China's economic growth sinks to lowest level in decades

China's economic growth sank to a new multi-decade low of 6.1 per cent in 2019 as consumer demand weakened and Beijing fought a trade war with Washington.

source https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/china-economy-weakens-1.5430363?cmp=rss

Israel hits Hamas target in Gaza after incendiary balloon attacks resume

The Israeli military said an attack helicopter struck a Hamas target in the northern Gaza Strip late Thursday in response to the launch of incendiary balloons into Israeli territory earlier in the day.

source https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/israel-hits-hamas-after-balloon-resume-1.5430314?cmp=rss

Parts of Australia finally get some much-needed heavy rain

Intense thunderstorms with heavy rains dampened bushfires on Australia's east coast on Friday and brought relief to farmers in three states battling a drought that has left much of the country tinder dry.

source https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/australia-wildfires-rain-1.5430292?cmp=rss

Google parent, Alphabet, just became trillion-dollar company

As Google parent, Alphabet Inc. became the fourth U.S. company to top a market value of more than $1 trillion Thursday, some fund managers holding its shares are wondering whether now is the time to cash in on the stock's extraordinary gains.

source https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/google-trillion-dollar-company-1.5429960?cmp=rss

Ash still coming from Philippine volcano prompts mass evacuations

A Philippine volcano that erupted last weekend shuddered frequently with earthquakes Thursday, belching smaller plumes of ash, but prompting authorities to block access to nearby towns due to fears of a bigger eruption.

source https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/volcano-philippines-evacuations-taal-1.5429720?cmp=rss

Microsoft says it will be 'carbon-negative' — not just neutral — by 2030

Microsoft Corp said on Thursday it aims to remove more carbon from the atmosphere than it emits by 2030 and that by 2050, it hopes to have taken out enough to account for all the direct emissions the company has ever made.

source https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/microsoft-cabon-negative-1.5429484?cmp=rss

Committee finds aircraft approval process safe, despite 737 Max crashes

A government committee asked to review U.S. approval of new passenger planes after two deadly crashes involving the Boeing 737 Max has found that the system is safe and effective but could be improved.

source https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/government-committee-faa-1.5429217?cmp=rss

Iran's president says 'no limit' to nuclear enrichment

Iran's president said Thursday that there is "no limit" to the country's enrichment of uranium following its decision to abandon its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal in response to the killing of its top general in a U.S. airstrike.

source https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/iran-uranium-enrichmant-nuclear-deal-1.5428896?cmp=rss

U.S. Senate approves new version of North American free trade agreement

Senators on Capitol Hill have finally approved the latest version of North America's free trade pact. That means it now needs only the signature of President Donald Trump to be fully approved in the United States.

source https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/usmca-senate-passes-1.5429451?cmp=rss

White House broke law on Ukraine aid, watchdog says as Senate starts impeachment procedures

The U.S. Senate opens its historic proceedings against President Donald Trump on Thursday with a formal reading of the articles of impeachment by House prosecutors, followed by the arrival at the Capitol of Chief Justice John Roberts, who will swear in all 100 senators as jurors for just the third impeachment trial in U.S. history.

source https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/dc-impeachment-wrap-thursday-1.5429186?cmp=rss

Harvey Weinstein trial: model Gigi Hadid nixed as potential juror

The cast of potential jurors in Harvey Weinstein's rape trial narrowed once again Thursday, including the dismissal of supermodel Gigi Hadid.

source https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/weinstein-hadid-jurors-winnowed-1.5429125?cmp=rss

Patient in Japan infected with new cornavirus from China

Japan confirms first infection from new coronavirus in a man returning from Wuhan, China.

source https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/coronavirus-pneumonia-japan-1.5429035?cmp=rss

Putin's political gambit suggests plan to rule Russia forever

Russia's risk-adverse political system seems set for a big shake-up, with proposed constitutional changes that appear to ensure that Vladimir Putin will hold power indefinitely.

source https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/putin-s-political-gambit-suggests-plan-to-rule-russia-forever-1.5428922?cmp=rss

Lesotho PM to resign, wife wanted for questioning in his previous spouse's killing

Police in Lesotho, a mountain state encircled by South Africa, were searching for the prime minister's wife for questioning in the 2017 killing of his previous wife.

source https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/lesotho-pm-murder-investigation-1.5426141?cmp=rss

Canadian military resumes some operations in Iraq following Iran scare

The Canadian military is resuming some operations in Iraq following a temporary suspension of activities last week.

source https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canadian-military-resumes-iraq-operations-1.5428965?cmp=rss

Ukraine opens probe of possible surveillance of ambassador

Ukrainian police say they have opened an investigation into the possibility the former U.S. ambassador came under illegal surveillance before she was recalled from her post.

source https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/ukraine-probe-possible-ambassador-surveillance-1.5428967?cmp=rss

Australia firefighters save world's only rare dinosaur trees

Specialist firefighters have saved the world's last remaining wild stand of a prehistoric tree from wildfires that razed forests west of Sydney, officials said Thursday.

source https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/dinosaur-trees-1.5428943?cmp=rss

Giuliani associate Lev Parnas says Trump had knowledge of Ukraine pressure

A close associate of President Donald Trump's personal lawyer says he delivered an ultimatum in May to the incoming president of Ukraine: No senior U.S. officials would attend his inauguration and all American aid to the war-torn country would be withheld if an investigation into Joe Biden wasn't announced.

source https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/giuliani-associate-lev-parnas-says-trump-had-knowledge-of-ukraine-pressure-1.5428900?cmp=rss

For Democrats in 2020, winning isn't everything — it's the only thing

In hyperbolic, hyper-partisan America, some Democrats fear the country as they know it will disappear if Donald Trump is re-elected; some Republicans fear civil war if he isn't.

source https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/iowa-new-hampshire-democratic-primaries-1.5427362?cmp=rss