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| - Duty Editor: Barry Parker Tel: +33 14041 4636 -- TOP STORIES -- + Iran admits downing Ukraine jet + Taiwan counts votes with China ties centre stage + Oman swears in successor to Sultan + First death in China pneumonia scare + Prolific Galapagos tortoise Diego retires Iran-Ukraine-US-Canada-aviation,WRAP TEHRAN Iran says it "unintentionally" shot down a Ukrainian passenger jet, killing all 176 people aboard, in an abrupt about-turn after initially denying Western claims it was struck by a missile. 800 words 1000 GMT by Marc Jourdier. Picture. Video. Graphic Also moved: Iran-Ukraine-US-Canada-aviation,POINTS Taiwan-vote-China,WRAP TAIPEI Vote counting begins in Taiwan following a closely-watched presidential and parliamentary election in which the island's fraught relationship with China has taken centre stage. 700 words 1200 GMT by Jerome Taylor and Amber Wang. Picture. Video. Live video. Graphic Oman-royals-politics,WRAP MUSCAT Oman's culture minister Haitham bin Tariq is sworn in as royal ruler after the death of his cousin Sultan Qaboos, who reinvented the nation and became a vital mediator in a turbulent region. 700 words 1100 GMT. Picture. Video Also moving: Oman-royals-politics,OBIT Oman-royals-politics,PROFILE China-health-virus,WRAP SHANGHAI Chinese health authorities report the first death from a virus believed to be from the same family as SARS, which killed hundreds in China and Hong Kong more than a decade ago. 550 words moved by Dan Martin Ecuador-environment-Galapagos-animal QUITO Job done, a prolific Galapagos giant tortoise named Diego is being released back into the wild after being credited by authorities with almost single-handedly saving his species from extinction. 400 words moved -- IRAN-US-IRAQ CRISIS -- Iraq-Iran-unrest-US,WRAP WASHINGTON The United States rejects a request by Iraq to start talks on pulling out its 5,200 troops, notching up the discord after Washington killed a top Iranian general in Baghdad. 700 words moved by Shaun Tandon, with Maya Gebeily in Baghdad. Pictures. Video Also moved: US-Iran-unrest-sanctions-economy-mining,4thlead -- ASIA -- Australia-fire-environment-climate,WRAP MOGO, Australia Massive bushfires in southeastern Australia still have a "long way to go", authorities warn, even as colder conditions bring some relief to exhausted firefighters and communities. 700 words moved by Holly Robertson with Glenda Kwek in Sydney. Picture. Video Also moved: Australia-fire-environment-climate-lifestyle,FOCUS -- AMERICAS -- Mexico-crime-school-shooting,WRAP TORREON, Mexico An 11-year-old boy shoots and kills his teacher at a school in northern Mexico and wounds six others before killing himself, authorities say. 550 words moved by Brenda Alcala. Picture. Video. Graphic US-Canada-space-astronauts-NASA,WRAP HOUSTON NASA celebrates its latest class of graduating astronauts at a public ceremony in Houston, honoring a diverse and gender-balanced group now qualified for spaceflight missions including America's return to the Moon and eventual journey to Mars. 750 words moved by Julia Benarrous with Issam Ahmed in Washington -- MIDDLE EAST -- Oman-royals-politics,OBIT MUSCAT Oman's Sultan Qaboos, who has died aged 79, transformed the former Arabian Peninsula backwater into a modern state and sought-after mediator while shielding the sultanate from a region in turmoil. 750 words 1030 GMT. File picture. File video Oman-royals-politics,PROFILE MUSCAT Sultan Qaboos was Oman's founding father but his successor will be charged with taking the kingdom into the future, driving social and economic reforms under its "Vision 2040". 600 words 1200 GMT Also moved: Oman-royals-politics,COUNTRYFILE -- EUROPE -- Malta-politics-vote,WRAP VALLETTA Malta's Labour Party votes to elect its and the country's new leader after outgoing Prime Minister Joseph Muscat's fall from grace over the murder of a journalist. 500 words 1000 GMT by Matthew Xeureb with Ella Ide in Rome. File Picture Germany-Turkey-education-diplomacy-government-religion FOCUS, BERLIN The proposed opening of three Turkish schools in Germany rekindles a long-standing row over the Turkish government's hold over the country's three-million strong Turkish community. 600 words 1030 GMT by Yacine Le Forestier. File Picture Britain-royals-Meghan-Harry-Canada,WRAP LONDON Prince Harry's wife Meghan returns to Canada following the couple's bombshell announcement that they are quitting their frontline royal duties, forcing Queen Elizabeth II to hold urgent family talks to resolve the crisis. 700 words moved by Alice Ritchie. File picture. Graphic Also moved: Britain-royals-Harry-Meghan-future,ANALYSIS Britain-NIreland-politics,WRAP BELFAST, United Kingdom Northern Ireland's assembly will sit at Stormont for the first time in three years after rival parties agree to back a new power-sharing deal to revive its government. 650 words moved by Joe Stenson with Dmitry Zaks in London. Picture. Video Russia-Germany-diplomacy-Iran-Libya-Ukraine MOSCOW Confrontation between Washington and Tehran over the US killing of a top general and turmoil in Libya are set to dominate talks in Moscow between the leaders of Russia and Germany. 500 words moved -- AFRICA -- Nigeria Biafra history conflict anniversary,FOCUS LAGOS Dikoye Oyeyinka, 33, has been billed as one of the most promising Nigerian writers of his generation. He went to some of the finest schools in his West African homeland but says that like the majority of his classmates he "didn't know about Biafra until I was 14". 950 words moved by Sophie Bouillon. File picture -- ENVIRONMENT -- Climate-2020-election-EU-China,FOCUS PARIS 2020 is the most crucial year yet for humanity's plan to dodge the bullet of catastrophic global warming, experts say, warning that the narrow path to safety is riddled with pitfalls, from the US election to Brexit. 700 words moved by Patrick Galey Zimbabwe-environment-animal-drought,FOCUS HWANGE, Zimbabwe Wild animals in Zimbabwe were responsible for the deaths of at least 36 people in 2019, up from 20 in the previous year. The attacks have been blamed on a devastating drought which has seen hungry animals breaking out of game reserves, raiding human settlements in search of food and water. 650 words moved by Ish Mafundikwa. File picture Dakar moto auto rally KSA environment RIYADH The images of cars, motorbikes and trucks careering through the sands of the Saudi desert are wonderfully dramatic but the shadow of climate change is lengthening across the Dakar Rally. 650 words moved by Diane Falconer. Picture -- ENTERTAINMENT -- Entertainment-Britain-film-Mendes,INTERVIEW PARIS Sam Mendes says "1917" is his "most personal" film, and it could yet be his most praised after ripping up the form books to win him best film and best director at the Golden Globes. 650 words moved by Sophie Laubie and Fiachra Gibbons. Video by Natalie Handel. File picture afp
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