World news and comment from the Guardian | guardian.co.uk |
- Joe Biden attacks Trump for 'mindless' dismissal of agencies' intelligence
- Russia 'starting drawdown of forces from Syria'
- Four suspects charged with hate crimes over beating in Facebook Live video
- The Canadian who spent C$1.5m to rescue more than 200 Syrian refugees
- No charges sought over abuse claims against French troops in CAR
- UN warns of war crimes over disruption to water supply north of Damascus
- Snapchat accused of lying about user numbers to inflate value of IPO
- Charleston church shooting: state trial delayed due to continuing federal case
- Car bomb kills two outside courthouse in Turkish city of İzmir
- Germany sued for damages of 'forgotten genocide' in Namibia
- UK's lack of negotiating experience may lead to 'very hard Brexit'
- Toyota will face 'big border tax' if Mexico plant makes US cars, Trump says
- Nobel laureate calls on head of Iranian judiciary to quit
- All that glitters is not green: Costa Rica's renewables conceal dependence on oil
- Norway first to start switching off FM radio
- Bangalore police chief: no evidence of 'mass molestation'
- Japanese company replaces office workers with artificial intelligence
- Biden to Trump: ‘Grow up, Donald. Time to be an adult’ – video
- China cementing global dominance of renewable energy and technology
- Four charged with hate crimes over Facebook Live attack, say police – video
- Why did the Los Angeles Times take so long to run an investigation?
- Kenya's women struggle to end male stranglehold on power | Murithi Mutiga
- Queensland teacher who had sex with student gets seven-year ban
- Om Puri, celebrated Indian actor, dies at 66
- After its Brexit-Trump reversal, here's what the left must do
- Mexico gasoline protests: four dead and hundreds arrested during mass looting
- App for women to report harassment launched in Pakistan
- Rudolf Hess’ son pleads for sick father's prison release – archive, 1970
- Al-Qaida leader denounces Islamic State 'liars' in new message
- Japan recalls envoy after South Korea puts 'comfort woman' statue outside consulate
- Ice palaces and neon slides at China snow festival – in pictures
- EU commissioner unfit for role after racist, sexist and homophobic remarks, say NGOs
- Nigeria capital's airport to close for six weeks over 'unsafe' runway
- John Kerry blames Britain for derailing Obama's plan for intervention in Syria
- CCTV footage appears to show car bomb exploding in Turkish city of İzmir – video
- Thai baby elephant receives water therapy – in pictures
- Why Istanbul nightclub attacker may be a Uighur
- Irish passports soar in popularity after Brexit vote
- Benjamin Netanyahu questioned again by Israeli police over gifts
- Obama administration places sanctions on bin Laden's son, citing terror risk
- War games: Russian marines demonstrate their skills in the Philippines
- Zimbabwe claims sale of elephants to China was to support conservation
- Search for next bishop of London raises prospect of female appointment
- Istanbul nightclub attacker is ethnic Uighur, officials believe
- Labour reforms herald earnings boost for migrant workers in Malaysia
- The solar cooker that seeks its own place in the sun | Kate Hodal
- How Japan weaves caring and sharing into all layers of society
- President Obama: Facebook Live attack shows 'terrible toll' racism takes on families – video
- Russia clearly tried to meddle in US political system, says Paul Ryan – video
| Joe Biden attacks Trump for 'mindless' dismissal of agencies' intelligence Posted: 06 Jan 2017 02:12 AM PST Vice-president speaks out as agency chiefs prepare to brief president-elect on Russian election interference The US vice-president, Joe Biden, has said it is "absolutely mindless" for Donald Trump not to have confidence in the intelligence community, as the the heads of the US agencies prepared to present their findings on Russian election interference to the president-elect. The unprecedented dispute between Trump and the intelligence services he will soon control broke into the open at a congressional hearing on Thursday as the head of US intelligence publicly defended his analysts, who he said "stand more resolutely" than ever behind their conclusion of "Russian interference in our electoral process". Continue reading... |
| Russia 'starting drawdown of forces from Syria' Posted: 06 Jan 2017 02:12 AM PST Admiral Kuznetsov carrier and other ships will be first to leave, says military chief, in line with reduction in forces ordered by Putin in December Russia says it is withdrawing an aircraft carrier and other warships from waters off the Mediterranean as the first step in drawing down forces in Syria. "In accordance with the decision of the supreme commander of the Russian armed forces, [President] Vladimir Putin, the Russian defence ministry is beginning the reduction of the armed deployment to Syria," military chief Valery Gerasimov said. |
| Four suspects charged with hate crimes over beating in Facebook Live video Posted: 05 Jan 2017 11:22 AM PST Suspects in Chicago face charges of hate crimes, kidnapping, battery and burglary after video appeared to show them attacking a man and protesting Trump Four suspects have been charged with hate crimes, kidnapping and battery after a Facebook Live broadcast in Chicago appeared to show a person with disabilities bound, gagged and brutally attacked amid shouts of "fuck Donald Trump". Related: Four arrested over Facebook Live video of man tortured amid anti-Trump taunts Continue reading... |
| The Canadian who spent C$1.5m to rescue more than 200 Syrian refugees Posted: 06 Jan 2017 02:00 AM PST Appliance firm CEO Jim Estill is behind an ambitious scheme to resettle 58 families in Guelph, Ontario, and galvanised hundreds of residents to help On a recent snowy Saturday, Jim Estill went knocking on his neighbours' doors, offering to shovel snow from walkways and driveways for cash. Behind him stood a handful of Syrian refugees, newly arrived to the Canadian city of Guelph, in south-western Ontario. Estill, the CEO of multimillion-dollar appliance company Danby, was acting as the group's salesman, and helped the refugees land 50 snow-clearing jobs. Continue reading... |
| No charges sought over abuse claims against French troops in CAR Posted: 05 Jan 2017 09:23 AM PST Paris prosecutor to make final decision after judges conclude investigation into allegations brought to light by UN official Three French judges investigating allegations of rape by French peacekeeping soldiers in the Central African Republic (CAR) have not requested bringing any charges. The judges were investigating allegations that up to six soldiers sexually assaulted children they had been sent to protect in M'Poko, near Bangui three years ago. Continue reading... |
| UN warns of war crimes over disruption to water supply north of Damascus Posted: 05 Jan 2017 09:17 AM PST Fighting between regime and opposition groups in Wadi Barada has disrupted supplies to Syrian capital More than 5.5 million people have only minimal access to water supplies in the Damascus area owing to fighting between the Syrian government and opposition groups, the UN has said, warning that targeting water sources constitutes a war crime. Water from rebel-held Wadi Barada, which supplies Damascus, has been cut off since 22 December. The government has been using tankers to transport supplies to the city, but city authorities said the water had been contaminated with diesel. Most residents no longer have water coming from household taps. Continue reading... |
| Snapchat accused of lying about user numbers to inflate value of IPO Posted: 05 Jan 2017 01:01 PM PST Former employee filed lawsuit saying tech company misrepresented internal numbers about users and growth ahead of possible $25bn initial public offering A former Snapchat employee has accused the tech company of lying about its user numbers to deceive investors ahead of a possible $25bn initial public offering and has filed a lawsuit alleging wrongful termination over his refusal to cooperate. Anthony Pompliano filed a lawsuit against the social media company on Wednesday in Los Angeles. In the suit, Pompliano alleges that Snapchat misrepresented its internal numbers about users and growth, "out of the avarice of the small group of executives" who hope for a huge valuation. Continue reading... |
| Charleston church shooting: state trial delayed due to continuing federal case Posted: 05 Jan 2017 01:16 PM PST Judge says jury selection in Dylann Roof's South Carolina death penalty trial, planned for 17 January, must be postponed Dylann Roof's next trial for the killing of nine black worshippers at a Charleston church has been delayed. Jury selection in the state death penalty trial was supposed to begin 17 January. But Circuit Judge JC Nicholson's said in an order on Thursday that a delay was needed because Roof's federal trial was still going on. |
| Car bomb kills two outside courthouse in Turkish city of İzmir Posted: 05 Jan 2017 08:06 AM PST Car bomb detonates outside court complex in coastal city, killing police officer and court employee A car bomb has exploded outside a courthouse in western Turkey, killing two people and wounding at least five, less than a week after a massacre in an Istanbul nightclub killed 39 revellers and left the country on edge. Turkish authorities said two alleged gunmen were killed in a shootout following the attack in the city of İzmir. A third man is believed to have escaped. The city had been the scene of raids connected to the Istanbul attack, which was claimed by the Islamic State terror group. Continue reading... |
| Germany sued for damages of 'forgotten genocide' in Namibia Posted: 05 Jan 2017 02:07 PM PST Descendants of the Herero and Nama people brought lawsuit for what they called a campaign of genocide by German colonial troops in the early 1900s Germany has been sued for damages in the United States by descendants of the Herero and Nama people of Namibia, for what they called a campaign of genocide by German colonial troops in the early 1900s that led to more than 100,000 deaths. According to a complaint filed on Thursday with the US district court in Manhattan, Germany has excluded the plaintiffs from talks with Namibia regarding what occurred, and has publicly said any settlement will not include reparations to victims, even if compensation is awarded to Namibia itself. Continue reading... |
| UK's lack of negotiating experience may lead to 'very hard Brexit' Posted: 05 Jan 2017 04:47 AM PST Norwegian prime minister Erna Solberg says long membership of EU has left Britain without key skills for successful trade talks Britain's four-decade membership of the EU has left it lacking experience in international negotiations, which will hamper it in trade talks and may lead to "a very hard Brexit", Norway's prime minister has said. Erna Solberg, speaking to Reuters at a meeting of Bavaria's centre-right CSU party in Germany, said that the UK worked slowly in discussions due to a lack of recent experience of entering talks alone. "We do feel that sometimes when we are discussing with Britain, that their speed is limited by the fact that it is such a long time since they have negotiated," she said. Continue reading... |
| Toyota will face 'big border tax' if Mexico plant makes US cars, Trump says Posted: 05 Jan 2017 11:41 AM PST
Donald Trump threatened Toyota on Thursday with a "big border tax" if it didn't build cars meant for the US within the states, the latest in a series of attacks on car manufacturers and the first time since his election that he has threatened a foreign company. Toyota Motor said will build a new plant in Baja, Mexico, to build Corolla cars for U.S. NO WAY! Build plant in U.S. or pay big border tax. Continue reading... |
| Nobel laureate calls on head of Iranian judiciary to quit Posted: 05 Jan 2017 11:32 AM PST Shirin Ebadi blames Ayatollah Sadeq Larijani for injustices after a string of hunger strikes by political prisoners The Nobel peace prize laureate Shirin Ebadi has called on the head of Iran's judiciary to step down after a string of hunger strikes by political prisoners. Ayatollah Sadeq Larijani is also facing mounting pressure from the government of Hassan Rouhani, which is demanding greater financial transparency. Continue reading... |
| All that glitters is not green: Costa Rica's renewables conceal dependence on oil Posted: 05 Jan 2017 08:51 AM PST Costa Rica produced 98% of its electricity last year without fossil fuels but the sustainable success story unravels with the rising demand for gasoline and cars Unless you've avoided social media for the last week, you probably know that last year, Costa Rica was able to produce 98% of its electricity without oil – a feat that most larger and wealthier countries have never accomplished. Over the past few days, reports of Costa Rica's 271 days of fossil-fuel free electricity have made their way to almost every corner of the internet. Continue reading... |
| Norway first to start switching off FM radio Posted: 05 Jan 2017 08:25 AM PST Switch to digital-only radio is opposed by majority of population and will be watched closely by other countries Norway will next week become the first nation to start switching off its FM radio network, in a risky and unpopular leap to digital technology that will be closely watched by other countries considering whether to follow suit. Critics say the government is rushing the move and fear many people may miss emergency alerts that until now have been broadcast via FM radio. Of particular concern are the 2m cars on Norway's roads that are not equipped with digital audio broadcasting (DAB) receivers, they say. Continue reading... |
| Bangalore police chief: no evidence of 'mass molestation' Posted: 05 Jan 2017 03:06 AM PST Praveen Sood says footage from almost 70 CCTV cameras provides no proof of attack on women on New Year's Eve The chief of police in Bangalore has said there is no evidence a "mass molestation" took place in the south Indian city on New Year's Eve. Indians have been angered by reports that women in the city centre were sexually harassed and assaulted on Saturday evening. Six men were arrested on Wednesday in connection with another alleged attack elsewhere in the city that night. Continue reading... |
| Japanese company replaces office workers with artificial intelligence Posted: 05 Jan 2017 01:57 AM PST Insurance firm Fukoku Mutual Life Insurance is making 34 employees redundant and replacing them with IBM's Watson Explorer AI A future in which human workers are replaced by machines is about to become a reality at an insurance firm in Japan, where more than 30 employees are being laid off and replaced with an artificial intelligence system that can calculate payouts to policyholders. Fukoku Mutual Life Insurance believes it will increase productivity by 30% and see a return on its investment in less than two years. The firm said it would save about 140m yen (£1m) a year after the 200m yen (£1.4m) AI system is installed this month. Maintaining it will cost about 15m yen (£100k) a year. Continue reading... |
| Biden to Trump: ‘Grow up, Donald. Time to be an adult’ – video Posted: 06 Jan 2017 01:06 AM PST US vice-president Joe Biden says it's time for president-elect Donald Trump to 'grow up'. In an interview with PBS NewsHour on Thursday, host Judy Woodruff asks Biden about Trump's continued use of Twitter to criticise his political opponents • 'We've shown that we can': Obama's last letter to the American people – full text Continue reading... |
| China cementing global dominance of renewable energy and technology Posted: 06 Jan 2017 01:00 AM PST It now owns five of the world's six largest solar-module manufacturing firms and the largest wind-turbine manufacturer China is cementing its global dominance of renewable energy and supporting technologies, aggressively investing in them both at home and around the globe, leaving countries including the US, UK and Australia at risk of missing the growing market. A report by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (Ieefa) found China's dominance in renewables is rapidly spreading overseas, with the country accelerating its foreign investment in renewable energy and supporting technologies. |
| Four charged with hate crimes over Facebook Live attack, say police – video Posted: 05 Jan 2017 11:55 PM PST Chicago police confirm on Thursday that four people have been charged with hate crimes, kidnapping and battery after a Facebook Live video appeared to show them attacking a man and protesting Trump. Police identified the suspects as Jordan Hill, Tesfaye Cooper and sisters Brittany Covington and Tanishia Covington. The suspects are all 18 years old, except Tanishia Covington, who is 24, says the AP Continue reading... |
| Why did the Los Angeles Times take so long to run an investigation? Posted: 06 Jan 2017 12:38 AM PST Although the newspaper is a case study in 21st century newsprint decline, there are questions also about its editorial decision-making I have just spent three weeks in Los Angeles, home to a newspaper that is suffering from the familiar chronic problems engendered by the digital revolution's continuing disruption. The recent history of the Los Angeles Times has been marked by changes of ownership, changes of editorship and regular culls of editorial staff against a background of falling sales and decreasing advertising revenue. Continue reading... |
| Kenya's women struggle to end male stranglehold on power | Murithi Mutiga Posted: 05 Jan 2017 11:00 PM PST Despite recent reforms, and a reputation as one of Africa's most progressive democracies, Kenya is failing to close the gender gap in political representation Given that she is deputy speaker in parliament, the holder of a PhD and has served as an assistant dean at one of Kenya's leading universities, Joyce Laboso should be eminently qualified to run for any political office in Kenya. However, the central issue in her campaign to become governor of Bomet, a county in the heart of the Rift Valley in western Kenya, has been her marriage. Continue reading... |
| Queensland teacher who had sex with student gets seven-year ban Posted: 06 Jan 2017 12:08 AM PST Tribunal hears some of the encounters occurred at school, others in a park, and some took place at the man's home A Queensland high school teacher who had sex with a female student during school hours has been banned from teaching for seven years. |
| Om Puri, celebrated Indian actor, dies at 66 Posted: 06 Jan 2017 01:52 AM PST Veteran of Bollywood, Hollywood and UK film industry dies in Mumbai, according to close friend Om Puri, one of India's most critically acclaimed actors, who starred in films across Hollywood, Bollywood and the UK, has died in Mumbai. The 66-year-old was found dead at his home on Friday morning, reportedly after suffering a heart attack. Continue reading... |
| After its Brexit-Trump reversal, here's what the left must do Posted: 05 Jan 2017 11:00 PM PST Where did progressives go wrong, and is there any way to beat the populists? Five writers and academics in Europe have their say The idea that we saw the failure of the liberal left in 2016 is a bit sweeping. The most powerful leader in Europe, Angela Merkel, is still – bar a sustained, successful campaign of domestic terrorism – likely to retain her office in 2017. |
| Mexico gasoline protests: four dead and hundreds arrested during mass looting Posted: 05 Jan 2017 10:44 PM PST President vows to continue with deregulation policy that led to 20% price rise as port and road blockades continue Protests and looting fueled by anger over gasoline price rises of 20% in Mexico have led to four deaths, the ransacking of at least 300 stores and the arrests of more than 700 people, officials said. The country's business chambers said supplies of basic goods and fuel were threatened by the combination of highway, port and terminal blockades and looting this week that forced many businesses to close. The mass lootings came before Friday's Epiphany or Three Kings Day holiday. Continue reading... |
| App for women to report harassment launched in Pakistan Posted: 05 Jan 2017 10:27 PM PST App launched in Punjab alerts emergency response police team to their location as authorities seek to improve women's safety A smartphone application enabling women to report incidents of harassment to police in Pakistan's Punjab province went live this week as authorities step up efforts to promote women's safety in one of the worst provinces for crimes against them. With a click of a button, users who feel threatened can call an emergency response police team who should be able to track their location via a built-in global positioning system (GPS). Continue reading... |
| Rudolf Hess’ son pleads for sick father's prison release – archive, 1970 Posted: 05 Jan 2017 09:00 PM PST 6 January 1970: Hitler's former deputy serving a life sentence in Spandau prison following the Nuremberg trials, 1945-46 The health of Rudolf Hess is considered of first importance by the British Government, Mr Wolf Hess, the Son of Hitler's deputy, was told at the Foreign Office yesterday. Mr Hess, aged 32, a bachelor and civil engineer from Munich, spent more than an hour with Mr George Thomson, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, to put the case for his father's release from life imprisonment. Continue reading... |
| Al-Qaida leader denounces Islamic State 'liars' in new message Posted: 05 Jan 2017 08:28 PM PST Ayman al-Zawahiri denounces dishonest propaganda by rival jihadist group Al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri has denounced what he said was a dishonest propaganda campaign by rival jihadist group the Islamic State against his organisation, in an audio message released Thursday. In the message found and translated by US-based watchdog the SITE Intelligence Group, the Egyptian extremist accuses IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi of slandering his group. Continue reading... |
| Japan recalls envoy after South Korea puts 'comfort woman' statue outside consulate Posted: 05 Jan 2017 08:11 PM PST Economic talks halted after Seoul sets up sex slavery statue in protest at Japanese minister's visit to war crimes shrine Japan has recalled its ambassador to South Korea in protest at the placing of a statue symbolising victims of Japanese wartime sex slavery outside its consulate. Chief government spokesman Yoshihide Suga announced the temporary move at a media conference along with additional measures that include postponing high-level economic discussions. "The Japanese government finds this situation extremely regrettable," he said. Continue reading... |
| Ice palaces and neon slides at China snow festival – in pictures Posted: 05 Jan 2017 06:25 PM PST The 33rd Harbin international ice and snow sculpture festival opened on Thursday night. The event in Heilongjiang province in China's north features some of the world's biggest ice sculptures, as well as tour packages including ice hotels, skiing and dog-sled rides Continue reading... |
| EU commissioner unfit for role after racist, sexist and homophobic remarks, say NGOs Posted: 05 Jan 2017 05:16 PM PST HR chief Günther Oettinger should be leading by example rather than making divisive remarks, open letter states Germany's EU commissioner Günther Oettinger is unfit to run the human resources portfolio because of his divisive record of racist, sexist and homophobic remarks, rights groups have said. In an open letter to the European Parliament, which will publicly question Oettinger on Monday, NGOs including Oxfam International and Transparency International said Oettinger was not suitable for the new job. Continue reading... |
| Nigeria capital's airport to close for six weeks over 'unsafe' runway Posted: 05 Jan 2017 05:15 PM PST Repairs to Abuja airport will begin in March with flights diverted to city 180kms away and shuttle buses put on for passengers A Nigerian official has said the airport in the capital city of Abuja will close for six weeks beginning in March to repair its "dilapidated" and "unsafe" runway. The closure beginning on 8 March will see flights diverted to an airport in Kaduna, a city about 180 km (110 miles) to the north, with additional security provided for shuttle busses travelling along a highway that has been the scene of high-profile kidnappings. Continue reading... |
| John Kerry blames Britain for derailing Obama's plan for intervention in Syria Posted: 05 Jan 2017 03:33 PM PST The US secretary of state made the link explicit between British parliament's vote against air strikes and Obama's failure to enforce his 'red line' Barack Obama's plan for military intervention in Syria was abruptly derailed by David Cameron and British members of parliament, US secretary of state John Kerry claimed on Thursday. Related: Russia hacking: US intelligence chief hits back at Donald Trump's 'disparagement' Continue reading... |
| CCTV footage appears to show car bomb exploding in Turkish city of İzmir – video Posted: 05 Jan 2017 02:12 PM PST CCTV footage appears to show the moment a car bomb explodes outside a court complex in the Turkish city of İzmir on Thursday. The explosion killed a police officer and a court employee. Five others were wounded. Two gunmen linked to the attack have reportedly been shot dead by police. The incident comes less than a week after the New Year's Eve massacre in an Istanbul nightclub where 39 people died Continue reading... |
| Thai baby elephant receives water therapy – in pictures Posted: 05 Jan 2017 10:55 AM PST Six month-old Clear Sky, who lost part of her foot in a trap, enjoys a hydrotherapy session at a veterinary clinic in Chonburi province Continue reading... |
| Why Istanbul nightclub attacker may be a Uighur Posted: 05 Jan 2017 10:05 AM PST Revealing nom de guerre and Isis propensity to use Turkic-speaking groups point towards potential background of Club Reina attacker Turkish officials' claims that the prime suspect for the New Year's Eve attack on the Reina nightclub in Istanbul is a Uighur – a member of the largely Muslim, Turkic-speaking, group – deserves to be taken seriously. The killer's assumed name, a nom de guerre, is one clue. It was given on Thursday by Turkish media as Abu Muhammed Horasani, the second part meaning "the man from Horasan". Continue reading... |
| Irish passports soar in popularity after Brexit vote Posted: 05 Jan 2017 09:36 AM PST Referendum was followed by 106% rise in Irish passport applications from Britain in November The number of people who applied for Irish passports from Britain in 2016 was 42% higher than the year before the Brexit vote, figures from the Irish government have shown. The figures, released by Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs, show that in June the numbers were up by 9% on 2015. But by November the increase had risen to 106%, and passport offices in London and Edinburgh received 6,443 applications compared to just over 3,000 the year before. Continue reading... |
| Benjamin Netanyahu questioned again by Israeli police over gifts Posted: 05 Jan 2017 09:33 AM PST Israeli PM is alleged to have accepted 'favours' from businesspeople but denies wrongdoing Israeli police have questioned the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, for the second time over allegations that he improperly accepted gifts from wealthy businesspeople. Israeli media said investigators had arrived at Netanyahu's official residence in Jerusalem on Thursday. Questioning on Monday lasted more than three hours. Police had no immediate comment. Continue reading... |
| Obama administration places sanctions on bin Laden's son, citing terror risk Posted: 05 Jan 2017 09:05 AM PST State department adds Hamza bin Laden, who was named an al-Qaida member in 2014, to global terror list, saying he is 'actively engaged in terrorism' The Obama administration imposed sanctions on Thursday on a son of Osama bin Laden, saying the younger Bin Laden poses a risk to US national security. The state department said Hamza bin Laden had been added to its Specially Designated Global Terrorist list after he was "determined to have committed, or pose a serious risk of committing, acts of terrorism that threaten the security of U.S. nationals or the national security". Continue reading... |
| War games: Russian marines demonstrate their skills in the Philippines Posted: 05 Jan 2017 08:43 AM PST Marines attached to anti-submarine ship Admiral Tributs put on a show in Manila as part of five days of activities Continue reading... |
| Zimbabwe claims sale of elephants to China was to support conservation Posted: 05 Jan 2017 07:19 AM PST Activists denounce 'clandestine' move as authorities try to 'extract value out of our wildlife' to prop up self-sustaining wildlife agency amid economic turmoil Zimbabwe's wildlife agency has sold 35 elephants to China, saying the measure was intended to ease overpopulation and raise funds for conservation, amid criticism from animal welfare activists that such sales are unethical. This once prosperous country's economy has fallen apart, and Zimbabwe's government has said it needs to sell wildlife to support its people and conservation efforts. The government also has sought to sell its ivory stockpile for millions of dollars. Continue reading... |
| Search for next bishop of London raises prospect of female appointment Posted: 05 Jan 2017 05:27 AM PST C of E decision over who to recommend for post will revive controversy in diocese divided over ordination of women The Church of England is considering candidates for its third most senior position, the bishop of London, amid speculation that a woman may be appointed. Richard Chartres, who has held the post since 1996, is obliged to retire this year when he turns 70. He will step down at the end of February. |
| Istanbul nightclub attacker is ethnic Uighur, officials believe Posted: 05 Jan 2017 04:36 AM PST Turkish deputy PM says possible locations have been established for gunman, as police carry out raid in town of Selimpaşa Turkey believes the gunman who killed 39 people in an attack on new year revellers in an Istanbul nightclub is an ethnic Uighur, a senior government official has said. Veysi Kaynak, one of several deputy prime ministers, told the broadcaster A Haber that Turkey had established his possible locations and links, hours after police carried out a dawn raid in a town on the edge of Istanbul and detained several suspects. Continue reading... |
| Labour reforms herald earnings boost for migrant workers in Malaysia Posted: 05 Jan 2017 09:00 PM PST Series of measures including ban on employers deducting a foreign workers' levy seen as laying groundwork for Malaysia to join Trans-Pacific Partnership Millions of foreign migrant workers in Malaysia are to receive a significant increase in their salaries after the government barred employers from deducting a foreign workers' levy from their wages. The levy, along with a fee for accommodation, typically costs migrant workers on the minimum wage more than 20% of their earnings, leaving them with the equivalent of just £140 a month. Continue reading... |
| The solar cooker that seeks its own place in the sun | Kate Hodal Posted: 05 Jan 2017 03:14 AM PST Solar cookers need to be moved during the day, an inconvenience that leads to some being discarded. But what if a clever unit did its own sun tracking? Solar cookers have been promoted as a safe alternative to boil water, cook food, or even sterilise medical equipment, but many require the user to move the unit so that its focal point is in direct line with the sun. It is a seemingly simple move, but critics claim it has tended to deter users from cooking with them. Roughly 3 billion people worldwide still cook on open fires or solid fuel stoves, according to the World Health Organisation, which estimates more than 4 million people die every year because of household pollution associated with such cooking measures. Continue reading... |
| How Japan weaves caring and sharing into all layers of society Posted: 04 Jan 2017 05:55 PM PST The Japanese believe politeness engenders order, safety and cleanliness – core values to live by Although they are ubiquitous, Japanese people rarely notice the grooved lines on their pavements. Every footpath that is wide enough seems to have these extruding lines. They inhibit the smooth movement of prams, wheelchairs and trolleys. In the rain or snow, they can be a hazard for the cyclists who share pavements with pedestrians. They are expensive to maintain. But these lines serve a purpose. With their prominently raised grooves they provide a means for blind people to traverse the city. They can feel these footpath guides with their feet or follow them with walking canes. Continue reading... |
| President Obama: Facebook Live attack shows 'terrible toll' racism takes on families – video Posted: 06 Jan 2017 12:24 AM PST President Barack Obama says the beating of a white man in Chicago that was broadcast live on Facebook shows the 'terrible toll that racism, discrimination and hate takes on families and communities'. Speaking to ABC7 Chicago on Thursday, Obama says race relations have improved during his presidency Continue reading... |
| Russia clearly tried to meddle in US political system, says Paul Ryan – video Posted: 05 Jan 2017 12:02 PM PST Paul Ryan, the Republican speaker of the House, tells reporters in Washington that Russia did try to meddle in the US political system. Speaking on Thursday, Ryan's comments follow president-elect Donald Trump's apparent endorsement of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's claim that the Russian state was not the source of the hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee Continue reading... |
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