5: 

President Obama Calls San Bernardino Shooting “Act of Terrorism”

n a rare live speech from the Oval Office Sunday night, President Obama called Wednesday’s mass shooting in San Bernardino, California, an act of terrorism. The shooting killed 14 people at the Inland Regional Center, a facility that provides services to people with disabilities. Obama said, in response, he would increase airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, even though he acknowledged there was “no evidence” that ISIS had directed the attack.

President Obama: “So far, we have no evidence that the killers were directed by a terrorist organization overseas or that they were part of a broader conspiracy here at home.”

Obama also cautioned against Islamophobia and vowed not to get pulled into a ground war in Iraq or Syria.

President Obama: “We should not be drawn once more into a long and costly ground war in Iraq or Syria. That’s what groups like ISIL want.”

Democracy Now

4: 

Mediation service centres likely to close

The ministry runs employment mediation services from seven centres nationwide.

In October, RNZ reported the pending restructure would result in the dispute resolution centres in Napier, Dunedin and Palmerston North being axed.

The ministry said a review has shown the location of its centres did not always correspond to demand.

The proposal said permanent employee mediators will continue in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch, while contractors will cover the regions.

Labour Party economic development spokesperson David Clark said the ministry’s plans were economically reckless.

Dr Clark said New Zealanders in the regions deserved the same level of service as those in urban centres.

RNZ

3: 

Beijing issues first pollution red alert as smog engulfs capital

Beijing has issued its first pollution red alert as acrid smog enveloped the Chinese capital for the second time this month.

The alert will begin at 7am on Tuesday and should see millions of vehicles forced off the roads, factories and construction sites shut down and schools and nurseries advised to close.

“It is history – this is a precedent set,” said Ma Jun, director of the Institute of Public an Environmental Affairs in Beijing. “This is extremely important to stop children from being exposed to such a high level of pollution.”

Chinese authorities faced fierce criticism last week when they failed to issue a red alert even as Beijing’s residents choked on smog levels that in some areas rose to 40 times those considered safe by the World Health Organisation.

The Guardian

2: 

Defense Contractors Cite “Benefits” of Escalating Conflicts in the Middle East

Major defense contractors Raytheon, Oshkosh, and Lockheed Martin assured investors at a Credit Suisse conference in West Palm Beach this week that they stand to gain from the escalating conflicts in the Middle East.

Lockheed Martin Executive Vice President Bruce Tanner told the conference his company will see “indirect benefits” from the war in Syria, citing the Turkish military’s recent decision to shoot down a Russian warplane.

The incident, Tanner said, heightens the risk for U.S. military operations in the region, providing “an intangible lift because of the dynamics of that environment and our products in theater.” He also stressed that the Russian intervention would highlight the need for Lockheed Martin-made F-22s and the new F-35 jets.

And for “expendable” products, such as a rockets, Tanner added that there is increased demand, including from the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia because of the war in Yemen.

The Intercept

1: 

US army denies coalition jets hit Assad forces in Syria

A series of air strikes killed three Syrian soldiers in the country’s east, Syria’s government said on Monday, accusing the US-led coalition of responsibility for the attack.

The US military denied any involvement.

If confirmed, it would be the first time coalition warplanes had hit Syrian government forces.

Air strikes hit the Saeqa military camp near the town of Ayyash in Deir Ez Zor province, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group. The observatory earlier reported that four soldiers were killed.

It was impossible to confirm which of the many air forces operating in the country was responsible for the attack.

The area is largely under the control of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), and the US-led coalition has regularly targeted the group in the eastern province.

Syria’s air force is active in the region and its ally Russia also began launching strikes in the country in late September.

Syria’s foreign ministry said on Monday four fighter jets from the US-led coalition targeted a Syrian army camp with nine missiles – killing three soldiers and wounding 13 others.

Aljazeera