U.S. confirms it will stage diplomatic boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics

The White House has confirmed it will stage a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, in the latest move that will further widen the rift in an already strained bilateral relationship.

“The Biden administration will not send any diplomatic or official representation to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games, given the PRC’s ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang and other human rights abuses,” press secretary Jen Psaki said from the briefing room podium on Monday.

The announcement comes two months before the games are to begin. American athletes are still expected to compete in the Olympics, despite the Biden administration not sending any representatives to Beijing.

At: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/dec/06/china-denounces-possible-us-olympic-boycott-as-provocation

View of the National Cross-Country centre in Zhangjiakou city, China, one of the venues for the upcoming 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games.

The Biden administration has announced a boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics, in protest over crimes against humanity in Xinjiang and other human rights abuses in the Asian giant.

Men's Junior Field Hockey World Cup 2021: Argentina stuns Germany, clinches 2nd title

Lautaro Domene struck a hat-trick as a determined Argentina stunned six-time champions Germany 4-2 to clinch their second FIH Junior Men's Field Hockey World Cup title at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, India, on Sunday.

Domene converted three penalty corners in the 10th, 25th and 50th minute, while Franco Agoistini (60th) scored a field goal just seconds from the final hooter to hand Argentina their second title.

Julius Hayner (36th) and Mas Pfandt (47th) were the goal getters for Germany.

Argentina had earlier won the title way back in 2005 in Rotterdam where they defeated Australia 2-1.

At: https://www.firstpost.com/sports/mens-junior-hockey-world-cup-2021-lautaro-domenes-hat-trick-helps-argentina-stun-germany-clinch-2nd-title-10188221.html

Argentina's Junior Field Hockey squad celebrates its victory over Germany in the Men's Junior Field Hockey World Cup final in Bhubaneswar, India.

Argentina court to investigate Myanmar war crimes against Rohingya Muslims

Argentina’s justice system will investigate allegations of war crimes committed by the Myanmar military against that country’s Rohingya minority under a court ruling upholding the principles of “universal justice.”

The appeals court decision, which Agence France-Presse has seen, overturns a lower court ruling rejecting a request for an investigation by the British-based Burmese Rohingya Organisation (BROUK).

A 2017 army crackdown on Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, which the UN says could amount to genocide, has triggered an exodus of more than 740,000 members of the community, mainly to Bangladesh.

At: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/29/argentina-court-myanmar-war-crimes-rohingya

UN Special Rapporteur on human rights Tomás Ojea Quintana (left) visits Aung Min Ga Lar, the Rohingya Muslim quarter of Sittwe, Myanmar, in 2013.

Ojea Quintana, an Argentine lawyer, will represent Rohingya Muslim plaintiffs in Argentina - in what may become a landmark case of human rights abuse prosecution under universal jurisdiction.

The legal premise of “universal justice” holds that some acts – including war crimes and crimes against humanity – are so horrific they are not specific to one nation and can be tried anywhere.

NYPD Standoff With Armed Man Outside United Nations Ends Peacefully

Source: CBS New York

There was a heavy police presence outside the United Nations headquarters near East 42nd Street and First Avenue on Thursday morning.

Police were in a standoff with a man who was on the sidewalk with a weapon. However, the man eventually surrendered peacefully, CBS2’s Tony Aiello reported.

The NYPD Bomb Squad arrived on the scene as a precaution, but police said there was no indication the man had any type of explosive device.

Hostage negotiators spoke with the man, who handed over some notebooks before lowering his weapon and surrendering.

Traffic in the area around the UN was shut down in some spots.

Read more: https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2021/12/02/nypd-in-standoff-with-armed-man-outside-united-nations/

Argentina donates 1.8 million Covid vaccines to African, Asian and Caribbean nations

Argentina has donated around 1.8 million AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine doses - produced jointly with Mexico - over the past ten days, according to the nation's Health Ministry.

Vietnam was the first to receive an Argentine vaccine donation: 500,000 doses on November 24th.

Since then, donations have been shipped to Mozambique (450,000), Kenya (400,000), Angola (350,000), the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (42,000), and Barbados (30,000).

While Vietnam has 71 million of its 98 million people with at least one dose, the other countries listed have vaccinated just 18 million of their 122 million people.

Authorities from the Philippines have likewise expressed interest; the Asian country has 40 million of its 111 million vaccinated thus far.

Health Minister Carla Vizzotti noted that "in less than a year, Argentina went from receiving the first vaccines to now having enough stock for third doses and to donate to other countries."

After a slow start earlier this year, Argentina how has 90% of its adult population with at least one dose - as well as 5 out of 8 children aged 3 to 17.

At: https://www-lavoz-com-ar.translate.goog/mundo/argentina-dona-vacunas-a-angola-kenia-y-el-caribe-oriental-por-reciprocidad-internacional/?_x_tr_sl=la&_x_tr_tl=es&_x_tr_hl=en-US

Argentine Health Minister Carla Vizzotti and Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero inspect a shipment of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines bound for Mozambique, where just 20% of its 32 million people have received at least one dose.

"Until every country has access to the vaccine, we won't be able to turn the page on this pandemic," Vizzotti noted.

She responded to local critics of the donation policy by recalling that "Argentina received almost 7 million doses of donated vaccines."

Former Argentine President Mauricio Macri indicted on warrantless surveillance charges

Former Argentine President Mauricio Macri was indicted today in federal court for ordering warrantless surveillance on relatives of 44 sailors who died in the 2017 sinking of a navy submarine.

Federal Judge Martín Bava found that Macri, 62, is "prima facie criminally responsible for the crime of carrying out prohibited intelligence actions as an author, by virtue of having made possible the production of illegal intelligence tasks."

Judge Bava stopped short of ordering pre-trial detention - a tactic Macri endorsed against his critics during his 2015-19 presidency - but barred him from leaving the country, or his residence for more than 10 days without notification.

At least six pen drives have been introduced as evidence, showing extensive spying on relatives of the 44 sailors lost in the 2017 ARA San Juan tragedy.

The relatives are plaintiffs in both this case, and a separate case of alleged malfeasance surrounding the 2017 tragedy as well as suspicious delays in the announced locating of the submarine (a full year later).

Macri, who was denied re-election in 2019 amid the worst recession in two decades, has been the focus of numerous scandals involving warrantless wiretapping of both public figures and relatives - including a 2009 indictment later vacated by an allied judge shortly after his 2015 election.

At: https://www-eldestapeweb-com.translate.goog/politica/espionaje-ilegal/procesaron-a-macri-por-espionaje-ilegal-a-familiares-de-victimas-del-ara-san-juan-202112115480?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-US

Former Argentine President Mauricio Macri appearing in federal court in Dolores, Argentina, on November 3rd to testify on charges he ordered warrantless surveillance on relatives of the 44 sailors lost in the 2017 ARA San Juan submarine tragedy.

Despite repeatedly delaying giving testimony, as well as seeking to have the case transferred to Buenos Aires (where his allies dominate most courthouses), Macri was indicted on the evidence - including at least six pen drives showing extensive surveillance of plaintiffs in 2018-19.

Macri faces numerous other charges - including self-dealing in a $750 million payout to toll road operators (in which he was a shareholder), the attempted write-off of 98% of his family's Postal Service debt, and the illicit shipment of anti-riot munitions and gear to Bolivia during that country's 2019 coup.

'Defeated' Mike Lindell Ends 96-hour TV Marathon After Failing to Gain Support

Source: Newsweek

Mike Lindell ended a 96-hour online marathon entitled, Thanks-a-thon, after failing to gain strong support for his Supreme Court case.

The MyPillow CEO has long been a fervent supporter of former President Donald Trump and has continued to make baseless claims that the 2020 election was rigged in favour of President Joe Biden and that he would file a lawsuit.

Despite providing no evidence for widespread election fraud, Lindell claimed he would have the support of multiple states' attorneys in general as he hoped to take this issue to the Supreme Court.

The 60-year-old claimed he would have this support by Thanksgiving, a deadline he set himself, but he did not receive it and the lawsuit was not filed.

Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/mike-lindell-marathon-end-thanks-thon-donald-trump-election-1653886

Thanks for nothing: Amid underwhelming support, MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell ends his marathon to fund his putative Supreme Court suit against the 2020 election.

Honduras readies to declare first female president as leftist Castro heads for victory

Source: Reuters

Honduran presidential candidate Xiomara Castro looked set to put the left back in power 12 years after her husband was ousted in a coup, even as the vote count for Sunday's election unexpectedly paused for a few hours on Monday morning.

Castro, who would be the Central American nation's first female president, has promised big changes in Honduras including a constitutional overhaul, United Nations support in the fight against corruption, and looser restrictions on abortion.

She has also floated the idea of dropping diplomatic support for Taiwan in favor of China, a policy proposal keenly watched in Washington, Beijing and Taipei.

With just over half the ballots counted, Castro, 62, the wife of former President Manuel Zelaya, held a nearly 20-point lead over conservative Nasry Asfura, the capital's mayor and candidate for the ruling National Party, who won 34% according to a preliminary tally.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/honduras-set-woman-president-leftist-castro-declares-victory-2021-11-29/

Honduran presidential candidate Xiomara Castro celebrates with her husband, former President Manuel Zelaya.

Zelaya was overthrown in 2009 - in the first of a number of "soft coups" in Latin America against progressive presidents over the following decade.

Honduras has become a narco-state since then, with current President Juan Orlando Hernández promising to "shove drugs up the gringo's noses."

Sweden votes in Magdalena Andersson as first female PM

Source: BBC

Magdalena Andersson has been approved by Sweden's parliament as the country's first ever female prime minister, after replacing Stefan Lofven as leader of the centre-left Social Democrats.

Sweden is the only Nordic country never to have elected a woman as national leader before.

Ms Andersson, who's currently finance minister, did not win Wednesday's vote.

However, she was elected because under Swedish law she only needed a majority of MPs not to vote against her.

A hundred years after Swedish women were given the vote, the 54-year-old Social Democrat leader was given a standing ovation by sections of the parliament, or Riksdag.

Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-59400539

Chile's far-right Kast leads in first round of presidential election as runoff looms

Chile is headed for a polarized presidential election runoff next month as hard-right former congressman José Antonio Kast held the lead in the first-round vote on Sunday ahead of leftist lawmaker and former protest leader Gabriel Boric.

With 80.54% of the vote counted, Kast, 55, had 28.15% versus 25.32% for Boric, 35 - although both were well short of the majority needed to win outright.

More moderate, center-right candidates performed well, a potential boost for Kast in the Dec. 19 runoff.

In a surprise, economist Franco Parisi, who is living in Alabama and did not set foot in Chile during the campaign, was in third place with over 13% of the vote.

Center-right candidate Sebastián Sichel and center-left Yasna Provoste were just behind, both with around 12%.

At: https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/chileans-head-polls-with-two-radically-different-visions-ballot-2021-11-21/

Social Convergence (left-wing) nominee Gabriel Boric and Republican (far-right) nominee José Kast during a recent presidential debate in Santiago, Chile.

The election, Chile's most divisive since its 1990 return to democracy, has split voters between those seeking a shake-up of the country's free-market model and those demanding a harder line against crime and immigration.

Boric led student protests in 2011 demanding improvements to Chile's education system, and has pledged to scrap the nation's laissez-faire economic model.

Kast, who belongs to the hard-right Catholic sect Opus Dei, has praised the neo-liberal "economic legacy" of former dictator Augusto Pinochet.

He has drawn frequent comparisons with former U.S. President Donald Trump and Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro.