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Some Democrats have not yet disclosed their fourth-quarter fundraising numbers, but those who did had strong showings. International news : Bernie Sanders raised more than $34.5 million in the last quarter of 2019, the largest three-month haul for a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, while Republican President Donald Trump drew $46 million on the heels of his impeachment, their campaigns said on Thursday. The new figures brought Sanders’ total campaign fundraising last year to $96 million, making him the leading fundraiser so far among 14 Democrats vying to face Trump in November's presidential election. States begin choosing candidates next month with the Iowa Caucuses on February 3. Trump, a polarising president popular with a large majority of Republicans but vilified by many Democrats, maintained his formidable fundraising edge over Democrats with a surge of donations following his impeachment last month by the Democratic-led House of... read more

The lions were confiscated by Japanese during World War II and shipped to Japan to be melted down. They were rescued in 1945 from Osaka dockyard and restored to their former positions following year Experts in Hong Kong could be facing a dilemma unseen in more than six months of protests: How to clean a pair of iconic bronze lion statues that have stood guard over HSBC Holdings’ main offices for decades as one of the city’s foremost symbols of colonial-era largess. Demonstrators defaced the lions, nicknamed “Stephen” and “Stitt,” Wednesday during a mass march intended to show Beijing they would continue to fight its grip into the new year. They splashed the statues with red and black spray paint that depicted bleeding from the eyes, and a phrase in Chinese saying HSBC had been dyed the red of China. At least one statue was set ablaze. Workers struggled to scrub them clean Thursday morning. The lions’ visages adorn local bank notes issued by HSBC and are a remaining symbol of...

'We have managed to reach the [coalition] agreement', said Sebastian Kurz International news : The Austrian People's Party (OVP) and the Green Party reached an agreement to create a coalition government, informed Sebastian Kurz, head of Austrian People's Party (OVP). Early parliamentary elections were held in Austria on September 29. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs' final data, the OVP won with 37.5 per cent of the vote. Following the talks with all political parties represented in the country parliament, Kurz announced on November 11 that OVP would begin negotiations on forming a coalition government with the Green Party that is in the fourth place with a record 13.9 per cent of the vote. "We have managed to reach the [coalition] agreement," Kurz said at a... read more

Lpez Obrador's public safety secretary Alfonso Durazo on Wednesday echoed the president's comments about rooting out corruption in the security forces. Mexico President Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador closed out 2019 with a parting shot at his predecessors, saying imprisoned drug kingpin Joaqun " El Chapo " Guzmn Loera had had the same power as the country's president. In a video message from the southern city of Palenque on Wednesday, Lpez Obrador recounted his administration's successes in its first year and highlighted its challenges foremost surging violence. He said he had already done away with the high-level corruption that was rampant in previous governments, but said it was crucial to draw a bright line between criminal elements and authorities so that the two sides do not mingle as they had in the past. "There was a time when Guzmn had the same power or had the influence that the then president had ... because there had been a conspiracy and...

Visitors are being warned to leave before Saturday, which is forecast to bring gusting winds and temperatures soaring above 40 degrees Celsius International news : Thousands of tourists have been given less than 48 hours to evacuate fire-ravaged coastal communities as Australia braces for a heatwave Saturday expected to fan deadly bushfires. Catastrophic blazes ripped through swathes of the continent's south-east on New Year's Eve, killing at least eight people and stranding holidaymakers as seaside towns were ringed by flames. The New South Wales (NSW) Rural Fire Service on Thursday morning declared a "tourist leave zone" stretching about 200 kilometres (124 miles) from the popular holiday spot of Bateman's Bay along the usually picturesque south-east coast to neighbouring Victoria state, where people are also being urged to evacuate fire-threatened... read more

The odd-even scheme, which kickstarted on Monday has entered Day 2 with only odd-numbered non-transport vehicles allowed on Delhi roads Current affairs : Pollution levels in the national capital surged on Tuesday morning as the air quality remained in the 'severe' category. A day after high wind speed helped bring down pollution levels in the city, SAFAR, the government-run monitoring agency, said Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) was 411 at 7:00 am. Gurgaon, Faridabad, Noida and Ghaziabad too recorded 'severe' overall air quality. An AQI between 0-50 is considered good, 51-100 satisfactory, 101-200 moderate, 201-300 poor, 301-400 very poor, and 401-500 severe. Above 500 is severe-plus emergency category... read more

After Delhi, all schools up to Class 12 were also closed in the National Capital Region till Tuesday following spike in pollution level Current affairs : Pollution level in Delhi peaked to a three-year high on Sunday notwithstanding claims of heightened checks and curbs by authorities, while the Centre reviewed the situation with the governments of Delhi, Haryana and Punjab and announced that Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba would monitor it on a daily basis. After Delhi, all schools up to Class 12 were also closed in the National Capital Region till Tuesday following spike in pollution level. The heavy smog also caused a major disruption at Delhi airport as 37 flights were diverted to other airports due to low visibility, officials said. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the national capital's 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) stood at 494 at 4 pm on Sunday, the highest since November 6, 2016 when it... read more

In the National Capital Region (NCR), Noida (720) and Gurugram (833), also breathed extremely polluted air Current affairs : Even as India's capital city scrambles to tackle its epic air pollution problems, there seems to be no end to the woes of people residing in Delhi and its adjoining areas. On Monday morning, Delhi air quality was in 'severe-plus emergency' category. SAFAR, the government-run monitoring agency, said Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) was 708 at 6:30 am. Gurgaon, Faridabad, Noida and Ghaziabad too recorded severe-plus emergency overall air quality. An AQI between 0-50 is considered good, 51-100 satisfactory, 101-200 moderate, 201-300 poor, 301-400 very poor, and 401-500 severe. Above 500 is severe-plus emergency category. The AQI of four places in and around Delhi has been provided in the table... read more

The Odd-Even scheme 2019 will be applicable between 8 am to 8 pm only from today till November 15 Current affairs : Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government is back with its odd-even scheme in a bid to tackle the national capital's air pollution, which has reached apocalyptic levels. Around 200 teams of the Delhi Traffic Police have been appointed to ensure compliance and around 5,000 civil defence volunteers have been trained to spread awareness. The third edition of odd-even scheme will run till November 15. What is the Odd-Even scheme 2019? The odd-even scheme is a traffic rationing measure under which, private vehicles with registration numbers ending with an odd digit will be allowed on roads on odd dates and those with an even digit on even dates. Vehicle registrations ending with odd digits like 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 will not be allowed on the roads on November 4, 6, 8, 12 and 14. Similarly, vehicles with registration numbers ending with an even digit - 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 - will no...

The Trump administration leaving open the option of penalties aimed at military transactions, arms exports and energy shipments to the Turkish military International news : The US is poised to impose sanctions on Turkey as soon as Monday in response to the nation’s advance into Syria, according to people familiar with the matter, days after President Donald Trump cleared the way for Turkey to launch its offensive by pulling American forces from the area. The initial round of penalties would most likely be aimed at a wide range of individuals and was prepared for Trump’s approval, according to one of the people. The departments of State, Defense and Treasury worked over the weekend to draft the terms, the people said. The Trump administration is leaving open the option of penalties aimed at military transactions, arms exports and energy shipments to the... read more

Turkey's military offensive is endangering civilians and threatening peace, security and stability in the region, Trump said,   International news : Protesting Turkey's military offensive into northeast Syria, US President Donald Trump on Monday announced he will authorise sanctions against Turkish officials, raise steel tariffs and end negotiations on a $100 billion trade deal. Turkey launched a cross-border assault on Kurdish fighters on Wednesday after the US decided to withdraw troops from Syria, a move criticised by the Republicans, with some terming it a "betrayal" of the Kurds. "This (executive) order will enable the US to impose powerful additional sanctions on those who may be involved in serious human rights abuses, obstructing a ceasefire, preventing displaced persons from returning home, forcibly repatriating refugees or threatening the peace, security or stability in Syria," Trump said in a statement. Turkey's military offensive is...

With 17 days before the UK is due to leave the EU, Johnson repeatedly pledged to "get Brexit done," as he spoke in Parliament on Monday International news : UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal was hanging in the balance Tuesday, after the European Union Presidency said more time was needed before a summit of its leaders this week. Antti Rinne, premier of Finland — which currently has the rotating presidency of the EU — said negotiations may need to continue after the EU Council summit that starts Thursday. “I think there is no time in a practical way and in a legal base to reach an agreement before the Council meeting, I think we need to have more time,” Rinne told... read more

The deeper analysis of why immigration policy is so hard to fix deserves close attention International news : Much of the commentary about Michael Kremer, named this week as one of three winners of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, has justifiably celebrated his pioneering work in studying poverty — even now, many of us believe, the planet’s greatest moral challenge. But an important 2011 Kremer paper, overlooked in the celebration, helps to shed light on another great challenge of our day: refugee policy. His work helps explain the immigration pressures that have been roiling politics around the world. In the wake of the disaster in Syria and other crises, refugees have flooded Europe. Nationalist parties have responded by playing to the sentiment that migrants are stealing jobs. They promise tougher standards for immigrants, a stance with the potential to harm migrants fleeing persecution. The United Nations puts the number of people seeking refuge in the tens of...

A popular conception of economists is that they're the high priests of the free market, downplaying the role of government and giving short shrift to the needs of society's poorest International news : This year’s economics Nobel prize went to three worthy economists — Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Michael Kremer of Harvard University. The prize, which was awarded “for their experimental approach to alleviating global poverty,” shows several important ways that the economics discipline is changing. A popular conception of economists is that they’re the high priests of the free market, downplaying the role of government and giving short shrift to the needs of society’s poorest. A great many economists defy this stereotype, spending their careers studying how to uplift the poorest citizens of the developing world through government action. Banerjee, Duflo and Kremer fall into this category. For example, all three hav...

The attack on Saudi oil facilities on Saturday not only knocked out over half of the country's production, it also removed almost all the spare capacity available A satellite image shows an apparent drone strike on an Aramco oil facility in Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia September 14, 2019.   International news : The strike on the heartland of Saudi Arabia’s oil industry, including damage to the world’s biggest petroleum-processing facility, has driven oil prices to their highest level in nearly four months. Why is it so disruptive for oil suppliers? The attack on Saudi oil facilities on Saturday not only knocked out over half of the country’s production, it also removed almost all the spare capacity available to compensate for any major disruption in oil supplies worldwide. The attack cut 5.7 million barrels per day (bpd) of Saudi crude output, over 5 per cent of the world’s supply. But the attack also constrained Saudi Arabia’s ability to use the more than 2 million bpd of s...

The security company vpnMentor uncovered the breach on the server run by the firm Novaestrat The security company contacted Ecuador's Computer Emergency Response Team to secure the leaked data   International news : Almost the entire population of Ecuador had their personal data leaked online, security experts said Monday, a massive breach that the government called a "very delicate" issue. An estimated 17 million people, including almost seven million minors and children, had their data exposed by a breach on an unsecured server run by an Ecuadorean marketing and analytics firm. "The information that I can share with you at this moment is that this is a very delicate issue, it is a major concern for the whole of the government and the state," said Interior Minister Maria Paula Romo. The security company vpnMentor uncovered the breach on... read more

The attacks cut Saudi production by 5.7 million barrels a day and officials at state oil company Saudi Aramco have become less optimistic on the pace of output recovery Smoke is seen following a fire at Aramco facility in the eastern city of Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia, September 14, 2019.   International news : Here is a list of countries that could boost crude production to offset losses from Saudi Arabia in the event that the disruption to supplies from the attacks on its Abqaiq and Khurais processing facilities lasts longer than initially expected. It’s not a long list and much may not be accessible. The attacks cut Saudi production by 5.7 million barrels a day and officials at state oil company Saudi Aramco have become less optimistic on the pace of output recovery. The maximum spare capacity that could be brought into production in the coming weeks is estimated at about 3.9 million barrels a day. That figure should be treated as a exercise in optimism, though. It incl...

According to Trump's schedule, he could meet the Pakistani Prime Minister on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly Session in New York later this month International news : US President Donald Trump on Monday said he will be meeting the prime ministers of India and Pakistan soon, even as he maintained that tension between the two Asian countries had reduced. While Trump will address Indian-Americans, along with PM Modi, at the "Howdy Modi!" event in Houston on September 22, the American president did not say when or where will he be meeting PM Khan. "I'll see Prime Minister Modi and I will -- we'll -- be meeting with (prime ministers of) India and Pakistan," Trump told reporters in response to a question at the White House on... read more

This would be the third meeting between Donald Trump and Narendra Modi International news : US President Donald Trump's decision to join Prime Minster Narendra Modi for the mega diaspora event "Howdy, Mody!" in Houston on September 22, suggests that Trump considers Modi to be his friend and ally, a former top Pakistani diplomat said Monday. "President Trump is signalling clearly that while he may have hosted (Pakistan) Prime Minister Imran Khan, it is Prime Minister Modi that he considers his ally and friend," former Pakistani Ambassador to the US, Husain Haqqani told PTI. Haqqani, 63, who has authored several bestselling books on Pakistan, is currently a senior fellow and director at the South and Central Asia... read more

Vice Premier Liu He has acted as President Xi Jinping's pointman in the trade talks with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer International news : A Chinese vice finance minister will visit the United States on Wednesday to lay the groundwork for trade talks next month, state media said. The United States and China have been embroiled in a bruising trade war for more than a year but they have eased off some of their tit-for-tat tariffs ahead of negotiations in October. The official Xinhua news agency said vice finance minister Liao Min will lead a delegation visiting the United States on Wednesday to "pave the way" for... read more