Death toll rises as storms continue to rip through communities, destroying homes and livelihoods
As heavy rains and floods dominate headlines around the world, displaced people and those living in conflict zones are among the worst affected.
Wind and heavy rain from monsoons and typhoons has bombarded much of Asia. There have also been downpours and flash floods in parts of Latin America and Africa.
Continue reading...A massive landslide in the Sirmaur district of Himachal Pradesh in India has led to a road collapsing down the side of a mountain. The footage, captured on 30 July, has been widely shared on social media and Indian news channels. It is not clear whether there were any casualties. There have been incidents of landslides in the area amid heavy rains. Recently a huge rockfall hit the Sangla valley, destroying a bridge, cars and killing at least nine tourists
Continue reading...The Hudson Yards development in midtown Manhattan is facing calls to dismantle the Vessel, its huge sculptural centrepiece, after a fourth person in less than two years jumped from the 150ft structure.
Related: 'We never thought it would happen': Thomas Heatherwick's $200m gamble
Continue reading...The spiritual leader has mused that he may return as a woman. But his succession has turned into a political battle
A couple of years ago, during a meeting of Tibetan leaders in Dharamshala in India, Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, was asked about his reincarnation. Addressing the room of monks, religious teachers and Tibetan politicians, the Dalai Lama asked them to look into his eyes. “Do you think it’s time now?” he asked.
It was a meeting that would end with the Tibetan leaders agreeing that the issue of reincarnation was one that would be decided only by the Dalai Lama himself. But China, which annexed Tibet in 1951 and has retained tight control over the region ever since, has other ideas. It insists that the choice of the next Dalai Lama lies only with China, and have even enshrined this right into Chinese law.
Continue reading...Delta variant blamed for rise in cases in 14 provinces; UK records a further 71 deaths
Several hundred Israelis demonstrated in Tel Aviv against new coronavirus restrictions and vaccines as positive cases and hospitalisations rose to levels not seen in months, AFP reports.
The health ministry reported Saturday that 2,435 new Covid cases had been recorded the day before - the highest number since March - driven by the Delta variant. There were 326 hospitalisations, the highest since April, although well below the January peak, when more than 2,000 people were being hospitalised daily. Israel has in recent days rolled out a booster vaccine shot for older citizens, reimposed mask requirements indoors and restored “green pass” restrictions requiring vaccine certificates for entering enclosed spaces such as gyms, restaurants and hotels.
Ireland’s premier Micheal Martin hailed the country’s “brilliant” Covid-19 vaccine programme after its full vaccination rate overtook the UK’s.
Ireland reached the figure of 72.4% of adults fully vaccinated. In the UK the rate was 72.1% on Saturday. More than 5.8 million jabs have been administered in Ireland to date. “The vaccine rollout is continuing at great pace,” tweeted Martin. “Today we edged ahead of our nearest neighbours - a brilliant effort by everyone involved. Ireland: 72.4% of adults fully vaccinated UK: 72.1% of adults fully vaccinated.”
President Pedro Castillo completes his cabinet after causing shockwaves with appointment of controversial Guido Bellido as prime minister
After 24 hours of uncertainty and the worst Friday in years on the stock exchange, Peru’s new president, Pedro Castillo, has completed his cabinet, swearing in the moderate leftist economist Pedro Francke as finance minister, and in the process calming jittery investors and anxious Peruvians alike.
Aníbal Torres was also sworn in, as justice minister, on Friday, filling the remaining empty cabinet posts. The rest were sworn in late on Thursday, amid deep unease over Castillo’s choice of prime minister, Guido Bellido, who is under investigation for allegedly defending the Shining Path, a Maoist rebel group that killed tens of thousands of Peruvians in the 1980s and 1990s, and is also accused of making homophobic remarks.
Continue reading...Families fleeing drug gangs and paramilitaries have been cut off, with government accused of being ‘incapable’ of protecting them
Flooding and landslides have left thousands of refugees cut off from food supplies in Ituango, the conflict-strewn municipality in north-western Colombia.
Roads have been blocked by mud and debris after heavy rains, while helicopters have been unable to land. As a result, the delivery of food and medical supplies has been stymied, and communications cut off.
Continue reading...Louise Kerton went missing in 2001 after travelling to stay with her boyfriend’s family in Germany
Twenty years since the disappearance of Louise Kerton, who travelled to Germany to holiday with her boyfriend’s family and disappeared, her father is looking for fresh leads.
Phil Kerton is hoping publicity to mark the anniversary might trigger memories or encourage police in Germany, the UK or Belgium – which she is supposed to have travelled through via rail and sea – to reopen the case.
Continue reading...US actor, 58. makes first public statement since collapsing on set of Better Call Saul earlier this week
Bob Odenkirk, the actor and star of Better Call Saul, said Friday that he “had a small heart attack” but will “be back soon”.
Related: Nobody review – Bob Odenkirk is a blast in action man mode
Continue reading...Department says House panel has ‘sufficient reasons’ for requesting returns as Nancy Pelosi hails ‘victory for the rule of law’
The US Department of Justice on Friday ordered the Internal Revenue Service to hand Donald Trump’s tax returns to a House committee, saying the panel had “invoked sufficient reasons” for requesting them.
Related: Trump pressured DoJ officials to falsely claim election corrupt, memos show
Continue reading...Samoa's first female prime minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa in her first sit-down interview with foreign media since taking office this week says there was 'a lot of excitement' in the Pacific nation about her election among women and girls . She also opened up about Samoa's relationship with China, saying that while 'of course we know what's happening in the global context' with the US-China tensions Samoa needed to be 'very focused on how we navigate our way through international relations'.
Continue reading...When restaurant owner Murat Aktan and his friends hit the road to take hot meals to firefighters battling wildfires in the Turkish Mediterranean town of Manavgat on Thursday evening, they had no idea of the ordeal which was awaiting them. After they distributed food to the fire crews, they turned back but found the road ahead of their car blocked by sheets of flame from burning trees and undergrowth. Video filmed by Aktan showed their car almost engulfed by fire as they desperately backed away from the flames and falling embers. The four friends eventually drove to safety and returned home after their ordeal. 'We went through hell,' Aktan told Reuters
Continue reading...Rochelle Walensky says ‘extreme’ measures needed to counter threat of virus that can be spread even by vaccinated people
The Delta variant spreads much faster, is more likely to infect the vaccinated, and could potentially trigger more severe illness in the unvaccinated compared with all other known variants, according to an internal report compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The document, a slide presentation prepared by officials within the US’s health protection agency first obtained by the Washington Post, warned that the Delta variant is as infectious as chickenpox, and argues that government officials must “acknowledge the war has changed” given how dangerous the variant is.
Continue reading...An ancient Roman ship carrying a cargo load of wine jars, or amphorae, has been found underwater in the Mediterranean Sea off the Italian island of Sicily. The vessel was discovered during an underwater reconnaissance expedition by the island's Regional Agency for Environment Protection. The findings will shed light on Rome’s trade activity in the Mediterranean, where the Romans traded spices, wine, olives and other products in north Africa, Spain, France and the Middle East
Continue reading...Thousands of holidaymakers evacuated from Aegean Sea resorts as country fights more than 50 blazes
The heat intensity of wildfires in Turkey on Thursday was four times higher than anything on record for the nation, according to satellite data passed on to the Guardian.
At least four people were killed by blazes that swept through the tourist regions of Antalya and Muğla, forcing thousands of holidaymakers to be evacuated from their hotels by a flotilla of boats.
Continue reading...Kenya suspends all in-person meetings and gatherings; variant now dominant in Italy, authorities say
Covid-19 vaccinations and masks will be required for all Broadway audience members when theaters reopen in the coming weeks, New York theatre operators announced today.
Audience members will have to wear face coverings and show proof they are fully vaccinated when they enter the theatres, the Broadway League said.
Drug manufacturer Emergent BioSolutions has said it has received inquiries and subpoenas from multiple US authorities related to its abilities to manufacture a Covid-19 bulk drug substance.
Emergent came under regulatory scrutiny after an error led to millions of vaccine doses being ruined at its manufacturing facility in Baltimore, which was producing bulk substance for Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine.
Continue reading...Identity of assailants unknown, but Taliban fighters are known to have penetrated city after US withdrawal
The main UN compound in the capital of the western Afghan province of Herat was attacked by “anti-government elements” on Friday and at least one security guard was killed, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said.
The attack, involving rocket-propelled grenades and guns, happened hours after Taliban fighters penetrated deep into Herat city, and heavy clashes with Afghan security forces took place near the UNAMA provincial headquarters, officials said.
Continue reading...Judge expected to award damages worth C$13.4m (£7.7m) to hundreds affected by disgraced doctor’s methods
Hundreds of victims of a disgraced Canadian fertility doctor, including more than a dozen children conceived using his sperm, are set to share a proposed C$13.375m (£7.707m) class-action settlement – the first of its kind in the world.
On Wednesday, an Ontario court certified a class action suit against Ottawa-based Norman Barwin. The legal action was first launched in 2016.
Continue reading...Naval strike group is sailing through waters heavily contested between China and neighbouring countries
Britain has said it has no plans to stage a naval confrontation with China in the South China Sea and that it aims to send its carrier strike group in the most direct route across the contested body of water from Singapore to the Philippine Sea.
The cooling message emerged hours after China’s military and state media warned the UK against provocation as the group, led by Royal Navy aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth, undertakes what had been expected to be a more assertive deployment.
Continue reading...Advanz Pharma and former private equity owners were fined £100m by markets watchdog
A pharmaceuticals firm that inflated thyroid drug prices by up to 6,000% over a decade paid out more than £400m to shareholders and directors during the same period.
London-based Advanz Pharma – and its former private equity owners HgCapital and Cinven – were fined a combined £100m by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on Thursday.
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