Category: World news

(VIENNA, Austria) — Bomb-making materials were found in the home of one of two people suspected of planning a terror attack on upcoming Taylor Swift concerts in Austria, authorities said, adding that ‘s capital this week, authorities said Thursday, adding that both suspects appeared to be inspired by the Islamic State group and al-Qaeda.

The main suspect, a 19-year-old Austrian citizen, fully confessed to attack plans during an interrogation, according to Omar Haijawi-Pirchner, head of Austria’s Directorate of State Security and Intelligence.

The suspect was “clearly radicalized in the direction of the Islamic State” and allegedly intended to kill himself and “as many people as possible” outside the concert venue using knives and homemade explosives, Haijawi-Pirchner said during a press conference Thursday in Vienna.

The 19-year-old, who was from the Austrian town of Ternitz and had North Macedonian roots, had been preparing for the attack since late July and drastically changed his appearance, according to Franz Ruf, the public security director at Austria’s Ministry of Interior. He researched bomb-making techniques and uploaded to the internet an oath of allegiance to the current leader of the Islamic State, Haijawi-Pirchner said.

A second suspect — a 17-year-old Austrian citizen – was arrested in Vienna on Wednesday afternoon. A 15-year-old Turkish citizen was also detained and questioned, according to Haijawi-Pirchner. No further suspects are being sought, Ruf said.

Each of the two suspects was known to police and both were said to have been involved in the direct preparation of the foiled attack, according to Haijawi-Pirchner. Most of the plans and preparations were made at the 19-year-old’s home, Ruf said.

A 15-year-old, who was interrogated, had been asked by the main suspect about ignition mechanisms, Haijawi-Pirchner said.

The 17-year-old suspect, who has Turkish-Croatian roots, was employed a few days ago at a facility company providing services at the concert venue and would have been working there, according to Haijawi-Pirchner. It was discovered during the investigation that he was on the grounds of Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium, where three Taylor Swift concerts were to be held,

ABC News’ Aaron Katersky, Will Gretsky, Emily Shapiro, Josh Margolin and Luke Barr contributed to this report.

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(LONDON) — A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 has rocked the coast of southern Japan, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The epicenter of the earthquake is just a dozen miles off the coast of the city of Miyazaki on the island of Kyushu in Japan but the Japan Meteorological Agency has now lifted tsunami advisories for all but Miyazaki Prefecture.

There were reports of people falling and sustaining non-life-threatening injuries. One home in Kagoshima is said to have collapsed, but no injuries were reported. Regional nuclear plants are still reporting no abnormalities.

Miyazaki Airport experienced delays, and while bullet train services have resumed for the region, local services may still be disrupted.

The people of southwestern Japan seem to have avoided major damage, though the shaking would have been terrifying.

The epicenter was located in the Hyuganada Sea, just off the eastern coast of Japan’s southern main island of Kyushu, and was measured at a depth of about 30 kilometers (18.6 miles). The Japan Meteorological Agency initially issued a tsunami advisory, predicting waves of up to 1 meter (3.3 feet) along the southern coast of Kyushu and nearby island of Shikoku.

People have been urged to stay away from the coast or river and have been warned that other quakes — even on the same magnitude –may occur.

Video filmed by Ryosuke Take, an employee at a local radio station in Kirishima on Japan’s island of Kyushu, shows objects in the office vigorously shaking.

“The shaking was very strong,” Ryosuke told ABC News. Listeners also reported that “in private homes, dishes fell from kitchens, and nearby hotels have reported that their elevators and kitchens are unusable.”

One area in Kochi prefecture is ordering residents to evacuate but drastic sea level changes have not been reported.

The quake registered a lower 6 in the hardest-hit areas — very high on the Japanese shake scale, which goes from 0 to 7. It would’ve been strong enough to knock over furniture, damage some concrete buildings and even topple some wooden ones.

However, there are currently no reports of any major damage and shaking was not felt in the capital city of Tokyo. Additionally, there have been no change or irregularities reported with regional nuclear plants so far.

ABC News’ Anthony Trotter and Morgan Winsor contributed to this report.

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(VIENNA, Austria) — Chemical substances and technical devices were found at the house of a 19-year-old Austrian suspected of planning an attack on upcoming Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna, Austria, the public security director at Austria’s Ministry of Interior, Franz Ruf, told public broadcaster ORF’s Oe1 program in an interview Thursday.

Ruf added that these are still being evaluated by investigators. He previously confirmed during a press conference on Wednesday that chemical substances had been secured and were being evaluated.

Three of Swift’s concerts scheduled this week in Vienna were canceled after two suspects were arrested Wednesday for allegedly plotting a terror attack, authorities said.

The cancellations came hours after authorities announced a 19-year-old Austrian citizen was arrested Wednesday morning and a second suspect was arrested in the afternoon.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

ABC News’ Aaron Katersky, Felix Franz, Will Gretsky, Emily Shapiro, Josh Margolin and Luke Barr contributed to this report.

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(VIENNA, Austria) — Taylor Swift’s three concerts in Vienna this week have been canceled after two suspects were arrested for allegedly plotting a terror attack, authorities said.

“We have no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for everyone’s safety,” a message from Barracuda Music said. “All tickets will be automatically refunded.”

The cancellation comes hours after authorities announced a 19-year-old Austrian citizen was arrested Wednesday morning and a second suspect was arrested in the afternoon.

The suspects allegedly radicalized themselves online, Franz Ruf, director-general for public safety in the Ministry of the Interior, said at a press conference. The 19-year-old suspect allegedly pledged allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State at the beginning of July, Ruf said.

Vienna was a target of their planned attack and the 19-year-old suspect had a particular focus on Swift’s Vienna concert, Ruf said.

The pop star had concerts scheduled in Vienna this Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Information about the threat to the tour dates originated with U.S. intelligence and was passed to the Austrians and Europol, multiple law enforcement and intelligence sources told ABC News.

Though inspired by ISIS, the sources said investigators do not believe the alleged plot was directed by ISIS operatives.

U.S. intelligence found at least one of the suspects pledged to ISIS-K on the messaging app, Telegram, in early July, the sources said.

Investigators are not convinced that the alleged plot would have worked and they do not know if a functioning bomb was produced. However, Viennese investigators did find explosive precursor chemicals which showed a degree of motivation and planning, sources told ABC News.

Before the shows were canceled, Ruf said security at the concerts would be increased. The shows were expected to draw 65,000 concertgoers per day, with an additional 10,000 to 15,000 fans outside of the area, police said.

Swift kicked off the massively successful “Eras Tour” in Glendale, Arizona, on March 18, 2023.

Investigators in Austria are looking at surveillance footage to determine whether one or more of the suspects had previously visited the concert site for reconnaissance or if they had visited other potential targets.

As ABC News has previously reported, law enforcement officials have been concerned about mass gathering attacks since the deadly Moscow concert hall assault earlier this year for which ISIS-K claimed credit.

In October 2023, the pop star released a concert film chronicling the record-breaking tour, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” that went on to break records of its own and earn a Golden Globe nomination.

At the 100th stop of the tour this summer in Liverpool, England, the 14-time Grammy winner told the audience the tour “has definitely been the most exhausting, all-encompassing, but most joyful, most rewarding, most wonderful thing that has ever happened in my life thus far.”

The Eras Tour will end in Vancouver, Canada, on Dec. 8.

ABC News’ Carson Blackwelder contributed to this report.

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(VIENNA, Austria) — Taylor Swift’s three concerts in Vienna this week have been canceled after two suspects were arrested for allegedly plotting a terror attack, authorities said.

“We have no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for everyone’s safety,” a message from Barracuda Music said. “All tickets will be automatically refunded.”

The cancellation comes hours after authorities announced a 19-year-old Austrian citizen was arrested Wednesday morning and a second suspect was arrested in the afternoon.

The suspects allegedly radicalized themselves online, Franz Ruf, director-general for public safety in the Ministry of the Interior, said at a press conference. The 19-year-old suspect allegedly pledged allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State in the beginning of July, Ruf said.

Vienna was a target of their planned attack and the 19-year-old suspect had a particular focus on Swift’s Vienna concert, Ruf said.

The pop star had concerts scheduled in Vienna this Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Before the shows were canceled, Ruf said security at the concerts would be increased. The shows were expected to draw 65,000 concertgoers per day, with an additional 10,000 to 15,000 fans outside of the area, police said.

Swift kicked off the massively successful “Eras Tour” in Glendale, Arizona, on March 18, 2023.

In October 2023, the pop star released a concert film chronicling the record-breaking tour, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” that went on to break records of its own and earn a Golden Globe nomination.

At the 100th stop of the tour this summer in Liverpool, England, the 14-time Grammy winner told the audience the tour “has definitely been the most exhausting, all-encompassing, but most joyful, most rewarding, most wonderful thing that has ever happened in my life thus far.”

The “Eras Tour” will end in Vancouver, Canada, on Dec. 8.

ABC News’ Carson Blackwelder contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(LONDON) — A man wrapped in a red-and-white English flag raised his hand in a Nazi salute in the town center of Leicester, England, as a line of police officers looked on and a crowd of counterprotesters shouted out their collective disapproval.

“Off our streets, Nazi scum,” the counterprotesters chanted, according to a video of the incident posted on social media and verified by ABC News. The man saluting during the Aug. 3 rally appeared to hold his hand high throughout the duration of the 23-second clip.

Similarly racist, combative and at-times-violent scenes have played out on streets throughout the United Kingdom for more than a week. London’s Metropolitan Police has described the ongoing far-right rallies as a “national critical incident.”

“We will not tolerate this on our streets,” the Met said in a statement. “We will use every power, tactic and tool available to prevent further scenes of disorder.”

Dozens of additional rallies led by far-right groups were expected to be held Wednesday evening in London and elsewhere, the police said. Counterprotests were expected at many of them. Patrols were being increased in London in advance of the rallies, police said in a statement late Tuesday.

“We arrested more than 100 people in central London disorder last week and we will not hesitate to arrest hundreds more if they take to the streets intent on fueling violence,” the Met said.

The unrest follows the deaths of three girls, who were stabbed in a “ferocious” attack during a July 19 dance event in Southport, a seaside town, according to police.

A 17-year-old was arrested and charged with murder, police said. The suspect was from Banks, a coastal village in Lancashire, and was born in Cardiff, Wales, police said.

The Crown Court released the suspect’s name after a judge ruled it could be released despite his age. Although the suspect was born in the United Kingdom, online rumors spread calling into question his immigration status, police said.

“This recent activity is a clear lesson in how important it is to counter any misinformation posted online or on social media,” Shane O’Neill, Leicester Police’s chief superintendent, said in a statement.

Some of those who’ve attended the rallies have voiced concerns over immigration policies in the wake of a the stabbing deaths. Keir Starmer, the newly elected prime minister, described their actions as “far-right thuggery.”

“We will ensure those responsible will feel the full force of the law,” Downing Street said in a statement. “We will not tolerate attacks on mosques or our Muslim communities. The full force of the law will be visited on all those who are identified as having taken part in these activities.”

Starmer said Downing Street had called for “swift action” against violent protesters, and the Crown Prosecution Service already charged and brought several rioters into court.

One 37-year-old pleaded guilty Tuesday to violent disorder after he “hurled missiles at police officers … following widespread unrest in Hull,” prosecutors said in a press release. Another 18-year-old from Bolton was sentenced Tuesday to two months in jail after pleading guilty to damaging two police cruisers during the unrest, prosecutors said.

Several arrests were also made in Leicester, where two protests were held in the city center on Aug. 3, including one 35-year-old woman who was later charged with racially or religiously aggravated intentional harassment and assault for allegedly beating an emergency worker, the Leicester Police said in a statement.

Along with the hundreds who’ve been arrested at rallies, others were arrested for “online offenses,” Starmer’s office said Tuesday.

“If you provoke violent disorder on our streets or online, you will face the full force of the law,” Starmer said.

ABC News’ Camilla Alcini contributed to this report.

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(VIENNA, Austria) — Security measures have been increased for Taylor Swift’s concerts in Vienna, Austria, this week after two suspects were arrested for allegedly plotting a terror attack, authorities said.

A 19-year-old Austrian citizen was arrested Wednesday morning and a second suspect was arrested in the afternoon, according to Franz Ruf, director-general for public safety in the Ministry of the Interior.

The suspects allegedly radicalized themselves online, Ruf said at a press conference. The 19-year-old suspect allegedly pledged allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State in the beginning of July, Ruf said.

Vienna was a target of their planned attack and the 19-year-old suspect had a particular focus on Swift’s Vienna concert, Ruf said.

The pop star has concerts in Vienna this Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The shows are expected to draw 65,000 concertgoers per day, with an additional 10,000 to 15,000 fans outside of the area, police said.

Swift kicked off the massively successful “Eras Tour” in Glendale, Arizona, on March 18, 2023.

In October 2023, the pop star released a concert film chronicling the record-breaking tour, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” that went on to break records of its own and earn a Golden Globe nomination.

At the 100th stop of the tour this summer in Liverpool, England, the 14-time Grammy winner told the audience the tour “has definitely been the most exhausting, all-encompassing, but most joyful, most rewarding, most wonderful thing that has ever happened in my life thus far.”

The “Eras Tour” will end in Vancouver, Canada, on Dec. 8.

ABC News’ Carson Blackwelder contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(LONDON) — Ukraine has launched a major attack with Ukrainian troops into Russia, in what appears to be its biggest and most serious incursion into the country since Moscow’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022.

A large Ukrainian force backed with armored vehicles appeared to advance on Tuesday across the border into Russia’s Kursk region, according to official and unofficial Russian sources, although exact details remain deeply unclear.

The Ukrainian troops appear to have captured a number of villages in the border area, advancing perhaps as much as 15 kilometers inside Russia, according to pro-Kremlin Russian military bloggers, with heavy fighting reported to be continuing for a second day.

Russian President Vladimir Putin called on Wednesday morning urgent meetings with his government and defense leadership, while local authorities said thousands of Russian civilians were being evacuated away from the fighting.

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(LONDON) — At least one person was killed and eight others remained trapped Wednesday after a hotel partially collapsed near the banks of the Mosel River in western Germany, police said.

Police said they believed 14 people were inside the hotel in the winemaking town of Kroev at the time of the collapse late Tuesday evening.

Five people escaped unharmed, while the other nine were buried beneath the rubble, police said.

“Due to the damage, this is an extremely demanding operation, as the building can only be entered by emergency services with the greatest caution,” police said in a statement.

As of Wednesday morning, one person had been confirmed dead but their body had yet to be recovered.

Eight others, including some who were seriously injured, were believed to be still trapped, according to police.

Search and rescue operations were ongoing, police said.

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(NEW YORK) — Tick populations could see a “boom” in traditionally cooler regions should global temperatures continue to rise, possibly increasing the likelihood of the spread of tick-borne diseases, according to new research.

Even with just a temperature increase of only 1 degree Celsius, regions that are typically cooler — such as Scotland, where the research was conducted — could see tick densities increase by 26% to 99% by 2080, according to a paper published in the Royal Society Journals on Tuesday.

Researchers built a mathematical model to predict how tick populations will change in time in response to changes in temperature, Rachel Norman, a professor at the University of Stirling in Scotland and author of the paper, told ABC News.

Included in the model are considerations for types of landscape and the availability for ticks to feed on a host between each of its life stages — egg, larvae and adult, allowing researchers to study the complicated interactions between the landscape, temperatures, the ticks and the hosts they’re feeding on, Norman said. Hosts are typically deer or small rodents but can also be birds, dogs and people.

As Scotland has warmed, ticks have moved further into the mountains and areas that they traditionally would not have been able to survive because temperatures in the past were too cold, Norman said, adding that ticks tend to thrive in wooded areas with undergrowth, should other conditions, like temperature and the availability of hosts, be present as well.

In some areas in Scotland, cooler temperatures are limiting tick populations. But in other regions that are now warm enough, tick populations can increase significantly because there are plenty of hosts for them to feed on, Norman said.

After the ticks feed on a host, they drop into undergrowth on the ground and molt into the next stage, which typically takes about a year in Scotland due to the cooler temperatures and therefore limits population increases, Norman said. But with warmer springs emerging earlier and warm temperatures lasting through fall, the ticks have a longer period of time in which they can emerge.

“They won’t emerge and start looking for food until we hit a particular temperature” — about 7 degrees centigrade or about 44 degrees Fahrenheit, she said.

The model could apply to other climates around the world as well, Norman said.

With booms in tick populations comes the potential for more people around the world to be exposed to tick-borne diseases, the researchers said.

The next step in the modeling will be to apply different diseases, such as Lyme, to study, the risk related to the density of tickets, Norman said.

Earth’s average global temperature has surpassed a 1-degree Celsius temperature rise since the late 1800s, with most land areas warming faster than most oceans, according to the Fifth National Climate Assessment, a definitive breakdown of the latest in climate science from 14 different federal agencies, including NOAA, NASA, the EPA, and the National Science. Foundation.

The planet is on the brink of a 1.5-degree Celsius rise in temperature, according to climate scientists.

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