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A public inquiry into the 2017 fire at London's Grenfell Tower, which killed 72 people, began to zero in on Monday on how the densely populated social housing block was allowed to become a tinder box and who was to blame. The 23-storey tower, owned by the wealthy west London borough of Kensington and Chelsea, was destroyed on the night of June 14, 2017, in Britain's worst fire in a residential building since World War Two. In its first phase, now complete, the public inquiry led by retired judge Martin Moore-Bick examined in forensic detail the sequence of events on the night of the blaze.

Mon, 27 Jan 2020 07:39:18 -0500

Taiwan will inspect people leaving the island to ensure they are not breaking a temporary ban on exporting face masks amid an outbreak of the new coronavirus which started in China, but people carrying them for personal use will be exempted. Taiwan, which has close economic and cultural links with China even though political ties are strained, has reported five cases of the coronavirus and has stepped up inspections at airports and stopped most Chinese visitors from coming. A total of 81 people have died, all in China.

Mon, 27 Jan 2020 07:38:08 -0500

When the SARS virus spread across China in 2002-3, the government in Beijing reacted with secrecy and obstruction. This year's coronavirus outbreak is being tackled very differently – a key test for President Xi Jinping and the increasingly sophisticated authoritarian system he presides over. One thing is certain: China has been able to respond in a way it's almost impossible to imagine any other country beginning to be capable of.

Mon, 27 Jan 2020 07:36:25 -0500

2020 Grammy Awards: Complete winners list originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.comThe biggest names in the music industry were honored at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards Sunday.Billie Eilish took home all four of the night’s biggest awards: best new artist, album of the year for "When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?" and both song of the year and record of the year for her hit "Bad Guy.”The night featured performances from artists including Camila Cabello, Lil Nas X, BTS, Billy Ray Cyrus and Cyndi Lauper. ...

Mon, 27 Jan 2020 07:28:26 -0500

Gambian police arrested 137 people and more than two dozen were injured as protests calling for President Adama Barrow to honour a pledge to step down after three years in office turned violent for the first time, the government said. Barrow came to power after a 2016 election, ending 22 years of authoritarian rule by Yahya Jammeh. On Sunday, police intervened when protesters deviated from the planned route on the outskirts of the capital Banjul in order to march toward the city centre, the government said.

Mon, 27 Jan 2020 07:14:48 -0500