- Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, December 2, 2024 Institute for the Study of War
- Russia Forges Ahead in Eastern Ukraine, Capturing More Villages The New York Times
- Moscow says its forces have 'liberated' two towns in the Donetsk region Euronews
- Frontline report: Russian military suffers devastating losses in Tolstyi Lug, Kursk Oblast Euromaidan Press
- Russia Seizes Ukraine Territory the Size of Singapore Newsweek
Trump picks Republican mega-donor Warren Stephens as ambassador to UK
Investment banker has donated regularly to conservative causes although not always in favor of the president-elect
Donald Trump announced on Monday he has picked investment banker and Republican mega-donor Warren Stephens to serve as ambassador to the UK.
“Warren has always dreamed of serving the United States full time,” wrote Trump in a social media post. “I am thrilled that he will now have that opportunity as the top Diplomat, representing the U.S.A. to one of America’s most cherished and beloved Allies.”
Reuters contributed reporting
Continue reading...Georgian police fire teargas at pro-EU protesters as political crisis deepens
Tbilisi experiences fifth day of demonstrations amid anger over ruling party’s decision to shelve EU accession talks
Georgian police have fired teargas to try to disperse thousands of pro-EU demonstrators rallying in the centre of Tbilisi amid a deepening political crisis in the Black Sea nation.
The country’s prime minister hours earlier had vowed “no negotiations” with the opposition, enraged by the ruling Georgian Dream party’s decision to shelve EU accession talks after it claimed victory in an election they decried as fraudulent.
Continue reading...Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger forced out in surprise move
The departure of Gelsinger, whose career spanned more than 40 years, underscores the turmoil at Intel.
Special counsel defends prosecution of Hunter Biden as more Democrats signal discomfort with pardon – as it happened
This blog has now closed; you can read all our coverage of US politics here
President-elect Donald Trump - as we reported earlier - responded angrily to Joe Biden’s pardon.
But he himself pardoned several allies and friends in own final days in office among the 70 people granted clemency in 2021.
Continue reading...Grill’d was able to pay Arda $3 less than minimum wage. Unions want this youth ‘loophole’ abolished
Advocates argue it’s time for young people’s wages to rise but business groups claim paying more will push some companies into insolvency
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Arda Konstantine could vote, drink and drive a car. But as they were 19 years old, their employer, Grill’d, was legally able to pay them just $16.50 an hour – $3.38 less than the hourly national minimum for their age.
If Konstantine worked at the fast food chain’s airport store, their rate bumped up an extra $2. While employed at Grill’d, Konstantine never got weekend or public holiday rates.
Continue reading...Fianna Fáil emerges as largest party in Irish election
The party has won 48 seats, with Sinn Féin second on 39 and Fine Gael third on 38.
Rachel Reeves appoints Covid corruption commissioner
Exclusive: Tom Hayhoe, ex-Tory cabinet adviser, will examine an estimated £7.6bn of Covid-related fraud
Rachel Reeves is to appoint a health service and regulatory veteran, Tom Hayhoe, a former Conservative cabinet adviser, as her Covid corruption commissioner with the remit of clawing back billions in fraudulent contracts.
The chancellor is understood to believe the Treasury can recoup £2.6bn from waste, fraud and flawed contracts signed during the pandemic.
Continue reading...Dollar climbs after Donald Trump’s Brics tariff threat and French political woes – Financial Times
- Dollar climbs after Donald Trump’s Brics tariff threat and French political woes Financial Times
- Why is Trump threatening a 100% tariff on the BRICS nations? CBS News
- Trump threat of 100% tariff: Does the US have reasons to worry about de-dollarization or is this a non-sta The Economic Times
- China Reacts to Trump's BRICS Threat Newsweek
- Kremlin says Trump threat to BRICS nations over US dollar will backfire Reuters
French government teeters after PM Barnier forces through budget
Michel Barnier is unlikely to survive a no-confidence vote, tabled by left and far-right parties.
Raskin seeks to lead Democrats on House judiciary in ‘fight of our lives’ against Trump
Congressman launches bid to unseat colleague from key role in committee to sharpen resistance to Trump
Jamie Raskin, the Maryland congressman who spearheaded the second impeachment of Donald Trump, has announced a bid to unseat a veteran Democratic colleague from a key role in a Capitol Hill committee as part of a party drive to sharpen its opposition in preparation for Trump’s return to the White House.
After days of speculation, Raskin said he would challenge Jerrold Nadler of New York for the post of ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives’ judiciary committee.
Continue reading...In pictures: 40 years since world’s deadliest gas leak killed thousands in India
In 1984, a poisonous gas leaked in the middle of the night from a pesticide factory in central India, killing thousands within days.
Romanian court upholds presidential election first-round results
Far-right candidate Calin Georgescu will face centre-right contender Elena Lasconi in December 8 run-off.
Michelin-starred chef pleads with thieves to return £25,000 worth of stolen pies
Tommy Banks urges those who stole van packed with 2,500 pies to ‘do the right thing’ so food can go to people in need
A Michelin-starred chef has appealed to thieves who stole his van which had 2,500 pies inside to “do the right thing” and give them to people in need.
Tommy Banks, who owns two restaurants and a pub in North Yorkshire, announced on Instagram that his van carrying £25,000 worth of stock had been taken. The refrigerated vehicle was due to make a delivery to the chef’s pop-up pie stall at York Christmas Market, but staff found it had disappeared from Barker business park in Melmerby, near Ripon, on Monday morning.
Continue reading...Israel strikes Lebanon as Hezbollah targets military post
Lebanon's Health Ministry says nine people were killed in strikes on two southern villages.
US unleashes another crackdown on China’s chip industry
Move is President Biden's administration's last major effort to stymie China's ability to access and produce chips.
How are powers involved in Syria reacting to the opposition offensive?
Advances by opposition fighters raise questions over how Russia, Iran, Turkiye, Arab states and the US will respond.
Russia-friendly candidates surge in Romania’s elections, a worrying signal for Ukraine – Kyiv Independent
- Russia-friendly candidates surge in Romania's elections, a worrying signal for Ukraine Kyiv Independent
- Centrist Party Edges Out Far-Right Challengers in Romania The New York Times
- Romanian leftists ahead of resurgent far right in election Reuters
- Romania’s Top Court Clears Pro-Russia Candidate for Runoff Vote Bloomberg
- Romanian court upholds presidential election first-round results Al Jazeera English
Middle East crisis: Israel strikes Lebanon amid fears ceasefire could collapse – as it happened
This live blog is now closed. You can read our latest full report here:
We’re closing our Middle East crisis liveblog now after a day in which Israel and Hezbollah traded fire in Lebanon, five days after a ceasefire was declared in the conflict.
Here’s what we’ve been following:
Hezbollah said it launched two rockets near a watchtower in the occupied Shebaa farms earlier on Monday night. They landed in an open area and caused no injuries. In a statement, the group said the attack on the watchtowers was an “initial warning defensive response” against “repeated violations” by Israel of the ceasefire agreement.
In response, Israel said it targeted “dozens of targets” in southern Lebanon, claiming to have struck “Hezbollah terrorists, dozens of launchers, and terrorist infrastructure” across the country. “Israel demands that the relevant parties in Lebanon fulfill their responsibilities and prevent Hezbollah’s hostile activity,” the army said in a statement.
US officials said they believed the ceasefire, announced last Wednesday, had not broken down. “If we do see violations of the ceasefire, we’ll go to the parties and tell them to knock it off,” state department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at an afternoon briefing.
But the UN peacekeeping force, United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil), told CNN through an unnamed source said Israel has been serially in breach of the ceasefire agreement. The source said “approximately 100” incidents have been recorded.
Everybody is talking about the hostages who are being held so violently, inhumanely, and against the will of the entire World, in the Middle East - But it’s all talk, and no action!
Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that if the hostages are not released prior to January 20, 2025, the date that I proudly assume Office as President of the United States, there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against Humanity. Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW!
Continue reading...Germany’s Scholz pledges new military aid to Ukraine during rare Kyiv trip – Reuters
- Germany's Scholz pledges new military aid to Ukraine during rare Kyiv trip Reuters
- German leader Scholz vows more Ukraine aid and defends his phone call with Putin The Associated Press
- Germany Pledges Fast Military Aid to Ukraine in Effort to Reassure The New York Times
- Where's the briefcase? Speculation over Scholz's mysterious luggage Yahoo! Voices
- German Chancellor Scholz defends decision not to deliver long-range missiles to Ukraine Euronews