north america europe australia · 12/3/2019 · trump’s hesitation to meet with ukraine’s...

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december 2 (GmT) – december 3 (AeST), 2019

AUSTRALIAEUROPENORTH AMERICA

GOP: Trump actions ‘prudent’

A Republican report designed to counter Democrats’ impeachment case will argue that President Donald Trump’s hesitation to meet with Ukraine’s president and provide military aid to the country was “entirely prudent.” The report, obtained by The Associated Press, disputes that Trump was laying out a “quid pro quo” with Ukraine when he asked the country’s president to investigate Democrats.

Boris: Allies anxious over Corbyn

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has issued a stinging criticism of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s security record by accusing him of siding with “our enemies” as world leaders arrive in the UK for a two-day Nato summit. The Conservative Party leader has blasted his election rival for his approach to NATO, which is marking its 70th anniversary, and to the threat of Russia.

Second person found in outback

There’s been a second miracle in the search for a trio who went missing in the searing Northern Territory outback two weeks ago. Just one person remains missing after a pastoralist found Phu Tran, 40, in the Palmer Valley area south of Alice Springs. He managed to survive after finding water and is being taken to hospital where he’ll be treated for exposure.

France facing tariff retaliation

The Trump administration is proposing tariffs on up to $2.4 billion worth of French imports – including Roquefort cheese, handbags, lipstick and sparkling wine – in retaliation for France’s tax on American tech giants like Google, Amazon and Facebook. The Office of the US Trade Representative charged that France’s new digital services tax discriminates against US companies.

Amnesty: 208 killed in Iran

At least 208 people in Iran have been killed amid protests over sharply rising gasoline prices and a subsequent crackdown by security forces, Amnesty International said, as one government official acknowledged telling police to shoot demonstrators. Iran has yet to release any nationwide statistics over the unrest that gripped the Islamic Republic beginning November 15 with minimum prices for government-subsidized gasoline rising by 50 per cent.

PM: Gun reforms still stand

The data breach in the gun buyback registry should not be cause to undermine the firearms reforms, says Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. The gun buyback website was shut down after police were alerted to a breach which allowed gun owners’ names and addresses to be viewed. It was traced back to an online update from German software provider SAP, which has since apologised for the human error.

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AUSTRALIAREST OF THE WORLDNORTH AMERICA

Trump blocks Bloomberg News

President Donald Trump’s campaign said it will no longer give credentials to Bloomberg News reporters to cover campaign events because of coverage “biases,” an accusation that the news organization rejects. The decision comes a week after the news service’s founder, billionaire Michael Bloomberg, announced he was seeking the Democratic nomination for president.

Leaders in UK for NATO summit

US President Donald Trump and his NATO counterparts were gathering in London Tuesday to mark the alliance’s 70th birthday amid deep tensions as spats between leaders expose a lack of unity that risks undermining the military organisation’s credibility. For the third summit in a row, Trump is expected to renew demands that european allies and Canada step up defence spending.

Howard an inspiration to PM

Scott Morrison is aiming to emulate John Howard’s “golden years” during the current term of parliament. The prime minister delivered his final rallying call for the year to coalition colleagues at a meeting in Canberra. Morrison noted the 2001-2004 term of the Howard government had built on groundwork laid over the preceding six years in office. “That is what we seek to do through this term,” he said.

Progress posible in Colombia

The government of president Iván Duque extended an olive branch to labor and student groups organizing recent protests in Colombia by offering to start separate talks on their demands. Administrative Director Diego Molano said the government is willing to immediately initiate talks on 13 points identified by the national strike Committee – but also asked it to refrain from a planned protest on Wednesday.

Typhoon hits Philippines

A powerful typhoon is blowing through the central Philippines, damaging homes and heading toward the capital, Manila. Typhoon Kammuri hit the eastern coast overnight and was moving west through Quezon province, ripping off roofs, toppling trees and knocking out power. It had maximum sustained winds of 155 kilometers (96 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 190 kph (118 mph).

Action on foreign donations

Responding to the threat of foreign interference, the New Zealand government will rush legislation through parliament to effectively ban overseas donations. Justice Minister Andrew Little made the announcement, pledging to pass the the bill within the day. “The risk of foreign interference in elections is a growing international phenomenon and can take many forms, including donations. New Zealand is not immune from this risk,” Little said.

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UK

Prime Minister Boris Johnson. - PA

Johnson blasts Corbyn ahead of Nato summitBritish Prime Minister Boris Johnson has issued a stinging criticism of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s security record by accusing him of siding with “our enemies” as world leaders arrive in the UK for a two-day Nato summit.

The Conservative Party leader has blasted his election rival for his approach to NATO, which is marking its 70th anniversary, and to the threat of Russia.

In an interview with The sun, the Tory leader said the uK’s closest allies were “very anxious” about Corbyn being elected to Number 10 and accused him of being “naive” to the terror risk Britain faces.

The Prime Minister even suggested the likes of the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand – the nations that, with Britain, make up the so-called Five eyes intelligence-sharing agreement – could stop working closely with the UK if Corbyn became prime minister.

“every time he has the chance, he sides with our enemies,” Johnson said.

“A lot of our allies, particularly the Five eyes, are very anxious about any future collaboration.

“It is absolutely not a Tory scare story. They have said precisely this.”

A Labour spokesman hit back at the remarks, accusing the Tories of trying to “keep people safe on the cheap”.

“Jeremy Corbyn has consistently made the right calls in the interests of peace and security at home and abroad and will do whatever is necessary and effective to keep the British people safe,” the party spokesman said.

“Real security doesn’t just come from strong laws and intelligence, it also comes from effective public services that have the funding they need. You can’t keep people safe on the cheap.” ■

us president donald and first lady melania Trump. - Ap

NORTH AMERICA

Rupublican party labels Trump actions ‘prudent’A Republican report designed to counter Democrats’ impeachment case will argue that President Donald Trump’s hesitation to meet with Ukraine’s president and provide military aid to the country was “entirely prudent.”

The report, obtained by The Associated Press, disputes that Trump was laying out a “quid pro quo” with Ukraine when he asked the country’s president to investigate Democrats. It says Trump holds a “deepseated, genuine, and reasonable skepticism” of Ukraine due to its history of corruption.

The Republicans argue that Democrats are trying to impeach Trump because of his “outside the beltway” approach to diplomacy.

The GOP report is expected to be released the same day Democrats on the House intelligence committee will release their own report.

Meanwhile, the House impeachment report on Trump will be unveiled behind closed doors for key lawmakers as Democrats push ahead with the inquiry despite the White House’s declaration it will not participate in the first Judiciary Committee hearing.

The democratic majority on the House Intelligence Committee says the report, compiled after weeks of testimony, will speak for itself in laying out what Chairman Adam schiff, D-Calif., called the evidence of “wrongdoing and misconduct” by the Republican president over his actions toward Ukraine.

It was being made available for committee members to review ahead of a vote to send it to the Judiciary Committee for the landmark hearing. ■

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MIDDLE EAST

Rainwater pools at a gas station attacked during protests. - AP

Amnesty International: At least 200 killed in IranAt least 208 people in Iran have been killed amid protests over sharply rising gasoline prices and a subsequent crackdown by security forces, Amnesty International said, as one government official acknowledged telling police to shoot demonstrators.

Iran has yet to release any nationwide statistics over the unrest that gripped the Islamic Republic beginning november 15 with minimum prices for government-subsidized gasoline rising by 50 per cent. Iran’s mission to the united nations disputed Amnesty’s findings, though it offered no evidence to support its claim.

Iran shut down internet access amid the unrest, blocking those inside the country from sharing their videos and information, as well as limiting the outside world from knowing the scale of the protests and violence. The restoration of the internet in recent days across much of the country has seen other videos surface.

“We’ve seen over 200 people killed in a very swift time, in under a week,” said mansoureh mills, an Iran researcher at Amnesty. “It’s something pretty unprecedented event in the history of the human rights violations in the Islamic Republic.”

While not drawing as many Iranians into the streets as those protesting the disputed 2009 presidential election, the gasoline price demonstrations rapidly turned violent faster than any previous rallies. That shows the widespread economic discontent gripping the country since may 2018, when President Donald Trump imposed crushing sanctions after unilaterally withdrawing from Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers.

Since the summer, tensions across the Mideast have spiked with attacks the us blames on Tehran. Iran, meanwhile, began to break the deal’s centrifuges, enrichment and stockpile limitations with hopes of pressuring europe to offer it a way to sell crude oil abroad despite Washington’s sanctions. ■

Bernard Roques, a refiner of societe company, smells a Roquefort cheese. - Ap

EUROPE

France facing tariff retaliation from USThe Trump administration is proposing tariffs on up to $2.4 billion worth of French imports – including Roquefort cheese, handbags, lipstick and sparkling wine – in retaliation for France’s tax on American tech giants like Google, Amazon and Facebook.

The Office of the us Trade Representative charged that France’s new digital services tax discriminates against US companies. The trade office will accept public comments on the tariffs, which could hit 100%, through January 6 and hold a hearing January 7.

The French tax is designed to prevent tech companies from dodging taxes by putting headquarters in low-tax european union countries. It imposes a three per cent annual levy on French revenues of digital companies with yearly global sales worth more than 750 million euros ($830 million) and French revenue exceeding 25 million euros.

The US also criticized the French tax for targeting companies’ revenue, not their profits, and for being retroactive.

The decision to pursue tariffs “sends a clear signal that the United States will take action against digital tax regimes that discriminate or otherwise impose undue burdens on US companies,” US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said.

His agency investigated the French tax under section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 – the same provision the Trump administration used last year to probe China’s technology policies, leading to tariffs on more than $360 billion worth of Chinese imports in the biggest trade war since the 1930s.

Lighthizer warned that the US is also exploring whether to pursue section 301 investigations into digital taxes introduced by Austria, Italy and Turkey. ■

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NEW ZEALAND

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. - RNZ

Ardern: Breach doesn’t undermine reformsThe data breach in the gun buyback registry should not be cause to undermine the firearms reforms, says Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

The gun buyback website was shut down after police were alerted to a breach which allowed gun owners’ names and addresses to be viewed. It was traced back to an online update from German software provider SAP, which has since apologised for the human error.

The mistake led to criticism from the Council of Licensed Firearms Owners and Privacy Foundation New Zealand, with the latter saying there had been too many privacy breaches by government agencies.

Just four months ago, sensitive information on hundreds of young people was exposed online by the Ministry for Culture and Heritage.

The prime minister said it was important to keep things in perspective, and that a gun licensing system and registry of category e guns had been operating with no issues prior to the buyback scheme.

“We have one private provider who with one person had a human error that caused one other person to access information they shouldn’t have. I think we should keep this in perspective, this should not undermine reforms that will protect New Zealanders,” she said.

“[SAP] have admitted full liability and taken responsibility and now I need to leave it for the police and them to work through those issues.”

Police say only one person had accessed that information, but that’s disputed by the Council of Licensed Firearms Owners who claim 19 people were able to access it.

Ardern said she had heard of the disputed claims and queried about it again.

“I asked the question again and was told again, that it is still their position that one person has accessed that information … all I can do is relay the advice I’ve received that has come via the software provider,” Ardern said. ■

The search continues for Claire Hockridge. - AAP

AUSTRALIA

Second member of outback trio foundThere’s been a second miracle in the search for a trio who went missing in the searing Northern Territory outback two weeks ago.

Just one person remains missing after a pastoralist found Phu Tran, 40, in the Palmer Valley area south of Alice Springs.

He managed to survive after finding water and is being taken to hospital where he’ll be treated for exposure.

The first member of the group, 52-year-old Tamra mcBeath-Riley, was rescued after keeping herself alive on water she found in a watering hole for cattle.

Claire Hockridge, 46, remains missing as the search continues a fortnight after the group told family and friends they were going for a drive out of Alice Springs.

Their car ended up bogged in sand. The trio stayed together for a number of days but ended up separated in the search for help. ■

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UK

US President Donald Trump meets NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg. - AP

Tense NATO summit begins in LondonUS President Donald Trump and his NATO counterparts were gathering in London to mark the alliance’s 70th birthday amid deep tensions as spats between leaders expose a lack of unity that risks undermining the military organization’s credibility.

For the third summit in a row, Trump is expected to renew demands that european allies and Canada step up defense spending. Meanwhile, lamenting NATO’s “brain death” due to a lack of us leadership, French president emmanuel macron says NATO needs “a wake-up call.”

Trump says French president emmanuel macron’s recent comments that NATO is experiencing “brain death” is very insulting to the military alliance’s other 28 members.

Trump took aim at Macron with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg by his side and called his comments “very nasty.”

Macron said the alliance was experiencing “brain death” in an interview with the economist published last month, suggesting that the alliance was becoming obsolete.

“Nobody needs NATO more than France,” Trump said.Trump has repeatedly criticized fellow NATO members and

complained that too few nations are on track to meet the alliance goal of spending at least 2 per cent of gdp on defense by 2024.

Trump also lashed out at France for a digital service tax that he said unfairly discriminates against US tech companies, including Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon.

Robert Lighthizer, the chief US trade representative, recommended the us respond with $2.4 billion in new tariffs on French cheese, wine and other products.

Macron insists that strategic questions must be addressed, like improving ties with Russia and how to handle an unpredictable ally like Turkey.

In turn, Turkish president Recep Tayyip erdogan has lashed out at Macron, and their very public argument bodes ill for a summit hosted by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. ■

Democratic Presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg. - AP

NORTH AMERICA

Trump campaign to block Bloomberg NewsPresident Donald Trump’s campaign said it will no longer give credentials to Bloomberg News reporters to cover campaign events because of coverage “biases,” an accusation that the news organization rejects.

The decision comes a week after the news service’s founder, billionaire Michael Bloomberg, announced he was seeking the Democratic nomination for president. And Bloomberg News, which the former New York City mayor founded in 1990, said it would not investigate him or his Democratic rivals but would continue to probe the Trump administration, as the sitting government.

Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale called it a troubling decision to “formalize preferential reporting policies.” He said Bloomberg reporters would no longer be credentialed to cover campaign events until the policy is rescinded.

“As President Trump’s campaign, we are accustomed to unfair reporting practices, but most news organizations don’t announce their biases so publicly,” Parscale said.

Bloomberg editor-in-Chief John micklethwait said the accusation of bias couldn’t be further from the truth.

“We have covered Donald Trump fairly and in an unbiased way since he became a candidate in 2015 and will continue to do so despite the restrictions imposed by the Trump campaign,” he said.

The Trump campaign’s action illustrates the difficult position Bloomberg’s candidacy has imposed on the news organization.

By saying reporters could not investigate Bloomberg or his Democratic rivals, some critics have said this would prevent the news organization from doing in-depth reporting on the campaign. Bloomberg officials say it’s a position they’ve navigated before when he was mayor. ■

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ASIA

Residents ride a military truck as they evacuate to safer grounds. - AP

Powerful typhoon lashes central PhilippinesA powerful typhoon is blowing through the central Philippines, damaging homes and heading toward the capital, Manila.

Typhoon Kammuri hit the eastern coast overnight and was moving west through Quezon province, ripping off roofs, toppling trees and knocking out power. It had maximum sustained winds of 155 kilometers (96 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 190 kph (118 mph).

Officials warned of storm surges and prolonged heavy rain. Nearly 90,000 residents were evacuating coastal and low-lying areas prone to flash floods and landslides, according to the Office of Civil defense.

Manila’s international airport was closing during the storm’s peak, expected at midday.

The coast guard suspended sea travel in the northeast, stranding thousands of travelers, cargo ships and smaller watercraft in the archipelago nation. ■

Anti-government protesters march in Bogota. - AP

REST OF THE WORLD

Government prepared to speak with protestersThe government of President Iván Duque extended an olive branch to labor and student groups organizing recent protests in Colombia by offering to start separate talks on their demands.

Administrative Director Diego Molano said the government is willing to immediately initiate talks on 13 points identified by the National Strike Committee – but also asked it to refrain from a planned protest on Wednesday.

“We’ve asked them, given the clamor of Colombians and so that the country can begin the Christmas season peacefully, that they suspend the December 4 strike,” Molano said, noting it could have economic and transportation repercussions.

Members of the National Strike Committee, comprised of over a dozen labor, student and other activist groups, said it was too late to stop Wednesday’s protest but expressed hope the offer for dialogue nonetheless remains.

“The government has been very slow to convoke us,” said Julio Roberto Gómez, head of the General Labor Confederation, one of the nation’s largest unions and a member of the National Strike Committee.

Duque had previously insisted that the strike committee join the “National Conversation” he has begun with a wider swatch of society to draft short and long-term solutions to issues like corruption and inequality.

“I’m the president of all Colombians,” duque said. “Those who march and those who don’t march.”

Protest organizers have refused to participate in that dialogue, bashing it as a conversation amongst allies that would dilute demonstrator concerns, and instead demanded that the president establish separate talks specifically with them.

Molano did not make clear if the government would still be willing to hold independent talks with the National Strike Committee even if it proceeds with a Wednesday strike. ■

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Government tackles foreign donationsResponding to the threat of foreign interference, the New Zealand government will rush legislation through parliament to effectively ban overseas donations.

Justice Minister Andrew Little made the announcement, pledging to pass the the bill within the day.

“The risk of foreign interference in elections is a growing international phenomenon and can take many forms, including donations. New Zealand is not immune from this risk,” Little said.

“There’s no need for anyone other than New Zealanders to donate to our political parties or seek to influence our elections.”

The bill, yet to be tabled, will limit foreign donations to just $50.

The Australian limit is $1000.new Zealand is also fighting against “fake news” and the

growing proliferation of misleading online content.The bill requires all political advertising in all mediums to

include a name and address.“We’ve seen in other countries an avalanche of fake news

social media ads that contain no information about who is behind them. That’s not fair and we don’t want to see it repeated here,” Little said.

“If someone wants to advertise online they need to say who they are, the same as if the ad was published in a newspaper.

New Zealand’s intelligence agencies have previously warned of efforts to infiltrate Kiwi democracy.

sIs head Rebecca Kitteridge said there was “foreign interference activity in New Zealand from a range of actors … including some concerns we have about political donations being made by state actors”.

efforts to safeguard democracies from foreign influence have been in the international spotlight in recent years, most notably after the election of Donald Trump as president of the United States of America. ■

NEW ZEALAND

Justice Minister Andrew Little. – RNZ / Dom Thomas

Morrison draws John Howard comparisonScott Morrison is aiming to emulate John Howard’s “golden years” during the current term of parliament.

The prime minister delivered his final rallying call for the year to coalition colleagues at a meeting in Canberra.

morrison noted the 2001-2004 term of the Howard government had built on groundwork laid over the preceding six years in office.

“That is what we seek to do through this term,” he said.He rattled off tax cuts, drought funding and the response

to natural disasters among his proudest achievements for the year.

Also on the list were delivering extra mental health support, efforts to counter foreign interference and the government “walking a tightrope” between the United States and China.

“We can be proud of what we have achieved and also what we have saved the country from,” he told the party room.

“If we hold our unity and don’t allow ourselves to be distracted, then this can and will be one of the great terms of coalition government.”

At the same meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack acknowledged there were “pressure points” between the Liberals and Nationals.

But McCormack stressed the need to work together “to make the boat go faster”.

Liberal deputy leader Josh Frydenberg drew colleagues’ attention to the Liberal Party’s election review released last week, which warned it could not be complacent and needed to better vet its candidates.

Meanwhile, Labor leader Anthony Albanese urged his colleagues and voters not to be “quiet Australians”.

In his final rallying cry to caucus for the year, Albanese took aim at the catchphrase coined by the prime minister after his election win in May. ■

Prime Minister Scott Morrison. - AAP

AUSTRALIA

north america europe australia · 12/3/2019 · trump’s hesitation to meet with ukraine’s...

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