News Headlines - 20 December 2019

▽Top bureaucrat resigns over info leak about Japan Post penalties：The Asahi Shimbun

The top career bureaucrat of the internal affairs ministry was effectively dismissed for leaking information about possible disciplinary measures against the Japan Post group over its questionable sales tactics involving insurance policies.
Sanae Takaichi, the minister of internal affairs and communications, said at a Dec. 20 news conference that Shigeki Suzuki would be suspended as administrative vice minister for three months.
Suzuki, however, submitted his resignation effective Dec. 20.

▽Scott Morrison returning to Australia after death of two volunteer firefighters - NZ Herald

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is cutting his Hawaii holiday short and returning to Australia after the death of two volunteer firefighters overnight.
He will arrive back in the country tomorrow.
Hours before announcing his return, a photo of the prime minister enjoying himself in Hawaii with fellow Australians was widely criticised as massive bushfires continue to burn across the country.

▽Panama jail violence: 13 killed in AK-47 gang shoot-out - BBC News

At least 13 inmates were killed and 15 injured in a shoot-out in a prison in Panama on Tuesday.
Officials said they found three AK-47 assault rifles and five pistols.
President Laurentino Cortizo said an investigation would be launched into how the guns got into La Joyita jail east of the capital, Panama City.

▽Instagram influencers can no longer promote vaping and guns - CNN

Influencers on Instagram and Facebook will be banned from promoting branded content about vaping, tobacco and weapons.
On Wednesday, Facebook (FB) said such products have "long" been prohibited in its advertising policies, but it will start enforcing the ban in the "coming weeks."
Branded content promoting alcohol and diet supplements will require special restrictions, although Instagram didn't specify what those will entail.

▽Beech Street in London's Barbican to become first to ban all petrol and diesel cars | Metro News

Petrol and diesel cars will be banned from Barbican Estate’s Beech Street as it becomes Britain’s first zero emission street, the City of London Corporation (CLC) said... The measure will be achieved with an 18-month experimental traffic order, CLC said in a statement, which will allow air quality and traffic to be monitored.
Emergency vehicles, refuse collection and deliveries will be excepted from the order on the road which is predominantly a tunnel.