The World Assembly

History and Hetalia fans alike can use this blog as a way to keep up with international news. All facts and stories will be sourced at the bottom of the post. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This is also a World Assembly RP blog, so submit an application if you would like to represent a country. Note that you do not need to be from the country to represent them. See Submission Guidlines for details.

[gxxus-deactivated20161017]

Raise your hands for an Asexual Switzerland 

[uk-news-collection]

A traffic-easing tunnel could be a big step forward – if done sensitively in consultation with all parties with an interest in this sacred landscape

There is no one locally or in the south-west who is not fed up with the current situation at Stonehenge. Proposals announced on Monday to build a...

[newsyall]

Morning Headlines for Tuesday, December 2, 2014

New York Times

“Targeting ISIS’ black-market oil trade”

“Along the border between Iraq and Turkey, guards are keeping a watchful eye out for oil smugglers. Oil from the Islamic State’s territories feeds an estimated $1 million a day into the organization’s coffers and is an essential part of its financing. The smuggling routes are decades old, and corruption – in the oil fields, along the pipelines and across borders – provides significant economic incentives for many. But American-led airstrikes on Islamic State-controlled oil refineries are taking a toll on the organization.”

Associated Press

“Bill Cosby resigns from Temple University board”

“Bill Cosby stepped down as a trustee of his beloved Temple University following renewed accusations that he had drugged and sexually assaulted a string of women over many years.”

Reuters

“U.S. military warned of possible Islamic State attacks at home: report”

“U.S. officials have warned military personnel that Islamic State forces may be planning attacks against them in the United States, ABC News reported on Monday. A joint intelligence bulletin sent to law enforcement agencies by the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security urged members of the U.S. military to erase from their online social media accounts anything would draw attention from ‘violent extremists,’ or reveal service members’ identity, the news network said.”

Reuters

“Hong Kong warns protesters not to return after clashes close government HQ”

“Thousands of Hong Kong pro-democracy activists forced the temporary closure of government headquarters on Monday after clashing with police, defying orders to retreat after more than two months of sustained protests in the Chinese-controlled city.”

Associated Press

“1 conviction against ex-Va. first lady tossed out”

“A federal judge on Monday overturned one conviction against former Virginia first lady Maureen McDonnell but affirmed several other corruption verdicts against her and her husband.”

Reuters

“Obama considering Ashton Carter, others for next defense secretary”

“President Barack Obama is considering a variety of high-profile figures as his candidate to be the next U.S. defense secretary and replace the resigning Chuck Hagel, administration sources said on Monday.”

Reuters

“Boehner to seek support for plan to avoid government shutdown”

“House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner will try to sell fellow Republicans this week on a government spending bill that avoids a shutdown fight but allows the party to strike back at President Barack Obama’s immigration order.”

New York Times

“Case seeking job protections for pregnant women heads to Supreme Court”

“The Supreme Court’s decision has the potential to affect the lives of millions of women, who make up 47 percent of the labor force and often work during and late into their pregnancies. According to the Census Bureau, an estimated 62 percent of women who had given birth in the previous year were in the labor force.”

Reuters

“U.S. attorney general to issue new guidance on racial profiling”

“U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said on Monday he would soon release new guidelines to limit racial profiling by federal law enforcement, a move long awaited by civil rights advocates.”

Reuters

“Exclusive: FBI warns of ‘destructive’ malware in wake of Sony attack”

“The Federal Bureau of Investigation warned U.S. businesses that hackers have used malicious software to launch a destructive cyberattack in the United States, following a devastating breach last week at Sony Pictures Entertainment.”

New York Times

“Boko Haram attacks with ease, causing death and mayhem in Nigeria’s provinces”

“A wave of attacks across northern Nigeria, including two on Monday — a suicide bombing at a market and an assault on security facilities — showed that the Islamist terrorist group Boko Haram remained able to strike at will in the region, especially against civilian targets.”

New York Times

“New York City plans focus on mental health in justice system”

“In an effort to reduce the growing number of inmates with mental health and substance abuse problems in New York City’s jails, the administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio announced plans on Monday to significantly expand public health services at almost every step of the criminal justice process.”

Associated Press

“Feds: Mercedes violated labor law at Alabama plant”

“The National Labor Relations Board has upheld a ruling that Mercedes violated federal labor laws by stopping United Auto Workers union supporters from handing out literature inside its Alabama plant.”

Washington Post

“President Obama wants to spend $75 million to buy police bodycams”

“The White House wants to spend $75 million to help purchase 50,000 body cameras for police officers around the country. The proposed initiative, called the Body Worn Camera Partnership Program, would provide a 50 percent match to local governments who purchase body cameras over a three year period.”

AFP

“Hong Kong protest founders surrender”

“The three original founders of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy Occupy movement tearfully announced on Tuesday they would ‘surrender’ by turning themselves in to police and urged protesters still on the streets to retreat.”

AFP

“Ukraine, pro-Russian rebels agree new truce”

“Ukraine and pro-Russian rebels ‘agreed in principle’ on a ceasefire in one separatist province and were working to conclude a broader truce on Tuesday that would end nearly eight months of bloodshed.”

Associated Press

“Officials: Wife of IS leader detained in Lebanon”

“Lebanese authorities detained a wife and suspected son of the leader of the Islamic State group several days ago, and she is being questioned, two senior Lebanese officials said Tuesday.”

New York Times

“A long-sought fugitive died four years ago in Syria, Nazi hunter says”

“A leading Nazi hunter said on Monday that Adolf Eichmann’s top lieutenant, long one of the world’s most wanted fugitives, died at least four years ago in Syria, where he had escaped justice and may have advised the government.”

Associated Press

“Taiwan leader quitting as party chief after polls”

“Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou said Tuesday that he is stepping down as chairman of the ruling Nationalist Party following stinging defeats in local elections over the weekend that cast a shadow over his pro-China policies.”

Reuters

“Iran hackers target airlines, energy, defense companies: researchers”

“Iranian hackers have infiltrated major airlines, energy companies, and defense firms around the globe over the past two years in a campaign that could eventually cause physical damage, according to U.S. cyber security firm Cylance.”

[allthingseurope]

Sozopol. Bulgaria (by Mercy^)

[ultrafacts]

Source

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[pizzaismylifepizzaisking]

The awesome part is, When the king’s people saw what was happening, many of them said that that was not what had been meant and wanted to put a stop to it. But the king laughed and accepted the women’s clever trick. “A king” he said, “should always stand by his word.”

[kurushiharu]

This lvl of smartassery is EPIC. :D

[allthingseurope]

Lazienki Palace, Warsaw (byJayendra Ramanjooloo)

[allthingseurope]

London (by elvetino and dide)

[cartoonpolitics]

[hetalia-where-it-shouldn-t-be]

Sometimes I feel guilty for liking my own country's personification so much. Do you ever get like that?

not really

[vogels]

A friend of mine went to their formal cosplayed as Prussia and I just wow

[willkommen-in-germany]

Naturally spooky Burg Eltz :) - a medieval castle nestled in the hills above the Mosel river between Koblenz and Trier, still owned by a branch of the same family that lived there in the 12th century, 33 generations ago. 

[newsyall]

Afternoon Headlines for Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Reuters

“Solid construction, auto sales data boost U.S. growth picture”

“U.S. construction spending recorded its largest gain in five months in October, easing concerns of a sharp slowdown in fourth-quarter economic growth. The growth outlook also got a boost from strong automobile sales in November.”

Reuters

“Design flaws led to 2014 lithium-ion battery fire in Boeing 787: U.S. NTSB”

“A lithium-ion battery that caught fire aboard a parked Boeing 787 in 2013 in Boston had design flaws and it should not have been certified by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. accident investigators said on Monday.”

Washington Post

“Baghdad and Kurds reach ‘win-win’ accord over oil revenue”

“In a pact that seeks to close one of Iraq’s most difficult political rifts, envoys from Baghdad and the semiautonomous Kurdish region agreed Tuesday on a plan to divide the nation’s oil wealth and possibly bolster the fight against the Islamic State.”

Reuters

“U.N. experts urge Texas to halt execution of mentally ill inmate”

“United Nations human rights investigators called on the state of Texas and U.S. federal authorities to halt the execution of a man with a history of mental illness, scheduled for Wednesday.”

Reuters

“French parliament votes for recognition of Palestinian state”

“French lawmakers on Tuesday urged their government to recognize Palestine, a symbolic move that will not immediately affect France’s diplomatic stance but demonstrates growing European impatience with a stalled peace process.”

Washington Post

“Ashton Carter to be nominated as next defense secretary”

“President Obama will nominate Ashton B. Carter, a physicist with long experience in national security circles and at the Pentagon, as his new secretary of defense, according to a person familiar with the decision.”

Reuters

“Netanyahu seeks early election, fires top ministers”

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sacked his finance and justice ministers on Tuesday, signaling the break up of his bickering coalition and opening the way for early national elections in Israel.”

Reuters

“New Syrian opposition grouping fails to entice major rebel factions”

“The latest effort to unify the fractured Syrian military opposition has done little to create a cohesive vehicle for foreign military aid that could fight insurgents in Syria, after at least two major rebel groups dropped out of the initiative.”

Washington Post

“Kerry: Qatar lifts travel ban on American couple after cleared in daughter’s death”

“An American couple is free to leave Qatar after being cleared of wrongdoing in the death of their 8-year-old adopted daughter, Secretary of State John F. Kerry said Tuesday.”

New York Times

“Senators renew push for bill on sexual assault in military”

“Several senators on Tuesday pushed for Congress to take a second look at strengthening protections for victims of sexual assault in the military, less than a year after a similar proposal fell several votes short of avoiding a filibuster in the Senate.”

New York Times

“Takata resists midnight deadline to expand airbag recall”

“The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the company an ultimatum last week, to expand the recall beyond the small geographic region it currently covers or face further legal action and potential penalties. It gave Takata until midnight Tuesday to comply with the order. But in a statement released Tuesday morning, Takata’s chief executive, Shigehisa Takada, stopped short of making such a move.”

Washington Post

“Treasury secretary: Obama is ‘open’ to short-term tax deal with House GOP”

“Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said Tuesday that President Obama is willing to consider a House GOP proposal to extend an array of special interest tax breaks for just a few weeks, calling the measure preferable to a much larger deal under negotiation last week that would have left out White House priorities for poor and working families.”

Reuters

“Top Senate Republican sees possible major healthcare legislation”

“The senior Senate Republican on Tuesday raised the possibility of Congress writing comprehensive healthcare legislation if the Supreme Court next year strikes down a subsidy provision of Obamacare.”

New York Times

“NATO to create interim rapid response force to counter Russia”

“NATO will establish a prototype of a new rapid response force next year as it strives to improve its ability to deter a potential Russian attack, the alliance said on Tuesday. The ‘interim spearhead force’ will be made up of German, Dutch and Norwegian troops and is expected to be about the size of a brigade, or about 4,000 troops.”

[the-undiscovered-countries]

Vienna is ready for Christmas. are you? Graben, Vienna, Austria (by Thomas Fraiß | the undiscovered countries)

Join me on my journey to all the undiscovered countries.

[ultrafacts]

A cabbie told Bill Murray that he was frustrated that he drove 14 hours a day and didn’t have enough time to practice playing his saxophone. So Bill Murray drove the cab while the cabbie sat in the back and practiced.

Japanese manga publishers allow fans to create and openly sell their own comics based on popular series, even if the work is pornographic. The publishers view the amateur comics as a form of marketing, not a threat to sales.

The president of Uruguay (José Mujica) donates 90% of his salary to charities that benefit the poor in his country.

Donald Trump once tried to sue an author for $5,000,000,000 (yes,billion). Reason?The author called him a millionaire instead of a billionaire.

When the movie Clue was shown in theaters, different theaters were given 1 of 3 endings.

A man fought for nearly a decade to prevent the bank from foreclosing on his home, saying “I’ll tear it down before I let you take it.” When foreclosure proceedings began, he leveled the house with a bulldozer.

When the United States first space station, Skylab crashed in Australia, the town of Esperance, Western Australia fined NASA $400 for littering. NASA never paid the ticket.

Night vision goggles are green because the human eye can differentiate more shades of green than any other color.

Sources: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 

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[ultrafacts]

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[uk-news-collection]

All the latest business and economics news, as weak euro and lower oil prices boost German business sentiment. The global picture looks darker, though.

Latest: German IFO beats expectations

Earlier: Global business confidence hits five-year low since 2009

Firms fear worsening global...

[indiamash]

New Delhi: German luxury automobile manufacturer BMW Monday launched the petrol-powered…

New Delhi: German luxury automobile manufacturer BMW Monday launched the petrol-powered high-performance sedan M5 in India, priced at Rs.1.35 crore (ex-showroom)

“An independent production of BMW M GmbH,...