IN BRIEF (Page 11)

United States

Former WH counsel ordered to testify

A federal judge on Monday ordered former White House counsel Donald McGahn to appear before Congress in a setback to US President Donald Trump's efforts to keep his top aides from testifying. The Trump administration is expected to appeal the ruling by a US district court. The outcome could lead to renewed efforts by Democrats in the House of Representatives to compel testimony from other high-ranking officials. McGahn was a star witness in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, and Democrats wanted to question McGahn about possible obstruction of justice by Trump. That was months before the House started an impeachment inquiry into Trump's effort to get Ukraine to announce an investigation of former vice-president Joe Biden.

France

Thousands rally to protect women

Tens of thousands have rallied across the world to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, as France unveiled new measures to combat domestic violence. Demonstrators on Monday gathered in countries as diverse as Guatemala, Russia, Sudan and Turkey, where riot police in Istanbul blocked the path of roughly 2,000 protesters before firing tear gas to disperse them. The French government announced it would make it easier for doctors to share information on vulnerable women and write into law the concept of psychological "entrapment", following massive rallies in France over the weekend.

Germany

Priceless items stolen from museum

Thieves have carried out a heist at Dresden's Green Vault museum, making off with treasures of "immeasurable worth", officials said on Monday. One of the world's oldest museums, it contains priceless treasures and jewels. Multiple burglars forced their way into the building in the early morning, officials said. Media reported the losses from the burglary could run into the high hundreds of millions of euros. Police said it was too early to estimate the value of the items stolen but planned to provide further information.

Agencies

(China Daily 11/27/2019 page11)