World news and comment from the Guardian | guardian.co.uk |
- Trump security adviser Flynn quits after leaks suggest he tried to cover up Russia talks
- Violence flares in war-weary Ukraine as US dithers and Russia pounces
- Georgian priest charged with conspiracy to murder senior cleric
- Plans for two-speed EU risk split with 'peripheral' members
- Romanian parliament approves anti-corruption referendum
- Jakarta governor election a 'litmus test' of Indonesian Islam
- North Korea claims missile test success as China rejects US criticism
- France avalanche kills three members of family and instructor near Tignes
- Lake Oroville dam: emergency staff race to fix spillway before more rain strikes
- Trump's railing against Bowe Bergdahl called 'disturbing' by military judge
- Judge rejects Standing Rock request to block Dakota Access pipeline drilling
- Iranian president criticised for all-male delegation to meet Swedes
- German contemporary art a big draw as artists come to terms with past
- Election of new Hamas Gaza Strip leader increases fears of confrontation
- UN accused of failing Afghan refugees 'forced' to return home from Pakistan
- 'We had to sue': the five lawyers taking on China's authorities over smog
- Mass evacuation ordered over flooding threat from Lake Oroville dam
- Government says Trump will receive 'full courtesy' of state visit
- Record numbers of couples living in sexless marriages in Japan, says report
- Missile crisis by candlelight: Donald Trump's use of Mar-a-Lago raises security questions
- Donald Trump had 'full confidence' in Mike Flynn – hours later he was gone
- Ending the Dubs scheme will put child refugees at the mercy of traffickers | Aidan McQuade
- Barnaby Joyce says Labor has 'bat-poo crazy ideas' about renewables – as it happened
- Kenya's health system on the verge of collapse as doctors' strike grinds on
- Boy, 10, dies after incident at Reading shopping centre branch of Topshop
- Brexit weekly briefing: article 50 moves closer but EU dashes divorce deal hopes
- Childcare companies using profits to subsidise fees in low-income areas
- Barnaby Joyce on a federal One Nation preference deal: let the policies decide
- Gary Lineker joins stars to condemn scrapping of Dubs refugee scheme
- Tuesday briefing: Secrets and lies – Michael Flynn quits over Russian contacts
- Why didn't Trudeau stand up to Trump on travel ban? It's the economy, stupid
- Trump and Trudeau remain diplomatic in first meeting – video
- Justin Trudeau says it's not Canada's duty to 'lecture' Trump on immigration
- Canada arrests nearly 70 asylum seekers at US border following Trump travel ban
- Whistleblower protection and the public interest | Letters
- Avalanche strikes French Alps killing four skiers – video report
- Canada reintroduces bison to Banff national park after more than a century
- Lahore blast: bomb explodes near protesters – video report
- Lahore blast: several killed as 'suicide bomb' hits Pakistan rally
- Tories risk losing support over child refugees, says senior MP
- Serving bishop joins criticism against C of E stance on gay marriage
- López Obrador, Mexico's austere populist, sees chance in rise of Trump
- Ex-GCHQ whistleblower attacks plans to extend dragnet of secrecy law
- Eyewitness: Padang, Indonesia
- Monday briefing: Trump silent as pressure mounts on key adviser
- Philippine bid to jail nine-year-olds is 'a great child violation', Unicef says
- Mexicans take to the streets to protest against 'global threat' of Donald Trump
- Romania protests enter 13th day with calls for government of 'thieves' to resign
- 'The darkest time': Hong Kong reels over bizarre disappearance of Chinese billionaire
- Joanne Lees reveals plan for Peter Falconio memorial – video
- Joanne Lees returns to search for body of murdered boyfriend Peter Falconio
- One day in the life of a suffocating planet – as it happened
- Pant by numbers: the cities with the most dangerous air – listed
- How bad is Delhi's air? We strapped a monitor to a rickshaw to find out
- Welcome to Onitsha: the city with the world’s worst air
- The war against air pollution has begun – and it will be fought in cities
- David Miliband: aid is failing to keep pace with humanitarian crises
- Egypt's Nubians fight for ancestral land earmarked for mega-project
- Donald Trump's strange handshake style and how Justin Trudeau beat it – video
- Frank-Walter Steinmeier elected as new president of Germany – video
| Trump security adviser Flynn quits after leaks suggest he tried to cover up Russia talks Posted: 14 Feb 2017 12:05 AM PST The departure of Trump's national security adviser is the most dramatic development yet to hit the president's chaotic administration The US national security advisor, Michael Flynn, resigned late on Monday night amid a flow of intelligence leaks that he had secretly discussed sanctions with the Russian ambassador to Washington and then tried to cover up the conversations. The resignation, with the Trump era less than four weeks old, is the latest and most dramatic convulsion in the most chaotic start to an administration in modern US history. Continue reading... |
| Violence flares in war-weary Ukraine as US dithers and Russia pounces Posted: 13 Feb 2017 11:00 PM PST As Ukrainian forces trade shellfire with Russia-backed rebels, the residents of Avdiivka face endless stress and misery Not much is audible over the noise of the hulking, powerful machinery at Avdiivka's sprawling factory – except for the artillery barrages. Since the war started in 2014 more than 300 shells have fallen on the grounds of the factory, the largest coking plant in Europe, which sits on Ukrainian-controlled territory just a few miles from the frontline with Russia-backed separatists. The big guns have been mercifully quiet for months, but the past fortnight has seen a new flurry of violence, linked in Kiev to a Russia apparently newly emboldened by the election of Donald Trump in the US. Continue reading... |
| Georgian priest charged with conspiracy to murder senior cleric Posted: 13 Feb 2017 09:52 AM PST Deacon Giorgi Mamaladze, detained at Tbilisi airport with cyanide in his baggage, is suspected of planning to kill Georgian Orthodox patriarch Prosecutors in Georgia have charged a high-ranking priest with conspiracy to murder after he was found to have attempted to fly out to visit the country's religious leader with cyanide in his baggage. Deacon Giorgi Mamaladze was detained at Tbilisi airport on 10 February, Georgia's prosecutor general, Irakli Shotadze, told journalists on Monday. Continue reading... |
| Plans for two-speed EU risk split with 'peripheral' members Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:00 PM PST Italy hoping to gain support among founding EU members to back model, but some say it could lead to break-up of bloc A core group of European Union founding countries is to risk the fury of Visegrád member states as it forces the resurrection of a two-speed Europe back on to the Brussels agenda six decades after the treaty of Rome. Italy, which is hosting an EU summit next month marking the 60th anniversary of the founding pact, is increasingly confident that France and Germany will back the plan for a post-Brexit roadmap, despite bruising exchanges with central Europeans about the best way to respond to the challenge of populism. Continue reading... |
| Romanian parliament approves anti-corruption referendum Posted: 13 Feb 2017 03:36 PM PST Politicians agree to public vote amid mass protests and international concern over plans to water down anti-graft legislation Romania's parliament has agreed to hold a referendum on fighting official corruption following pressure from public protests. An estimated 70,000 people took to the streets on Sunday for the 13th consecutive night of anti-government demonstrations. Those campaigning have accused the government of attempting to water down anti-corruption laws. Continue reading... |
| Jakarta governor election a 'litmus test' of Indonesian Islam Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:00 PM PST Incumbent Ahok, a Christian from the ethnic Chinese minority, fights to retain office after a campaign charged with racial and religious intolerance Millions of Jakarta residents will go to the polls on Wednesday in a vote that is being seen as a "litmus test" of Indonesian Islam. In the capital of the world's largest Muslim-majority nation, the incumbent Jakarta governor Basuki Purnama Tjahaja, better known as Ahok, is battling to retain his seat. Continue reading... |
| North Korea claims missile test success as China rejects US criticism Posted: 13 Feb 2017 11:26 AM PST US calls for it to press Pyongyang to ditch nuclear programme are pointless unless Washington looks at own role, Beijing says North Korea has claimed it successfully test launched a medium-to-long-range ballistic missile, with China voicing opposition but rejecting criticism that it could do more to steer the regime away from its goal of developing a nuclear weapon capable of striking the US mainland. The test on Sunday appeared to be timed to coincide with Donald Trump's summit with the Japanese prime minister, Shinzo Abe, and forced the two leaders to agree on an ad hoc response after their round of golf at Trump's estate in Florida. Continue reading... |
| France avalanche kills three members of family and instructor near Tignes Posted: 13 Feb 2017 09:46 AM PST Reports that five other skiers and boarders were missing near Alpine resort of Tignes are now thought to be incorrect Three members of the same family and their snowboard instructor have died in an avalanche near the busy French Alpine resort of Tignes. The group was swept away at 10.35am local time as they boarded off-piste at an altitude of about 2,100 metres in the Savoie region of the central Alps, near the Italian border. Continue reading... |
| Lake Oroville dam: emergency staff race to fix spillway before more rain strikes Posted: 13 Feb 2017 11:01 AM PST
Emergency workers and state officials were racing on Monday to repair a damaged spillway on the tallest dam in the United States, while almost 200,000 people evacuated downstream of the structure were given no indication of when they might return to their homes. Related: Lake Oroville dam: mass evacuation ordered over flooding threat Continue reading... |
| Trump's railing against Bowe Bergdahl called 'disturbing' by military judge Posted: 13 Feb 2017 01:38 PM PST Questions raised about fairness of trial due to Trump repeatedly calling the soldier, held captive by the Taliban after walking off his post, a 'no-good traitor' A military judge called Donald Trump's scathing campaign-trail criticism of army Sgt Bowe Bergdahl "disturbing" on Monday and questioned whether it would make the public think the soldier could not get a fair trial for walking off his post in Afghanistan in 2009. During a pre-trial hearing, defense attorneys played part of a video exhibit in which Trump repeatedly says at campaign appearances that Bergdahl is a "traitor" who should be harshly punished. Bergdahl's lawyers argue the comments violate their client's due-process rights and that the case should be dismissed. Continue reading... |
| Judge rejects Standing Rock request to block Dakota Access pipeline drilling Posted: 13 Feb 2017 12:45 PM PST Tribes lost a challenge of the president's decision to speed approvals for the last stretch of the $3.7bn pipeline under the Missouri river in North Dakota A federal judge has rejected a request from indigenous tribes to block drilling of the Dakota Access pipeline, the latest blow to the Standing Rock Sioux after Donald Trump fast-tracked final permits for the last phase of construction. Related: Army veterans return to Standing Rock to form a human shield against police Continue reading... |
| Iranian president criticised for all-male delegation to meet Swedes Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:19 AM PST Pictures showing majority female Swedish delegation in hijab highlights Hassan Rouhani's broken campaign promises to Iran's women Iran's president has come under criticism for surrounding himself with an all-male entourage while hosting a predominantly female delegation visiting Tehran from Sweden. Related: Hassan Rouhani sworn in as president of Iran, urging moderation and respect Continue reading... |
| German contemporary art a big draw as artists come to terms with past Posted: 13 Feb 2017 05:20 AM PST Sotheby's says 'unprecedented interest' with buyers tuning in to postwar masters' attempts to use work to confront history For years, contemporary art sales at the world's leading auction houses were dominated by the works of American and British artists. When it came to eye-watering amounts of money, paintings by anglophone figures including Andy Warhol, Jackson Pollock and Francis Bacon were typically the headline-makers. But in what has been described as a "sensational development", Sotheby's – the highest value auction house for contemporary art sales in London– has said German postwar masters are now defining the scene. Continue reading... |
| Election of new Hamas Gaza Strip leader increases fears of confrontation Posted: 13 Feb 2017 08:42 AM PST Selection of 55-year-old Yahya Sinwar - who rejects reconciliation with Israel - appears to end Islamist group's internal struggle Hamas has elected a hardliner from its armed wing as its next leader in the Gaza Strip, escalating fears that Israel and the group may be heading towards yet another round of deadly confrontation. Yahya Sinwar, a 55-year-old who rejects any reconciliation with Israel, was released after 22 years in an Israeli jail in 2011 as part of a prisoner swap for the captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. He will now take over from prime minister Ismail Haniyeh, who is a candidate for the leadership of the Islamist group's entire organisation. Continue reading... |
| UN accused of failing Afghan refugees 'forced' to return home from Pakistan Posted: 13 Feb 2017 03:35 AM PST UNHCR cites behind-scenes advocacy after rights group claims it has left Afghan refugees at risk of persecution by failing to condemn 'campaign of abuse' The UN refugee agency has fallen short of its mandate to protect refugees by failing to denounce a "campaign of abuse" by Pakistan that has ushered thousands of Afghans out of the country, leaving them at risk of persecution at home, according to Human Rights Watch. Last year the Pakistani government ordered all Afghan migrants and refugees to leave the country, mounting a campaign of intimidation, according to HRW, that has so far led to the eviction of nearly 600,000 people since July. |
| 'We had to sue': the five lawyers taking on China's authorities over smog Posted: 13 Feb 2017 04:00 AM PST In an unprecedented legal case, a group of Chinese lawyers have charged the governments of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei with failing to protect their citizens from air pollution, which is linked to a third of all deaths in the country Who is responsible for China's chronic and deadly air pollution? That depends on who you ask. Officials blame the weather or outdoor barbecues, activists blame steel companies and coal-fired power plants. But Yu Wensheng blames only one actor: the government. The 50-year-old lawyer recently launched an unprecedented suit against the authorities in three regions in China, claiming they have failed in their responsibilities. For a government with the motto "Serve the People", Yu feels the officials are serving other interests by allowing nearly half a billion people to choke on toxic smog. Continue reading... |
| Mass evacuation ordered over flooding threat from Lake Oroville dam Posted: 13 Feb 2017 02:25 AM PST Almost 200,000 ordered from homes in California, but officials say immediate danger of overflow channel failure at tallest US dam has passed Nearly 200,000 people living downstream from the tallest dam in the US were ordered to evacuate their homes on Sunday because an overflow channel appeared to be in danger of imminent collapse. Related: How I rented a piece of a river in a never-ending western drought Continue reading... |
| Government says Trump will receive 'full courtesy' of state visit Posted: 14 Feb 2017 01:41 AM PST Response to petition calling for cancellation of visit signed by 1.8m people says No 10 does not support their view Donald Trump should be granted the "full courtesy" of a state visit to the UK, the government has said in a statement sent to 1.8 million people who signed a petition against the invitation to the US president. The petition, which is being considered for debate in parliament, called for Trump to be allowed to enter the UK but not be granted an official state visit "because it would cause embarrassment to Her Majesty the Queen". Continue reading... |
| Record numbers of couples living in sexless marriages in Japan, says report Posted: 14 Feb 2017 01:04 AM PST Survey by country's family planning association found that nearly half of married couples had not had sex for more than a month As couples around the world prepare to celebrate their love on Valentine's Day, Japan is grappling with more evidence that its citizens have lost the spark in the bedroom. A new survey by the Japan family planning association found that nearly half of married couples had not had sex for more than a month and did not expect that to change in the near future – the association's definition of a "sexless" marriage. Continue reading... |
| Missile crisis by candlelight: Donald Trump's use of Mar-a-Lago raises security questions Posted: 13 Feb 2017 11:49 PM PST Trump handled news of North Korea's missile launch at his private club, rather than the situation room, raising an array of ethical and national security issues Nothing befitted Donald Trump more than his first real national security scare. The urgent consultation with Japanese prime minister, Shinzo Abe, about a provocative North Korean missile launch, was played out by candlelight against a backdrop of hotel muzak, high-paying guests and low-paid waiters. |
| Donald Trump had 'full confidence' in Mike Flynn – hours later he was gone Posted: 13 Feb 2017 11:02 PM PST The national security adviser was undone after he was found to have 'misinformed' the vice president about his contacts with Russia At 4.15pm on Monday afternoon, Kellyanne Conway, counselor to Donald Trump declared that national security adviser Mike Flynn had the full confidence of the president. Seven hours later, Flynn resigned. So how did that happen? Continue reading... |
| Ending the Dubs scheme will put child refugees at the mercy of traffickers | Aidan McQuade Posted: 13 Feb 2017 11:00 PM PST The UK's programme to resettle lone children fleeing war is a small beacon of humanity amid Europe's sorry response to the refugee crisis I do not want to doubt the deep personal commitment of the prime minister, Theresa May, or the home secretary, Amber Rudd, towards the eradication of slavery in the UK and across the world. But I am afraid I must take exception to Amber Rudd's remarks on closing the Dubs scheme to resettle unaccompanied minors, after accepting only 350 of them. Ms Rudd stated that British and French authorities feared that the existence of the Dubs scheme was "a pull factor" for refugee children to head to Britain and provided opportunities for people traffickers. Such opportunities already abound as a result of the sorry mess of the European policy response to the refugee crisis in the Mediterranean. The Dubs scheme is a small beacon of humanity in the midst of this mess, providing safety and protection to children who would otherwise be vulnerable to trafficking. Continue reading... |
| Barnaby Joyce says Labor has 'bat-poo crazy ideas' about renewables – as it happened Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:36 PM PST Labor's Mark Butler tells Turnbull to 'stop blaming renewable energy and admit he has a national energy crisis'. As it happened
That's your lot for the evening. Thanks to Gareth Hutchens, Paul Karp, Katharine Murphy and Mike Bowers.
I have just stumbled into a Senate debate on renewable energy to hear LNP senator Ian Macdonald complain that Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson had called him, thick as two short planks. Continue reading... |
| Kenya's health system on the verge of collapse as doctors' strike grinds on Posted: 13 Feb 2017 08:47 AM PST Mass walkout over reneged 2013 deal on boosting pay and staffing has left patients untreated and medical union leaders in jail Kenya's hospitals have almost ground to a halt, with millions facing a third month in a row without healthcare as doctors strike over low pay and poor working conditions. The public healthcare system has long been overburdened and underfunded, but has now virtually stopped functioning after 5,000 doctors walk out in December after attempts to reach a compromise with the health ministry stalled. Continue reading... |
| Boy, 10, dies after incident at Reading shopping centre branch of Topshop Posted: 14 Feb 2017 01:10 AM PST Child was taken to hospital after sustaining severe head injuries in incident involving furniture A 10-year-old boy has died after suffering severe head injuries in an incident involving furniture at a Topshop store. The incident happened at the Oracle shopping centre in Reading, Berkshire, on Monday, which was the first day of the school holidays. Police said they were called to the mall at 4.15pm by ambulance crews. Continue reading... |
| Brexit weekly briefing: article 50 moves closer but EU dashes divorce deal hopes Posted: 13 Feb 2017 11:00 PM PST MPs vote overwhelmingly to trigger Brexit as Guy Verhofstadt suggests Brussels will not let UK leave ECJ's jurisdiction in 2019 Welcome to the Guardian's weekly Brexit briefing, a summary of developments as Britain heads more or less steadily towards the EU door marked "exit". If you'd like to receive it as a weekly early morning email, please sign up here. A quick note: producing the Guardian's independent, in-depth journalism takes a lot of time and money. We do it because we believe our perspective matters – and it may well be your perspective, too. If you value our Brexit coverage, become a Guardian Supporter and help make our future more secure. Thank you. Continue reading... |
| Childcare companies using profits to subsidise fees in low-income areas Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:00 PM PST Nursery providers in Nairobi are helping to train childminders, while in Bogotá and São Paulo they are using wealthier communities to subsidise fees Nairobi's slums are packed with daycares, but the businesses are difficult to spot. Childminders often keep their unmarked doors shut, perhaps for fear of passersby seeing what goes on inside – young children crammed into tiny, dusty huts for hours on end with poor sanitation, inadequate food and little interaction. Kidogo, however, is easy to find. This childcare centre announces its presence with bright blue signs and the noise of kids playing outdoors. Continue reading... |
| Barnaby Joyce on a federal One Nation preference deal: let the policies decide Posted: 14 Feb 2017 12:30 AM PST Nationals leader says he never subscribed to the Howard view that One Nation should be put last The Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce has held out the prospect of preferencing One Nation ahead of Labor at the federal level, saying he will make a final determination based on the policies being offered by other political parties. With government ministers lining up in recent days to pave the way for the Liberal party to do preference deals with One Nation at the federal level, Joyce was asked on Sky News on Tuesday whether he would approve of putting One Nation ahead of Labor on a Nationals how-to-vote card in a federal election. Continue reading... |
| Gary Lineker joins stars to condemn scrapping of Dubs refugee scheme Posted: 14 Feb 2017 12:44 AM PST More than 200 celebrities including Keira Knightley and Mark Rylance tell Theresa May that ending scheme is 'truly shameful' More than 200 high-profile public figures including Ralph Fiennes, Keira Knightley, Michael Morpurgo and the band Coldplay have written to Theresa May calling on the government not to close a scheme to bring unaccompanied child refugees from Europe to Britain. In an open letter addressed to the prime minister, the signatories describe the decision to admit no more than 350 children under the so-called Dubs amendment as "truly shameful". Continue reading... |
| Tuesday briefing: Secrets and lies – Michael Flynn quits over Russian contacts Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:49 PM PST Trump national security adviser resigns … Britain's new favourite dog breed … and Theresa May blasted for 'Hunger Games' approach to Brexit Hello, this is Warren Murray bringing you today's Guardian morning briefing. Continue reading... |
| Why didn't Trudeau stand up to Trump on travel ban? It's the economy, stupid Posted: 13 Feb 2017 03:41 PM PST Some might have longed for Justin Trudeau to stake out the moral high ground at Monday's press conference, but economic realities forced him to stay subtle It was an eagerly anticipated match, pitting a self-described feminist who has welcomed more than 40,000 Syrian refugees to his country against a president who once bragged about grabbing women and has sought to crack down on immigration. Related: Justin Trudeau says it's not Canada's duty to 'lecture' Trump on immigration Continue reading... |
| Trump and Trudeau remain diplomatic in first meeting – video Posted: 13 Feb 2017 02:20 PM PST Donald Trump and his Canadian counterpart, Justin Trudeau, gave a relatively subdued press conference on Monday following a meeting at the White House. The two leaders largely avoided discussion of any major policy differences, with Trudeau saying it was not his place to come down to the US and 'lecture another country'. Trump spoke generally about working with Canada and touched on border security and trade Continue reading... |
| Justin Trudeau says it's not Canada's duty to 'lecture' Trump on immigration Posted: 13 Feb 2017 01:22 PM PST Canada's prime minister holds a joint press conference with Donald Trump and avoids making a statement on travel ban despite his previous tweets about it Justin Trudeau said at a joint press conference in Washington with Donald Trump on Monday that it was not his place to come down to the US and "lecture another country". At a surprisingly placid joint press conference at the White House, the Canadian prime minister went out of his way to avoid any incidents with a US president, who has already stoked controversy in his dealings with several foreign leaders. Trudeau seemed to be struggling to keep a straight face at times as his American counterpart spoke. Continue reading... |
| Canada arrests nearly 70 asylum seekers at US border following Trump travel ban Posted: 13 Feb 2017 11:50 AM PST
Nearly 70 people seeking asylum in Canada were arrested over the weekend, adding to the small but growing number of refugees who are braving bitterly cold winter conditions to cross the border after Donald Trump's executive order temporarily barring people from seven Muslim-majority countries. A spokesman for the Canada Border Services Agency said that 21 people were intercepted in Manitoba, while 46 others made claims at border crossings in Québec. Continue reading... |
| Whistleblower protection and the public interest | Letters Posted: 13 Feb 2017 11:33 AM PST Public distrust of elites makes legitimate access to "official data" ever more vital (Whistleblowers 'face full-frontal legal onslaught', 13 February). The Law Commission's report states that "criminalisation is limited to the unauthorised disclosure of those categories of information that have implications for the national interest" (page 1). But scope for flexibility in defining the term's meaning is illustrated in a later comment, "mindful of the need to ensure that the legislation only encompasses information the disclosure of which could damage the national interest, we invite consultees' views on whether information that relates to the economy ought to be brought within the scope of the legislation" (page 92). Continue reading...This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Avalanche strikes French Alps killing four skiers – video report Posted: 13 Feb 2017 09:39 AM PST At least four skiers have died and another five are missing after an avalanche struck near the busy French Alpine resort of Tignes on Monday. A group of eight tourists and a guide were swept away at 10.35am local time as they skied off-piste at an altitude of about 2,100 metres in the Savoie region of the central Alps, near the Italian border Continue reading... |
| Canada reintroduces bison to Banff national park after more than a century Posted: 13 Feb 2017 09:01 AM PST
Canada has reintroduced a herd of plains bison to the country's oldest national park in Banff, Alberta, officials said on Monday, more than 130 years after the North American animal last grazed the eastern slopes of the Canadian Rockies. The conservation team moved 16 bison from a protected herd in central Alberta into an enclosed pasture in Banff national park in the west of the province last week. Continue reading... |
| Lahore blast: bomb explodes near protesters – video report Posted: 13 Feb 2017 07:29 AM PST An alleged suicide bomb has killed up to 10 people and wounded at least 40 in Lahore, Pakistan, on Monday evening. Purportedly a motorcycle rammed a large group of demonstrators near the Punjab Assembly in the centre of the city, before detonating a bomb. Footage captured by a local tv station shows the explosion from distance. Details are still emerging about the blast. Al Jazeera reported a Taliban faction claimed the attack, but this remains unconfirmed. Photograph: Reuters Continue reading... |
| Lahore blast: several killed as 'suicide bomb' hits Pakistan rally Posted: 13 Feb 2017 06:56 AM PST Senior police officers among at least 13 people killed and dozens wounded during pharmacists' protest at provincial assembly Two senior police officers were among those killed by a suspected suicide bomb attack in the Pakistani city of Lahore. The blast on Monday ripped through a crowd of people who had gathered for a protest by chemists and pharmaceutical manufacturers outside the provincial assembly on Mall Road, Lahore's grand Raj-era thoroughfare. Continue reading... |
| Tories risk losing support over child refugees, says senior MP Posted: 13 Feb 2017 05:57 AM PST Nicky Morgan says Conservatives must work hard to avoid being seen as party lacking empathy and compassion A senior Conservative MP has said her party must work hard not to appear like it "knows the the price of everything and the value of nothing" after the government decided to wind down the Dubs scheme rescuing child refugees in Europe. Related: Home Office is lying about capacity to care for child refugees Continue reading... |
| Serving bishop joins criticism against C of E stance on gay marriage Posted: 13 Feb 2017 04:13 AM PST Bishop of Buckingham adds name to letter written by retired bishops criticising lack of leadership over LGBT relationships A serving Church of England bishop has added his name to an open letter written by retired bishops to their successors criticising the church for lack of leadership over gay relationships. Five more retired Anglican bishops have also signed the letter, bringing the total to 19, along with 500 church members and supporters of gay rights. |
| López Obrador, Mexico's austere populist, sees chance in rise of Trump Posted: 13 Feb 2017 03:30 AM PST Perpetual candidate known as AMLO is a leftwing politician known for personal modesty but he also senses an opening against establishment parties In a stump speech in a village plaza high in the pine-covered hills of Mexico state, populist presidential candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrador calmly took aim at a string of hate figures: crooked politicians, corrupt officials and Donald Trump, who he described as "an irresponsible bully". Related: The walls within: Mexico struggles for unity against Trump Continue reading... |
| Ex-GCHQ whistleblower attacks plans to extend dragnet of secrecy law Posted: 13 Feb 2017 02:26 AM PST Katharine Gun says expanded jail terms for leaking state secrets will deter people from revealing abuses of power A former GCHQ whistleblower has condemned plans by government lawyers to increase prison sentences and expand the definition of espionage for the digital age. Katharine Gun, a former translator for the monitoring agency who leaked details of an operation to bug United Nations offices before the 2003 invasion of Iraq, has spoken out following the publication of Law Commission plans suggesting that maximum jail terms for those leaking information should rise from two years to 14 years. |
| Posted: 13 Feb 2017 02:25 AM PST Photographs from the Eyewitness series Continue reading... |
| Monday briefing: Trump silent as pressure mounts on key adviser Posted: 12 Feb 2017 10:53 PM PST White House fails to back Michael Flynn over his Russia contacts ... Adele cleans up at the Grammys ... and campaigners warn against whistleblower crackdown Hello, this is Martin Farrer bringing you today's Guardian morning briefing. Continue reading... |
| Philippine bid to jail nine-year-olds is 'a great child violation', Unicef says Posted: 12 Feb 2017 07:03 PM PST Duterte's allies have been pushing to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to nine A law proposing children as young as nine be jailed for crimes is "wrong from every angle", the head of the United Nations children's agency in the Philippines has warned. "If they grow up, spending their teenage years in a prison, they most probably will be damaged for life," Unicef's country representative, Lotta Sylwander, said in a telephone interview from Manila. Continue reading... |
| Mexicans take to the streets to protest against 'global threat' of Donald Trump Posted: 12 Feb 2017 06:07 PM PST Demonstrators call for respect from the American leader, saying the nation wants 'bridges not walls' Thousands of protesters in more than a dozen Mexican cities took to the streets on Sunday to express their fierce opposition to US President Donald Trump, portraying the new leader as a menace to both America and Mexico. Waving Mexicans flags and hoisting anti-Trump signs in both Spanish and English, some vulgar, many protesters also heaped scorn on their own president, deriding Enrique Peña Nieto as a weak leader who has presided over rampant corruption and violence at home. Continue reading... |
| Romania protests enter 13th day with calls for government of 'thieves' to resign Posted: 12 Feb 2017 05:36 PM PST Tens of thousands gathered in Bucharest to call for the government to stand down, despite resignation of justice minister Tens of thousands of Romanians have braved the cold and returned to the streets in protest, calling on the government to resign as they accused it of attempting to water down anti-corruption laws. "Thieves! Resign!" chanted protesters gathered in front of the seat of government in Bucharest on Sunday night, as they used the lights from their mobile phones to project the blue, yellow and red colours of the Romanian flag. Continue reading... |
| 'The darkest time': Hong Kong reels over bizarre disappearance of Chinese billionaire Posted: 12 Feb 2017 05:14 PM PST Xiao Jianhua vanished from his luxury hotel residence, reportedly spirited away by China's state security in a wheelchair and covered by a sheet It has been more than two weeks since Xiao Jianhua last crossed the threshold of his luxury suite at the Four Seasons hotel in Hong Kong. For a billionaire - even one with a relatively low profile like Xiao - to vanish would, in normal times, be alarming. Continue reading... |
| Joanne Lees reveals plan for Peter Falconio memorial – video Posted: 12 Feb 2017 04:05 PM PST The Briton talks to 60 Minutes' Liz Hayes about her intention to establish a memorial to her murdered boyfriend Peter Falconio and her return to the Northern Territory outback for the first time in 15 years. An artist has designed a silver falcon statue that will be erected in Tea Tree. Joanne Lees also reveals that she has tracked down her Australian sister, Jess, whom she met for the first time last year. 'I feel less alone in the world,' she says of finding Jess, who is eight years younger Continue reading... |
| Joanne Lees returns to search for body of murdered boyfriend Peter Falconio Posted: 12 Feb 2017 12:00 PM PST Lees reveals she has tracked down her Australian sister, Jess, and is planning to become an Australian citizen Joanne Lees, the girlfriend of the murdered British backpacker Peter Falconio, has returned to the Northern Territory outback for the first time in 15 years to join in attempts to find his body. She will also unveil a giant silver falcon sculpture in the outback to honour his memory. Continue reading... |
| One day in the life of a suffocating planet – as it happened Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:04 AM PST To kick off a Guardian Cities week investigating air pollution, our reporters followed the sun from Sydney to Lagos to Los Angeles – taking readings, talking to locals and giving a snapshot of our choking cities
We've reached the Pacific Ocean, where air pollution blissfully drops away to near zero. Thanks for joining us for a snapshot of air pollution on this otherwise unremarkable Monday in February 2017. The results have been worrying. Bank of AQI400+ smog rolling into Beijing just now - within 20 minutes https://t.co/jbk3byT37C #beijing #airpocalypse #smog pic.twitter.com/Sf5Zom6F9M Air filter, new and after five months in Delhi #GuardianCities pic.twitter.com/Jxn6OMUWCA Holy shit #thatview #smog #almaty #kazakhstan #koktobe #incredible #sun #air #bluesky #cityscape The rapid pace of industrialisation in this city is both a blessing and a curse; residents choke on their commute daily. #GuardianCities pic.twitter.com/OtA0qEhmgr Outdoor air quality, Wilmington: 10 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic meter; 507 ppm of CO2; 44% humidity; moderate AQI of 42 pic.twitter.com/XfTIeRsDh7
Los Angeles: 9.45am. I'm in a neighborhood called Wilmington, in the far south end of the city, which is home about 60,000 people – and some of the worst air quality in southern California. It's an unlucky part of town, nestled in between the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. There's a major complex of oil wells and refineries, and a heavily used diesel truck and rail shipping corridor. The port complex is America's largest. Some homes are right next door to oil wells and refineries. Hi from Wilmington, which has some of the worst air quality in Southern California pic.twitter.com/zljDhuvrYn Outdoor air quality, Wilmington: 9 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic meter; 550 ppm of CO2; 44% humidity; moderate AQI of 38 pic.twitter.com/rlfrQ6RNLW Outdoor air quality, Sunset Blvd., Echo Park, L.A.: 13 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic meter; 509 ppm of CO2; 65% humidity; moderate AQI of 53 pic.twitter.com/yYFjZTgZox Outdoor air quality, Downtown L.A.: 16 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic meter; 532 ppm of CO2; 65% humidity; moderate AQI of 59 pic.twitter.com/8XSNEn7s7C Outdoor air quality, Wilmington: 10 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic meter; 507 ppm of CO2; 44% humidity; moderate AQI of 42 pic.twitter.com/XfTIeRsDh7 Outdoor air quality, Wilmington: 22 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic meter; 564 ppm of CO2; moderate/bad AQI of 72 pic.twitter.com/cZ6ejGDvIW Continue reading... |
| Pant by numbers: the cities with the most dangerous air – listed Posted: 13 Feb 2017 03:00 AM PST We've broken down the data on dangerous PM2.5 particles, and listed them region by region – to reveal the cities with the worst air in Europe, the US, Africa, Asia and more Billions of people in cities around the world are exposed to dangerous air, but pollution levels vary widely – and the fast-growing cities of Asia and Africa are the worst affected. We've broken down data from the World Health Organization on ultra-fine particles of less than 2.5 microns (PM2.5s) region by region. Paris's air may have almost twice as many PM2.5s as WHO recommended levels (18 micrograms per cubic metre compared with 10µg/m³) – but Delhi's air contains 122µg/m³, while Zabol, Iran, is the worst at 217µg/m³. Continue reading... |
| How bad is Delhi's air? We strapped a monitor to a rickshaw to find out Posted: 13 Feb 2017 02:09 AM PST Suresh Kumar Sharma is an auto-rickshaw driver in Delhi, a city with some of the world's dirtiest air – and where many locals don't know how unhealthy it is. We monitored the dangerous PM2.5 particles surrounding Suresh's rickshaw for 12 hours, then had his lungs tested: 'I was shocked'
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| Welcome to Onitsha: the city with the world’s worst air Posted: 12 Feb 2017 11:00 PM PST The Nigerian city has recorded the world's worst levels of PM10 air pollution. But although the results are lethal, the problem is not taken seriously here Approaching Okpoko market through thick smog on the back of an okada (motorcycle taxi), the natural reaction is to cover your nose to protect yourself from the dust storm – but the effort is futile. When a lorry zooms past, kicking up yet another red cloud of dirt, a trader turns the head of a sleeping toddler away from the road, a protective act that is as poignant as it is pointless. Continue reading... |
| The war against air pollution has begun – and it will be fought in cities Posted: 12 Feb 2017 10:08 PM PST The air pollution crisis is getting worse. As the world becomes increasingly urbanised, the battle will be won or lost on the streets of our cities "You never see 'air pollution' written as the cause on death certificates," an expert once told me. If it was, she suggested, the enormous toll toxic air takes on the health of billions of the world's people would prompt a global emergency response. But the winds of change are now blasting the air pollution crisis to greater prominence – driven by new data, revelations about the impact of poisonous air on virtually all aspects of health and, crucially, the increasing anger of affected people and communities. Continue reading... |
| David Miliband: aid is failing to keep pace with humanitarian crises Posted: 13 Feb 2017 12:36 AM PST Former UK foreign secretary says system needs reform as world risks repeating past mistakes in reacting too slowly to emergencies The global humanitarian system is under "unprecedented strain" – with reactions to crises such as the threat of famine coming too late, according to David Miliband, head of the humanitarian relief group the International Rescue Committee. Citing fresh figures showing that the 2017 humanitarian appeal for the crisis facing Somalia had achieved just 0.4% of the $863.5m (£690m) requested last month, the former UK foreign secretary said that rather than intervening early, the world was in grave danger of repeating the mistakes of the past when famine hits. Continue reading... |
| Egypt's Nubians fight for ancestral land earmarked for mega-project Posted: 12 Feb 2017 11:00 PM PST A dispute over Nubian lands that are to be sold off to investors exposes tension between government development plans and rights of the ethnic group A strip of desert near Aswan city is one of the last remaining areas of the once thriving Nubian empire in southern Egypt, but its descendants are banned from setting foot there. When a group of 150 protesters tried, in November, to reach the area, the closest they came to it was a sit-in on a road outside the city. In early January, eight young men were arrested for organising further protests against the sale of the land, which lies to the west of Lake Nasser, to investors. Days later, Egyptian authorities summoned Mohamed Azmy, head of the General Nubian Union. He says they threatened him with arrest if he and his colleagues did not dissolve the union and freeze its assets. Continue reading... |
| Donald Trump's strange handshake style and how Justin Trudeau beat it – video Posted: 13 Feb 2017 07:46 PM PST Ever since his epic 19-second-long handshake with a visibly bewildered Shinzo Abe of Japan, Donald Trump's unusual handshake style has been under the microscope. The strange, jerky movement he deploys to dominate his counterparts has become something of a talking point. But the Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, the latest world leader to meet the US president, has managed to neutralise the Trumpshake with a clever combination of timing, balance and control Continue reading... |
| Frank-Walter Steinmeier elected as new president of Germany – video Posted: 12 Feb 2017 10:45 AM PST A parliamentary assembly met at the Reichstag in Berlin to elect centre-left politician Frank-Walter Steinmeier the new president of Germany. Steinmeier, who once characterised Donlad Trump as a "hate preacher", references the first president of the country, Theodor Heuss, and urges his fellow parliamentarians to ensure Germany stands firm "on this foundation of democracy" Continue reading... |
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