World news and comment from the Guardian | guardian.co.uk |
- Rodrigo Duterte declares victory in Philippines election, vows to rewrite constitution
- 'Everyone’s outraged': angry Greeks foresee Grexit and drachma's revival
- One dead and three injured in knife attack at train station near Munich
- Rousseff impeachment vote annulled, throwing Brazil legislature into chaos
- Japan now has more electric car charge points than petrol stations
- Canada wildfire: 85% of Fort McMurray has been saved, says Alberta premier
- At Sacramento rally, some Sanders fans would rather Trump than Clinton
- Pakistan criticised for censoring article about Muslim women and sex
- Pink petals and cardboard missiles: North Korea ends congress with rally
- South Sudan: up to 5.3 million people face summer food crisis
- One in five of world's plant species at risk of extinction
- Twitter bars spy agencies from buying bulk user data from analytics firm
- Eurozone ministers to examine how to ease Greece's debt burden
- Alberta premier to tour Fort McMurray, Canada, after wildfire stabilised
- Spain to make first exhumations from civil war mausoleum
- El Chapo can be extradited to the US to stand trial, Mexican judge rules
- Osama bin Laden's son urges Syrian jihadis to unite 'to free Palestine'
- Harmless gas released into New York subway to prep for biological attack
- Nato and US defence chiefs issue security warnings over Brexit
- Trump says London mayor Sadiq Khan could be 'exception' to Muslim ban
- Separated at birth? Sayings of Donald Trump and Rodrigo 'the punisher' Duterte
- One man's fight against China's ban on eating bananas 'erotically' – video
- In from the cold: Iran x Cuba – review
- An insider's guide to Kampala: where a Rolex is something you eat
- A grand but faulty vision for Iran's water problems
- Man shot dead in west Belfast
- Gonski funding: let defence try to raise funds with chook raffles, says principal
- Senior Islamic State leader in Iraq, Abu Wahib, 'killed' by US airstrike
- Panama Papers: full database of offshore companies published online
- Rodrigo 'The Punisher' Duterte claims victory in Philippines election
- Alberta wildfires: key facts and figures in a historic disaster – video
- Overseas territories resist calls for concessions to end tax secrecy
- Disappearing support for return of Parthenon marbles | Letters
- Latino Muslims at country's only Spanish-speaking mosque: 'Islam changed my life'
- Unicef calls for 300 child refugees to be let into UK to attend school
- Letters: Father Daniel Berrigan obituary
- How do you stop a wildfire?
- Senior French MP resigns amid sexual harassment allegations
- Iceland's president goes back on plan to run for sixth term
- Faymann quits as Austrian chancellor following far right's election victory
- Dilma Rousseff speaks after impeachment annulled – video
- Egypt tourism groups pay families of three Mexicans killed by mistake
- Telephone taps led Belgian police to raid Isis cell, court told
- UPS to help deliver blood by drone in Rwanda – video
- Dilma Bolada: Brazilian president's digital alter ego is more popular than she is
- BBC journalist returns to China after expulsion from North Korea – video
- Story of cities #39: Shenzhen – from rural village to the world's largest megalopolis
- Story of cities #38: Vancouver dumps its freeway plan for a more beautiful future
- Britain must stand up to defend humanitarian law, say MPs
- 'How can I get help if I can’t leave the room?': older people left out in a crisis
- Boko Haram using loans to recruit members in face of crackdown
- 'People are tired of 70 years of killings and violence': Colombia's peace process
- Nascent peace deal at risk amid Philippines' political uncertainty
- Seven days, three speeches: one week in the life of having a black president
- Clinton responds to Trump's attacks on her husband – video
- Pat McCrory ready to fight justice department over 'bathroom bill' – video
- Driver rescued from car in river in China – video
- Japanese vagina kayak artist 'frustrated' after court finds her guilty of obscenity – video
- Rodrigo Duterte, 'the Punisher', votes in Philippine elections – video
| Rodrigo Duterte declares victory in Philippines election, vows to rewrite constitution Posted: 09 May 2016 09:33 PM PDT Spokesman for would-be president says a late night drinking ban and curfew for unaccompanied children could be implemented nationwide Philippine mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who has an unbeatable lead in unofficial tallies in the country's presidential race, will push to rewrite the constitution and change to a parliamentary system of government, his spokesman has said. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday morning a few hours after Duterte claimed victory, Peter Lavina said the plan "will require a wide national consensus beginning with asking congress to call for a constitutional convention." Continue reading... |
| 'Everyone’s outraged': angry Greeks foresee Grexit and drachma's revival Posted: 09 May 2016 10:00 PM PDT Greece faces its toughest austerity measures yet, with €5.4bn of budget cuts backed by the leftist government of Alexis Tsipras In his tiny shop in downtown Athens, Kostis Nakos sits behind a wooden counter hunched over his German calculator. The 71-year-old might have retired had he been able to make ends meets but that is now simply impossible. "All day I've been sitting here doing the maths," he sighs, surrounded by the undergarments and socks he has sold for the past four decades. "My income tax has just gone up to 29%, my social security payments have gone up 20%, my pension has been cut by 50 euros; they are taxing coffee, fuel, the internet, tavernas, ferries, everything they can, and then there's Enfia [the country's much-loathed property levy]. Now that makes me mad. They said they would take that away!" Continue reading... |
| One dead and three injured in knife attack at train station near Munich Posted: 10 May 2016 01:00 AM PDT German police arrest suspect after overpowering him at Grafing train station One person has died and three others have been injured after a man launched a knife attack at a train station in southern Germany, the Bavarian criminal office has said. Authorities are reportedly investigating a possible Islamist connection after police overpowered and arrested the suspect at the station in Grafing, 25 miles south-east of central Munich. Continue reading... |
| Rousseff impeachment vote annulled, throwing Brazil legislature into chaos Posted: 09 May 2016 09:10 AM PDT Surprise move by interim lower house speaker comes days before consideration of motion and prompts speculation he may be acting on behalf of predecessor • Video explainer: Dilma Rousseff faces impeachment Brazil's political tumult has descended into farce after a little-known and newly appointed lower house speaker proclaimed the annulment of last month's impeachment vote against Dilma Rousseff. The surprise move – which was immediately challenged by senior figures in the senate – provided an absurd twist in the country's ongoing political drama that would stretch the credibility of a House of Cards plot. Continue reading... |
| Japan now has more electric car charge points than petrol stations Posted: 10 May 2016 12:07 AM PDT Survey finds 35,000 filling stations overtaken by more than 40,000 recharge points – although many belong to private owners When it comes to electric vehicles, Japan is speeding ahead of the rest of the world, blissfully free of the range anxiety that afflicts plug-in drivers elsewhere. The country now has more electric car charging stops than petrol stations, according to a recent survey by Nissan. Continue reading... |
| Canada wildfire: 85% of Fort McMurray has been saved, says Alberta premier Posted: 09 May 2016 06:35 PM PDT Rachel Notley describes devastation wrought by ongoing wildfire as 'heartbreaking', with residents facing long wait to return to their homes Overwhelming and heart-breaking was how Rachel Notley, the Alberta premier, described the destruction left behind in the wake of a wildfire that continues to rage out of control in northern Alberta. Related: Alberta wildfires leave Fort McMurray charred and desolate – in pictures Continue reading... |
| At Sacramento rally, some Sanders fans would rather Trump than Clinton Posted: 09 May 2016 11:52 PM PDT Written off by some, Bernie Sanders continues to attract fiercely loyal crowds – and Hillary Clinton winning the nomination could push them to extreme measures at the ballot box Hillary Clinton might have a problem in November. Some supporters of Bernie Sanders at a rally in Sacramento, California, indicated they would rather vote for anyone in the general election than the former secretary of state – even, in some cases, Donald Trump. Related: Sanders decries 'casino capitalism' on Trump's turf – a decaying Atlantic City Continue reading... |
| Pakistan criticised for censoring article about Muslim women and sex Posted: 09 May 2016 07:41 AM PDT Journalist Mona Eltahawy says decision to ban column reveals extent of state's desire to control bodies of Muslim women A feminist writer has criticised Pakistan for censoring an article on Muslim women and sex, saying the ban exposed the extent of the country's discrimination against women. Mona Eltahawy, an award-winning Egyptian-American journalist and campaigner for women's rights, wrote an opinion column, "Sex talk for Muslim women", that was published by the International New York Times on Friday. Continue reading... |
| Pink petals and cardboard missiles: North Korea ends congress with rally Posted: 09 May 2016 11:14 PM PDT Huge parade for Kim Jong-un, 'ever-victorious dear comrade', concludes rare congress that promoted young dictator to Workers' party chairman North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presided over a mass rally and parade on Tuesday in the capital's main ceremonial square, a day after the ruling party wrapped up its first congress in 36 years by elevating him to party chairman. Related: North Korea expels 'disrespectful' BBC reporter Rupert Wingfield-Hayes Continue reading... |
| South Sudan: up to 5.3 million people face summer food crisis Posted: 09 May 2016 10:44 AM PDT UN warns of worsening hunger despite relative stability in political situation after two-year civil war More than 5 million people in South Sudan are facing a severe food shortage this summer, the UN has warned. This number is nearly double the 2.8 million people who were classed as being in crisis or emergency food situations from January to March, with about 40,000 thought to be suffering an outright famine. Continue reading... |
| One in five of world's plant species at risk of extinction Posted: 09 May 2016 04:01 PM PDT Global report highlights threat to food security and medicine supplies but also reveals 2,000 new species are discovered each year One in five of the world's plant species is threatened with extinction, according to the first global assessment of flora, putting supplies of food and medicines at risk. But the report also found that 2,000 new species of plant are discovered every year, raising hopes of new sources of food that are resilient to disease and climate change. New finds in 2015 included a giant insect-eating plant first spotted on Facebook and a 100-tonne tree hidden in an African forest. Continue reading... |
| Twitter bars spy agencies from buying bulk user data from analytics firm Posted: 09 May 2016 02:39 PM PDT Social network says it has 'never authorized' Dataminr to sell information to US intelligence agencies, but officials say tools have been used previously Twitter has blocked US spies from buying bulk data on its users from a data analytics company. Until now, US national security agencies, including the FBI and CIA, had been able to query treasure troves of Twitter data through software from Dataminr, the New York-based analytics company in which Twitter owns a 5% stake. Agents could enter search terms such as "Isis" or "jihad" and view more tweets, over a longer period, than what a standard Twitter search would offer, people familiar with the process said. Continue reading... |
| Eurozone ministers to examine how to ease Greece's debt burden Posted: 09 May 2016 12:13 PM PDT Measures such as tweaking repayment terms over the next three years are being considered, but a write-off is off the table Eurozone finance ministers have promised to examine how to ease Greece's colossal debt burden, with writing off bad loans remaining off the table. Jeroen Dijsselbloem, the chair of eurozone finance ministers, said he was hopeful of getting an agreement on Greek debt management in talks on 24 May. Continue reading... |
| Alberta premier to tour Fort McMurray, Canada, after wildfire stabilised Posted: 09 May 2016 03:34 PM PDT Rachel Notley to visit worst hit parts of Canadian oil sands town after cooler temperatures and light rain stop wildfire growing as quickly as feared The premier of Alberta was due to visit the devastated parts of Fort McMurray on Monday after the fire in the Canadian town stabilised to the point where officials could start taking steps to get residents back home. Cooler temperatures and light rain have the authorities optimistic that a turning point has been reached on tackling the massive wildfire. Continue reading... |
| Spain to make first exhumations from civil war mausoleum Posted: 09 May 2016 11:49 AM PDT Court grants permission for bodies of two victims of General Franco's regime to be recovered from controversial Valley of the Fallen A Spanish court has for the first time authorised the exhumation of bodies from the Valley of the Fallen, a vast mausoleum where the dictator Francisco Franco is buried with thousands of victims of Spain's civil war. A woman, María Purificación Lapeña, 58, in September 2015 asked a court in El Escorial near Madrid, where the mausoleum is located, to order the exhumation of her grandfather Manuel Lapeña Altabas and her great-uncle Antonio Lapeña Altabas so they could be given a proper funeral. Continue reading... |
| El Chapo can be extradited to the US to stand trial, Mexican judge rules Posted: 09 May 2016 09:53 AM PDT Joaquín Guzmán's lawyers say they are 'convinced' the foreign ministry will approve extradition to face charges including kidnapping and murder A Mexican federal judge has ruled that Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán can be extradited to face trial in the US, days after he was moved to a prison on the border with Texas. Mexico's foreign ministry now has 20 days to approve the extradition, a political decision which Guzmán's lawyers described as a foregone conclusion. Continue reading... |
| Osama bin Laden's son urges Syrian jihadis to unite 'to free Palestine' Posted: 09 May 2016 11:08 AM PDT Hamza bin Laden's message comes days after al-Qaida leader called for unity – despite continued rejection of Islamic State The son of Osama bin Laden has urged jihadis in Syria to unite, claiming that the fight in the war-torn country paves the way to "liberating Palestine". "The Islamic umma (nation) should focus on jihad in al-Sham (Syria) ... and unite the ranks of mujahideen there," said Hamza bin Laden in an audio message posted online. "There is no longer an excuse for those who insist on division and disputes now that the whole world has mobilised against Muslims." Continue reading... |
| Harmless gas released into New York subway to prep for biological attack Posted: 09 May 2016 10:48 AM PDT Invisible, odorless perfluorocarbon tracer gases released to test how vapors would travel through the US's biggest transit system during a terrorist attack Men in orange vests released a harmless, invisible, odorless gas on a subway platform at Grand Central terminal on Monday, part of a test of how air moves through tunnels and potentially how a biological contaminant would travel through the nation's biggest transit system during a terrorist attack. There is no health risk. The gas contains tracing particles that look like drops of perfume from an atomizer before quickly dissipating. Continue reading... |
| Nato and US defence chiefs issue security warnings over Brexit Posted: 10 May 2016 12:58 AM PDT Interventions by figures from Nato, White House and intelligence services – and former home secretary Charles Clarke – follow David Cameron speech A string of former Nato and US foreign affairs chiefs have warned against leaving the EU, arguing Britain's place in the world and security would be damaged. Five ex-Nato secretary-generals delivered a joint message that leaving the EU would "give succour to the west's enemies". |
| Trump says London mayor Sadiq Khan could be 'exception' to Muslim ban Posted: 10 May 2016 12:55 AM PDT Republican presidential candidate wants temporary ban on Muslims entering the US, but says he was 'happy' about Khan's landslide win in the UK capital Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who has called for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States, has suggested he would make an exception for London's newly elected Muslim mayor, the New York Times reported. Related: Sadiq Khan plans US visit before election 'in case Trump wins' Continue reading... |
| Separated at birth? Sayings of Donald Trump and Rodrigo 'the punisher' Duterte Posted: 10 May 2016 12:33 AM PDT One is the would-be president of the US, the other is almost certain to lead the Philippines. But can you guess who said which of the following? A: "Forget the laws on human rights… You drug pushers, hold-up men and do-nothings, you better go out. Because I'd kill you." |
| One man's fight against China's ban on eating bananas 'erotically' – video Posted: 10 May 2016 12:01 AM PDT Phil Watson stands outside the Chinese embassy in London, 'seductively' eating a banana. The bizarre protest is in response to an equally bizarre report that China is outlawing the 'erotic' online consumption of bananas. The president, Xi Jinping, is calling for steps to 'rehabilitate' his country's 'cyber-ecology', a move state media says is part of a wider attempt to rein in online content deemed too vulgar, too violent or too sexual. Continue reading... |
| In from the cold: Iran x Cuba – review Posted: 09 May 2016 09:37 PM PDT Playful seriousness abounds in this exhibition at New York's Rogue Space gallery Holy Cow. The title of Allahyar Najafi's painting captures the playful seriousness that abounds in IRAN X CUBA: Beyond the Headline. The show features work by 19 artists from two countries whose revolutions denied them the tender affections of a certain global hegemon for decades on end; now, as if love might actually trump hate in time, they have come together at New York's Rogue Space gallery. In Najafi's piece, the titular bovine, sacred not only in Hinduism – the artist resided in India for several years – but in Iran's own Zoroastrianism, weeps amid an array of other hallowed beasts. Through the ether swim a pod of Caspian seals, seemingly a personal totem for the artist, who now lives in Rasht, not far from the sea (one takes center stage in Pusa Caspica, after the animal's Latin name). From a crook in the cow's form stares a bald eagle, once-secular American iconography now as sanctified as the almighty dollar. Continue reading... |
| An insider's guide to Kampala: where a Rolex is something you eat Posted: 09 May 2016 07:53 AM PDT From lakeside spots to eat fish to a female comedian making herself heard on YouTube, Rosebell Kagumire shows us beneath the surface of Uganda's capital Smile. Talk. Drink. Dance. Repeat. Continue reading... |
| A grand but faulty vision for Iran's water problems Posted: 09 May 2016 02:36 AM PDT Massive water transfer schemes are no solution to Iran's growing problems with drought A grand vision of eliminating water scarcity looks attractive for tens of millions of people in the desert cities of central Iran worried about drought. Ambitious water transfer projects are being put in place to answer a call from President Hassan Rouhani. Two high-profile projects would see desalinised water transferred to the central plateau from the Caspian Sea, and from the Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman. Continue reading... |
| Posted: 09 May 2016 04:08 PM PDT Victim dies after being shot inside his car in third shooting in the city in past 24 hours A man was shotdead in west Belfast on Monday night. The victim, in his 50s, was injured in the neck and chest during the shooting in the republican Divis area. It is understood he was a delivery driver and was targeted inside the car he was driving. He died later of his wounds. Continue reading... |
| Gonski funding: let defence try to raise funds with chook raffles, says principal Posted: 10 May 2016 12:19 AM PDT Queensland principal says if her school lost Gonski funding it would lose valuable staff, and defence rather than education should bear the brunt of government cuts A Queensland school principal has suggested the defence department, rather than schools, should be required to raise funds by running chook raffles and selling tea towels, saying if the school lost Gonski funding it would need to cut three teachers and 15 teachers' aides. Related: Bill Shorten makes education a priority as Labor 'underdogs' hit campaign trail Continue reading... |
| Senior Islamic State leader in Iraq, Abu Wahib, 'killed' by US airstrike Posted: 09 May 2016 05:49 PM PDT Former Al-Qaida fighter was killed with three other militants when his vehicle was struck in Rutba, western Iraq A senior Islamic State leader in Iraq's Anbar province has been killed by a coalition airstrike, according to the Pentagon. Abu Wahib and three other Isis militants were killed when their vehicle was struck on 6 May in Rutba, according to Peter Cook, the Pentagon spokesman. Continue reading... |
| Panama Papers: full database of offshore companies published online Posted: 09 May 2016 05:13 PM PDT International Consortium of Investigative Journalists argues 'public interest' in releasing details of 200,000 entities used in tax avoidance schemes A group of investigative journalists has published the names of thousands of offshore companies at the heart of the Panama Papers – a massive trove of data on the finances of the rich and powerful. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists made data on 200,000 entities available on its website on Monday. Continue reading... |
| Rodrigo 'The Punisher' Duterte claims victory in Philippines election Posted: 09 May 2016 03:58 PM PDT Hardline candidate, who issued death threats during the campaign, has insurmountable lead over his nearest rival, according to monitors Anti-establishment firebrand Rodrigo Duterte has claimed victory in the Philippines election. After an incendiary campaign dominated by his profanity-laced vows to kill criminals, Duterte had a commanding lead over his rivals according to data released by the PPCRV, a Catholic Church-run poll monitor accredited by the government to tally the votes. |
| Alberta wildfires: key facts and figures in a historic disaster – video Posted: 09 May 2016 01:21 PM PDT A look back at the devastation caused by the Fort McMurray wildfires, one of Canada's costliest natural disasters on record. The fires, which have abated, forced the evacuation of more than 80,000 people from the northern part of Alberta, and at one point covered as much as 200,000 hectares (494,000 acres) Continue reading... |
| Overseas territories resist calls for concessions to end tax secrecy Posted: 09 May 2016 12:11 PM PDT BVI and others say they will not sign up to public register to expose money launderers as Cameron prepares for key summit Key UK overseas territories led by the British Virgin Islands are still resisting David Cameron's calls to make fresh concessions on ending tax secrecy at the prime minister's anti-corruption conference in London on Thursday. The overseas territories have said they will not sign up to public central registers of beneficial ownership, one of the key demands of the charities and anti-corruption campaign groups eager to expose the money launderers hiding their gains in the BVI and elsewhere. Continue reading... |
| Disappearing support for return of Parthenon marbles | Letters Posted: 09 May 2016 11:52 AM PDT International support would certainly strengthen Greece's hand in seeking the return of the Parthenon marbles (Greece could turn to UN in battle for Parthenon marbles, 9 May). But how much support would they get? When I was British ambassador in Greece 20 years ago I was asked by a Greek MEP to forward a letter signed by a number of MEPs to John Major, then prime minister, asking for the return of the marbles. I said I was happy to do so, and suggested that the letter would carry more weight if it confirmed that the non-Greek MEPs who signed were at the same time lobbying their own governments to return any Parthenon marbles held in their national museums. My friend agreed that was a good idea and took back the letter. I never saw it again. |
| Latino Muslims at country's only Spanish-speaking mosque: 'Islam changed my life' Posted: 09 May 2016 10:43 AM PDT As converts gather in Houston for the Centro Islámico's first Cinco de Mayo, they reflect on a unique identity: 'We change our religion, not our culture' Alfonso Flores looked relieved. Standing at the front of the prayer hall, the 29-year-old dental technician accepted hugs and handshakes from other members of the Centro Islámico, America's only mosque founded specifically to be a place for Spanish-language programming for Latinos. Flores had just taken the shahada, the Islamic profession of faith, at the mosque's first-ever Cinco de Mayo celebration on Saturday, where community members with roots in Colombia, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Cuba and other countries served halal variations of their traditional foods, while celebrating their shared identity as Muslims. Continue reading... |
| Unicef calls for 300 child refugees to be let into UK to attend school Posted: 09 May 2016 10:41 AM PDT Charity, religious leaders and Yvette Cooper call for vulnerable minors to be fast-tracked into country in time for term in September Up to 300 of the most vulnerable refugee children already in Europe should be allowed into Britain for the start of the school year in September, says a letter to David Cameron from Unicef and a number of religious leaders, including the Archbishop of Canterbury. Yvette Cooper, chair of Labour's refugee taskforce, has also called for unaccompanied refugee children to be fast-tracked into the country so they can get back into school by September. Continue reading... |
| Letters: Father Daniel Berrigan obituary Posted: 09 May 2016 10:32 AM PDT George McLaughlin writes: Father Daniel Berrigan travelled with me from the US to Northern Ireland twice in the 1980s. When I first called him, asking if he could help us in our struggle to get better conditions for Irish republican prisoners in British jails, he said, "Of course. I have been waiting for your call," although we had never met. Related: Father Daniel Berrigan obituary Continue reading... |
| Posted: 09 May 2016 10:31 AM PDT As wildfires tear through Alberta, Canada, experts reveal how to stop the flames spreading – and explain how water bombers aren't the only solution Just over a week in, the wildfire that is ravaging Alberta in Canada has already burnt through 600 sq miles of land, and 20% of houses in the city of Fort McMurray; all its 88,000 residents were evacuated. Over the weekend, the flames did not spread as much as had been feared, and one minister said firefighters may be turning a corner in the fight against it. But how do you put out a wildlife the size and intensity of the one that is ravaging Alberta? Bruce Malamud, professor of natural and environmental hazards at King's College London says: "To stop a wildfire, you need to remove one of the following: the heat of the fire, the fuel that feeds the fire [such as vegetation] or the oxygen that allows the combustion to take place." Continue reading... |
| Senior French MP resigns amid sexual harassment allegations Posted: 09 May 2016 10:20 AM PDT National assembly vice-president Denis Baupin denies allegations by eight women, as sexism claims again hit French politics A vice-president of France's national assembly has resigned after eight women accused him of sexual harassment, once again raising the spectre of sexism that many women in French political circles, including MPs and journalists, have claimed is rife. Denis Baupin, an MP for the Europe Écologie Les Verts (EELV) party, strenuously denied the accusations and said his lawyers would countersue. "They are lies, defamatory and have no basis in fact," said Baupin's lawyer, Emmanuel Pierrat. Continue reading... |
| Iceland's president goes back on plan to run for sixth term Posted: 09 May 2016 10:06 AM PDT Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson will not stand for election just weeks after saying he would represent stability following PM's exit Iceland's longest serving president has said he will not run for a sixth term, the president's office has said. Monday's announcement came after Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, 72 – who has been president since 1996 – surprised voters last month by saying he would stand for re-election in June to provide stability and experience in the wake of prime minister Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson's departure. Continue reading... |
| Faymann quits as Austrian chancellor following far right's election victory Posted: 09 May 2016 09:59 AM PDT Social Democrat, who faced calls to resign after last month's presidential election, says he has lost support of colleagues Austria's social democratic chancellor has resigned suddenly, becoming the first major political victim of Europe's refugee crisis after accusations from within his own party that he had caved in to rightwing populist demands to build fences on the country's borders. Werner Faymann, whose Social Democrats (SPÖ) suffered heavy losses in the first round of the presidential election last month, had initially taken a sympathetic approach to German chancellor Angela Merkel's policy to support newcomers to Europe. Continue reading... |
| Dilma Rousseff speaks after impeachment annulled – video Posted: 09 May 2016 09:42 AM PDT Dilma Rousseff, the president of Brazil, speaks to her supporters on Monday after the acting speaker of the lower house of Brazil's Congress annuls the impeachment process against her. Waldir Maranhao, who took over as acting speaker last week, said there were procedural flaws in the 17 April vote in the chamber that accepted impeachment charges against Rousseff Continue reading... |
| Egypt tourism groups pay families of three Mexicans killed by mistake Posted: 09 May 2016 09:17 AM PDT Families receive $140,000 each, as negotiations continue with relatives of five other tourists who Egypt says were accidentally killed by security forces The federation of Egyptian tourism agencies has paid $140,000 each in compensation to the families of three of eight Mexican tourists killed by mistake last year. The tourists and four Egyptians were killed by security forces on 13 September 2015 when they came under fire during a lunch break in Egypt's vast Western desert while on their way to the Bahariya oasis. Continue reading... |
| Telephone taps led Belgian police to raid Isis cell, court told Posted: 09 May 2016 09:01 AM PDT Aliases including 'Fatty' and 'Big Lanky' used in alleged plot to target police officers A series of bugged, coded communications over a period of two months led Belgian police to storm a suspected Islamic State cell in the town of Verviers in January 2015, thwarting an alleged plot, a Brussels court has heard. One unidentified conspirator used the cover name "Fatty" and another in the plot, which Belgian authorities have said intended to target police officers, went by the alias "Big Lanky". Continue reading... |
| UPS to help deliver blood by drone in Rwanda – video Posted: 09 May 2016 08:57 AM PDT US delivery company UPS are backing drone start-up that delivers medical supplies across Rwanda. It will provide $800,000 (£55,5376) to the company Zipline and allow for critical blood transfusion deliveries to be made 20 time faster than motorcycle. In addition to the humanitarian work, UPS are using the trials to test how unseful the drone system could be in its commercial sector Continue reading... |
| Dilma Bolada: Brazilian president's digital alter ego is more popular than she is Posted: 09 May 2016 08:10 AM PDT The fake social media character, which roughly translates to badass or sassy Dilma, is everything the real president is not – brash, vain and mocking Related: A warrior to the end: Dilma Rousseff a sinner and saint in impeachment fight For most Brazilians, this week's expected ejection of Dilma Rousseff from the Planalto palace is unlikely to be cause for much mourning. But it may well prompt wailing and gnashing of the teeth at one of the country's favourite spoof social media accounts. |
| BBC journalist returns to China after expulsion from North Korea – video Posted: 09 May 2016 07:55 AM PDT BBC journalist Rupert Wingfield-Hayes arrives at Beijing airport on Monday following his expulsion from North Korea. Wingfield-Hayes says he is glad to to be out of North Korea, but says he will be making no further statements Continue reading... |
| Story of cities #39: Shenzhen – from rural village to the world's largest megalopolis Posted: 09 May 2016 11:30 PM PDT When Leo Houng arrived in Shenzhen in 1974, it was an unremarkable Chinese settlement that 'smelled of countryside'. Since then, he has witnessed the city rise up at a bewildering rate – with little regard for the families caught in its path "It should be here somewhere," says Leo Houng, a retired cello player with the Hong Kong Philharmonic. We are in a tangle of small streets in central Shenzhen, just next to Lao Jie underground station. Lao Jie ("Old Street") has existed for decades, which is more than can be said for most of Shenzhen. When Houng stayed here in 1974 on his way to Hong Kong, Old Street was pretty much the only road around – with just a few lanes leading off it, dotted with simple restaurants and a handful of small shops. From there, unpaved alleys soon merged with the surrounding open countryside – an unimaginable landscape from today's suffocating vantage point. Continue reading... |
| Story of cities #38: Vancouver dumps its freeway plan for a more beautiful future Posted: 09 May 2016 04:27 AM PDT In the 1960s, Vancouver's historic downtown was at risk of being razed for modern road projects – only for an extraordinary protest movement to turn the tide, helping transform it into one of North America's most 'liveable' cities Half a century on, Shirley Chan can still picture the freeway that would have destroyed her old neighbourhood. "Three storeys high; eight or 10 lanes of traffic … you can imagine the dead zone along here," she says, indicating with a sweep of her arm the swathe it would have cut through Chinatown and across Vancouver's historic downtown east side. In the 1960s, Chinatown was a vibrant, messy place. The sidewalks spilled over with fishmongers and fruit sellers. There were mom-and-pop grocery stores, benevolent societies, dim sum places, gambling parlours – even the alleyways had restaurants. Continue reading... |
| Britain must stand up to defend humanitarian law, say MPs Posted: 09 May 2016 04:01 PM PDT Commons committee says UK needs to underline importance of international law, even amid criticism surrounding UK support for Saudi Arabia's role in Yemen The British government must use this month's landmark world humanitarian summit to stress the inviolability of international humanitarian law and push for new and more effective ways to help the millions of people afflicted by wars and disasters, a group of MPs has said. In two weeks' time, more than 5,000 politicians, business leaders, aid organisations and civil society groups will convene in Istanbul for the inaugural world humanitarian summit. Continue reading... |
| 'How can I get help if I can’t leave the room?': older people left out in a crisis Posted: 09 May 2016 04:01 PM PDT Researchers surveying people aged over 60 in Lebanon, South Sudan and Ukraine found that the majority weren't aware of available support The majority of older people caught up in conflict and disasters know little about the help available to them, a survey has found. Researchers at HelpAge International surveyed 300 people older than 60 in Lebanon, South Sudan and Ukraine – a small sample of people affected by the humanitarian crises occurring globally. They found that the majority had not been consulted about their needs and weren't aware of available support. |
| Boko Haram using loans to recruit members in face of crackdown Posted: 09 May 2016 06:33 AM PDT The group is forcing local traders to spy on their communities in what observers say is a sign that it is under pressure to find new members Boko Haram appears to be reverting to using cash loans to recruit members as it struggles to maintain its numbers in the face of the continuing crackdown by Nigerian government forces. Although the Islamist terrorist group has built its international reputation on large-scale atrocities such as attacks on schools and the mass kidnapping of girls, it has previously sought to use financial incentives when under pressure. Continue reading... |
| 'People are tired of 70 years of killings and violence': Colombia's peace process Posted: 09 May 2016 04:57 AM PDT Two activists in Colombia talk about their hopes and fears over bringing an end to the world's longest running civil war Father Alberto Franco has spent much of his life speaking out for the most vulnerable people in Colombia – men and women who have been kicked off their land and attacked by armed groups serving powerful elites. He has been threatened and persecuted, so perhaps it is natural that he is "moderately pessimistic" about hopes for an end to the world's longest civil war. "For us, the end of the armed conflict is not peace. Peace is building a more just society, a more inclusive society, respectful of human rights and the environment," says Franco, who is a leader with the Inter-Church Justice and Peace Commission. "While there are interests in the land, there will be social conflicts." Continue reading... |
| Nascent peace deal at risk amid Philippines' political uncertainty Posted: 09 May 2016 04:32 AM PDT An accord with moderates to end a Muslim insurgency that has claimed 150,000 lives may not survive in looming power vacuum Political uncertainty in the Philippines – which is likely to continue through the summer months whoever wins Monday's controversial national elections – risks wrecking efforts to end one of the world's longest-running Muslim insurgencies that has claimed 150,000 lives, regional analysts warn. Benigno Aquino, the outgoing president, staked his reputation on a comprehensive peace accord signed in 2014 with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The deal envisaged an autonomous entity, known as the Bangsamoro, in the predominantly Muslim Mindanao region of the southern Philippines. Continue reading... |
| Seven days, three speeches: one week in the life of having a black president Posted: 09 May 2016 04:00 AM PDT After seven years, Barack Obama is in his last months in the White House. When he leaves, nothing will be the same. For black people, nothing will be resolved Like so many people I have unwisely loved, Barack Hussein Obama intrigues and infuriates and enrages and inspires and uplifts and disappoints me all at once. And whether it is politically or psychologically healthy to do so, I have loved President Obama, even as I have known that it's not healthy and as I have wanted to maintain a certain critical distance since becoming a journalist. But before I wrote for a living, I gave up a few months of my life in 2008 to move to Pennsylvania and campaign for the freshman senator. He inspired me with his words and stimulated my heart and mind – particularly as he wrote about race in a way that spoke deeply to me as fellow mixed-race black American. Over the years, he has repeatedly angered me when he came up short of everything I (naively) dreamed for him. I've been most sad that he did not stop the US assault on black and brown people from Gaza to Guantánamo, the Middle East to the midwest. Continue reading... |
| Clinton responds to Trump's attacks on her husband – video Posted: 09 May 2016 03:29 PM PDT Hillary Clinton on Monday shrugged off reporters' questions about Republican rival Donald Trump's attacks over the weekend on her personal life and her husband's infidelities. Clinton said she would keep the conversation on campaign issues, following an event in Stone Ridge, Virginia, with women and families. 'I'm running my campaign. I'm not running against him. He's doing a fine job of doing that himself,' she said Continue reading... |
| Pat McCrory ready to fight justice department over 'bathroom bill' – video Posted: 09 May 2016 01:25 PM PDT Digging in on Monday in his fight with the federal government, North Carolina governor Pat McCrory sued the US justice department to preserve the state's new law restricting the use of public bathrooms by transgender people. Chris Sgro, executive director of Equality NC, says McCrory is stalling Continue reading... |
| Driver rescued from car in river in China – video Posted: 09 May 2016 07:13 AM PDT A woman is rescued after she accidently drove her car into a river in China's Jiangsu Province. Mobile phone footage shows bystanders attempting to pull her out of the sinking car. Police say she put her foot on the accelerator rather than the brake by mistake Continue reading... |
| Japanese vagina kayak artist 'frustrated' after court finds her guilty of obscenity – video Posted: 09 May 2016 07:08 AM PDT Japanese artist Megumi Igarashi, who uses the name Rokudenashiko (good-for-nothing girl), gives her reaction on Monday after a Tokyo court ruled that vagina-shaped objects she created qualify as art, but found her guilty of obscenity for distributing digital data that could be used to make a three-dimensional recreation of her genitalia Continue reading... |
| Rodrigo Duterte, 'the Punisher', votes in Philippine elections – video Posted: 09 May 2016 06:47 AM PDT The frontrunner in the presidential election in the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, casts his vote on Monday in his hometown of Davao City. Duterte, who is the mayor of Davao City, has pledged mass killings of criminals and has threatened to abolish congress Continue reading... |
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