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| - Duty Editor: James Hossack Tel: +852 2829 6211 -- TOP STORIES -- + China ties in spotlight as Taiwanese vote + Sultan of Oman dies aged 79 + Australia fires 'long way from over' + Prolific Galapagos tortoise Diego reties Taiwan-vote-China,WRAP TAIPEI Taiwanese voters head to the polls for a closely watched presidential and parliamentary election in which the island's fraught relationship with China is taking centre stage. 700 words 0300 GMT by Jerome Taylor and Amber Wang. Picture. Video. Live video. Graphic Oman-royals-politics,WRAP MUSCAT Sultan Qaboos, the longest-reigning leader of the modern Arab world, has died at the age of 79, the royal court says. 500 words 0200 GMT. File Picture. File Video Australia-fire-environment-climate,WRAP MERIMBULA, Australia Massive bushfires in southeastern Australia have a "long way to go", authorities warn, even as colder conditions bring some relief to exhausted firefighters and communities. 600 words 0300 GMT by Holly Robertson with Glenda Kwek in Sydney. Picture. Video 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,2ndlead Iran-Ukraine-Canada-aviation-probe-US,WRAP TEHRAN Iran's civil aviation chief denies that a missile downed a Ukrainian airliner which crashed killing all 176 on board, dismissing claims of a catastrophic mistake by Tehran's air defences. 900 words moved by Amir Havasi. Picure. Video. Graphic Also moved: Iraq-Iran-US-unrest-accident-Ukraine-Canada,Q&A EU-diplomacy-unrest-Iran-Libya,WRAP Iran-Ukraine-Canada-aviation-probe-accident,2ndlead -- ASIA -- Taiwan-vote-China-HongKong,SCENE TAIPEI At a raucous election rally for Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen, Hong Konger Karen Leung surveyed the huge crowd of flag-waving voters as a rap song blasted over the loudspeakers and sighed: "We want to have elections like this." 500 words 0400 GMT by Jerome Taylor and Yan Zhao. Picture India-politics-demonstration-Bollywood-film-people-youth,FOCUS MUMBAI Fearing a backlash from fans, politicians and religious zealots, Bollywood stars have in the past usually steered clear of India's fiery politics. But the country's top actress may have changed that. 750 words 0330 GMT by Ammu Kannapilly India-environment-politics-construction KOCHI, India Four luxury waterfront high-rises in southern India will be reduced to rubble in controlled explosions this weekend in a rare example of authorities getting tough on builders who break environmental rules. 500 words 0300 GMT by Abhaya Srivastava. Picture -- AMERICAS -- Mexico-crime-school-shooting,WRAP TORREON, Mexico An 11-year-old boy shoots and killed his teacher at a school in northern Mexico and wounded six others before killing himself, authorities say. 550 words moved by Brenda Alcala. Picture. Video. Graphic US-politics-impeachment,WRAP WASHINGTON US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she intends to transmit articles of impeachment against Donald Trump to the Senate next week, moving to end a taut standoff with Republicans over terms of the president's trial. 650 words moved by Michael Mathes. Picture 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. 700 words 0300 GMT by Julia Benarrous with Issam Ahmed in Washington US-politics-Trump-insults,FOCUS WASHINGTON "The economy, stupid" goes one of the most famous mantras in US presidential campaigns. Donald Trump is hitting the 2020 trail with a new twist: brand your opponents stupid -- or worse. 550 words moved by Sebastian Smith. File picture -- 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 0200 GMT. File Picture. File Video Also moving: Oman-royals-politics-succession Oman-royals-politics,COUNTRYFILE Syria-conflict-UN-aid-Idlib,SCENE IDLIB, Syria Displaced Syrians spending the winter out in the open and non-governmental organisations have appealed for international support ahead of a decisive Security Council vote on cross-border aid. 550 words moved by Omar Haj Kadour. Picture Also moved: Syria-conflict-Iran-Iraq-Soleimani-Idlib,SCENE Syria-conflict-diplomacy-UN-aid,WRAP -- EUROPE -- 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 Setenson 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 0230 GMT -- 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 0200 GMT 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 in Zimbabwe which has seen hungry animals breaking out of game reserves, raiding human settlements in search of food and water. 650 words 0300 GMT by Ish Mafundikwa. File picture -- ENTERTAINMENT -- Entertainment-Britain-film-Mendes,INTERVIEW PARIS Sam Mendes says that "1917" is his "most personal" film, and it could yet be his most praised after it ripped up the form books to win him best film and best director at the Golden Globes earlier this week. 650 words moved by Sophie Laubie and Fiachra Gibbons. Video by Natalie Handel. File picture afp
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