| UN, Pope voice solidarity with Burkina Faso after jihadist attack Posted: 25 Dec 2019 05:02 PM PST  A jihadist attack that left 42 dead in the north of Burkina Faso, the worst assault in the country for five years, plunged the nation into mourning over Christmas and sparked messages of solidarity from the United Nations and Pope Francis. Thirty-five civilians, including 31 women, and seven soldiers were killed Tuesday in simultaneous attacks which lasted for several hours in the northern town of Arbinda and a military base, the army said, adding that 80 assailants were killed. Burkina Faso, bordering Mali and Niger, has seen frequent jihadist attacks which have left hundreds of people dead since the start of 2015 when Islamist extremist violence began to spread across the Sahel region.
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| Israeli PM evacuated from rally after rocket fired from Gaza Posted: 25 Dec 2019 12:19 PM PST  Israel said a rocket was fired from the Gaza Strip into its southern territory Wednesday, forcing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be hustled from a stage during an election rally in the city of Ashkelon. The Israeli military said its air defense system, known as Iron Dome, intercepted the rocket. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz posted a video on its website showing Netanyahu being taken to a shelter as he was campaigning hours before the primaries of his Likud party.
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| Merry Christmas to Troops, But Humbug to Democrats Posted: 25 Dec 2019 12:00 PM PST  WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- President Donald Trump spent Christmas Eve morning complaining that Democrats had treated him unfairly during the impeachment inquiry and insisting that Republican leaders in the Senate should run a trial however they see fit."It's up to Mitch McConnell, and we have the majority and now they want McConnell to do wonderful things for them," Trump said of Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Senate majority leader, during remarks to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago estate. "I mean he's going to do what he wants to do."Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are locked in a dispute over the procedures that will govern a Senate impeachment trial, with Democrats insisting that it must include testimony from witnesses, a decision that McConnell and other Republicans say is premature.Trump has said in the past that he is eager for Republicans to mount a robust defense of his actions during a trial that would include witnesses. But his Republican allies in the Senate have expressed misgivings about creating a circuslike trial. In his remarks on Tuesday, Trump appeared willing to accept whatever McConnell decided."He's very smart guy, a very good guy, a very fair guy," Trump said. He criticized Democrats for trying to influence the Senate process, saying "they treated us very unfairly, and now they want fairness in the Senate."Trump lashed out at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, saying she "hates all of the people who voted for me and the Republican Party." And he attacked Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who chairs the House Intelligence Committee and ran the impeachment investigation, as "a sick, corrupt politician."A spokesman for Pelosi called the president's comments "projection." The speaker said Monday on Twitter that the House could not take the final steps to send the articles of impeachment to the Senate until senators decided how the trial would be conducted, including a decision about whether witnesses would be called."President Trump blocked his own witnesses and documents from the House, and from the American people, on phony complaints about the House process," Pelosi tweeted. "What is his excuse now?"In a recent letter sent to the Democratic caucus promoting the legislative work of the past year, she reiterated that the House would not appoint managers until the Senate presented the rules for an impeachment trial. Pelosi said the strong interest among caucus members in being appointed was "indicative of our strong case."Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader said on Monday: "We say to President Trump, if you are so confident that you did nothing wrong, then why won't you let your men testify? If you did nothing wrong, President, why do you seem so eager to avoid the truth, to hide the truth?"Schumer also demanded more internal administration documents before an impeachment trial, calling newly released emails showing that military aid to Ukraine was suspended 90 minutes after Trump demanded "a favor" from Ukraine's president "explosive."Trump's comments to reporters Tuesday morning came after praising troops during a video call to five military units deployed at bases around the world. He wished them a merry Christmas and said he hoped that "every member of our military will feel the overwhelming gratitude of our nation."One soldier asked the president about the cameo appearance he made in the movie Home Alone 2. Trump called it "a big Christmas hit, one of the biggest. It's an honor to be involved in something like that."Another soldier asked him what present he had gotten his wife, Melania Trump for Christmas -- a question that seemed to stump the president for a moment."That's a tough question. I got her a beautiful card," Trump said. "A lot of love. We love our family, and we love each other. We've had a great relationship, hopefully like you do with your spouses. I'm still working on a Christmas present. There's a little time left. Not much, but a little time left."But the president clearly had other things on his mind on the day before Christmas.He spent the morning retweeting Fox News commentary about the impeachment. He quoted one as saying that Democrats were "in real doubt about the evidence" for impeachment. And he quoted another as saying that Pelosi supported the new trade deal with Mexico and Canada only because she needed to do something productive while pursuing impeachment against Trump."The Radical Left, Do Nothing Democrats have gone CRAZY," Trump tweeted. "They want to make it as hard as possible for me to properly run our Country!"On other issues, the president said he was not worried about a threatened "Christmas gift" from North Korea. U.S. officials have been on high alert for the possibility that Kim Jong Un, the North Korean leader, might resume testing of ballistic missiles. But Trump said he was not concerned by the threat."That's OK. We'll find out what the surprise is and we'll deal with it," he said, adding: "Maybe it's a present where he sends me a beautiful vase as opposed to a missile test. I may get a vase. I may get a nice present from him. You don't know. You never know."The president was asked whether he planned to pardon Roger Stone, a longtime informal adviser who was convicted in federal court of seven felonies for obstructing the congressional inquiry, lying to investigators under oath and trying to block the testimony of a witness whose account would have exposed his lies.Trump said he had not thought about a pardon for Stone, but expressed sympathy for him and for Michael Flynn, the retired lieutenant general who served as Trump's first national security adviser and pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about the issue of Russian interference in the 2016 election."He got hit very hard," Trump said about Stone, "as did Gen. Flynn and a lot of other people. And now they are finding out it was all a hoax."The president also said he planned to hold a ceremony with President Xi Jinping of China to sign the first phase of a trade deal that was announced this month, though he offered no details about where or when such a signing ceremony might be held."We will be having a signing ceremony, yes," Trump told reporters. "We will ultimately, yes, when we get together. And we'll be having a quicker signing because we want to get it done. The deal is done, it's just being translated right now."This article originally appeared in The New York Times.(C) 2019 The New York Times Company
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| Crisis Looms in Antibiotics as Drugmakers Go Bankrupt Posted: 25 Dec 2019 11:59 AM PST  At a time when germs are growing more resistant to common antibiotics, many companies that are developing new versions of the drugs are hemorrhaging money and going out of business, gravely undermining efforts to contain the spread of deadly, drug-resistant bacteria.Antibiotic startups like Achaogen and Aradigm have gone belly up in recent months, pharmaceutical behemoths like Novartis and Allergan have abandoned the sector and many of the remaining American antibiotic companies are teetering toward insolvency. One of the biggest developers of antibiotics, Melinta Therapeutics, recently warned regulators it was running out of cash.Experts say the grim financial outlook for the few companies still committed to antibiotic research is driving away investors and threatening to strangle the development of new lifesaving drugs at a time when they are urgently needed."This is a crisis that should alarm everyone," said Dr. Helen Boucher, an infectious disease specialist at Tufts Medical Center and a member of the Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria.The problem is straightforward: The companies that have invested billions to develop the drugs have not found a way to make money selling them. Most antibiotics are prescribed for just days or weeks -- unlike medicines for chronic conditions like diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis that have been blockbusters -- and many hospitals have been unwilling to pay high prices for the new therapies. Political gridlock in Congress has thwarted legislative efforts to address the problem.The challenges facing antibiotic-makers come at time when many of the drugs designed to vanquish infections are becoming ineffective against bacteria and fungi, as overuse of the decades-old drugs has spurred them to develop defenses against the medicines.Drug-resistant infections now kill 35,000 people in the United States each year and sicken 2.8 million, according a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released last month. Without new therapies, the United Nations says the global death toll could soar to 10 million by 2050.The newest antibiotics have proved effective at tackling some of the most stubborn and deadly germs, including anthrax, bacterial pneumonia, E. coli and multidrug-resistant skin infections.The experience of the biotech company Achaogen is a case in point. It spent 15 years and $1 billion to win Food and Drug Administration approval for Zemdri, a drug for hard-to-treat urinary tract infections. In July, the World Health Organization added Zemdri to its list of essential new medicines.By then, however, there was no one left at Achaogen to celebrate.This past spring, with its stock price hovering near zero and executives unable to raise the hundreds of millions of dollars needed to market the drug and do additional clinical studies, the company sold off lab equipment and fired its remaining scientists. In April, the company declared bankruptcy.Public health experts say the crisis calls for government intervention. Among the ideas that have wide backing are increased reimbursements for new antibiotics, federal funding to stockpile drugs effective against resistant germs and financial incentives that would offer much needed aid to startups and lure back the pharmaceutical giants. Despite bipartisan support, legislation aimed at addressing the problem has languished in Congress."If this doesn't get fixed in the next six to 12 months, the last of the Mohicans will go broke and investors won't return to the market for another decade or two," said Chen Yu, a health care venture capitalist who has invested in the field.The industry faces another challenge: After years of being bombarded with warnings against profligate use of antibiotics, doctors have become reluctant to prescribe the newest medications, limiting the ability of companies to recoup the investment spent to discover the compounds and win regulatory approval. And in their drive to save money, many hospital pharmacies will dispense cheaper generics even when a newer drug is far superior."You'd never tell a cancer patient 'Why don't you try a 1950s drug first and if doesn't work, we'll move on to one from the 1980s,'" said Kevin Outterson, the executive director of CARB-X, a government-funded nonprofit that provides grants to companies working on antimicrobial resistance. "We do this with antibiotics and it's really having an adverse effect on patients and the marketplace."Many of the new drugs are not cheap, at least when compared to older generics that can cost a few dollars a pill. A typical course of Xerava, a newly approved antibiotic that targets multi-drug-resistant infections, can cost as much as $2,000."Unlike expensive new cancer drugs that extend survival by three-to-six months, antibiotics like ours truly save a patient's life," said Larry Edwards, chief executive of the company that makes Xerava, Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals. "It's frustrating."Tetraphase, based in Watertown, Massachusetts, has struggled to get hospitals to embrace Xerava, which took more than a decade to discover and bring to market, even though the drug can vanquish resistant germs like MRSA and CRE, a resistant bacteria that kills 13,000 people a year.Tetraphase's stock price has been hovering around $2, down from nearly $40 a year ago. To trim costs, Edwards recently shuttered the company's labs, laid off some 40 scientists and scuttled plans to move forward on three other promising antibiotics.For Melinta Therapeutics based in Morristown, New Jersey, the future is even grimmer. Last month, the company's stock price dropped 45% after executives issued a warning about the company's long-term prospects. Melinta makes four antibiotics, including Baxdela, which recently received FDA approval to treat the kind of drug-resistant pneumonia that often kills hospitalized patients. Jennifer Sanfilippo, Melinta's interim chief executive, said she was hoping a sale or merger would buy the company more time to raise awareness about the antibiotics' value among hospital pharmacists and increase sales."These drugs are my babies, and they are so urgently needed," she said.Coming up with new compounds is no easy feat. Only two new classes of antibiotics have been introduced in the last 20 years -- most new drugs are variations on existing ones -- and the diminishing financial returns have driven most companies from the market. In the 1980s, there were 18 major pharmaceutical companies developing new antibiotics; today there are three."The science is hard, really hard," said Dr. David Shlaes, a former vice president at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals and a board member of the Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership, a nonprofit advocacy organization. "And reducing the number of people who work on it by abandoning antibiotic R&D is not going to get us anywhere."A new antibiotic can cost $2.6 billion to develop, he said, and the biggest part of that cost are the failures along the way.Some of the sector's biggest players have coalesced around a raft of interventions and incentives that would treat antibiotics as a global good. They include extending the exclusivity for new antibiotics to give companies more time to earn back their investments and creating a program to buy and store critical antibiotics much the way the federal government stockpiles emergency medication for possible pandemics or bioterror threats like anthrax and smallpox.The DISARM Act, a bill introduced in Congress earlier this year, would direct Medicare to reimburse hospitals for new and critically important antibiotics. The bill has bipartisan support but has yet to advance.One of its sponsors, Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., said some of the reluctance to push it forward stemmed from the political sensitivity over soaring prescription drug prices. "There is some institutional resistance to any legislation that provides financial incentives to drug companies," he said.Washington has not entirely been sitting on its hands. During the past decade, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or BARDA, a federal effort to counter chemical, nuclear and other public health threats, has invested $1 billion in companies developing promising antimicrobial drugs and diagnostics that can help address antibiotic resistance."If we don't have drugs to combat these multi-drug-resistant organisms, then we're not doing our job to keep Americans safe," Rick A. Bright, the director of the agency, said.Bright has had a firsthand experience with the problem. Two years ago, his thumb became infected after he nicked it while gardening in his backyard. The antibiotic he was prescribed had no effect, nor did six others he was given at the hospital. It turned out he had MRSA.The infection spread, and doctors scheduled surgery to amputate the thumb. His doctor prescribed one last antibiotic but only after complaining about its cost and warning that Bright's insurance might not cover it. Within hours, the infection began to improve and the amputation was canceled."If I had gotten the right drug on Day 1, I would have never had to go to the emergency room," he said.Achaogen and its 300 employees had held out hope for government intervention, especially given that the company had received $124 million from BARDA to develop Zemdri.As recently as two years ago, the company had a market capitalization of more than $1 billion and Zemdri was so promising that it became the first antibiotic the FDA designated as a breakthrough therapy, expediting the approval process.Dr. Ryan Cirz, one of Achaogen's founders and the vice president of research, recalled the days when venture capitalists took a shine to the company and investors snapped up its stock. "It wasn't hype," Cirz, a microbiologist, said. "This was about saving lives."In June, investors at the bankruptcy sale bought out the company's lab equipment and the rights to Zemdri for a pittance: $16 million. (The buyer, generics drugmaker Cipla USA, has continued to manufacture the drug.) Many of Achaogen's scientists have since found research jobs in more lucrative fields like oncology.Cirz lost his life savings, but he said he had bigger concerns. Without effective antibiotics, many common medical procedures could one day become life-threatening."This is a problem that can be solved, it's not that complicated," he said. "We can deal with the problem now, or we can just sit here and wait until greater numbers of people start dying. That would be a tragedy."This article originally appeared in The New York Times.(C) 2019 The New York Times Company
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| GOP senator 'disturbed' by McConnell impeachment remark Posted: 25 Dec 2019 09:29 AM PST  U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a Republican from Alaska, said she was disturbed to hear Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell say there would be "total coordination" between the White House and the Senate over the upcoming presidential impeachment trial. "And in fairness, when I heard that I was disturbed," Murkowski told KTUU Tuesday before saying there should be distance between the White House and the Senate in how the trial is conducted.
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| Iraqi protesters rally after night of arson attacks Posted: 25 Dec 2019 08:41 AM PST  Iraqi anti-government protesters again hit the streets Wednesday, angered by an activist's death and an attempt on the life of a popular TV satirist. The latest rallies in Baghdad and southern cities came after a night of unrest that saw protesters torch the regional headquarters of two pro-Iran militias in the city of Diwaniyah. The demonstrators have rallied for almost three months to demand the ouster of the entire political class that has run the oil-rich yet poverty-ridden country in the aftermath of the 2003 US-led invasion which overthrew dictator Saddam Hussein.
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| Trumps wish Americans 'Merry Christmas' as they mark holiday Posted: 25 Dec 2019 08:26 AM PST  President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump are wishing Americans a Merry Christmas as they celebrate the holiday with their family in Florida. "The president and I want to wish each and every American a very merry Christmas," the first lady said in a video message recorded at the White House and released Wednesday. "We say a special prayer for those military service members stationed far from home and we renew our hope for peace among nations and joy to the world," Trump said in the message.
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| China releases footage of live fire drills as it warns over fresh Hong Kong protests Posted: 25 Dec 2019 07:44 AM PST  Beijing has issued an ominous warning with a new video of the Chinese military engaging in live fire drills as Hong Kong anti-government protests rocked the city over Christmas. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV released a 47-second clip showing the military garrison stationed in Hong Kong participating in emergency action on warship Qinzhou, a type 056 corvette, in the South China Sea. "Fire the missiles!" shouted a commander. The video, set to dramatic music, was aired on China's state broadcaster and posted online. State media proclaimed that soldiers must train in order to form a "compliant golden-hooped rod" around Hong Kong, a reference to a traditional Chinese tale in which magical warriors obey their master, the Monkey King. State television released the footage from a Hong Kong military garrison The footage was released as Beijing's representative office in Hong Kong issued a statement, saying it was a "key moment for stopping violence and ending chaos." The remarks called on mainland Chinese institutions and businesses in Hong Kong to support the central government. They should "support the government" and "put great effort into tackling engrained problems and conflicts in various social sectors such as politics, economics, and education." Protests spread through Hong Kong over Christmas Eve and Day, with some demonstrators donning reindeer costumes in light of the holiday. Rallies ended in clouds of tear gas, with one police officer pointing his gun at the crowd, but not firing. Footage shown on Hong Kong's public broadcaster also showed a man falling from the first to the second floor of a shopping centre as he tried to evade police. Anti-government protests in Hong Kong are nearing the end of a seventh continuous month with no sign of ending. Protesters were initially upset about an extradition bill they said would have sent suspects to face unfair trial in mainland China's murky judicial system. Protesters have defied repeated warnings from Beijing to end the demonstrations But they have stayed in the streets to rally against encroaching Communist Party influence, which demonstrators say is eroding freedoms meant to be guaranteed in the former British colony under the "one country, two systemes arrangement." The liaison office statement also referenced a speech in Macau given last week by Xi Jinping, leader of the Chinese Communist Party, largely seen as a thinly veiled rebuke toward Hong Kong. Macau is "a beautiful chapter" under the "one country, two systems arrangement" as its residents have put patriotism ahead of other core values including democracy, rule of law, human rights and freedom, the president said. Mr Xi also reiterated that Beijing would never allow "external forces" to challenge China's sovereignty. Government officials have blamed the UK, US and other Western nations for fomenting unrest in Hong Kong to destabilise China. Macau, like Hong Kong, is a former Western colony, and was under Portugese rule until 1999.
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| Relief group: 216,000 have fled homes in northwest Syria Posted: 25 Dec 2019 07:43 AM PST  More than 200,000 men, women and children fled their homes in northwest Syria in buses, trucks and cars in recent weeks, amid intense air and ground bombardment by government forces, a Syrian relief group said Wednesday. Government forces have been bombarding southern and eastern Idlib province, the last rebel stronghold in the war-torn country, since late November. A ground offensive that began last week has displaced more people and government forces have captured more than 40 villages and hamlets, according to the Syrian army and opposition activists.
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| Reenactment of Washington's crossing of Delaware completed Posted: 25 Dec 2019 06:58 AM PST ![Reenactment of Washington's crossing of Delaware completed]( "Reenactment of Washington's crossing of Delaware completed") Thousands turned out Wednesday to watch the annual reenactment of George Washington's daring Christmas Day crossing of the Delaware River in 1776 — the first time the crossing was completed in three years. "We had lovely weather, and we probably had record attendance," said Jennifer Martin, executive director of the Friends of Washington Crossing Park. Other activities include Washington's address to his troops, historical speeches and processions, and staff in period clothing providing public interpretation.
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| Report: Iran cuts mobile internet in some provinces Posted: 25 Dec 2019 06:08 AM PST ![Report: Iran cuts mobile internet in some provinces]( "Report: Iran cuts mobile internet in some provinces") Authorities in Iran have shut down mobile internet service in some provinces over security concerns, the semiofficial ILNA news agency reported Wednesday. NetBlocks.org, which monitors cyber security and internet governance, confirmed ongoing mobile internet disruption in parts of Iran starting Wednesday morning. Amid the protests, the government cut internet service for more than a week across the country.
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| Miami ballet school a haven for Venezuelan dancing diaspora Posted: 25 Dec 2019 06:00 AM PST  Lusian Hernandez's eyes watered when she recalled receiving a free pair of pointe shoes after arriving in Miami on a dance scholarship as her native Venezuela descended into an economic crisis. On a recent night, Hernandez appeared on a South Florida stage in a burgundy gown for the opening scene of "The Nutcracker." She glided through the scene, hugging the lead, Clara, and waving to guests during the Christmas Eve party scene of the holiday favorite. Hernandez, 25, is a professional dancer for Arts Ballet Theater of Florida, a Miami school and company that has built a reputation as a haven for the Venezuelan dancing diaspora.
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| New internet outages in Iran ahead of commemorations Posted: 25 Dec 2019 05:40 AM PST ![New internet outages in Iran ahead of commemorations]( "New internet outages in Iran ahead of commemorations") A wave of internet outages was imposed in Iran Wednesday, ILNA news agency reported, a day before commemorations called for on social media for those killed in unrest last month. The cut came on the orders of security bodies, the news agency said, citing what it called an informed source at Iran's information and communications technology ministry. "This restriction on internet access solely includes international traffic of mobile phone lines," the source was quoted as saying.
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| Ukraine opens probe over Russia's railway bridge to Crimea Posted: 25 Dec 2019 04:28 AM PST ![Ukraine opens probe over Russia's railway bridge to Crimea]( "Ukraine opens probe over Russia's railway bridge to Crimea") Ukrainian officials opened a criminal probe Wednesday after a passenger train from Russia arrived in Crimea via a new Russian-built bridge, arguing that the train illegally carried people across the Ukrainian border. Earlier this week Russian President Vladimir Putin inaugurated the railway bridge to Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014.
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| Nonstop violence as Baltimore nears record homicide rate Posted: 25 Dec 2019 04:24 AM PST  Baltimore could wrap up 2019 with its highest per-capita homicide rate on record as killings of adults and minors alike for drugs, retribution, money or no clear reason continue to add up and city officials appear unable to stop the violence. With just over 600,000 residents, Baltimore's homicide rate would reach approximately 57 per 100,000 residents if the death toll reaches 342. "It's a major concern for me, not just as a hopeful man but as a citizen of Baltimore who grew up in inner city Baltimore," said Carmichael "Stokey" Cannady, a reformed drug dealer turned community activist who wants to be mayor.
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| Iran-backed bloc names Basra governor for post of Iraqi PM Posted: 25 Dec 2019 04:22 AM PST  An Iranian-backed bloc in Iraq's parliament proposed Wednesday the governor of oil-rich southern Basra province as the country's next prime minister, two officials said. The nomination was promptly rejected by Iraqi protesters who want an independent candidate to take over the government. The Fatah bloc, which includes leaders associated with the paramilitary Popular Mobilization Units, supported by Iran, proposed Gov. Asaad al-Eidani for premier.
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| JFK letter promising Santa safe during Cold War on display Posted: 25 Dec 2019 04:14 AM PST  In the throes of the Cold War, the Soviet Union was planning to test a massive nuclear bomb in the Arctic Circle. "Please stop the Russians from bombing the North Pole," 8-year-old Michelle Rochon, of Marine City, pleaded, according to news reports at the time. Kennedy's brief, but reassuring response to Rochon is part of a trove of holiday-themed archival materials being featured this month at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston.
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| Afghan official says Taliban abducted 26 peace activists Posted: 25 Dec 2019 03:52 AM PST  The Taliban ambushed a peace convoy in western Afghanistan and abducted 26 activists, members of a peace movement, a police spokesman said Wednesday. The insurgents staged the ambush in the district of Bala Buluk in Farah province on Tuesday. The Taliban forced the six-vehicle convoy to a halt, then got into the cars and drove them and the activists to an unknown location, said the provincial police spokesman Mohibullah Mohib.
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| Pope offers hope against darkness in Christmas Day message Posted: 25 Dec 2019 03:52 AM PST  Pope Francis offered a Christmas message of hope Wednesday against darkness that cloaks conflicts and relationships in large parts of the world from the Middle East to the Americas to Africa. The traditional "Urbi et Orbi'' ("to the city and to the world'') Christmas message has become an occasion for popes to address suffering in the world and press for solutions. Francis was flanked by Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino, president of the papal council for migrants, and Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, the pope's official almsgiver.
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| Iran to hold joint, four-day navy drill with Russia, China Posted: 25 Dec 2019 03:11 AM PST ![Iran to hold joint, four-day navy drill with Russia, China]( "Iran to hold joint, four-day navy drill with Russia, China") Iran's armed forces will hold a joint, four-day naval exercise with Russia and China in the northern part of the Indian Ocean, a spokesman said Wednesday. Visits to Iran by Russian and Chinese naval representatives have also stepped up in recent years. Iranian military spokesman Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi said the joint maneuvers, which are aimed at promoting regional security, will extend as far as the Sea of Oman.
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| Iraqi city in turmoil after activist's death Posted: 25 Dec 2019 02:09 AM PST  Hundreds of anti-government protesters marched Wednesday in southern Iraq to mourn a dead activist after a night during which the headquarters of two pro-Iran militias were set on fire, an AFP correspondent reported. The demonstrators oppose the political class that has run the oil-rich yet poverty-hit country since a 2003 US-led invasion overthrew dictator Saddam Hussein. Thaer al-Tayeb, a prominent activist from the city of Diwaniya, went to Baghdad's Tahrir Square, the epicentre of the unprecedented revolt shaking Iraq, when the rallies started nearly three months ago.
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| Iran warplane crashes near dormant volcano: state media Posted: 25 Dec 2019 02:04 AM PST  An Iranian military fighter jet crashed on Wednesday near a dormant volcano in the northwest of the country, official media reported. State news agency IRNA said the jet went down at 9:00 am (0530 GMT) near Mount Sabalan, in the Lesser Caucasus range, and was a MiG-29 on a test flight after being overhauled. Amateur video footage published on the social media accounts of various media outlets in Iran appeared to show smoke rising above snow-capped peaks.
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| Iran fighter plane crashes near border, pilot's fate unknown Posted: 25 Dec 2019 01:38 AM PST ![Iran fighter plane crashes near border, pilot's fate unknown]( "Iran fighter plane crashes near border, pilot's fate unknown") An Iranian fighter jet went down on Wednesday in the north of the country, near the border with Azerbaijan, Iran's state television reported. The TV reported that the crash happened in the Sabalan mountainous region and that rescue teams and three search helicopters were looking for the pilot who was said to have contacted his base following the crash. The fighter jet was a recently overhauled MiG-29.
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| Notre Dame rector: Fragile cathedral might not be saved Posted: 25 Dec 2019 01:24 AM PST  The rector of Notre Dame Cathedral says the Paris landmark is still so fragile that there's a "50% chance" the structure might not be saved, because scaffolding installed before this year's fire is threatening the vaults of the Gothic monument. Monsignor Patrick Chauvet said restoration work isn't likely to begin until 2021 — and described his "heartache" that Notre Dame couldn't hold Christmas services this year, for the first time since the French Revolution.
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| Lebanese help each other as economic crisis crushes lives Posted: 24 Dec 2019 10:18 PM PST  Panic set in on a WhatsApp group used to organize Lebanese protests when one member said he intended to kill himself because he can't provide for his kids. The desperate call came on the heels of the suicide of a father of two that had stunned the public and raised alarm over how dire Lebanon's economic conditions have become. As Lebanon's protest movement enters its third month, the economic pinch is hurting everyone.
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| Transcript: Barbara Slavin on "Intelligence Matters" Posted: 24 Dec 2019 08:51 PM PST  This week, on the "Intelligence Matters" podcast, Slavin, director of the "Future of Iran Initiative" at the Atlantic Council, talks with Morell about the U.S. foreign policy posture toward Iran.
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