December, 2019

• 9 December

  New Zealand volcano eruption kills at least 5, dozens feared missing

  Bloomberg Five people have been confirmed dead following a volcanic eruption on New Zealand’s White Island, while dozens more were injured after a plume of white smoke and ash burst thousands of meters into the air. About 50 people, many of them tourists, were on or around White Island when it erupted, police said. The island is about 48 kilometers ...

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• 9 December

  Haftar to enter Tripoli by year-end, says ally

  Bloomberg Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar’s army plans to enter the capital Tripoli by the end of the year and will deal with United Nations-recognized Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj under the law, a senior ally said, despite international calls to stop the offensive. “We are in the final stage of the battle,” Abdulhadi Lahweej, self-styled foreign minister in the eastern government ...

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• 9 December

  N Korea calls Trump ‘erratic’ old man

  

  Bloomberg North Korea took its most personal swipe at President Donald Trump in more than two years, saying the US leader’s recent comments made him sound like a “heedless and erratic old man.” The statement released by North Korean official Kim Yong Chol on Monday was the latest in an rhetorical tit-for-tat ahead of Pyongyang’s self-imposed year-end deadline for a ...

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• 9 December

  Putin meeting is real test for Ukraine leader

  Bloomberg Despite finding himself in the eye of Donald Trump’s impeachment storm, Ukraine’s leader is set for an even tougher test of his fledgling presidency: his first face time with Vladimir Putin. Volodymyr Zelenskiy meets his Russian counterpart in Paris as he seeks progress towards resolving the war in eastern Ukraine that erupted after Russia annexed Crimea from its neighbor ...

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• 9 December

  Impeachment case against Trump goes to closing arguments

  Bloomberg House investigators give their closing summations on Monday in the Democrats’ case against President Donald Trump as they continue debating how far they want to go in drafting articles of impeachment later this week. Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler said his panel is on track to decide on what charges will be brought against the president, setting up an historic ...

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• 9 December

  Europe stocks, US futures edge lower as bonds climb

  

  Bloomberg US equity futures edged down alongside European stocks as investors prepared for a week brimming with potential catalysts, from central bank meetings to the looming America-China tariff deadline. Treasuries and most government bonds advanced. Contracts on the main US equity gauges all struggled for traction as traders awaited news on whether Washington will go ahead with a planned December ...

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• 9 December

  Tullow oil plunges again on worse forecast for 2020

  

  Bloomberg Tullow Oil Plc shares had their biggest ever drop after a forecast for 2020 production that analysts said leaves dark clouds hanging over the company’s outlook. The stock sank as much as 62% after London-based Tullow also said it would suspend dividend payments, while its chief executive officer and exploration director are to leave. It’s the second plunge in ...

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• 9 December

  PG&E soars on $13.5b deal with fire victims

  Bloomberg PG&E Corp surged to a two-month high after reaching a $13.5 billion settlement with the victims of wildfires ignited by its power lines — a major step towards resolving the biggest utility bankruptcy in US history. The agreement, will cover claims stemming from some of the worst blazes to ever hit Northern California, including the 2017 wine country and ...

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• 9 December

  China sets up national pipeline firm in major energy revamp

  

  Bloomberg China announced the creation of its long-planned national oil and gas pipeline company, officially kicking off one of its biggest energy revamps aimed at helping supply keep pace with swelling demand. The move marks a “key step” in China’s efforts to deepen reforms of its oil and gas sector, the official Xinhua News Agency said. The government will merge ...

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• 9 December

  Eskom warns of more blackouts in S Africa

  

  Bloomberg South Africa’s struggling power utility warned rolling blackouts may continue throughout the week as electricity cuts extended to a fifth day. Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd announced it will cut 4,000 megawatts from the grid on Monday, double the initial prognosis, after losing additional generating units at its power stations. While most of the utility’s problems emanate from plant failures, ...

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