Published: 05:32 EST, 31 December 2019 | Updated: 19:49 EST,
31 December 2019
Billions
of people around the world are celebrating the start of a new year and a new
decade after the clock struck midnight across the globe.
Sydney and Auckland became the first major world cities to
let rip with huge firework displays, after a handful of remote Pacific island
near the international date line had already flipped the calendar to 2020.
Organisers in Sydney decided to go ahead with their show
despite calls for it to be cancelled amid wildfires that have brought swathes
of devastation across the country, killing at least 12 and destroying dozens of
homes.
There were also fraught scenes in Hong Kong as the state
marked the start of the New Year amid pro-democracy protests, as Beijing and
Singapore celebrated at the same time.
It comes ahead of Brazil and America
who are still set to put on a big show when their times come. Hawaii will be
one of the last to mark the end of 2019.
Fireworks illuminate the night sky
behind July 15 Martyrs’ Bridge within the new year celebrations in Istanbul, Turkey on January 01, 2020
Fireworks go off and illuminate the
night sky over people at the Uludag ski resort within the new year celebrations
in Bursa, Turkey on January 1, 2020
People celebrate the turn of the
year in front of the Ortakoy mosque and 15 July Martyrs Bridge near the
Bosphorus during new year’s celebrations in Istanbul, Turkey, 01 January, 2020
Fireworks illuminate the night sky
in front of Ortakoy Mosque and July 15 Martyrs’ Bridge within the new year
celebrations in Istanbul, Turkey on January 01, 2020
This evening’s celebrations in
Istanbul, Turkey, as fireworks explode over the July 15 Martyrs’ Bridge
Fireworks illuminate the night sky
in front of Ortakoy Mosque and July 15 Martyrs’ Bridge within the new year
celebrations in Istanbul, Turkey on January 01, 2020
People celebrate the turn of the
year in front of the Ortakoy mosque and 15 July Martyrs Bridge near the
Bosphorus during new year’s celebrations in Istanbul, Turkey, 01 January, 2020
Fireworks explode in the sky over
the Ortakoy Mosque by the July 15 Martyrs’ Bridge during the New Year’s
celebrations, in Istanbul on January 1, 2020
Fireworks illuminate the night sky
over fairy chimneys, the famous volcanic rock formations at the historical
region of Cappadocia, during the new year celebrations in Nevsehir,
Turkey on January 01, 2020
Fireworks light up the sky as part
of new year celebrations in Baku, Azerbaijan on
January 1, 2020
Fireworks illuminate the sky around
Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, during New Year’s 2020
celebrations in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, United Arab
Emirates, 01 January 2020
Video –Burj Khalifa lights up Dubai as the UAE sees in the New Year
Fireworks go off at the Burj Khalifa on New Year’s Eve 2019 on January 1, 2019
in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Fireworks illuminate the sky around
Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, during New Year’s 2020
celebrations in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 01 January,
2020
The Burj Khalifa, the tallest
building in the world, is prepared for the fireworks of New Year 2020
celebrations in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 31 December
2019
People gather near to Burj Khalifa,
the tallest building in the world, prior to the fireworks of New Year’s Eve
2020 in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 31 December 2019
People gather near to Burj
Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, prior to the fireworks of New
Year’s Eve 2020 in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 31 December
2019
Fireworks explode out of the Burj
Khalifa as Dubai welcomes in the 2020 new year
People watch fireworks as part of
the New Year celebrations in Rawalpindi on January 1, 2020
People watch fireworks as part of
the New Year celebrations in Rawalpindi on January 1, 2020
People watch fireworks as part of the
New Year celebrations in Rawalpindi, Pakistan
People watch fireworks as part of
the New Year celebrations in Rawalpindi on January 1, 2020
Fireworks are seen over the Gateway
of India monument on New Year’s Day in Mumbai, India, January
1, 2020
New Year’s Eve fireworks erupt over
Mumbai’s iconic Gateway of India on January 1, 2020
People release balloons as they
celebrate the New Year’s countdown event in a road in Ahmedabad,
India, January 1, 2020
People gather around a vendor
blowing bubbles during celebrations to welcome the New Year in a road in
Ahmedabad, India, December 31, 2019
People wearing masks blow horns
during celebrations to welcome the New Year in a road in Ahmedabad, India,
December 31, 2019
Revelers get together to celebrate
on New Year’s Eve in Bangalore, India, Tuesday, Dec.
31, 2019
A policeman jumps over a railing to
manage a crowd of revelers who assembled to celebrate on New Year’s Eve in
Bangalore, India, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2019
Revelers get together to celebrate
on New Year’s Eve in Bangalore, India, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2019
Revelers get together to celebrate
on New Year’s Eve in Bangalore, India, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2019
Sri Lankans watch fireworks during
new year’s celebrations in Colombo, on January 1, 2020
Sri Lankans watch fireworks during
new year’s celebrations in Colombo, on January 1,
2020
Sri Lankans watch fireworks during
new year’s celebrations in Colombo, on January 1, 2020
Sri Lankans watch fireworks during
new year’s celebrations in Colombo, on January 1, 2020
Nepalese people make a human flag of
Nepal and light candles to welcome 2020 in Swayambhunath New Year Celebrations,
Kathmandu, Nepal on 31 December, 2020
Fireworks explode after midnight
over Garuda Wisnu Kencana cultural park as part of New Year celebrations in
Bali, Indonesia
Fireworks explode after midnight
over Garuda Wisnu Kencana cultural park part of New Year celebrations in Bali,
Indonesia
People wearing rain coats gather at
Bundaran Hotel Indonesia roundabout as they attend New Year’s Eve celebrations
in Jakarta
A woman takes selfie pictures next
to 2020 decoration during New Year’s Eve celebrations in Jakarta, Indonesia on
December 31
A couple takes pictures as National
Monument (Monas) is illuminated by video mapping during New Year’s Eve
celebrations in Jakarta
A woman uses a phone as National
Monument (Monas) is illuminated by video mapping during New Year’s Eve
celebrations in Jakarta
Video – Hello 2020! Bangkok brings in New Year with major fireworks display
PBS News:October
14-18.2019,How ‘Sesame Street’ is still supporting families, 50 years
after its debut, What Turkey’s assault on northern Syria means for civilians,
regional stability, How ‘Deep State’ book disputes accusations of Trump bias at
FBI, DOJ
WATCH: ‘History will haunt us’ if U.S. fails to act in
Syria, Sen. Blumenthal says
BBC: Turkey’s Erdogan vows to ‘crush heads’ of Kurdish
fighters
CNN: SE Cupp: Don’t be surprised if this is what
undoes Trump
The Kurds: The Most Famous Unknown People in the World
| Stephen Mansfield | TEDxNashville
Turkey, Kurds, Language: Nicholas Glastonbury at
TEDxGallatin
Kurdistan: Homeland of Diversity | Levi Clancy | TEDxDuhok
Bombs, mountains and an unlikely female voice | Dashni
Morad | TEDxErbil
Advocate for the Kurdish community: Tara Fatehi at
TEDxAdelaideChange
Communication in a mass communication society | Joakim
Medin | TEDxUppsalaUniversity
Friday on the NewsHour, the
battleground in northeastern Syria appears to be quieting, as a Turkish
operation there pauses to allow Kurdish fighters to leave. Also: Violence in
the Mexican state of Sinaloa, more questions about Boeing’s handling of the 737
MAX, former Gov. John Kasich on overcoming political divisions, Shields and
Brooks, the art of Native American women and a historic spacewalk. Stream your
PBS favorites with the PBS app: https://to.pbs.org/2Jb8twG Find more from PBS NewsHour at https://www.pbs.org/newshour Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2HfsCD6
Thursday on the NewsHour, U.S. and
Turkish officials agree that Turkey’s military offensive in northern Syria will
pause. Plus: Another U.S. diplomat testifies on Capitol Hill as President
Trump’s acting chief of staff disputes wrongdoing around U.S. aid to Ukraine,
remembering Rep. Elijah Cummings, a possible Brexit deal, resolution of the
General Motors strike and using big data creatively. WATCH TODAY’S SEGMENTS:
Turkish official denies Erdogan agreed to a ‘cease-fire’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOENn…
How impeachment inquiry and Senate trial could unfold https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpY3k… News
Wrap: New England lashed by powerful nor’easter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEtD-…
Remembering lawmaker, civil rights advocate Elijah Cummings https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSKwv…
The EU approved Johnson’s Brexit plan. Will Parliament? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63Ay9…
What tentative GM deal says about American organized labor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtU4f…
How customers’ big data is transforming creative commerce https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cs7Cg…
A bipartisan group of senators
announced a bill to impose additional sanctions on Turkey in the wake of the
country’s invasion in Syria. Sens. Lindsey Graham and Chris Van Hollen, who
introduced the bill, were joined by Sens. Marsha Blackburn, Richard Blumenthal
and Jeanne Shaheen. The lawmakers expressed concern about President Donald
Trump’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria. “History will haunt
us,” Blumenthal said. “We are going to be complicit in the ethnic
cleansing that occurs as a result of this absolutely abhorrent action.”
Later in the day, Vice President Mike Pence announced a 120-hour cease-fire
between Turkey and the Kurds. Stream your PBS favorites with the PBS app: https://to.pbs.org/2Jb8twG
Find more from PBS NewsHour at https://www.pbs.org/newshour
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2HfsCD6
November marks the 50th anniversary
of public television’s “Sesame Street,” a cultural landmark widely praised
for its approach to children’s programming. But beyond the songs and fun, “Sesame
Street” does some serious work for those in need, providing special
support and guidance for military families and addressing topics like autism
and addiction. Hari Sreenivasan reports. Stream your PBS favorites with the PBS
app: https://to.pbs.org/2Jb8twG Find more from PBS NewsHour at https://www.pbs.org/newshour Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2HfsCD6
Turkey continued its military
assault into northern Syria on Thursday. Aid agencies warn that nearly half a
million people near the border are at risk from the violence, which is drawing
criticism from many U.S. officials. Amna Nawaz reports and talks to Sinam
Mohamad, U.S. representative for the Syrian Democratic Council, and Soner
Cagaptay of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Stream your PBS
favorites with the PBS app: https://to.pbs.org/2Jb8twG Find more from PBS NewsHour at https://www.pbs.org/newshour Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2HfsCD6
In a new book, Pulitzer winner James
B. Stewart explores two controversial recent investigations by the FBI and the
Justice Department: Probes into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server
when she was secretary of state and Russian interference in the 2016
presidential election. Stewart talks to William Brangham about how his research
contradicts President Trump’s “deep state” narrative. Stream your PBS
favorites with the PBS app: https://to.pbs.org/2Jb8twG Find more from PBS NewsHour at https://www.pbs.org/newshour Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2HfsCD6
Image copyright Reuters Image
caption Up to 300,000 people are said to have fled the violence in northern
Syria
Turkish President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan says that Turkey will “crush the heads” of Kurdish fighters
if they do not withdraw from a planned safe zone area in northern Syria.
Turkey agreed on Thursday to suspend
an offensive for five days to allow the Kurds to retreat from the area.
But on Saturday both sides accused
the other of violating the ceasefire.
Ankara views the Kurdish forces as
terrorists and wants to create a “safe zone” buffer inside Syria.
Despite the temporary ceasefire,
some sporadic violence has continued – particularly around the border town of
Ras Al-Ain.
What
did Erdogan say?
Speaking at a televised event in the
central Turkish province of Kayseri on Saturday, President Erdogan said that if
Kurdish fighters did not withdraw by Tuesday evening – as agreed in the
ceasefire – “we will start where we left off and continue to crush the
terrorists’ heads”.
The Turkish leader is due to hold
talks next week with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. On Saturday he said
that if those talks did not produce a solution, Turkey would “implement
its own plans”.
Turkey’s defence ministry earlier
accused Kurdish forces of carrying out 14 “provocative” attacks in
the last 36 hours, mostly in Ras Al-Ain, but insisted Turkish forces were fully
abiding by the agreement.
However, the Kurdish-led Syrian
Democratic Forces (SDF) accused Turkey of violating the ceasefire.
Image copyright Getty Images Image
caption Turkish-backed Syrian rebels are still active along the border
They also accuse Turkish troops of
failing to create a safe corridor for the evacuation of civilians and wounded
people from the besieged town.
On Saturday the SDF urged US
Vice-President Mike Pence, who helped to broker the temporary ceasefire, to
pressure Turkey to allow the passage of civilians.
“Despite the constant
communication with the American side and the promise made by them to solve this
problem, there has not been any tangible progress in this regard,” the SDF
said in a statement.
Turkish presidency spokesman Ibrahim
Kalin said they wanted the US to put pressure on Kurdish forces to withdraw.
“We have told our American
colleagues to use their leverage, their connections, to make sure that they
leave without any incidents,” he told AFP news agency.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for
Human Rights (SOHR) said deliveries of humanitarian aid had been prevented from
entering Ras Al-Ain.
The monitor group said on Friday
that the civilian death toll from the Turkish operation had now risen to 86.
Between 160,000 and 300,000 people
have reportedly fled their homes since the offensive started 10 days ago.
What
prompted the offensive?
Turkish forces first launched their
assault on 9 October, following an announcement US troops would withdraw from
the Syria-Turkey border region.
Media captionThe BBC’s Martin
Patience explains what’s behind the conflict
The Turkish plan is to clear Kurdish
fighters from a buffer zone extending more than 30km (20 miles) into Syria. It
would run for about 440km along the border, President Erdogan said on Friday,
and be monitored from observation posts.
Turkey also plans to resettle up to
two million Syrian refugees, currently on its territory, in the buffer zone but
critics warned the move could trigger the ethnic cleansing of the local Kurdish
population.
The goal was to push back a Kurdish
militia group – the People’s Protection Units (YPG) – that Turkey views as a
terrorist organisation.
Since the offensive was launched,
President Donald Trump has been accused by some, including senior Republicans,
of abandoning a US ally. The SDF – a group dominated by the YPG – fought
alongside the US against the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria.
There has been growing international
concern about possible war crimes committed by Turkey and its allied militias
during the offensive.
Media captionMike Pence announces
Turkish ceasefire in Syria
Amnesty International says it has
gathered “damning evidence” of war crimes and other violations by
their side and the United Nations has called on Turkey to investigate the
allegations.
Unconfirmed reports have also
emerged that Turkish-allied forces have used white phosphorus, a chemical
weapon which causes bad burns, in Syria.
The Organisation for the Prohibition
of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said it was aware of the claims and was gathering
evidence.
What
is the latest with the ceasefire?
The pause in hostilities followed
talks in the Turkish capital Ankara between Mr Erdogan and Mr Pence on
Thursday.
President Trump celebrated news of
the ceasefire and claimed the pause in hostilities would lead to “millions
of lives” being saved. He remained optimistic in comments made on Friday,
despite reports the ceasefire was failing to hold.
Media captionPresident Trump on
Turkish and Kurdish forces: “Sometimes you have to let them fight a little
bit”
SDF spokesman Mustafa Bali tweeted
on Friday morning to allege that Turkey was breaking the ceasefire near Ras
al-Ain.
“Despite the agreement to halt
the fighting, air and artillery attacks continue to target the positions of
fighters, civilian settlements and the hospital,” he wrote.
President Erdogan dismissed reports
of continuing clashes on Friday as “misinformation” but international
news media recorded explosions in Ras al-Ain during the morning.
The SOHR said Saturday that the SDF
had not yet started to pull back from the border region.
Local Kurdish media are reporting
that five civilians and 13 Kurdish fighters in Ras-al-Ain have been killed
since the ceasefire began, but the BBC has not been able to independently
confirm that.
For more information please visit
the following link:
SE Cupp says President Donald
Trump’s Syria policy is one of the only issues that has prompted swift
criticism from the Republican party, and argues it may be the one issue that
could put his presidency in danger.
The Kurds are an ancient and noble
people who are now the primary “boots on the ground” against ISIS in the Middle
East. They are 35 million strong worldwide, the largest people group on earth
without their own homeland. In this stirring talk, Stephen Mansfield tells the
story of the Kurds and does so, surprisingly, through the lives of three women.
Stephen Mansfield is a New York Times bestselling author who first rose to
global attention with his groundbreaking book, The Faith of George W. Bush, a
bestseller that Time magazine credited with helping to shape the 2004 U.S.
presidential election. He has written celebrated biographies of Barak Obama,
Booker T. Washington, George Whitefield, Winston Churchill, Pope Benedict XVI,
and Abraham Lincoln, among others. Mansfield’s latest book, The Miracle of the
Kurds, is a timely introduction to the Kurdish people that reached bookstores
just as Kurdish troops began standing heroically against the evils of ISIS in
the Middle East. The book has been named “Book of the Year” by Rudaw, the
leading Kurdish news service. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED
conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more
at https://ted.com/tedx
Nicholas Glastonbury is a graduate
of the NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study. His studies focused on the
intersections of human rights law, nationalism, anthropology, political
science, theories of representation, feminist theory and queer theory. About
New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study Creativity,
flexibility and rigor characterize the academic program of the Gallatin School
of Individualized Study. At Gallatin, students have the opportunity to combine
the best of a small college experience with the best of a large research
university. A Gallatin education is unique. The individualized structure of the
program and its relationship to the rest of NYU are part of what makes the
school so special. For more information visit gallatin.nyu.edu/ About TEDx, x =
independently organized event In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a
program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a
TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine
to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local,
self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED
event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but
individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and
regulations) video produced by Charles Q. Drexler vfx animation by Michael J.
Green opening music by Gabriel S. Beam Hyphenate Media www.hyphenatemedia.com
Levi Clancy shares his experience in
Kurdistan, the homeland of multi-cultures and many religions, showing the
co-existence and peace it has. Levi was born and grew up in 1990 in Los Angeles
in the United States. When he was still a kid, he started taking college
courses and when he was only 13 years old he transferred to the University of
California! At 15, he was abandoned by his family and had to leave university,
and started working in medical research as well as web development and graphic
arts in order to support himself and make it month to month. At 18, he received
a scholarship to return to university, and reconnected with his family. After
finishing his baccalaureate in Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics
(MIMG) with a minor in Mesopotamian history, he moved to Erbil. Levi has worked
for University of California as a researcher in electron microscopy, oncology
and flow cytometry. He has also worked in marketing for clients including the
LA Lakers, NCAA, Verizon and AT&T. Currently, he works as a software
developer and as a freelance journalist. Levi has been featured on CBS News and
LA Times. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format
but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
Imagine Iraq. Then imagine pop
music. Dashni Morad is now in her tenth year as the leading successful singer
of modern pop in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. From the little girl whom fled
Saddam Hussein’s tyranny to the strong woman whom challenged the status quo,
Dashni tells us her heartbreaking coming of age tale. Born in the city of
Sulaimanya, raised in Netherlands, lost between two cultures and struggling
between accomplishing dreams. Dashni Morad, a Kurdish/Dutch Pop singer and a TV
personality who was known for her show on Kurdistan TV “Bi Control”, flee
Kurdistan at the age of eleven to become a refugee in Netherlands due to the
unstable political situation in Iraq and Kurdistan. Since moving to the
Netherlands, Dashni, worked hard to accomplish being a musician and a TV
presenter to entertain the Kurdish audience since it was much needed at the
time in Kurdistan. Today, she is recognized as a national and international
artist who broke through the impossible to give the gift of modern music to
Kurdistan and presenting it outside of the Middle East region. Her songs
presented messages such as women empowerment, peace, and the love for
Kurdistan. She, however, didn’t stop at making music and TV presenting, she
also founded a small non-profit under the name “Green Kids” supporting
education to the kids of Kurdistan, as well as, raising funds for refugees and
IDPs in Kurdistan, and also many group and student participation to clean the
mountains of Kurdistan. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED
conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more
at https://ted.com/tedx
Tara comes from one of the oldest
living civilizations and indigenous people in the world, which today is under
constant oppression and war, her ultimate goal is to make sure the Kurdish
people don’t forget themselves so the world never forgets the Kurdish people.
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local,
self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience.
At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep
discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events
are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED
Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx
events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)
Joakim Medim is a freelance
journalist who, among other things, documented the military coup in Honduras,
covered the political development in Central America, Hungary and Turkey and
specialized in the refugee crisis and the socio-political response in Lebanon.
Medin tells the stories that have been untold and fight for media where it has
been oppressed. In 2014, when he was covering the humanitarian crisis in Syria,
Medin was arrested by the Syrian government and was kept in isolation in a
3-by-6-foot cell. After heavy interrogation he was moved to Damascus for
further questioning. It was only after the intervention of Syrian Kurdish
officials that Medin and his translator were finally released. This talk was
given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently
organized by a local community. Learn more at https://ted.com/tedx
