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newstfionline · 5 years

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Cyborg warriors? (Foreign Policy) A study released this month by the U.S. Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Command suggests that ear, eye, brain, and muscular enhancement could be a regular feature of the armed forces by 2050. The report followed a year-long assessment outlining how the United States might increase its military capabilities in the face of developing artificial intelligence technologies in China--something that could revolutionize warfare.

Public impeachment hearings begin on Wednesday; White House declines to participate (Foreign Policy) The U.S. House Judiciary Committee will hold its first public impeachment hearing on Wednesday, while Trump is in London for a NATO summit. White House lawyers said on Sunday that they would not participate in the hearing, where legal experts will assess whether the president committed impeachable offenses in his dealings with Ukraine.

Mexican Border Town Gripped by Fear After Gunbattle Kills 22 (AP) A small town near the U.S.-Mexico border began cleaning up Monday, gripped by fear after the killing of 22 people in a ferocious weekend gunbattle between drug cartel members and security forces.

US reimposes tariffs on Argentina and Brazil (Bloomberg) U.S. President Donald Trump said he is reinstating tariffs on steel and aluminum from Argentina and Brazil. The move amounts to retaliation against two nations that have become big suppliers of soybeans to China, grabbing market share away from the U.S. during Trump’s trade war. Rural U.S. voters, including farmers who have been damaged by the conflict, are a key constituency for Trump.

U.N. Climate Meetings Begin With Message of Urgency (Foreign Policy) This year’s annual U.N. Climate Change Conference, known as COP25, begins today in Madrid, where 29,000 visitors are expected over the next two weeks, including 50 heads of state. Ahead of the conference, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres underlined the meeting’s urgency, saying that the climate crisis could soon reach the “point of no return.”

UK PM Johnson to strengthen prison sentences to boost security (Reuters) British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he would strengthen prison sentences, vowing to boost security after an attack in London by a man jailed for terrorism who had been released early. Less than two weeks before Britain heads to the polls, law and order has taken top billing since Usman Khan, wearing a fake suicide vest and wielding knives, killed two people on Friday before being shot dead by police. London held a vigil for Jack Merritt, 25, and Saskia Jones, 23, both former students active in a program on prisoner rehabilitation, who were killed by Usman Khan near London Bridge.

French unions call for unlimited strike (Eurointelligence.com, Times of London) Three French trade unions called for an unlimited strike starting this Thursday. They promise to immobilize the country with planned strikes on the train and metro networks, roads, and airports as well as in schools, energy companies and hospitals. Will the trade unions be able to guarantee an orderly strike? Or will it become a cyclone of various grievances and explode on to the street, as Le Monde puts it? Students already have said they will join in, accusing the government of inaction over rising poverty. The gilets jaunes are also preparing to go back on the streets again. These protesters will test Emmanuel Macron’s determination to push through the pension reform. This is not about whether the reform is sensible or not. This is about testing his resilience. Macron gave in to pressure last year, offering a package worth €7 billion. What will the bill be this time?

Spanish Parliament Convenes but Still No Sign of Government (AP) Deputies elected in Spain’s November elections, the fourth in as many years, are taking their seats in the national parliament but there is still no clear sign that a government can be formed soon and fresh elections avoided.

Residents of quake-hit Alabanian city fearful of returning to unsafe homes (Reuters) Residents of damaged buildings in Albania’s second-biggest city of Durres are reluctant to return to their apartments until the government can tell them they are safe following last week’s deadly earthquake.

Taliban Ready to Resume Negotiations (Foreign Policy) Both the Taliban and the Afghan government appeared caught off guard by U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement during a Thanksgiving Day visit to Afghanistan--his first since taking office--that the Taliban was ready to agree to a cease-fire deal. But the insurgent group responded quickly, with a spokesman saying on Friday that they were “ready to restart the talks.” It’s not yet clear if the renewed discussions will lead to peace. Key disputes still need to be resolved, including the Taliban’s refusal to talk directly with the Afghan government. And, contrary to what Trump said last week, there are no signs the Taliban is ready for a cease-fire--a condition that has long been a sticking point for the insurgent group, which primarily uses violence as leverage.

India eyes Trump’s Turkey treatment (Foreign Policy) Trump has held off enacting mandatory sanctions on Turkey in response to its purchase of a Russian missile defense system, a decision that could have implications for U.S. strategic allies elsewhere. India, in particular, is watching these developments closely: It recently purchased its own S-400 system from Russia in addition to a contract for local production of 464 T-90S battle tanks. Much of its own future security relationship with Moscow will depend on how Washington chooses to respond. The move is a sign that second-rate powers in Asia and beyond could find it advantageous to play the great powers off of each other for their own geopolitical gain.

Closer ties between Moscow and Beijing (Foreign Policy) A 1,800-mile long pipeline will begin delivering natural gas from Russia to China today, marking the completion of a major project for both countries. The pipeline, announced after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 and sought to reduce its reliance on European energy customers, is part of a trend of greater cooperation between Moscow and Beijing. Trade between the countries has reached record levels, and joint military maneuvers suggest the economic cooperation has expanded into growing military ties.

China launches mandatory face scans for mobile users (Quartz) A new rule requiring face scans of customers signing up for new mobile plans in China came into effect Sunday (Dec. 1), amid widespread adoption of facial-recognition technology across the country. In September, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced the change, saying it would “protect the legitimate rights and interest of citizens in cyberspace.” The notice said that “artificial intelligence and other technical methods” should be used to match the faces of customers buying new SIM cards with their identity documents.

North Korea Says Up to U.S. to Decide What ‘Christmas Gift’ It Wants (Reuters) North Korea said on Tuesday the United States was trying to drag out denuclearisation talks ahead of the U.S. presidential election next year and issued a veiled threat to Washington to soften its demands, state media reported.

One Killed as Typhoon Hits Philippines, Hundreds of Flights Halted (Reuters) A typhoon struck the Philippines on Tuesday, killing one man and bringing heavy rains that prompted suspension of air travel and government offices in the capital, and warnings of floods, storm surges and landslides.

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global-news-station · 5 years

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DURRES, Albania: Residents of damaged buildings in Albania’s second-biggest city of Durres are reluctant to return to their apartments until the government can tell them they are safe following last week’s deadly earthquake.

In one apartment block, a Reuters team walked up a staircase clogged with bricks and plaster debris and saw walls that had been torn open or collapsed, revealing bathrooms and kitchens.

Bricks littered beds and one living-room was now open to the street.

A total of 51 people were killed in the quake that struck last Tuesday. After finding shelter for more than 6,300 homeless people in hotels, gyms, tents and social centers, the government now faces the task of assessing the safety of buildings and rebuilding homes.

Some 70 experts, 50 of them foreign, are working to assess the damage.

Living in relatives’ houses and even cars, residents keep returning to their apartments to protect them from thieves or to cart away possessions as hundreds of aftershocks add to their fears and strain the buildings.

Robert Bushi, 61, said he had dragged his 20-year-old daughter Klea from her bed on which broken bricks had fallen, wounding her on the forehead.

His living room wall had fallen out. The 10-storey building was close to two hotels that collapsed and were being demolished on the Durres beach area.

“On TV they make it look like everything is taken care of but it is six days now were are out in the street and no one came to tell us if the building is safe,” he told Reuters.

The 6.4-magnitude quake, Albania’s worst ever, was centered 30 km west of the capital Tirana and was felt across the Balkans and southern Italy across the Adriatic Sea.

Alabania’s last big quake, which killed 40 people, was in 1979 so people were ill-equipped to deal with it.

Some 3,822 dwellings and 461 apartment buildings had been heavily damaged, with 20 declared non-habitable.

Building structures with more storeys than licensed have long been as issue and the government has started to address it. People say that standards have not been rigorously applied during a building boom as people moved from rural areas into the cities, especially Tirana and Durres, in the past two decades.

Prime Minister Edi Rama, touring Durres, promised citizens that each apartment building would be checked for safety.

Hysni Ramollari, 70, who had gone to an apartment to switch off the water supply, said the door shut after the quake and he was rescued by a construction team.

“It was an act of God but right now it is on the government if they do not come and tell us if this building is safe,” he said.

Like others, he had spent his savings to buy the place.

Naim Kolaveri, 60, said a smaller quake three hours after the main had damaged the 10-storey building and he feared another big one would doom it.

“The big quake kicked me around like a soccer ball,” he told Reuters as he and his wife moved away a TV set and a heater.

“It feels as if the quake is in our blood now,” said Bledi, 25, a barkeeper. “I feel I shake whenever I move around.”

The post Residents of quake-hit Alabanian city fearful of returning to unsafe homes appeared first on ARY NEWS.

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