Kate Middleton & Prince William will Team Up with 'The Great British Bake Off' for Special Christmas Party

During the BBC special we’ll also see Mrs. Berry show viewers at home how to cook some of her favorite Christmas recipes as she helps in the kitchen prepare for the royal event. As she cooks, the Duchess and Duke of Cambridge also will step in to lend her a helping hand.

All of this and more can be seen in the Berry Royal Christmas special which airing  December 16 on BBC One.

Turkey’s growth expands 0.9% in third quarter

ISTANBUL–Turkey’s economy expanded in line with expectations in the third quarter, data released Monday showed, amid efforts by the administration of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to rekindle loan supply and stimulate economic growth.

The Turkish economy grew by 0.4% in the third quarter compared with the previous quarter on seasonal and calendar adjusted basis, according to data from the Turkish statistical agency. Compared with the same quarter of 2018, the Turkish economy expanded by 0.9%, the agency said.

Market consensus had expected a 1% growth on the year in the third quarter.

Breakdown of the data showed consumer spending increased by 1.5% on the year in the third quarter, while government spending increased by 7%.

Write to Yeliz Kazan at [email protected]

Chile's cacerolazos movement

Banging pots and pans became famous in Chile in 1971, when opponents of the left-wing government of President Salvador Allende came out to protest food shortages and rationing.

Several countries across Latin America are expected to hold a simultaneous “cacerolazo” on Sunday.

It is a type of protest that involves banging on pots and pans.

And while crowds are coming together for a variety of reasons, they all have something in common.

Al Jazeera’s Lucia Newman reports from one of those demonstrations in the Chilean capital, Santiago.

U.S. Senator: Republican Party Is Turning Into Russia’s ‘Most Important Global Asset’

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) called out the Republican Party for advancing Russian conspiracy theories as it defends President Donald Trump during the impeachment hearings. 

Murphy tweeted: 

Murphy’s tweet came hours after one of his Senate colleagues essentially repeated a debunked Russian talking point on “Meet the Press” on Sunday.

“I think both Russia and Ukraine meddled in the 2016 election,” Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) said. “I think it’s been well documented.” 

He also claimed Ukraine’s former president, Petro Poroshenko, had been actively working for Hillary Clinton. 

As host Chuck Todd pointed out, the U.S. intelligence community has implicated only Russia for 2016 election interference and recently warned senators that Moscow was trying to frame Ukraine for it.   

He said:

“You realize the only person selling this argument outside the United States is … Vladimir Putin?” You’ve done exactly what the Russian operation is trying to get American politicians to do. Are you at all concerned that you’ve been duped?”

“No,” Kennedy replied.

Delays for commuters as majority of Luas Red Line out of service

Commuters in the capital are experiencing delays this morning as the majority of the Luas Red Line is out of service.

The tram is not operating between Blackhorse and The Point due to a technical fault.

Both directions are out of service.

Services are operating between Tallaght/Saggart and Blackhorse only.

A spokesperson for the Luas said technicians are “on site working to resolve the issue as soon as possible”.

They added that tickets are valid on Dublin Bus.

Planet SOS: Guatemala's illegal animal trade

Guatemala’s northern Peten region anchors the largest tropical forest north of the Amazon but as more people settle in the area, poaching and other threats to its biodiversity are rising fast.

Guatemala’s northern Peten region is home to the largest tropical forest north of the Amazon.

But as more people settle in the area, poaching and other threats to its biodiversity are rising.

A group of scientists is working to save a number of species.

Al Jazeera’s David Mercer reports from Guatemala.

Adel Abdul Mahdi's short tenure as Iraq's prime minister

After months of violent clashes, Adel Abdul Mahdi said he had no other choice, but to resign as Iraq’s prime minister.

Adel Abdul Mahdi became prime minister in October 2018, at a time of unrest in the country.

His government promised to make things better, but said it needed more time but was unsuccessful.

Now, Iraqi politics moves into uncharted territory.

Al Jazeera’s Katia Lopez-Hodoyan reports.

Portage la Prairie RCMP respond to car crash that killed one woman

Manitoba RCMP are continuing to investigate a car crash that left one woman dead Sunday morning.

Portage la Prairie officers were called to a scene of a vehicle in a ditch around 8:35 a.m. off Highway 305, near Road 62 North.

Investigators believe the 41-year-old driver of the vehicle, from Long Plain First Nation, was travelling southbound on Highway 305 when she left the road and struck the side of a driveway, causing her car to become airborne.

Police say she wasn’t wearing a seatbelt and was pronounced dead on scene.

SEA Games 2019: Philippines promotes national sports

Philippines is hosting Southeast Asian Games for fourth time, and much is at stake.

As hosts of the Southeast Asian Games, the Philippines get to introduce sports they know they will be good at.

One such sport is an ancient Filipino martial art called Arnis. Competitors have been training hard to make sure they bring home gold, but also to make sure the sport gets the attention it deserves.

Al Jazeera’s Jamela Alindogan reports from Manila.