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- US-China deal on emissions welcomed by global figures and climate experts
- Xi Jinping warns against return to Asia-Pacific tensions of cold war era
- Poland-Belarus crisis volunteers: ‘Border police can be very aggressive’
- Japanese train driver sues after wages docked 28p over one-minute delay
- ‘We should pay debt’: Jeremy Hunt says £400m owed to Iran is not ransom money
- Elon Musk sells $5bn in Tesla stock days after Twitter poll
- Hong Kong opens modern art museum as security law casts pall
- Beijing Winter Olympics committee denies blocking foreign media
- Rust shooting: head of lighting sues Alec Baldwin and others
- UN’s ‘deep concern’ at Myanmar fighting between Rakhine rebels and military
- New species of big-nosed dinosaur discovered by retired doctor
- Covid live: Germany sees more than 50,000 daily new cases for first time; some hospitals in Slovakia limit non-urgent care
- Joy, toys and bumper cars as Manila’s children reclaim the city
- As Covid recedes in US a new worry emerges: wildlife passing on the virus
- Jacinda Ardern’s popularity plunges as New Zealand reckons with new era of endemic Covid
- Chakras, crystals and conspiracy theories: how the wellness industry turned its back on Covid science
- Meet the ‘inactivists’, tangling up the climate crisis in culture wars
- Bauhaus in Africa: the hospital in sweltering Senegal inspired – and funded – by the Albers
- ‘It’s our lifeline’: the Taliban are back but Afghans say opium is here to stay
- Saluting ‘Captain Planet’: film explores Jacques Cousteau’s conservation legacy
- Age of Empires 4 review – bloodless battles and titanic tutorials
- Homeless stars, endless spaghetti and amplified farts: the comedians of TikTok
- Meghan admits aide gave biography authors information with her knowledge
- Madagascar is drying out – there’s no harvest, only hunger | Anonymous
- First Thing: Kyle Rittenhouse case in jeopardy as lawyers seek mistrial
- Canada: Indigenous people fished sustainably for 1,000 years before settlers arrived – study
- Torrential rain lashes east coast of Australia as more wild weather forecast
- A woman murdered every month: is this Greece’s moment of reckoning on femicide?
- US and China announce surprise climate agreement – video
- ‘Love it’: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tries Irn Bru for the first time – video
- Israeli ambassador rushed out of LSE event amid Palestine protest – video
| US-China deal on emissions welcomed by global figures and climate experts Posted: 10 Nov 2021 10:22 PM PST UN and EU say the agreement could help pave the way to wider breakthrough, though concerns remain over 'patchy details' An unexpected agreement between the US and China to work together on cutting emissions has been broadly welcomed by leaders and climate experts. The world's two biggest emitters appeared to put aside their differences at the Cop26 climate summit and on Wednesday unveiled a joint declaration that would see close cooperation on emissions cuts that scientists say are needed in the next 10 years to stay within 1.5C. Continue reading... |
| Xi Jinping warns against return to Asia-Pacific tensions of cold war era Posted: 10 Nov 2021 03:02 PM PST Chinese leader urges countries in region to work together amid growing pressure from US over Taiwan Xi Jinping has warned against a return to cold war-era tensions in the Asia-Pacific, urging greater cooperation on pandemic recovery and the climate crisis. Amid growing tensions with the US over Taiwan, the Chinese president said all countries in the region must work together on joint challenges. Continue reading... |
| Poland-Belarus crisis volunteers: ‘Border police can be very aggressive’ Posted: 10 Nov 2021 11:20 AM PST Grupa Granica strives to bring supplies to stranded migrants and help them deal with border officers The call came in at about 1.30pm in the afternoon. A group of 15 people, all Iraqi Kurds, had been found in the woods of Narewka after managing to cross the border from Belarus into Poland. One woman could barely walk. Others had early signs of hypothermia. The young volunteer who answered the phone – one of about 40 members of Grupa Granica, a Polish network of NGOs monitoring the situation on the border – knew they had to act quickly. Continue reading... |
| Japanese train driver sues after wages docked 28p over one-minute delay Posted: 11 Nov 2021 12:55 AM PST Rail firm withheld ¥43 (28p) on 'no work, no pay' principle, but driver says delay was not his fault A train driver in Japan is suing his employer after it docked ¥43 (28p) from his wages over a one-minute delay that he claims was not his fault. West Japan Railway Company (JR West) said it withheld the tiny sum by applying its strict "no work, no pay" principle over the incident, which occurred in June last year. Continue reading... |
| ‘We should pay debt’: Jeremy Hunt says £400m owed to Iran is not ransom money Posted: 11 Nov 2021 01:05 AM PST Former foreign secretary says practicalities not principles are holding back repayment of debt Practicalities, not principles, are holding back the payment of a £400m British debt to Iran, seen as a precondition of the release of British-Iranian dual nationals held in Tehran, the former foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt has said. He said the payment would not be the equivalent of a ransom payment but the settlement of an outstanding debt. "We are a country that pays its debts," he said, adding that the money could be paid through a humanitarian channel to avoid any sanctions. He also said he could not foresee any US objections. Continue reading... |
| Elon Musk sells $5bn in Tesla stock days after Twitter poll Posted: 10 Nov 2021 09:47 PM PST Billionaire offloads around 3% of his holding – though £1bn was already in train before he asked Twitter users about reducing his stake Elon Musk has sold about $5bn in shares amounting to roughly 3% of his Tesla holdings, the billionaire reported in filings on Wednesday, just days after he polled Twitter users about selling 10% of his stake. About $4bn worth of the sale – 3.6m shares – could be considered as counting towards his 10% pledge on Twitter. Another $1.1bn worth, amounting to 934,000 shares, was sold under an options arrangement to acquire nearly 2.2m shares that was already in train before the poll. Continue reading... |
| Hong Kong opens modern art museum as security law casts pall Posted: 11 Nov 2021 01:34 AM PST Multibillion-dollar M+ struggles to find a balance between artistic expression and political censorship A senior Hong Kong cultural official said freedom of expression was not above a China-imposed national security law, on the eve of the opening of a contemporary art museum intended to put the city on the global cultural map. The multibillion-dollar M+, featuring contemporary artwork from leading Chinese, Asian and western artists, is Hong Kong's attempt to match museums such as Tate Modern in London, New York's Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and the Centre Pompidou in Paris. Continue reading... |
| Beijing Winter Olympics committee denies blocking foreign media Posted: 10 Nov 2021 08:50 PM PST Correspondents' club said organisers were harassing journalists but Beijing says it 'guarantees freedom of reporters' Beijing's Winter Olympics organising committee has rejected accusations that journalists have been blocked in their attempts to cover preparations for the Games. Earlier this month the Foreign Correspondents Club of China (FCCC) accused the Chinese authorities of "continuously stymying" attempts by foreign media to cover the Winter Olympics due to begin near the Chinese capital in February. Continue reading... |
| Rust shooting: head of lighting sues Alec Baldwin and others Posted: 11 Nov 2021 12:34 AM PST Serge Svetnoy alleges negligence over bullet that narrowly missed him and killed friend Halyna Hutchins The head of lighting on the film Rust has filed a lawsuit over Alec Baldwin's fatal shooting of the cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the New Mexico set of the western, alleging negligence that caused him "severe emotional distress" will haunt him for ever. Serge Svetnoy said the bullet that killed his close friend Hutchins, narrowly missed him, and he held her head as she died. Continue reading... |
| UN’s ‘deep concern’ at Myanmar fighting between Rakhine rebels and military Posted: 10 Nov 2021 08:45 PM PST Arakan Army in Rakhine state suggests clashes broke out after junta troops entered ceasefire area The UN security council has expressed its "deep concern" about unrest in Myanmar and called for an "immediate cessation of violence" as well as efforts to ensure civilians are not harmed. Reports have emerged of clashes between junta troops and fighters from a major militant group in Rakhine state. The security council warned that "recent developments pose particular serious challenges for the voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable return of Rohingya refugees and internally displaced persons." Continue reading... |
| New species of big-nosed dinosaur discovered by retired doctor Posted: 10 Nov 2021 10:00 PM PST Nasal bone distinguishes herbivore Brighstoneus simmondsi, whose skull was found on the Isle of Wight A new species of dinosaur with an extremely large nose has been identified by a retired GP who spent lockdown rummaging through boxes of ancient bones. Jeremy Lockwood, who is studying for a PhD at the University of Portsmouth, set himself the task of cataloguing every iguanodon bone discovered on the Isle of Wight. As he sorted the bones from the collections of the Natural History Museum in London and the Dinosaur Isle museum on the Isle of Wight, he discovered a specimen with a unique "bulbous" nasal bone. Continue reading... |
| Posted: 11 Nov 2021 02:24 AM PST Robert Koch Institute records 50,196 new cases of coronavirus in Germany; Slovakia has more than 2,500 Covid patients in hospital
Vic Rayner, chief executive of the National Care Forum, said there was a "human cost" to the UK government's mandatory jab policy for care home staff, which became effective from today. PA Media quotes Rayner on BBC Breakfast saying that about 8% of staff are leaving their jobs, on top of those who have already quit the sector since the policy was announced. |
| Joy, toys and bumper cars as Manila’s children reclaim the city Posted: 10 Nov 2021 09:47 PM PST Malls, restaurants and arcades in the Philippines capital are packed with children as Covid curbs ease Ten-year-old Gabriel Estrella beams as he talks about T-shirts he bought on his first day out at a shopping mall after nearly two years of staying away due to coronavirus restrictions in the Philippines. "Before the pandemic, buying T-shirts used to be boring," he said, sweaty after playing with his eight-year-old sister. "Now, it's exciting! I bought four shirts. They're anime shirts. Continue reading... |
| As Covid recedes in US a new worry emerges: wildlife passing on the virus Posted: 11 Nov 2021 02:00 AM PST New study shows that deer can catch the virus from people and give it to other deer in overwhelming numbers As America's pandemic – for now – seems to be moving into a new phase with national rates in decline from the September peak and vaccines rolling out to children, a new worry has appeared on the horizon: wildlife passing on the virus. A new study shows that deer can catch the coronavirus from people and give it to other deer in overwhelming numbers, the first evidence of animals transmitting the virus in the wild. Similar spillover and transmission could be occurring in certain animal populations around the world, with troubling implications for eradicating the virus and potentially even for the emergence of new variants. Continue reading... |
| Jacinda Ardern’s popularity plunges as New Zealand reckons with new era of endemic Covid Posted: 10 Nov 2021 04:01 PM PST Drop in support for prime minister comes amid recent changes in country's pandemic fortunes Prime minister Jacinda Ardern's popularity has plummeted in two new polls, as New Zealand struggles to contain a Delta outbreak and transitions to a new era of endemic Covid. The Ardern-led Labour party dropped five points to 41% over the past months, according to the Talbot Mills Research poll published by the New Zealand Herald on Thursday. While that result still places it firmly ahead of the opposition National party, it represent's Labour's worst polling result in more than a year, and since before Covid-19 reached New Zealand. The result was echoed by Curia polling commissioned by lobby group the Taxpayer's Union, which showed Labour support had dropped six points to 39%, with National up four points to 26%. Continue reading... |
| Posted: 10 Nov 2021 10:00 PM PST Its gurus increasingly promote vaccine scepticism, conspiracy theories and the myth that ill people have themselves to blame. How did self-care turn so nasty? Ozlem Demirboga Carr is not really into all that woo‑woo stuff. "I'm definitely a full-science kind of person," says the 41-year-old telecoms worker from Reading. She doesn't believe in crystals, affirmations or salt lamps. But she did find herself unusually anxious during the UK's Covid lockdown in March 2020 and, like many people, decided to practise yoga as a way to de-stress. "I tried to be open-minded and I was open to advice on trying to improve my wellbeing and mental health," she says. So she followed a range of social media accounts, including the "somatic therapist and biz coach" Phoebe Greenacre, known for her yoga videos, and the "women's empowerment and spiritual mentor" Kelly Vittengl. The Instagram algorithm did its work. "I suddenly found myself following so many wellness accounts," she says. Continue reading... |
| Meet the ‘inactivists’, tangling up the climate crisis in culture wars Posted: 10 Nov 2021 10:00 PM PST As climate science has gone mainstream, outright denialism has been pushed to the fringes. Now a new tactic of dismissing green policies as elitist is on the rise, and has zoned in on a bitter row over a disused airport in Kent In May 2020, as the world was convulsed by the coronavirus pandemic and global infections topped 4 million, a strange video began appearing in the feeds of some Facebook users. "Climate alarm is reaching untold levels of exaggeration and hysteria," said an unseen narrator, over a montage of environmental protests and clips of a tearful Greta Thunberg. "There is no doubt about it, climate change has become a cult," it continued, to the kind of pounding beat you might hear on the soundtrack of a Hollywood blockbuster. "Carbon dioxide emissions have become the wages of sin." The video's reach was relatively small: according to Facebook data, it was viewed somewhere between 15,000 and 20,000 times. But over the following weeks more videos came, each one experimenting with slightly different scripts and visuals. All focused on the supposed irrationality and hypocrisy of climate campaigners, and the hardship they wanted to inflict upon society's most impoverished communities. "Those who demand action on climate change continue to fly around in private jets from one virtue-signalling climate conference to the next," stated one, against a backdrop of Leonardo DiCaprio and Prince Harry delivering speeches from lecterns. "Is this fair?" Another video took aim at the idea that countries should be transitioning towards "net zero" carbon dioxide emissions, calling it an "unnecessary and swingeing plan that hits the poor and costs the earth". In total, between May and July, the advertiser spent less than £3,000 disseminating 10 videos. Collectively, they were viewed more than half a million times. Continue reading... |
| Bauhaus in Africa: the hospital in sweltering Senegal inspired – and funded – by the Albers Posted: 10 Nov 2021 10:00 PM PST One hundred years after Anni and Josef Albers met, their work, philosophy and funding clout have made possible a stunning hospital that is saving lives in one of the hottest places on Earth When Anni Albers began weaving at the Bauhaus in the 1920s, little did she know that her geometric patterns would one day adorn the doors of a hospital in rural Senegal. Shadows play across the surface of the staggered wooden blocks set into the doors of Tambacounda's new maternity and paediatric ward, creating a woven effect echoed by the pattern of dappled sunlight streaming in through the perforated brick walls. These are small details, but they go some way to lightening the ordeal of being here, poetic touches that make the clinical environment feel like a place of care. Fox Weber was appalled by what he found. In the maternity ward he was shown an "incubator" that consisted of a tray on a table, where three newborns were huddled beneath a desk lamp. Hypodermic needles were scattered on the floor, while an operating table was barely standing on three legs. Women lay crammed together at different stages of labour, or having just given birth, while others waited outside on bamboo mats on the floor. |
| ‘It’s our lifeline’: the Taliban are back but Afghans say opium is here to stay Posted: 10 Nov 2021 10:31 PM PST Despite talk of a Taliban ban, in Helmand's poppy fields farmers and traders say they are not the only ones who depend on the drug to survive The Taliban's announcement that it plans to ban the production of opium in Afghanistan does not faze seasoned dealer Ahmed Khan*. "They could not fund their war if there were no opium," says Khan, who operates out of Baramcha, close to the border with Pakistan. Continue reading... |
| Saluting ‘Captain Planet’: film explores Jacques Cousteau’s conservation legacy Posted: 11 Nov 2021 01:00 AM PST French adventurer revolutionised undersea film-making and sounded early alarm over oceans' destruction He was the French adventurer who plumbed the depths of the world's oceans to introduce us to a magical and previously unseen universe under the sea. Commander Jacques-Yves Cousteau, the former naval officer turned inventor of the Aqualung and scuba equipment and then television explorer, became a hero to generations of children who were mesmerised by his adventures and groundbreaking films. Now a new documentary explores his life and legacy, showing how more than half a century ago Cousteau sounded the alarm over the destruction of the oceans, which he saw as vital to the future of the human race. Continue reading... |
| Age of Empires 4 review – bloodless battles and titanic tutorials Posted: 11 Nov 2021 01:45 AM PST PC, Microsoft/Relic Entertainment Back in 2003, BBC2 show Time Commanders somewhat sneakily used the strategy game Rome: Total War as the basis for its entire high concept: to give normal people the chance to take on military leaders in famous historical battles. In Age of Empires 4, each campaign mission is driven by documentary narration and bookended by featurettes on everything from the supremacy of the English longbow to the tactical application of Mongolian whistling arrows. Total War's Time Commanders appearance was never the plan, but AOE 4 feels like it could have been designed deliberately for a BBC edutainment slot. Always well presented, and often fascinating, Age of Empire 4 is also a touch sterile and bloodless, making the single player offerings feel less like juicy, escapist campaigns and more teaching tools. For history, and for the competitive multiplayer that is, understandably, the main focus here. This is a polished real-time strategy (RTS) game that strikes a skilful balance between accessibility and complexity, with sharp presentation and sound design. But unless you plan to invest heavily in the competitive game (or have Game Pass) the package comes at a steep asking price. Especially as advancements aren't a million miles away from AOE 2's definitive edition. Continue reading... |
| Homeless stars, endless spaghetti and amplified farts: the comedians of TikTok Posted: 11 Nov 2021 12:00 AM PST Speech is out. Daft captions are in. Nearly everyone is beautiful. And one guy amassed 11m followers while living in emergency accommodation with his mum. Our critic samples TikTok comedy I'm used to consuming jokes and sketches as part of shows, as components of a bigger whole. But that experience leaves me rudderless on TikTok, where comedy is often conveyed in free-floating skits and blink-and-you'll-miss-them stings. YouTube sketches are Infinite Jests by comparison. Ah, but "the shorter the video, the more you can condense your comedy into bite-size, shareable chunks", according to one guide to TikTok comedy, suggesting that humour on the platform is as often about brand development as it is about making people laugh. Continue reading... |
| Meghan admits aide gave biography authors information with her knowledge Posted: 10 Nov 2021 12:27 PM PST Duchess of Sussex apologises for misleading court, stating she forgot she had authorised PR chief to brief Finding Freedom authors The Duchess of Sussex has apologised in court for failing to remember authorising a senior aide to brief the authors of her and Harry's unofficial biography. Meghan submitted a statement to the court in which she said she could not remember emails between her and her then press secretary, Jason Knauf, about the unauthorised book. Continue reading... |
| Madagascar is drying out – there’s no harvest, only hunger | Anonymous Posted: 11 Nov 2021 12:00 AM PST A doctor in the south of the country says people are eating cactus leaves and ashes as the rains become more erratic There's nothing to harvest any more, nothing that can be taken from the land, that's why people are starving in Madagascar. The rainy season was always special, an important time when everyone planted food – key crops such as cassava. But for the past three years we've had very little rain. The climate has changed in Madagascar, maybe because of the global climate crisis. We used to have distinct seasons but no more, it has been a bit troubled. The landscape looks really dry, the trees have no more leaves. It is hard to find green areas, most have turned arid and grey. Continue reading... |
| First Thing: Kyle Rittenhouse case in jeopardy as lawyers seek mistrial Posted: 11 Nov 2021 02:07 AM PST Trial judge accuses prosecutor of improper line of questioning. Plus, how climate change denialism has been pushed to the fringe Good morning. The murder case against Kyle Rittenhouse was thrown into jeopardy Wednesday when his lawyers asked for a mistrial over what appeared to be out-of-bounds questions asked of Rittenhouse by the chief prosecutor. What did the defense ask for? A mistrial with prejudice, meaning that if one is granted, Rittenhouse cannot be retried over the shootings. Will there be a mistrial? The judge did not immediately rule on the request and is allowing the trial to continue. What did Binger say? He told the judge he had been acting in good faith, but the judge replied: "I don't believe that." Was the move welcomed? It was broadly welcomed by global leaders and climate experts, with the UN secretary general, António Guterres, calling the move "an important step in the right direction". Is this the first pact between US-China on climate? No, there was a bilateral agreement in 2014 which gave momentum to the historic Paris accord the following year, but that cooperation stopped with the Trump administration. Continue reading... |
| Canada: Indigenous people fished sustainably for 1,000 years before settlers arrived – study Posted: 10 Nov 2021 10:08 AM PST New research shows Tsleil-Waututh practices were destroyed during European colonization, and in recent decades wild salmon populations have collapsed A First Nations community on Canada's west coast practiced the sustainable harvest of wild salmon for 1,000 years, before the system was largely destroyed after the arrival of European settlers, a new study has concluded. The Tsleil-Waututh, an Indigenous community whose traditional territory has been subsumed by the city of Vancouver, were long known to have used large weirs to capture salmon preparing to spawn. Continue reading... |
| Torrential rain lashes east coast of Australia as more wild weather forecast Posted: 11 Nov 2021 01:36 AM PST State Emergency Service has received more than 250 calls for help and expects 'significantly' more requests Flash flooding, heavy rain and severe thunderstorms are battering much of the east coast of Australia, with emergency services warning conditions are expected to worsen. Intense rainfall has lashed parts of Queensland and New South Wales with Dubbo recording 40.2mm of rain in 30 minutes. Continue reading... |
| A woman murdered every month: is this Greece’s moment of reckoning on femicide? Posted: 10 Nov 2021 04:00 AM PST Lax punishments, police inaction and inadequate laws serve to embolden abusers, say campaigners – and stark figures bear them out When a woman reported domestic violence in her building in the Athens suburb of Dafni in July, it took 25 minutes for the police to arrive. All the neighbours could hear Anisa's husband abusing her but the police officers did not bother to get out of the patrol car. "They just rolled down their car windows and left," Anisa's neighbour angrily wrote on Facebook that evening. "No stress, guys. Television only cares about the bodies. So when he kills her, I'll tell a television channel to call you." Less than three weeks later, Anisa was dead, murdered by her husband. Neither can be named in full as the case has yet to reach trial. In a statement to police, the perpetrator described how he was overcome with jealousy after Anisa allegedly cheated on him. "I took the knife with my right hand and entered her room. She was sleeping, and I rushed to her and lay on her, stabbing her with the knife in her neck," he said. He later retracted his claim that Anisa was asleep when he killed her. Continue reading... |
| US and China announce surprise climate agreement – video Posted: 10 Nov 2021 08:13 PM PST The United States and China, the world's two largest emitters of carbon dioxide, unveiled a deal to ramp up cooperation tackling the climate crisis. US climate envoy John Kerry and his Chinese counterpart Xie Zhenhua announced the framework agreement at the UN climate conference in Scotland. Both billed it as way to tip the summit toward success. 'In the area of climate change', Xie Zhenhua said. 'There is more agreement between China and the US than divergence, making it an area with huge potential for cooperation'.
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| ‘Love it’: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tries Irn Bru for the first time – video Posted: 10 Nov 2021 01:10 PM PST Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has given her verdict on the taste of the Scottish fizzy drink Irn Bru. In an Instagram video of herself trying the drink for the first time after being handed a can by the Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon, the US congresswoman said: 'Oh my God, love it, love it. This tastes just like the Latina soda Kola Champagne' Continue reading... |
| Israeli ambassador rushed out of LSE event amid Palestine protest – video Posted: 10 Nov 2021 07:55 AM PST The Israeli ambassador to the UK, Tzipi Hotovely, was rushed to her car by bodyguards after a large crowd of protesters gathered outside a London School of Economics event that she was addressing. Footage shows activists jeering and chanting: 'Shame on you!' as Hotovely is led away at speed with heavy police protection. The protests outside specifically targeted Hotovely, saying she had 'advocated for settler colonialism, engaged in Islamophobic rhetoric and perpetuated anti-Palestinian racism' Continue reading... |
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