World News Briefs -- December 25, 2020

 

Daily Mail: Moment downtown Nashville is hit by huge explosion outside bars after 'suspicious' RV began playing a countdown 'warning' it would explode in 15 minutes - sparking police to evacuate residents 

 * The blast happened on 2nd Avenue between Church St and Commerce St at around 6.40am on Friday   

* Three people were taken to the hospital with non-serious injuries and there is significant damage 

 * A cop who was nearby was knocked over by it and has lost his hearing 

 * Police had been called to a suspicious vehicle in the street in the morning and had called a bomb squad 

 * While the bomb squad was on their way to the vehicle, the explosion happened 

 * It was felt for blocks, with people reporting feeling the ground shake and windows shattering 

 * The FBI and the ATF are on the scene to assist with the investigation; the type of explosive is not yet known 

 * They have not mentioned domestic terrorism but President Trump - who is at Mar-a-Lago- has been briefed 

 * Police have not yet identified a suspect and they are combing the area for any other explosives 

 * The area is full of bars and restaurants which are all open for indoor dining and would have attracted hundreds of people in the evening 

 * Mayor John Cooper says he thinks casualties were minimized because it happened on Christmas Day and early 

Heroic Nashville cops rushed to evacuate people from buildings on Friday morning after being called to the downtown area on a report of shots fired to find an RV playing an audio message that it would explode in 15 minutes. 

The explosion happened at 6.40am local time and came from a parked vehicle on Second Avenue, outside the AT&T building, between Church Street and Commerce Street - an area where there are bars, restaurants, retailers and apartments. 

Forty minutes earlier, police received a call of shots fired. They got to the scene but saw no evidence of a shooting. 

Read more .... 

 MIDDLE EAST 

Syria’s air defences ‘intercept barrage of Israeli missiles’. 

Israeli jets fly over Beirut, explosions reported in Syria. 

Iran says US approved its funds transfer to buy COVID vaccines. 

Erdogan says Turkey would like better ties with Israel, Palestinian policy still "red line". 

Israel open to German efforts to expand Iran nuclear deal. 

Israel orders third national lockdown. 

Covid-19 dampens Christmas cheer in Bethlehem and beyond. 

Israel most condemned by UN in 2020 – three times other nations. 

 ASIA 

Beijing imposes fresh travel restrictions ahead of New Year holidays amid looming new COVID-19 surge.

Record COVID surge in South Korea despite tough distancing rules. 

South Korea secures Covid-19 vaccine deals as new restrictions take effect. 

Duterte pledged a COVID-free Christmas. Instead, cases soar. 

Japan reports five cases of coronavirus variant found in UK. 

Women's rights activist shot dead in Afghanistan. 

Pakistan army says soldier killed by Indian shelling in Kashmir. 

China launches anti-monopoly investigation into e-commerce giant Alibaba. 

 AFRICA 

Bloodbath in Ethiopia as 102 civilians are massacred by gunmen in dawn raid before troops kill 42 militants in revenge attack. 

Ethiopia to hold elections in June 2021. 

Boko Haram kill villagers in Christmas Eve attack. 

Central African Republic: Rebel groups call off three-day ceasefire as election looms. 

CAR: Violence casts shadow over elections. 

New jihadist attack bloodies Niger ahead of polls. 

Libya's eastern strongman urges troops 'drive out' Turkish forces. 

South Africa sees a record 14,000 new Covid cases while deaths climb pass 400 for the first time in months amid 'exponential' spread of new mutant strain now detected in Britain. 

Tunisia minister sacked and arrested in scandal over illegal waste from Italy. 

US begins process to set up Western Sahara consulate. 

At least 20 people killed as migrant boat sinks off Tunisia coast.

EUROPE 

Brexit trade deal to be approved by EU27 'within days'. 

New COVID variant reaches Germany from UK. 

UK announces 39,036 more coronavirus cases and 574 deaths as PHE data shows 85% of local authorities saw infections surge last week with biggest rises in Tier 1 and 2 areas. 

Coronavirus digest: UK vaccinates 600,000 people. 

Boris Johnson refuses to rule out a THIRD national lockdown after Sage model warns Britain needs to increase vaccination rate from 350,000 people a week to TWO MILLION to avoid 45,000 extra deaths from mutated Kent coronavirus. 

France deploys firefighters to help truckers trapped in Dover. 

French drug regulator gives green light to Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine. 

France's Macron no longer showing Covid-19 symptoms, says Élysée Palace. 

Italy becomes first European country to surpass 70,000 deaths. 

Covid-19: Irish government authorises Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. 

Pope Francis urges COVID-19 vaccine for all in Christmas message. 

Athens' first official mosque permitted to reopen for Christmas. 

 AMERICAS 

Christmas Day explosion in Nashville was 'intentional', say police. 

Harrowing video shows the aftermath of Christmas day bomb blast in Nashville - with victims screaming for help as street is filled with fire and debris. 

Shocking aerial photos from Nashville reveal absolute devastation along downtown street after 'intentional' blast rocked the city. 

Trump briefed after Nashville explosion believed to be intentional. 

California is experiencing a 'viral tsunami' with COVID cases surging by 68 percent in two weeks and ICU beds at capacity in LA - as 120,000 Americans spend Christmas in hospital stricken with the virus. 

U.S. now requires negative COVID-19 test for all air travelers from Britain. 

California becomes first state to record 2 million COVID-19 cases on Christmas Eve - as hospitalizations soar and ICU capacity falls to just 1.1%. 

Covid: Mexico, Chile and Costa Rica begin mass vaccination. 

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR 

Daniel Pearl: Pakistani court frees man charged with US journalist killing. 

Seven troops, 11 'terrorists' killed in Niger ahead of vote. 

US election 2020: FBI links Iran to websites targeting poll officials.

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS 

Asian shares mixed with most markets closed for Christmas. 

 Stocks close higher in holiday shortened week. 

 Bitcoin defies critics with another banner year.

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