World news and comment from the Guardian | guardian.co.uk |
- James Comey urges FBI to maintain independence amid sacking fallout
- Angela Merkel hits campaign trail before crucial bellwether poll
- Hong Kong accused of smothering dissent for expected Xi Jinping visit
- Austria jails Syrian man for killing 20 wounded soldiers in homeland
- ‘If a man can do it, why can't I?’: turning the tables on India's instant divorce law | Amrit Dhillon
- Dakota Access pipeline has first leak before fully operational
- Aw Snap: Snapchat parent company's value plummets after earnings report
- UN must reform to defend enlightenment values, secretary-general says
- Universities must do more to tackle use of smart drugs, say experts
- Gluten-free diet carries increased obesity risk, warn experts
- Putin punctuates Comey comments with six-goal outburst in hockey match
- US decision to arm Kurds in Syria poses threat to Turkey, says Ankara
- Indian solar power prices hit record low, undercutting fossil fuels
- Tulum restaurant with $600 menu criticized for being 'not for Mexicans'
- Pret a Manger considers putting New York IPO on the menu
- Enormous lava waves spotted on Jupiter moon Io
- Protests in Jakarta after Christian governor convicted of blasphemy
- Federal budget 2017: Turnbull and Shorten pay tribute to ABC's Mark Colvin – politics live
- BT chief's pay package slashed by £4m over Italian accounting scandal
- Comey farewell letter emerges as Senate subpoenas Michael Flynn – as it happened
- Where is the world's densest city?
- Family 'devastated' by death of girl who fell from Drayton Manor ride
- Somali people will die without international support | Letters
- Brazil's ex-president Lula decries persecution as he faces corruption charges in court
- Scott Morrison's plan to test sewage for drug use 'might misfire', say experts
- India wedding deaths: 24 guests killed after wall collapses
- Thursday briefing: 'I will be fine' – but anger roils over Comey's ouster by Trump
- Accelerationism: how a fringe philosophy predicted the future we live in
- Move to decriminalise abortion in New South Wales voted down
- Two men face 80 lashes in Indonesia after being accused of having gay sex
- Video appears to show Mexican soldier shooting detained man in the head
- Sergey Lavrov's White House visit reveals little about Trump and Russia
- Ukraine spy agency 'may have seen planting of bomb that killed journalist'
- Trump's Middle East visit could be decisive, says Justin Welby
- Brazil's archaeologists join fight to preserve country's ancient lands
- Number of suspected slavery victims in London expected to leap by 60%
- 'It gives people hope': born-again Irish beach captures world's attention
- Thousands of lizards delay controversial Stuttgart 21 rail project
- A life-or-death search for water in drought-parched Somalia – in pictures
- Hissène Habré’s rape acquittal must not be quietly airbrushed from history | Kim Thuy Seelinger
- How do you solve half a century of bloodshed in Colombia? – podcast transcript
- Trump-Russia inquiry needs a special prosecutor – but probably won't get one
- What do we know about alleged links between Trump and Russia?
- Why did Trump fire FBI director James Comey?
- Students boo and turn backs on Betsy DeVos at graduation – video
- Journalist arrested for asking US health secretary question – video
- Trump and Comey’s love-hate relationship – video explainer
- Russian foreign minister feigns shock over firing of James Comey - video
| James Comey urges FBI to maintain independence amid sacking fallout Posted: 10 May 2017 08:27 PM PDT Ousted chief calls on staff he leaves behind not to 'spend time on the decision or the way it was executed', saying bureau must remain a 'rock for America' The former FBI director James Comey has urged the bureau he led until his abrupt dismissal by Donald Trump to remain "a rock of competence, honesty, and independence". Comey addressed friends and staff in a widely reported letter on Wednesday, in which he stated his belief that Trump, as president, had a right to fire him irrespective of the circumstances. Continue reading... |
| Angela Merkel hits campaign trail before crucial bellwether poll Posted: 11 May 2017 01:23 AM PDT Her main rival, the SPD's Martin Schulz, has said 13 May North Rhine-Westphalia vote will show who will triumph in September Angela Merkel is not taking any chances. Despite being buoyed by the victory of the pro-EU Emmanuel Macron in France, as well as a surprise win by her Christian Democrats in north Germany the same day, the chancellor is scheduled to make no fewer than four appearances on the campaign trail before another crucial poll in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) this weekend. The vote is the last test of the nation's mood before the general election in September, in which Merkel will stand for the fifth time. The 13 million people eligible to cast their ballot in Germany's industrial heartland on 13 May will offer the strongest indication yet as to whether Merkel can win, or whether the rival Social Democrats (SPD) might end her 11-year reign. Continue reading... |
| Hong Kong accused of smothering dissent for expected Xi Jinping visit Posted: 10 May 2017 09:05 PM PDT Authorities reportedly deny permission for Victoria Park – a traditional protest venue – to be used by pro-democracy demonstrators Pro-democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong have accused authorities of trying to smother dissent by stopping them congregating in one of the former colony's biggest parks when Xi Jinping visits to commemorate the 20th anniversary of handover. Since Hong Kong returned to Chinese control on 1 July 1997, demonstrators have used the date to stage sometimes massive annual parades through its streets. |
| Austria jails Syrian man for killing 20 wounded soldiers in homeland Posted: 11 May 2017 01:05 AM PDT Man convicted of 'murder as a terrorism offence' and jailed for life after reportedly boasting of shooting troops in Homs region A Syrian man has been jailed for life in Austria for killing 20 wounded government soldiers in his home country. A jury in the western city of Innsbruck found the 27-year-old guilty of 20 charges of "murder as a terrorism offence". Continue reading... |
| Posted: 10 May 2017 09:00 PM PDT As India debates the validity of a law allowing men to divorce by uttering three words, one woman is blazing a trail by using the practice against her husband As dusk was falling, Amreen Begum's husband bundled her into his auto-rickshaw together with their two young children. He dumped them beside some wheat fields outside Meerut, a city 70km north-east of India's capital, New Delhi. "He didn't even bother going the extra 2km up to my parents' home," says Begum. Continue reading... |
| Dakota Access pipeline has first leak before fully operational Posted: 10 May 2017 02:56 PM PDT Leak raises fresh concerns about hazards to waterways and outrages indigenous groups, who have long warned of threat to environment The Dakota Access pipeline has suffered its first leak, outraging indigenous groups who have long warned that the project poses a threat to the environment. The $3.8bn oil pipeline, which sparked international protests last year and is not yet fully operational, spilled 84 gallons of crude oil at a South Dakota pump station, according to government regulators. Continue reading... |
| Aw Snap: Snapchat parent company's value plummets after earnings report Posted: 10 May 2017 08:44 PM PDT Snap Inc's shares lose nearly a quarter of their value on news of $2.2bn loss and slowing growth in first quarter report, its first since its IPO in March Snapchat's parent company Snap Inc lost nearly a quarter of its value on Wednesday when its newly listed shares went into a nosedive after the company reported a $2.2bn loss and slowing growth. Snap's shares closed the day at $22.98 and fell close to 25% in after hours trading. |
| UN must reform to defend enlightenment values, secretary-general says Posted: 10 May 2017 03:00 PM PDT António Guterres says international institutions must stand up for threatened values, as human rights agenda loses ground to 'aggressive nationalism' International institutions such as the United Nations must reform and adapt, in order to defend enlightenment values, the UN secretary general, António Guterres, has said. Giving his first speech in London since his appointment in January, Guterres said: "Europe's greatest gift to the world was the values of enlightenment. Now they are being called into question and under threat. We are seeing the human rights agenda losing ground to the national sovereignty agendas. We see more and more irrational behaviours, including an aggressive nationalism." |
| Universities must do more to tackle use of smart drugs, say experts Posted: 10 May 2017 08:03 AM PDT Academics call on institutions to consider measures such as drug testing to stem UK rise of drugs used to cope with exam stress Universities must do more to tackle the growing number of students turning to "smart drugs" to cope with exam stress, leading academics have said. UK institutions are being called on to consider measures such as drug testing to stem the rise of cognitive enhancement drugs being used by young people to improve their academic performance. Continue reading... |
| Gluten-free diet carries increased obesity risk, warn experts Posted: 10 May 2017 04:09 PM PDT Food adapted for those with coeliac disease often has more fat and less protein, and no benefits to non-sufferers, finds research Substituting everyday staples with gluten-free foods could increase the risk of obesity, experts have warned, after finding that such products often contain higher levels of fats than the food they aim to replace. A gluten-free diet is essential to those with coeliac disease – an auto-immune condition that is thought to affect 1% of Europeans – while the regime is also proving increasingly popular among those without the disease. But while a host of gluten-free products are on the market, researchers have said they have a very different nutritional make-up to conventional staples. Continue reading... |
| Putin punctuates Comey comments with six-goal outburst in hockey match Posted: 10 May 2017 02:26 PM PDT
Vladimir Putin said the Russian government had "nothing to do with" the surprise firing of FBI director James Comey, following up his first public comments on Tuesday night's shock announcement with a six-goal outburst in a gala hockey match for the Night Hockey League on Wednesday at Sochi's Bolshoy Ice Dome. The Russian president finished with 11 points on six goals and five assists in leading his team, a mix of former Olympic and world champions, Russian league veterans and government officials, to a 17-6 victory before a crowd of 10,750 at the five-year-old venue where the hockey competition for the last Winter Olympics took place, according to the Russian Hockey Federation. Continue reading... |
| US decision to arm Kurds in Syria poses threat to Turkey, says Ankara Posted: 10 May 2017 11:27 AM PDT Erdoğan joins his prime minister and other government figures in condemning US decision before meeting with Trump The Turkish government has criticised a US decision to directly arm Kurdish militants in Syria as a "threat to Turkey" – the first diplomatic scuffle between the two Nato powers since President Donald Trump took office. The condemnations from Ankara by Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, it prime minister and top diplomat came before a face-to-face meeting between Trump and his Turkish counterpart later this month. Continue reading... |
| Indian solar power prices hit record low, undercutting fossil fuels Posted: 10 May 2017 05:29 AM PDT Plummeting wholesale prices put the country on track to meet renewable energy targets set out in the Paris agreement Wholesale solar power prices have reached another record low in India, faster than analysts predicted and further undercutting the price of fossil fuel-generated power in the country. The tumbling price of solar energy also increases the likelihood that India will meet – and by its own predictions, exceed – the renewable energy targets it set at the Paris climate accords in December 2015. Continue reading... |
| Tulum restaurant with $600 menu criticized for being 'not for Mexicans' Posted: 10 May 2017 09:20 AM PDT Acclaimed Danish restaurant Noma opens pop-up with high prices in area where minimum wage is less than $5 a day and half the population lives in poverty It's a pop-up in paradise. Noma, the Danish restaurant which was four times named the best in the world, has brought its hyper-local approach to food to Mexico's Caribbean coast. The temporary restaurant near the ancient Mayan ruins of Tulum has an outdoor kitchen producing its own corn tortillas, alongside such delicacies as octopus in pumpkin seed sauce, fresh coconut cream, and caviar served in a coconut shell and banana ceviche. Continue reading... |
| Pret a Manger considers putting New York IPO on the menu Posted: 10 May 2017 07:23 AM PDT Owner of sandwich chain reportedly exploring listing on NY stock exchange as part of US expansion plans The owner of Pret a Manger is reportedly exploring a listing on the New York stock exchange, as it eyes up expansion in the $41bn (£32bn) a year US coffee shop market. Bridgepoint, the UK-based private equity firm, is thought to be considering a flotation with JP Morgan and Jefferies as lead advisers. Barclays, Credit Suisse, Morgan Stanley and Piper Jaffray are also advising on the plans. Continue reading... |
| Enormous lava waves spotted on Jupiter moon Io Posted: 10 May 2017 10:06 AM PDT Geological forces unleash waves on fourth largest Jovian moon, where hugely powerful active volcano has produced 8,300 square mile dent in the surface Astronomers have tracked two huge lava waves rolling around a volcanic crater the size of Wales on one of Jupiter's many moons. Geological forces unleashed the waves on Io, the fourth largest Jovian moon, where the most powerful active volcano in the solar system has produced a 8,301 square mile dent in the surface. |
| Protests in Jakarta after Christian governor convicted of blasphemy Posted: 10 May 2017 04:32 AM PDT Religious tolerance under scrutiny as court sentences Basuki Tjahaja Purnama – nicknamed Ahok – to two years in prison The jailing of Jakarta's Christian governor on blasphemy charges has sparked outrage from his supporters in Indonesia, rights organisations and the EU. On Tuesday, a court in the capital of the world's largest Muslim-majority country found Basuki Tjahaja Purnama – better known by his nickname Ahok – guilty of blasphemy, sentencing him to two years in prison. Continue reading... |
| Federal budget 2017: Turnbull and Shorten pay tribute to ABC's Mark Colvin – politics live Posted: 11 May 2017 01:09 AM PDT Turnbull describes late broadcaster as 'elegant as he was erudite' after Morrison reveals corporate tax cut will blow out to $65.4bn. Follow all the developments live …
Company tax wrap. Related: Company tax cut cost reaches $65.4bn over 10 years
I am going to slow down the pace for a while because I would like to live blog Bill Shorten's budget reply speech at 7.30pm. And, if I keep going like this, I could expire. But be assured we will have the full Shorten show. Here is a picture to stand by ... Continue reading... |
| BT chief's pay package slashed by £4m over Italian accounting scandal Posted: 11 May 2017 12:49 AM PDT Gavin Patterson's bonus is scrapped as telecoms group announces it will cut 4,000 jobs worldwide The BT chief executive, Gavin Patterson, has had his pay packet cut by £4m after the company scrapped bonus payments following the £530m accounting scandal at its Italian operations. Patterson will be paid £1.34m for the year to the end of March, mostly consisting of his annual salary of £993,000, a 74% reduction on the £5.28m he received for 2015/16. Continue reading... |
| Comey farewell letter emerges as Senate subpoenas Michael Flynn – as it happened Posted: 10 May 2017 11:36 PM PDT
There has been plenty of movement during another busy day in Washington, so here is a round-up of the main points. We will put this blog on hold pending any fresh developments.
The last US president to fire an FBI director was Bill Clinton, who dismissed William Sessions in 1993 over financial irregularities. Time magazine has more detail on Sessions' downfall. It makes the point that the reaction of FBI agents to the news in both cases was very different, with "no love lost between Sessions and his subordinates". Continue reading... |
| Where is the world's densest city? Posted: 10 May 2017 11:30 PM PDT Evenly spread over all of the world's mountains, deserts and other terrains, we would be standing 150 metres away from our nearest neighbours. In the most densely populated cities – from Dhaka to Medellin – we're right on top of them Cities are all about density – groups of strangers agreeing to spend their lives in close proximity, whether for protection, mutual opportunity or simply the need to be together. In a world whose human population is now more than 50% urban, this condition is shared by most of humanity. The simplest definition of density is the amount of people divided by the land they occupy. On this basis, the 7 billion living humans divided by the land surface of the Earth means there is a population density of roughly 50 people for every sq km. Evenly spread over all the world's mountains, deserts and other terrains, we'd be standing about 150 metres away from our neighbour. Continue reading... |
| Family 'devastated' by death of girl who fell from Drayton Manor ride Posted: 10 May 2017 02:53 PM PDT Relatives of Evha Jannath, 11, from Leicester, say their 'world was torn apart' when she died after theme park incident The family of an 11-year-old girl who died after falling into water from a ride at a theme park have said their "world was torn apart" by her death, as relatives called for the attraction to stay closed while investigations continue. Evha Jannath, from Leicester, was at Drayton Manor theme park in Staffordshire as part of a school trip with the Jameah girls academy, an Islamic day school, Staffordshire police said. |
| Somali people will die without international support | Letters Posted: 10 May 2017 10:54 AM PDT Thursday's London Somalia Conference presents a huge opportunity to save lives, write leading charities Care International, ActionAid, the Norwegian Refugee Council, and World Vision UK With more than 6.2 million people facing possible starvation, the crisis in Somalia is escalating at an alarming pace. The London Somalia Conference on Thursday 11 May presents a huge opportunity to galvanise much-needed international support to address the challenges faced by the Somali government and the Somali people, and meet the ever-increasing humanitarian needs. To ensure that the conference is a success, we – as members of the Somalia NGO Consortium – recommend that delegates focus on averting famine, protecting women and children, and building long-term resilience. Continue reading... |
| Brazil's ex-president Lula decries persecution as he faces corruption charges in court Posted: 10 May 2017 10:18 PM PDT Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the most popular president in Brazilian history, was questioned by Sérgio Moro, a national hero for jailing the rich and powerful For nearly five hours, two of Brazil's most powerful men have faced each other in a Curitiba courtroom in a dramatic legal encounter that has divided the country and left Brazilians tense over what could happen next. Related: Brazil's archaeologists join fight to preserve country's ancient lands Continue reading... |
| Scott Morrison's plan to test sewage for drug use 'might misfire', say experts Posted: 11 May 2017 01:34 AM PDT Trying to identify where welfare recipients are using drugs by testing wastewater is more likely to turn up results from affluent professionals, researchers say Scott Morrison's plan to test wastewater to identify welfare recipients on drugs will only highlight the high levels of drug use among professionals working in "the finer leafy suburbs of Melbourne and Sydney", an expert on the Victorian government's ice action taskforce, John Ryan, has said. Ryan, who is also chief executive of the not-for-profit drug research organisation the Penington Institute, also accused the treasurer of implementing "a new regime of big brother". Continue reading... |
| India wedding deaths: 24 guests killed after wall collapses Posted: 10 May 2017 10:16 PM PDT Rescuers describe horrific scene after concrete wall falls onto people taking shelter from storm in Bharatpur, Rajasthan A wall has fallen onto an Indian wedding party during a storm, killing at least 24 people including four children and injuring many more, police said on Thursday. The concrete wall fell on guests who were sheltering from heavy rain in a tin shack on Wednesday night, police superintendent Anil Tank said. Continue reading... |
| Thursday briefing: 'I will be fine' – but anger roils over Comey's ouster by Trump Posted: 10 May 2017 10:03 PM PDT After sacking of FBI chief, Senate subpoenas Michael Flynn … what's in Labour's election manifesto … and, gluten-free foods pose obesity risk Good morning, it's Warren Murray bringing you the briefing this morning. Continue reading... |
| Accelerationism: how a fringe philosophy predicted the future we live in Posted: 10 May 2017 09:30 PM PDT The world is changing at dizzying speed – but for some thinkers, not fast enough. Is accelerationism a dangerous idea or does it speak to our troubled times? Half a century ago, in the great hippie year of 1967, an acclaimed young American science fiction writer, Roger Zelazny, published his third novel. In many ways, Lord of Light was of its time, shaggy with imported Hindu mythology and cosmic dialogue. Yet there were also glints of something more forward-looking and political. One plot strand concerned a group of revolutionaries who wanted to take their society "to a higher level" by suddenly transforming its attitude to technology. Zelazny called them the Accelerationists. He and the book are largely forgotten now. But as the more enduring sci-fi novelist JG Ballard said in 1971, "what the writers of modern science fiction invent today, you and I will do tomorrow". Over the past five decades, and especially over the past few years, much of the world has got faster. Working patterns, political cycles, everyday technologies, communication habits and devices, the redevelopment of cities, the acquisition and disposal of possessions – all of these have accelerated. Meanwhile, over the same half century, almost entirely unnoticed by the media or mainstream academia, accelerationism has gradually solidified from a fictional device into an actual intellectual movement: a new way of thinking about the contemporary world and its potential. Continue reading... |
| Move to decriminalise abortion in New South Wales voted down Posted: 10 May 2017 09:10 PM PDT Greens MP Mehreen Faruqi's abortion law reform bill defeated 25 to 14 in the state's upper house A proposal to decriminalise abortion has been voted down in the New South Wales parliament. Greens MLC Mehreen Faruqi's abortion law reform bill was defeated 25 to 14 in the state parliament's upper house on Thursday. Continue reading... |
| Two men face 80 lashes in Indonesia after being accused of having gay sex Posted: 10 May 2017 06:33 PM PDT Sharia lawyers in Aceh province say pair 'confessed' to being in a gay relationship after they were filmed by vigilantes Sharia prosecutors in Indonesia's Aceh province say two men on trial for gay sex should each be punished with 80 lashes, in another blow to the country's moderate image after a top Christian official was imprisoned for blasphemy. The lead prosecutor, Gulmaini, who goes by one name, said on Wednesday the two men aged 20 and 23 had "confessed" to being in a gay relationship, which was supported by video footage and other evidence found in their rented room. Continue reading... |
| Video appears to show Mexican soldier shooting detained man in the head Posted: 10 May 2017 01:57 PM PDT Mexico's defense ministry has urged an investigation of the video, which threatens to spark a new scandal over the army's use of extrajudicial force Mexico's defense ministry has urged federal prosecutors to investigate a video that appears to show a soldier shooting a man lying on the ground in the head at point-blank range, and risks sparking a new scandal for the armed forces. The ministry said in a statement that prosecutors should "comprehensively clear up" whether the video indeed showed the soldier shooting the detained man after a clash last week between security forces and suspected criminals. Continue reading... |
| Sergey Lavrov's White House visit reveals little about Trump and Russia Posted: 10 May 2017 11:54 AM PDT The White House closed off US press to Sergey Lavrov meeting, leaving Russian press to cover it and Lavrov to dismiss accusations of collusion as 'fake news' Sergey Lavrov came to Washington on Wednesday after an absence of four years, and was absolutely shocked – shocked! – to hear that Russia had been accused of meddling in US internal affairs. Related: James Comey fired 'days after requesting Russia inquiry resources' – live Continue reading... |
| Ukraine spy agency 'may have seen planting of bomb that killed journalist' Posted: 10 May 2017 10:14 AM PDT New film suggests an intelligence services agent was present when device was hidden under Pavel Sheremet's car last July A new documentary film alleges that Ukraine's spy agency may have witnessed the planting of a car bomb that killed a prominent journalist last July in Kiev. Pavel Sheremet had just left his home in the Ukrainian capital and was driving to work when his car exploded. The murder was the most high-profile assassination of a reporter in the country since the beheading in 2000 of the investigative reporter Georgiy Gongadze. Continue reading... |
| Trump's Middle East visit could be decisive, says Justin Welby Posted: 10 May 2017 09:22 AM PDT Speaking on penultimate day of visit to region, archbishop of Canterbury says US president has 'capacity to make a difference' Donald Trump and his team could tip the scales in favour of Israeli-Palestinian peace prospects when they arrive in Jerusalem in less than two weeks, the archbishop of Canterbury has said. Speaking on the penultimate day of his 12-day tour of the region, Justin Welby said: "We know from history in this region that determined leadership by the president of the United States, together with patient working by lots of other people in the background, often unknown, can tip things very, very decisively." |
| Brazil's archaeologists join fight to preserve country's ancient lands Posted: 10 May 2017 08:42 AM PDT
Brazil's archaeologists have lined up alongside conservationists and indigenous rights campaigners to protest against government proposals that they see as a threat to pre-colonial cultural heritage as well as forests, native communities and biodiversity. Related: Brazil's plan to roll back environment laws draws fire: 'The danger is real' Continue reading... |
| Number of suspected slavery victims in London expected to leap by 60% Posted: 10 May 2017 06:58 AM PDT Head of Met's modern slavery unit tells conference the force expects as many as 1,600 people to be referred this year The head of the Metropolitan police's anti-slavery unit has said the number of suspected victims in London is expected to leap by 60% this year, as campaigners warn that people are being left open to repeated abuse because of a failure to protect them. DCI Phil Brewer, the head of the Met's modern slavery and kidnap unit, told a conference at City Hall that the Met expects as many as 1,600 suspected victims of human trafficking to be referred to the force this year, an increase on the 1,000 referred in 2016. Last year there was a 260% increase on the previous year; 278 cases were referred to police in 2015. Continue reading... |
| 'It gives people hope': born-again Irish beach captures world's attention Posted: 10 May 2017 05:03 AM PDT Achill islanders ready themselves for wave of tourism after reappearance of Dooagh sands washed away in storms in 1984 For Achill islander Emmet Callaghan, the beach at Dooagh where he grew up sounded as mythical and unreal as Brigadoon, the mysterious Scottish village that only appears every 100 years. The 300-metre stretch of golden sand where his grandfather used to collect seaweed for villagers to fertilise their land was destroyed in 1984 by Atlantic storms that battered Ireland's north-west coast – seven years before Callaghan was born. Continue reading... |
| Thousands of lizards delay controversial Stuttgart 21 rail project Posted: 10 May 2017 04:37 AM PDT Deutsche Bahn budgets €15m to relocate threatened sand and wall lizards as costs continue to grow in major station upgrade A multibillion-euro railway development project in southern Germany, which has already been waylaid by spiralling costs and rows over environmental concerns and viability, is facing its latest challenge – two threatened species of lizard. Thousands of sand and wall lizards have been found along the route of the project, known as Stuttgart 21. A major upgrade of Stuttgart's central station, it is part of 35 miles (56km) of new lines for the trans-European rail network. Continue reading... |
| A life-or-death search for water in drought-parched Somalia – in pictures Posted: 10 May 2017 06:47 AM PDT As diplomats convene in London to discuss how to tackle east Africa's drought and stave off famine, 4,000 miles away in Somalia, people leave homes in their thousands each day in search of water. That quest has brought some to Biyagadud dam, an oasis in the dust Continue reading... |
| Hissène Habré’s rape acquittal must not be quietly airbrushed from history | Kim Thuy Seelinger Posted: 10 May 2017 04:52 AM PDT Though ruled out on procedural grounds, Khadidja Zidane's testimony against the former Chad president highlights some uncomfortable truths about attitudes towards survivors of sexual violence Almost a year ago, I sat in the extraordinary African chambers of the courts of Senegal and watched as Hissène Habré, the former president of Chad, was convicted of multiple war crimes, crimes against humanity and acts of torture. The judgment was hailed as a victory for international criminal justice. It was the first time a national court had used principles of universal jurisdiction to prosecute a former head of state for crimes of this nature. Continue reading... |
| How do you solve half a century of bloodshed in Colombia? – podcast transcript Posted: 10 May 2017 04:43 AM PDT Last year's accord brought to an end a civil war that claimed 250,000 lives. Lucy Lamble investigates how Colombia's communities plan to build lasting peace Reports and presenter: LL Lucy Lamble Continue reading... |
| Trump-Russia inquiry needs a special prosecutor – but probably won't get one Posted: 10 May 2017 12:43 PM PDT Concerns about independence grow after statement by Mitch McConnell suggests only option to lead inquiry is special counsel – in this case, the man who wrote the letter leading to Comey's dismissal Following the Trump administration's shock decision to sack FBI director James Comey on Tuesday, demands for the appointment of a special prosecutor to lead an investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election have intensified. "If we don't get a special prosecutor, every American will rightfully suspect that the decision to fire #Comey was part of a cover-up," Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, tweeted shortly after Comey was fired. Continue reading... |
| What do we know about alleged links between Trump and Russia? Posted: 10 May 2017 07:23 AM PDT The firing of FBI boss James Comey has raised fresh questions about possible collusion in the run-up to the 2016 US election How far has the FBI got in its investigation of alleged links between the Trump campaign and Russia? James Comey, who has been fired by Donald Trump as director of the FBI, had been presiding over a wide-ranging counter-intelligence investigation into possible links between Donald Trump's campaign and Russia. The key question is: how much collusion, if any, was there between Trump's associates and Moscow during the run-up to the 2016 US election? Continue reading... |
| Why did Trump fire FBI director James Comey? Posted: 10 May 2017 02:11 AM PDT The US president's ousting of the FBI boss has raised concerns about the bureau's inquiry into Trump's election campaign Donald Trump and his allies in the US justice department cited Comey's handling of the botched investigation into Hillary Clinton's emails as the reason for firing the FBI director. Continue reading... |
| Students boo and turn backs on Betsy DeVos at graduation – video Posted: 10 May 2017 12:52 PM PDT Graduating seniors at Bethune-Cookman University, a historically black college in Florida, protested Betsy DeVos's commencement speech on Wednesday. Students loudly booed and turned their backs on the US education secretary as she was speaking. DeVos drew ire in February when she said historically black colleges were 'pioneers' of educational choice Continue reading... |
| Journalist arrested for asking US health secretary question – video Posted: 10 May 2017 08:07 AM PDT Daniel Ralph Heyman, a journalist with Public News Service, is arrested in West Virginia's state capitol on Tuesday, after trying to question the US health and human services secretary, Tom Price, about whether domestic violence would be considered a pre-existing condition under the proposed healthcare overhaul. After being released on bond, Heyman says he thinks they decided he was 'too persistent in asking'
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| Trump and Comey’s love-hate relationship – video explainer Posted: 10 May 2017 07:44 AM PDT Donald Trump fired the FBI director, James Comey, on Tuesday, citing his handling of the Hillary Clinton email scandal as the reason for the dismissal. However, Trump's critics say the US president is trying to distance himself from allegations of links with Russia and interference in the 2016 election. The move comes before Trump's meeting with the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, who is due to visit the White House on Wednesday Trump fires FBI director Comey raising questions over Russia investigation Continue reading... |
| Russian foreign minister feigns shock over firing of James Comey - video Posted: 10 May 2017 06:58 AM PDT A reporter asks Sergei Lavrov, appearing on camera with the US secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, whether the FBI chief's dismissal would overshadow their meeting. Lavrov replies sarcastically: 'Was he fired? You're kidding. You're kidding.' Continue reading... |
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