AUSTRALIA LEGALIZES SAME-SEX MARRIAGE

In November, a majority of Australians voted in favor of same-sex marriage and after a parliamentary vote on Thursday, Dec. 7, same-sex marriage has officially been legalized in the country. There were only four votes against the measure.

“This belongs to us all,” Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said. “This is Australia: fair, diverse, loving and filled with respect. For every one of us this is a great day.”

After the measure was passed, a video of those in attendance at the public gallery vote began to sing “I am Australian” creating a few teary-eyed lawmakers.

The New York Times reports that the new law will provide equality to same-sex couples in areas such as government benefits and will change the definition of marriage from “the union of a man and a woman” to “the union of two people.”

Australia will join 25 other countries that have legalized same-sex union.

FOUR INJURED IN FAILED TERROR ATTACK IN NYC

Officials have identified 27-year-old Akayed Ullah as the man who set off a pipe bomb strapped to his body on Monday, Dec. 11 in a crowded New York City subway. Police say the pipe bomb did not go off as planned or malfunctioned. Four people, including the suspect, were injured. Ullah was taken into custody.

“This was an attempted terrorist attack,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a news conference. “Thank God the perpetrator did not achieve his ultimate goals.”

Ullah was reported to have consumed terrorist propaganda and learned how to make the bomb from videos he watched online. According to officials, there is no evidence that Ullah had any direct communication with ISIS, but was reported to have been angry over U.S. bombings in ISIS-controlled territories.

Ullah was a Bangladeshi immigrant and electrician from Brooklyn.

MAN DIES AFTER SNOWBOARDING CRASH IN TAHOE

The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office has pronounced 23-year-old David Karlin dead after a snowboarding crash at Sierra-at-Tahoe on Thursday.

Thea Hardy, the Sierra-at-Tahoe communications manager, reported Monday morning that witnesses claimed Karlin had lost control while traveling at a high rate of speed down the Lower Snowshoe Trail, an intermediate run. The Union reports that after falling several feet off the trail, Karlin collided with a snow fence where Lower Snowshoe meets the Sugar and Spice trail on the upper mountain.

In an interview with News 4, Sergeant Anthony Prencipe stated that first aid was provided by an acquaintance and ski patrol while Karlin was being transported by paramedics. Officials were unable to revive Karlin.

Karolina Rivas can be reached at mpurdue@sagebrush.unr.edu and on Twitter @karolinarrivas.