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Showing posts from December, 2019

Sonny Mehta, Visionary Head of Alfred A. Knopf, Dies at 77 - The New York Times

Sonny Mehta, Visionary Head of Alfred A. Knopf, Dies at 77    The New York Times Sonny Mehta, editor-in-chief of Knopf, dies at 77    CNN Sonny Mehta, Venerable Knopf Publisher, Is Dead at 77    The New York Times If you love books, you owe a debt to Sonny Mehta    The Washington Post Sonny Mehta brought his impeccable taste and keen commercial instincts to the world of books    The Washington Post View full coverage on Google News from World - Latest - Google News https://ift.tt/39sNe5X

New York Times Under Fire For Claiming Thousands Of Organized Iranian- Backed Militia Fighters Storming The US Embasssy In Iraq Were Grieving “Mourners”

Hundreds of Iraqi mourners tried to storm the United States Embassy in Baghdad, shouting “Down, down USA!,” in response to deadly American airstrikes this week that killed 25 fighters https://t.co/jrAtON72eR — The New York Times (@nytimes) December 31, 2019 FOX News : NY Times tweet on 'Iraqi mourners' storming Baghdad embassy prompts backlash online The New York Times if facing backlash for referring to the violent protestors who tried to storm the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad on Tuesday as "Iraqi mourners." Crowds of angry Iraqis protesting America's recent airstrikes against an Iran-backed militia laid siege to the U.S. Embassy compound, chanting "Down, Down USA!" as they stormed through a main gate, prompting U.S. guards to fire tear gas in response. However, the Times offered a more sympathetic description of the mob. Read more .... WNU Editor: What the New York Times saw is different from what I saw. Today's attack against the US emb...

Iraqi Security Forces Turned A Blind Eye During Attack On US Embassy In Baghdad

Washington Examiner: ‘How did they get so close?’: Analysts ask if Iraqi security forces turned a blind eye during attack on US Embassy in Baghdad An Iranian-controlled militia couldn’t have breached the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad without the tacit acquiescence of some Iraqi security forces, according to American government sources and analysts. “It shows just how fragile that relationship is with the U.S. and Iraq,” a U.S. government source who has worked in Baghdad told the Washington Examiner. "It's not an Iraqi government, it's an Iranian satellite.” Such frustrations have simmered for months amid rocket attacks on bases that house American troops in Iraq. The attacks were launched by Iranian-controlled militias that are supposed to report to the Iraqi central government. Those tensions erupted Tuesday when the militias succeeded in breaching the Green Zone in Baghdad. Read more .... WNU Editor: The Iraqi official who was recently appointed to be r...

North Korean leader to end missile test ban, claims state media

Kim Jong-un also unveils plans for a ‘new strategic weapon’ after brushoff from Trump North Korea is abandoning its moratoriums on nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests, state media has reported its leader Kim Jong-un as saying. Kim also reportedly said his country planned to introduce a “new strategic weapon” in the near future. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian https://ift.tt/39wlptu

Let's resolve to reconnect, says Welby in new year message

Archbishop of Canterbury urges people to reach out to others and help build unity The archbishop of Canterbury will urge people to make personal connections with others in 2020 to create a new unity in a divided society. In his new year message, to be broadcast on BBC One at 1pm on Wednesday, Justin Welby will say: “Let’s go for a heroic new year’s resolution. Let’s resolve to reconnect. To reach out to just one person we don’t know, or from whom we have drifted apart. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian https://ift.tt/36d8PNL

'Apocalyptic': New Zealand shrouded in smoke from Australian bushfires

Swathes of the South Island are affected by haze with the sky in places turning orange New Zealanders in the South Island of the country have woken up to a red sun and orange skies on new year’s day, with the smoke from Australia’s catastrophic bushfires drifting east overnight. The Met service, New Zealand’s meteorological agency, said the smoke had drifted 2000km east across the Tasman sea and was “clearly visible” in satellite imagery taken from above the South Island. Smoke had been drifting east for weeks, the agency said, but had increased on Wednesday due to the severity of the Australian fires and an unbroken northwest flow. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2SOpaVc

Kim Says North Korea Not Bound to Test Freeze, Built New Weapon

(Bloomberg) -- Kim Jong Un declared that he was no longer bound by his pledge to freeze major weapons tests, saying the regime would soon debut a “new strategic weapon” and take “shocking” action toward the U.S.The North Korean leader told a gathering of party leaders in Pyongyang that the new weapon system had been “perfectly carried out” by scientists, designers and “workers in the field of the munitions industry,” the state-run Korean Central News Agency said Wednesday. The comments were released early New Year’s Day in North Korea, an occasion when Kim has previously made a televised address announcing big policy shifts.“The world will witness a new strategic weapon to be possessed by the DPRK in the near future,” KCNA said, citing Kim and referring to the country’s formal name.While showing his frustration for sputtering nuclear talks with the U.S., Kim still left an opening for President Donald Trump by not explicitly stating he would resume tests or break off the nuclear negotia...

Donald Trump warns Iran it will pay 'big price' as protesters try to storm US embassy in Baghdad

Donald Trump accused Iran of orchestrating the attack on the US embassy in Baghdad as he said he expected Iraq to “use its forces” to intervene. "Iran will be held fully responsible for lives lost, or damage incurred, at any of our facilities. They will pay a very BIG PRICE! This is not a Warning, it is a Threat," he wrote on Twitter. "The US Embassy in Iraq is, & has been for hours, SAFE! Many of our great Warfighters, together with the most lethal military equipment in the world, was immediately rushed to the site," Mr Trump  intensified pressure on the Iraqi authorities who had been powerless to prevent hundreds of demonstrators breaching the outer wall of the embassy compound in the heavily fortified green zone. He pressed the case for action in a call to  Iraq's caretaker  Prime Minister Adel Abd al-Mahd, urging him to protect US personnel and property. Chanting "death to America", the protesters set fire to a sentry box, pulled security camer...

Is the U.S. Embassy Baghdad Attack a Sign of Things to Come?

Iranian-backed militia swarmed the U.S. embassy in Baghdad on Tuesday chanting “Death to America,” sparking widespread concern among officials in Iraq and Washington about further targeting of American outposts in the days to come.  The protest escalated Tuesday afternoon in Iraq as individuals holding the flags of Kataib Hezbollah, which launched rocket attacks that killed an American contractor on Friday only to be hit by U.S. airstrikes on Sunday, scrawled graffiti on the walls of the compound and used long concrete poles to try and break through the doors and windows. Is U.S. Embassy Attack in Baghdad Part of an Iran Trap?Others climbed on top of one of the American buildings, hoisting the Kataib Hezbollah flags to the roof. The crowds eventually dispersed, but U.S. officials said they would send additional troops to the area to protect embassy staffers. The State Department said there were no plans to evacuate the compound.The embassy protest took place after the U.S...

Pompeo hopes North Korea's Kim chooses 'peace and prosperity over conflict and war'

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday he hoped North Korea would choose peace over war, a response to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un saying would introduce a "new strategic weapon" in the near future. from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2SG2o1W

Protesters burn security post at U.S. Embassy in Iraq in new foreign policy test for Trump

Protesters angry about U.S. air strikes on Iraq hurled stones and torched a security post at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad on Tuesday, setting off a confrontation with guards and posing a new challenge for U.S. President Donald Trump. from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/36fVtQS

The 2010s: A Decade Of Protests Around The World - NPR

The 2010s: A Decade Of Protests Around The World    NPR Key events that shaped the Middle East and North Africa in 2019    Al Jazeera English Looking back at the Middle East’s 2019: Surprises from Trump, Saudi power moves, protests and more    Washington Post View full coverage on Google News from World - Latest - Google News https://ift.tt/2FbPYqI

India cold wave: Delhi reels from coldest day in more than a century - BBC News

India cold wave: Delhi reels from coldest day in more than a century    BBC News Cold Wave Continues In North India, Several Trains Delayed    NDTV Freezing weather causes deaths in India and Bangladesh    Reuters New Delhi Poised for Coldest December Day in More Than a Century    Bloomberg UP's Kanpur Hits Zero Degrees, Delhi Gets Cold Wave Relief Till January 4    NDTV View full coverage on Google News from World - Latest - Google News https://ift.tt/2QzDDSs

Australian fires: why the heat and bushfires got so bad - Vox.com

Australian fires: why the heat and bushfires got so bad    Vox.com Climate change investing catches on with millennials who believe it's pressing — and profitable    CNBC How Democrats decided climate change was a campaign issue    Washington Examiner The 2010s were a lost decade for climate. We can’t afford a repeat, scientists warn.    The Washington Post Fact checking Angus Taylor: does Australia have a climate change record to be proud of?    The Guardian View full coverage on Google News from World - Latest - Google News https://ift.tt/2SC7qwp

Throw a Dish. Don’t Eat Lobster. What Are Your New Year’s Superstitions? - The New York Times

Throw a Dish. Don’t Eat Lobster. What Are Your New Year’s Superstitions?    The New York Times Some of the world’s tastiest New Year’s good luck traditions    The Washington Post Most bizarre New Year’s Eve traditions around the world from partying in cemeteries to hurling sofas out the w    The Sun New Year’s traditions: The 5 New Year’s Eve traditions from around the world    Express View full coverage on Google News from World - Latest - Google News https://ift.tt/2MJX9dP

100 US Marines And Apache Helicopters Deployed To Reinforce U.S. Embassy In Baghdad After Iraqi Protesters Storm Gates

VIDEO: AH-64 Apaches protect @USEmbBaghdad . 🚁“We have taken appropriate force protection actions to ensure the safety of American citizens...and to ensure our right of self-defense. We are sending additional forces to support our personnel at the Embassy.”~ @EsperDoD 🇺🇸🇮🇶 pic.twitter.com/amABHBAOcL — OIR Spokesman Col. Myles B. Caggins III (@OIRSpox) December 31, 2019 Daily Mail : Trump says Iran 'will pay a very BIG PRICE' after US embassy in Baghdad was attacked by pro-Tehran mob forcing Pentagon to deploy 100 Marines in Chinooks to reinforce the compound * A swarm of protesters attacked the US embassy in Baghdad, Iraq on Tuesday * Militia fighters broke through the compound gate and set fires within the high-security complex * American soldiers inside the embassy have fired tear gas, stun grenades and warning shots at the fighters * The ambassador was on leave at the time of the attack and embassy staff had already been evacuated before the US Marine guard be...

Australia fires: A visual guide to the bushfires and extreme heat - BBC News

Australia fires: A visual guide to the bushfires and extreme heat    BBC News Victoria bushfires: East Gippsland fires update    Guardian News No way out: Tourists refusing to leave East Gippsland face being TRAPPED due to road closures    Daily Mail Volunteer firefighter Samuel McPaul killed after high winds roll multiple trucks    NEWS.com.au Australia: Volunteer firefighter killed by 'freakish' wind    BBC News View full coverage on Google News from World - Latest - Google News https://ift.tt/2sBJ4rQ

ICE STORM WARNING: Accumulation and damage reports - WWLP.com

ICE STORM WARNING: Accumulation and damage reports    WWLP.com Winter storm brings freezing rain and ice from Midwest to New England    CBS Evening News Freezing Rain, Hail, Lightning and More Making a Mess Across the State    NBC Connecticut What meteorologists are saying about the rain and freezing rain forecast for Massachusetts    Boston.com Ice storm and winter weather expected across eastern New York; more mild in Central NY    syracuse.com View full coverage on Google News from World - Latest - Google News https://ift.tt/35c6MrW

MoD proposed Russian membership of Nato in 1995, files reveal

Released papers expose ‘associate membership’ plan and Yeltsin’s drinking habits Russia could have become an “associate member” of Nato 25 years ago if a Ministry of Defence proposal had gained support, according to confidential Downing Street files which also expose Boris Yeltsin’s drinking habits. The suggestion, aimed at reversing a century of east-west antagonism, is revealed in documents released on Tuesday by the National Archives at Kew. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2ZBDUIy

Papers reveal Anglo-French distrust before Srebrenica massacre

Archives show British PM was warned France may have made secret deal with Bosnian Serbs Days before the Srebrenica massacre in July 1995, John Major was warned France had possibly brokered a secret deal with the Bosnian Serbs to halt airstrikes in return for the release of western military hostages. This claim, detailed in a secret Foreign Office note to the prime minister, is among documents available to read at the National Archives in Kew fromTuesday that expose the depth of Anglo-French distrust during the Balkans conflict. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2rIgCEv

John Major aide blasted Foreign Office ‘camels’ over Israel trip, archive reveals

Papers shed light on wrangling over plans to visit Palestinian centre during PM’s 1995 tour Foreign Office “camels” and senior No 10 aides were embroiled in behind-the-scenes wrangling over whether a government minister should visit a prominent Palestinian centre in Jerusalem during John Major ’s 1995 tour of Israel, documents reveal. The dispute arose over plans for the then Foreign Office minister Douglas Hogg to visit Orient House, the centre of Palestinian life in Jerusalem for more than a century, occupied by a leading PLO member, and a key political symbol of the Palestinian presence in the city. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian https://ift.tt/37mbULD

Microsoft says North Korea-linked hackers stole sensitive information

Thallium is believed to be operating from North Korea, Microsoft said in a blog post, and the hackers targeted government employees, think tanks, university staff members and individuals working on nuclear proliferation issues, among others. Most of the targets were based in the United States, as well as Japan and South Korea, the company said. Thallium tricked victims through a technique known as "spear phishing", using credible-looking emails that appear legitimate at first glance. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2SEDa3X

Gazprom, Ukraine Finalize Deal to Ship Russian Gas to Europe

(Bloomberg) -- With just a day to spare, Russia and Ukraine signed all agreements necessary to continue gas flows to Europe for the next five years, averting a winter supply crisis.“After five days of non-stop bilateral talks in Vienna, final decisions have been taken and final agreements reached,” Gazprom PJSC Chief Executive Officer Alexey Miller said in an emailed statement, adding that the package of agreements ensures that Russia ships its natural gas via Ukraine beyond Dec. 31. The current gas-transit deal between the two nations expires on Jan. 1.Natural gas flows are a key feature in the fraught relationship between the two countries and getting a final deal done before the end of the year will appease energy traders across Europe. Supplies to the region have been cut twice during in the past 13 years at times of peak demand because of financial and political disputes between the two former Soviet allies.“It is the end of the year but not the end of achievements,” Ukrainian Pre...

Woman sues Epstein estate, says she was 14 during encounter

A woman who says she was 14 when she had a sexual encounter with financier Jeffrey Epstein at his mansion sued his estate in Florida court on Monday for coercion, inflicting emotional distress and battery. The woman went to Epstein's Florida mansion in 2003 when she was “a vulnerable child without adequate parental support,” the lawsuit said. According to the lawsuit, the teenager was first approached by another teenage girl who offered her $200 to give Epstein a massage at his mansion. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/36bNh47

Angela Merkel Issues Stark Warning on ‘Real, Alarming’ Climate Change

(Bloomberg) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel called global warming “real” and “alarming” in her New Year’s address, saying she will do “everything in her power” to make sure Germany makes a meaningful contribution to tackling it.“It is our children and grandchildren who will have to live with the consequences of what we do, or fail to do, today,” Merkel said in the written version of a televised address that will be broadcast on Tuesday.“So I am devoting all my powers to ensuring that Germany makes its contribution -- ecologically, economically and socially -- to getting to grips with climate change,” added the German leader.Merkel acknowledged the shortcomings of a much-criticized package of measures her coalition government agreed in September, saying she is aware that some are concerned the measures are too demanding, while others fear they do not go far enough.Germany’s upper house of parliament approved the core element of the package this month, including a higher levy on carbo...

N Carolina diocese publishes list of credibly accused clergy

A Catholic diocese in North Carolina on Monday published a list of 14 clergy who it says have been credibly accused of child sexual abuse in the nearly 50 years since the diocese was established. The Diocese of Charlotte also listed six clergy members who served the area before the diocese was formed in 1972, and 23 clergy members from the diocese who were accused of misconduct while working for the church in other places. “To all who have been victimized by Catholic clergy, I apologize on behalf of the diocese and express to you personally my heartfelt sorrow for the physical, emotional and spiritual pain you have suffered,” the Rev. Peter Jugis wrote on the diocese's website. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2rFeFIL

Powerful winter storm lingers in Upper Midwest

A fierce winter storm that created blizzard conditions in parts of Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota shut down interstates, led to hundreds of vehicle crashes and brought a metropolitan area of more than 200,000 people to a standstill on Monday morning. Residents in the Fargo and Moorhead, Minnesota area who are used to snowstorms were told to stay home after a foot of heavy, wet snow made that fell on top of a sheet of ice made travel difficult and stoked early fears about spring flooding. The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning in northeastern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula, where periods of heavy snow and gusty winds were expected to create difficult travel conditions. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2QdKZw1

I'm using all my strength to fight climate change, says Merkel

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in a her New Year's message she is fighting climate change with all her strength to enable future generations to live in peace and prosperity. from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2QwgQXD

Sudan to deploy troops to West Darfur after deadly unrest

Sudan's authorities said on Monday they would deploy military forces to West Darfur and suspend peace talks with rebel groups for 24 hours after an outbreak of deadly violence around the regional capital. from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2rGnK45

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- December 30, 2019

From left, protests in 2019 in Paris, France, in Baghdad, Iraq, and in Hong Kong. Stephane de Sakutin, AFP; Khalid al-Mousily, REUTERS; Danish Siddiqui, REUTERS Tamar Shiloh Vidon, France 24: A year of discontent: Protests of 2019 toppled world leaders from Bolivia to Sudan Street demonstrations rocked cities around the world in 2019, with some leading to the downfall of longtime leaders who once appeared invulnerable while others put their governments on notice in a year that proved to be one of widespread discontent. Protesters are demanding the removal of corrupt governments, better living standards, greater freedoms and more rights. The leaders of Bolivia, Algeria, Lebanon, Iraq and Sudan have been pushed out as a consequence. Elsewhere, such as in Chile and Ecuador, protesters have won concessions from their governments. FRANCE 24 takes a look at some of the popular movements that have successfully led to the ouster of political leaders in 2019 – some of them after dec...

Embassy row: US & Germany jump into spat over WWII outbreak between Russia and Poland

The dispute between Warsaw and Moscow over what started the Second World War – yes, really – has now expanded to Poland’s allies, as first the US and then German envoys chimed in with revisionist history. “Dear President Putin, Hitler and Stalin colluded to start WWII. That is a fact. Poland was a victim of this horrible conflict,” US ambassador to Poland Georgette Mosbacher tweeted on Monday – in both English and Polish, suggesting that her message of “collusion” was intended more for domestic consumption than for the Russian head of state. Drogi Prezydencie Putin, to Hitler i Stalin zmówili się, aby rozpocząć II wojnę światową. To jest fakt. Polska była ofiarą tego okropnego konfliktu. — Georgette Mosbacher (@USAmbPoland) December 30, 2019 “Dear Ambassador, do you really think that you know about history any more than you do about diplomacy?” the Russian embassy in Warsaw responded, in English. This likely referred to the fact that Mossbacher used to be the CEO of a cosmetic...

Taliban Council Agrees To A Temporary Ceasefire In Afghanistan

Daily Mail: Taliban agrees to ‘10-day ceasefire’ in Afghanistan to boost hopes of US peace deal * A peace deal would allow Washington to bring home its troops from Afghanistan * The US wants deal to include promise country not used as a base for terrorists * The Taliban chief must approve the agreement but that is expected to happen The Taliban said it has agreed to a temporary nationwide ceasefire in Afghanistan, providing a window during which a peace agreement with the United States could be signed. A peace deal would allow Washington to bring home its troops from Afghanistan and end its 18-year military engagement in the country. The US wants any deal to include a promise from the Taliban that Afghanistan would not be used as a base by terrorist groups. The US has an estimated 12,000 troops in the country. Read more .... More News On The Taliban Council Agreeing To A Temporary Ceasefire In Afghanistan Taliban council agrees to cease-fire in Afghanistan -- AP T...

US conducts strikes in Iraq, Syria on Iran-backed militia behind attack that killed American, Pentagon says - USA TODAY

US conducts strikes in Iraq, Syria on Iran-backed militia behind attack that killed American, Pentagon says    USA TODAY US conducts airstrikes in Iraq, Syria after contractor killed, American troops injured in rocket attack    Fox News US strikes 5 facilities in Iraq and Syria linked to Iranian-backed militia    CNN U.S. Contractor Killed, Military Personnel Injured in Rocket Attack on Iraqi Military Base    TIME Pentagon says it carried out strikes in Iraq and Syria against militia responsible for defense contractor's death    CBS News View full coverage on Google News from World - Latest - Google News https://ift.tt/2tcuVkX

Trump could lose popular vote by 5 million but still win 2020 election, Michael Moore warns - The Independent

Trump could lose popular vote by 5 million but still win 2020 election, Michael Moore warns    The Independent The Obama and Trump reading lists, compared    CNN Column: Who will win the 2020 presidential election? Don't ask    Los Angeles Times The decade in review: Washington, D.C., was Ground Zero for a decade of political turbulence    CBS News 2020 will be the year of the African-American voter | Opinion    NJ.com View full coverage on Google News from World - Latest - Google News https://ift.tt/2Qsfmha

'Go to Pakistan', says India officer as leader praises crackdown - Al Jazeera English

'Go to Pakistan', says India officer as leader praises crackdown    Al Jazeera English Indian police officer tells citizenship law protesters to 'go to Pakistan' as death toll rises    The Independent We Are Witnessing a Rediscovery of India’s Republic    The New York Times Protests against controversial India citizenship proposal continue    CNBC View full coverage on Google News from World - Latest - Google News https://ift.tt/37i99eu

Some of IRA's victims mistakenly killed as 'informers', files show

Government list includes some of most notorious cases from the Northern Ireland Troubles Some of the dozens of victims killed by the IRA for supposedly “informing” during Northern Ireland’s Troubles were not working for the police or security services, according to official documents released in Belfast. A sample list of alleged informers shot dead by the Provisional IRA between 1978 and the 1994 ceasefire has emerged from government files released to the Northern Ireland public records office on Monday. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian https://ift.tt/36c5oqA

Civil rights leader John Lewis has stage 4 pancreatic cancer

Democrat is ‘clear-eyed about the prognosis’ but plans to return to Washington soon Congressman John Lewis, the civil rights leader and Democrat representative for Georgia, is receiving treatment for stage 4 pancreatic cancer, his office has said. “I have been in some kind of fight – for freedom, equality, basic human rights – for nearly my entire life. I have never faced a fight quite like the one I have now,” Lewis, 79, said in a statement released on Sunday evening. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian https://ift.tt/37lHSb2

Bahrain expresses support for U.S. strikes on Kataib Hizbollah facilities in Iraq, Syria: statement

Bahrain expressed support for strikes conducted by the United States targeting Kataib Hezbollah facilities in Iraq and Syria, Bahrain's Foreign Ministry said on Sunday. from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2F2ZQ67