Bhinneka News Online: Monday Morning Briefing: U.S. Democrats set the stage for impeaching Trump with key hearing

Monday, 2 December 2019

Monday Morning Briefing: U.S. Democrats set the stage for impeaching Trump with key hearing

Top Stories

Democratic lawmakers in Congress will take a big step this week in what appears to be a now inexorable march toward impeaching President Trump, with the start of hearings seen as a precursor to formal charges being announced within weeks. With opinion polls showing Americans bitterly divided over whether to impeach Trump, the Democratic-controlled Judiciary Committee in the House of Representatives will hold a hearing on Wednesday to explain to the American public what constitutes an impeachable offense.

Trump leaves for a NATO summit in London and he is under pressure from British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to resist the temptation to wade into the British election campaign coming up later in December. As a presidential candidate in 2016 and then as president since early 2017, Trump has shown no restraint in showing support for Britain’s exit from the European Union and critiquing the politicians involved in the country’s long-running Brexit debate.

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear its first major gun rights case in nearly a decade in a challenge backed by the National Rifle Association over a now-amended New York City handgun regulation that had prevented licensed owners from taking their handguns outside the city.

Clashes sparked by suspected cartel gunmen in a northern Mexican town killed 20 people this weekend, authorities said, putting more pressure on Mexico’s president to curb gang violence after the United States vowed to label the gangs terrorists. The killings clouded celebrations marking Lopez Obrador’s first year in office, which were buffeted by a march in Mexico City by thousands of people protesting the violence.

Heavy snows in the United States closed roads and canceled nearly 900 flights on what was forecast to be the busiest day of the year for highways and airports, stranding hordes of travelers trying to head home on Sunday after the Thanksgiving holiday. The storm was expected to dump 12 inches of snow on the western part of the Boston metro area by Monday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

World

China said U.S. military ships and aircraft won’t be allowed to visit Hong Kong, and also announced sanctions against several U.S. non-government organizations for encouraging protesters to “engage in extremist, violent and criminal acts.” Hundreds of office workers in Hong Kong’s business district gathered for the first in a week of lunchtime protests backing the pro-democracy movement after its resounding victory in district polls held last week in the Chinese-ruled city.

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.

Venezuela’s opposition vowed to investigate alleged wrongdoing within its ranks after a media outlet reported that a group of opposition lawmakers had unduly advocated for a businessman linked to the government of President Nicolas Maduro.

Pope Francis defended the display of nativity scenes in town squares and other public places, which has become an annual contentious issue at Christmas time in countries such as the United States and France. The pope traveled to the town of Greccio, east of Rome, to visit the spot where St. Francis of Assisi started the tradition by setting up the first nativity scene in 1223.

At least 14 people were shot dead in an attack on a church in eastern Burkina Faso on Sunday morning, the government said. The identity of the gunmen was not immediately clear and further details on the attack had yet to emerge. Burkinabe armed forces were caring for the wounded and searching the area, the government said in a statement.

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