 | | Hong Kong
Protests in Hong Kong have been escalating for five months now, and several serious incidents this weekend may mark a new boiling point. A traffic police officer shot a 21-year-old protester in the torso, sparking renewed outrage and violence. (Police say the protester is expected to survive.) Hours after the shooting, a man who confronted a group of pro-democracy protesters was doused in a flammable liquid and set alight. Amid the violence, a police officer appeared to drive his motorcycle into a crowd and has been suspended by the force. All of this escalating unrest follows the death of a 22-year-old student on Friday, who passed away after falling from a parking garage during a demonstration. The surge in violence has taken a toll on the economy: Hong Kong stocks suffered their worst day in more than three months on Monday. | |  | | Impeachment Inquiry
Could this be the biggest week yet for the House impeachment investigation? Those closed-door testimonies are about to become public, and Democrats will trot out a stable of career State Department employees who will testify under oath to things they've already talked about in private. On the docket: Bill Taylor, still the top State Department official in Ukraine; US Diplomat George Kent; and former US Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch. Not scheduled to appear: The unknown whistleblower whose alarm uncovered Trump's alleged effort to use financial aid to Ukraine as a bargaining chip to further his own political interests. Republican leaders like Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham want the whistleblower to come forward and testify. House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff says the whistleblower's claims have been corroborated, so an appearance would be redundant. | |  | | Australia fires
More than 70 dangerous bushfires are burning across the Australian state of New South Wales today, threatening thousands of people and bringing a "catastrophic" fire threat level to the Sydney region. It's the worst threat level ever issued for Sydney under the current system, which was introduced in 2009. At least three people have died as a result of the blazes, and more than 100 homes have been lost. Strong winds, high temperatures and low humidity in the area have increased fire worries, and the state is under a seven-day state of emergency. While Sydney, with its population of 4.6 million people, is of particular concern, fire officials pointed out the greatest fire risk lies in rural areas outside the city center. The cloud of smoke can be seen as far away as New Zealand. | |  | | Bolivia
Bolivian President Evo Morales and Vice President Álvaro García Linera resigned yesterday amid growing outrage after an international audit found the results of last month's general election could not be validated because of "serious irregularities." The October elections sparked protests across the country. Thousands of demonstrators accused electoral authorities of manipulating the vote count in favor of Morales, the country's longtime socialist leader who was seeking his fourth term. Now that Morales is out, even more uncertainty is coming down the road as Bolivians must go back to the polls for a new general election. Morales was president for 14 years, and there isn't a clear successor to his administration. | |  | | Winter weather
Winter is DEFINITELY here. The US is in for a record-breaking Arctic blast this week that could cause temperatures in some part of the country to plummet to 30 degrees below average. The National Weather Service predicts that more than 200 record lows could be tied or set from Monday to Wednesday. The Great Plains area will probably get hit first, and then the cold will move east over the week. Texas, Oklahoma and parts of the Ohio Valley may see record lows on Tuesday, and the Deep South and the Gulf Coast will feel the freeze on Wednesday. Keep those mittens handy for a while, though -- the cold may not let up for five to seven days. | |  |  People are talking about these. Read up. Join in. | | fewer than 1,000
That's how many US troops will remain in Syria to help fight ISIS in the area. The White House ordered troops a few weeks ago to begin to pull out of Northern Syria. | | |  Do I think that we would be standing on that stage if we had the experience that he had? No, I don't. | | |  | Some vicarious morning traffic stress
As you're sitting in your usual morning backup today, just remind yourself that you don't have to figure out this mind-bending two-way, 7-in-1 roundabout. (And if you do, more power to you!) Click here to view. | | | | |
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