1. New Zealand plans rescue of tourists

    New Zealand is planning to send in military helicopters and a navy ship to rescue about 1,000 tourists and hundreds of residents who remain stranded* in the coastal town of Kaikoura after a powerful earthquake on Monday cut off train and vehicle access.

    The 7.8-magnitude quake struck the South Island just after midnight. It left two people dead and triggered a small tsunami*. It also brought down rocks and mud that swept across highways and cracked apart roads.

    Home to about 2,000 residents and about 100 km away from the epicenter, Kaikoura is a popular destination for travelers taking part in whale-watching expeditions* or wanting a stopover with mountain views.

    2. S. Korea prosecutors to question Park

    South Korean prosecutors are likely to question President Park Geun-hye this week over suspicion that she let a shadowy longtime confidante* manipulate power from behind the scenes, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported on Sunday.

    It would be the first time that a sitting president has been questioned by prosecutors. The explosive scandal is the most serious challenge for Park.

    On Saturday, hundreds of thousands of people flooded Seoul’s streets to demand Park’s resignation in what may be South Korea’s largest protest since it shook off dictatorship three decades ago.

    3. India ATM reset to take weeks

    India’s cash machines will take several weeks to reset with new bills, India’s finance minister said on Saturday, as public anger mounted over a decision to pull the highest denomination* notes from circulation.

    People queued outside banks for the third day straight, trying to replace 500 rupee (US$7.5) and 1,000 rupee notes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced they would no longer be legal tender in a blitz* against corruption and tax evasion.

    4. Assange questioned by prosecutors

    Wikileaks founder Julian Assange was being questioned by prosecutors on Monday at the Ecuadoran embassy in London in the latest twist in the long-running legal battle over a rape allegation* against him.

    Assange’s lawyer Per Samuelsson has said the questioning, which has been delayed in the past because of diplomatic disagreements between Ecuador and Sweden, could last for several days. Assange has refused to travel to Sweden for questioning, fearing he would be extradited* to the United States over WikiLeaks’ release of 500,000 secret military files on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

    5. Anti-Trump protests sweep US cities

    Protesters burned a giant orange-haired head of Donald Trump in effigy*, lit fires in the streets and blocked traffic as rage over the billionaire’s election victory spilled onto the streets of major U.S. cities.

    From New York to Los Angeles, thousands of people in around 10 cities rallied against the president-elect a day after his stunning win on November 9, some carrying signs declaiming* “Not our President” and “Love trumps hate.”

    6. London tram derails, kills 7

    At least seven people were killed and around 50 injured on November 10 when a London tram came off the tracks and tipped over.

    One survivor recounted how a woman landed on top of him, adding that there was “blood everywhere” after the tram appeared to speed up before coming off the rails.

    The incident happened before dawn outside Croydon in southern London as it negotiated* a bend* in the track. The tram’s driver, a 42-year-old man, was released on police bail on early Thursday after being arrested following the crash on suspicion of manslaughter. He has not been named by the police.(SD-Agencies)