United States: A 76-year-old man was killed in a wind-whipped fire at a New York high-rise apartment building. Two firefighters also were injured in the fire on the 35th floor of a 36-storey building in midtown Manhattan, authorities said. Fire Department spokesman Michael Parrella said firefighters were hampered by high winds and malfunctioning lifts as they tried to get to the top of the building. The fire was contained to one apartment. The cause is under investigation.
Vietnam: Hundreds of thousands of people in Vietnam's Mekong Delta were evacuated as the region braced for the arrival of Typhoon Tembin after the storm left more than 160 people dead in the Philippines. Weather forecasters were expecting the delta's southern tip to be in Tembin's path, and said heavy rain and strong winds could cause serious damage in the vulnerable region, where facilities are not built to cope with such severe weather.
Afghanistan: A suicide bomber struck outside the Afghan national intelligence agency headquarters near the presidential palace in the capital, killing six civilians, officials said. Isis (Islamic State) asserted responsibility for the attack through its Amaq News Agency and said "30 elements from the Afghan National Directorate of Security" were killed. The bombing comes a week after militants stormed a training centre of the agency in Kabul.
Australia: Thousands of Melburnians have had themselves an overindulgent Christmas with revellers trashing a city foreshore, a man hit by a tram and others arrested for drunkenness. Police say about 5000 people descended on St Kilda foreshore and the level of public intoxication prompted the closure of two lanes of traffic. Revellers pushed and pepper sprayed by police after a boozy, unauthorised Sydney beach party have questioned the tactics used by officers. Police were called to Little Bay, south of Maroubra, after reports of the large backpacker gathering and arrived to find approximately 3000 people drinking, singing and dancing. As the crowd was moved on, two women were arrested. They have since been charged with assaulting police, with officers alleging they were hit with bottles. One video posted on Facebook shows at least four women being pushed to the ground, including two who landed on the road, as officers doused others with pepper spray.
Conservation: Restrictions limiting boats from getting too close to endangered southern resident orcas have not harmed the US whale-watching industry, according to a new federal study. The study by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration indicated that whale-watching tourism continues to grow even with the federal restrictions that require vessels to stay at least 182m from the orcas in Washington's Puget Sound, the Seattle Times reported. Lack of food, environmental contamination and boat noise are the primary threats to the survival of Puget Sound orcas, according to the agency. The population is down to 76 — the lowest in 30 years. Noise from boats can disturb orcas, causing them to spend less time looking for food and more time travelling, according to researchers.
