News Headlines - 02 November 2019

▽Hong Kong police fire tear gas to break up anti-government rally | Al Jazeera

Police in Hong Kong have used tear gas, pepper spray and water cannons to disperse anti-government protesters as thousands gathered for a banned rally calling for international emergency support as the city's democracy movement pushes into its 22nd week.

▽Jennifer Arcuri: ￡100k grant was 'appropriate', says government report | The Guardian

A ￡100,000 government grant to a firm run by a US businesswoman embroiled in a conflict of interest row over her close friendship with Boris Johnson was “appropriate”, an inquiry has concluded.
The Government Internal Audit Agency (GIAA) launched a review after it was revealed that Jennifer Arcuri’s company, Hacker House, had been given the cyber-skills grant intended for UK-operating businesses in January even though she and her husband had relocated to California last year.
The report, published on Thursday by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, makes no reference to the fact that Arcuri and her business partner husband, Matthew Hickey, live in the US. It was immediately labelled a “whitewash” by Labour’s deputy leader, Tom Watson.

▽Airbnb Bans 'Party Houses' After Deadly US Shooting | Voice of America

Airbnb's boss announced Saturday that the online platform, which offers private homes for rent for short periods, is banning "party houses" after a deadly shooting at a Halloween event in California.
Five people were killed and others wounded in a Thursday night shooting in Orinda, California, in a house that had been rented on Airbnb.
More than 100 people were present at the event, which was announced on social media.

▽Hundreds of koalas feared dead in Australian bushfires - CNN

More than 350 koalas are feared to have been killed by bushfires in Australia's New South Wales state, animal experts say.
The blazes -- which have been burning near the coastal township of Port Macquarie since Monday -- have destroyed more than 2,000 hectares (4,492 acres) of koala heartland, CNN affiliate 9News reported.

▽Gary Lineker leads VAR criticism after Roberto Firmino's goal gets disallowed - The National

In the 28th minute of the match, Liverpool thought they had equalised - after Trezeguet had scored for Villa - when Firmino tapped in a fine cross from Sadio Mane. But the goal was disallowed after VAR found Firmino to be offside by the smallest of margins.
Gary Lineker made his displeasure clear, tweeting immediately after the decision: "Firmino has had a goal disallowed for offside. He wasn’t offside but VAR decided he was offside. When it comes to VAR I’m now offside."