World news and comment from the Guardian | guardian.co.uk |
- Venezuelan president braced for protests as political crisis deepens
- Chibok abductions: first girl found, say Nigerian activists
- Last stand for Europe's remaining ancient forest as loggers prepare to move in
- Chinese, Germans and Britons most welcoming to refugees, says report
- Millions of people with mental illnesses in China and India going untreated, study finds
- Chinese fighter jets intercept US spy plane 'unsafely' over South China Sea
- Stolen Columbus letter about discovery of new world returned to Italy
- Former Pakistan prime minister's son describes dramatic rescue from al-Qaida
- Taipei zoo stages 'proof of life' shot with panda rumoured dead
- Turkish journalist sued by state stripped of legal rights over her children
- FBI warned Sydney siege gunman was violent threat five years before incident
- Zika virus could spread to Europe in coming months, says WHO
- At least one dead after Ecuador hit by two big earthquakes
- Israel action threatens to close down rights group and 'chill' free speech
- Chinese couple spend wedding night copying Communist constitution
- Police car set on fire as officers and protesters clash in Paris
- Bernie Sanders takes Oregon primary while Clinton claims Kentucky
- Venezuelans on the food and economic crisis blighting their daily lives
- EgyptAir flight MS804 disappears from radar between Paris and Cairo – live updates
- Iran's travel hotspots – in pictures
- Fears for missing EgyptAir flight 804 with 66 people on board
- Worsening economies threaten to undo gains against poverty – ILO
- Story of cities #46: the gated Buenos Aires community which left its poor neighbours under water
- Human traffickers 'using migration crisis' to force more people into slavery
- Baptisms and belonging: Eritreans gather in Tel Aviv's makeshift churches – in pictures
- Expect the unexpected: how to measure and improve a city's resilience
- Nigerian unions defy ban to launch fuel strike
- Can you beat Andy Burnham in our Greater Manchester quiz?
- Passersby lift burning car to save man trapped inside – video
- Mexican journalist shot dead, the sixth in 2016
- Hong Kong surprised by conciliatory tone of China's visiting 'enforcer'
- Campaign catchup: Labor offers just what the doctors ordered
- Q&A: key questions about missing EgyptAir flight MS804
- What we know so far about missing EgyptAir flight MS804
- Keiko Fujimori loses key aide to scandal in midst of Peru presidential run-off
- Justin Trudeau apologises for elbowing opposition MP in Canada's parliament
- Canadian PM Justin Trudeau apologises after physical altercation in parliament – video
- Arctic oil drilling: outcry as Norway opens new areas to exploration
- Brazil's new lower house leader being investigated for attempted murder
- As Alberta wildfire rages, thousands who fled must wait weeks to go home
- Venezuelan protesters clash with security forces – video
- Oppenheimer Blue diamond sells for world record at auction
- Venezuelan police fire teargas at protesters as national crisis intensifies
- Stop telling women they’re doing feminism wrong
- The limits of liberality for Christians: female deacons and Buddhists | Letters
- Russia under suspicion after sabotage of Swedish telecom mast
- Venezuelans barter for leftover medicine as economic crisis deepens
- Former Brazil presidential chief of staff sentenced to 23 years for corruption
- Chinese official tells Hong Kong not to seek independence
- Elton John: North Carolina 'bathroom bill' shows 'failure of compassion'
- Rare Christopher Columbus letter returned to Italy - video
- Only 177 Syrian refugees resettled in EU under deal with Turkey
- Central African Republic's children dream of education – and peace
- India set to start massive project to divert Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers
- We must rebuild farmers' resilience after Ethiopia's catastrophic El Niño
- Bernie Sanders' Oregon win not nearly enough to reshape delegate landscape
- Politicians are making peace with Trump, but he's still Trump
- Ivanka Trump: my father is not a 'groper' – video
- Alberta's wildfires create post-apocalyptic landscape – video
| Venezuelan president braced for protests as political crisis deepens Posted: 18 May 2016 05:54 AM PDT Nicolás Maduro remains defiant in face of parliament's attempts to unseat him and worsening economic situation Venezuela's political crisis has deepened after the country's president, Nicolás Maduro, predicted that the opposition-controlled parliament would soon "disappear" while his political rivals prepared for a day of protests in the capital to demand a recall vote. Both sides have intensified the rhetoric as they vie for control of a country wracked by food shortages, looting, power cuts, spiralling violence, a shrinking economy and the world's highest rate of inflation. Continue reading... |
| Chibok abductions: first girl found, say Nigerian activists Posted: 18 May 2016 11:04 AM PDT Families hope Amina Ali Darsha Nkeki – said by Nigerian activists to be first girl rescued – may lead authorities to other students still held by Boko Haram The family of one of the schoolgirls kidnapped two years ago from Chibok in north-east Nigeria have spoken of their happiness at being reunited with her. Amina Ali Darsha Nkeki, one of 219 schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram from their dormitory in Chibok in north-east Nigeria, has been found more than two years after she went missing. Activists say she is the first of the Chibok girls to be rescued, although 57 of them managed to escape soon after the 2014 attack. Continue reading... |
| Last stand for Europe's remaining ancient forest as loggers prepare to move in Posted: 18 May 2016 02:40 AM PDT Government plans to fell Poland's Białowieża forest have divided families, led to death threats against green campaigners and allegations of an 'environmental coup' by government and state timber interests Europe's last primeval forest is facing what campaigners call its last stand as loggers prepare to start clear-cutting trees, following the dismissal of dozens of scientists and conservation experts opposed to the plan. Poland's new far right government says logging is needed because more than 10% of spruce trees in the Unesco world heritage site of Białowieża are suffering from a bark beetle outbreak. But nearly half the logging will be of other species, according to its only published inventory. Continue reading... |
| Chinese, Germans and Britons most welcoming to refugees, says report Posted: 18 May 2016 05:01 PM PDT Global poll finds 10% would take in refugee – rising to 29% in UK – with Australia fifth on Amnesty index despite hardline policies The people of China, Germany and the UK are the most welcoming to refugees in the world, according to an Amnesty International survey on attitudes towards those fleeing war and persecution. Related: Seven in 10 Australians think the government should do more to help refugees Continue reading... |
| Millions of people with mental illnesses in China and India going untreated, study finds Posted: 18 May 2016 03:30 PM PDT Lack of trained mental health professionals, low investment and high stigma means people lose years of their lives to illness, says the Lancet One third of the global burden of mental illness – defined as healthy years lost to an illness – falls on China and India, where millions go untreated because of stigma and lack of resources, research published in the Lancet has found. In China, less than 6% of people with anxiety and depression, substance use disorders, dementia and epilepsy seek treatment while in India, only about one in 10 people is thought to receive specialist help. Continue reading... |
| Chinese fighter jets intercept US spy plane 'unsafely' over South China Sea Posted: 18 May 2016 03:37 PM PDT Pentagon announced news of the intercept amid attempts with China to reduce the risk of mishaps 'by improved dialogue at multiple levels' Two Chinese fighters have conducted an "unsafe" intercept of a US spy plane in international air space over the South China Sea, the Pentagon has said. "The Department of Defense is reviewing a May 17 intercept of a US maritime patrol reconnaissance aircraft by two tactical aircraft from the People's Republic of China," Pentagon spokesman Major Jamie Davis said in a statement on Wednesday. Continue reading... |
| Stolen Columbus letter about discovery of new world returned to Italy Posted: 18 May 2016 06:16 AM PDT Original copy of explorer's 1493 letter was found in US Library of Congress, with the one held in Florence proved to be a forgery A rare copy of a letter written by Christopher Columbus in 1493 that was stolen from a library in Florence has been returned to Italy after US investigators discovered it was in the collection of the Library of Congress. The return of the letter, which had been sent to the king and queen of Spain, describing the Italian explorer's first impressions of the new world, was hailed by US and Italian officials. |
| Former Pakistan prime minister's son describes dramatic rescue from al-Qaida Posted: 18 May 2016 02:26 PM PDT Ali Haider Gilani, son of Yousaf Raza Gilani, was found during a counter-terror operation in eastern Afghanistan three years after he was kidnapped The freed son of a former Pakistani prime minister has described the raid by US and Afghan forces last week which rescued him three years after he was captured by al-Qaida operatives. Ali Haider Gilani, son of Yousaf Raza Gilani, was found during a counter-terror operation in eastern Afghanistan three years after he was kidnapped on the outskirts of the Pakistani city of Multan. Continue reading... |
| Taipei zoo stages 'proof of life' shot with panda rumoured dead Posted: 18 May 2016 01:37 AM PDT Taiwan zoo seeks to debunk reports that Tuan Tuan has died by photographing animal with recent newspapers The subject of the photo looks out from behind bars, with newspapers arranged in front of him to prove what day it is. This "proof of life" shot is not a scene from a kidnapping but an effort by the Taipei zoo to debunk rumours that a prized panda recently died. Continue reading... |
| Turkish journalist sued by state stripped of legal rights over her children Posted: 18 May 2016 11:42 AM PDT Arzu Yıldız's sentence of 20 months in jail after publishing footage involving Turkish intelligence agency heightens fears for press freedom A Turkish journalist has been sentenced to 20 months in jail and stripped of legal rights over her children for breaching the confidentiality of a court case, her lawyer has said, raising further concern about deteriorating press freedoms. Arzu Yıldız was sued by the state after publishing footage in May 2015 from a court hearing at which four prosecutors were on trial for ordering a search of trucks belonging to Turkey's MIT intelligence agency as they travelled to Syria in 2014. Continue reading... |
| FBI warned Sydney siege gunman was violent threat five years before incident Posted: 18 May 2016 02:22 PM PDT Man Haron Monis, who held 18 people hostage in cafe, had 'potential to incite others to violence', FBI memo told Australian authorities in 2009 Five years before he held 18 people hostage inside a Sydney cafe, Iranian-born Man Haron Monis attracted the attention of the FBI as someone who had "the potential to incite others to violence", according to documents obtained by the Associated Press. A November 2009 memorandum from an FBI office in Australia to agency counterterrorism and international operations officials said that while Monis was not believed to be a threat to national security, "his ongoing offensive and nuisance behavior has the potential to incite others to violence". Continue reading... |
| Zika virus could spread to Europe in coming months, says WHO Posted: 18 May 2016 04:17 AM PDT Health body classifies Europe-wide risk of mosquito-borne virus as low to moderate The Zika virus is expected to spread in Europe within the next few months, the World Health Organisation has said, although it has classified the risk of an outbreak at low to moderate. First seen in Brazil last year, the mosquito-borne virus has been detected in more than 50 countries and has been linked to thousands of cases of microcephaly, a rare birth defect marked by unusually small head size. Continue reading... |
| At least one dead after Ecuador hit by two big earthquakes Posted: 18 May 2016 10:56 AM PDT Magnitude-6.7 temblor and another measuring 6.8 strike as aftershocks continue to rock the country following April's devastating quake At least one person has died after two powerful earthquakes jolted Ecuador, in the Pacific coast area where a devastating earthquake hit a month ago. A magnitude-6.7 temblor knocked out power and scared residents, but only limited damage was reported. A second quake of magnitude 6.8 struck around midday; the extent of its impact was not immediately clear. Continue reading... |
| Israel action threatens to close down rights group and 'chill' free speech Posted: 18 May 2016 01:30 AM PDT Case is being brought against Breaking the Silence, which publishes anonymous testimonies of Israeli soldiers A high-profile Israeli human rights group that publishes the anonymous testimonies of soldiers in the Palestinian territories is facing a court hearing that threatens to shut down its work in what is being viewed as a crucial test case for civil society. The case, which will be heard in court next week, is being brought by the Israeli government, which is demanding that Breaking the Silence identify anonymous serving military personnel who have given it testimony relating to alleged crimes in the 2014 Gaza war. The group says this is likely to deter future potential testifiers coming forward. Continue reading... |
| Chinese couple spend wedding night copying Communist constitution Posted: 18 May 2016 03:28 AM PDT Newlyweds transcribed 17,000-word text as part of a national campaign designed to raise awareness of the party's rules In what may rank as one of the least romantic wedding nights in history, a Chinese couple reportedly spent their first night of marital bliss transcribing the Communist party's 17,000-word constitution as part of a campaign designed to shore up support for President Xi Jinping's administration. Photographs posted on social media showed the newlyweds – both civil servants from the eastern province of Jiangxi – perching next to a balloon-covered double bed as they copied out parts of the 11-chapter text. |
| Police car set on fire as officers and protesters clash in Paris Posted: 18 May 2016 06:44 AM PDT Rally against 'cop hate' is met by counter-demonstration amid escalating anger over controversial government reforms A police car was set on fire while officers were still inside as Paris police protesting against public "anti-cop hate" clashed with opponents. Three officers escaped the vehicle before it burst into flames and were said to be shocked but not seriously injured. The public prosecutor's office has opened an inquiry into attempted murder in relation to the incident in Paris on Wednesday. Continue reading... |
| Bernie Sanders takes Oregon primary while Clinton claims Kentucky Posted: 17 May 2016 11:28 PM PDT Sanders overcomes state's closed primary, which allows only registered Democrats – not independents – to vote, while Clinton declares victory in Kentucky
Bernie Sanders' supporters handed him a win in the Oregon primary on Tuesday, adding to his run of late victories over the Democratic frontrunner, Hillary Clinton. Continue reading... |
| Venezuelans on the food and economic crisis blighting their daily lives Posted: 18 May 2016 02:29 AM PDT Food shortages and soaring black market prices are making life a misery for people across the country The clubbing districts of Las Mercedes and San Ignacio in Caracas are as packed as ever, despite the economic crisis gripping Venezuela. But there is one notable difference: a lack of Polar beer. Empresas Polar SA, the country's largest food and beverage company, has halted beer production because, it says in a statement on its website, it cannot obtain the foreign currency it needs to purchase malted barley. "Nightlife still exists in the city because some people are going out of their way to find a distraction, an escape, from the usual drama the country finds itself involved in. Caracas is hectic, as always, but there is an air of dread pervading the city," says Luis, a twentysomething programmer from Venezuela's capital. Continue reading... |
| EgyptAir flight MS804 disappears from radar between Paris and Cairo – live updates Posted: 19 May 2016 12:50 AM PDT Airline says plane, which took off from France's Charles de Gaulle airport late on Wednesday night, has gone missing with 66 people on board
The fact that three of the 10 crew on the flight were security officers is "the usual practice", Alain Vidalies, the French transport minister, has said. EgyptAir said there were three security personnel on board, alongside two cockpit crew and five cabin crew.
Lara El Gibaly reports from Cairo international airport: Outside the terminal, doctors, and nurses, as well as military personnel, have been seen going into the hall where relatives of the passengers of the missing plane are being kept. The Egyptian aviation ministry has announced a press conference due to take place at 1.30pm local time (11.30am GMT). Continue reading... |
| Iran's travel hotspots – in pictures Posted: 18 May 2016 11:51 PM PDT Iranian photographer Mohammad Reza Domiri Ganji has spent years capturing mesmerising pictures of Iran. The photos take us from downtown bazaars and ornate bath houses to luscious green fields and neverending deserts Continue reading... |
| Fears for missing EgyptAir flight 804 with 66 people on board Posted: 18 May 2016 11:39 PM PDT Egyptian, French and British among passengers as search and rescue teams scour area of the Mediterranean where plane vanished A search for a missing aircraft is underway after an EgyptAir passenger jet carrying 66 passengers and crew vanished in the early hours of Thursday morning en route from Paris to Cairo. Related: EgyptAir flight MS804 disappears from radar between Paris and Cairo – live updates Continue reading... |
| Worsening economies threaten to undo gains against poverty – ILO Posted: 18 May 2016 11:32 PM PDT UN agency urges west to focus on helping developing world create more sustainable and better paid jobs, rather than just on aid Worsening economic conditions in Asia, Latin America and the Arab world threaten to undo decades of progress in reducing global poverty, according to a report by the International Labour Organization. The UN agency said a third of workers earn less than the "moderate poverty threshold" of $3.10 (£2.10) a day and their prospects are deteriorating as global trade slows and low oil prices affect producers in developing countries. Continue reading... |
| Story of cities #46: the gated Buenos Aires community which left its poor neighbours under water Posted: 18 May 2016 11:30 PM PDT The richest and poorest residents of Argentina's capital are separated by the walls of gated communities. When heavy rains in 2013 left those outside the barriers vulnerable to severe flooding, their only hope was to tear them down On 2 April 2013, Matías Duarte awoke at three in the morning. For once it was not the noise of his alarm clock that stirred him, but the sound of pouring rain outside – and a room flooded to the level of his bed. Duarte lived in Las Tunas, a working-class neighbourhood 35km north-west of Argentina's capital, Buenos Aires. Running through the centre of the neighbourhood is the arroyo Las Tunas, a small creek. Though the arroyo had flooded before, it had never been this severe. |
| Human traffickers 'using migration crisis' to force more people into slavery Posted: 18 May 2016 11:18 PM PDT EU report warns that children have become preferred target for criminal gangs amid concern over thousands of minors disappearing from official view Criminal gangs are taking advantage of Europe's migration crisis to force more people into sex work and other types of slavery, according to an EU report on human trafficking. Children have become a preferred target for traffickers, the report warns, amid growing concern over the fate of unaccompanied child refugees who have disappeared from official view since arriving in Europe. |
| Baptisms and belonging: Eritreans gather in Tel Aviv's makeshift churches – in pictures Posted: 18 May 2016 11:00 PM PDT Adorned with Christian paraphernalia, these improvised suburban spaces offer the migrant community a rare chance to feel at home Continue reading... |
| Expect the unexpected: how to measure and improve a city's resilience Posted: 18 May 2016 06:07 AM PDT In today's cities, a failure of any sort can be 'on the scale of major natural disasters'. So a new online tool hopes to help urban leaders understand the full extent of their vulnerabilities – and make better decisions for the future "In Concepción we had two earthquakes: the 8.8 one and the social earthquake – looting, arson … I think the last one affected our soul most violently," said Álvaro Ortiz Vera, the mayor of Concepción, a coastal city in Chile hit by a major quake in February 2010. While traditional disaster risk management meant the city was well prepared in terms of strict building codes, limiting damage and loss of life, what was not foreseen was the total breakdown of communications networks. With critical services like water, electricity and sewerage networks severely disrupted, officials were unable to communicate with each other, coordinate help from the government in Santiago or keep the public up-to-date with what was happening. Reports of food shortages and theft escalated into looting and panic, until the military were brought in to restore order. |
| Nigerian unions defy ban to launch fuel strike Posted: 18 May 2016 04:37 AM PDT Nigeria Labour Congress said it would proceed with industrial action in protest over increased costs caused by government's lifting of subsidies A Nigerian union defied a court ban to launch a general strike on Wednesday in protest at a planned increase in fuel prices. The government hopes that lifting costly fuel subsidies, causing prices to rise by up to two thirds at the pumps, will help alleviate the worst crisis in decades in Africa's biggest economy. Continue reading... |
| Can you beat Andy Burnham in our Greater Manchester quiz? Posted: 18 May 2016 11:24 PM PDT The Liverpool-born MP's intention to run for Manchester mayor surprised some. But we tested his knowledge of the area. Does he know more than you? When was the Peterloo massacre? 1800 1806 1810 1819 Which is the only existing national newspaper to have been founded in Manchester? The Daily Telegraph The Guardian The Times The Daily Mail Where in Greater Manchester was the suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst born? Moss Side Wythenshawe Sale Cheadle Which Greater Manchester borough links Guy Garvey, Victoria Wood and the Neville brothers? Bolton Oldham Bury Wigan For what did Manchester University students win the Nobel prize in 2010? Measuring quantum systems Experiments with graphene Creating efficient light-emitting diodes Contributions to astrophysics The Rolls-Royce is a proud Manchester export. But where did Mr Rolls meet Mr Royce and agree to form the company? The Midland hotel Heaton park Old Trafford football stadium Palace theatre Until 2006, the nearest Ikea to Manchester was in Warrington, where Andy Burnham grew up. But which Greater Manchester borough has hosted an Ikea for the last 10 years? Oldham Stockport Bury Tameside What is Strangeways prison's official name? Her Majesty's Prison Manchester Her Majesty's Prison Southall Street Her Majesty's Prison Manchester Victoria Manchester Prison Christopher Eccleston, Bernard Sumner and Sir Ben Kingsley are from which Greater Manchester borough? Wigan Salford Bolton Oldham Which Greater Manchester town hall was so admired by Adolf Hitler that he wanted to have it taken, brick-by-brick, back to Germany had he managed to invade Britain during the war? Trafford Bolton Bury Rochdale And test your knowledge of Greater Manchester's famous food Continue reading... |
| Passersby lift burning car to save man trapped inside – video Posted: 18 May 2016 10:35 PM PDT Footage of the moment a police officer and a group of passersby save a man's life by pulling him out of car wreck in Anchorage, Alaska. The video, which was shot by a police car's dashcam, shows the officer calling on onlookers to help him lift the burning vehicle to free the man Continue reading... |
| Mexican journalist shot dead, the sixth in 2016 Posted: 18 May 2016 10:58 PM PDT Press freedom groups call on the authorities to investigate his murder Another reporter has been killed in Veracruz, a Mexican state regarded as one of the most dangerous for journalists in a country regarded as one of the most dangerous in the world for journalists. Manuel Santiago Torres González was shot in the head on Saturday (14 May) while walking home in the city of Poza Rica after covering an electoral campaign event in nearby Tuxpan. Continue reading... |
| Hong Kong surprised by conciliatory tone of China's visiting 'enforcer' Posted: 18 May 2016 11:37 PM PDT Democratic party chairwoman describes approach of Zhang Dejiang as 'unprecedented', though pro-democracy protesters suspect little has changed They call him Beijing's "iron-fisted enforcer", a Communist party strongman who spent his university days studying economics in Kim Il-sung's North Korea. Related: Chinese official tells Hong Kong not to seek independence Continue reading... |
| Campaign catchup: Labor offers just what the doctors ordered Posted: 19 May 2016 12:10 AM PDT Election 2016: Bill Shorten vows an end to Medicare rebate freeze as Malcolm Turnbull warms up on border protection, writes Elle Hunt It's halfway through week two and the major parties are locked in a difficult two-step, attempting to play to the other's weaknesses while averting attention from their own. The government continues to focus on border protection – even as the bad taste left by the immigration minister, Peter Dutton, lingers – and today Labor has staked its claim on health. Continue reading... |
| Q&A: key questions about missing EgyptAir flight MS804 Posted: 19 May 2016 12:09 AM PDT Clues to the fate of the Airbus A320 include reports of a 'flame in the sky' and an emergency signal from the plane two hours after contact was lost The aircraft was around 280km (175 miles) from the Egyptian coast when it disappeared, travelling at an altitude of 11,000mn (37,000ft). Initial reports were that no distress call had been issued, but EgyptAir later said it received an emergency signal from the plane around 4.26am, two hours after the last radar contact. Continue reading... |
| What we know so far about missing EgyptAir flight MS804 Posted: 18 May 2016 10:58 PM PDT All the latest information on the disappearance of the Airbus A320 over the Mediterranean during its flight from Paris to Cairo As Europe wakes to news of the missing flight, here is what we know at this point: Related: EgyptAir flight MS804 disappears from radar between Paris and Cairo – live updates Continue reading... |
| Keiko Fujimori loses key aide to scandal in midst of Peru presidential run-off Posted: 18 May 2016 09:59 PM PDT Joaquin Ramirez resigns over money laundering claims as daughter of Alberto Fujimori races neck and neck with Pedro Pablo Kuczynski for presidency The Peruvian presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori has announced a senior aide's resignation after media reports linked the two to money laundering. Fujimori said Joaquin Ramirez, her party's secretary general, had offered to step down, even though both have denied any wrongdoing. Continue reading... |
| Justin Trudeau apologises for elbowing opposition MP in Canada's parliament Posted: 18 May 2016 07:50 PM PDT Canadian prime minister accused of elbowing Ruth Ellen Brousseau and 'manhandling' another politician in angry exchanges in House of Commons Justin Trudeau, Canada's prime minister, apologised in parliament on Wednesday after he was accused of "manhandling" one member of parliament and elbowing another, in conduct that sparked an uproar in Canada's normally staid parliament. Related: The world adores Justin Trudeau. In Canada, we're still reserving judgment | Rebecca Shapiro Continue reading... |
| Canadian PM Justin Trudeau apologises after physical altercation in parliament – video Posted: 18 May 2016 07:48 PM PDT Justin Trudeau apologised in parliament on Wednesday after he was accused of 'manhandling' one member of parliament and elbowing another, in conduct that sparked an uproar in Canada's normally staid parliament. New Democrat MP Ruth Ellen Brosseau, who was elbowed in the chest in the confusion, said she was 'overwhelmed' and forced to miss a vote in the chamber. Trudeau said his actions had been 'unacceptable'. Continue reading... |
| Arctic oil drilling: outcry as Norway opens new areas to exploration Posted: 18 May 2016 07:08 PM PDT Norway issues licences for fresh areas of exploration for the first time in 20 years as part of what minister calls 'a new chapter' for petroleum industry Norway awarded Arctic drilling licences to 13 oil companies on Wednesday, including in a hitherto unexplored part of the Barents Sea, drawing condemnation from environmental groups. Related: Licence to drill: Centrica awarded rights to explore Barents Sea Continue reading... |
| Brazil's new lower house leader being investigated for attempted murder Posted: 18 May 2016 06:06 PM PDT Acting president Michel Temer has chosen congressman André Moura, who has been accused of attempted murder and Petrobras-related corruption Brazil's acting president, Michel Temer, has picked a congressman being investigated by the supreme court over an attempted murder allegation to be the government's new leader in the lower house. Related: Former Brazil presidential chief of staff sentenced to 23 years for corruption Continue reading... |
| As Alberta wildfire rages, thousands who fled must wait weeks to go home Posted: 18 May 2016 04:39 PM PDT The more than 88,000 Fort McMurray residents evacuated during the wildfire must wait until June to begin a phased re-entry plan, says Alberta premier The wildfire in northern Alberta continues to rage out of control, growing to more than 423,000 hectares as officials said it would be at least another two weeks before the tens of thousands of evacuated Fort McMurray residents would be allowed to return to the city. Relief – in the form of cooler weather and slight precipitation – may be on the way for fire crews, Rachel Notley, the Alberta premier, said on Wednesday. "So of course we're all crossing our fingers that that happens." Continue reading... |
| Venezuelan protesters clash with security forces – video Posted: 18 May 2016 01:46 PM PDT Thousands of demonstrators in Venezuela's capital Caracas clash with security forces during a protest against president Nicolás Maduro on Wednesday. Protesters are calling for a recall referendum to oust president Maduro from power, as the country faces food shortages, looting, power cuts and a shrinking economy. The president has declared a state of emergency
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| Oppenheimer Blue diamond sells for world record at auction Posted: 18 May 2016 01:07 PM PDT Rare 14.62-carat stone bought for just under £40m by unknown buyer after dramatic 20-minute battle for the gem in Geneva The Oppenheimer Blue, the largest and finest fancy vivid blue diamond ever offered at auction, sold for a world record 56.837m Swiss francs (£39.5m) on Wednesday after dramatic bidding, Christie's said. "It's the most expensive jewel ever sold at auction," said Christie's spokeswoman Alexandra Kindermann. Continue reading... |
| Venezuelan police fire teargas at protesters as national crisis intensifies Posted: 18 May 2016 12:01 PM PDT Wednesday's protests in Caracas came the day after Maduro said the opposition-controlled parliament had become irrelevant amid a shrinking economy Police have fired teargas at protesters calling for the resignation of the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, and shut down swaths of central Caracas to control the demonstrations, as the Caribbean nation slid deeper into political crisis. Wednesday's protests came the day after Maduro said the opposition-controlled parliament had become irrelevant and predicted that it might soon "disappear", as his political enemies upped pressure for a referendum to force the leader from office. Continue reading... |
| Stop telling women they’re doing feminism wrong Posted: 18 May 2016 10:57 AM PDT Calling out Robin Wright or Beyoncé for flaunting the wrong kind of feminism won't bring us closer to equality. This is the politics of purity Right now, someone somewhere – probably a woman – is doing feminism wrong. This is the overwhelming message that is being beamed everywhere. Robin Wright may be making public her demand for equal pay for her role in House of Cards, but that is all right for her; she is a white, privileged film star. "Has celebrity feminism failed?" asked Andi Zeisler this week, in her new book We Were Feminists Once, because God knows it's a worry … The assumption that any celebrity who says something vaguely feminist is somehow a hypocrite is ludicrous. It is a way of discrediting women. It happens a lot. Even poor old Beyoncé is not doing quite well enough and has apparently been appropriated by the capitalist system ... by selling her music. Who knew that was her secret agenda? The demand for the perfect feminist icon who somehow exists outside the system can never be met, because it's impossible. Continue reading... |
| The limits of liberality for Christians: female deacons and Buddhists | Letters Posted: 18 May 2016 10:54 AM PDT Like hundreds of other Church of England clergy, I resigned my benefice and converted to Rome because of the creation of women "priests". The news that Pope Francis is setting up a commission to consider the ordination of female deacons (Report, 13 May) is therefore a cause of serious concern. The sacrament of holy order is one sacrament, not three – found in its plenitude in the order of bishop, but also present in the orders of deacon and priest. This sacrament in the Catholic church, obedient to the example of Our Lord, has always been confined to men. Some women were described as "diakonoi" in the early church, but the canons of the Council of Nicaea make clear that they were not regarded as members of the clergy. When liberal churchmen wished to undermine the male-only apostolic ministry which Anglicanism used to share with the rest of Catholic Christendom, they did so by arguing that the creation of women deacons would be a modest step which could be taken without leading to the admission of women to the priesthood and to the episcopate. Many Anglo-Catholics supported this stance, only to find – to their horror – that, once the principle had been breached, the pressure for women to be ordained priests and consecrated bishops was unstoppable. This was because the Church of England's position had become inconsistent and illogical. Pope Francis is playing with fire. |
| Russia under suspicion after sabotage of Swedish telecom mast Posted: 18 May 2016 10:18 AM PDT Police suspect international saboteurs and have contacted Sweden's spy service to investigate The suspected sabotage of two telecommunications masts – key parts of Sweden's infrastructure – has reignited fears of foreign spies and the readiness of depleted security services in a country on the frontline of growing tensions with Russia. A 300-metre-high mast in south-western Sweden collapsed on Sunday in what police say was sabotage. Police suspect either a prankster, local extremists or international saboteurs and have contacted the country's spy service to investigate. Continue reading... |
| Venezuelans barter for leftover medicine as economic crisis deepens Posted: 18 May 2016 10:06 AM PDT Scarcity forces people to trade drugs on social media as country faces public health emergency Bartering with strangers for leftover prescription drugs in Venezuela has become as commonplace as asking a neighbour for a similarly scarce cup of flour, as the country's economic crisis morphs into a public health emergency. So desperate is the situation that television and radio stations have taken to broadcasting requests for drugs and medical supplies, and people are turning to social media to seek out life-saving medicine. "We found the heart disease drug Manidon, which my mum takes daily, using WhatsApp. We bartered the drug for four rolls of toilet paper," says Carlos Gonzalez, 35, an IT worker whose wife is expecting a baby next month. Continue reading... |
| Former Brazil presidential chief of staff sentenced to 23 years for corruption Posted: 18 May 2016 10:00 AM PDT
A one-time chief of staff for the former Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was sentenced to 23 years in prison on Wednesday for corruption, money-laundering and conspiracy in a vast bribery scandal at the state-run oil company. Related: Brazil corruption scandal claims scalp as top industrialist jailed for 19 years Continue reading... |
| Chinese official tells Hong Kong not to seek independence Posted: 18 May 2016 09:56 AM PDT Zhang Dejiang issues warning during three-day 'inspection visit' after some groups called for more autonomy for the city A top Chinese official has warned Hong Kong against seeking independence during an "inspection visit" of the semiautonomous region. Zhang Dejiang, the Communist party's third-highest ranking official and responsible for Hong Kong affairs, spoke at a banquet on Wednesday that was attended by senior city officials and business leaders. Continue reading... |
| Elton John: North Carolina 'bathroom bill' shows 'failure of compassion' Posted: 18 May 2016 09:52 AM PDT Musician condemns measure barring local governments from creating LGBT protections, calling its effects potentially 'traumatic and unsafe' North Carolina's controversial "bathroom bill" demonstrates lawmakers' "failure of compassion" because it shuts out the state's LGBT community, Sir Elton John has said. The state's HB2 bill – signed by the Republican governor, Pat McCrory, in March – blocks local governments from creating protections for LGBT people and requires transgender people to use the bathroom for the gender they don't identify with. Continue reading... |
| Rare Christopher Columbus letter returned to Italy - video Posted: 18 May 2016 08:52 AM PDT A rare and stolen letter written by Christopher Columbus in 1493 has been returned to Italy by the United States. The letter, which details Columbus's first impressions of the new world, was discovered in the Library of Congress after the US Department of Homeland Security received a tip. The copy in the Riccardiana library in Florence, which was initially thought to be the real one, was then declared a fake Continue reading... |
| Only 177 Syrian refugees resettled in EU under deal with Turkey Posted: 18 May 2016 08:07 AM PDT Five member states have taken between five and 55 people each under controversial agreement that is at risk of unravelling Fewer than 200 Syrians have been resettled in Europe under the EU's controversial refugee deal with Turkey, figures from the European commission have revealed. EU leaders agreed in March to take one Syrian from Turkey for every irregular migrant sent back across the Aegean Sea. Since the deal came into force, the number of people arriving in Greece has fallen sharply, but Europe has taken only a tiny number of Syrians from Turkey. Continue reading... |
| Central African Republic's children dream of education – and peace Posted: 18 May 2016 11:00 PM PDT Reconciliation, hope and forgiveness are key subjects in CAR as teachers attempt to instil in their pupils the value of knowledge in a violent country "You are going to become the champions of the Central African Republic. Hang on! The journey is about to begin." The four boys and two girls listening to Eric Mamboue's pep talk in Bangui, the capital of a country condemned to decades of conflict by geography, misgovernance and malice, might be forgiven for feeling a little overwhelmed, but they do actually cherish big hopes and dreams, and know that staying in school is the first step to achieving them. Continue reading... |
| India set to start massive project to divert Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers Posted: 18 May 2016 04:51 AM PDT Ambitious scheme to channel water from regions with a surplus to drought-prone areas could begin in days, but Bangladesh has raised concerns India is set to start work on a massive, unprecedented river diversion programme, which will channel water away from the north and west of the country to drought-prone areas in the east and south. The plan could be disastrous for the local ecology, environmental activists warn. The project involves rerouting water from major rivers including the Ganges and Brahmaputra and creating canals to link the Ken and Batwa rivers in central India and Damanganga-Pinjal in the west. Continue reading... |
| We must rebuild farmers' resilience after Ethiopia's catastrophic El Niño Posted: 18 May 2016 04:34 AM PDT Before this year's drought, farmers' yields were tripling in some regions. With the right investment, Ethiopia can get back on track for middle-income status A year ago, Ethiopia was on the verge of achieving something remarkable. Having been the second poorest country in the world as recently as 2000, Ethiopia was on track to becoming middle-income by 2025. The 1980s image of a country ravaged by famine, poverty and conflict was fading. A large part of Ethiopia's phenomenal growth was thanks to more than a decade of investment, with a particular focus on transforming agriculture. This sector employs more than 80% of the population of 91 million people (pdf), and accounts for more than 60% of exports. Agricultural yields were tripling in some regions, with the farmers I visited proud to be harvesting more, earning more, and sending their children to school and university. Continue reading...This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Bernie Sanders' Oregon win not nearly enough to reshape delegate landscape Posted: 18 May 2016 08:02 AM PDT Sanders managed to net a slight delegate gain on Hillary Clinton on Tuesday but would need to win nearly 90% in remaining contests to have shot at nomination Unlike in the votes that took place last week, there was a sizable number of delegates available in the Democratic primaries that were held in Kentucky and Oregon on Tuesday. But the wins for Bernie Sanders in Oregon and Hillary Clinton in Kentucky still ultimately don't change much. Because primary season has slowed to a tortoise race, the frontrunners (Republicans also voted, in Oregon) simply inched a little closer to the finish line. Related: Bernie Sanders takes Oregon primary while Clinton claims Kentucky Continue reading... |
| Politicians are making peace with Trump, but he's still Trump Posted: 18 May 2016 04:33 AM PDT It is fascinating to watch positions being adjusted now it looks like the loudmouth Republican candidate might actually win It didn't take David Cameron long to realise that, however "divisive, stupid and wrong" he thought Donald Trump may be, he had better dry clean the Downing Street red carpet in case the Republican presidential hopeful decides to include Britain in the "global statesman" phase of his campaign. It has been fascinating to watch American politicians and pundits adjusting to the prospect that the real-estate dynast and TV celebrity might not explode this spring, but actually become the Republicans' candidate to face Hillary Clinton in November. He might even win against such a vulnerable candidate. Continue reading... |
| Ivanka Trump: my father is not a 'groper' – video Posted: 18 May 2016 10:53 AM PDT Donald Trump's daughter, Ivanka, appeared on CBS This Morning on Wednesday to discuss her father's views and treatment of women. Ivanka refuted details of a New York Times article that quoted extensively from dozens of women about their relationship and dealings with Trump over the years. Ivanka claimed the article was inaccurate and that her father respected women Continue reading... |
| Alberta's wildfires create post-apocalyptic landscape – video Posted: 18 May 2016 02:27 AM PDT A woman escapes from the fires in the Fort McMurray area of Alberta, western Canada, on Tuesday. Fires have been raging across the area since the beginning of May leading to mass evacuations. The orange light is the caused by fresh wildfires and they continue to engulf the area Continue reading... |
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