(MEXICO CITY) — At least 16 inmates in a central Mexico prison were killed and five more were wounded in a riot that closed out a violent 2019 for the country, authorities said.

Zacatecas state security secretary Ismael Camberos Hernández told local press that authorities confiscated four guns that they believe were introduced to the Cieneguillas state prison during prison visits Tuesday. He said the prison had been searched for weapons on Saturday and Sunday and no guns were found.

The melee broke out around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday and the prison was brought under control by 5 p.m., according to a statement from the state security agency.

Fifteen of the victims died at the prison and one died later at a hospital.

One prisoner was detained with a gun still in his possession and the other three were found inside the prison, the statement said. Camberos said not all of the victims died from gunshot wounds. Some were stabbed and others beaten with objects.

No guards or police were wounded,..

Pope Francis has apologized for angrily slapping the hand of a woman who was holding on to him and pulling him toward her as he walked through the Vatican City‘s Nativity scene on New Year’s Eve.

The following day, the pontiff apologized for the interaction while giving his annual New Year’s well wishes to the public in St. Peter’s Square. “I say ‘excuse me’ for the bad example,” he said in unscripted remarks, adding that “so many times we lose patience. Me, too.”

Video of the incident went viral on social media, and shows the Pope walking through a crowd of Catholic pilgrims on New Year’s Eve. As he tried to walk away from one group, a woman can be seen grabbing his hand and yanking him closer to her. As he tried to pull away from her, she would not let go. The Pope, who appeared frustrated, then slapped her on the hand and frowned as he walked away.

The following day, Pope Francis spoke out against violence toward women during his New Year’s Day homily in St. Peter’s Basilica, equ..

(PERTH, Australia) — Australia deployed military ships and aircraft Wednesday to help communities ravaged by apocalyptic wildfires that have left at least 17 people dead nationwide and sent thousands of residents and holidaymakers fleeing to the shoreline.

Navy ships and military aircraft were bringing water, food and fuel to towns where supplies were depleted and roads were cut off by the fires. Authorities confirmed three bodies were found Wednesday at Lake Conjola on the south coast of New South Wales, bringing the death toll in the state to 15.

More than 175 homes have been destroyed in the region.

Some 4,000 people in the coastal town of Mallacoota fled to the shore as winds pushed a fire toward their homes under a sky darkened by smoke and turned blood-red by flames. Stranded residents and vacationers slept in their cars, and gas stations and surf clubs transformed into evacuation areas. Dozens of homes burned before winds changed direction late Tuesday, sparing the rest of th..

WASHINGTON (AP) — Charging that Iran was “fully responsible” for an attack on the U.S. Embassy in Iraq, President Donald Trump ordered about 750 U.S. soldiers deployed to the Middle East as about 3,000 more prepared for possible deployment in the next several days.

No U.S. casualties or evacuations were reported after the attack Tuesday by dozens of Iran-supported militiamen. U.S. Marines were sent from Kuwait to reinforce the compound.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Tuesday night that “in response to recent events” in Iraq, and at Trump’s direction, he authorized the immediate deployment of the infantry battalion from the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He did not specify the soldiers’ destination, but a U.S. official familiar with the decision said they will go to Kuwait.

“This deployment is an appropriate and precautionary action taken in response to increased threat levels against U.S. personnel and facilities, such as we witnessed in Baghdad toda..