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• 'These boys were raised among us': terror cell town reels after Catalonia attacks
• Trump to expand US military intervention in Afghanistan
• India's supreme court bans Islamic instant divorce
• Total solar eclipse captivates America – as it happened
• Woman’s body found as Danish police search for missing journalist
• Earthquake strikes Italian island of Ischia, killing at least two people
• Pope Francis: prioritise migrants' dignity over national security
• Ovarian cancer victim wins $417m payout from Johnson & Johnson
• Moss may prove cheap city pollution monitor, study finds
• Mont Blanc: mayor tries to stop ill-equipped 'hotheads' tackling peak
• Back from three-month medical leave in UK, Nigerian president pleads for unity
• Putin names hardliner Anatoly Antonov as Russia's US ambassador
• How one family inspired a football revolution for girls in a village in Pakistan
• Portland in the spotlight: flood of people expected for the Great American Eclipse
• Osborne calls for May to back 'northern powerhouse' rail plans
• UK public finances see first July surplus since 2002 – business live
• Living in a void: life in Damascus after the exodus
• The absolute beginners' guide to Pidgin | Kobby Graham
• Spectacular rebirth of Belize's coral reefs threatened by tourism and development
• US navy divers search for missing sailors in hull of damaged destroyer
• Australia already making 'considerable contribution' in Afghanistan, says Payne
• Blue dogs roam the streets of Mumbai – video
• Maldives army occupies parliament to block no-confidence vote
• Cambridge University censorship U-turn is censored by China
• The blue dogs of Mumbai: industrial waste blamed for colourful canines
• Tuesday briefing: 'Not nation building – killing terrorists'
• Barcelona attack: four suspects face court after van driver is shot dead
• Baby giraffe takes first steps after being born at Taronga Western Plains zoo – video
• UK condemned over 'shocking' export of deadly weedkiller to poorer countries
• 'No gay promotion can be allowed': Uganda cancels pride events
• Family ties among Spanish terror cell echo past attacks
• Don't pin your hopes on military generals saving the world from Trump | Joe McLean
• The moment Donald Trump is warned not to look directly at the sun – video
• Barcelona attack: police officers at scene after suspect shot dead – video
• A carpet of tomatoes and dew-covered cobwebs: today's unmissable photos
• The homeless Popeyes worker fighting for fair wages in Missouri – video
• Sons of US defector to North Korea James Dresnok speak out after father's death – video
• What is a black professor in America allowed to say? – podcast

'These boys were raised among us': terror cell town reels after Catalonia attacks Posted: 21 Aug 2017 09:00 PM PDT Ripoll, where a dozen men appear to have been radicalised, is no Muslim ghetto but a small moderately prosperous community A dark, narrow staircase leads up to the seventh-floor flat in the small Catalan town of Ripoll from where Abdelbaki Es Satty allegedly masterminded the terrorist cell that struck in Barcelona last Thursday. A bottle of the Moroccan imam's scent sits on a sideboard, the miswak root he used to clean his teeth lies on a bedroom shelf, and his green Qur'an nestles behind the TV where he watched the daily news. Continue reading...

Trump to expand US military intervention in Afghanistan Posted: 22 Aug 2017 12:48 AM PDT President admits: 'My original instinct was to pull out' but says he has bowed to advice from officials, and claims he will take tougher line with Pakistan Donald Trump has announced he will prolong the US military intervention in Afghanistan, which he once described as a "complete waste", bowing to advice from his top officials to raise the stakes once more in the 16-year conflict. In a televised address to troops at Fort Myer in Virginia, Trump said he was setting out a new strategy for Afghanistan and South Asia. But he did not say how many more troops he would send, how long they would stay, or what their ultimate objective was. Continue reading...

India's supreme court bans Islamic instant divorce Posted: 22 Aug 2017 12:12 AM PDT Controversial Islamic practice of 'triple talaq' that allows men to divorce their wives instantly ruled unconstitutional by judges India's top court has banned a controversial Islamic practice that allows men to divorce their wives instantly, saying it was unconstitutional. Victims of the practice known as "triple talaq", whereby Muslim men can divorce their wives by reciting the word talaq (divorce) three times, had approached the supreme court to ask for a ban. Continue reading...

Total solar eclipse captivates America – as it happened Posted: 21 Aug 2017 01:52 PM PDT 'Worth everything': America takes in eclipse from coast to coast Total eclipse began in Oregon on west coast and passed through 14 states 9.51pm BST Well that was fun. We saw the moon totally eclipse the sun. We saw people observe it. We saw darkness briefly reign. 9.25pm BST Earlier today – pre-eclipse – we brought you news that Bonnie Tyler would be performing her hit "Total Eclipse of the Heart" during the total eclipse of the sun. It's... not the best rendition I've ever heard. Oh cool you saw the eclipse... did you sing Total Eclipse of the Heart with Bonnie Tyler On a cruise ship while the Eclipse happened? pic.twitter.com/nd8bf1uFqI Continue reading...

Woman’s body found as Danish police search for missing journalist Posted: 21 Aug 2017 01:48 PM PDT Headless torso discovered hours after inventor tells court that Kim Wall died onboard his homemade submarine A woman's body has been found at the water's edge in Copenhagen, hours after a Danish inventor charged with killing a Swedish journalist in his homemade submarine told a court she had died onboard. Peter Madsen told the court that Kim Wall, who has been missing since 11 August, died in an accident onboard his vessel, and that he dumped her body in the sea. Continue reading...

Earthquake strikes Italian island of Ischia, killing at least two people Posted: 22 Aug 2017 01:43 AM PDT Magnitude 4.0 event near Naples has injured 39 people, with more still missing, and caused a church and other buildings to collapse Two women have died and 39 people were injured – at least one of them seriously – after a magnitude 4.0 earthquake struck the Italian island of Ischia, off the coast of Naples. One woman was buried under the rubble of her home in the town of Casamicciola, some 3km (2 miles) north of the epicentre, while the other was killed after being hit by debris falling from a church. Continue reading...

Pope Francis: prioritise migrants' dignity over national security Posted: 21 Aug 2017 10:04 AM PDT Publication of action plan for governments is response to what Vatican sees as one of biggest global challenges of 21st century Pope Francis has issued a 20-point action plan to governments on refugees and migrants to try to galvanise their response to an issue seen by the Vatican as one of the biggest global challenges of the 21st century. His intention is to lay the ground for the drafting of two global compacts on refugees and migration, which are expected to be adopted at the UN general assembly in September 2018. Continue reading...

Ovarian cancer victim wins $417m payout from Johnson & Johnson Posted: 21 Aug 2017 03:00 PM PDT Court orders firm to compensate woman who claims her cancer was linked to using talc products for feminine hygiene A jury has ordered Johnson & Johnson (J&J) to pay $417m (£323m) to a woman who claimed she developed ovarian cancer after using the company's talc-based products such as Johnson's Baby Powder for feminine hygiene. Related: Is it safe to use talcum powder? Continue reading...

Moss may prove cheap city pollution monitor, study finds Posted: 21 Aug 2017 10:23 AM PDT Common moss changes shape in areas of high nitrogen pollution and drought and has potential to be big bioindicator, say scientists Delicate mosses found on rocks and trees in cities around the world can be used to measure the impact of atmospheric change and could prove a low-cost way to monitor urban pollution, according to Japanese scientists. Moss, a "bioindicator", responds to pollution or drought-stress by changing shape, density or by disappearing, allowing scientists to calculate atmospheric alterations, said Yoshitaka Oishi, associate professor at Fukui Prefectural University. Continue reading...

Mont Blanc: mayor tries to stop ill-equipped 'hotheads' tackling peak Posted: 21 Aug 2017 07:04 AM PDT Saint-Gervais mayor warns that people who try to climb France's highest mountain without proper kit face fines after series of deaths and accidents French authorities are calling for police to enforce fines against climbers who attempt to scale Mont Blanc without proper clothing and equipment. The move follows a series of deaths and accidents on western Europe's highest mountain. Earlier this month, a Hungarian woman and her nine-year-old twins were helicoptered off the peak by mountain rescuers. Continue reading...

Back from three-month medical leave in UK, Nigerian president pleads for unity Posted: 21 Aug 2017 06:53 AM PDT In first state address since his return, Muhammadu Buhari criticises calls for Biafra secession, saying ethnic violence fuelled by political mischief-makers Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari condemned growing calls for secession in his first live broadcast on state television since taking three months' medical leave in the UK. The president returned to Abuja on Saturday, after leaving Nigeria in May for his second course of treatment in Britain. He did not refer to his illness in the broadcast, but instead criticised calls for secession and regional divisions. Continue reading...

Putin names hardliner Anatoly Antonov as Russia's US ambassador Posted: 21 Aug 2017 10:03 AM PDT Deputy foreign minister, seen as a tough negotiator, to replace Sergey Kislyak with Moscow-Washington ties at a low Vladimir Putin has appointed a new Russian ambassador to the US at a time when relations between the two countries are at a low, driven by accusations of Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential elections. Anatoly Antonov will take over from Sergey Kislyak, the country's longstanding top diplomat in Washington who became embroiled in the scandal surrounding possible collusion between Moscow and the Trump campaign. Continue reading...

How one family inspired a football revolution for girls in a village in Pakistan Posted: 22 Aug 2017 02:00 AM PDT The Inayats started a team in Shimshal, motivated by social pressures faced by young girls in the region, and now they cannot keep up with demand Shimshal is a small village in one of the most northern parts of Pakistan, the highest settlement in the Hunza Valley at 3,800 metres above sea level. A short distance from China's most western border, it has a population of about 2,000 inhabitants. City life is a world away; dusty Shimshal is a 16-hour drive from Islamabad, 20 from Lahore. It is not the sort of pocket where one would expect to find an appetite for women's football. Yet girls are queueing up to take part. Continue reading...

Portland in the spotlight: flood of people expected for the Great American Eclipse Posted: 21 Aug 2017 04:37 AM PDT One million people are expected to head towards Portland, Oregon to witness an astronomical event that hasn't taken place in the US since 1979 – but this city is familiar with population booms Solar eclipse – live On the morning of 21 August, several hours after daybreak, a solar eclipse will plunge the city of Portland, Oregon into a twilight-like state. The temperature will drop; birds and other wildlife will start making noises, tricked into thinking they should prepare for bed. At 10.19am, the moon's shadow will pass over the sun in the state's most populous city, blocking 99.44% of the glowing orb at its peak. For mere minutes, viewers will have a chance to experience a rare astronomical event that hasn't been visible in the US since 1979. The Great American Eclipse, as it's been dubbed, will first make landfall in a small town on the Pacific coast and within about 90 minutes streak across the country until it disappears in Charleston, South Carolina. One million people are expected to head toward the path of totality, an approximate 70-mile wide band where the entire sun is blocked by the moon's shadow. Continue reading...

Osborne calls for May to back 'northern powerhouse' rail plans Posted: 22 Aug 2017 01:01 AM PDT Former chancellor says UK must build high-speed railways across northern England to avoid becoming 'one-trick pony' Theresa May must commit to George Osborne's pet project aimed at bolstering northern England to avoid the UK becoming a "one-trick pony", the former chancellor has said. Osborne, who became the editor of the London Evening Standard after being sacked by May when she took office, called on the prime minister to back the "northern powerhouse" and build high-speed rail links across northern England. Failure to do so would risk allowing the capital to continue to grow faster than the rest of the country, he said. Continue reading...

UK public finances see first July surplus since 2002 – business live Posted: 22 Aug 2017 01:57 AM PDT UK sees surplus of £184m rather than expected £1bn borrowing Provident Financial boss leaves after profit warning and FCA investigation Persimmon shrugs off Brexit concerns 9.57am BST This chart shows the monthly as well as the cumulative borrowing figures: 9.44am BST The receipts from self-assessed income tax, which increased by £0.8bn to £8.0bn compared with July 2016, represented the highest level of July self-assessed receipts on record (records began in 1999). Continue reading...

Living in a void: life in Damascus after the exodus Posted: 21 Aug 2017 10:00 PM PDT During six years of civil war in Syria, novelist Khaled Khalifa has watched wave after wave of friends and family flee his home city. But despite everything, he has decided to stay My sister, whom I haven't seen for more than two years, told me she was going to cross the sea in a rubber dinghy. She hung up, not wanting to hear what I thought. She merely said something profound and sentimental and entrusted her three children to my care in the event that she drowned. A few minutes later I tried to call the unfamiliar Turkish number back, but the phone had been turned off. Hundreds of images from our childhood flooded my memory. It's not easy to say goodbye to half a century of your life and wait for someone you love to drown. My fingers and toes felt cold and my head empty, and I didn't feel able to argue anyway. What can one offer a woman who has lost her home and everything she owns and, not wanting to lose her children too, carried them off into exile to seek a safe haven in Turkey? Things are not easy for a woman like her there. She looks like millions of other Syrian women and does not have any special skills. All that's left is the hope of asylum, even if it requires crossing the sea in a rubber dinghy. It's as if she's trying to tell me something I know already – that the sea is Syrians' only hope. Maybe it was luck that saved my sister. She didn't drown, and she found friends to help her in Greece and in the other countries she passed through. She certainly didn't talk about unpleasant experiences with traffickers fleecing her out of what little money she had or leaving her destitute in an airport waiting room. In any case, she eventually reached her destination, and in Denmark found another group of friends who could provide support. Some of her fellow adventurers had drowned in scenes of unimaginable horror. Death may take many forms, but the bleakest and blackest of them all is death by drowning, which is a complete denial of everything the human body stands for. The drowned body becomes food for the fishes of the sea, and dissolves like salt in a bowl of water. Continue reading...

The absolute beginners' guide to Pidgin | Kobby Graham Posted: 22 Aug 2017 12:58 AM PDT The launch of BBC Pidgin on the World Service is recognition that our English is not 'broken', but beautiful The launch of BBC Pidgin will come as a bit of a shock to many African parents and headmasters, and will leave many others confused as to why the world's foremost exponent of the Queen's English, the BBC World Service, is investing in what is often called "broken English". But Pidgin is so much more. It is the widely spoken (and wildly inventive) lingua franca of much of west and central Africa. Fela Kuti once sang, "I no be gentleman at all o", using Pidgin to underline his defiance against being "civilized". Today, the language is a cultural force, driving everything from the lyrics of Afrobeat music to movies emerging from Nigeria's Nollywood, now the world's second-largest film industry. Continue reading...

Spectacular rebirth of Belize's coral reefs threatened by tourism and development Posted: 21 Aug 2017 10:00 PM PDT Report reveals improvement but also details danger posed by tourist-generated pollution, oil extraction and climate change Just below the surface of the turquoise sea, coral flutters majestically amid schools of puffed up porcupinefish and fluorescent blue and yellow angelfish. The gangly staghorn and fanning elkhorn corals are thriving in swimming distance of Laughing Bird Caye, a tiny Caribbean sandy islet in southern Belize, thanks to a restoration project that is yielding striking results. Continue reading...

US navy divers search for missing sailors in hull of damaged destroyer Posted: 22 Aug 2017 12:42 AM PDT Planes, ships and divers search for 10 crew missing after guided-missile destroyer collided with merchant ship near Singapore US navy and Marine Corps divers have begun searching sealed sections of the damaged hull of a US warship for 10 sailors missing since the guided-missile destroyer collided with a merchant vessel near Singapore, the US navy said. The USS John S McCain and the Alnic MC tanker collided as the warship was nearing Singapore for a routine port call, tearing a hole in the ship's port side at the waterline and flooding compartments that included a crew sleeping area. Continue reading...

Australia already making 'considerable contribution' in Afghanistan, says Payne Posted: 22 Aug 2017 01:30 AM PDT Australian defence minister says any US request for extra help will be discussed as Donald Trump announces extension of military campaign The Turnbull government has not ruled out stepping up Australia's military commitment in Afghanistan, but the defence minister Marise Payne says Australia is already making a "very considerable contribution" in theatres around the world. The US president, Donald Trump, confirmed in a major speech on Tuesday the US would remain in Afghanistan for a prolonged period, and he attempted to reframe the mission, saying America was no longer engaged in nation building, it was focussed on "killing terrorists". Continue reading...

Blue dogs roam the streets of Mumbai – video Posted: 22 Aug 2017 12:31 AM PDT Industrial waste has been blamed for the unusual colour of 11 stray dogs in Mumbai. Authorities in the Indian city have shut down a manufacturing company after it was accused of dumping untreated industrial waste and dyes into a river Continue reading...

Maldives army occupies parliament to block no-confidence vote Posted: 22 Aug 2017 12:30 AM PDT Opposition MPs are prevented from entering chamber after mounting claims that President Abdulla Yameen is reversing years of democratic progress The Maldives military locked down the nation's parliament on Tuesday in what opposition lawmakers said was an attempt to block a motion to impeach the speaker of the house. Related: Maldives quits Commonwealth over alleged rights abuses Continue reading...

Cambridge University censorship U-turn is censored by China Posted: 21 Aug 2017 11:28 PM PDT Chinese academics commend decision to unblock access to sensitive articles, but Beijing expunges mention of the climbdown from internet Chinese intellectuals and bloggers have celebrated Cambridge University's decision to push back against Beijing's draconian information controls – but Communist party censors reacted almost immediately to prevent word of the snub spreading in mainland China. Cambridge University Press, the world's oldest publishing house, had faced a ferocious public backlash following its admission last week that it had complied with a Chinese order to block access to more than 300 politically sensitive articles published in its journal the China Quarterly. Continue reading...

The blue dogs of Mumbai: industrial waste blamed for colourful canines Posted: 21 Aug 2017 10:50 PM PDT The group of strangely coloured canines was first spotted on 11 August prompting locals to complain to the local pollution control board Authorities in Mumbai have shut down a manufacturing company after it was accused of dumping untreated industrial waste and dyes into a local river that resulted in 11 dogs turning blue. Related: Murder most foul: polluted Indian river reported dead despite 'living entity' status Continue reading...

Tuesday briefing: 'Not nation building – killing terrorists' Posted: 21 Aug 2017 10:29 PM PDT Trump's tough rhetoric on Afghanistan and Pakistan … suspected driver from Barcelona attack is shot dead … and should Nelson's monument come down? Hello – it's Warren Murray with the stories you need to be well versed in this morning. Continue reading...

Barcelona attack: four suspects face court after van driver is shot dead Posted: 21 Aug 2017 09:26 PM PDT Police now believe all 12 members of terror cell are in custody or dead, after Las Ramblas attacker Younes Abouyaaqoub was killed in Subirats Four suspects arrested in connection with last week's terror attacks in Spain have arrived in Spain's National Court in court in Madrid. The four men detained – Driss Oukabir, Sahal el Karib, Mohammed Aalla and Mohamed Houli Chemlal – will face a judge for the first time on Tuesday at a special tribunal for terrorism. The judge will decide if they are to be charged. Continue reading...

Baby giraffe takes first steps after being born at Taronga Western Plains zoo – video Posted: 21 Aug 2017 07:41 PM PDT Taronga Western Plains zoo in Dubbo, New South Wales, has welcomed two brand new additions to the giraffe herd, born within one week of each other. This video was shot within minutes of the first calf's birth and shows it taking its first steps and bonding with adult members of the giraffe herd. The first calf is named Zuberi, which means strong in Swahili, and the second calf is Kibo, which means the highest. The zoo says that in just 30 years the global giraffe population has fallen by up to 40% due to poaching for bush meat and habitat encroachment. The zoo aims to spread awareness of their plight and raise money for conservation in Kenya Continue reading...

UK condemned over 'shocking' export of deadly weedkiller to poorer countries Posted: 21 Aug 2017 11:00 PM PDT UK accused of double standards as thousands of tonnes of pesticide not authorised for use in EU are produced in Britain for export to developing world A highly toxic weedkiller not authorised for use in the EU is being exported to developing countries from a UK factory. Paraquat, a pesticide so lethal that a single sip can be fatal, has caused thousands of accidental deaths and suicides globally, and was outlawed by EU states in 2007. Continue reading...

'No gay promotion can be allowed': Uganda cancels pride events Posted: 21 Aug 2017 05:09 AM PDT Campaigners condemn 'vile affront to LGBT rights' after state crackdown on planned week-long celebrations in the capital, Kampala Activists are outraged over the Ugandan government's decision to cancel a week of gay pride celebrations in the country for a second consecutive year, describing the move as a violation of fundamental human rights of minority groups. On 16 August, the state minister of ethics and integrity, Simon Lokodo, issued a directive shutting down a gala, scheduled to take place at the Sheraton Hotel in the capital, Kampala, accusing the organisers of attempting to stage an illegal gathering aimed at recruitment, exhibition and promotion of homosexuality. Continue reading...

Family ties among Spanish terror cell echo past attacks Posted: 21 Aug 2017 09:29 AM PDT Four sets of brothers have been linked to the Spain attacks, and brothers were involved in Paris, Boston and 9/11 As is so often the case in terrorist cells, the group that brought carnage to north-east Spain last week – killing 15 people and injuring more than 130 – included several sets of brothers. Younes Abouyaaqoub, 22, has been identified by police as the driver of the van that sped down Las Ramblas on Thursday. He was shot dead by police in Subirats, a town 30 miles west of Barcelona, on Monday. His brother Housainne, 19, was among the five men shot dead by police in the coastal town of Cambrils hours later after the car in which they were travelling ploughed into a group of pedestrians. Continue reading...

Don't pin your hopes on military generals saving the world from Trump | Joe McLean Posted: 21 Aug 2017 08:52 AM PDT Defiance of an elected president would spark a constitutional crisis. Once you start expecting the generals save the republic, there's no telling where it leads Chaos continues to reign at the White House, with Steve Bannon its latest casualty. Despite the best efforts of the new chief of staff, John Kelly – a retired United States Marine Corps general – to impose order, the real source of the chaos is the president himself. That's bad enough for domestic politics, but given the deteriorating situations in Afghanistan and on the Korean peninsula, there's a wholly reasonable fear that our thin-skinned, egomaniac commander-in-chief just might tweet us into a major shooting war. Continue reading...

The moment Donald Trump is warned not to look directly at the sun – video Posted: 21 Aug 2017 01:46 PM PDT The US president had to be cautioned against looking at the sun during a partial solar eclipse in Washington on Monday afternoon. It's thought the warning came from a White House aide Total solar eclipse captivates America – live Continue reading...

Barcelona attack: police officers at scene after suspect shot dead – video Posted: 21 Aug 2017 10:35 AM PDT Spanish police say they have shot and killed Younes Abouyaaqoub, the main suspect in the Barcelona van attack. The shooting happened in the town of Subirats, 30 miles west of Barcelona. Police said Abouyaaqoub was wearing a fake suicide vest Barcelona attack: suspected van driver shot dead by police west of city Continue reading...

A carpet of tomatoes and dew-covered cobwebs: today's unmissable photos Posted: 21 Aug 2017 05:19 AM PDT A selection of the day's best images, including a tomato harvest drying in China, multicoloured saris on the streets of New York and cobwebs reminding us of the impending autumn in Herefordshire, England Continue reading...

The homeless Popeyes worker fighting for fair wages in Missouri – video Posted: 21 Aug 2017 05:10 AM PDT Despite working six days a week, Fran Marion, a single mother of two, can't make ends meet on the $9.50 an hour she gets at Popeyes. After her previous residence was condemned by the city, she became homeless and today sleeps on her friend's sofa. Now, she's fighting for employee rights in Missouri on behalf of Stand Up Kansas City – to make sure that she, and other people in her position, can get a fair wage and adequate employer protection Continue reading...

Sons of US defector to North Korea James Dresnok speak out after father's death – video Posted: 21 Aug 2017 04:54 AM PDT James and Ted Dresnok say the former American soldier told them to remain loyal to Kim Jong-un and vow US would be wiped from the earth should war break out Sons confirm death of US soldier James Dresnok, who defected to North Korea Continue reading...

What is a black professor in America allowed to say? – podcast Posted: 21 Aug 2017 04:00 AM PDT Tommy J Curry thought forcing a public discussion about race and violence was part of his job. It turned out that people didn't want to hear it • Read the text version here Subscribe via Audioboom, iTunes, Soundcloud, Mixcloud, Acast & Sticher and join the discussion on Facebook and Twitter Continue reading...

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