Tag: breaking world news

Scientists Want to Use Deadly Spider Venom to Prevent Brain Damage From Strokes
“The Australian funnel-web is one of the deadliest spiders in the world, but this poisonous predator may just hold the key to preventing brain damage caused by stroke…”
(Science Alert)

7,000 Huge Gas Bubbles Have Formed Under Siberia, and Could Explode at Any Moment
“Last year, researchers in Siberia’s remote Bely Island made the bizarre discovery that the ground had started bubbling in certain places, and was squishy under the locals’ feet like jelly…” (Science Alert)

French interior minister resigns amid inquiry into hiring teenage daughters
“French Interior Minister Bruno Le Roux resign Tuesday after he was placed under preliminary investigation amid revelations that he hired his two teenage daughters as parliamentary aides with exorbitant salaries, all at the taxpayers’ expense…” (France24)

French Catholic bishops accused of ‘covering-up sex abuses’
“Twenty-five French bishops have been covering up scores of cases of sexual abuses by Catholic priests, French media revealed on Tuesday in a report reminiscent of the Spotlight investigation into clergy sex abuse…” (France24)

Met police accused of using hackers to access protesters’ emails
“The police watchdog is investigating allegations that a secretive Scotland Yard unit used hackers to illegally access the private emails of hundreds of political campaigners and journalists…” (The Guardian)

Coal in ‘freefall’ as new power plants dive by two-thirds
“he amount of new coal power being built around the world fell by nearly two-thirds last year, prompting campaigners to claim the polluting fossil fuel was in freefall…”
(The Guardian)

Teen Islamists given six years’ jail for Sikh temple bomb attack
“Prosecutors had argued that the three 17-year-olds – who were 16 at the time of the act – had attacked the temple out of radical Islamist motivations to kill “non-believers”. The youth court on Tuesday agreed that their motive had been hate for other religions…”
(The Local)

Mysterious mummified body discovered in Berlin Hindu temple
“…Police were called to the temple on Monday afternoon after the cadaver was discovered whilst building work was being done on the Sri Ganesha Temple, which is a stone tower structure in the district’s Hasenheide park…” (The Local)

Don’t ‘meddle’ in Nepal, Sri Lanka, China media warns India
“BEIJING: The Chinese media has threatened to “fight back” any Indian attempt to meddle with China’s attempts to enter into military collaboration with Nepal and Sri Lanka…”
(The Times of India)

Anti-Romeo squad starts, morphs into moral police
“MEERUT: Just two days after Yogi Adityanath took oath as CM of UP, one of the BJP’s oft-repeated promises during its election campaign – formation of anti-Romeo squads “to protect the honour of women” – took off with a great deal of purposefulness in the state. In Meerut on Tuesday, “anti-Romeo dals” were out on the streets in full force, making it among the first UP districts to form the teams that will be posted at educational institutions and public spaces “to prevent eve-teasing and ensure safety of girls…” (The Times of India)

 

Photo: By Provaprova (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Call the exorcist: pope tells priests to consult experts in casting out demons
“Pope Francis has advised priests who hear troubled confessions from parishioners to not hesitate to call on the services of an exorcist.

A good confessor has to be very discerning, particularly when he has to deal with “real spiritual disorders”, the 80-year-old pontiff told priests at a Vatican training seminar on the art of hearing believers recount their sins…” (The Guardian)

Basque separatist group Eta announces plan to lay down all weapons
“Six years after renouncing violence in its long and bloody pursuit of a Basque homeland, the militant separatist group Eta has announced it will lay down all arms by early next month…” (The Guardian)

Secret Service Agent’s Laptop Stolen From Car in New York City
“A U.S. Secret Service agent has had a laptop stolen from her car in New York City.
The Secret Service said Friday that the laptop contains “multiple layers of security,” including disk encryption, and doesn’t carry classified information. The agency wouldn’t comment further…” (Time)

President Trump Is Blaming North Korea for ‘Behaving Very Badly’
“President Donald Trump took to Twitter on Friday morning to criticize North Korea during a moment of heightened tensions between the two countries, accusing the hermit kingdom and nuclear power of “playing” the United States…” (Time)

60% of engineering graduates unemployed
“NEW DELHI: More than 60% of the eight lakh engineers graduating from technical institutions across the country every year remain unemployed, according to the All India Council for Technical Education…” (The Times of India)

China to ‘authorise’ Pakistan to build missiles, tanks, FC-1 Xiaolong combat aircraft
“NEW DELHI: Beijing was furious with India last year for launching Agni V, but now it plans to build ballistic, cruise, anti-aircraft and anti-ship missiles with “all-weather friend” Pakistan, China’s state-run media reported…” (The Times of India)

Germany vows legal action if Trump taxes imports
“Germany could take the United States to court if Washington goes ahead with plans to tax imports, Economy Minister Brigitte Zypries said Friday, hours before Chancellor Angela Merkel’s first meeting with Donald Trump…” (The Local)

How Merkel will try and win over Trump in Washington
“On her first face-to-face meet with Donald Trump at the White House this Friday, Angela Merkel will seek to talk the President’s language, argues Jörg Luyken…” (The Local)

‘No strategic patience for NK anymore’
“U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson declared an end to the Barack Obama administration’s policy of strategic patience in dealing with North Korea, Friday, vowing to explore all options including harsher sanctions and military action…” (The Korea Times)

Killer whale mother and calf sighted off east coast
“A killer whale mother and calf were seen in Korea’s East Sea, the National Institute of Fisheries Science (NIFS) said Friday.

The whales were observed near Uljin, North Gyeongsang Province, Wednesday, according to the institute…” (The Korea Times)
Photo: Casa Rosada (Argentina Presidency of the Nation) [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Ryan, Senate Intel committee see no evidence of Trump wiretap
“The speaker of the House, the Senate Intelligence Committee chairman and the ranking Democrat on the committee said Thursday that they’ve seen no evidence of President Donald Trump’s accusation that he was wiretapped last year by his predecessor…” (CNN)

Dad’s case of strep throat leads to amputations
“A Michigan man is feeling grateful after surviving a strep throat infection that led to amputations of parts of his hands and feet and nearly cost his life…” (CNN)

Letter bomb that exploded at Paris IMF office was sent from Greece
“A letter bomb that was dispatched to the headquarters of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Paris and blew up on Thursday, injuring the employee who opened it, was sent from Greece, the Greek public order minister has said…” (The Guardian)

BBC crew and tourists injured in lava explosion on Mount Etna
“BBC crew members were among 10 people injured when lava flow triggered an explosion as it came into contact with snow on Mount Etna in Sicily on Thursday…” (The Guardian)

Germany and China to ‘fight together’ for free trade, says Merke
“Chancellor Angela Merkel and Chinese President Xi Jinping Thursday stressed their commitment to free trade ahead of a G20 finance ministers’ meeting set to be dominated by debate on protectionism…” (The Local)

Eight in ten Germans think the EU needs to be reformed
“What most Germans can agree upon is that the EU cannot stay as it is. But when it comes to how change should look, views differ sharply…” (The Local)

Uganda admits security forces killed over 100 people in palace raid in November
“Uganda has acknowledged that its security forces killed more than 100 people in an assault on a tribal leader’s palace last year.

The revelation comes after Human Rights Watch on Wednesday called for an independent and impartial fact-finding mission with international expertise saying that it was one of the bloodiest day of the region’s cultural institution…” (Africa News)

South African opposition figure probed by own party after colonialism tweet
“Former South African main opposition leader Helen Zille will face a disciplinary process by her Democratic Alliance (DA) party after saying on Twitter on Thursday that the legacy of colonialism was not all negative…” (Africa News)

We Can Now Harness the Tardigrade’s Strangest Superpower – and Give It to Other Organisms
“Tiny tardigrades – also known as water bears and moss piglets – have many strange properties, including being able to withstand huge amounts of radiation, temperatures ranging from 150°C (302°F) to near absolute zero, and pressures six times greater than in the deepest ocean trenches…” (Science Alert)

Type 2 Diabetes Has Been “Reversed” in 40% of Patients for 3 Months
“Type 2 diabetes is generally considered to be a chronic health condition that can’t be cured once it develops, and can only be managed with a combination of medication and healthy living – assisted by gastric band (bariatric) surgery in some cases…” (Science Alert)

 

Photo: By Peter Larson/Medill News Service [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Graham: I will subpoena FBI for wiretap answers if need be
“Sen. Lindsey Graham said Wednesday he’ll subpoena information from the FBI over President Donald Trump’s wiretapping allegations if bureau Director James Comey does not provide information about whether there is any validity to the President’s claims…” (CNN)

House intel chairman: No evidence of wiretapping claim
“President Donald Trump’s claim that former President Barack Obama ordered the wiretapping of his phones ran into headwinds on several fronts Wednesday, as three top Republicans said they’d seen no evidence of the assertion.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes said he does not believe Trump’s claim that Obama wiretapped him, but said it’s possible Trump communications may have been gathered in “incidental” intelligence collection…” (CNN)

France’s Front National suspends party official over Holocaust denial
“France’s far-right Front National has suspended a party official for Holocaust denial after he suggested there was no mass killing in the Nazi concentration camps…”
(The Guardian)

Four jailed in Germany for forming far-right terrorist group
“Three men and a woman have been sentenced to prison terms between three and five years for forming a far-right terrorist group in Germany with a plan to bomb refugee homes as a tactic to scare migrants into leaving the country…” (The Guardian)

Fillon’s indictment signals a ‘moral crisis’ for France

French car maker Renault suspected of emissions fraud
“France’s consumer fraud watchdog told prosecutors that Renault boss Carlos Ghosn should be held responsible for the carmaker’s suspected diesel emissions cheating, a judicial source said on Wednesday…” (France24)

France to close Grande-Synthe migrant camp ‘as soon as possible’
“France said Wednesday that security forces would start dismantling another migrant camp on its northern coast near the port of Dunkirk “as soon as possible” after clashes at the site…” (France24)

News Analysis: Tillerson’s first China visit to build on positive momentum in China-U.S. ties
“WASHINGTON, March 15 (Xinhua) — U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s upcoming first visit to China is to build on positive momentum in the relations between China and the Trump administration, experts said.

Tillerson began Wednesday his first three-nation Asian tour that will take him to Japan, South Korea and China. He is to visit Beijing Saturday to hold talks with Chinese leaders and senior officials on a range of bilateral and multilateral issues…” (Xinhua)

China-Britain entrepreneurship competition launched in Britain
“LONDON, March 15 (Xinhua) — The China-Britain Entrepreneurship Competition, an initiative aimed to support and encourage new business ventures between China and Britain, was launched on Tuesday in Newcastle…” (Xinhua)

Researchers Might Have Located the Brain Switch Responsible for Autism’s Social Struggles
“For people diagnosed with one of the many disorders associated with autism, connecting with others socially ranges anywhere from being somewhat difficult to near impossible…” (Science Alert)

Spiders Eat More Each Year Than All Humans Put Together
“If spiders already freak you out a little, here’s a newly discovered scientific tidbit that probably won’t help much: these insatiable predators gorge themselves on up to twice the total weight of animals that humans consume each year…” (Science Alert)

 
Photo: By Gage Skidmore [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Michelle Obama’s healthy school lunch program in jeopardy?
“One of Michelle Obama’s signature accomplishments as first lady may be in jeopardy under the Trump administration…” (CNN)

Democrats urge one another not to get distracted by Trump’s taxes
“Democratic operatives and lawmakers who once would have rejoiced at the release of President Donald Trump’s taxes reacted to the publication of his 2005 tax return by urging their colleagues not to get distracted from the Republican health care plan…” (CNN)

Czech zoo to remove horns of 18 white rhinos following French attack
“A Czech zoo has said it will use a chainsaw to remove the horns from its herd of rare rhinos after a brutal attack last week in a French zoo where poachers shot dead a white rhino and hacked off its horns…” (The Guardian)

Netanyahu hits out at ‘libellous’ report his wife threw him out of car
“Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has appeared in court to deny a claim that his wife, Sara, expelled him from an official motorcade during a furious argument in 2015, endangering his security arrangements…” (The Guardian)

When nationalism summons Gallicism to keep foreign workers out of France
“Hoping to squeeze out foreign workers and reap electoral rewards, a number of French regions have passed a controversial rule obliging workers on building sites to speak the language of Molière…” (France24)

Top EU court rules employers have right to ban religious symbols
“Private employers may bar staff from wearing Islamic headscarves and other visible religious symbols under certain conditions, the European Union’s top court ruled on Tuesday…” (France24)

Humpback Whales Are Forming Mysterious ‘Super-Groups’, and No One Can Explain It
“Humpback whales are known for being the loners of the sea – while they tend to migrate, feed, and mate in groups, they spend much of their existence in solitude, or in small, short-lived groups of up to seven individuals…” (Science Alert)

Scientists Need You to Solve This Chess Problem to Help Find the Key to Human ConsciousnessWhat separates us from supercomputers.
“Consciousness is the most important quality of a human being, but scientists have struggled for millennia to explain it – where does it come from, and how does it arise?” (Science Alert)

 

Photo: By Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy (P021213CK-0027 (direct link)) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Needle in the hay: “Elliott Smith’s incomparable brilliance lives on
“The first time I ever heard an Elliott Smith song was in early high school, in Wes Anderson’s The Royal Tenenbaums,” says musician Julien Baker, whose debut album Sprained Ankle pays subtle homage to Smith…” (The Guardian)

Earth’s oceans are warming 13% faster than thought, and accelerating
“New research has convincingly quantified how much the Earth has warmed over the past 56 years. Human activities utilize fossil fuels for many beneficial purposes but have an undesirable side effect of adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere at ever-increasing rates. That increase – of over 40%, with most since 1980 – traps heat in the Earth’s system, warming the entire planet. (The Guardian)

Trump border wall shines spotlight on French-Swiss cement maker’s murky past
“French-Swiss cement maker LafargeHolcim came under fire this week after offering to supply materials for US President Donald Trump’s planned wall on the Mexican border. But the company has a long history of questionable business practices…” (France 24)

Africa, Picasso and racism: Five art exhibits to see in Paris this spring
“A look at five must-see art exhibitions in Paris this spring, from French artist Abraham Poincheval’s eccentric Oeuf (“Egg”) at the Palais de Tokyo to the thought-provoking “Us and Them” at the Musée de l’Homme…” (France 24)

South Africa’s taxi drivers block roads to main airport
“Taxi drivers in South Africa on Friday b locked roads to Johannesburg’s airport, holding up thousands of travellers in a protest against transport app Uber…” (Africa News)

Somaliland: Investigators discover 17 bodies from old mass graves
“A team of forensic investigators scrape away soil covering a mass grave in the town of Berbera, Somaliland using metal hand tools…” (Africa News)

Iran maintains position as Asia’s top team in latest FIFA ranking
“Iran maintained its position as Asia’s top ranked team in the latest FIFA World Ranking, despite dropping to 33rd place globally…” (Iran Daily)

Iran welcomes China mediation in Saudi Arabia tensions
“Iran welcomed a Chinese offer to play a mediatory role and help settle the differences between Iran and Saudi Arabia, which unilaterally severed ties with the Islamic Republic last year…” (Iran Daily)

High-Intensity Interval Training Could Be Your Best Bet for Keeping Your Cells Young
“High-intensity interval training (HIIT), where short bursts of activity are mixed with rest periods, is your best pick when it comes to using exercise to combat the cellular signs of ageing, according to new research…” (Science Alert)

Scientists Have Found Some Much-Needed Clues About the Genetic Cause of Social Anxiety
“Social anxiety disorder (SAD) can be a debilitating condition, but like many mental health disorders, researchers aren’t sure where the genetic basis of the condition lies, or how the environment plays a role in triggering the symptoms – and that makes it particularly difficult to diagnose and treat…” (Science Alert)

 

Photo: llaurens [CC BY-SA 3.0 or GFDL], via Wikimedia Commons

‘It’s heartbreaking’: Maltese mourn collapse of Azure Window arch
“As arches go, the Azure Window had celebrity status, featuring in films such as Clash of the Titans and The Count of Monte Cristo and serving as the backdrop to the Dothraki wedding scene in the television version of Game of Thrones.

But now, the limestone arch, one of Malta’s most famous landmarks, is no more, having collapsed into the sea after a heavy storm…” (The Guardian)

Revised travel ban to face first legal challenge as Hawaii lawsuit advances
“Donald Trump’s newly revised travel ban is set to face its first legal challenge after a federal judge in Hawaii allowed the state’s attorney general to submit an amended lawsuit previously lodged against the president’s first, failed ban…” (The Guardian)

Russian destabilisation of Balkans rings alarm bells on eve of EU summit
“The European Union needs to be more visible in the western Balkans to counter Russian attempts to destabilise the region, a leading MEP has said…” (The Guardian)

Cool about Revolutionary ardour
“Putin’s Russia has a history problem. How do you commemorate the 1917 Revolution without celebrating it and encouraging mass movements against the system?” (Le Monde diplomatique)

Asian collision course
“Donald Trump challenged the One China policy, but soon backed off. He wants concessions from China on trade and security, and he might even attempt to impede China’s global ascent…” (Le Monde diplomatique)

China’s evolving cyber warfare strategies
“China’s cyber capabilities are continuously evolving in parallel with the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) ongoing military reforms and modernization drives. As the PLA invests in the development of comprehensive cyber capabilities, the character of future conflicts in East Asia will increasingly reflect cyber-kinetic strategic interactions…” (Asia Times)

Hard times for feminists in China
“On January 21, 2017, more than half a million people showed up for the Women’s March in Washington, D.C., and hundreds of similar protests took place around the globe. But not in China, a country with 645 million women — nearly one-sixth of the world’s female population…” (supchina)

Intel squad from Hyderabad helped MP and UP police nab suspected ISIS terrorists
“NEW DELHI: Were it not for a small group of intelligence experts in Telangana dedicated to tracking individuals and groups inspired by the so-called Islamic State, central agencies and Madhya Pradesh police might still have been scrambling to track down the terrorists behind the Ujjain train blast…” (Times of India)

Over 100 farmer suicides this year in drought-prone Marathwada
“MUMBAI: Despite claims by CM Devendra Fadnavis that the agrarian crisis was being tackled on war footing, 117 farmers ended their lives in Maharashtra’s drought-prone Marathwada region in the first two months of 2017…” (Times of India)

Regular Humans Have Been Taught to Double Their Memory Capacity in 40 Days
“Most days, it’s a struggle just to remember where you put your keys. But there are a few ‘super-memorisers’ in the population who can memorise huge lists of words at a time, or recite thousands of digits of Pi by heart…” (Science Alert)

Australia Was Colonised by One Group 50,000 Years Ago, DNA Evidence Reveals
“Historic hair samples collected from Aboriginal people show that following an initial migration 50,000 years ago, populations spread rapidly around the east and west coasts of Australia…” (Science Alert)

 

Photo: By Felix König (Own work) [GFDL or CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Doctors could prescribe houses to the homeless under radical Hawaii bill
“Newly introduced bill would classify homelessness as a medical condition, as research suggests healthcare spending falls when people have been housed…” (The Guardian)

Shell knew’: oil giant’s 1991 film warned of climate change danger
“Public information film unseen for years shows Shell had clear grasp of global warming 26 years ago but has not acted accordingly since, say critics…” (The Guardian)

Yep, Amazon Broke the Internet on Tuesday, and Here’s Why That’s a Big Problem
“A massive internet outage that took down thousands of popular websites on Tuesday was thanks to a technical glitch on Amazon’s servers, leading many to complain that Amazon “broke the internet…” (Science Alert)

Scientists Are Making Personalized Eczema Treatments From People’s Own Microbes
“Cultivating ‘friendly’ bacteria from people’s skin makes it possible to develop personalised lotions to treat skin conditions like eczema, a new study shows…” (Science Alert)

Woman put on pyre alive? Post-mortem spins mystery
“AGRA/MEERUT: In a dramatic turn of events, police pulled out a newly married 24-year-old girl, Rachna Sisodia, from her funeral pyre after her family alleged that she was being burned alive in the name of cremation by her husband…” (The Times of India)

Young men ‘marry’ to please rain god
“MANGALURU: While LGBTs continue to fight for their rights, in a strange incident reported from Mahadeshwara Hills, a boy was made to marry a boy.Well, it was not as if it was a gay wedding, but a young man was made to dress up as a girl and marry another young man – all part of a prayer ritual to bring copious rain, the villagers claim…” (The Times of India)

A Politician and an Ex-Hitman Take on Philippine Leader
“More than 7,000 people have died in the war on drugs since Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte took office. A politician who has investigated the leader fears for her life and has since been arrested. Her most important witness, a former hitman, is living in hiding in the rainforest…” (Spiegel Online)

Documents Indicate Germany Spied on Foreign Journalists
“Germany’s foreign intelligence agency, the BND, apparently spied on large numbers of foreign journalists overseas over the course of several years, including employees of the BBC, Reuters and the New York Times. Critics see a massive violation of press freedoms…” (Spiegel Online)

 

Photo: By Ebyabe (Own work) GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0 or CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

A Scientist Explains: What Is NX Nerve Agent and How Does It Work?“The substance that could be responsible for the death Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, was the VX nerve agent, according to preliminary reports from Malaysian police…” (Science Alert)

Humans Are Driving a New Burst of Evolution – Including Possibly Our Own“The unprecedented impact that humans are having on the planet is well known to us all. Scarcely a day passes by without a media report or two on the effects of human economic activity on the world’s climate or some charismatic species under threat because of illegal wildlife trade or logging…” (Science Alert)

Australian children’s author Mem Fox detained by US border control: ‘I sobbed like a baby’“Australian childrens’ book author Mem Fox has suggested she might never to return to the US after she was detained and insulted by border control agents at Los Angeles airport…” (The Guardian)

Revealed: thousands of children at London schools breathe toxic air“Tens of thousands of children at more than 800 schools, nurseries and colleges in London are being exposed to illegal levels of air pollution that risk causing lifelong health problems, the Guardian can disclose…” (The Guardian)

A profitable business
Chaos and despair in Brazil’s prisons (Le Monde diplomatique)

Corb, architecture’s great dictatorLe Corbusier’s 1924 plan for Paris would have obliterated its historic heart to build a totalitarian ‘radiant city’. Life in it would not have matched the dream. (Le Monde diplomatique)

A ‘Ring of Fire’ Eclipse Is Happening This Sunday – Here’s How to Watch
“This Sunday, parts of the Southern Hemisphere will witness a spectacular ‘Ring of Fire’ eclipse, as the Moon moves between us and the Sun and blocks it almost entirely from view, save for a burning outer ring…” (Science Alert)

Average Life Expectancy Is Expected to Pass 90 for the First Time Ever
“…A recent study has crunched the numbers on 35 industrialized countries from around the globe, and found their future populations will be living longer than today’s – in South Korea’s case, potentially climbing as high as 90…” (Science Alert)

 

Photo: By Nikodem Nijaki (Own work) – CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons