The predominantly African American Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church in Greenville Mississippi burned down to brick walls and spray painted with "Vote Trump" in what appeared to be a political hate crime. Andrew McClinton, a black member of the church was arrested, charged and later pleaded guilty to burning the church in a race hoax(WREG)
At least 14 people are killed and 59 burned when a gas cylinder explosion aboard an oil tanker causes a major fire at the ship-breaking yard in Gadani in Pakistan's Balochistan Province. Dozens other workers remain missing as many injured are transferred to hospitals in nearby Karachi. (Dawn News)(The Express Tribune)
Chinese state media reports that all 33 miners trapped underground have been found dead on Monday after a gas explosion at Jinshangou Coal Mine in Laisu Town of Yongchuan District in Chongqing, and preliminary investigations have been started. (AP)(Xinhua)
Two police officers are shot and killed in separate "ambush-style" attacks in Urbandale and Des Moines, Iowa. A suspect in both shootings was identified and was captured by police two hours later. (CNN)
Pakistan accuses eight Indian diplomats of espionage and terrorism amid rising tensions concerning Kashmir. India said it rejects these allegations. The six Pakistani diplomats withdrawn from India last week were reported to have been accused of spying. (Reuters)
A man identified as Todd Kohlhepp is arrested after authorities discover a missing woman chained up in a storage container on his property. The woman had gone missing along with her boyfriend around the end of August. (CNN), (CBS News)
Three U.S. service members are killed in an exchange of gunfire with Jordanian military guards outside the King Faisal Air Base near Al-Jafr, Jordan. A Jordanian officer is also injured in the incident. (The Guardian)
The President of South KoreaPark Geun-hye accepts full blame for the scandal over the influence of religious figure Choi Soon-sil in Park's administration and vows to accept the results of an independent investigation into her actions. (AP)
Kohlhepp, a man arrested in the American state of South Carolina for keeping a missing woman "chained like a dog", has reportedly confessed to seven murders, including four killed in an unsolved mass shooting at a motorcycle shop in 2003. (BBC), (CBS News)
A woman who was allegedly raped by Donald Trump drops her lawsuit against the presidential candidate. (Fox News)
Tens of thousands protest in the South Korean capital, Seoul, calling for the resignation of PresidentPark Geun-hye over her links with Choi Soon-sil, who was arrested on November 3, and charged with fraud and abuse of power. (BBC)
As many as 200 prisoners take over parts of HM Prison Bedford in Bedford, England, amid reports of a riot and explosions inside the Category B men's prison. (BBC)
Voters in Bulgaria go to the polls for a presidential election, with exit polls showing no candidate receiving the majority necessary to win outright, and Rumen Radev and Tsetska Tsacheva likely to face one another in a run-off on 13 November. (AP)
Electoral council official says high turnout among 3.8 million registered voters. Later, opposition Broad Front for Democracy Party says there was a low turnout as citizens responded to the call for a boycott. (BBC)(AP via The Caledonian-Record)
At least seven people have been killed and 51 hospitalised after a Tramlink light rail vehicle derailed and overturned close to Sandilands tram stop in the London Borough of Croydon early on Wednesday. It is believed to be the first tram accident involving fatalities in the United Kingdom since 1959. (BBC News)
At least 52 people, including women and children, have been killed and more than 100 injured by a bomb explosion in the crowded Shah Noorani Shrine in Hub town, Lasbela District, Balochistan, Pakistan. ISIL has claimed responsibility. (The News)(GEO tv)(Daily Pakistan), (BBC)
A Zimbabwe high court judge drops charges against Theo Bronkhorst, the professional hunter who led the expedition that resulted in the death of the lion named Cecil, because the prosecutor's filing was not properly constituted, and was "too vague to enable (the defendant) to mount a proper defense." (UPI)(News24)
Eight people are killed and 36 are arrested in clashes between the Myanmar Army and what are believed to be Rohingya insurgents in Rakhine State. (Reuters)
Voters in Moldova head to the polls in the country's presidential runoff between two opposition candidates, Igor Dodon, from the pro-RussiansocialistPSRM, and Maia Sandu, from the pro-EUliberalPAS, with Dodon expected to win. Preliminary results, in this first Moldovan election where the president is chosen by national votes rather than by parliament, will be announced Monday. (ABCNEWS)(Voice of America)
A South Korean official says prosecutors will question PresidentPark Geun-hye, no later than Wednesday, about the political corruption scandal. This will be the first time a sitting president is questioned by prosecutors in a criminal case. (Reuters)
A 7.8 magnitude earthquake strikes north of Christchurch, New Zealand, in the early hours Monday, triggering tsunami warnings and causing widespread damage. At least two people are reported killed. (Metro)(Reuters)
A report states that Malaysia does not successfully deal with child sexual abuse cases due to weaknesses in the nation's criminal justice system, and the country's failure to increase public awareness of this crime by not releasing relevant data. (Reuters)
There is no plan for Brexit, according to a critical leaked memo from the consulting firmDeloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited. The document indicates Whitehall is working on 500 Brexit-related projects. Both Deloitte and the British Government confirm the document is an internal working document from Deloitte that was compiled without government approval or assistance. (BBC)
Police in Anchorage, Alaska, link a gun that a suspect used in the attempted murder of a police officer, to five unsolved homicides in the city which occurred over the summer. The suspect was killed during the murder attempt. (Alaska Dispatch News)
As many as 412 people have died in the last 23 days due to smog in Tehran, according to Iran's Health Ministry. All schools in the city have also been ordered to close as part of emergency measures. (AFP via Daily Mail)
At least 10 people were killed and dozens injured in air strikes and artillery shelling by government forces in Ghouta in the Damascus countryside, substantial damaging to residential areas. (Aljazeera)
The Syrian government targeted an international relief agency and Palestinian refugee camp in Khan Sheha, which has been under siege for two months. (Aljazeera)
Media reports say a hospital in Aleppo neighborhood is bombed on night by the Syrian government. (Aljazeera)
At least 73 people have been killed and hundreds injured in a fuel tanker explosion in the town of Caphiridzange in Mozambique's Tete Province. (AP)(Reuters)
Around 100 people are feared to have drowned in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Libya. So far this week, 18 people are confirmed dead and 340 missing attempting to migrate to Europe. (AFP via Yahoo!)
Syrian government air raid hits a children's hospital in rebel-held east Aleppo, forcing medical staff to evacuate patients, including several newborn babies still in incubators. (Aljazeera)
Witnesses and activists report that at least 49 people are killed in east Aleppo in heavy government air strikes that started late yesterday. (Aljazeera)
In Melbourne Australia, a homeless asylum seeker battling mental issues from Myanmar's persecuted Rohingya community set himself on fire in an arson attack that injured 26 people. Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews there was no suggestion the suspect had terrorist motives.Australia AP
At a South Minneapolis in-home daycare, owner Nataliia Karia told a parent she "couldn't take it anymore" after hanging a child from a noose. She fled in a vehicle rampage ran over and dragged a pedestrian, hit a bicycle rider and several vehicles before attempting to jump from a bridge when she was arrested. 3 were injured. (Heavy)(People)(Complaint)
In NASCAR, Daniel Suárez wins the season's final race in the second-tier Xfinity Series, the Ford EcoBoost 300, claiming the season title in the process. The Mexican becomes the first foreign driver ever to win a season championship in any of NASCAR's three U.S.-based national touring series. (ESPN)
At least 16 people are killed and 50 others are wounded in clashes between rival tribes in Sabha, Libya after a monkey attacks a girl and pulls off her headscarf. (Reuters), (FOX News)
An interim report by South Korean prosecutors implicates PresidentPark Geun-hye in a political scandal involving her close friend Choi Soon-sil. Three people have been indicted in relation to the scandal. President Park cannot be indicted due to a constitutional provision preventing a sitting President being indicted except for treason or insurrection. (Yonhap)(CNN)
Four policemen are killed in Brazil after their helicopter is shot down by a "gang". (BBC)(Reuters)
A largely ineffective 48-hour ceasefire comes to a head as both sides violate the terms of the armistice and continue clashing. At least 35 are killed, including 4 civilians. (Yahoo)
Concern is raised by the United Nations and human rights groups after Rodrigo Duterte proposes a law that allows jailing children as young as nine for certain crimes. (AFP via MSN)
Peabody Energy says it plans to file a reorganization plan in the middle of December because recent increases in the price of coal have eased conflicts among its creditors. (Reuters)
A Texas jury awards T. Boone Pickens and his Mesa Petroleum partners $140 million as a result of systemic underpayment of profits and ownership from 160 oil wells in Reeves and Pecos counties. (CNBC)
Senator Rita Barberá, who was considered the Mayoress of Spain while governing the city of Valencia for 24 years, dies unexpectedly two days after declaring at the Supreme Court for a corruption scandal. (BBC)
Science and technology
The $4B USS Zumwalt, thought to be the U.S. Navy's most technologically advanced vessel to date, suffers a large engineering malfunction while crossing the Panama Canal. This is the craft's second major malfunction since its launch less than a month prior. (CNN)
Astronomers announce the discovery of a near 3000 cubic mile subterranean deposit of ice on Mars. Researchers claim it can easily be used as a sustainable resource for a manned mission to the red planet. (FOX News)
Pakistani Chief of Air Staff Sohail Aman warns India not to escalate tensions in the disputed territory of Kashmir under the threat of a full-scale war. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson urges both sides to restrain themselves while on a diplomatic mission to Islamabad. (FOX News)
At least 74 people are dead and many others injured and trapped after a construction platform at a power plant in the Chinese city of Fengcheng in Jiangxi province collapses. (BBC)(ITV)(CCTV)
An Iraqi court has issued arrest warrants for two correspondents with a London-based pan-Arab newspaper Asharq al-Awsat over a false news report accusing Iranian pilgrims of sexually harassing Iraqi women. (The Huffington Post)(The Independent)(The National)
Two people are killed and two others injured after a fire breaks out in a migrant camp on the Greek island of Lesbos. The cause is currently under investigation, although some believe the fire was deliberately started in protest of poor living conditions, after a 66-year-old woman and a six-year-old child were killed in a gas explosion. (The Telegraph)(The Guardian)
At least 20 people have died of extreme cold weather in the Darzab District of Afghanistan's Jozjan Province. All of the victims were displaced as a result of the ongoing civil conflict. (AP)
Heavy rains lead to widespread flooding across northern Italy as several rivers have overflowed. One person is missing, presumed drowned. (Al Jazeera)(EuroNews)
The far-right mayor of the Hungarian border village of Ásotthalom, László Toroczkai, bans the open expression of Islam, including the construction of mosques and wearing of veils and headscarves, and the promotion of same-sex marriages. (RT)
Four suicide bombers and two soldiers are killed in a failed attack on the Ghalani camp in the Mohmand tribal distrct. Jamaat-ul-Ahrar claims responsibility. (VOA News)(Dawn)(Fox News)
Government forces have captured most of Hanano, the largest rebel-controlled district in eastern Aleppo, and have begun pushing into neighboring 'Ard Al-Hamra and Jabal Badro districts. (BBC)(Al Masdar News)
At least seven people are dead, one person is missing and three others are rescued after a chartered fishing boat capsizes due to large waves in Kaipara Harbour, New Zealand. (AP via Fox News)
Iran arrests three railway officials in connection with yesterday's deadly train crash in Semnan that killed 45 and injured 103 people. (AFP via Yahoo! News)(Press TV)
The Iraqi parliament passes a law recognizing Shiaparamilitary units as a government entity, complete with salaries and pensions that mirror those of the military and the police. (Al Jazeera)
South Koreans take to the streets en masse demanding the resignation of PresidentPark Geun-hye amidst a corruption scandal. Around 1.5 million people rallied in the capital Seoul, while another 400,000 people demonstrated in provincial cities. (Al Jazeera)
Kuwait, where citizens make up around 30 percent of the emirate's 4.4 million population, votes in a snap election following parliament's dissolution on 16 October amid the impact of falling oil prices. This is the first election the opposition has not boycotted in nearly four years. (Daily Mail)
François Fillon wins in a landslide with two-thirds of the vote (90% counted). Alain Juppé subsequently concedes defeat and says he will support Fillon for President. (Euronews)(Sky News)(The Guardian)
Mr. Trump claims, via Twitter, his loss of the popular vote to Hillary Clinton happened because "millions" of people voted illegally. (The Washington Post)
In motor sport, Nico Rosberg wins the 2016 Drivers Championship finishing five points ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton. It is Rosberg's first Formula One title. (Fox Sports)
Thousands of civilians escape to government- and Kurdish-controlled districts of the city following the recent conquests. The United Nations estimates more than 250,000 civilians may still be stuck in rebel-held parts of the city. (UPI)
Eleven people are hospitalized, one in critical condition, after a suspect rammed his car into a crowd, and then stabbed numerous people on Ohio State'sColumbus campus. Police have declared the scene secure. The suspect, a refugee from Somalia, and a student at the university, is shot and killed by a police officer after he failed to obey orders to stop. (CNN), (NBC News)
Harminder Singh Mintoo, a top commander in the Khalistan Liberation Force, is recaptured in Delhi following his dramatic escape yesterday from a high-security prison in Punjab. (Al Jazeera)
North Dakota Governor Jack Dalrymple issues an executive order which expels thousands of Native American and environmental protesters who are camped on the federal property that is near the site of the oil pipeline project which they oppose, saying that the "emergency evacuation" is necessary to protect them from harsh winter conditions. (Reuters)(NBC News)
The U.S. releases a report on the coalition's September 2016 Deir ez-Zor air raid on the Syrian Army, blaming the Syrian troops for their misidentification as Islamic State troops due to them allegedly "not wearing recognizable military uniforms or carrying identifying flags." (The Guardian)
The Israeliultra-orthodox party Shas proposes a bill that would thwart the mixed prayer area at Western Wall by placing the site under the jurisdiction of the Chief Rabbinate; if approved, a NIS 10,000 fine would be given to those engaging in male-female prayer or women wrapping themselves in the traditional talit or laying tefillin. (Ynetnews)
Iran's Roads Minister Abbas Akhoundi apologizes for deadly train crash in a live TV program. In the meantime, Iranian MPs are working on a plan to impeach Akhoundi for what they call his poor performance that led to the terrible incident. (Tasnim)
Mohsen Pourseyyed Aqaei, Managing Director of the Iran's Railways resigned and his resignation was accepted by Akhoundi. (Tasnim)
Jovenel Moïse provisionally wins the Haitian election. With Moïse earning over 50% of the vote, a runoff election will not be required unless the losing candidates contest the result. (Reuters), (Miami Herald)
Scientists say warm seas around Australia's Great Barrier Reef have killed two-thirds of a 435-mile stretch of coral in the past nine months. (Reuters)
OPEC agrees to cut oil production by 1.2 million barrels a day. Key non-OPEC producers most notably Russia have also agreed to cut their production. Oil futures have risen by 9%. (Market Watch), (Market Watch)
The BBC reports that leaked audio recordings of air traffic tower tapes indicate that the LaMia Airlines flight was running out of fuel near the Colombian city of Medellin. (BBC)
In Democratic Party congressional leadership elections, U.S. House minority leader Nancy Pelosi is re-elected, holding off the challenge by Tim Ryan. Democratic whip Steny Hoyer is also re-elected. Current caucus vice chair Joseph Crowley takes the caucus chairmanship. Linda Sánchez, in a three-way race, is elected the new vice chair. (ABC)
Science and technology
South Africa launches the HVTN 702 trial for an experimental AIDS vaccine, which will involve over 5,400 men and women over the course of four years. (Al Jazeera)
