'We must act;' Democrats unveil Trump impeachment charges

*)World Court hearing on genocide Rohingya genocide begins

Myanmar is facing accusations of genocide in the International Court of Justice over its treatment of Rohingya Muslims.

The country's leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, is defending her nation’s actions in a three-day public hearing at The Hague.

More than 57 countries accuse Myanmar of trying to
destroy the Rohingya Muslims in 2017 by mass murder, rape and sexual violence.

*)Ukraine, Russia agree to a ceasefire

Ukraine and Russia have agreed to a ceasefire and an exchange of prisoners by year's end.

Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Vladimir Putin met for the first time at a special summit in Paris.

Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014, triggering a war that has killed 14,000 people.

*)Second eruption imminent on White Island

New Zealand police have opened a criminal investigation after five people died and eight went missing, now presumed dead, in a volcanic eruption.

Dozens of rescued victims suffered severe burns to their bodies.

Authorities are evacuating White Island, as a second eruption is expected within the next 24 hours.

*)US war on Afghanistan was a waste – Washington Post

A trove of US government documents dubbed “The Afghanistan Papers” has been published in a report by The Washington Post.

It reveals how senior officials lied to show that Washington was winning the Afghanistan war.

The report says, the US had no clear mission or understanding of the regional dynamics of Afghanistan despite spending over a trillion dollars on the 18-year war.

And finally,

*)Flying cars ready for take-off, in next few years

Flying cars could be a reality within the next few years, according to a technological research firm.

A survey shows that investors are pushing billions of dollars into the electric air taxi industry.

Air taxis will fly low-level routes, especially from city to city, thus relieving traffic congestion on roads, and could be commercially rolled out by 2024.

*)At least 1 killed in New Zealand volcano eruption

A volcanic eruption in New Zealand has left one person dead and several missing.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says 23 out of 50 tourists have been evacuated to safety.

Rescue operations continue on the uninhabited White Island.

*)Family of New Delhi fire victims await answers

Relatives of 43 people who died in a factory fire in India's New Delhi are waiting to find out what caused the blaze.

Up to 50 others are being treated for burns and smoke inhalation.

The owner of the factory has since been arrested.

*)Governor of China's Xinjiang defends counterterrorism measures

China's Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region's governor slams the US for passing a bill on the controversial region.

Beijing's treatment of Uighur Muslims is under intense scrutiny by world leaders.

Activists say China is holding up to a million Uighur Muslims in mass detention camps, subjecting them to political indoctrination.

*)FBI says it presumes naval base shooting was act of terrorism

The FBI is presuming a US naval base shooting was an act of terrorism.

Saudi Arabian pilot Mohammed Saeed al Shamrani killed three people and wounded eight others at Naval Air Station Pensacola in Florida.

Authorities are trying to determine his motive.

And finally,

*)Man eats $120,000 work of art

Artist David Datuna ate a piece of art which sold for $120,000 in Miami.

A banana taped to a wall was supposed to be a symbol of global trade, according to its Italian creator.

As it turns out, the value of the art was not in the banana — which is replaceable — but in the certificate of authenticity.

Friday, December 6, 2019

*)French strike against Macron reforms enters day two

Protests against French President Emmanuel Macron’s planned pension reforms have entered a second day.

The first day of the strike saw giant rallies across the country coupled with walkouts that paralysed transport and closed schools.

Macron's government plans to push for a single pension scheme, which critics say would require everyone to work longer.

*)Pelosi pursues articles of impeachment against Trump

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the House is moving forward to draft articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump.

In a televised speech, Pelosi accused Trump of abusing his power, saying that the country’s democracy is at stake.

The impeachment probe focuses on a July phone call with Ukraine’s president, in which Trump pressed him to investigate his rival, Joe Biden.

*)Palestinians outraged over ICC report into war crimes

Palestinian officials are concerned over an ICC report which says stipends to victim families killed by Israel could constitute a war crime.

Palestinians have long paid stipends to the families of people killed or imprisoned as a result of fighting with Israel.

Palestinians defend the payments as a national duty but Israel argues the fund encourages the violence.

*)Indian police fatally shoot four suspects in gang-rape case

Indian police fatally shot and killed four men suspected of raping and killing a woman in the country’s south.

Police said the men were in custody and were shot as they tried to escape during a re-enactment.

The burned body of the 27-year-old veterinary doctor was found last week by a passerby in an underpass in Hyderabad.

And finally,

*)Activists to rally for mass climate march in Madrid

Activists are set to demand urgent action on the climate crisis from world leaders attending the UN climate summit in Madrid.

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg is set to take part in the protest.

The protest dubbed “Fridays for Future” is a global student movement pushing for immediate action on the climate crisis.

*)NATO summit ends in acrimony

NATO leaders have wrapped up a summit that was meant to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the alliance.

Instead, their meeting was marked by the disagreements that have rarely been made so public.

Those contentious issues include funding, how best to confront terrorism, Turkey’s role in Syria, and China’s influence.

*) US Navy sailor kills two before shooting self at Pearl Harbor

A US Navy sailor shot and killed two people before fatally shooting himself at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, military officials said.

The motive of the shooting, in which one person was also injured, is not known.

The incident comes three days before the 78th anniversary of the Japanese attack on the historic naval base that led the US to enter the second World War.

*)UN says 58 migrants dead as boat capsizes off Mauritania

At least 58 people died after a boat, carrying around 150 migrants, capsized off the coast of Mauritania.

Confirming the death toll, the UN migration agency said survivors are being helped in the northern city of Nouadhibou.

This is said to be one of the deadliest disasters this year as migrants try to reach Europe.

*)Trump committed impeachable crimes - legal scholars

Legal experts say President Trump’s actions seeking foreign interference in the US presidential election are grounds for impeachment.

Testifying at the House impeachment inquiry hearing, three experts say Trump’s unprecedented conduct is evidence of impeachable offences.

Trump, attending a NATO summit in London, called the hearing a “joke” and “boring.”

And finally,

*)Turkey switches to plain packaging for tobacco products

Turkey will switch to plain packaging for cigarettes and tobacco products from December 5.

The Agriculture and Forestry Ministry says the move aims at curbing tobacco sales and discouraging smokers.

According to Turkish authorities, diseases attributable to tobacco use cause more than 100,000 deaths in the country annually.

*)Macron stands by NATO ‘brain death’ comment

US President Trump has begun his two days at the NATO summit by rebuking France’s Macron, once a close ally, for calling NATO brain dead.

Even before their meeting in London, Trump laced into Macron for what he said were “very, very nasty” comments.

But the French president stood by his assessment that NATO was on the verge of “brain death,” as the two leaders traded barbs over the alliance, Daesh and trade.

*)‘Serious misconduct’ by Trump takes centre stage at hearing

The US House Judiciary Committee is moving swiftly to see if President Trump misused the power of his office for personal political gain.

A 300-page report by the Intelligence Committee found Trump “solicited the interference of a foreign government, Ukraine, to benefit his reelection.”

The judiciary panel, which will draft articles of impeachment, will first weigh the reports’ findings that Trump abused power and obstructed Congress.

*)Death toll in Philippine typhoon rises as storm moves off

The death toll from Typhoon Kammuri in the Philippines has risen to at least 10, disaster agencies are saying.

Typhoon Kammuri is the 20th to enter the Philippines this year and has prompted the evacuation of thousands of residents.

It also disrupted the schedule for some events in the Southeast Asian Games, which the Philippines is hosting until December 11.

*)More than 600 Pakistani girls sold as brides in China – documents

A list obtained by the Associated Press shows 629 Pakistani girls have been sold as brides to China, the most between 2018 and early 2019.

The government list was compiled by Pakistani investigators determined to break up trafficking networks.

But the biggest case against traffickers has fallen apart. A court in October acquitted 31 Chinese after several women witnesses were bribed or threatened into silence.

And finally,

*)South Korean actor Cha In-ha found dead in latest K-pop tragedy

Actor Cha In-ha was found dead in his home, South Korean’s third young celebrity to die in the past two months.

The cause of death was not immediately known.

An Instagram post by Cha, a former member of the boy band “Surprise U,” the day before he was found dead told his fans to take care in the cold winter.

*)Leaders gather in London to mark NATO's 70th anniversary

World leaders and delegates are gathering in London for a special summit marking NATO's 70th anniversary.

The meeting comes at a time when the alliance is experiencing growing internal tension and new global threats.

It will also address issues, like member states’ defence spending and the perceived threat from Russia.

*)Israel names more than 300 witnesses in Netanyahu graft case

Israeli prosecutors have named more than 300 witnesses for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's indictment in graft cases.

The prime minister, who has been in office for the past decade, faces charges of bribery, breach of trust and fraud.

Netanyahu denies any wrongdoing, saying he is a victim of an attempted "coup".

*)Iran state TV says ‘rioters’ shot and killed amid protests

Iranian state television has acknowledged security forces shot and killed what it described as “rioters” in multiple cities.

The protests started in mid November after the government raised fuel prices.

Amnesty International believes at least 208 people were killed in the protests and ensuing crackdown.

*)Trump hits US allies with new trade pain

US President Donald Trump is now targeting protectionist trade actions of long-time allies like France and Brazil.

He announced tariffs on steel imports from Brazil and Argentina over their currency devaluation.

French luxury imports will now face a 100-percent duty tax, in response to Paris’s new digital tax which impacts US companies.


*)Lionel Messi wins prize for sixth time in his career

And finally,

Lionel Messi has won a record sixth Ballon D'or.

That’s one more than Cristiano Ronaldo.

The 32-year-old Barcelona player’s biggest competitors were Liverpool defender Virgil van Dike and superstar Cristiano Ronaldo

*)With prime minister out, Iraq in constitutional ‘black hole’

Anti-government demonstrations are expected to continue in Iraq despite Prime Minister Adil Abdul Mahdi’s resignation.

Abdul Mahdi and his cabinet will stay on in a caretaker capacity.

On Sunday, at least one protester was shot dead in Baghdad and Iran’s consulate in Najaf was attacked for the second time in a week.

*)White House says will refuse to take part in impeachment hearing

The White House says it will not participate in impeachment hearings before the Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.

The judiciary panel will set out charges against US President Trump based on the Intelligence Committee’s impeachment report, expected today.

Trump faces allegations that he illegally sought help from Ukraine to obtain dirt on his domestic political rivals.

*)At least 50 children killed by measles in Samoa

A measles outbreak in Samoa has killed at least 50 children since October.

Samoa declared an emergency last month and made it compulsory for all 200,000 people living on the island nation to get vaccinated.

Those who have died include 23 babies under the age of 12 month.

*)French flood rescuers killed in helicopter crash

Three emergency workers on a rescue mission in flood-hit France have been killed in a helicopter crash near Marseille.

Another two people were killed by floods in the French Riviera's Var region on Sunday.

Torrential rains have been lashing the French Riviera a week after extreme weather left six dead.

And finally,

*)UN chief warns of 'point of no return' on climate crisis

A two-week international climate conference kicks off in Madrid with delegates from almost 200 countries.

The COP25 summit will decide the next crucial steps in the UN’s plan to tackle the climate crisis.

UN chief Antonio Guterres has warned that the world’s efforts to stop climate change have so far been “utterly inadequate".