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Athletic Club Stuns Real Madrid, 2-1, Denting Title Hopes

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Real Madrid stumbled in their pursuit of La Liga leaders Barcelona, falling 2-1 to Athletic Club Wednesday night after Kylian Mbappe missed a crucial penalty and Federico Valverde’s late error proved costly.

The defeat at San Mames left Madrid four points behind Barcelona, though with a game in hand, following a match that turned on several key moments. Athletic Club broke the deadlock shortly after halftime when Thibaut Courtois parried a cross into Alex Berenguer, whose deflected shot found its way into the net.

Mbappe’s struggles from the penalty spot continued as he missed his second spot kick in three games, though Jude Bellingham appeared to rescue a point when he calmly converted the rebound from Mbappe’s saved effort. However, Athletic Club immediately responded when Gorka Guruzeta dispossessed Valverde and raced through to score the winner.

The champions created little in a first half marked only by Mbappe having a goal disallowed for offside. Madrid’s injury-depleted defense held firm until the break but couldn’t maintain their resistance against Athletic Club’s sustained pressure in the second period.

Bellingham continued his impressive scoring form with his equalizer, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Madrid from suffering a setback in their title defense.

Arsenal Defeats Manchester United 2-0 on Set-Piece Prowess

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Arsenal demonstrated their set-piece superiority Sunday, scoring twice from corners to defeat Manchester United as visiting manager Ruben Amorim suffered his first loss in English football.

Defenders Jurrien Timber and William Saliba provided the goals that helped Arsenal close the gap on league leaders Liverpool to seven points. The victory, Arsenal’s 500th match at Emirates Stadium, marked their third consecutive league win and extended their unbeaten run to five matches.

The breakthrough came in the 54th minute when Declan Rice’s corner found Timber at the near post, who headed home. Saliba sealed the win later when Thomas Partey’s header from a Bukayo Saka corner deflected off the French defender past United goalkeeper Andre Onana.

The goals highlighted Arsenal’s set-piece prowess under manager Mikel Arteta – they’ve now scored 22 times from corners since last season, leading all Premier League teams. United, despite practicing defensive set-pieces during warm-ups, conceded multiple corner goals in a league match for the first time since January 2014.

“We’re back to looking like title contenders,” Arteta said, noting the impact of Martin Odegaard’s return coinciding with their unbeaten streak.

Amorim, who took charge of United on November 11, had warned of an impending “storm” before the match. Despite organizing his side well in the first half, United’s resistance crumbled against Arsenal’s relentless set-piece assault, though they did see £62m defender Leny Yoro make his competitive debut.

Vancouver Police Fatally Shoot Stabbing Suspect After Two Wounded

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Vancouver police shot and killed an armed suspect Wednesday morning after two people were stabbed near the city’s central library, authorities reported.

The incident began when officers responded to reports of a knife-wielding man who had stolen alcohol from a restaurant. Police later confronted the armed suspect inside a nearby convenience store, where officers opened fire. Despite emergency medical attention at the scene, the suspect died after being transported to a hospital.

Two victims suffered non-life-threatening stab wounds during the incident and were taken to hospital for treatment. Police have not released the identity of the deceased suspect.

Video footage obtained by the Canadian Press reportedly shows officers firing over a convenience store counter while shouting “move over,” with additional footage capturing first responders performing chest compressions on the suspect.

The incident remains under investigation by Vancouver authorities.

Amnesty Accuses Israel of Genocide in Gaza Conflict

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An injured woman is evacuated after an Israeli strike in Gaza City's Sabra neighbourhood, on December 3, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict in the Palestinian territory between Israel and Hamas. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)

Amnesty International accused Israel Thursday of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, marking the rights group’s first such determination during an ongoing conflict.

The London-based organization said it analyzed months of incidents and Israeli officials’ statements, concluding that Israel violated at least three acts banned by the 1948 Genocide Convention: killings, causing serious bodily or mental harm, and deliberately inflicting conditions calculated to bring about a protected group’s physical destruction.

“There is a genocide being committed. There is no doubt, not one doubt in our mind after six months of in-depth, focused research,” Amnesty International Secretary General Agnes Callamard told journalists in The Hague. “The assertion that Israel’s war in Gaza aims solely to dismantle Hamas and not to physically destroy Palestinians as a national and ethnic group simply does not stand up to scrutiny.”

Israel has consistently rejected genocide accusations, maintaining it respects international law while defending itself following Hamas’ October 7 attack that killed 1,200 people and took over 250 hostages. Gaza’s Health Ministry reports more than 44,400 Palestinians killed in Israel’s subsequent military campaign.

The report comes as Israel faces genocide allegations at the International Court of Justice brought by South Africa. Israeli lawyers denied the charges there, arguing no genocidal intent exists in their stated objective of eliminating Hamas.

Amnesty urged the International Criminal Court prosecutor to investigate the genocide allegations. The ICC prosecutor’s office said it continues investigating alleged crimes in Palestinian territories but declined further comment.

Kenyan Court Convicts Roommate in Murder of LGBTQ Activist Edwin Kiptoo

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A Kenyan court Wednesday convicted the housemate of slain LGBTQ activist Edwin Kiptoo of murder, nearly two years after the discovery of Kiptoo’s body in a metal box sparked outrage in the conservative East African nation.

Reuben Nyakundi found Jacktone Odhiambo guilty of killing Kiptoo

High Court Judge Reuben Nyakundi found Jacktone Odhiambo guilty of killing Kiptoo, who was widely known as Chiloba, between December 31, 2022, and January 3, 2023, in the western city of Eldoret. Police believe Odhiambo and Kiptoo, a model and designer, had been in a relationship.

“My client has been found guilty of murder,” defense lawyer Sammy Mathai told Reuters, adding that sentencing is scheduled for December 16. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecution confirmed the ruling on social media platform X.

Edwin Chiloba

Odhiambo had pleaded not guilty when arraigned in February 2023. The conviction comes against the backdrop of Kenya’s strict laws against homosexuality, where gay sex remains punishable by 14 years in prison, though the law is rarely enforced.

Bandits Plant Explosives on Nigerian Highway, Killing Multiple Travelers

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Armed bandits planted explosives along a major highway in northwest Nigeria’s Zamfara state, killing at least 12 travelers and wounding six others when their vehicle struck the device, witnesses and officials reported Wednesday.

The attack on the Dansadau-Gusau road marks an escalation in tactics by northwest Nigeria’s armed gangs, who have increasingly turned to placing explosives on major highways to target civilians and security forces.

“We urge the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities,” Joint Task Force spokesperson Abubakar Abdullahi said in a statement, confirming that military explosive ordnance disposal teams had been deployed to clear the area. The JTF is working with local authorities to investigate the attack and find the perpetrators.

Witnesses Bello Dansadau and Abubakar Ismail told Reuters they saw the aftermath of the explosion, which claimed a dozen lives when a vehicle struck the explosive device.

The incident highlights the growing security challenge in northwest Nigeria, where armed gangs, known locally as bandits, have established a pattern of raiding communities, conducting mass kidnappings of residents, farmers, students, and motorists for ransom.

Trump Moves to Dismiss Georgia Case, Citing Presidential Immunity

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President-elect Donald Trump filed a motion Wednesday to dismiss the Georgia election interference case against him, claiming state courts will lack jurisdiction over him when he assumes the presidency next month.

In a filing to the Georgia Court of Appeals, Trump’s attorneys argued that a sitting president is “completely immune from indictment or any criminal process, state or federal.” The motion asks the court to consider its jurisdiction before Trump takes office and requests dismissal of both the appeal and underlying indictment as “unconstitutional.”

The Georgia case, initially involving 19 defendants and multiple charges, has been largely paused pending an appeal regarding prosecutor Fani Willis’s continued involvement despite alleged conflicts of interest. Representatives for Willis declined to comment on Trump’s dismissal request.

The motion follows similar legal victories for Trump, as U.S. Department of Justice special counsel Jack Smith withdrew both federal cases against him last week, citing DOJ policy protecting sitting presidents from indictment. Trump also sought Monday to overturn his New York hush money conviction, arguing it would create unconstitutional “disruptions to the Presidency.”

Separately, former Trump campaign lawyer Kenneth Chesebro, who previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges in the Georgia case, filed to invalidate his plea. Chesebro’s attorney argued that the charge he admitted to was later dismissed by Judge Scott McAfee as beyond state jurisdiction.

The Georgia prosecution has faced additional complications from controversy surrounding Willis’s romantic relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade. While Judge McAfee allowed Willis to continue leading the case after Wade’s resignation, an appeal of that decision remains pending.

Two Children Shot at California Religious School, Gunman Dead

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Two children were wounded Wednesday when a gunman opened fire at a small religious school in Northern California before apparently taking his own life, sheriff’s officials reported.

The shooting occurred around 1 p.m. at the Feather River School of Seventh-Day Adventists, a private K-8 institution with fewer than 35 students in Palermo, approximately 65 miles north of Sacramento. One child was airlifted to a hospital, though officials have not released information about the victims’ ages, genders, or conditions.

“911 calls reported an individual on campus who had fired shots at students,” said Butte County Sheriff Kory L. Honea. Responding deputies found the shooter’s body near the playground equipment, covered by a blue tarp. Honea said the gunman appeared to have no connection to the school, and investigators are working to identify him and determine a motive.

Students were evacuated to the Oroville Church of the Nazarene for reunion with their families. “My heart is breaking for everyone impacted by this tragedy,” said Assemblyman James Gallagher, whose district includes Palermo. “As a community, we’ll all be hugging our loved ones closer today.”

The incident joins dozens of U.S. school shootings in recent years, including devastating attacks in Newtown, Connecticut; Parkland, Florida; and Uvalde, Texas. Firearms became the leading cause of death among children in 2020 and 2021, according to nonprofit health research organization KFF, though these tragedies have prompted little change in national gun laws.

French Prime Minister Ousted in Historic No-Confidence Vote

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French lawmakers forced Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his government to resign Wednesday in a historic no-confidence vote that united far-right and left-wing opposition parties, marking the first such successful motion since 1962.

The National Assembly approved the no-confidence measure with 331 votes, well above the 288 required, amid fierce disputes over Barnier’s proposed budget. The conservative prime minister, appointed just months ago in September, becomes the shortest-serving premier in France’s modern Republic.

“I can tell you that it will remain an honor for me to have served France and the French with dignity,” Barnier said in his final address before the vote. “This no-confidence motion… will make everything more serious and more difficult.”

President Emmanuel Macron, who faces a deeply divided parliament after July’s legislative elections, announced he would address the nation Thursday evening. While insisting he will serve his full term until 2027, Macron must now appoint his second prime minister in months.

National Rally leader Marine Le Pen, speaking on TF1 television after the vote, said the opposition “had a choice to make, and our choice is to protect the French” from a “toxic” budget. She accused Macron of being “largely responsible for the current situation.”

The political crisis raises concerns about France’s financial stability. The country faces pressure from the European Union to reduce its deficit, estimated at 6% of GDP this year. “The impact of France not having a government would clearly be negative for the growth of France and hence the Eurozone,” said Carsten Brzeski, global chief of macro at ING Bank.

While France isn’t at risk of a U.S.-style government shutdown, analysts note rising bond market borrowing costs, though the country remains far from a Greek-style debt crisis due to its long-term debt structure and continued demand for French bonds.

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Guinea Death Toll Dispute Grows Over 135 Soccer Stadium Tragedy

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Human rights organizations in Guinea reported Tuesday that 135 people died in Sunday’s soccer stadium crush in Nzerekore, more than doubling the government’s official death toll of 56 victims.

The collective of rights groups in the Nzerekore region said their higher estimate came from multiple sources, including hospitals, cemeteries, stadium witnesses, victims’ families, religious institutions, and local media. “We now estimate 135 people died at the stadium, mostly children under the age of 18,” the coalition stated, adding that more than 50 people remain missing.

The tragedy unfolded after a disputed referee decision sparked violence, leading security forces to deploy tear gas. The rights groups accused authorities of using excessive force and prioritizing official protection over spectator safety. They reported that vehicles carrying officials struck fleeing spectators at the overcrowded venue, where security forces allegedly blocked exit gates.

The organizations placed responsibility on both tournament organizers and Guinea’s ruling military junta, noting the event was held in honor of military leader Mamady Doumbouya with government technical and financial support.

The government, which promised an investigation Monday, has not responded to the rights groups’ revised death toll or allegations about security force conduct.

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