December, 2016

• 27 December

  The next big climate change battle starts in India

  

    Some climate activists worry that Donald Trump’s presidential election will be the death knell for the global environment. That’s almost certainly untrue. Whatever Trump’s attitude toward climate science and energy policy, two big outside factors will be much more important — technological progress and policy in developing nations. First, the good news. Renewable energy technology is already unstoppable. No ...

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• 27 December

  Japan Inc. shows promise with savvy holiday deal spree

  

    While much attention has been focused on Japan’s big ailing companies and their prospects for survival, a few small developments show some promising signs for the country’s future. Kicking off a week in deals, Asahi Glass Co. said on December 20 it would buy CMC Biologics for 60 billion yen ($512 million), helping its move into contract drug manufacturing. ...

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• 27 December

  America needs a new moon mission

  

    Fifty years ago, the US had the moon to itself. Starting in 1969, when the first of six Apollo missions touched down, it seemed likely that American astronauts would make a long-term home on the lunar surface. Instead, the US sent its last manned mission there in 1972, and won’t be returning any time soon. That’s a shame: The ...

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• 27 December

  Abe’s Pearl Harbor pilgrimage underlines US-Japan tie

  

    Honolulu / AFP Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe travels on Tuesday to Hawaii’s Pearl Harbor, the site of a sneak attack by his country that provoked America into entering World War II, to reinforce what the leader calls “the power of reconciliation.” Abe, who was to be hosted by US President Barack Obama, would be the first Japanese premier to ...

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• 27 December

  Romanian prez rejects left’s PM candidate

    Bucharest / AFP Romania’s president on Tuesday rejected the left-wing Social Democrats’ candidate for prime minister, Sevil Shhaideh, who would have been the EU’s country first female and Muslim premier. “I have properly analysed the arguments for and against and I have decided not to accept this proposal,” Klaus Iohannis told reporters in a televised statement. “I call on the ...

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• 27 December

  Indonesia court refuses to drop ‘blasphemy’ governor’s trial

    Jakarta / AFP An Indonesian court on Tuesday refused to drop blasphemy charges against the Christian governor of the capital Jakarta, as hundreds of people protested outside the court where the trial is taking place. Basuki Tjahaja Purnama—the first Christian to govern the capital in more than 50 years—sparked anger in the Muslim-majority country when he quoted a verse from ...

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• 27 December

  Main black box of crashed Russian plane found in Black Sea

  

    Sochi / AFP The main black box of the Syria-bound Russian military plane that crashed into the Black Sea with 92 people onboard has been found in a massive ongoing search operation, authorities said on Tuesday. “The main black box was found at 5:42 am Moscow time (0242 GMT) 1,600 metres from the shore at a depth of 17 metres,” ...

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• 27 December

  Hero pilot Savchenko launches oppn movement

  

    Kiev / AFP A popular Ukrainian female combat pilot who served time in a Russian prison gave President Petro Poroshenko a new headache on Tuesday by launching her own opposition movement. “This is meant to … create a real change in the system,” local media quoted Nadiya Savchenko as telling reporters in the western city of Lviv. Savchenko’s new movement ...

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• 27 December

  Philippine searches for Typhoon-hit ship crewmen

    MANILA / AFP The Philippine coast guard pressed its search on Tuesday for 18 crewmen from a cargo ship that sank at the height of Typhoon Nock-Ten, which struck the country on Christmas Day. Coast guard spokesman Armand Balilo said 14 other crewmen have been rescued and one died after the M/V Starlite Atlantic sank off Mabini town in Batangas ...

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• 27 December

  First Istanbul trial begins of Turkey coup suspects

  

    Istanbul / AFP Almost 30 Turkish police went on trial in Istanbul on Tuesday charged with involvement in the July 15 coup, the city’s first trial of alleged putschists in the massive crackdown that followed the failed bid to oust President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. With some 41,000 coup suspects under arrest in a state of emergency, the nationwide trials ...

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