People
Pope lifts secrecy rules for sex abuse cases
In another change to church policy, Pope Francis revised the church's definition of what constitutes child pornography. The Vatican in a statement said today that testimony and documents related to cases of sexual abuse kept in Vatican Dicastery archives will now be handed over to authorities internationally. [Full Article...]
Homes feared lost in "mega-blaze" in Australia's Sydney
Up to 20 buildings - including homes - are feared lost after backburning at part of the huge Gospers Mountain blaze northwest of Sydney spread out of control on Sunday. An emergency warning has been issued and residents have been asked to shelter. We're going to be seeing a lot more higher temperatures across the state, ' he told AAP. [Full Article...]
California Groom Murdered at Wedding Reception
Joe Melgoza, 30, was celebrating his nuptials early Sunday with a backyard reception in Chino when two men showed up uninvited, news station KNBC reported. "He was there for you at anytime to give a helping hand", the GoFundMe page stated. The suspects are both from Chino. He did not know if the brothers had obtained lawyers. [Full Article...]
The four possible scenarios of Boris Johnson's Brexit negotiations
If the bill is passed on Friday, the government will then have just until the end of the transition period on 31 December to negotiate a free trade agreement with the bloc. "The landing zone for the negotiation probably won't emerge until later next year", he wrote on Twitter. A senior European diplomat in Brussels said: "It will be bloody hard to get a deal done and ratified in 11 months' time"... [Full Article...]
Fact or Fiction: Undecorated Christmas trees selling for $6,500?
According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, an unidentified suspect stole 78 Fraser fir Christmas trees from the Snowshoe Evergreen Christmas Tree Farm between Saturday night, December 7 and Monday morning, December 9. A message left by The News Tribune at the Christmas tree farm was not immediately returned Friday. "Soho Trees" is offering 20-foot Fraser Firs for $6,500 each. [Full Article...]
UK PM to outlaw Brexit extension beyond 2020
By enshrining in law his campaign promise not to extend the transition period beyond the end of 2020, Johnson cuts the amount of time he has to strike a trade deal to 11 months from almost three years. The commitments and plans for the parliamentary year will be laid out in the Queen's speech on Thursday, where Queen Elizabeth II will announce the government's legislative priorities. [Full Article...]
Korea, Japan to Hold Export Control Talks in Tokyo Monday
While Japan argues the issue of compensation was settled "finally and completely" by a 1965 bilateral agreement, the court said personal claims are still valid. South Korea also has voiced safety concerns about seafood from Fukushima and a number of other prefectures in northeastern Japan near the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster, causing a drop in its seafood imports from Japan. [Full Article...]
'Erratic' Russian Spy Ship Spotted Off Southeast US
A US Navy destroyer is keeping tabs on the Russian surveillance ship , CNN reports. The same ship was also seen off the coast of CT, near another major submarine base , in 2017, according to The Miami Herald. The US Navy destroyer USS Mahan is patrolling in the same area, an unnamed defense official told CNN. The spy ship was lurking in USA waters a year ago off a nuclear submarine base in G... [Full Article...]