UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Security Council on Friday condemned "in the strongest possible terms" Thursday's car bombing at a police academy in the Colombian capital of Bogota, which caused heavy casualties.

The members of the Security Council expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the people and government of Colombia, and wished a speedy recovery to those injured, said the council in a press statement.

GAZA, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- At least 30 Palestinians were injured in clashes on Friday between hundreds of protesters and Israeli soldiers stationed at the borderline of eastern Gaza Strip, according to Gaza medics.

At least 30 Palestinian demonstrators were shot and wounded by Israeli soldiers' gunfire during clashes in eastern Gaza Strip, said Ashraf al-Qedra, a spokesman of the Health Ministry in Gaza.

BEIJING, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday expressed strong dissatisfaction with and firm opposition to a U.S. missile defense report's hyping up "China threat."

The report, Missile Defense Review, unveiled Thursday at the Pentagon, was the first update to the U.S. missile defense policy since its 2010 version.

19 Jan 2019; AFP: Australian police on Saturday charged a man with the rape and murder of Israeli student Aiia Maasarwe, some three days after her body was found in Melbourne.

The 21-year-old was speaking to her sister on the phone when she was attacked just after midnight on Wednesday, on the way home from a comedy show.

Her body was found in bushes near a tram stop by passers-by several hours later.

CHICAGO (AP) — The explosive video of a white Chicago officer shooting a black teenager 16 times shocked consciences around the world with footage of Laquan McDonald getting gunned down as he walked away from police.

The graphic images of McDonald crumpling to the street while bullets kept striking him stirred expectations that the officer might be convicted in the killing and pay a heavy price in prison time.

19 Jan 2019; DW: A US court order has confirmed that a journalist working for Iran's Press TV was arrested in connection with a probe into "violations of US criminal law." But Marzieh Hashemi has not been accused of committing any crime.

A US-born journalist working for Iran's state-owned international broadcaster has been arrested in the United States but has not been accused of any crime, a US court has confirmed.

19 Jan 2019; AFP: France's "yellow vests" took to the streets on Saturday for a 10th straight weekend of anti-government protests, defying attempts by President Emmanuel Macron to channel their anger into a series of town hall debates.

A police source said the authorities expected the protests to be "at least as big as last week" when over 80,000 people demonstrated over inequality, the privileges enjoyed by senior public servants and the governing style of a president accused of arrogance.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- With the United States on Friday announcing a forthcoming summit between President Donald Trump and top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un, experts called for enhanced diplomatic efforts by both sides to achieve denuclearization and resolve other issues in their bilateral relations.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats are adding hundreds of millions of dollars to improve ports of entry from Mexico and hire more immigration judges to a batch of spending bills the House will consider next week.

The move represents the party’s first steps in detailing how it would bolster border security as it battles President Donald Trump over his demand for building Southwest border wall. Trump’s refusal to sign spending bills that lack $5.7 billion to start constructing that wall has prompted the partial government shutdown that enters its 29th day Saturday.

19 Jan 2019; AFP: Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office took the rare step Friday of disputing a news report on his Russia investigation, saying a BuzzFeed article alleging that US President Donald Trump directed his former lawyer to lie to Congress is "not accurate."

Trump's lieutenants had already strongly pushed back against the report, which said that the president ordered Michael Cohen to lie about a Russian skyscraper project they pursued during the 2016 election.

OGDEN, Utah (AP) — U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah said Friday he supports President Donald Trump’s push for a border wall that has led to a government shutdown and questioned why Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi won’t agree to “another few miles” of barriers on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Romney also said he plans to keep working with other senators to find interim solutions, such as legislation that would make sure essential government employees still working get paid now.

MEXICO CITY, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- At least 21 people were killed and 71 others injured in a pipeline explosion in the central Mexican state of Hidalgo on Friday, local authorities said.

"I am at the scene ... At the moment, 21 deaths and 71 injured are reported," tweeted Omar Fayad, governor of Hidalgo.

Fayad said the local government was coordinating rescue efforts and helping the injured was top priority.

He warned locals against fuel theft, noting that "besides being unlawful, it puts your life and that of the families at risk."