01 NewsFire

My personal philosophy in life is generally always prefer smaller scales, generally. And in that vain, let me pause to congratulate the recent choice made by the Boungainvillians, currently of Papua New Guinea, to separate from that same aformentioned place to become their own country.
Here’s some deets on this fine soon-to-be-maybe country:
Bougainville Island is the main island of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville of Papua New Guinea. This region is also known as Bougainville Province or the North Solomons. Its land area is 9,300 km2 (3591 sq miles). The population of the province is 234,280 (2011 census), which includes the adjacent island of Buka and assorted outlying islands including the Carterets. Mount Balbi at 2,700 m is the highest point.
I stand with Bougainville Island!
Boungainville votes for independence from Papua New Guinea – Washington Times
Excerpt:
The South Pacific region of Bougainville voted overwhelmingly to become the world’s newest nation by gaining independence from Papua New Guinea, results showed Wednesday.
Bougainville Referendum Commission Chairman Bertie Ahern was cheered when he announced that more than 98% of valid ballots favored independence. The other option in the vote was greater autonomy from Papua New Guinea.
The referendum is nonbinding, and independence will need to be negotiated between leaders from Bougainville and Papua New Guinea. The final say would then go to lawmakers in the Papua New Guinea Parliament. The process of becoming a separate nation could take years to achieve.

China and US negotiators plan to delay Dec.15 tariffs: Report – Yahoo Finance
Fmr. Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Wendy Coutler spoke to Yahoo Finance’s Aikiko Fujita about the looming tariff deadline and the report that the tariffs may be delayed.

Saudi Arabian oil company Aramco surpassed Apple to become the world’s most valuable company Wednesday, when its shares jumped 10% in a stock market debut that’s part of an ambitious shift away from the very fossil fuels the country’s economy depends on.
The shares’ rally on the Saudi exchange brought state-owned Aramco’s value to $1.88 trillion. The 1.5% of the company that is listed has raised $25.6 billion, a record for an initial public offering.
Despite the success of the sale, the kingdom’s decision not to list the company on a larger foreign exchange points to concerns that a global flotation would raise. Listing shares outside Saudi Arabia would open up the company to greater disclosure rules and expose it to foreign laws at a time when the country is under scrutiny for its role in regional conflicts as well as for the killing of a dissident journalist.

The Chinese government’s YouTube channel is reporting with joy about the trouble with Trump and the WTO. Trump, for some reason, keeps blocking people getting appointed from America that would fill a vital three judge panel the WTO needs to settle disputes. Two judges will be retiring and Trump show no signs of letting new judges take their place.
U.S. block forces court shutdown – CGTN
The World Trade Organization faces a “serious crisis” because its appellate court will cease to function as early as Tuesday. The development came after the United States said it wouldn’t back a proposal allowing the de facto Supreme Court of trade disputes to continue. The court needs a minimum of three judges to function, but two of the three remaining members of the panel retire on Tuesday. The Trump administration has been blocking appointments, and there are no replacements in sight because of the block.