrs Anez, has taken office as interim president," said foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
"It is clear that it is she who will be considered the leader of Bolivia until a new president is elected," deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov told RIA Novosti state news agency.
Zakharova added that these statements did not change Russia's official position on events in La Paz which Moscow has called a coup d'Etat.
"This is not about recognising what has happened in Bolivia as a legitimate process," she said.
"We condemn in principle any recourse to violent methods to settle political issues," Zakharova added.
The situation in Bolivia "remains tense and there is a risk of further complications. Bolivia needs calm, peaceful dialogue".
The spokeswoman called on ...

Russia recognises Bolivia's acting president Jeanine Anez

Mussels hitching a ride on ocean-going ships are likely responsible for the spread of an infectious cancer found in different species on either side of the Atlantic, scientists say.
A recent study in the journal eLife suggests that human activity may "unwittingly be contributing to the worldwide spread of infectious cancers" affecting mussels, clams and cockles.
Most often, cancer arises from DNA mutations in an organism's cells which lead to uncontrolled cell growth -- it does not normally spread from one organism to another, although it can.
"Tasmanian devils, dogs and bivalves have all developed cancers that can spread to others, acting more like a pathogen or parasite," lead author Marisa Yonemitsu, Research Technician at the Pacific Northwest Research Institute in Seattle, Washington, said in a summary of the study findings.
Yonemitsu said one such cancer, called a bivalve transmissible neoplasia, was previously found in a mussel species, Mytilus trossulus, in British Columbia, ..

Human link in spread of infectious cancer in mussels

Five of the biggest emerging economies railed against protectionism on Thursday as they vowed to overcome "significant challenges" facing multilateralism, in a swipe at US tariffs and unilateral action.
In a joint declaration, BRICS countries -- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa -- said "trade tensions and policy uncertainty have taken a toll on confidence, trade, investment and growth" in the global economy.
"It is critical that all WTO members avoid unilateral and protectionist measures," they said.
"We reiterate the fundamental importance of a rules-based, transparent, non-discriminatory, open, free and inclusive international trade."
The United States is locked in a protracted trade war with BRICS titan China, while it also has sanctions on Venezuela, whose President Nicolas Maduro is backed by Beijing and Moscow.
The statement, issued on the second day of the annual BRICS gathering, made no mention of the economic and political crisis raging in Venezuela -- an issue ..

In swipe at US, BRICS hit out at trade protectionism

Recent "violent illegal activities" in Hong Kong have "severely trampled on rule of law and social order" in the semi-autonomous city, China's President Xi Jinping said Thursday, the state-run People's Daily reported.
The violence has "seriously challenged the baseline principle of 'one country two systems,'" Xi said at a summit of BRICS countries in the Brazilian capital of Brasilia.
Pro-democracy protesters choked the city with barricades and rallies for a fourth straight day Thursday, days after police shot a protester with a live round and a man expressing pro-Beijing views was set on fire.

China's President Xi says HK violence threatens 'one country, two systems': state media

Whites in South Africa earned three times more than blacks on average, two decades after the demise of apartheid, the statistics authority said on Thursday.
In a report touching on the highly sensitive issue of inequality, research found that the wage gap between South Africa's groups increased between 2011 and 2015.
It said the average monthly earning among blacks -- who account for 80 per cent of the population -- was 6,899 rand (USD 464/422 euros), while the figure was 24,646 (USD 1,659/1,506 euros) for whites.
Income earnings in South Africa remained "heavily racialised", the statistics authority said.
It added that women earned roughly 30 per cent less on average than males.
Africa's most industrialised nation has struggled to bridge the gap between racial and gender groups since the fall of apartheid in 1994.
For decades, the apartheid system legally divided South Africans into groups of whites, blacks, Indians and "coloureds", a term designating people of mixed race.
The report 

Whites still earning three times more than blacks in South Africa

Ex-Arsenal star Thierry Henry has been appointed coach at MLS franchise Montreal Impact on a two-year contract, the Canadian club announced on Thursday.
"Welcome to Montreal @ThierryHenry!" the Major League Soccer (MLS) club tweeted.
Henry, whose baptism of fire as a manager ended in disaster at French club Monaco when he was fired in January, will coach the Canadian club for a minimum of two seasons, Montreal Impact said.
"Henry signed a two-year deal, with an option for 2022," the club said on its website.
Henry, 42, who helped France win the World Cup in 1998, is familiar with the MLS, having played from 2010 to 2014 with the New York Red Bulls.
"It's an honour to coach the Montreal Impact and return to MLS," Henry said on the website.
"It's a league I know well, in which I had some very nice moments. To be in Quebec, in Montreal, which has an enormous multicultural heritage, it's extraordinary. I've always kept an eye on the club and now I'm here."
The former Arsenal and Barcelona 

Ex-Arsenal star Henry to coach Montreal Impact

Three-time MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo said Thursday he would retire following the Valencia Grand Prix.
The 32-year-old Spaniard, who rides for Honda and claimed the world title in 2010, 2012 and 2015, told a press conference that he was pulling out following Sunday's Valencia race.
The rider, who was also twice crowned 250cc champion, has suffered from poor form and injuries this season.

AFP

AFP

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