American gymnast Jordan Chiles stripped of Olympic bronze medal


US gymnast Jordan Chiles will have to return the bronze medal she won in the floor exercise after the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled she had been improperly moved up from fifth place.

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Australia probes security services after Bondi terror

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Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has ordered a review of the country’s police and intelligence services following the deadly shooting at a Jewish festival on Bondi Beach that left 15 people dead.   Speaking on Sunday, December 21, Albanese said the government would examine whether security agencies have the powers, structures and information-sharing arrangements needed “to keep Australians safe,” after the attack at a Hanukkah celebration on Sydney’s most famous beach on December 14.   A father and son are accused of opening fire on families gathered for the event, an attack authorities say was allegedly inspired by Islamic State ideology.   “The ISIS-inspired atrocity last Sunday reinforces the rapidly changing security environment in our nation,” Albanese said. “Our security agencies must be in the best position to respond.”   The alleged gunman, Sajid Akram, 50, was shot dead by police during the incident. An Indian national, he entered Aust...
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Benin Republic former defence minister has been detained over foiled coup

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Benin Republic has placed former defence minister and prominent opposition figure Candide Azannai in pre-trial detention as part of investigations into the failed coup attempt earlier this month.   According to an AFP journalist, Azannai was accused of plotting against the state and incitement to rebellion. He was arrested last week at his party’s headquarters in Cotonou following the attempted takeover.   Azannai’s detention comes despite his public condemnation of the coup and is the latest development after about 30 people, most of them soldiers, were jailed on Tuesday, December 16, on treason charges in connection with the foiled plot.   Soldiers had appeared on national television on December 7 to announce that they had overthrown President Patrice Talon, but loyalist forces swiftly regained control, with support from the Nigerian Air Force. Several people were killed during the unrest, while some suspected mutineers, including alleged coup leader Lieuten...
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US dismisses the report of airstrikes in Nigeria and Benin Republic border

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The United States Africa Command has dismissed reports claiming that the US military took over the airspaces of Nigeria and the Benin Republic, describing the claims as false.   AFRICOM made the clarification on Thursday, December 18, while responding to an email inquiry seeking its official reaction to the reports. In a response signed by its spokesperson, Kelly Cahalan, the command denied that US forces carried out airstrikes or bombarded terrorists in the region.   “Reports that the U.S. military took over airspace and bombarded terrorists are not true. The U.S. military has not conducted any direct action or airstrikes in the region,” she said.   AFRICOM, however, confirmed that it is working with Nigeria and other regional partners to strengthen counterterrorism cooperation, following directives from President Donald Trump and the US Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth. “While we won’t discuss specific details on planning efforts or specific missions,...
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US Government refusal to rule out launching war against Venezuela

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US President Donald Trump has declined to rule out the possibility of military action against Venezuela, fuelling speculation that Washington could be moving towards a direct confrontation with the South American nation and its president, Nicolas Maduro. Speaking to NBC News on Friday, December 19, Trump was asked whether a full-scale conflict with Venezuela was a possibility. He responded: “I don’t rule it out, no.”   The comments come amid heightened tensions after the US president ordered a significant build-up of American naval forces in the Caribbean. The deployment followed the seizure of a Venezuelan oil tanker by US forces and the blockade of other vessels linked to Caracas.   The latest escalation follows months of US strikes on boats in nearby waters that Washington says were involved in drug trafficking. Those operations have already led to dozens of deaths and drawn international scrutiny.   The White House has accused Maduro’s government of using ...
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