Glasgow, United Kingdom — A helicopter crashed into a crowded pub on Friday evening, injuring 32 people and killing at least 3. Only one death has been officially confirmed, but Scotland’s First Minister, Alex Salmond, stated, “People must prepare for fatalities.” There were approximately 120 people inside the Clutha bar at the time of the crash, and although there was no fire or explosion, the roof of the building collapsed. As of Saturday morning, there were still a significant number of people trapped inside. The helicopter was a Eurocopter EC135 T2, a model primarily used by police and ambulance services. There were three people on board: two police officers and a civilian pilot. The accident may have been caused by a catastrophic failure of an aircraft system, but the cause of the crash has not been officially confirmed.
Kiev, Ukraine — Riot police brutally dispersed protestors in the Ukrainian capital on Nov. 30. Rallies were held to protest President Viktor Yanukovych’s refusal to sign an EU association agreement. The riot ended when the police dispersed the protestors, using tear gas and beating some with truncheons. Witnesses and unconfirmed reports said that a number of people have been injured. There were about 10,000 people conducting a peaceful protest in Independence Square when the police moved in and attacked. Most of the protestors involved in the rally were students. Several hundred people have gathered in St. Michael’s church to contemplate the events and plan their next move.
Beijing, China — North Korea has accused an elderly American veteran of war crimes during the Korean War while he was a tourist there last month. Merrill Newman, 85, has been held since Oct. 26 and there has been no indication from North Korea as to what the next steps will be. The state-run Korean Central News Agency released a video on Saturday of Mr. Newman confessing to “hostile acts” as well as a full text of the apology, which was written in disjointed English. It is unclear as to whether the country will be sending Mr. Newman home, and the situation is being handled through the representative power in Pyongyang, Sweden since the United States has no diplomatic relations with North Korea.
Kabul, Afghanistan— Two disagreements over drone strikes in Pakistan and Afghanistan have further complicated already fragile relations between the United States and the two countries. The situation has highlighted the “political complications from America’s persistent reliance on the lethal remote-controlled weapons.” Drones have been the subject of controversy and the cause of conflict in the Middle East region. The strike in Afghanistan resulted in civilian casualties and has given President Hamid Karzai additional reason to refuse to sign a long-term security agreement with the United States. In Pakistan, the drone strike killed a Pakistani militant and it is believed that the strike was conducted by the C.I.A.
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