New top story on Hacker News: Shell Has a Forth-Like Quality (2017)

Shell Has a Forth-Like Quality (2017)
4 by pcr910303 | 1 comments on Hacker News.

Man dies of suspected drug overdose at NSW festival as strip-search hearings set to resume

The 24-year-old allegedly consumed a cocktail of drugs at the Strawberry Fields music festival

A man has died after allegedly consuming a cocktail of illicit drugs at a music festival in New South Wales’s Riverina region.

The 24-year-old man was brought to a medical tent about 12.45am on Sunday at the Strawberry Fields music festival at Tocumwal, police said.

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Is Mexican President López Obrador The Country's Strongst Presidnet In Decades?

Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador attends a news conference, at the National Palace in Mexico City, Mexico, May 21, 2019. REUTERS/Henry Romero

Mary Beth Sheridan, The Washington Post: Mexico has its strongest president in decades. Some say he's too strong.

SAN MIGUEL CANOA, Mexico - Elsewhere, Latin America is burning.

In other places - Chile, Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador - presidents are besieged by demonstrators.

But when Mexico's leader rolled into this mountain town one recent Friday, the crowds were adoring. Peasants walked for miles to greet him. Angel Roldán Pérez, a 62-year-old farmer in a red baseball cap, had recently received a singular blessing: an agricultural grant of $84.

"It was the president," the farmer insisted. "He helped us. Before, they wouldn't give us the aid. There was a lot of corruption."

A year after taking office, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador looms larger than any Mexican president in decades - setting the nation's agenda with daily news conferences, reshaping the government with a drastic overhaul of the budget and introducing a raft of programs to help farmers, the elderly and students.

His approval ratings regularly top 60 percent, in a region where many leaders struggle to reach half that.

And yet, as the veteran leftist consolidates power, critics worry he is threatening some of Mexico's hard-won democratic gains. They say López Obrador is weakening institutions that safeguard human rights and clean elections and is exerting more control over funding to the states.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: If he is so strong, why can't he do something about the criminal insurgency by the drug cartels? Mexico is not a safe country for its citizens or visitors, and it has gotten even more dangerous in the past year. As for the economy, it has been stagnant for the entire year .... Mexico’s economy has not been this weak relative to the US since the ‘Tequila crisis’ in the 1990s (CNBC). In fact, it is now in a recession .... Mexico entered recession in early 2019, dealing blow to president (Reuters). But I have been told that Mexicans are giving him the benefit of the doubt for now, and they are applauding his social programs and personal austerity. Considering how much the political establishment has messed up Mexico in the past two decades, I can understand why many in Mexico are hoping the best from Mexican President López Obrador. In their minds he cannot do worse.

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Twitter bans House candidate who suggested Ilhan Omar should be hanged

Twitter may be reluctant to crack down on politicians' tweets, but it still has its limits -- and one political candidate may have crossed the line. The social media giant has permanently banned Republican House candidate Danielle Stella's personal and campaign accounts for "repeated violations" of Twitter's policies. While it didn't elaborate on what those violations were, Stella's campaign suggested that her potential rival, incumbent representative Ilhan Omar, should be "tried for #treason and hanged" if she was found to have passed sensitive info to Iran through Qatar. That claim is unsupported by evidence. The posts may have violated Twitter policies forbidding the promotion of violence or threats.

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New top story on Hacker News: Pilots Revving Engines Too Hard Led to IndiGo’s Airbus Woes

Pilots Revving Engines Too Hard Led to IndiGo’s Airbus Woes
6 by EdwardDiego | 1 comments on Hacker News.

Namibia election: president wins second term despite scandal and recession

Hage Geingob re-elected but ruling party takes hit at the polls, with two-thirds parliamentary majority whittled down

Namibia’s president has won another term but the longtime ruling party has lost its powerful two-thirds majority in its most challenging election since independence nearly 30 years ago.

The southern African nation’s electoral commission said on Saturday that the president, Hage Geingob, received 56% of the vote while opposition challenger Panduleni Itula had 29%.

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Leonardo DiCaprio Responds to Brazil’s President About Amazon Fires

By BY AIMEE ORTIZ from NYT World https://ift.tt/2rG0CSX

Nearly 60 people drown in Victoria's worst toll in 20 years, figures show

Fifty-six people drowned in the state’s waterways in the 2018-19 financial year

Victoria has recorded its worst drowning toll in two decades, a Life Saving Victoria report has revealed.

Fifty-six people drowned in the state’s waterways in the 2018-19 financial year and paramedics were called to 101 near-drownings, figures released on Sunday show.

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China accuses UN rights chief of inflaming Hong Kong unrest

China has accused the U.N. high commissioner for human rights of emboldening “radical violence” in Hong Kong by suggesting the city’s leader conduct an investigation into reports of excessive use of force by police. The U.N. commissioner, Michelle Bachelet, wrote in an opinion piece Saturday in the South China Morning Post that Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam’s government must prioritize “meaningful, inclusive” dialogue to resolve the crisis.

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New top story on Hacker News: Study Finds Wind Speeds Are Increasing, Which Could Boost Wind Energy

Study Finds Wind Speeds Are Increasing, Which Could Boost Wind Energy
3 by PretzelFisch | 0 comments on Hacker News.

What to Watch as Top Polluter Heads to Global Climate Talks

(Bloomberg) -- All eyes are on China as negotiators from nearly 200 nations head to Madrid for the next round of United Nations climate talks. Like most efforts to reach an international consensus, what Beijing wants matters because of its rising geopolitical clout and economic might.But when it comes to one of the core causes of climate change -- carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels -- there’s no bigger player than China. Though it’s the biggest investor in renewable power, it’s the world’s top carbon polluter and energy consumer. Balancing how it powers its massive economy against what’s asked of it by the rest of the planet is far from settled.As a developing economy, China backs one of the main pillars of the UN-organized efforts: that richer nations have more responsibility for past climate-changing emissions than poorer countries, and so they should do more to finance efforts to change course. It also supports a multinational approach to avoiding climate change, criticizing the U.S. decision to pull out of the 2015 Paris Agreement and Europe’s recent consideration of a regional carbon tax.Carbon MarketThere’s a specific and esoteric focus of the Madrid talks: How to implement Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, which addresses developing cooperative approaches and mechanisms to cut emissions and support sustainable development. One way to do this would be a global carbon market, where nations can build up credits from reducing emissions and then trade them.China supports a market mechanism because it’s flexible and offers opportunities to seek lowest-cost options, said Ma Aimin, an adviser to the Chinese government on climate change policies. China could be a developer of credits if its costs are relatively lower or a buyer if costs are higher, he said.China is already in the process of developing its own carbon market, which would be the world’s biggest. How that links to any global effort will depend on the final rules agreed internationally, said Ma, who’s also deputy director-general of the National Center for Climate Change Strategy & International Cooperation.After a bureaucratic reshuffle last year saw China fall behind its own schedule to launch a national carbon market, the newly created Ministry of Ecology and Environment is back on track to launch trading for the power sector next year, Ma said. Registration and trading systems are almost complete and mock trading has started with potential participants, he said. Other industries will be drawn into the market after 2020, Ma added.Withering Green Investments?Meanwhile, world’s biggest renewable energy investor is trying to pull off a major policy shift. After years of bankrolling solar and wind projects, which added more capacity than any other nation, China is now weaning the industry off subsidies and promoting projects that can compete against coal- and natural gas-fired plants.The transition has been rocky. The global solar industry is still reeling from China’s abrupt decision last year to cut subsidies and halt approvals of some new projects. Demand for solar panels and prices sank and haven’t quite recovered. The delay in releasing this year’s solar policy -- a relaxed version of the 2018 approach -- first sparked optimism of a demand boom in the top market, then predictions that it’s failing to happen, creating a lot of uncertainty for manufacturers worldwide.The cool-down in China depressed global clean energy investment, according to data compiled by BloombergNEF. Countries collectively spent almost $189 billion in the first nine months this year, barely over half the amount for all 2018. Worldwide investments reached a six-year low in the first half, with China’s decline especially pronounced, BNEF said. The slowdown in China also pummeled both panel prices and the shares of large developers globally.Next year could see a rebound in investment, according to Wang Bohua, secretary-general of China Photovoltaic Industry Association, who said Friday the nation is likely to announce its 2020 policies soon. This could help capacity additions recover next year to more than 40 gigawatts, he said, citing an industry forecast.Rising EmissionsAs climate warnings become more severe, global focus is shifting from creating more green power toward stopping emissions. That’s putting a harsher spotlight on China, despite its track record of renewables investments.After contributing to a global slowdown earlier this decade, China’s emissions are on the rise again, the UN Environment Program said in a report in November, citing a 1.6% increase in 2018 to a record 13.7 billion tons of carbon dioxide.And the outlook doesn’t seem promising. According to an analysis by Global Energy Monitor, China has enough coal-fired power plants in the pipeline to match the entire capacity of the European Union, driving an overall expansion globally in power from coal, the most-polluting fossil fuel.As part of its Paris Agreement pledge, China aims by 2030 for emissions to peak and for carbon output per unit of economic output to drop by as much as 65% from 2005 levels. Beijing has touted it already hit a 2020 target for a 45% cut in emissions intensity from 2005. But with its GDP growing by 390% since then, overall carbon emissions have risen by more than half.New Negotiator?It’s expected that Zhao Yingmin, vice environmental minister, will lead China’s delegation to this round of climate talks. He’ll take over from Xie Zhenhua, who served as the top negotiator at UN climate meetings for more than a decade.The change in negotiators follows a regulatory restructuring last year that saw responsibility for climate duties moved from National Development & Reform Commission to the new ecology & environment ministry. The ministry didn’t respond to requests for comment.Zhao was appointed to his current position in March 2018, according to his official biography, which lists a series of government appointments since he started at the National Environmental Protection Agency in 1989.“The positions and attitude won’t change dramatically because of a change in officials,” said Li Shuo, a policy adviser at Greenpeace China, who described Xie as “very authoritative and veteran official, who is highly respected internationally.”Xie, who held the role as China’s special representative for climate change affairs even after his 2015 retirement from the NDRC, said earlier in November that China has always sought a “multilateral system” on climate change negotiations and is willing to work with the U.S. to help reign in global warming.To contact Bloomberg News staff for this story: Feifei Shen in Beijing at fshen11@bloomberg.net;Jasmine Ng in Singapore at jng299@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Ramsey Al-Rikabi at ralrikabi@bloomberg.net, Aaron ClarkFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.

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Mikaela Shiffrin Learns a New Way to Win: Without Her Mother as Coach

By BY BILL PENNINGTON from NYT Sports https://ift.tt/35OTySH

Justin Fields Has ‘Heisman Moment’ in Ohio State’s Win Over Michigan

By BY JEFF ARNOLD from NYT Sports https://ift.tt/2R4XJpu

Scott Morrison puts off religious discrimination bill until 2020

The government will rework its religious freedom laws after hundreds of submissions were made to a draft bill

Religious freedom laws will not be introduced to federal parliament until 2020 after hundreds of submissions were made to the draft bill.

The government will also be issuing a revised draft of the Religious Discrimination Act before the end the year to take into account issues that have been raised during the consultation process.

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New Zealand begins genetic program to produce low methane-emitting sheep

‘Global first’ project will help tackle climate change by lowering agricultural greenhouse gases

The New Zealand livestock industry has begun a “global first” genetic program that would help to tackle climate change by breeding low methane-emitting sheep.

There are about six sheep for each person in New Zealand, and the livestock industry accounts for about one-third of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions.

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A Leak-Prone White House Finally Manages to Keep a Secret

By BY MICHAEL CROWLEY from NYT U.S. https://ift.tt/2OD7lGl

Johnson Plans Major Review of U.K.’s Defense, Foreign Policy

(Bloomberg) -- Boris Johnson pledged a full-scale review of Britain’s security, defense and foreign policy if his Conservative Party wins this month’s election, and called on international leaders meeting in London this week to modernize the way NATO is run.The prime minister wants to evaluate how a vast section of Whitehall will work post-Brexit: from the role of the armed forces and British diplomacy to the legal framework for the nation’s security forces, and how to upgrade technology to combat terrorism. The review will be led from Johnson’s office at 10 Downing Street, according to a statement on Sunday.His comments, coming days after a terror attack on London Bridge and less than two weeks before the election, are set to sharpen the debate over whether his Conservatives are better placed than the Labour Party to keep the country’s citizens safe.Johnson’s already promised to stop the automatic early release of people convicted of terror crimes after the suspect in Friday’s stabbing rampage was revealed to be out on parole. Many of the latest polls, taken before the attack, show the Tories still leading but with the gap narrowing.With NATO leaders set for what threatens to be a fractious meeting, Johnson emphasized the need for the military alliance to maintain its unity even as he plots for his country to quit the European Union.“While we are leaving the EU, we must strengthen cooperation with Europe on security,” Johnson said. “The foundation of European security since 1949 has been the NATO and, on its 70th anniversary, we need to modernize it rather than abandon it.”Johnson’s review plan also adds another leg to his party’s manifesto document. Buried on page 48, it promised to set up a commission “to look at the broader aspects of our constitution: the relationship between the Government, Parliament and the courts; the functioning of the Royal Prerogative; the role of the House of Lords; and access to justice for ordinary people.”Foreign Minister Dominic Raab went a step further than the PM in linking the need to bolster NATO with the fallout from the London Bridge attack. Calling on all NATO members to pay their way, Raab said the organization needs to forge an even stronger Transatlantic unity of purpose.“Ultimately, keeping terror off our streets and deepening our security cooperation with our NATO partners are two sides of the same coin,” Raab wrote in the Daily Telegraph.To contact the reporter on this story: James Ludden in New York at jludden@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Matthew G. Miller at mmiller144@bloomberg.net, Ros KrasnyFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.

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New top story on Hacker News: Urbit

Urbit
5 by tomrod | 0 comments on Hacker News.

Shenzhen, vaping capital of the world, holds its breath as health concerns spiral

E-cigarette-related deaths in the US and a Beijing directive have China’s manufacturing sector on tenterhooks

Online e-cigarette sales looked like a promising industry for Edwin Wong when he started his venture a year ago. The 34-year-old had studied Shenzhen’s businesses and products since 2012, and saw a sure bet. Soon, he had developed a loyal base of more than 600 repeat customers and business was steady.

But suddenly, everything changed. Overnight his 2.2m yuan (£240,000) investment in a startup, called KiwiPod, disappeared.

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China due to introduce face scans for mobile users

Beijing wants people to use only real identities online but there is concern over data collection.

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New top story on Hacker News: What I've Learned over National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo) 2019

What I've Learned over National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo) 2019
3 by jamietanna | 0 comments on Hacker News.

New top story on Hacker News: Show HN: MScSim – the real time flight dynamics simulation software

Show HN: MScSim – the real time flight dynamics simulation software
3 by app4soft | 1 comments on Hacker News.

Community Efforts are Key When Addressing HIV/AIDS

ABUJA, Nov 30 (IPS) - Dr. Ifeanyi Nsofor is a medical doctor, the CEO of EpiAFRIC, Director of Policy and Advocacy for Nigeria Health WatchThree years ago, I led an evaluation of an HIV project that focused on increasing access to quality care and supporting services for people living with HIV in Nigeria. It also aimed to reduce HIV-related stigma and discrimination.

Read the full story, “Community Efforts are Key When Addressing HIV/AIDS”, on globalissues.org →

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New top story on Hacker News: Tracking down the true origin of a font used in many games and shareware titles

Tracking down the true origin of a font used in many games and shareware titles
3 by Lammy | 0 comments on Hacker News.

New top story on Hacker News: How to Build a Healthcare Unicorn?

How to Build a Healthcare Unicorn?
3 by saumik | 0 comments on Hacker News.

New top story on Hacker News: Find stuff in org-mode anywhere (2017)

Find stuff in org-mode anywhere (2017)
3 by skovorodkin | 0 comments on Hacker News.

New top story on Hacker News: Neural Annealing: Toward a Neural Theory of Everything

Neural Annealing: Toward a Neural Theory of Everything
3 by dangirsh | 0 comments on Hacker News.

New top story on Hacker News: Introduction to Data Compression (2013) [pdf]

Introduction to Data Compression (2013) [pdf]
3 by skovorodkin | 0 comments on Hacker News.

New top story on Hacker News: Improving CLIs with isatty

Improving CLIs with isatty
3 by jez | 0 comments on Hacker News.

New top story on Hacker News: Hack-a-Mol

Hack-a-Mol
3 by breck | 0 comments on Hacker News.

New top story on Hacker News: Google AdWords charged me for clicks in Istanbul while location targeting the US

Google AdWords charged me for clicks in Istanbul while location targeting the US
3 by siggi | 0 comments on Hacker News.

New top story on Hacker News: React in concurrent mode: 2000 state-connected comps re-rendered at 60FPS

React in concurrent mode: 2000 state-connected comps re-rendered at 60FPS
2 by macando | 0 comments on Hacker News.

New top story on Hacker News: ISOC revealed it would get 1.13B from US investors for .org

ISOC revealed it would get 1.13B from US investors for .org
3 by dano | 1 comments on Hacker News.

New top story on Hacker News: Can hundreds of unrelated satellites create a GPS backup?

Can hundreds of unrelated satellites create a GPS backup?
4 by throw0101a | 1 comments on Hacker News.

Brazil's president accuses actor DiCaprio of paying to burn the Amazon

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro claimed on Friday that Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio financed fires being set in the Amazon rainforest, without presenting any evidence, the right-wing leader's latest broadside in casting blame over forest fires that have generated international concern.

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Gay Sydney police officers seek compensation after winning anti-discrimination case

Four officers from Newtown Police Station were ordered to undergo drug testing because they formed a ‘close-knit group’ and frequented a gay bar

Four gay police officers will seek compensation after winning an anti-discrimination case against NSW Police because they were subjected to drug testing due to their sexuality.

The NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal on Friday ruled in favour of Steven Rapisarda, Shane Housego, Christopher Sheehy and Christian McDonald, finding a superior officer was “motivated, consciously or unconsciously, to make the complaints ... by reason of their homosexuality”.

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3 Young People Stabbed on Busy Hague Street, Setting Off Alarm in Dutch City

By BY CHRISTOPHER F. SCHUETZE from NYT World https://ift.tt/2OUYS04

Mexico bristles at U.S. cartel plan, insists it's doing its part

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Friday that his government was committed to fighting organized crime, seeking to dispel fears that the United States could take matters in its own hands in the fight against drug cartels.

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N Korea warns Japan's Abe may soon see 'real ballistic missile'

Pyongyang lashes out at Japanese leader stepping up rhetoric against close US ally in the region as nuclear talks stall.

from Al Jazeera English https://ift.tt/2L4pquU

Brazil's president accuses actor DiCaprio of paying to burn the Amazon, offers no evidence

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro claimed on Friday that Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio financed fires being set in the Amazon rainforest, without presenting any evidence, the right-wing leader's latest broadside in casting blame over forest fires that have generated international concern.

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The Nets Win One for Their Culture

By BY SOPAN DEB from NYT Sports https://ift.tt/37T891h

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- November 29, 2019

A protester holds an Iraqi flag amid a cloud of smoke from burning tires during ongoing anti-government protests in Najaf, Iraq November 26, 2019. REUTERS/Alaa al-Marjani/File Photo

John Davison and Ahmed Aboulenein, Reuters: Threats, arrests, targeted killings silence Iraqi dissidents

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - After armed men raided the home of Hussein Adel al-Madani and his wife Sara Talib last year, the Iraqi activists spent months of self-imposed exile in Turkey, changed address upon returning home and ceased participating in protests, according to two friends of the couple.

But a day after anti-government demonstrations erupted in Baghdad in October, unidentified gunmen believed by activists to be working on behalf of Iran-backed militia shot the couple dead in their home in the southern city of Basra, said the friends and two security sources familiar with the incident. Sara was several months pregnant.

Read more ....

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- November 29, 2019

Why the resignation of Iraq's prime minister will not automatically stop the mass uprising on the horizon -- Patrick Cockburn, The Independent

Eyewitnesses on the Unrest in Iran -- Susanne Koelbl, Der Spiegel

No phones, scripted tweets: How Trump's Afghanistan trip was kept under wraps -- Humeyra Pamuk, Reuters

The folly of trying to curb China’s rise -- Ken Moak, Asia Times

China’s latest tactic: Call America racist -- Jake Novak, CNBC

ISIL is not dead, it just moved to Africa -- Rashid Abdallah, Al Jazeera

Complacency a concern as AIDS treatment improves in Africa -- Rodney Muhumuza, AP

France Is Back But Where Is Germany? -- Mujtaba Rahman, Politico EU

Is Venezuela really a threat to Latin America and the Caribbean? -- Carlos Eduardo Pina, Al Jazeera

from War News Updates https://ift.tt/2R4CF2c

Clutha helicopter crash: victims’ spouses call for fresh inquiry

Families of officers killed in Glasgow incident express ‘deep concerns and frustrations’

The spouses of the two police officers who died when their helicopter crashed into the Clutha bar in Glasgow six years ago have made public their “deep concerns and frustrations” with the findings of a fatal accident inquiry which blamed the crash on pilot error.

The crash on the night of Friday 29 November 2013, killed the pilot, CaptDavid Traill, and police constables Tony Collins and Kirsty Nelis, along with seven customers of the bar, injuring 31 more. Last month, a fatal accident inquiry concluded that Traill had decided to ignore low fuel warnings.

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New top story on Hacker News: Watching pornography rewires the brain to a more juvenile state

Watching pornography rewires the brain to a more juvenile state
11 by laurex | 0 comments on Hacker News.

Shmoo Cake, Persians and Spudnuts: Touring Canada’s Regional Cuisine

By BY IAN AUSTEN from NYT World https://ift.tt/35P2Y0q

Cabo Verde's Morna for UNESCO list, Belgium’s Carnival of Aalst to Go?

PARIS, Nov 29 (IPS) - Morna, the haunting, traditional music of Cabo Verde, is slated to join UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List when a committee meets in Bogotá, Colombia, Dec. 9 to 14, to consider submissions from around the world.

Read the full story, “Cabo Verde's Morna for UNESCO list, Belgium’s Carnival of Aalst to Go?”, on globalissues.org →

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World News Briefs -- November 28, 2019 (Evening Edition)

Reuters: Trump makes surprise Afghanistan trip, voices hope for ceasefire

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan (Reuters) - President Donald Trump made a surprise Thanksgiving visit to U.S. troops in Afghanistan on Thursday and said he believed Taliban insurgents would agree to a ceasefire in America’s longest war.

Trump’s visit was his first to Afghanistan since becoming president and came a week after a prisoner swap between Washington and Kabul that has raised hopes for a long elusive peace deal.

“The Taliban wants to make a deal and we are meeting with them,” Trump told reporters after arriving in Afghanistan after an overnight flight from the United States, kept secret for security reasons.

Read more ....

MIDDLE EAST

Iraqi forces kill 45 protesters after Iranian consulate torched. 40 Iraqi protesters slain in 24 hours as violence spirals.

Iraq sets up military-led 'crisis cells' to quell mass unrest: statement.

France warns Iran over nuclear deal dispute mechanism.

Iran dismisses French comments about nuclear deal's dispute mechanism.

U.S. accuses Russia of helping Syria cover up chemical weapons use.

Syria: drone footage shows devastation in Aleppo, Deir ez-Zor and rural Damascus – video.

Ankara: Turkish soldiers killed in attack near Syrian border.

Macron is a sponsor of terrorism, says Turkish foreign minister.

Yemen civil war: 128 detainees sent home from Saudi Arabia.

Lebanon faces nationwide petrol workers' strike amid economic crisis.

Israel demolishes homes of alleged Palestinian killers: army.

ASIA

Trump visits troops in Afghanistan, reveals US-Taliban talks.

Hong Kong protests: China warns US over Human Rights and Democracy Act. Furious, China summons US ambassador over Hong Kong bills.

Protesters celebrate a victory after Trump signs Hong Kong human rights act.

North Korea's Kim expressed 'great satisfaction' over rocket test: KCNA.

North Korea fires unidentified projectiles, South Korea military says.

Taiwan’s election season kicks into high gear, as accusations of China meddling fly.

Uighur activists say China running hundreds more camps.

Anger over India's diplomat calling for 'Israel model' in Kashmir.

Abdulla Yameen: Maldives ex-leader convicted of money laundering.

AFRICA

UN: South Sudan recruits new force, contrary to peace deal.

East Africa struggles with heavy rains, with more to come.

Zimbabwe facing 'man-made' starvation, UN expert warns.

Refugees being 'starved out' of UN facility in Tripoli.

Libya, Turkey sign deals on security and maritime jurisdictions.

Namibia counts votes after polling ran on into night.

Mauritanian leader promises 500 mln euros in anti-poverty drive.

DR Congo: Ebola responders killed in armed attacks.

UNICEF: More in Congo killed by measles than Ebola in 2019. Four killed in attacks against DR Congo Ebola response centres.

Drought-hit South Africa braces for fresh heatwave.

EUROPE

Spain's Socialists, Catalan separatists to continue talks on new government.

Opponents attack Johnson’s character as UK election looms.

EU Parliament declares 'climate emergency.

Hopes fade for any more survivors in Albania quake; 46 dead.

France's Macron defends NATO 'brain death' remarks.

U.S. rejects proposal for spy swap of ex-Marine held in Russia.

Maltese PM's aide accused of being mastermind of Caruana Galizia killing.

Police offer €500,000 reward over Dresden diamond heist.

Police chief acquitted over UK stadium accident that killed 96.

Gordon Sondland: US ambassador to EU accused of sexual misconduct.

AMERICAS

Snow-clogged highway in California as stormy weather threatens U.S. holiday travel.

Three more Navy SEALs spared review after Trump's intervention.

Uruguay opposition claims victory in presidential vote, official candidate concedes.

U.S. official: Venezuela paid China, Cuba, Russia billions amid crisis.

Mexico: Poll finds public confidence highest in navy, army and president, lowest in police.

Colombians turn out in memory of dead protester Dilan Cruz. Colombians march in second national strike in less than a week in wake of slain protester. 'Enough is enough': Protests continue into 7th day in Colombia.

Thanksgiving storms dump snow on much of the US – and it isn't over yet.

Balloons cleared to fly in iconic NYC Thanksgiving Day parade.

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

Islamic State group affiliate claims French crash in Mali.

Jihadist crisis puts Mali's political class under pressure.

Germany to ban Hezbollah in its entirety: report.

Hundreds of foreign wives of ISIS fighters and their children remain in Limbo.

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS

World shares retreat after Trump approves Hong Kong bill.

Official: ‘Millimetres’ separate US, China from phase one trade deal.

TikTok parent company complicit in censorship and Xinjiang police propaganda: report.

The CEO of Twitter and Square says he's moving to Africa for at least 3 months next year because the continent will 'define the future'.

from War News Updates https://ift.tt/2OUck4s

Ex-MP Harvey Proctor wins payout from Met over false child abuse allegations

Legal battle came after former politician implicated in disastrous Operation Midland investigation

The former Conservative MP Harvey Proctor has agreed a settlement with Scotland Yard after being subject to false accusations of child abuse and murder, with reports putting the figure he is due to receive at £900,000.

Proctor, whose home was raided as part of the disastrous Operation Midland investigation following fictitious claims made by fantasist Carl Beech, is to receive £500,000 in compensation from the Metropolitan police plus nearly £400,000 towards his legal costs, according to the Daily Mail.

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Thousands of Queenslanders win class action over handling of dams in 2011 floods

Judge finds in favour of 6,800 residents who sued state government and water authorities over management of Wivenhoe and Somerset dams

Almost 7,000 Queenslanders have won a class action over the state’s devastating 2011 floods, with a judge finding they were victims of negligence.

Related: Nine and Nick Cater ordered to pay Wagner family $3.6m in 60 Minutes defamation case

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New top story on Hacker News: My 2019 programming language hierarchy

My 2019 programming language hierarchy
4 by SIRHAMY | 0 comments on Hacker News.

Transcript: Has Trump impeachment probe divided the US further?

Read the full transcript of our discussion about the Trump impeachment inquiry and what it means for a polarised nation.

from Al Jazeera English https://ift.tt/2q4mSFK

Sudan moves to dissolve ex ruling party, repeals public order law

Sudanese transitional authorities approved a law on Thursday to dissolve the former ruling party and repealed a public order law used to regulate women's behavior under ex-president Omar al-Bashir, the justice minister said.

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New top story on Hacker News: Ask HN: What should be taught in high school?

Ask HN: What should be taught in high school?
9 by NiloCK | 4 comments on Hacker News.
I'm an educator with a CS / programming background. There's a possibility that I'll be moving into the 'Information and Communications Technology' role next year at my medium sized high school (grades 9-12, ~700 students, diverse student population). My jurisdiction's curriculum in this area is not well developed, and there are no standardized tests to prepare for. I'll have an amount of freedom in deciding course content that's unusual for high school teachers. What would HN have the modern western high school student learn with respect to "Information and Communications Technology"?

New top story on Hacker News: Show HN: A live-drawn portrait of the common face

Show HN: A live-drawn portrait of the common face
3 by sloev | 1 comments on Hacker News.

Noel Pearson has 'real optimism' Coalition will create Indigenous voice to parliament

Cape York leader says it is still possible the body could be inserted into the Australian constitution

Noel Pearson has said he has “real optimism” the Morrison government will create a voice to parliament and noted it was still possible the body could be inserted into the Australian constitution.

Pearson, the Cape York Indigenous leader and one of 19 advisers appointed to help co-design the voice, made the comments at the Law Council annual dinner on Thursday, lending support to Indigenous affairs minister Ken Wyatt’s suggestion the voice could first be legislated and then later included in the constitution.

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New top story on Hacker News: Making Git and Jupyter Notebooks play nice

Making Git and Jupyter Notebooks play nice
3 by mana99 | 0 comments on Hacker News.

New top story on Hacker News: Mental Mountains

Mental Mountains
3 by 5107h | 0 comments on Hacker News.

New top story on Hacker News: Corals that could survive climate change and help save the world’s reefs

Corals that could survive climate change and help save the world’s reefs
3 by Akababa | 0 comments on Hacker News.

New top story on Hacker News: Flow Browser – A parallel, multithreaded HTML browser

Flow Browser – A parallel, multithreaded HTML browser
5 by robin_reala | 2 comments on Hacker News.

French President Macron Denies Accepting Putin's Anti-Missile Proposal

France has said EU states want to play a role in negotiations after the demise of the pact. Kremlin.ru

Moscow Times/Reuters: France's Macron Denies Accepting Putin's Anti-Missile Proposal

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday denied having accepted a Russian proposal to impose a moratorium on missile deployments in Europe, but said it was important the Kremlin initiative not be simply dismissed.

Russia has called on the United States and other countries to declare a moratorium on the deployment of short and intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe after a treaty banning such a move formally ended in August.

Macron, who met transatlantic alliance NATO's Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg in Paris for talks on Thursday, said France had "absolutely not accepted" the proposal.

"But we considered that, as a basis for discussion, we shouldn't just brush it off... Let's be serious, this is the security of Europe we're talking about," he said.

Read more ....

More News On French President Macron Not Accepting Putin's Anti-Missile Proposal

France's Macron Rejects Putin's Missile Moratorium Proposal -- Sputnik
Macron calls for ‘new’ security architecture with Russia, but rejects its offer of moratorium on short- & and mid-range missiles -- RT
Macron Denies Accepting Putin's Missile Moratorium For Europe: "Absolutely Not Accepted" -- Zero Hedge

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Sudan approves new law 'dismantling' Omar al-Bashir's regime

Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok says new law is not an act of revenge, but rather aimed at preserving people's dignity.

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New top story on Hacker News: New research: Dark Energy might not exist after all

New research: Dark Energy might not exist after all
4 by BurningFrog | 0 comments on Hacker News.

New top story on Hacker News: AMD's Ryzen Gang Is Currently Clobbering Intel on Salea

AMD's Ryzen Gang Is Currently Clobbering Intel on Salea
5 by ekoutanov | 0 comments on Hacker News.

Is Venezuela really a threat to Latin America and the Caribbean?

The accusation that Caracas is a 'threat' to the region is a political talking point rather than a demonstrable reality.

from Al Jazeera English https://ift.tt/33u4JyL

Small plane crashes in Kingston, Ontario, killing seven: local police

A small plane crashed in a wooded area on the outskirts of Kingston, Ontario on Wednesday evening, killing seven people, local police said.

from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2DrbTcp

Maltese Businessman Accuses Top Government Officials in Murder of Journalist

By BY REUTERS from NYT World https://ift.tt/2XXpdie

Ice Sculpture Steals Show at U.K. Climate Debate That Boris Johnson Skips

By BY ALAN YUHAS from NYT World https://ift.tt/33raJbC

Palestine is a climate justice issue

The fight for climate justice for all is directly connected to the Palestinian struggle.

from Al Jazeera English https://ift.tt/34ykeqA

Cambodia's Casino Gamble

101 East investigates the growing criminal underbelly of a new Chinese casino empire in Cambodia.

from Al Jazeera English https://ift.tt/2srbVyQ

TikTok apologises and reinstates banned US teen

Chinese-owned TikTok has apologised to a US teenager who posted a video criticising China's treatment of Muslims.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/37KINCX

Anger after Hong Kong police detain medics providing protest care

Hong Kong’s crackdown on volunteer medics has triggered a rebuke from doctors providing frontline care in protests

from Al Jazeera English https://ift.tt/2OOAFZn

BoM summer outlook warns Australia to prepare for severe fire danger

The hot and dry weather, which has led to bushfires across the country, shows no signs of abating

Australia’s long spell of hot and dry weather that has increased the risk of bushfires is set to continue into summer, with the Bureau of Meteorology warning communities should prepare for more severe fire danger.

The BoM’s summer outlook shows a higher than usual chance of above-average day and nighttime temperatures for most of the country, and an above average chance of drier than average conditions for large part’s of eastern Australia.

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from World news | The Guardian https://ift.tt/33tco02

Navy Drops Effort to Expel From SEALs 3 Officers Linked to Gallagher

By BY DAVE PHILIPPS from NYT U.S. https://ift.tt/35JRjAj

More Accusations Emerge Against Flames Coach Bill Peters

By BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS from NYT Sports https://ift.tt/2OrFFUY

Samoa measles outbreak: WHO blames anti-vaccine scare as death toll hits 39

UN agency says fall in vaccination rates has paved way for ‘huge outbreak’ in Pacific island nation

A measles epidemic in Samoa has killed 39 people, with the World Health Organization (WHO) blaming an anti-vaccine messaging campaign for leaving the Pacific island nation vulnerable to the spread of the virus.

The UN health agency warned that a steep decline in vaccination rates in Samoa had paved the way for a “huge outbreak”, with almost 3,000 in a country of just 200,000 people.

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from World news | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2QYB7qK

German court backs murderer's 'right to be forgotten' online

Man convicted of crime in 1982 wants name removed from internet search results

A man convicted of murder 37 years ago has the right to be forgotten and have his name removed from online search results, Germany’s highest court has ruled.

The constitutional court in Karlsruhe found in favour of a man who was given a life sentence for killing two people on a yacht in 1982.

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from World news | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2DmsDBx

July

By Unknown Author from NYT Slideshows https://ift.tt/2QZJB0v

The Black Sea: Can Europe's most polluted sea be saved?

Scientists are shocked at what they find in the polluted waters, but say there is hope.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2pXH2Bf

China media releases court footage showing alleged spy confessing to fraud

Chinese state media has released trial footage it says proves a Chinese defector seeking asylum in Australia is a convicted criminal with a history of fraud.

from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2OOw5u9

'It was absolutely gutted': five dead after fire in Minneapolis high-rise

Investigators believe the fire, which broke out on 14th floor of public housing high-rise, was an accident

Five people died when a fire broke out on the 14th floor of a public housing high-rise in Minneapolis early Wednesday.

While the cause of the blaze in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood was still under investigation, the fire chief John Fruetel told reporters that investigators believe the fire was an accident.

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Hong Kong protests: Trump signs Human Rights and Democracy Act into law

The Human Rights and Democracy Act has angered Beijing, which has told the US to "stop meddling".

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/37Obq2b

Iraq unrest: Protesters set fire to Iranian consulate in Najaf

Demonstrators stormed the building, in a dramatic escalation after weeks of anti-government protests.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/37JvRNo

Cancer in Africa: Malawi's cervical cancer screening champion

Falesi Mwajomba and a group of cervical cancer survivors are encouraging other women to get screened.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/37ImoWL

Apple's Apps Shows Crimea As Part Of Russia

Screenshot Apple Maps

Daily Mail: Apple changes its Crimea map to show the annexed peninsula as part of Russian territory after bowing to Moscow's demands

* US tech giant Apple has recognised Crimea as Russia's sovereign territory
* Russian lawmakers announced the change proudly in the parliament Wednesday
* Russia annexed Crime in 2014 to widespread condemnation from the US and EU
* When Apple Maps is used in the UK the Crimea appears not to belong to a state

Apple has changed its Crimea map to show that the annexed peninsula is part of Russia's territory after bowing to Moscow's demands.

Russian legislators proudly announced that the US tech giant had complied with their demands in the lower parliament, the State Duma, on Wednesday.

The Black Sea peninsula and its largest cities of Sevastopol and Simferopol are now displayed as Russian territory on Apple's maps and weather apps when used in Russia.

Crimea does not appear to be part of any country when these apps are used in UK.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Ukraine is protesting .... Ukraine denounces Apple for calling Crimea part of Russia in apps (Reuters).

More News On Apple's Apps Showing Crimea A Part Of Russia

Apple changes Crimea map to meet Russian demands -- BBC
Apple Complies With Russian Request to Change Crimea Map -- Moscow Times/Reuters
Apple's Apps Show Ukraine's Crimea As Part Of Russia -- RFE
Apple Maps in Russia shows Crimea as part of Russia after Moscow complaints -- The Hill
Apple alters Maps and Weather to show Crimea as a Russian territory -- The Verge
Apple tweaks Crimea to be part of Russia in apps; Ukraine says tech giant 'doesn't give a damn' -- ABC News Online
Facebook's ex-security boss Alex Stamos slams Apple as 'shameful' for changing its maps to suit a demand from the Russian government -- Business Insider

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