World news and comment from the Guardian | guardian.co.uk |
- EgyptAir flight MS804 sent smoke alarm messages before crash
- Suspect in custody after reported shooting at White House
- Indians demand government action after temperatures hit 51C
- Syrian refugee wins appeal against forced return to Turkey
- MP elbowed by Justin Trudeau fends off personal attacks: 'It was very painful'
- Mexico approves El Chapo's extradition to US to face charges
- Powerful earthquake recorded in Australia's Northern Territory
- Second Nigerian girl to flee Boko Haram 'is not from Chibok'
- Fears DRC president's push to keep power will spark major violence
- French festivals ditch Eagles of Death Metal over singer's comments
- Prosecutors want six-year sentence for former SS Auschwitz guard
- Cyclone Roanu: Bangladesh moves 2 million people from coast
- 'We are like a bomb': food riots show Venezuela crisis has gone beyond politics
- Aggressive spiders cause panic on Canada-bound plane
- Brazil turns right as old elite wastes no time erasing Workers' party influence
- Barcelona fans can wave Catalan flags at cup final in Madrid, says judge
- Moqtada al-Sadr supporters break into Baghdad green zone
- Nile crocodiles captured in Florida – but why were they 6,000 miles from home?
- Nepalese woman breaks own record to climb Everest a seventh time
- Hundreds of UN schools in Middle East attacked, damaged or closed
- Chechen leader Kadyrov turns to Instagram for help finding his lost cat
- Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam refuses to speak in French court
- Lithuania's rising food prices spark 'cauliflower revolution'
- Brazilian strain of Zika virus confirmed in Africa, says WHO
- Oil company records from 1960s reveal patents to reduce CO2 emissions in cars
- RoboCop is real – and could be patrolling a mall near you
- From boredom to street art: New York offices wage a window 'Post-it war'
- Open debate is a big step forward for the reform-phobic UN security council | Bonian Golmohammadi
- How to create the perfect password
- Cyprus poll holds key to possible reunification
- Mapping My Return - Salman Abu Sitta on the fate of the Palestinians
- How Chibok schoolgirl's private ordeal is being preyed on in public
- Newquay, we have a problem: does Cornwall need a spaceport?
- Across the world, the rule of law is losing out to rule by the mob | Natalie Nougayrède
- Family of refugee who died after self-immolating on Nauru say ‘hope is dead’
- World Bank launches $500m insurance fund to fight pandemics
- US releases Guantánamo prisoner after 14 years and no conviction
- Four French police killed in Pyrenees helicopter crash
- EgyptAir flight MS804: plane sent alarm messages before crash
- 'There are no words to describe how bad it is': India endures severe heatwave – video
- 'Grief is camped over this village' – Egypt mourns the lost
- How Oklahoma’s execution protocol led to errors – and horrific consequences
- EgyptAir flight MS804: what theories must investigators rule out?
- Change in Zika counting method triples tally of US cases in pregnant women
- Iran still locked out of global financial system, says central bank chief
- Scottish churches push forward on gay rights
- Vietnam frees political prisoner days before Barack Obama visit
- French airport security under scrutiny after EgyptAir crash
- Who was on board EgyptAir flight MS804?
- Q&A: key questions about EgyptAir flight MS804
- Austrian presidential hopeful allegedly embellished Israel terror incident
- Street life in Yangon: from roadside eateries to ear-cleaning stalls – in pictures
- Can a new 'global alliance' rethink disaster response in cities?
- Children fleeing conflict deserve more than razor wire and border fences | Carsten Völz and Andreas Papp
- Humanitarian aid quiz: are you good in a crisis?
- The face of American fascism? Decoding sheriff Joe Arpaio’s anti-bestiality video
- Trump promises to serve the NRA well following endorsement – video
- San Francisco's mayor announces police chief's resignation – video
- TV weatherman scared by spider on camera – video
- Miss Chubby pageant defies stigmas faced by overweight women – video
- Brother remembers British passenger on EgyptAir MS804 – video
| EgyptAir flight MS804 sent smoke alarm messages before crash Posted: 20 May 2016 10:39 PM PDT Burst of alerts about onboard problems was transmitted in last minutes of Airbus A320, while authorities say body parts and seats found in Mediterranean The missing EgyptAir flight MS804 transmitted messages about a smoke detector and other alerts in the minutes before it went down in the Mediterranean Sea, French investigators have said. The French air accidents investigations agency said smoke was detected in "multiple places" aboard MS804 in the minutes before it crashed. Continue reading... |
| Suspect in custody after reported shooting at White House Posted: 20 May 2016 01:07 PM PDT Man shot by secret service taken to Washington DC hospital as White House placed on lockdown after Friday afternoon incident, authorities said A suspect has been arrested after he approached a White House security checkpoint with a firearm on Friday afternoon. The man was shot by secret service and transported to George Washington University hospital in critical condition. Continue reading... |
| Indians demand government action after temperatures hit 51C Posted: 20 May 2016 06:37 AM PDT Hospitals struggle to cope as patient numbers soar and cold water in short supply after hottest day Residents of a city in the north-west of India have called for government action as temperatures reached 51C (123.8F), the highest the country has experienced since records began. Phalodi, in the desert state of Rajasthan, is suffering an unprecedented medical crisis as a result of the record temperatures, which are high even by local summer standards and which smashed the previous record, set in 1956, of 50.6C. Continue reading... |
| Syrian refugee wins appeal against forced return to Turkey Posted: 20 May 2016 08:48 AM PDT Decision by Greek independent asylum service to overturn deportation order throws EU-Turkey migration deal into chaos The EU-Turkey migration deal has been thrown further into chaos after an independent authority examining appeals claims in Greece ruled against sending a Syrian refugee back to Turkey, potentially creating a precedent for thousands of other similar cases. In a landmark case, the appeals committee upheld the appeal of an asylum seeker who had been one of the first Syrians listed for deportation under the terms of the EU-Turkey deal. Continue reading... |
| MP elbowed by Justin Trudeau fends off personal attacks: 'It was very painful' Posted: 20 May 2016 04:46 PM PDT Ruth Ellen Brosseau said her office has received countless phone calls 'saying it is my fault, I should be ashamed, I should resign, I should apologise' The parliamentarian who was elbowed by Justin Trudeau said she has been left fending off personal attacks, including accusations that she is "crying wolf", in the wake of the high-profile incident. "My office has received countless phone calls … saying it is my fault, I should be ashamed, I should resign, I should apologise," a tearful Ruth Ellen Brosseau told the Canadian Press in an interview. "I get elbowed in the breast and it hurts. It was very painful." Continue reading... |
| Mexico approves El Chapo's extradition to US to face charges Posted: 20 May 2016 12:03 PM PDT Foreign ministry says it has approved the extradition of drug lord with guarantees that the death penalty would not be sought against him Mexico's foreign ministry has approved the extradition of cartel kingpin Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán to the United States, where to the two-time escapee would face charges ranging from murder to money laundering to conspiracy to import cocaine – and, if convicted, presumably find fewer opportunities for slipping out of prison unannounced. In a statement released on Friday, the foreign ministry said it received assurances Guzmán would not face the death penalty, a punishment not carried out in Mexico. It added that Guzmán, is allowed to appeal the extradition decision though legal experts see scant chances of success. Continue reading... |
| Powerful earthquake recorded in Australia's Northern Territory Posted: 20 May 2016 02:21 PM PDT Quake with magnitude of 5.9 detected in nation's desert centre early on Saturday A earthquake with a magnitude of 5.9, unusually powerful for Australia, struck the country's desert centre early on Saturday, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties from the 10km (6 miles) deep quake. Continue reading... |
| Second Nigerian girl to flee Boko Haram 'is not from Chibok' Posted: 20 May 2016 12:52 PM PDT Chibok parent group says military did not verify Serah Luka's name with them and she is not on list of missing schoolgirls A second Nigerian girl who escaped from Boko Haram militants and was kidnapped from her village is not one of the 218 secondary school students missing from the 2014 mass abduction. An army spokesman said on Thursday that Serah Luka was the second of the Chibok girls, who were snatched from their secondary school by masked Boko Haram fighters two years ago, to be "rescued" by Nigerian forces in the past three days. |
| Fears DRC president's push to keep power will spark major violence Posted: 20 May 2016 11:50 AM PDT Joseph Kabila is accused of manoeuvring to remain in office beyond two-term limit, after rival was charged with plotting coup Critics of the Democratic Republic of the Congo's president, Joseph Kabila, fear his attempts to cling to power could lead to widespread violence after a key opposition leader was charged with plotting a coup d'état this week. Political tensions in the country escalated when Moïse Katumbi, a provincial powerbroker and former close ally of the president, was charged hours after announcing he would run for president in elections scheduled for later in the year. Continue reading... |
| French festivals ditch Eagles of Death Metal over singer's comments Posted: 20 May 2016 10:24 AM PDT Jesse Hughes alleged he saw Muslims celebrating during Paris attacks and that Bataclan staff were involved in assault Two French festivals on Friday cancelled shows by Eagles of Death Metal, the band whose 13 November show in Paris turned into a bloodbath, after the frontman made remarks critical of Muslims. The Rock en Seine and Cabaret Vert festivals took issue with an interview by singer and guitarist Jesse Hughes, who renewed allegations that Muslim staff at the Bataclan club had been involved in the attack. Continue reading... |
| Prosecutors want six-year sentence for former SS Auschwitz guard Posted: 20 May 2016 10:55 AM PDT Reinhold Hanning, 94, has admitted he knew of the killings at the camp where more than one million Jews were murdered German prosecutors have sought six years' imprisonment for a 94-year-old former SS guard on trial for complicity in 170,000 murders at Auschwitz. Reinhold Hanning stands accused of having watched over the selection of which prisoners were fit for labour, and which should be sent to the gas chambers. Continue reading... |
| Cyclone Roanu: Bangladesh moves 2 million people from coast Posted: 20 May 2016 10:30 AM PDT Coastal districts expected to be hit by storm surge on Saturday, following heavy rains and landslides in Sri Lanka this week Bangladesh is relocating around 2 million people from its coastal areas ahead of cyclone Roanu's anticipated landfall on Saturday evening, an event that also has authorities in neighbouring India and Myanmar on edge. The cyclonic storm brought heavy rains this week in Sri Lanka, triggering two landslides that were feared to have killed around 150 people and forced more than 223,000 persons from their homes. Continue reading... |
| 'We are like a bomb': food riots show Venezuela crisis has gone beyond politics Posted: 20 May 2016 09:07 AM PDT Three years of shortages have left Venezuelans desperate and angry for change, posing the most serious threat yet to President Nicolás Maduro The rumour was there would be chicken. Word had spread that a delivery of poultry meat was due at the Central Madeirense supermarket, and long before dawn a queue of shoppers was snaking around the block. Continue reading... |
| Aggressive spiders cause panic on Canada-bound plane Posted: 20 May 2016 10:02 AM PDT Two tarantulas that likely escaped from a passenger's bag caused upheaval on an Air Transat flight from Punta Cana, in the Dominican Republic, to Montreal The sight of tarantulas scurrying through the cabin on a recent Canada-bound flight left passengers screaming and standing on their seats, as flight attendants warned them to keep their ankles covered. The two hairy spiders were spotted towards the end of an Air Transat flight from Punta Cana, in the Dominican Republic, to Montreal in April. Continue reading... |
| Brazil turns right as old elite wastes no time erasing Workers' party influence Posted: 20 May 2016 02:00 AM PDT In just a week, centre-right government has scaled back social policies as ideological shift already has sparked outrage and fear of going backward It is just a week since Michel Temer became interim president of Brazil, but his new centre-right administration already has begun scaling back many of the social policies put in place by Workers' party governments over the previous 13 years. Moves are under way to soften the definition of slavery, roll back the demarcation of indigenous land, trim housebuilding programs and sell off state assets in airports, utilities and the post office. Newly appointed ministers also are talking of cutting healthcare spending and reducing the cost of the bolsa familia poverty relief system. Four thousand government jobs have been cut. The culture ministry has been subsumed into education. |
| Barcelona fans can wave Catalan flags at cup final in Madrid, says judge Posted: 20 May 2016 08:38 AM PDT Spanish government decision to ban fans carrying pro-independence flags at Copa del Rey cup final is ruled unconstitutional A judge has overturned a decision by the Spanish government to ban Barcelona football fans from carrying pro-Catalan independence flags at this Sunday's Copa del Rey cup final in Madrid. Jesús Torres ruled that the ban was unconstitutional because it was not proved that the flag "incites violence, racism, xenophobia or any other form of discrimination that goes against human dignity". Continue reading... |
| Moqtada al-Sadr supporters break into Baghdad green zone Posted: 20 May 2016 10:24 AM PDT Supporters of Shia cleric storm parliament and enter office of prime minister Haidar al-Abadi before troops open fire Thousands of protesters have entered Baghdad's fortified green zone for the second time in three weeks, storming the parliament and briefly entering the prime minister's office before being shot at by troops using live rounds and water cannons. The incursion by supporters of the Shia cleric Moqtadr al-Sadr is yet another challenge to the government, which has struggled to provide a response to numerous crises in Iraq, including stalled plans for action against widespread corruption, which are central to the protesters' demands. Continue reading... |
| Nile crocodiles captured in Florida – but why were they 6,000 miles from home? Posted: 20 May 2016 08:36 AM PDT DNA analysis confirms three animals discovered between 2009 and 2014 are true Nile crocodiles – normally found in swamps and rivers in sub-Saharan Africa Florida has further burnished its reputation for exotic, and deadly, wildlife with the discovery of three Nile crocodiles near Miami – a good 6,000 miles from where the huge predators are normally found. DNA analysis has confirmed that three animals captured in south Florida between 2009 and 2014 are true Nile crocodiles. The reptiles can grow up to 20ft (6 meters) long, weigh as much as a small car and have a reputation for being ferocious man-eaters, with an estimated 200 people a year meeting their demise in the jaws of a Nile crocodile. Continue reading... |
| Nepalese woman breaks own record to climb Everest a seventh time Posted: 20 May 2016 05:06 AM PDT Lhakpa Sherpa, who works in a 7-Eleven in the US, scales mountain which has begun to draw climbers again after quake last year A Nepalese woman has climbed Mount Everest for a record seventh time. Lhakpa Sherpa, 42, who works in a 7-Eleven shop in Connecticut in the US, reached the summit of the 8,850-metre peak from the Tibetan side on Friday, said Rajiv Shrestha, of 7 Summits Adventure, the company that organised her expedition. Continue reading... |
| Hundreds of UN schools in Middle East attacked, damaged or closed Posted: 20 May 2016 06:08 AM PDT Almost half of schools in Syria, Palestinian territories, Lebanon and Jordan have been disrupted by conflict, says report More than 300 schools run by the United Nations have been attacked, damaged or rendered inoperable by armed conflict and violence in the Middle East over the past five years, disrupting the education of thousands of children, a new report says. In Syria, more than half of schools run by UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, have ceased to function due to damage, access restrictions or the need to use the premises as shelters for displaced families. Continue reading... |
| Chechen leader Kadyrov turns to Instagram for help finding his lost cat Posted: 20 May 2016 05:44 AM PDT Authoritarian leader appeals to 1.8m followers, saying he is 'seriously worried' about missing pet Toyger He is best known as the authoritarian leader of Chechnya, famous for his ruthlessness, extravagance and self-promotion. But Ramzon Kadyrov, who regularly uses Instagram to document his macho lifestyle, has displayed a softer side to his 1.8m followers. Continue reading... |
| Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam refuses to speak in French court Posted: 20 May 2016 04:47 AM PDT Hearing cut short after man alleged to have played key role in attacks that killed 130 people does not respond to questions The man prosecutors believe is the sole survivor of the group that attacked Paris in November has appeared in a French court for the first time but refused to speak. Salah Abdeslam was flown by helicopter, under armed guard, to the heart of Paris from his cell in a high-security prison outside the city, but the hearing was cut short after it became clear he would not talk. Continue reading... |
| Lithuania's rising food prices spark 'cauliflower revolution' Posted: 20 May 2016 06:26 AM PDT Social media post criticising cost of vegetable prompts a supermarket boycott, reports Transitions Online It started innocently enough. A woman in the Lithuanian town of Vilkaviškis bought a cauliflower for €3.49 (£2.6o) and, outraged, shared a copy of her receipt on Facebook. Tens of thousands of Lithuanians responded to the post, local media reported, "exploding with anger" over skyrocketing food prices. A Facebook group was set up, resulting in a three-day boycott of supermarkets last week. Milk farmers joined in, handing out free dairy products in the capital Vilnius to highlight the way supermarkets inflate producers' prices. |
| Brazilian strain of Zika virus confirmed in Africa, says WHO Posted: 20 May 2016 07:39 AM PDT Type of virus blamed for South American birth abnormalities found in Cape Verde, which has had three cases of microcephaly Tests show an outbreak of Zika virus on the African island chain of Cape Verde is of the same strain as the one blamed for birth abnormalities in Brazil, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Friday. "The findings are of concern because it is further proof that the outbreak is spreading beyond South America and is on the doorstep of Africa," said WHO's Africa director, Matshidiso Moeti. Continue reading... |
| Oil company records from 1960s reveal patents to reduce CO2 emissions in cars Posted: 20 May 2016 07:59 AM PDT ExxonMobil and others pursued research into technologies, yet blocked government efforts to fight climate change for more than 50 years, findings show The forerunners of ExxonMobil patented technologies for electric cars and low emissions vehicles as early as 1963 – even as the oil industry lobby tried to squash government funding for such research, according to a trove of newly discovered records. Patent records reveal oil companies actively pursued research into technologies to cut carbon dioxide emissions that cause climate change from the 1960s – including early versions of the batteries now deployed to power electric cars such as the Tesla. Continue reading... |
| RoboCop is real – and could be patrolling a mall near you Posted: 20 May 2016 03:30 AM PDT There's a new sheriff in town at the Stanford shopping center, and he has high-definition infra-red cameras and can process 300 license plates a minute At the Stanford shopping center in Palo Alto, California, there is a new sheriff in town – and it's an egg-shaped robot. Outside Tiffany & Co, an unfortunate man holding a baby finds himself in the robot's path. It bears down on him, a little jerkily, like a giant Roomba. Continue reading... |
| From boredom to street art: New York offices wage a window 'Post-it war' Posted: 21 May 2016 01:00 AM PDT City links: The art of procrastination, skyway urbanism, lost Tokyo designs and how to move a city feature in this week's roundup of best urban stories This week's best city stories from around the web take us from New York to Tokyo as we discover the art of Post-it note warfare, radical Japanese designs from the 1960s that were never built, and the transformative history of the urban skyway. Share your thoughts about these city stories – and any others you've seen – in the comments below. Continue reading... |
| Open debate is a big step forward for the reform-phobic UN security council | Bonian Golmohammadi Posted: 21 May 2016 01:00 AM PDT When countries competing for a temporary seat on the security council set out their stalls in New York this week, greater transparency will move a step closer For the first time in the history of the UN, countries competing for a non-permanent seat on the security council will participate in an open debate to present their candidacies to the world. The security council, the body within the UN charged with maintaining global peace and security, is something everyone wants to see work more effectively and efficiently. The World Federation of UN Associations has a mandate focused on strengthening and improving the UN, and has worked hard to make election debates – which will take place in New York from Monday – a reality. Continue reading... |
| How to create the perfect password Posted: 20 May 2016 10:59 PM PDT Standard words won't protect you from determined hackers. But you can make your online accounts safe in just a few easy steps Only idiots, we know, use "password" as their password. Or "123456". Or "football" (the seventh most common password in the world). Maybe you carefully add an upper case letter, an unusual character or two, plus a few numbers to your Pa$swOrd. But with hackers using "brute force" software to make as many as 8m password guesses a second, don't kid yourself you are safe. This week LinkedIn told users to reset their accounts after more than 100m passwords appeared for sale online. Continue reading... |
| Cyprus poll holds key to possible reunification Posted: 20 May 2016 10:00 PM PDT Strong election result for Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades may encourage him to develop bi-communal federation When Greek Cypriots head for the polls this Sunday more will be at stake than the make-up of their local parliament. For the island's two estranged communities, the ballot is being seen as a critical test for peace talks that could end its ethnic divide and, in turn, resolve Europe's longest-running diplomatic row. Continue reading... |
| Mapping My Return - Salman Abu Sitta on the fate of the Palestinians Posted: 20 May 2016 10:00 PM PDT Vivid re-telling of the experience of the Nakba - a tragedy that did not end with Israel's war of independence in 1948 It's the time of year when Israelis and Palestinians mark the anniversary that matters most to each of them: May 15 is the date of the founding of the Jewish state in 1948. It is also the day that commemorates the Nakba, the flight, expulsion and dispossession of the Palestinians. Nothing underlines more starkly the depth of the unresolved conflict between these two peoples: the independence of the one meant disaster or catastrophe for the other. In the heat of the recent controversy in Britain over Zionism and anti-semitism, relatively little attention was paid to the Palestinian side of this ever controversial story. Europe's Jews were the victims of racism, persecution and extermination on a massive and unprecedented scale during the Nazi era. Palestinians, in their turn, in a different way, were victims too. Continue reading... |
| How Chibok schoolgirl's private ordeal is being preyed on in public Posted: 20 May 2016 08:28 AM PDT Rather than being given time to grieve and recover, 19-year-old has become the subject of political point-scoring and a media circus When 19-year-old Amina Ali Darsha Nkeki was found near the Sambisa forest in northern Nigeria, it was a moment of triumph and delight for everyone concerned about the fate of the schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram two years ago. Most of all, it was time of relief for her family – and one of hope for the relatives of the hundreds of teenagers still missing. Continue reading... |
| Newquay, we have a problem: does Cornwall need a spaceport? Posted: 21 May 2016 12:00 AM PDT The seaside town is the frontrunner in an unlikely UK space race. Could a spaceport launch a new era of prosperity, or is it a galactic dream too far? There is only one gate at Newquay Airport's departure lounge, where the planes park as close as cars to a petrol station, and the wireless broadband doesn't work. At the coffee shop's "Destination Cornwall" display, you can buy clotted cream shortbread, clotted cream fudge and, if your lily required further gilding, Poldark-themed Cornish ale. There's a newspaper rack, too, which has run out of this week's edition of the Cornish Guardian. It was published on Wednesday and, next to a voucher for a two-for-one "coffee and traybake" offer at Warrens Bakery, carried a startling front-page story. Continue reading... |
| Across the world, the rule of law is losing out to rule by the mob | Natalie Nougayrède Posted: 21 May 2016 01:00 AM PDT The institutions set up to defuse global tensions are no match for today's populism. We need new solutions This is the age of the disgruntled – in domestic politics and foreign affairs alike. Anti-establishment sentiment within countries is somehow echoed by the way the rule book of international relations is being torn up. These dynamics feed on each other. They are at play in America (the rise of Donald Trump), Europe (growing populism) and Asia (nationalism and an arms race). Finding a way to address them will be crucial if democracies are to have any hope of resisting instability. Related: This Dutch referendum spells trouble for Europe | Joris Luyendijk Continue reading... |
| Family of refugee who died after self-immolating on Nauru say ‘hope is dead’ Posted: 20 May 2016 11:38 PM PDT Omid Masoumali, whose funeral was held in Iran on Friday, died in a Brisbane hospital after setting himself alight during a visit by UN officials The family of a refugee who died after setting himself on fire in protest on Nauru say their "hope is dead" after the 24-year-old's funeral in Iran on Friday. Omid Masoumali died in a Brisbane hospital on 29 April after setting himself alight during a visit to Nauru by United Nations officials two days before. Continue reading... |
| World Bank launches $500m insurance fund to fight pandemics Posted: 20 May 2016 10:39 PM PDT Japan commits first $50 million towards facility, which will combine funding from reinsurance markets with proceeds of 'catastrophe' bond The World Bank on Saturday said it was launching a $500 million, fast-disbursing insurance fund to combat deadly pandemics in poor countries, creating the world's first insurance market for pandemic risk. Japan has committed the first $50 million towards the facility, which will combine funding from reinsurance markets with the proceeds of a new type of World Bank-issued high-yield pandemic "catastrophe" bond, the bank said. Continue reading... |
| US releases Guantánamo prisoner after 14 years and no conviction Posted: 20 May 2016 07:54 PM PDT Man known as Obaidullah was arrested in Afghanistan in 2002 but charges were thrown out in 2011 and lawyers had petitioned for release ever since An Afghan who once faced war crimes charges at Guantánamo has been cleared for release from the American military prison in Cuba, the US government has announced. The Periodic Review Board, which conducts parole-style hearings for Guantánamo prisoners, determined it was no longer necessary to detain the man, known by the single name of Obaidullah. A statement announcing the decision was posted on a Pentagon website. Continue reading... |
| Four French police killed in Pyrenees helicopter crash Posted: 20 May 2016 09:44 PM PDT The dead, who were all in their 40s, included the pilot, co-pilot and two mountain rescue specialists involved in training exercise Four French police have been killed in a helicopter crash in the Pyrenees mountain range along the border with Spain. The accident happened at an altitude of between 2,000 and 3,000 metres near the Vignemale, the highest peak on the French side of the mountains, authorities said. Continue reading... |
| EgyptAir flight MS804: plane sent alarm messages before crash Posted: 20 May 2016 08:43 PM PDT
We are wrapping up our live coverage of the EgyptAir crash for the moment. Here's where the story stands:
This is Michael Safi carrying on our coverage of EgyptAir flight MS804, which we now know to have crashed in the Mediterranean Sea around 180 miles (290km) north of Alexandria. Some officials suspect terrorism – albeit with little evidence so far. In the past few hours we've seen reports the aircraft sent warnings of smoke in the lavatories and electronics in the seconds before it disappeared from radar screens – the most promising clue so far as to what brought MS804 down. Continue reading... |
| 'There are no words to describe how bad it is': India endures severe heatwave – video Posted: 20 May 2016 01:49 PM PDT Residents of India's north-western cities struggle to cope as record temperatures hit the country. Temperatures climbed to 45C on Friday in the city of Ujjain while the city of Phalodi reported temperatures of 51C. Local governments have set up free water stations for residents and visitors but one man in Ujjain says the tanks are running out rapidly because of the high demand for water Continue reading... |
| 'Grief is camped over this village' – Egypt mourns the lost Posted: 20 May 2016 12:39 PM PDT The EgyptAir crash has left one settlement on the banks of the Nile in shock at the loss of four people from their community In Mit Badr Halawa, red-eyed women in black huddle on street corners, and alleys that would normally echo with tinny music, the sounds of children's games and the shouts of friendly jokes and arguments are quiet. The only busy area is outside a mosque, where hundreds have turned out to pay their respects to friends and loved ones. Continue reading... |
| How Oklahoma’s execution protocol led to errors – and horrific consequences Posted: 20 May 2016 12:04 PM PDT Scathing report on botched execution underscores a 'failed' system rife with 'negligence' and raises the question of whether the state can be trusted On 10 October 2014, the state of Oklahoma threw open the doors of its maximum-security McAlester prison to reporters – the Guardian among them – to show off its brand-new, state-of-the-art death chamber. The corrections department had invested $106,000 to create the perfect killing machine that deployed the latest advances in technology and science – ultra sound, heart and blood pressure monitors, digital intercom and cameras – to ensure painless and foolproof executions. It was an important moment for Oklahoma, which had much to prove. Six months previously the state had conducted one of the most revolting executions in recent history. It had strapped Clayton Lockett, a convicted murderer and rapist, to a gurney and over the next 43 minutes, proceeded to jab needles into him during which time he was witnessed writhing and groaning before he died. Continue reading... |
| EgyptAir flight MS804: what theories must investigators rule out? Posted: 20 May 2016 10:48 AM PDT Bomb, missile, sabotage or mechanical failure? Air accident teams will need to investigate a combination of possibilities No explanation has yet emerged for why EgyptAir flight MS804 crashed en route from Paris to Cairo with 66 passengers and crew on board. Although Egypt conceded that terrorism seemed more likely to have caused the disaster than a technical error, no group has claimed responsibility. So what are the theories investigators could be looking at? |
| Change in Zika counting method triples tally of US cases in pregnant women Posted: 20 May 2016 10:23 AM PDT
More than 270 women are being monitored for Zika in the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Friday. The CDC announced that 157 women in the 50 US states and Washington DC had tested positive for the virus, but the new number also includes the 122 people who tested positive for the virus in Puerto Rico and other US territories. Continue reading... |
| Iran still locked out of global financial system, says central bank chief Posted: 20 May 2016 10:12 AM PDT EU and US failing to fully comply with commitments made under landmark nuclear deal, says Valiollah Seif The governor of Iran's central bank has said obstacles stopping Iranian banks from rejoining the global financial system show that the US and the EU are failing to fully comply with their commitments under the landmark nuclear deal. Four months after the lifting of sanctions against Iran, big European banks remain reluctant to handle Iranian payments despite recent efforts by the US secretary of state, John Kerry, to reassure them that dealing with Tehran is now permissible. |
| Scottish churches push forward on gay rights Posted: 20 May 2016 09:50 AM PDT Church of Scotland to decide on ministers and same-sex marriage, while Episcopal Church to vote on gay church weddings Scottish churches are pushing forward on gay rights, with the Church of Scotland to decide on Saturday whether to allow its ministers to be in same-sex marriages and the Scottish Episcopal Church likely to take a significant step next month towards permitting gay weddings in its churches. If approved, the changes will differentiate the two churches from the Church of England, which bans clergy from being married to partners of the same sex and has refused to allow gay church weddings. |
| Vietnam frees political prisoner days before Barack Obama visit Posted: 20 May 2016 09:11 AM PDT Catholic priest Nguyen Van Ly has spent most of the past two decades in detention due to his relentless pursuit of democracy and religious freedom Vietnam has freed one of its longest-serving political prisoners, just a few days before a visit by Barack Obama in which human rights is expected to be a key talking point. Nguyen Van Ly, a Catholic priest who has spent most of the past two decades in detention due to his relentless pursuit of democracy and religious freedom, was released from a prison in central Hue province after his fourth stint behind bars. Continue reading... |
| French airport security under scrutiny after EgyptAir crash Posted: 20 May 2016 08:32 AM PDT Security throughout France's transport system has been tightened since the Paris attacks in November Security at French airports is under scrutiny following the EgyptAir crash. French air transport police have been checking all staff at Roissy/Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris who came into contact with the Airbus A320 during the hour and five minutes it spent on the tarmac before it took off for its flight to Cairo. The French president, François Hollande, has said no theory is being ruled out after flight MS804 disappeared off radar screens over the Mediterranean with 66 people on board. Continue reading... |
| Who was on board EgyptAir flight MS804? Posted: 20 May 2016 07:57 AM PDT Fifty-six passengers and 10 crew members were on the Airbus plane that crashed into the Mediterranean • We will update this article as more information becomes available Abdulmohsen Al-Mutairi, Kuwait An economics professor from Kuwait, he was travelling to a conference in Cairo, according to the Wall Street Journal. Continue reading... |
| Q&A: key questions about EgyptAir flight MS804 Posted: 20 May 2016 07:16 AM PDT The Airbus A320 carrying 66 people came down in the Mediterranean on Thursday The aircraft carrying 66 people was about 175 miles from the Egyptian coast when it disappeared, travelling at an altitude of 11,000 metres (37,000ft). |
| Austrian presidential hopeful allegedly embellished Israel terror incident Posted: 20 May 2016 07:03 AM PDT Rightwing candidate Norbert Hofer accused of exaggerating story of female assailant to make himself look like hero Austria's rightwing hopeful for the presidential elections has been accused in a TV debate of inventing a terrorist incident during a visit to Israel to make himself look more heroic. Norbert Hofer, of the populist Freedom party (FPÖ), could become the EU's first far-right head of state if he beats his opponent, Alexander Van der Bellen, in the second-round vote on Sunday. Continue reading... |
| Street life in Yangon: from roadside eateries to ear-cleaning stalls – in pictures Posted: 20 May 2016 03:31 AM PDT While Myanmar comes to terms with huge political changes and a flood of foreign investment, life on the streets of the old capital goes on. David Levene documents the people of Yangon Continue reading... |
| Can a new 'global alliance' rethink disaster response in cities? Posted: 20 May 2016 03:19 AM PDT The deadly spread of ebola in west Africa and the prolonged earthquake recovery efforts in Haiti were a wake up call for the international community: they must find a more effective way to tackle humanitarian crises in urban settings Ebola swarmed west Africa without heed for the traditional barriers and health systems that separate poor from rich. Instead the virus, which has a mortality rate of 50%, found a dangerous, common ground in urban centres from Liberia's coastal capital of Monrovia to Freetown in Sierra Leone. This was not an accident: these expanding cities' very nature encouraged a viral breakout. Packed streets left little space to bury the dead, whose bodies remained contagious to the touch. And while people lived in close quarters, they were settled in their own communities, making broad communication challenging. Continue reading... |
| Posted: 20 May 2016 05:00 AM PDT The world humanitarian summit must prioritise the protection of the 30 million children displaced by conflict and crisis Nearly 60 million people are displaced by conflict and crisis – an unprecedented number in modern times. More than half are under 18, creating challenges for host communities that must provide education and care for children who have lost their families or are separated from their loved ones. Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary general, says next week's humanitarian summit in Istanbul offers "a turning point in the way we address the challenges facing our common humanity". His framework for the summit – Agenda for humanity – calls on everyone to do more to help those in need and build a safer world. Continue reading...This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Humanitarian aid quiz: are you good in a crisis? Posted: 20 May 2016 04:13 AM PDT Reckon you could teach world humanitarian summit delegates a thing or two about aid? Take our quiz and find out if you're a wizard on human welfare The UN is currently responding to four "level-3" emergencies – the highest classification given for humanitarian crises. They are in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and where? South Sudan Afghanistan The Gambia In 2015, the UN experienced the largest funding shortfall for humanitarian appeals in its history. What percentage of required funds did it fail to receive? 15% 25% 45% Which country contributed the largest amount of humanitarian aid in 2015? Japan UK US Which country gave the most humanitarian aid as a percentage of its gross national income in 2014? Kuwait Australia Canada In 2014, Saudi Arabia became the sixth largest aid donor in the world, contributing $755m. Which country was the largest recipient of Saudi aid? Morocco Iraq Indonesia The UN is pushing for more funding to reduce the risk of devastation caused by natural disasters. What is the minimum percentage of national aid budgets the organisation would like spent on this? 1% 5% 10% Some EU countries, including Germany and the Netherlands, are the single biggest recipients of their own aid. True or false? True False Which country hosts the greatest number of refugees? Sweden Turkey Greece According to the UN, 80% of which country's population is in need of urgent humanitarian assistance? Tanzania Yemen Philippines In 2014, the UK became the first G7 country to meet the UN's aid spending target. What is the target? 0.7% of gross national income 5.7% of gross national income 10.7% of gross national income 10 and above. Is that you, Ban? Perfect! 8 and above. Well done! You're clearly an industry insider. Now get back to work 7 and above. Well done! You're clearly an industry insider. Now get back to work 6 and above. When it comes to aid, you're mildly helpful at best. Must try harder 5 and above. When it comes to aid, you're mildly helpful at best. Must try harder 4 and above. Don't imagine for one moment that you'll get away with blaming this woeful score on compassion fatigue 3 and above. Don't imagine for one moment that you'll get away with blaming this woeful score on compassion fatigue 2 and above. This human welfare business – not really your forte, is it? 1 and above. This human welfare business – not really your forte, is it? 0 and above. This human welfare business – not really your forte, is it? Continue reading... |
| The face of American fascism? Decoding sheriff Joe Arpaio’s anti-bestiality video Posted: 20 May 2016 10:48 AM PDT His address is like a parody of Donald Trump, revealing the absurd and fictional nature of the demons they pursue and the emergencies they promise to resolve Is this the face of American fascism? Whiter than white – his hands skeletally pale – and showing all his 83 years, Joe Arpaio, the minority-persecuting sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona, warns the public against yet another enemy in its midst. First it was Barack Obama, who Arpaio insists is not a true-born American. Then it was anyone who looks to his officers like they may potentially be an illegal immigrant. In February he was rebuked by a US district court for ignoring orders to cease his policy of arresting people simply on suspicion of illegal immigration. Related: Sheriff Joe Arpaio battles beastiality with Craigslist stings: 'This is my crusade' Continue reading... |
| Trump promises to serve the NRA well following endorsement – video Posted: 20 May 2016 01:30 PM PDT Donald Trump speaks to assembled National Rifle Association members after the group endorsed him for US president on Friday. Trump responded by promising to serve the country's top gun lobby group well. Trump, his party's presumptive nominee, praised the NRA and criticised Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton, saying she wants to abolish the second amendment, which guarantees the right to bear arms Continue reading... |
| San Francisco's mayor announces police chief's resignation – video Posted: 20 May 2016 07:17 AM PDT San Francisco's police chief, Greg Suhr, resigned on Thursday under pressure from the city's mayor, just hours after an officer's fatal shooting of a black woman sparked new outrage in a city whose storybook beauty has been overshadowed recently by high-profile police killings Continue reading... |
| TV weatherman scared by spider on camera – video Posted: 20 May 2016 04:33 AM PDT Bryan Hughes, a weatherman on West Virginia's WOWK 13 News, is startled by a large projection of a spider during his forecast on Thursday. According to WOWK 13's Facebook page, Hughes had not noticed the spider as he was caught up discussing about the Texas Tech University Meat Science team. A longer version of the video is available here Continue reading... |
| Miss Chubby pageant defies stigmas faced by overweight women – video Posted: 20 May 2016 03:50 AM PDT Romina Verna is a contestant in Paraguay's Miss Chubby pageant. As she prepares to take the stage, Verna talks about what the pageant means to her and her ambition to "be a positive influence on all women". There is widespread discrimination against overweight people in Paraguay, where 60% of the population is considered overweight or obese. Other participants talk about taking part in a competition designed to end the stigma around being fat in a culture where you are only accepted in society if you are thin or on a diet Continue reading... |
| Brother remembers British passenger on EgyptAir MS804 – video Posted: 20 May 2016 03:34 AM PDT Alastair Osman says his brother Richard, the only Briton on the EgyptAir flight MS804, was a 'kind and loving' father-of-two. The plane, carrying 66 people on board, was bound for Cairo from Paris when it disappeared 10 miles into Egyptian air space. Egyptian military confirmed on Friday it has found debris from the missing plane north of the city of Alexandria Continue reading... |
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