Israeli strikes target Gaza’s Bureij refugee camp amid negotiations
Israeli strikes on Gaza’s Bureij refugee camp killed several people amid negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
Drake sues for defamation over Kendrick Lamar song
The rapper withdraws a case accusing his label of artificially boosting the success of Not Like Us.
Sweden plans to remove citizenship from people seen as threat to state
But it stops short of calls by the minority government for gangsters to have their citizenship revoked.
Germany to shoot down drones near military sites
The number of sightings has increased since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, officials say.
UK stalls Chagos Islands deal until Trump administration can ‘consider detail’
Future of Diego Garcia military base should be considered before handover to Mauritius signed off, No 10 says
The UK government will not sign off a deal to hand back the Chagos Islands to Mauritius until Donald Trump’s administration has had a chance to consider the future of the joint military base, Downing Street has confirmed.
Allies of the US president-elect have been critical of the deal because of the implications for the strategically important Diego Garcia base, with concerns that it could bolster Chinese interests in the Indian Ocean.
Continue reading...Lions on ice – Kenya’s foray into ice hockey
Kenya has become just the fifth African nation to gain membership of the International Ice Hockey Federation, despite having only one ice rink in the country.
Lions on ice – Kenya’s foray into ice hockey
Kenya has become just the fifth African nation to gain membership of the International Ice Hockey Federation, despite having only one ice rink in the country.
AI Brad Pitt dupes French woman out of €830,000
Anne, 53, was subject to nationwide ridicule after a TV show revealed how she paid out huge sums to romance scammers pretending to be Brad Pitt.
Kenyan minister alleges intelligence agency behind his son’s abduction
Justin Muturi says his son was freed following President William Ruto's intervention.
S Korea impeached president arrested after investigators scale walls
They cut through barbed wires and braved freezing temperatures to reach Yoon, ending a weeks-long standoff.
Obesity label is medically flawed, says global report
There is a risk too many people are being diagnosed as obese, with weight-loss drugs in high demand.
Israel and Hamas make final push for Gaza ceasefire deal
The Israeli PM's office denies reports that Hamas has agreed a draft presented by mediators in Qatar.
‘My country is in crisis’: A divided South Korea grapples with Yoon’s arrest
The country is deeply polarised by the president's attempt to impose martial law.
‘My country is in crisis’: A divided South Korea grapples with Yoon’s arrest
The country is deeply polarised by the president's attempt to impose martial law.
LA faces ‘extreme fire danger’ as high winds forecast
New gusts could reach hurricane-force in mountainous areas - as the US disaster's death toll creeps up.
Israel-Gaza war live: Ceasefire deal ‘on brink’, says US, but Gaza residents face fresh evacuation orders
Deal reported to involve release of 33 Israeli hostages alongside a partial Israeli troop withdrawal
In Oslo today, Norway is hosting a meeting of the global alliance for the implementation of the two-state solution.
Norway’s foreign ministry Espen Barth Eide is quoted by the Anadolu news agency making opening remarks in which he said that a ceasefire in Gaza would only be the beginning of the necessary process.
The time has come to take practical measures that advance the two-state solution, address the root causes of this conflict and directly confront the legality of the Israeli occupation and its ongoing violation of international law.
While we are waiting for a ceasefire, it is important to stress that it will not be acceptable for any entity to govern Gaza but the legitimate Palestinian leadership and the government of the State of Palestine.
Continue reading...Starmer accuses Tories of being ‘economic vandals’ at PMQs as Badenoch challenges him to rule out tax rises – UK politics live
Prime minister says global economy experiencing volatility after Conservative leader attacks him over economy
The Mauritian government said talks will continue on the Chagos Islands deal, with attorney general Gavin Glover set to return to the UK for further negotiations, PA Media reports.
A statement issued following a meeting of prime minister Navin Ramgoolam’s cabinet said:
The commitment and resolve of Mauritius to reach an agreement and end this long battle for the sovereignty of Mauritius over the Chagos Archipelago remains unshaken.
Continue reading...‘I applaud the EPA’: agency launches formal review of five toxic chemicals
Review could lead to bans on plastic chemicals including vinyl chloride, compound at center of 2023 Ohio train wreck
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is launching a formal review of five highly toxic plastic chemicals, including vinyl chloride, the notorious compound at the center of the East Palestine, Ohio, train wreck fire. The move could lead to strong limits or bans on the substances.
Vinyl chloride is most commonly used in PVC pipe and packaging production, but is also cancerous and highly flammable. For about 50 years, the federal government has considered limits on the substance, but industry has thwarted most regulatory efforts, hidden the substances’ risks and is already mobilizing against the new review.
Continue reading...3M knew firefighting foams containing PFAS were toxic, documents show
Exclusive: Newly uncovered documents reveal chemicals giant was aware ‘environmentally neutral’ products did not biodegrade
The multibillion-dollar chemicals company 3M told customers its firefighting foams were harmless and biodegradable when it knew they contained toxic substances so persistent they are now known as “forever chemicals” and banned in many countries including the UK, newly uncovered documents show.
From the 1960s until 2003, 3M made foams containing PFOS and PFOA (perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid), synthetic chemicals that can take tens of thousands of years to degrade in the environment and have been linked to cancers and a range of other health problems such as thyroid disease, high cholesterol, hormonal problems and fertility issues.
Continue reading...Royal Mail on track to return to annual profit after strong Christmas
Owner highlights parcel deliveries performance as £3.6bn takeover by Czech billionaire nears completion
The owner of Royal Mail has said it received a fillip from parcel deliveries over Christmas, putting it on track to return to annual profit, as its £3.6bn takeover by the Czech billionaire Daniel Křetínský nears completion.
International Distribution Services (IDS) said Royal Mail delivered more than 99% of items sent on or before the recommended last posting dates in time for Christmas.
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