Diane is a perfectionist. She enjoys searching the internet for the hottest events from around the world and writing an article about it. The details matter to her, so she makes sure the information is easy to read and understand. She likes traveling and history, especially ancient history. Being a very sociable person she has a blast having barbeque with family and friends.
Spain’s Supreme Court has withdrawn European arrest warrants for ousted Catalan President Carles Puigdemont and four other ex-ministers.
The former Catalan leaders fled to Belgium a month ago after declaring unilateral independence in a referendum ruled illegal by Spain.
Despite the move, the Supreme Court judge said they still faced possible charges for sedition and rebellion.
Rebellion is considered one of the most serious crimes in Spain, carrying a jail term of up to 30 years.
Judge Pablo Llareno announced the warrant’s withdrawal on December 5, citing the willingness the Catalan leaders had shown to return ahead of fresh regional elections being held on December 21.
The judge said the European-wide warrant would complicate the Spanish legal probe, and its removal allows Spain to gain full control over the investigation.
The ministers turned themselves into Belgian authorities after the warrant was issued last month, but were freed after being questioned.
A Belgian judge was previously expected to rule whether to extradite the ministers on December 14. The five were fighting the move, saying they may not receive a fair trial on their return.
Carles Puigdemont has previously said he would return if this was guaranteed.
On December 4, six Catalan ex-ministers being held in a prison near Madrid were released from prison on bail. However, two others, including former Catalan Vice President Orial Junqueras, were remanded in custody.
Campaigning has now officially started ahead of the new vote organized by Spanish authorities in an attempt to try and resolve the Catalonia crisis.
Carles Puigdemont labeled the election as a choice between “nation or submission” while speaking on a video link from Belgium to a rally in Barcelona on December 4.
He said voters must chose “between Catalan institutions or dark characters in Madrid”.
A seat reserved for the former leader at the event was marked with a yellow ribbon, an emblem that has become a symbol of support for the jailed politicians.
All but one of the thirteen Catalan leaders sacked by the Spanish government after the independence referendum are standing for election again in the fresh vote.
A new opinion poll, conducted by the Spanish Centre for Sociological Research (CIS) in late November, suggests that pro-independence parties will fall narrowly short of an absolute majority in the December election.
Carles Puidgemont and Orial Junqueras’ pro-separatist parties are campaigning separately in the new vote, after a divide emerged over the future of the region following the nulled referendum.
The parties ran together in the 2015 election when separatist parties won an overall majority in the Catalan parliament when they won 72 seats.
President Donald Trump’s travel ban on six mainly Muslim countries can go into full effect, the Supreme Court has ruled on December 4.
The decision is a boost for President Trump’s policy against travelers from Chad, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen.
The Supreme Court’s ruling covers the third version of the directive that the president has issued since taking office.
Seven of the nine justices lifted injunctions on December 4 imposed by lower courts against the policy.
Only liberal Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor would have allowed the president’s order to remain blocked.
Federal appeals courts in San Francisco, California, and Richmond, Virginia, will hear arguments this week on whether the latest iteration of the policy is lawful.
The Supreme Court noted it expects those courts to reach decisions “with appropriate dispatch”.
The case will eventually end up back in the Supreme Court.
The December 4 decision suggests America’s top judicial body may ultimately rule in favor of the administration, say legal analysts.
White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said the White House was “not surprised” by the Supreme Court’s decision.
US Attorney General Jeff Sessions called the ruling “a substantial victory for the safety and security of the American people”.
However, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said President Trump’s re-tweeting of British far-right videos last week showed his discrimination against Islam.
Donald Trump insisted his ban was necessary for national security and pointed to terrorist attacks in Paris, London, Brussels and Berlin as evidence.
However, in striking it down, federal judges have cited President Trump’s campaign description of his policy as a “Muslim ban” and his call for “a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States”.
Lower courts across the US have said President Trump’s policy violated the first amendment of the US constitution covering freedom of religion.
Several protesters and officers have been injured in clashes between police and anti-fascist demonstrators in the German city of Hanover.
Protesters were trying to blockade the far-right Alternative for Germany’s first conference since it entered parliament after September’s elections.
Once the delayed conference began, delegates elected Alexander Gauland as co-leader along with Jörg Meuthen.
Both hardliners, their election suggests the party is continuing its march further to the right.
Georg Pazderski, AfD’s regional head in Berlin and a relative moderate, failed to get delegates’ backing for the leadership.
Two months ago, AfD won 12.6% of the vote in Germany’s federal elections, becoming the third biggest force in the Bundestag after the center-right and social democrat SPD.
They had never entered the federal parliament before but are now eyeing a real chance of becoming Germany’s main opposition party.
If Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrat alliance agrees a coalition deal with Martin Schulz’s social democrats, AfD with 94 lawmakers would become the biggest non-government party.
With temperatures near freezing, Hanover police used water cannon, batons and pepper spray to clear a path for the 600 delegates.
One protester’s leg was broken after he chained himself to a barricade, while an officer was hit on the hand by a flying bottle.
Ten demonstrators were taken into custody.
A total of five protests were scheduled in Hanover on December 2. Some 6,000 people joined a pro-immigration rally in the city center and another rally called by trade unions was expected to draw thousands later.
When the conference got under way an hour late, Jörg Meuthen hailed delegates for helping the party achieve national success within five years of being founded.
He said the party was attracting support from voters put off by the other parties’ “pathetic childish games” amid an ongoing struggle to form a coalition government.
AfD has veered to the right since its inception as an anti-euro force, promoting anti-immigration and anti-Islam policies in its election campaign.
However, this sharp turn has created tension within its own ranks, with former co-leader Frauke Petry quitting within days of the election.
The delegates confirmed the AfD’s rightward trajectory, backing Alexander Gauland, the leader of the parliamentary party, for the co-leadership.
Alexander Gauland, who has pledged to stop “the invasion of foreigners” into Germany, said he had “allowed my friends to convince me to step in”.
Delegates defeated a motion to install Jörg Meuthen as the AfD’s only president.
They are also due to elect a new executive board to decide the ideological direction of AfD and debate policy motions.
The Senate has passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act bill, paving the way for President Donald Trump’s first big legislative victory.
The package would mark the biggest tax cuts since the 1980s. The bill was passed by 51 votes to 49, after a series of amendments in a marathon session.
Democrats complained the bill only benefited the wealthy and big business.
The plan sees a sharp cut in corporation tax, but a Senate committee finding has warned it would add $1trillion to the budget deficit.
Donald Trump wants the measures enacted by the end of the year and congratulated Republicans for taking the US “one step closer to delivering massive tax cuts for working families”.
The Senate will now have to merge its legislation with that passed last month by the House of Representatives, before it can be signed into law by the president.
Presiding over the Senate, VP Mike Pence declared the 51-49 victory to applause from Republicans in the early hours of December 2.
The new tax plan would see the corporate tax rate lowered from 35% to 20%, and include more modest tax cuts for individuals across income levels.
Following the vote, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said his opponents would pay the price at the ballot box in mid-term elections next year.
He said the measures would endanger social security and medical provision.
Republican Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said the legislation would prove to be “just what the country needs to get growing again”.
The final draft of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act bill went through several changes on December 1 in order to bring reluctant Republicans on board. Republicans have a 52-48 majority in the Senate.
Democrats were angry about the last-minute revisions, complaining that they had not been given enough time to digest the nearly 500-page document, with handwritten changes to the legislation.
President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser Michael Flynn has pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI about meetings with the Russian ambassador weeks before Trump became president.
The charges were brought by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, as part of his inquiry into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 US election.
Michael Flynn is the most senior member of the administration to be indicted.
He also revealed he was co-operating with Robert Mueller’s inquiry.
Significantly, a statement made by Michael Flynn to prosecutors appears to implicate a more senior, though unnamed, Trump team official – indicating the direction in which Robert Mueller’s investigation may be heading.
Media outlets, including NBC News, Bloomberg and the Washington Post, said the senior official is Jared Kushner – Donald Trump’s adviser and son-in-law.
Appearing in a federal court in Washington DC, Michael Flynn admitted to one count of knowingly making “false, fictitious and fraudulent statements”.
According to an AFP reporter in court, the judge accepted Michael Flynn’s guilty plea and said he would not face trial.
Michael Flynn then issued a statement in which he said: “I recognize that the actions I acknowledged in court today were wrong and, through my faith in God, I am working to set things right.”
He said his plea and co-operation deal “reflect a decision I made in the best interests of my family and of our country”.
Michael Flynn, a retired Army lieutenant-general, is unlikely to serve more than six months in prison.
The White House issued a statement saying that “nothing about the guilty plea or the charge implicates anyone other than Mr. Flynn”. A presidential appearance in front of reporters was then canceled.
As Michael Flynn was escorted from court by FBI agents, a handful of protesters shouted “criminal” and “lock him up”, echoing a chant he led against Hillary Clinton during the GOP convention in 2016.
Michael Flynn was forced to resign 23 days into his job in February, a month after he was questioned by the FBI for misleading the White House about meeting then Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak during the transition period, before Donald Trump took office.
Then, just over a week ago, media said his legal team had told the president’s lawyers they could no longer discuss the case, prompting suggestions that he had begun co-operating with prosecutors.
It is not clear why he did not tell the truth to investigators. However, it is illegal for a private US citizen, as Michael Flynn was during the transition, to conduct foreign affairs without the permission or involvement of the US government.
President Donald Trump has re-tweeted three controversial videos from British far-right group Britain First.
The first tweet from Jayda Fransen, the deputy leader of Britain First, claims to show a Muslim migrant attacking a man on crutches.
It was followed by two more videos of people Jayda Fransen claims to be Muslim.
Responding to President Trump’s posts, UK PM Theresa May’s official spokesman said it was “wrong for the president to have done this”.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said PM Theresa May and other world leaders knew that “these are real threats that we have to talk about”.
“Whether it’s a real video, the threat is real,” Sarah Sanders said.
“I think it’s important to talk about national security and national security threats. The president sees different things to be national security threats, and he sees having strong borders as being one of the things that helps protect people in this country from some real threats that we face.”
Britain First was founded in 2011 by former members of the far-right British National Party (BNP).
The far-right group has grabbed attention on social media with controversial posts about what they deem “the Islamification of the UK”.
The group has put up members to run in European elections and by-elections on anti-immigration and anti-abortion policies, but has not secured any seats.
Britain First also contested the most recent London mayoral election, receiving 1.2% of the vote.
The original video was shared by commentator Ann Coulter who Donald Trump follows.
Jayda Fransen has more than 52,000 followers on Twitter.
She responded enthusiastically to President Trump sharing her tweets.
Jayda Fransen posted on her account: “Donald Trump himself has retweeted these videos and has around 44 million followers!”
“God bless you Trump! God bless America!” she added.
The message was also shared on Britain First’s Twitter account.
Uhuru Kenyatta has been inaugurated for a second term as Kenya’s president at a ceremony in the capital, Nairobi, boycotted by the opposition.
The ceremony took place in a packed stadium with police driving back other Kenyatta supporters trying to get in without seats.
Riot police were also deployed in another part of Nairobi to stop a rally by opposition supporters.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga mocked Uhuru Kenyatta’s “coronation”.
Raila Odinga boycotted the re-run of the presidential poll last month and says Uhuru Kenyatta was not elected legitimately.
Uhuru Kenyatta was officially re-elected with 98% of the vote on October 26 but just under 39% of voters turned out.
The original election on August 8 was held over again after being annulled by the Supreme Court on grounds of irregularities.
Chief Justice David Maraga said the August election had not been “conducted in accordance with the constitution” and declared it “invalid, null and void”.
The Supreme Court ruled that the result had been “neither transparent nor verifiable”.
However, Raila Odinga urged his supporters to boycott the second vote because he said no reforms had been made to the electoral commission since the original poll.
Correspondents say the election dispute has left Kenya deeply divided.
About 50 people are reported to have been killed in violence since the August ballot.
Raila Odinga had promised to hold a “memorial rally” in another part of Nairobi to honor those killed during the four months of political upheaval since the August vote.
According to the opposition leader, Uhura Kenyatta was elected by “just a small section of the country”.
There were scenes of chaos outside Nairobi’s Kasarani sports stadium when people without seats tried to rush in and were driven back by police with tear gas, and on horseback.
Big screens had been promised so that tens of thousands of people could watch the ceremony from outside the stadium but no screens were provided, AFP reports.
Inside the stadium itself, foreign dignitaries took up their seats in a calm, good-humored atmosphere.
Spectators were treated to musical performances and a military parade.
Ethiopian PM Hailemariam Desalegn and Rwandan President Paul Kagame are among a number of African leaders attending. Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu is also expected in Kenya’s capital but for an event later in the presidential palace, the Jerusalem Post reports.
Veteran congressman John Conyers says he is stepping aside as top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee while harassment allegations are investigated.
The Michigan Democrat again denied the accusations, but said he was stepping down to clear his name.
A staff member alleges she was fired for refusing to “succumb to advances” from John Conyers.
A prominent civil rights leader, John Conyers first joined Congress in 1965.
The House Ethics Committee has launched an investigation into allegations of harassment and age discrimination involving staff.
On November 26, John Conyers, now 88, tweeted that he would like to remain as ranking member on the judiciary committee, but that he could not “in good conscience” allow the charges to “undermine” House colleagues.
On November 21, it was reported that he had paid $27,000 in 2015 in exchange for the confidentiality of a former staff member who alleged she was fired for rejecting advances.
According to signed legal documents seen by Buzzfeed, John Conyers was also accused of repeatedly making advances and inappropriately touching other female employees.
However, he said that many of the allegations “were raised by documents reportedly paid for by a partisan alt-right blogger”.
Nancy Pelosi, the leader of the Democrats in the House of Representatives, said it was imperative that John Conyers received “due process”.
She called him “an icon” who had advanced women’s causes.
However, Nancy Pelosi tweeted in reference to John Conyers: “Zero tolerance means consequences… No matter how great an individual’s legacy, it is not a license for harassment.”
John Conyers is the last member of Congress to have been in office under President Lyndon Johnson in the 1960s.
Republican house speaker Paul Ryan has called the allegations “extremely troubling”.
He recently announced that all lawmakers and staff members must undergo anti-harassment training.
Time Magazine is contradicting President Donald Trump’s account of how he rejected a request for an interview and photo shoot ahead of its Person of the Year issue.
On November 24, President Trump tweeted that Time had called to say he was “probably” going to be named Person of the Year.
However, Time later said the president was incorrect about how it makes its choice.
Donald Trump was awarded the title in 2016.
The president has previously falsely claimed that he holds the record for cover appearances on Time Magazine.
He tweeted: “Time Magazine called to say that I was PROBABLY going to be named “Man (Person) of the Year,” like last year, but I would have to agree to an interview and a major photo shoot. I said probably is no good and took a pass. Thanks anyway!”
Time‘s tradition – begun in 1927 as “Man of the Year” – recognizes the person who “for better or for worse… has done the most to influence the events of the year”.
The publication said it did not comment on its choice until publication, and that its decision would be revealed on December 6.
Time responded to the president with a tweet: “The President is incorrect about how we choose Person of the Year. TIME does not comment on our choice until publication, which is December 6.”
The magazine invites readers to vote on who they think has earned the title, but the final decision is made by editors.
Emmerson Mnangagwa has been inaugurated as Zimbabwe’s new president in a ceremony at a packed stadium in the capital, Harare.
The move follows the dramatic departure of long-term President Robert Mugabe after 37 years of authoritarian rule.
Emmerson Mnangagwa’s dismissal earlier this month led the ruling Zanu-PF party and the army to intervene and force Robert Mugabe to quit.
The former vice-president, who had fled the country, returned from exile on November 22.
The opposition is urging Emmerson Mnangagwa, who has been part of the ruling elite, to end the “culture of corruption”.
Although Emmerson Mnangagwa has unseated Robert Mugabe, he is still associated by many with some of the worst atrocities committed under the ruling Zanu-PF party since the country gained independence in 1980.
Emmerson Mnangagwa was Zimbawe’s spymaster during the 1980s civil conflict, in which thousands of civilians were killed. But he has denied any role in the massacres, blaming the army.
After being dismissed as part of a power struggle over who would succeed Robert Mugabe as president, Emmerson Mnangagwa fled to South Africa two weeks ago – only to return home on November 22 to a hero’s welcome.
Tens of thousands of people packed the National Sports Stadium at Harare to witness the inauguration. Pop singer Jah Prayzer provided the entertainment and, as people in the crowd danced, the atmosphere was closer to that of a concert.
Dignitaries, including leaders from various African countries filed in to cheers.
Opposition leaders Morgan Tsvangirai and Joice Mujuru – who have both also had their sights on the presidency at various times – were there.
Emmerson Mnangagwa was led in the oath of office by Chief Justice Luke Malaba, saying he would “be faithful to Zimbabwe”, “protect and promote the rights and people of Zimbabwe” and discharge his duties to the best of his abilities.
He was accompanied by his wife Auxilia and gave her a kiss after the green presidential sash was placed around his neck.
The crowds cheered a 21-gun salute and a flypast.
Former President Robert Mugabe did not attend the inauguration ceremony – and the official reason given was that at 93, he needed to rest.
On November 23, several reports suggested Robert Mugabe had been granted immunity from prosecution.
Local media are reporting that Emmerson Mnangagwa has offered the Mugabe family “maximum security and welfare”.
Robert Mugabe “expressed his good wishes and support for the incoming president,” the Herald newspaper reports.
Lebanon’s PM Saad Hariri has decided to “suspend” his resignation, which sparked a crisis when he announced it while in Saudi Arabia two weeks ago.
Saad Hariri said President Michel Aoun had asked him to “put it on hold ahead of further consultations”.
The two men held talks a day after Saad Hariri flew back to Lebanon.
The prime minister has denied that Saudi Arabia forced him to resign and detained him in an attempt to curb the influence of Iran and its Lebanese proxy Hezbollah.
Hezbollah is part of a national unity government formed by Saad Hariri in 2016.
Saad Hariri said after November 22 meeting at the Baabda presidential palace: “Today I presented my resignation to his excellency the president, and he asked me to temporarily suspend submitting it and to put it on hold ahead of further consultations on the reasons for it.
“I expressed my agreement to this request, in the hope that it will form a serious basis for a responsible dialogue.”
He said Lebanon required “exceptional effort from everyone” at this time in order to “protect it in confronting dangers and challenges”.
The prime minister also reiterated the need to remain committed to Lebanon’s state policy of “dissociation regarding wars, external struggles, regional disputes and everything that harms internal stability” – an apparent reference to the activities of Hezbollah.
The Shia Islamist movement acknowledges fighting alongside government forces in Syria and Iraq, and arming Palestinian militants. However, it denies advising and sending weapons to rebel forces in Yemen’s civil war and militants in Bahrain.
Saad Hariri was embraced by President Michel Aoun as the two men attended an independence day military parade in Beirut. The president, a Maronite Christian former army commander and ally of Hezbollah who publicly accused Saudi Arabia of detaining the prime minister, appeared to tell him: “Welcome back!”
Saad Hariri left Riyadh for France at the weekend with his wife and one of his three children. He flew to Lebanon on November 21, stopping in Egypt and Cyprus en route.
On November 20, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said in a speech that still considered Saad Hariri prime minister and that the militant Shia Islamist movement was “open to any dialogue and any discussing that happens” in Lebanon.
Saad Hariri announced his resignation in a televised address on November 4 from Riyadh, in which he accused Iran of sowing “discord, devastation and destruction” in the region and said he sensed there was an assassination plot against him.
Zimbabwe’s former vice-president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, whose dismissal led to the shock resignation of long-time President Robert Mugabe, will be sworn in as the new president on November 24, the state broadcaster announces.
Emmerson Mnangagwa, who fled to South Africa two weeks ago, would fly home on November 22, it added.
The news of Robert Mugabe’s resignation sparked wild celebrations across the country late into the night.
The announcement that Robert Mugabe was stepping down came in the form of a letter read out in parliament on November 21, abruptly halting impeachment proceedings against him.
In that letter, the 93-year-old said he was resigning to allow a smooth and peaceful transfer of power, and that his decision was voluntary.
A spokesman for the ruling Zanu-PF party said Emmerson Mnangagwa, 71, would serve the remainder of Robert Mugabe’s term until elections which are due to take place by September 2018.
The state-run Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) confirmed that Emmerson Mnangagwa’s swearing-in ceremony had been scheduled for November 24.
Nicknamed the “crocodile” due to his political cunning, Emmerson Mnangagwa issued a statement from exile calling on Zimbabweans to unite to rebuild the country.
He told Zimbabwe’s NewsDay on November 21: “Together, we will ensure a peaceful transition to the consolidation of our democracy, and bring in a fresh start for all Zimbabweans and foster peace and unity.”
His dismissal by Robert Mugabe two weeks ago triggered an unprecedented political crisis in Zimbabwe.
The move had been seen by many as an attempt to clear the way for First Lady Grace Mugabe to succeed her husband as leader and riled the military leadership, which stepped in and put the president under house arrest.
Under Zimbawe’s constitution, the role of successor would normally go to a serving vice-president, and one still remains in post – Phelekezela Mphoko.
However, Phelekezela Mphoko – a key ally of Grace Mugabe – has just been fired by Zanu-PF and is not believed to be in the country. In his absence, the Zanu-PF has nominated Emmerson Mnangagwa, the speaker of parliament confirmed.
Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe has announced his resignation ending his 37 years of rule.
The announcement sparked jubilant celebrations in the nation’s streets.
A letter from Robert Mugabe, 93, read out by the speaker of parliament said the decision was voluntary and he had made it to allow a smooth transfer of power.
The news abruptly halted an impeachment hearing that had begun against him.
The ruling Zanu-PF party says former VP Emmerson Mnangagwa will succeed Robert Mugabe, in power since 1980.
Emmerson Mnangagwa’s dismissal earlier this month triggered a political crisis.
The move had been seen by many as an attempt to clear the way for Grace Mugabe to succeed her husband as leader and riled the military leadership, who stepped in and put Robert Mugabe under house arrest.
After the resignation announcement, lawmakers roared in jubilation.
Robert Mugabe was until his resignation the world’s oldest leader. He had previously refused to quit despite last week’s military takeover and days of protests.
According to the constitution, Robert Mugabe’s successor should be the current vice-president, Phelekezela Mphoko, a supporter of Grace Mugabe.
However, Zanu-PF chief whip Lovemore Matuke told Reuters that Emmerson Mnangagwa would be in office “within 48 hours”.
Speaking from an undisclosed location earlier on November 21, Emmerson Mnangagwa said he had fled abroad two weeks ago when he learned of a plot to kill him.
Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe has refused to resign and vowed to stay in power for several weeks, despite mounting calls for him to stand down now.
In a live TV address, President Mugabe said he would preside over the ruling party’s congress in December.
Meanwhile, the Zanu-PF earlier dismissed Robert Mugabe as party leader, and gave him less than 24 hours to resign as president or be impeached.
Robert Mugabe’s grip on power has weakened since the military intervened on November 15, in a row over who should succeed him.
The crisis began when Robert Mugabe sacked his deputy, Emmerson Mnangagwa, two weeks ago, angering army commanders who saw it as an attempt to position his wife as his successor.
Earlier in the day, Emmerson Mnangagwa was named as Zanu-PF’s new leader and candidate for the 2018 general elections.
At the same party meeting, Robert Mugabe’s 52-year-old wife, Grace, was expelled from the party, alongside a number of other senior officials.
However, in his speech later in the day, the 93-year-old president made no direct mention of those developments.
“The (ruling Zanu-PF) party congress is due in a few weeks and I will preside over its processes,” Robert Mugabe told the nation, flanked by senior military generals at his official residence in Harare. The president spoke slowly, occasionally stumbling over his words.
Robert Mugabe acknowledged criticism from Zanu-PF, the military and public, and stressed the need to return Zimbabwe to normalcy.
He said, in reference to the army’s move last week to take over the state broadcaster: “Whatever the pros and cons of how they (the army) went about their operation, I, as commander-in-chief, do acknowledge their concerns.”
Robert Mugabe said their actions had not violated the constitution, but he did not mention any possibility of resigning.
Tens of thousands had joined huge demonstrations on November 18, with many believing he was about to step down.
It is not entirely clear how Robert Mugabe can preside over Zanu-PF’s congress next month, following his dismissal as party leader.
Party positions are officially decided at the congress and Emmerson Mnangagwa may officially take over leading the country then.
Emmerson Mnangagwa, a former state security chief, is nicknamed “the crocodile” for his perceived shrewdness. He fled Zimbabwe after his sacking two weeks ago, but has since reportedly returned.
Top leaders of Zimbabwe’s ruling party Zanu-PF are calling on President Robert Mugabe to step down, as pressure on him intensifies following a military intervention and protests.
Senior party officials have started arriving for a meeting of Zanu-PF in which they will discuss whether to dismiss Robert Mugabe.
The party’s Youth League, previously loyal to the long-term president, has turned against him.
Military leaders are also set to meet President Mugabe.
According state TV, mediation will be led by a Catholic priest.
In a statement, the Zanu-PF Youth League condemned Robert Mugabe’s allies for “looting and plundering” and his wife Grace for “vulgar, cunning and unruly behavior”, and called on him to stand down and to “rest as an elder statesman”.
Nine of ten Zanu-PF party chapters say Robert Mugabe should step down and their decision is likely to be endorsed at November 19 meeting of the party’s top body, the central committee.
The head of the influential War Veterans Association, Chris Mutsvangwa, predicted to Reuters before the meeting that President Mugabe would be removed from the party leadership, and his wife would lose her position as head of its women’s league.
He then threatened to “bring back the crowds and they will do their business” if Robert Mugabe did not step down.
The 93-year-old president has largely been confined to his house since the army took over on November 15.
The army took control of the country after President Mugabe fired his deputy Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Emmerson Mnangagwa’s dismissal made Robert Mugabe’s wife Grace front runner to become next president. He is likely to be reinstated as vice-president when Zanu-PF convene.
Robert Mugabe has led Zimbabwe since independence from Britain in 1980.
Tens of thousands of Zimbabweans, including people from the ruling party and the opposition, took to the streets on November 18 to celebrate the army’s takeover and to urge Robert Mugabe to quit.
They tore up pictures of the president and marched to his office and residence.
President Robert Mugabe may face impeachment in parliament next week if he refuses to step down.
Zimbabwe’s detained President Robert Mugabe is reportedly refusing to resign immediately, amid growing calls for him to step down.
Robert Mugabe, 93, was put under house arrest during a military takeover on November 15, after a power struggle over who would succeed him.
On November 17, the military said it was “engaging” with Robert Mugabe.
It also said it had been arresting “criminals” around the president but gave no names.
The army said it would advise the nation on the outcome of talks with Robert Mugabe “as soon as possible”.
It moved in after Robert Mugabe last week sacked VP Emmerson Mnangagwa, signaling that he favored First Lady Grace Mugabe to take over his Zanu-PF party and the presidency.
Pictures published by Zimbabwe Herald on November 16 showed President Mugabe meeting army chief Gen. Constantino Chiwenga and the two envoys from the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) at State House in Harare.
Alongside them was Father Fidelis Mukonori, a Roman Catholic priest known to Robert Mugabe for years, who has been brought in to mediate.
Sources close to the talks say Robert Mugabe – who has been in control of Zimbabwe since it threw off white minority rule in 1980 – is refusing to stand down voluntarily before next year’s planned elections.
Some observers suggest that Robert Mugabe may be trying to seek guarantees of safety for himself and his family before stepping aside.
Zanu-PF officials had earlier suggested Robert Mugabe could remain nominally in power until the party congress in December, when Emmerson Mnangagwa would be formally installed as party and national leader.
The African Union said it would not accept a military seizure of power and demanded a return to constitutional order.
South Africa’s defense minister and security minister are meeting Robert Mugabe on behalf of Sadc, which South Africa currently leads. They urged Zimbabwe to “settle the political challenges through peaceful means,” the AFP reported.
South Africa is hosting millions of Zimbabweans who fled after the country’s economy crashed in 2008. It has a special interest in seeing stability restored.
Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai said it was “in the interests of the people” that Robert Mugabe “resign… immediately” as part of a negotiated “all-inclusive transitional mechanism”.
Another opposition leader, Tendai Biti, called for elections to be held.
Early reports suggested Grace Mugabe had fled to Namibia, but sources now say she is in the family compound in Harare, along with some of the youth wing of Zanu-PF who had backed her.
Bad weather has hit parts of Greece for about a week, but particularly heavy rain overnight caused the sudden flooding, for which locals said they were unprepared.
The force of the water moved vehicles, damaged walls and roofing, and left many homeless as their homes flooded to a life-threatening level.
By November 16, Greece’s fire service said it had received over 600 calls for help and dispatched almost 200 firefighters in 55 vehicles to the towns, which have a combined population in the tens of thousands.
Stavros Fotiou, the deputy mayor of Nea Peramos, told ERT: “The water came down the mountain, millions of tones.”
“Our roads are completely destroyed… 1,000 homes have been flooded, that’s a third of the town,” he added.
The region’s deputy governor, Yiannis Vassileiou, told ERT that emergency services had been prepared for poor weather, but then “the Niagara Falls came down and could not be stopped”.
Alexis Tsipras said that declaring a period of national mourning was “the least we can do”.
The prime minister also vowed to provide aid to the victims and ensure they were housed safely.
President Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., has released private Twitter correspondence with WikiLeaks after a publication revealed they had communicated shortly before his father’s election.
The Atlantic magazine revealed WikiLeaks had asked Donald Trump Jr. for co-operation and information.
WikiLeaks published leaks of Hillary Clinton campaign emails during the election.
Donald Trump Jr.’s lawyers handed the Twitter direct messages to congressional investigators.
The congressional investigation is one of several looking into allegations of Russian collusion and meddling in the US election.
The largely one-sided transcripts show the president’s son replied only a few times to a series of requests from Wikileaks.
In a series of tweets on November 13, Donald Trump Jr. played down his contact with WikiLeaks, referring to his “whopping 3 responses” which he said one of the congressional committees “has chosen to selectively leak. How ironic!”.
Messages show WikiLeaks appeared to have first contacted Donald Trump Jr. on September 20, asking if he knew the origin of an anti-Trump website.
Donald Trump son replied the next day saying: “Off the record I don’t know who that is, but I’ll ask around. Thanks.”
The Atlantic alleges Donald Trump Jr. then emailed senior officials, including Steve Bannon, Kellyanne Conway and Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner to tell them WikiLeaks had made contact.
The correspondence between September 2016 and July 2017 shows WikiLeaks urging Donald Trump to share their Clinton files; asking him to supply his tax returns to WikiLeaks and advising him to challenge the result if he lost the election.
The Atlantic piece points out that while Donald Trump Jr. didn’t reply to later messages, timestamps from tweets show instances where he and his father appear to have “acted on its requests” by mentioning or sharing WikiLeaks stories shortly afterwards.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has criticized The Atlantic‘s story.
Julian Assange accuses it of selecting messages that were “edited” and failing to show the full context of the conversations.
He also said the messages were part of the group’s promotional efforts.
He wrote on Twitter: “WikiLeaks can be very effective at convincing even high-profile people that it is their interest to promote links to its publications.”
Donald Trump Jr.’s lawyer Alan Futerfas told The Atlantic: “Over the last several months, we have worked co-operatively with each of the committees and have voluntarily turned over thousands of documents in response to their requests.
“Putting aside the question as to why or by whom such documents, provided to Congress under promises of confidentiality, have been selectively leaked, we can say with confidence that we have no concerns about these documents and any questions raised about them have been easily answered in the appropriate forum.”
Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore has been accused of assault by a fifth woman as GOP leaders increase calls for him to “step aside”.
Beverly Young Nelson, 56, has revealed she was 16 years old when Roy Moore allegedly tried to force himself on her after offering a ride home from her job as a waitress.
The woman said: “I tried fight him off while yelling at him to stop.”
She also said that he locked his car to prevent her escape.
Roy Moore, now 70, denies the allegations, describing them as a “witch hunt”.
However, Senator Cory Gardner, the National Republican Senatorial Committee chairman, said on November 13 he believes Roy Moore’s accusers “spoke with courage and truth” and the former Alabama Supreme Court judge should be expelled if he is elected.
“If he refuses to withdraw and wins, the Senate should vote to expel him, because he does not meet the ethical and moral requirements of the United States Senate,” Cory Gardner said.
Beverly Young Nelson’s accusation comes after four other women detailed allegations of assault by the conservative firebrand while they were teenagers in Alabama.
The woman said she met Roy Moore during the late 1970s at the Olde Hickory House restaurant in Gadsen, Alabama, where she worked as a waitress while she was a teenager.
Beverly Young Nelson claimed Roy Moore, a 30-year-old deputy district attorney at the time, offered to sign her high school yearbook and wrote: “To a sweeter more beautiful girl I could not say Merry Christmas.”
He signed it “Love, Roy Moore, DA”, according to a copy of the yearbook page provided to reporters by her attorney, Gloria Allred.
About a week or two later, Roy Moore allegedly offered to drive her home and instead drove to the back of the restaurant car park.
At a news conference on November 13, Beverly Young Nelson told reporters: “I was terrified. He was also trying to pull my shirt off. I thought he was going to rape me.”
“At some point he gave up and he then looked at me and he told me, <<You’re just a child>>, and he said, <<I am the district attorney of Etowah County. If you tell anyone about this, no one will believe you>>,” she said, adding that her neck was bruised in the struggle.
“He finally allowed me to open the door and I either fell out or he pushed me out.”
Image source Wikimedia
Roy Moore Campaign Chairman Bill Armistead denied the charges, calling the candidate “an innocent man”.
“This is a witch hunt against a man who has had an impeccable career for over 30 years and has always been known as a man of high character,” he said.
Roy Moore’s wife also vehemently denies the allegations, contending that her husband’s accusers are being paid.
Also on November 13, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said that he believed the women accusing Roy Moore of inappropriate behavior.
Mitch McConnell told reporters in his home state of Kentucky that party officials have considered whether another Republican could challenge Roy Moore in next month’s election, through a so-called write-in challenge.
He said Luther Strange, whom Roy Moore beat in the Republican primary earlier this year, was a possible option.
Last week’s Washington Post story quoted four women by name, including one who alleged Roy Moore initiated contact with her when she was 14 – beneath the legal age of consent in Alabama – while he was a prosecutor in his 30s.
Roy Moore has said the Washington Post story is a fabricated smear by his political opponents, calling it “a prime example of fake news”.
Mitch McConnell previously said Roy Moore should step aside only if the allegations were proven true.
On November 13, he said flatly: “I believe the women. Yes.”
Roy Moore replied in a tweet: “The person who should step aside is @SenateMajLdr Mitch McConnell. He has failed conservatives and must be replaced. #DrainTheSwamp.”
Roy Moore, an outspoken Christian conservative, had been a heavy favorite to win the December 12 election against Democrat Doug Jones.
However, an opinion poll after the allegations surfaced suggested the race was tightening. Alabama has not elected a Democratic senator in a quarter of a century.
President Donald Trump has revealed he has a “great relationship” with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, after a highly anticipated meeting in the country’s capital Manila.
It was unclear whether President Trump raised human rights violations in the Philippines, despite calls for him to do so.
Barack Obama’s administration had spoken out against Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, which has killed almost 4,000 people.
President Trump is almost at the end of an extensive Asia tour.
The first meeting between Donald Trump and Rodrigo Duterte, which took place at the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, was closely watched as both are known for striking a controversially outspoken and direct tone.
After the private meeting, President Trump did not respond to questions about whether he had raised the subject of human rights while a spokesman for President Duterte said the topic had not been discussed.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders later said the topic was mentioned briefly in their private meeting, in the context of the war on drugs, but did not give further details.
On November 10, President Duterte said he stabbed a person to death when he was a teenager. His spokesman later said the remark had been “in jest”.
Since coming into office in 2016, Rodrigo Duterte has presided over a massive crackdown on crime in the Philippines, which critics allege undermines fundamental human rights.
The Filipino president has encouraged extrajudicial killings of those involved in the drug trade, and said he would “be happy to slaughter” three million drug addicts in the country.
Police say they have killed almost 4,000 people in anti-drug operations since 2016. More than 2,000 others have been killed in connection with drug-related crimes.
President Trump has previously praised Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, reportedly telling him: “I just wanted to congratulate you because I am hearing of the unbelievable job on the drug problem. Many countries have the problem, we have a problem, but what a great job you are doing.”
A Philippine government transcript of the April 29 phone call was later leaked to US media.
President Trump and other leaders attending the ASEAN event had already met on Sunday evening at a gala in Manila ahead of the summit.
During the evening, Rodrigo Duterte took to the stage to sing a Filipino hit love song, afterwards saying it had been “on the orders of the commander-in-chief of the United States”.
Demonstrators took to the streets in Manila on November 12 and 13, protesting against Donald Trump’s visit and carrying banners like “Trump Go Home” and “Ban Trump #1 terrorist”.
Riot police used water cannon and sonic alarms to repel the protesters.
Donald Trump’s visit to the Philippines wraps up the president’s five-country trip to Asia which also had him visit Japan, South Korea, China and Vietnam.
At least 335 people have been killed and thousands more injured after a 7.3-magnitude earthquake has shaken the northern border region between Iran and Iraq on November 12.
The majority of those who died were in Iran’s western Kermanshah province. Nearly 4,000 were said to be injured.
Seven people died in Iraq, where people fled into the streets in Baghdad.
Mosques in the capital have been broadcasting prayers through loudspeakers.
One Iranian aid agency said 70,000 people needed shelter after the quake, one of the largest this year.
Iranian state news agency Irna quoted an emergency official as saying 3,950 were injured in Iran alone.
Most of the victims were in the town of Sarpol-e Zahab, about 10 miles from the border, Iran’s emergency services chief, Pir Hossein Koolivand was quoted as saying on Iranian state TV channel Irinn.
Sarpol-e Zahab’s main hospital was severely damaged, leaving it struggling to treat hundreds of wounded, state TV reported.
Many homes in the mountainous area are made of mud bricks and are at risk of collapse in a significant earthquake like the one that struck on November 12.
Damage was reported in at least eight villages, the head of Iran’s Red Crescent Organization, Morteza Salim, told the channel.
“Some other villages have suffered power cuts and their telecommunications system has also been disturbed,” he said.
Rescue teams were being hampered by landslides, Pir Hossein Koolivand said.
On the Iraqi side, the most extensive damage was in the town of Darbandikhan, 47 miles east of the city of Sulaimaniyah in the Kurdistan Region.
“The situation there is very critical,” Kurdish Health Minister Rekawt Hama Rasheed told Reuters.
The Iraqi ministry of health said 321 people had been wounded in the Iraqi Kurdistan region.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the quake hit at 21:18 local time, about 19 miles southwest of Halabja, near the northeastern border with Iran.
The strike occurred at a relatively shallow depth of 14.4 miles, and tremors were felt in Turkey, Israel and Kuwait.
While being in Vietnam for his Asia tour, President Donald Trump have fired off a series of angry tweets about his war of words with Kim Jong-un and his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
He wrote: “Why would Kim Jong-un insult me by calling me “old,” when I would NEVER call him “short and fat?” Oh well, I try so hard to be his friend – and maybe someday that will happen!”
On November 11, North Korea denounced President Trump’s Asia trip, calling it a “warmonger’s visit” and again described the president as a “dotard” – a centuries-old insult for an elderly person.
President Trump responded by suggesting in a tweet that Kim Jong-un was “short and fat”, and complaining: “Oh well, I try so hard to be his friend – and maybe someday that will happen!”
The president also tweeted out a short tirade over criticism of his handling of Vladimir Putin.
On November 11, he told reporters that he trusted Vladimir Putin’s word that Russia had not attempted to interfere with the US election, despite a consensus among US intelligence agencies to the contrary.
“When will all the haters and fools out there realize that having a good relationship with Russia is a good thing, not a bad thing,” Donald Trump wrote.
“There [sic] always playing politics – bad for our country. I want to solve North Korea, Syria, Ukraine, terrorism, and Russia can greatly help!” he added.
He later clarified, after intense criticism, that he supported US intelligence agencies in their conclusion.
“As to whether or not I believe it or not, I’m with our agencies. I believe in our… intelligence agencies,” the president said.
“What he believes, he believes,” he added, of Vladimir Putin’s belief that Russia did not meddle.
He went on and tweeted: “Does the Fake News Media remember when Crooked Hillary Clinton, as Secretary of State, was begging Russia to be our friend with the misspelled reset button? Obama tried also, but he had zero chemistry with Putin.”
Asked at a news conference in Vietnam if he could see himself being friends with Kim Jong-un, President Trump said: “That might be a strange thing to happen but it’s a possibility.
“If it did happen it could be a good thing I can tell you for North Korea, but it could also be good for a lot of other places and be good for the rest the world.
“It could be something that could happen. I don’t know if it will but it would be very, very nice.”
President Trump will travel to Manila on November 12 for the final stop on his Asia tour, before flying back to the US.
The Catalan crisis was sparked by a disputed referendum held in the region in October, which had been barred by the Spanish courts.
According to Catalan officials, the independence campaign won 92% of the vote, from a turnout of 43%. Many of those who were against independence did not cast votes, refusing to recognize the legitimacy of the referendum.
Spain’s government responded to the referendum by dissolving the Catalan parliament, imposing direct rule, and calling a snap regional election on December 21.
Since the crackdown by Madrid, Catalonia’s sacked President Carles Puigdemont has gone into self-imposed exile in Belgium, and his top allies have been prosecuted.
President Donald Trump said President Vladimir Putin feels insulted by allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 US election.
The two leaders briefly met at the APEC summit in Vietnam.
“He said he absolutely did not meddle in our election,” Donald Trump said.
President Trump, who defeated Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, said the allegations were a “Democratic hit job”.
The US intelligence community concluded earlier that Russia had indeed tried to sway the poll in favor of Donald Trump.
The DoJ has appointed special investigator Robert Mueller to examine any possible collusion involving Donald Trump’s team, and legal action has already been taken against several former aides.
President Trump has refused to acknowledge a reported assessment by the CIA and other intelligence agencies that Russia was behind the hacking of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election.
The contents of the emails, passed to WikiLeaks and posted online, were embarrassing to the Democrats and shook up the presidential campaign, which ended in defeat for Hillary Clinton.
In addition to Robert Mueller’s inquiry, congressional committees have been set up to carry out their own investigations.
Relations between the US and Russia have been strained for years, with the Kremlin long accusing Washington of seeking to sway elections in Russia and other ex-Soviet states including Ukraine and Georgia.
While Russian hackers are widely suspected of involvement, there has been no conclusive link to the Kremlin.
Denying that Russia had tried to interfere last year by fostering contacts with Donald Trump’s campaign, Vladimir Putin told reporters in Vietnam: “Everything about the so-called Russian dossier in the US is a manifestation of a continuing domestic political struggle.”
President Trump said he believed President Putin had been “very insulted by” the allegations and that was “not a good thing” for America.
“He [Vladimir Putin] said he didn’t meddle,” the president added.
“I asked him again.”
Asked if he believed President Putin, Donald Trump replied: “He is very, very strong in the fact that he didn’t do it. You have President Putin very strongly, vehemently says he has nothing to do with that. Now, you are not going to get into an argument, you are going to start talking about Syria and the Ukraine.”
Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn was reportedly offered $15 million to help forcibly remove Fethullah Gulen from the US and deliver him to Turkey.
Michael Flynn and his son discussed the alleged plot with Turkish representatives, NBC News and Wall Street Journal report.
The matter is said to be under scrutiny in the wider DoJ investigation of alleged Russian election meddling.
Michael Flynn resigned after misleading the White House about meeting an envoy.
The alleged plot to remove the Muslim cleric was first revealed in March 2017 by former CIA Director James Woolsey.
The Turkish government accuses Fethullah Gulen, who lives in Pennsylvania, of being behind last year’s failed coup.
Fethullah Gulen is viewed as chief political rival to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has repeatedly called for his extradition from the US.
According to the Wall Street Journal, special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation is focusing on a meeting in mid-December between Michael Flynn and Turkish officials in New York.
Michael Flynn reportedly discussed having Fethullah Gulen transported on a private jet to the Turkish prison island of Imrali.
He was serving on the White House transition team during the reported meeting, which came a month before he joined the Trump administration.
Michael Flynn also met Turkish representatives in September 2016, according to James Woolsey, a board member for Flynn’s consultancy.
James Woolsey has previously told CNN that in September, “there was at least some strong suggestion by one or more of the Americans present at the meeting that we would be able, the United States would be able, through them, to be able to get hold of Gulen”.
NBC reported that federal investigators are also looking into whether Michael Flynn tried to push for the return of Fethullah Gulen to Turkey during his time as White House national security adviser.
A spokesman for Michael Flynn’s company has denied he discussed any illegal actions with the Turks.
Michael Flynn was the first aide in Donald Trump’s White House to resign, after only 23 days on the job.
The retired lieutenant general had admitted lying to VP Mike Pence about a meeting with the Russian ambassador in which the lifting of US sanctions was discussed.
Michael Flynn also failed to register as a lobbyist for the Turkish government while he was seeking White House security clearance.
In 2016, his consultancy Flynn Intel Group was paid $530,000 for lobbying on behalf of the Turkish government – work which required him to register as “a foreign agent”.
According to his lawyer , Michael Flynn did not register because he was working for a Turkish businessman, rather than a government official.
Investigators are also looking into the actions of his son, Michel Flynn Jr., who worked closely with him at Flynn Intel Group.
According to both publications, Michael Flynn and the meeting participants discussed a way to free Turkish-Iranian gold trader Reza Zarrab, who is in a US jail over charges that he evaded US sanctions on Iran.
This website has updated its privacy policy in compliance with EU GDPR 2016/679. Please read this to review the updates about which personal data we collect on our site. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our updated policy. AcceptRejectRead More
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Prev