Worldwide / 166

US, China reach phase one trade deal, source says

December 13, 2019

US stocks rose to records earlier Thursday as optimism grew that there would be a deal. Meanwhile, the benchmark Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.8 per cent to finish at 28,132.05. "Getting VERY close to a BIG DEAL with China", Trump posted on Twitter. The planned weekend US tariff hike would extend punitive duties to nearly everything the USA would buy from China.

Barnard Freshman Fatally Stabbed in Morningside Park

December 13, 2019

How utterly banal, you might say, and you'd be correct - except for the incalculable loss to the Majors family, to Barnard College and to a city now on the cusp of a return to a terrifying past. Majors, who suffered from a number of stab wounds, was rushed to Mount Sinai St. Luke's Hospital the place she later died. Her cell phone was found a short distance away, but she did not have a purse or wallet on her, the source said.

Election day: Pooches take to the polls | Calendar

December 13, 2019

The former junior Brexit minister quit his role in the wake of David Davis' resignation in July 2018, with both of them citing concerns over the Government's Brexit strategy. A total of 650 MPs will be chosen under the first-past-the-post system used for general elections, in which the candidate who secures the most votes in each individual constituency is elected.

Chile confirms finding human remains, debris, from missing plane

December 13, 2019

Part of the landing gear found in the Drake Sea believed to belong to the Hercules C-130 aircraft that crashed on 9 December. The Hercules C130 aircraft, a military transport plane , took off on Wednesday at 4:55pm local time from the southern city of Punta Arenas in Chilean Patagonia.

Russia's only aircraft carrier on fire in port

December 13, 2019

According to the latest reports by RT.com six people have reportedly been injured, two sailors and one worker are listed as missing, as fuel is still burning aboard the ship. The press service of the Zvyozdochka ship fix center said the specialists working onboard the vessel have been evacuated, TASS reported. MOSCOW (AP) - Russia's only aircraft carrier suffered a massive fire Thursday that killed one crew member, injured another 11 people and significantly damaged the ill-fated ship ...

USA reaches in-principle China deal, awaits Trump signoff

December 13, 2019

Discussions now are focused on reducing those rates by as much as half, as part of the interim agreement Trump announced nearly nine weeks ago. It came as Trump and USA trade negotiators met at the White House on Thursday, as another US tariff hike on $160 billion of Chinese imports is due to take effect Sunday.

NZ military set for risky mission to retrieve bodies from volcano

December 13, 2019

More than two dozen people are still being treated for severe burns in New Zealand and Australia . New Zealand's military will embark on a risky dawn mission to retrieve eight bodies from the still-active White Island volcano, officials said Thursday, as pressure from distraught victims' families mounted.

Brazil’s Bolsonaro calls activist Greta Thunberg a "brat"

December 12, 2019

Following Bolsonaro's statements, Thunberg changed her Twitter profile on Tuesday. Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro described activist Greta Thunberg as a "brat" in his latest attack on celebrity environmentalists concerned about the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest.

Israel heads towards unprecedented third election amid political gridlock

December 12, 2019

After giving its preliminary approval, and barring last-minute progress in deadlocked efforts to form a new government, parliament was set to vote for its dissolution later in the day and approve a 2 March election date already agreed by the two major parties.

French President Emmanuel Macron ‘Calm and Determined’ in Face of Strike

December 12, 2019

The French president has been negotiating with unions for months about the details of his pension plan, but will not release the changes until next week. The "unlimited" strike impacted all public transport systems in the country, according to local media reports. Traffic jams were rife throughout the country, and many schools were closed for the day.

Biden Campaign Denies Former VP Seeks Only One Term If Elected POTUS

December 12, 2019

Biden advisers said they fear a public pledge would damage Biden's political capital and make him a lame-duck president. Many polls have shown President Donald Trump losing MI in hypothetical match-ups against Democratic rivals Vermont Sen.

United States may show 'flexibility' to relaunch denuclearization talks — UN Envoy Craft

December 12, 2019

The US called a meeting of the UN Security Council yesterday and foreshadowed "a comprehensive update on recent developments on the Korean Peninsula, including recent missile launches and the possibility of an escalatory DPRK [North Korea] provocation".

Trump signs executive order to combat anti-Semitism at colleges

December 12, 2019

He then references Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which "prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin in programs and activities receiving Federal financial assistance", as protecting from anti-Semitism .

Violence erupts in Pakistan as lawyers storm hospital

December 12, 2019

The mob also roughed up provincial information minister Fayaz-ul-Hasan Chauhan when he got to the scene and tried to negotiate with the lawyers . The lawyers accused the doctors of circulating a video that showed them beating their colleague when he refused to get in a patient line at the hospital, Lahore government official Kamran Ali told the outlet.

U.S. Senate committee approves Turkey sanctions bill

December 12, 2019

U.S. officials have voiced concerns over the Turkish purchase of the Russian S-400 system, stressing that it could undermine the military technology of Turkey's North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies - particularly the F-35 jet. Washington suspended Ankara from the American F-35 poaching program, in which he was producer and buyer, to penalize him for buying S-400 batteries this year.

Social Democrat Sanna Marin is latest woman to lead Finland

December 12, 2019

All of the other parties are led by women, three of whom are younger than 40. The general election held in April this year resulted in no party scoring over 20 percent, but the SDP came first and managed to form a centrist-left coalition, in which Marin served as transport and communications minister.

Iran says it foiled 'very big' foreign cyber attack

December 12, 2019

Back in October, head of the Civil Defense Organization Brigadier General Gholam Reza Jalali said Iran is taking legal action against the US over repeated cyberattack attempts and threats, while it is putting in place robust security measures to protect its vital infrastructure.

Amid Criticism, Trump Signs Order Targeting Anti-Semitism At Universities

December 12, 2019

Under the executive measure, "US institutions of higher education risk federal funding if they fail to act against antisemitic discrimination on their campuses", stated leaders of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, whose members include the principal bodies of Reform, Conservative and Orthodox Judaism in the US.

GE2019 | Polls are OPEN - voting information

December 12, 2019

He told reporters: "This could not be more critical, it could not be tighter - I just say to everybody the risk is very real that we could tomorrow be going into another hung parliament". Polling stations across the country opened at 7am this morning (Thursday 12th December) for registered individuals to cast their votes for constituency MPs in the General Election.

Search for Chile military plane finds debris in ocean

December 12, 2019

The flight, which was carrying 17 crew members and 21 passengers, seemed regular until the minute it vanished, Mosqueira explained. It was also announced that the Air Force of Chile is cooperating with other forces from different nations to search for the missing craft, either in the air, or in bodies of water.

Blast Outside Main US Base In Afghanistan, 5 Injured

December 12, 2019

Suicide bombers struck the main USA military base in Afghanistan on Wednesday, killing two people and injuring scores of others in a major attack that could derail plans to revive peace talks between the United States and the Taliban. The medical facility, formerly a South Korean-run hospital, is being rebuilt to help local Afghans, the US military said. Within minutes of the suicide bombing, US fighter aircraft bombed the area, according to witnesses.

Myanmar’s Suu Kyi rejects genocide claims at top UN court

December 12, 2019

After the hearing , lawyer Thazin Myat Myat Win told reporters a judge adjourned the trial until 20 December If convicted they face up to two years in prison. Aung San Suu Kyi said, " It can not be ruled out that disproportionate force was used by members of the defense services, in some cases in disregard of global humanitarian law".

Nigel Farage prays for SNOW to boost his election chances

December 12, 2019

He said his aim on election day is to create a "bridgehead" of Brexit Party MPs to put pressure on Boris Johnson and to force him to change his withdrawal deal with the EU. The Brexit Party leader told an audience at the Earl of Doncaster Hotel this morning that both in terms of policies from the main parties and in terms of the vitriol experienced by candidates, it has been a poor campaign.

Former Boeing manager warned company about 737 Max production

December 12, 2019

Ed Pierson told NBC News he warned the company about problems at the Renton plant months before two of the planes crashed, killing a total of almost 350 people. Pierson told Campbell that the company should stop production of the airliner until production problems can be solved, but that did not happen. In his email, he advised that the production be shut off for a limited amount of time, citing the problems that he noted, including exhausted workers being pushed to produce more.

At Least 70 Soldiers Killed in Attack on Military Camp in Niger

December 12, 2019

The source did not say which group was responsible for the deadly assault. French President Emmanuel Macron , frustrated by mounting anti-French sentiment, particularly in the wake of a helicopter accident in Mali last month that killed 13 French troops, has invited five West African leaders to a meeting next week, where he plans to ask them to clarify whether they want French troops to remain in their countries.

Petra Production Hit by South Africa Power Woes

December 12, 2019

But the company added that the probability for continued loadshedding, or planned rolling blackouts, "remained high for the rest of the week". Zesa, or the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority, and Zesco are state power utilities in Zimbabwe and Zambia, respectively.

New Zealand volcano webcam captures tourists in crater moments before eruption

December 12, 2019

The eruption came with little warning at 2.10pm on White Island in the Bay of Plenty off the north coast of the North Island. Late on Tuesday night, police announced the death of a person being treated for burns at Middlemore Hospital. Some of the tourists on or near the island were reportedly passengers from a cruise ship docked at Tauranga, a coastal city on North Island about 50 kilometer southwest of White Island .

Maps: How much snow is forecast to accumulate on Wednesday

December 12, 2019

About two inches of snow could fall throughout New York City between around 3 and 11 a.m. on Wednesday, according to Notify NYC. Highs for both today and Thursday will only be in the 30s. The National Weather Service declared a winter weather advisory through noon for Boston and much of southeaster Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and CT, with a parallel advisory through 10 a.m.

Spotted: Pigeons in cowboy hats in U.S. auto park

December 12, 2019

The rescue group put out traps to try to nab the birds dubbed Cluck Norris, in the red hat, and Coolamity Jane, in the pink lid. The animals first appeared in a video taken on Thursday in which they're walking around normally, but with little cowboy hats on their heads, and no one seems to know who's dressing up the pigeons or where the hats are coming from.

Trump impeachment: House unveils formal charges

December 12, 2019

Another freshman Democrat , Rep. Dean Phillips, told CNN this week that he plans to support the articles of impeachment . One of two articles of impeachment announced by Democrats on Tuesday cites abuse of power . Trump has said he did nothing wrong in asking Zelenskiy for the investigation of Biden, his son Hunter Biden's work for a Ukrainian natural gas company and a debunked theory that Ukraine meddled in the 2016 election to undermine Trump.

Inspector general to testify about report on FBI's Russian Federation probe

December 12, 2019

The report by Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz did find "significant inaccuracies and omissions" left out of the FBI's applications for court-ordered surveillance of former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page. On several key points, Horowitz staked out positions that are now being publicly rejected by Barr and Trump. Democrats seized on the finding that the probe was not tainted by political motivations.

Major Gun Battle in Jersey City Leaves One Officer Dead, Shooting Active

December 12, 2019

While the gunmen's motives were not known, there was no immediate evidence the bloodshed was either a hate crime or terror-related, Kelly said, adding, "but that's certainly on the table". They also declined to say whether they knew what motivated the attackers or how Seals came upon the suspects near the cemetery. New York City councilman Chaim Deutsch , a member of the city's Jewish caucus, said that New York City police was providing extra security to synagogues and other sites.

Boris Johnson under fire over Britain’s National Health Service

December 12, 2019

Noting that the clip of the interview has more than 10 million views, Guardian columnist and Labour supporter Owen Jones said "that means millions of people still have not seen the horrific lack of empathy Boris Johnson has towards a 4 year old victim of his policies".

Walmart Canada apologizes and pulls Christmas sweaters with Santa and cocaine

December 11, 2019

One jumper displays a character supposed to be Santa Clause resting back a table with three lines of white powder set out in front of him. On Saturday, Walmart Canada issued a statement to Global News that the jersey was created "by a third-party seller" and "does not represent Walmart's values" (which are otherwise sterling).

An inspector general's work vs. Trump conspiracy theorists

December 11, 2019

Upon the release of the report, Trump told reporters the findings were "far worse than I would have ever thought". The greatest threat to American democracy comes not from Russian Federation or any other foreign country, but from the operations of the military-intelligence agencies of the capitalist state, which do the bidding of Wall Street and the financial aristocracy.

Trump Expresses Anti-Semitic Sentiments Before a Jewish Audience Again

December 11, 2019

The U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights said the order would be an attempt by the Trump administration to crack down on Palestinian activism on American campuses. You're brutal killers. (Laughter.) Not nice people at all . Trump has been accused of trafficking in anti-Semitic stereotypes before, including in August, when he said American Jews who vote for Democrats show 'either a total lack of knowledge or great disloyalty.' A number of Jewish groups noted at the time that accusations ...

Increased Activity on New Zealand Volcano Hampers Recovery

December 11, 2019

The announcement indicates authorities are concerned safety standards may have been breached. Authorities say they do not expect to find any more survivors since the eruption. Three Australians were suspected to be among the initial five confirmed dead, he told reporters in Sydney. Prime Minster Scott Morrison said three military aircraft with specialist medical crews had been dispatched to repatriate some of the survivors.

Runner who groped reporter identified as local youth minister

December 11, 2019

In a video of the Saturday episode, sprinters at the yearly Savannah Bridge Run a large number of them waving at the camera run past Alex Bozarjian , a columnist at NBC member WSAV. "Period", WLOS columnist Caitlyn Penter said. On Sunday, the Savannah Sports Council said it had identified the man. Police have said it will be up to her to pursue a criminal complaint.

DOJ Inspector General Testifies On FBI Probe Of Trump Campaign

December 11, 2019

The report, issued on Monday, found there had been numerous procedural errors but said there was no political bias against Trump by law enforcement. They've lengthy pointed to texts amongst F.B.I. 'With that kind of attitude, he will never be able to fix the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which is badly broken, ' Trump tweeted. Horowitz added that he didn't know that such a statement was going to released on Monday, the day the inspector general's report was released.

Bougainville voters back independence from Papua New Guinea

December 11, 2019

Bougainville was colonized by Germany in the 19th century. It served as Japanese military base, during World War II. It was part of a peace deal reached after the region, east of Papua New Guinea's mainland, was locked in a civil war with the central government for about a decade, until 1998.

Greta Thunberg is 'Time' Magazine's Person Of The Year For 2019

December 11, 2019

The 16-year-old has found herself in the role of spokesperson for a generation haunted by climate emergency since her solo strike against global warming outside Sweden's parliament last year. More recently, Thunberg arrived at the UN's COP25 Conference on Climate Change in Spain, after launching a last-minute bid to find a low-emission way to travel across the Atlantic when the host country changed from protest-hit Chile.

World’s Youngest PM Takes Office In Finland

December 11, 2019

In a depressing contrast, about 1,000 miles from Helsinki, in London, another prime minister will be elected this week. Marin became Finland's third female prime minister after her nomination was passed in parliament by 99 votes to 70 Tuesday and President Sauli Niinisto officially appointed the new centre-left cabinet.

Court jails two former Algerian prime ministers for corruption

December 11, 2019

Ahmed Ouyahia was sentenced to 15 years in prison and Abdelmalek Sellal to 12 years. The Algerian automotive sector got its start in 2014, via partnerships between foreign groups and large Algerian corporations, many of which are owned by businessmen linked to Bouteflika's entourage.

Michelle Obama speaks out on 'surreal' impeachment proceedings

December 11, 2019

So proud". While Obama is in the country to raise awareness about the importance of education for young girls, the conversation naturally turned to the threat of impeachment now looming over her husband's White House successor. In another "Today " show interview past year, she called Bush her " partner in crime ." . "It was at the end, after lunch when we said that final goodbye".

Australian PM says 24 nationals were on New Zealand volcano

December 11, 2019

While it was not a outcome or related to the recent White Island eruption that has killed five, including three Australians, its effects were felt nearby the scene. The deceased and missing include citizens of New Zealand , Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, China, and Malaysia. Up to 50 people were visiting the popular tourist attraction when it exploded on Monday, with five confirmed dead, another 18 injured and the rest missing.

Somali security forces kill 5 Al Shabaab fighters to end hotel siege

December 11, 2019

Police officer Ali Abdi told CNN that the SYL hotel, where the attack happened, is located close to the presidential palace and is popular with Somali lawmakers and security officials, Abdi added. Al-Shabab gunmen have attacked a hotel near the presidential palace in Somalia 's capital, according to police and the armed group. The police statement said the attack was carried out "by five people who have been sent by the terrorists to threaten the Somali public and all of them were killed".

Photo of sick boy on floor roils British election campaign

December 11, 2019

Finally the PM pulls the phone out of his pocket and appears on the display screen, including: 'Look, sorry, it's a frightful awful picture and I apologise clearly to the households and all those that have disgusting experiences within the NHS .

Sydney Engulfed in 'Extremely' Hazardous Smoke as Raging Bushfires Intensify

December 11, 2019

A Webcam image taken from the top of The Sebel Quay West hotel in Sydney on the morning on November 21, 2019, showing extensive bushfire smoke . It comes after Prime Minister Scott Morrison was criticised on social media yesterday for calling a press conference in Sydney - on a day when the city was blanketed in a dense smoke haze with pollution 12 times over hazardous levels - then using it to talk about his religious discrimination bill.

NZ police to release volcano missing list

December 11, 2019

Authorities monitoring the uninhabited island said conditions were worsening and there was now a 40-60% chance of a massive eruption similar to Monday in the next 24 hours. New Zealand's Deputy Police Commissioner John Tims said Tuesday that police were opening a criminal investigation into the deaths that would accompany an investigation by health and safety regulators.

Now Playing: The Investigation Into The Russia Investigation

December 11, 2019

But inspector general Michael Horowitz did find "serious performance failures" in the monitoring of Carter Page , a Trump aide linked with Moscow. The FBI launched a counterintelligence investigation of the Trump campaign in late July 2016. In Nov. 9, 2016, text messages, the supervisory agent said he "was so elated with the election" and volunteered to investigate the Clinton Foundation "if you hear talk of a special prosecutor".

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