Tweet
'WORLD at CROSSROADS’ warning as key talks begin
Four senior figures behind efforts to limit climate change have
warned that the planet "is at a crossroads" as key talks opened
a day early in Poland. In a rare move, four former presidents
of the United Nations-sponsored talks called for decisive action.
The meeting in Katowice is the most critical on climate change
since the 2015 Paris agreement. Experts say that drastic cuts in
emissions will be needed if the world is to reach targets agreed
in Paris. Negotiators at the COP24 conference convened a day
early because they are under pressure to make progress.
KEY AFGHANISTAN TALIBAN COMMANDER killed in US air strike
One of the Taliban's most senior commanders has been killed in a US
airstrike in Afghanistan. Mullah Abdul Manan Akhund was the
Taliban's "governor" and military chief for the southern Helmand
province. The Taliban said his death was a "major loss" but it would
not deter them in their efforts to take back control of Afghanistan.
FRANCE FUEL PROTESTS: Macron holds urgent security meeting
A statue of Marianne, a symbol in France, was vandalised inside the Arc de Triomphe
French President Emmanuel Macron has held an urgent security meeting
following a day of riots by thousands of anti-government protesters.
Ministers said that while no options had been ruled out, imposing a
state of emergency had not been discussed during the talks - despite
earlier reports.
THOUSANDS in GEORGIA (country NOT state) protest against
presidential election results
Vashadze has described the election as a “criminal farce” and has called
for snap parliamentary elections after the central election commission said
on Thursday that Salome Zurabishvili, who was backed by the ruling
Georgian Dream party, had secured 59.5 percent of the vote. Vashadze had
40.5 percent, it said. “We don’t recognize illegitimate results of this rigged
election and demand an early parliamentary election to be called in the
country,” Vashadze told thousands of supporters at Sunday’s rally in Tbilisi.
NIGERIA’s BUHARI denies dying and being replaced by lookalike
Nigeria’s President Buhari on Sunday denied claims that he had died and
been replaced by a Sudanese impostor, breaking his silence on a rumor
that has circulated on social media for months. Buhari, who is running
for re-election in February, spent five months in Britain last year being
treated for an undisclosed illness. One theory widely aired on social media
and by some political opponents - was that he had been replaced by a
lookalike from Sudan called Jubril.
BRAZIL’s NEW LEADER Wants to Ease Gun Laws. Supporters Are Ready,
and Training.
For a population angered by the last few years of political and economic
turmoil and worried by escalating violence, Mr. Bolsonaro’s vow to break
with Brazil’s restrictive attitude toward weapons and make it easier for\
“good guys” to own guns was particularly resonant. “We want to get back
\in practice so we can buy a pistol when it happens,” said Mr. Ortega, who
has joined a wave of Brazilians preparing for a widely expected relaxing
f gun restrictions. “We just can’t decide which one.”
TRUMP and KIM
Donald Trump wants North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to know that he
likes him and will fulfill his wishes, South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in
said on Sunday, a day after meeting the U.S. president at an economic
summit in Argentina.
US-CHINA TRADE WAR: Deal agreed to suspend new trade tariffs
Mr. Trump (front right) met Mr Xi (front left) after the G20 summit in Buenos Aires
US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping have
agreed to halt new trade tariffs for 90 days to allow for talks, the US says.
At a post-G20 summit meeting in Buenos Aires, Mr. Trump agreed not to
boost tariffs on $200bn of Chinese goods from 10% to 25% on 1 January.
China will buy a "very substantial" amount of agricultural, industrial and
energy products, the US says. Meanwhile, Beijing says the two sides agreed
to open up their markets.
MEXICO’s NEW PRESIDENT takes aim at violence during first day in office
On his first full day in office, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador
efended a plan to end lawlessness with a new national guard, an initiative that
risks upsetting some supporters who favor a less militarized approach.
Four senior figures behind efforts to limit climate change have
warned that the planet "is at a crossroads" as key talks opened
a day early in Poland. In a rare move, four former presidents
of the United Nations-sponsored talks called for decisive action.
The meeting in Katowice is the most critical on climate change
since the 2015 Paris agreement. Experts say that drastic cuts in
emissions will be needed if the world is to reach targets agreed
in Paris. Negotiators at the COP24 conference convened a day
early because they are under pressure to make progress.
KEY AFGHANISTAN TALIBAN COMMANDER killed in US air strike
One of the Taliban's most senior commanders has been killed in a US
airstrike in Afghanistan. Mullah Abdul Manan Akhund was the
Taliban's "governor" and military chief for the southern Helmand
province. The Taliban said his death was a "major loss" but it would
not deter them in their efforts to take back control of Afghanistan.
FRANCE FUEL PROTESTS: Macron holds urgent security meeting
A statue of Marianne, a symbol in France, was vandalised inside the Arc de Triomphe
French President Emmanuel Macron has held an urgent security meeting
following a day of riots by thousands of anti-government protesters.
Ministers said that while no options had been ruled out, imposing a
state of emergency had not been discussed during the talks - despite
earlier reports.
THOUSANDS in GEORGIA (country NOT state) protest against
presidential election results
Vashadze has described the election as a “criminal farce” and has called
for snap parliamentary elections after the central election commission said
on Thursday that Salome Zurabishvili, who was backed by the ruling
Georgian Dream party, had secured 59.5 percent of the vote. Vashadze had
40.5 percent, it said. “We don’t recognize illegitimate results of this rigged
election and demand an early parliamentary election to be called in the
country,” Vashadze told thousands of supporters at Sunday’s rally in Tbilisi.
NIGERIA’s BUHARI denies dying and being replaced by lookalike
Nigeria’s President Buhari on Sunday denied claims that he had died and
been replaced by a Sudanese impostor, breaking his silence on a rumor
that has circulated on social media for months. Buhari, who is running
for re-election in February, spent five months in Britain last year being
treated for an undisclosed illness. One theory widely aired on social media
and by some political opponents - was that he had been replaced by a
lookalike from Sudan called Jubril.
BRAZIL’s NEW LEADER Wants to Ease Gun Laws. Supporters Are Ready,
and Training.
For a population angered by the last few years of political and economic
turmoil and worried by escalating violence, Mr. Bolsonaro’s vow to break
with Brazil’s restrictive attitude toward weapons and make it easier for\
“good guys” to own guns was particularly resonant. “We want to get back
\in practice so we can buy a pistol when it happens,” said Mr. Ortega, who
has joined a wave of Brazilians preparing for a widely expected relaxing
f gun restrictions. “We just can’t decide which one.”
TRUMP and KIM
Donald Trump wants North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to know that he
likes him and will fulfill his wishes, South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in
said on Sunday, a day after meeting the U.S. president at an economic
summit in Argentina.
US-CHINA TRADE WAR: Deal agreed to suspend new trade tariffs
Mr. Trump (front right) met Mr Xi (front left) after the G20 summit in Buenos Aires
US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping have
agreed to halt new trade tariffs for 90 days to allow for talks, the US says.
At a post-G20 summit meeting in Buenos Aires, Mr. Trump agreed not to
boost tariffs on $200bn of Chinese goods from 10% to 25% on 1 January.
China will buy a "very substantial" amount of agricultural, industrial and
energy products, the US says. Meanwhile, Beijing says the two sides agreed
to open up their markets.
MEXICO’s NEW PRESIDENT takes aim at violence during first day in office
On his first full day in office, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador
efended a plan to end lawlessness with a new national guard, an initiative that
risks upsetting some supporters who favor a less militarized approach.