Greta Thunberg apologises for 'put leaders against the wall' comment
The teenage climate activist says the phrase has a different meaning in her first language, Swedish.
BBC News,
Northern Ireland’s sectarian parties punished by rise of the non-aligned
Away from the loyalist-republican fights in Belfast, it was Alliance and SDLP candidates who fared best
The battle for Belfast North felt like a throwback to the Troubles, with dirty tricks, gory posters and sectarian rhetoric. It pitted the Democratic Unionist party’s deputy leader, Nigel Dodds, against Sinn Féin’s rising star, John Finucane, in Northern Ireland’s most bitter contest.
In a possible first for a UK election, a candidate was outed as a public urinator. Police caught Finucane, the mayor of Belfast, peeing outside city hall one night after he was locked out of his office with a full bladder, it emerged. Puns about who leaked the leak provided fleeting comic relief.
Continue reading...The Guardian,
Strong Earthquake Hits the Southern Philippines
The quake was the third of magnitude 6.5 or higher to strike the area, southwest of Davao City, since late October.
The New York Times,
Call for pill tests as more than 50% of music festivalgoers say they take drugs
Better on-site testing will reduce harm – especially to older ‘festival-only’ drug users, charities say
More than half of UK festivalgoers are taking illegal drugs at the annual music events, according to the first research of its kind.
The findings, which come amid fears that 2019 will prove a record year for drug-related deaths at such events, have triggered calls for festivals and nightclubs to provide more onsite testing as a matter of urgency.
Continue reading...The Guardian,
Debate so white: candidates of color miss out as Democratic field narrows
Despite an increasingly diverse party, Andrew Yang will be the only non-white face on the stage in Los Angeles
When the Democratic presidential candidates gather in Los Angeles next Thursday to debate for the sixth time, the stage will look rather different than it did when the contenders first faced off back in June.
A field that was initially celebrated for its diversity has been whittled down to seven debate participants: the former vice-president Joe Biden, Senator Bernie Sanders, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Senator Amy Klobuchar, billionaire activist Tom Steyer and entrepreneur Andrew Yang. Five of them are men, and all but one of them are white.
Continue reading...The Guardian,
U.S. envoy arrives in South Korea as Pyongyang ramps up pressure
Stephen Biegun, the U.S. special envoy for North Korea, arrived in South Korea on Sunday as Pyongyang stepped up pressure on Washington to make concessions to revive stalled denuclearization talks ahead of a year-end deadline.
Reuters,
Jailed Post Office worker: I wanted to kill myself
The BBC speaks to people who were sent to prison after being accused of theft by the Post Office.
BBC News,
On trade wars China is playing a careful game, but it holds more cards than Trump
Beijing knows the US presidents needs at least the appearance of a thriving economy before next year’s election
At the beginning of September, Chinese president Xi Jinping incensed Donald Trump by imposing a flurry of new import duties on US goods, including semiconductor chips and mobile phones.
It was a retaliation too far for the US president, especially when the stock market reaction was to send shares in America’s second most valuable company at the time, Apple, tumbling by almost 5%. For many observers it was just another skirmish in the tit-for-tat trade war that had rumbled on for 20 months. But in Washington it came as a shock, and was the driving force behind Trump’s premature announcement the following month of an interim deal – one that after much wrangling finally came to fruition, or at least appeared to, last week.
Continue reading...The Guardian,
A victory won by Brexit lies does not make those lies true
How can we believe that a party wedded to deregulation and flirting with Trump’s America will ever govern for ‘one nation’?
The Chinese proverb is “be careful what you wish for”. My own adapted version is “be careful what you vote for”. I make no apology for having devoted so many columns to what on Thursday became the lost cause of Remain. The pro-European cause in this country has, alas, suffered from a colossal failure of leadership. The failure to make the case for our EU membership goes back a long way, as does the drip-drip of the vile anti-European campaign in the Murdoch press, and the obvious suspects in other sections of the media.
The sequence of events was well brought out in Denis MacShane’s prophetic book Brexit – How Britain Will Leave Europe in 2015. (What lies in store is outlined both in MacShane’s latest volume, Brexiternity, and Sir Ivan Rogers’s recent magisterial lecture at Glasgow University.) As MacShane wrote in 2015: “The referendum on Europe is not on the benefits or cost of EU membership, but a wider protest about economic and social change which appears inside Britain to produce as many losers as winners.”
For reasons that I fail to understand, Corbyn and his allies, such as Seumas Milne, believe that the EU is some kind of capitalist conspiracy
Continue reading...The Guardian,
Aramco indicative share price up slightly to 37 riyals
Saudi Aramco's shares went up slightly to 37 Saudi riyals ($9.87) in a pre-market auction on Sunday, Refinitiv data showed, putting the company's market value slightly below $2 trillion.
Reuters,
China suspends planned tariffs scheduled for Dec. 15 on some U.S. goods
China has suspended the planned additional tariffs on some U.S. goods that were meant to be implemented on Dec. 15, the State Council's customs tariff commission said on Sunday, after the two countries agreed a "phase one" trade deal on Friday.
Reuters,
YOUR MONEY: Year-end money moves for your ETFs
Tax-loss harvesting is all about finding losers in your investment portfolio to offset winners so you pay less tax.
Reuters,
U.S. banking regulators unveil proposal to update low-income lending standards
Two U.S. banking regulators unveiled a proposed overhaul to community lending standards on Thursday, kicking off a contentious policy fight over the proper way to ensure banks are supporting...
Reuters,
'Brutal, packed with untruths, uninsipring': European press on UK election
Socialism or Brexit? Britain is divided in two in a ‘Hamlet-like dilemma’, write Europe’s newspapers
France’s media have been following the UK election campaign closely and did not take long to draw their conclusions. “Boris Johnson: the liar weakening Europe,” was the splash in the popular Le Parisien tabloid last month.
The French press have cottoned on to Boris. 'Boris Johnson- The liar who is weakening Europe'. @le_Parisien calls @BorisJohnson a 'crafty devil, manipulator but amiable' and notes that he's been caught lying numerous times throughout his career... pic.twitter.com/lVnhnsr2Y2
Mr. Prime Minister @BorisJohnson
I and the entire LDPR party sincerely wish you victory in the election today. With the support of people, you will quickly bring Britain out of the European Union!
The Guardian,
Why are we letting the defence industry hijack the EU? | Apostolis Fotiadis
Away from public scrutiny, France is pushing Europe into prioritising increased arms spending over political alliances
For three years now, the European Union, created to promote peace and understanding, has been undergoing a profound pivot to militarisation and hard power. Europeans are served up a relentless narrative about their continent’s duty to stand up to external challenges: Russian assertiveness, the US retreat from Nato and traditional Euro-Atlantic structures and China’s rise as a geopolitical force. But this narrative has served to legitimise a militarising agenda that, away from the spotlight, is being set and pushed by defence industry interests and their political cheerleaders.
Countries in Scandinavia and central and eastern Europe, including the Baltic states, Poland, Romania, Finland and Sweden, have all increased military expenditure as part of this creep towards arming and organising for potential use of lethal force. Major western European countries have kept the annual military spending-to-GDP ratio stable, but at least four are consistently among the biggest military spenders in the world. Last year, France spent €57.2bn (£48bn), Germany €44.4bn, Italy €25bn and Spain €16bn. In the UK, defence spending topped €50bn. As a comparison, Russia, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute database, spent €55bn. The vast sums being devoted to maintain and build up the military capacity of individual EU countries come at a time when, with Brexit and the rise of nationalism in former iron curtain countries, the EU itself has never appeared so weak.
France has been at the forefront of promoting a European defence union
Related: The ‘crisis of capitalism’ is not the one Europeans think it is | Branko Milanović
Continue reading...The Guardian,
DoubleLine's Gundlach sees risk for U.S. credit when dollar weakens
Jeffrey Gundlach, chief executive of DoubleLine Capital said in a webcast on Tuesday that the U.S. dollar's next big move will be lower, which could lead to a significant fall in U.S. bond prices and...
Reuters,
Cher Lloyd: 'I'm not on the conveyor belt any more'
The pop star looks back at her beginnings on the X Factor, and how she took control of her career.
BBC News,
Strictly Come Dancing 2019 crowns its winners
Kelvin, Emma and Karim have done battle on the BBC dancefloor but who won the glitterball trophy?
BBC News,
John Lennon's sunglasses sell for £137,000
The Beatles star left them on the back seat of Ringo Starr's Mercedes in the summer of 1968.
BBC News,
Emmerdale actress Sheila Mercier dies aged 100
The star, who played Annie Sugden, was part of the soap from its launch as Emmerdale Farm in 1972.
BBC News,
Rod Stewart becomes oldest male artist to top UK album chart
The veteran singer beats Robbie Williams and The Who to the UK number one spot in a closely fought race.
BBC News,
Yola: From 'house screamer' to four-time Grammy nominee
The British singer talks about prejudice, doubters and how her success is just desserts.
BBC News,
Who's going to take home the Strictly trophy?
The finalists describe what they're feeling as they get ready for the last show.
BBC News,
Shah Rukh Khan talks success and having two left feet
The King of Bollywood sat down with Talking Movies’ Tom Brook in front of a live audience.
BBC News,
Shouting match: Indonesians given stage to dish out advice to community
Dozens of Indonesians have taken part in a shouting competition in the capital Jakarta, given five minutes on stage to belt out advice on issues such as health, education and child protection to a...
Reuters,
‘S.N.L.’ Presents Kellyanne Conway’s ‘Marriage Story,’ Plus Baby Yoda
It was a Christmas miracle: “Saturday Night Live” opened the show with a sketch that wasn’t dependent on celebrity cameos.
The New York Times,
What’s on TV Sunday: The Kennedy Center Honors and ‘The Sound of Silence’
“Sesame Street,” Earth, Wind & Fire and Sally Field are honored for their achievements in the arts, and Peter Sarsgaard is a sound-obsessed house tuner in “The Sound of Silence.”
The New York Times,
Virtual Reality Before There Was Virtual Reality
1950s America comes vividly to life in a collection of thousands of 3-D slides. No bulky headgear required!
The New York Times,
Be a Better Houseguest With These 6 Items
Packing the following items will help lessen the inevitable seasonal stress for your hosts, and make everyone’s holiday happier.
The New York Times,
The World Wants More Danish TV Than Denmark Can Handle
The streaming boom has led to huge international demand for shows from this tiny country, but there aren’t enough professionals to produce them.
The New York Times,
What’s on TV Saturday: ‘Black Christmas’ and ‘The Polar Express’
Stream Bob Clark’s 1974 holiday slasher movie, or catch an animated journey to the North Pole by rail.
The New York Times,
International captain Els takes blame for Sunday slide
Heartbroken Internationals captain Ernie Els said he would shoulder the blame for his team's defeat to the United States at the Presidents Cup but defended his Sunday pairings after they crumbled at Royal Melbourne.
Reuters,
Abe opens Tokyo 2020 National Stadium
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hailed the completion of the National Stadium built for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics on Sunday, his speech at the Kengo Kuma-designed venue praising the efforts to finish on schedule after an early setback.
Reuters,
Woods sets example as player, creates unity as captain
With an unblemished 3-0-0 record this week there was no better player at the Presidents Cup than U.S. captain Tiger Woods, who proved that at 43 he remains the sport's most dangerous competitor when the stakes are at their highest.
Reuters,
Burrow sets voting records in winning Heisman Trophy
LSU quarterback Joe Burrow won the 85th Heisman Trophy in record-setting fashion on Saturday night.
Reuters,
Factbox: Presidents Cup results
The United States beat the International team 16-14 to win the Presidents Cup on Sunday. Following is a list of results at the event:
Reuters,
As U.N. Climate Talks Go to Overtime, a Battle for the ‘Spirit’ of the Paris Pact
World leaders meeting in Madrid remained at loggerheads on Saturday about whether they could commit, just on paper, to raise voluntary climate targets next year.
The New York Times,
A Research Nonprofit Shutters TB Vaccine Effort and Lays Off Scientists
A financially troubled Seattle research institute cut back programs, leaving researchers to find new homes for work on infectious diseases like tuberculosis and leprosy.
The New York Times,
To Prevent Deadly Infections, F.D.A. Approves the First Disposable ‘Scope’
Reusable duodenoscopes infected patients in a series of notorious outbreaks. Now there’s a disposable model to be used just once.
The New York Times,
Frail Older Patients Struggle After Even Minor Operations
These patients are not aware of the true risks, and surgeons aren’t telling them, new research suggests.
The New York Times,
Bloodhound car has 800mph target in its sights for 2021
Test data indicates a land speed record should be achievable, says the project's chief engineer.
BBC News,
The prize app designed to help deaf children in school
The winning app is being developed by Amazon Web Services and will be released for use in schools.
BBC News,
ByteDance unit establishes venture with Chinese state media firm
A unit of ByteDance, the owner of video-sharing platform TikTok, has established a joint venture with a Chinese state media group to work on software development, artificial intelligence and blockchain technology, official registration documents showed.
Reuters,
General election 2019: Viral videos about the NHS dominate the digital campaign
Videos about the NHS received the highest views and shares on social media platforms.
BBC News,
Boy, 5, given prosthetic arm that lets him hug brother
Five-year-old Jacob Scrimshaw was born eight weeks early with most of his left arm missing.
BBC News,
Brazilian food delivery app iFood looks to grow in retail in 2020
Brazilian app iFood, which specializes in delivering ready-to-eat meals to consumers in large cities, is looking to expand its services to other areas and plans to increase operations in retail, chief financial officer Diego Barreto said on Friday.