Duty Editor: James Edgar
Tel: +852 2829 6211
— TOP STORIES —
+ Canada defends Huawei arrest
+ Paris braces for fresh yellow vest violence
+ Critical talks open between Yemen war rivals
+ UK’s May offers more say for MPs to save Brexit deal
+ Banksy is Banksied — artist’s work on show without permission
US-China-Canada-telecom-espionage,WRAP
MONTREAL
Canada defends its arrest of an executive of Chinese tech giant Huawei on a US extradition request as markets wobbled on fears of fresh friction between Washington and Beijing.
750 words moved by Michel Comte. Picture
France-politics-protest,WRAP
PARIS
The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre museum and scores of shops on the Champs-Elysees are set to close as authorities warned of fresh violence this weekend during protests which have ballooned into the biggest crisis of Emmanuel Macron’s presidency.
800 words moved by Simon Valmary and Joseph Schmid. Picture. Video
Yemen-conflict-diplomacy,WRAP
RIMBO, Sweden
Yemen’s government and rebels, locked in a devastating war, traded accusations as they sat down for hard-won talks the United Nations described as “difficult” but “critical”.
750 words moved by Natacha Yazbeck. Picture. Video. Graphic
Also moved: Yemen-conflict-mines,SCENE
Britain-EU-Brexit-politics,WRAP
LONDON
British Prime Minister Theresa May seeks to woo lawmakers with a promise of more power over the next stage of Brexit as she fights to save her EU withdrawal deal ahead of a crucial parliamentary vote next week.
700 words moved by Alice Ritchie. Graphic. File video. File picture
Spain-art-Banksy-offbeat
MADRID
Banksy, who puts up his work in public spaces without asking authorisation, is the subject of a new show in Madrid featuring his works — without his authorisation.
350 words moved
— ASIA —
NKorea-children-education-politics,PHOTOESSAY
SINUIJU, North Korea
Lined up in vividly-coloured costumes, make-up and bright smiles, the children of the Sinuiju City Kindergarten belted out the finale of their hour-long show, “We Cannot Live Without You, Father” — an ode to Kim Jong Un.
450 words 0300 GMT by Sebastien Berger. Picture. Video
US-China-Canada-telecom-espionage,FOCUS
WASHINGTON
The arrest of a top executive of tech giant Huawei at the request of US authorities signals a toughening stand in Washington on dealing with Chinese tech firms amid longstanding concerns over cyberespionage.
750 words moved by Rob Lever
Pakistan-military-rights-PTM
ISLAMABAD
Pakistan’s powerful military warns a peaceful nationwide civil rights movement which accuses it of abuses that it will use force against them if they “cross the line”.
400 words moved. Video
— AMERICAS —
US-politics-Bush,WRAP
COLLEGE STATION, United States
Former president George H.W. Bush, remembered as much for his legacy of service as his consequential impact on history, was buried Thursday, capping days of tribute from a nation that briefly set aside political divisions to honor him.
700 words 0200 GMT by Andrew Caballero-Reynolds with Michael Mathes in Washington. Picture. Video. Live Video. Graphic.
US-military-Mattis-Saudi,FOCUS
WASHINGTON
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who has enjoyed a level of bipartisan support rarely seen in Washington, is facing mounting public criticism amid the fallout from the slaying of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
800 words 0230 GMT by Thomas Watkins. File Picture.
Brazil-corruption-Odebrecht-construction-economy,INTERVIEW
SAO PAULO
The reputation of Odebrecht, a Brazilian construction giant, has become linked with corruption after it admitted to paying hundreds of millions of dollars in bribes in a dozen countries to secure public works contracts.
600 words 0200 GMT by Moises Avila. Picture. Video.
US-China-Canada-telecom-espionage-diplomacy,FOCUS
WASHINGTON
When Donald Trump flew back from a summit with China in Buenos Aires, he hailed it as “amazing” and raised hopes of a breakthrough on ending a trade war.
750 words 0200 GMT by Shaun Tandon
Israel-Palestinians-conflict-UN-US-Hamas,WRAP
UNITED NATIONS
US resolution championed by Ambassador Nikki Haley to condemn the Palestinian Hamas movement at the United Nations for firing rockets at Israel fails to win enough votes for adoption.
650 words moved by Carole Landry
Ecuador-Britain-diplomacy-Assange,WRAP
QUITO
Ecuador’s president says conditions have been met for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to leave the country’s embassy in London, which would end a six-year standoff with British authorities.
550 words moved. File Picture
Cuba-communications-internet,WRAP
HAVANA
Cuba becomes one of the last countries in the world to get mobile internet, even if most citizens of the Communist-run island won’t be able to afford to use the service.
550 words moved by Carlos Batista. Picture.
— EUROPE —
Europe-migrants-Aquarius,WRAP
PARIS
The migrant rescue ship Aquarius will end its missions in the Mediterranean, the humanitarian groups MSF says, blaming European states for smearing and obstructing its work.
500 words 0300 GMT
Nobel-peace-DRCongo-Iraq-Yazidi-family-social,ADVANCER
OSLO
Champions of the fight against sexual violence, Congolese doctor Denis Mukwege and Yazidi activist Nadia Murad, a former captive of jihadists, will receive the Nobel Peace Prize, which this year highlights rape as a weapon of war.
700 words 0300 GMT by Pierre-Henry Deshayes. File picture. Graphic. File video
Also moving: Nobel-peace-DRCongo-Mukwege-health-crime,PROFILE
Nobel-prize-peace-Iraq-Murad-Yazidi,PROFILE
Nobel-peace-Germany-Iraq-conflict-Yazidi,FOCUS
UN-anniversary-rights-treaty-history,FOCUS
GENEVA
As the Universal Declaration of Human Rights turns 70, there are signs that the goals outlined in the text are facing unprecedented threats, from rising nationalism to a worldwide assault on multilateral institutions.
800 words 0300 GMT by Ben Simon. File Picture. Video
Also moving: UN-rights-world,FOCUS
UN-rights-world-points,FACTS
UN-rights-world-history,FACTS
Germany-politics-CDU,WRAP
HAMBURG, Germany
German Chancellor Angela Merkel will hand over leadership of her party after nearly two decades at the helm, with the race wide open between a loyal deputy and a longtime rival.
750 words 0400 GMT by Deborah Cole. Picture. Video
— AFRICA —
EU-France-WAfrica-unrest-G5,WRAP
NOUAKCHOTT
Western donors pledge more than two billion euros in funding aimed at preventing terrorism and lawlessness along the southern rim of the Sahara with projects such as building schools and health centres and improving access to water.
500 words moved
UN-migration-politics,ADVANCER
MARRAKESH
Representatives from around the globe are gearing up for a major conference in Morocco to endorse a United Nations migration pact, despite a string of countries shunning the accord.
600 words by Sophie Pons. Picture. Video. Graphic
Also moving:
UN-migration-politics,Q&A
UN-migration-politics,FACTS x2
WSahara-conflict-UN-Morocco-Polisario,WRAP
GENEVA
The first talks in six years on the disputed Western Sahara region end in deadlock, with key players Morocco and the Polisario Front pledging to meet again early next year.
650 words moved. Picture. Video
— BUSINESS —
OPEC-economy-oil-politics,WRAP
VIENNA
OPEC will meet with 10 partner countries, including Russia, to try to thrash out an agreement on oil production cuts, a day after the group’s members failed to reach a deal.
600 words 0330 GMT Joseph Sotinel and Jastinder Khera. Graphic. Picture. Video
US-oil-exports-politics,FOCUS
NEW YORK
For the first time in decades, the United States last week was a net exporter of crude oil and petroleum products.
550 words 0200 GMT by Juliette Michel
— CULTURE —
US-Germany-Judaism-art,FOCUS
NEW YORK
World War II ended more than 70 years ago, but works of art confiscated by the Nazis are still regularly unearthed by major auction houses, which contribute actively to their restitution.
850 words 0230 GMT by Thomas Urbain. File Picture.
US-politics-art,FOCUS
MIAMI BEACH, United States
The volatile political climate in the United States reverberates at Art Basel, the international art fair held in December in Miami Beach, with some artists portraying a country on the “verge of chaos,” populated by “phantasmagoric” minorities.
600 words 0200 GMT by Leila Macor. Picture.
Entertainment-US-film-television-Globes,WRAP
LOS ANGELES
“Vice,” a biopic about Dick Cheney starring Christian Bale as the former US vice president, wins the most Golden Globe nominations with six including best comedy film, as the race to the Oscars ramps up.
750 words moved by Laurent Banguet with Susan Stumme in Washington. Picture. Video
Also moved: Entertainment-US-film-television-Globes-nominees,FACTS
Entertainment-art-museum-Senegal-Africa,WRAP
DAKAR
A museum showcasing the creations of black artists from the dawn of history to the modern era is inaugurated in the Senegalese capital Dakar, as demands by African countries for the restitution of artwork by their former colonial masters gain traction.
450 words moved by Malick Rokhy Ba. Picture. Video
