Category Archives: World News

Father hopes to reopen case of British woman who disappeared 20 years ago

Posted on by

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...

Bob Odenkirk says he had small heart attack but vows ‘I’ll be back soon’

Posted on by

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...

IRS must turn over Trump tax returns to Congress, DoJ says

Posted on by

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...

On China, Covid-19 and being the first woman in the job: Samoa’s first female PM– video

Posted on by

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...

‘We went through hell’: friends taking food to firemen find road blocked by Turkish wildfire – video

Posted on by

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...

‘The war has changed’: CDC paper warns Delta variant is far more transmissible

Posted on by

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...

Submarine robot captures underwater footage of ancient Roman ship laden with wine jars – video

Posted on by

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...

Turkish fires sweeping through tourist areas are the hottest on record

Posted on by

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...

Coronavirus live news: WHO says Delta variant not more deadly as CDC warns over transmissibility

Posted on by

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.

Related: Inspection finds peeling walls and residue at US plant that ruined 15m Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses

Continue reading...

UN compound attacked in Herat city, western Afghanistan

Posted on by

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...

Victims of Canadian IVF doctor who used own sperm win settlement

Posted on by

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...

UK says it has no plans for South China Sea confrontation after Beijing warning

Posted on by

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...

Drug firm that hiked prices by 6,000% paid shareholders £400m

Posted on by

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.

Continue reading...

Lula 2022? Brazil poised for sensational political comeback

Posted on by

With former president’s political rights restored, polls suggest he would thrash Jair Bolsonaro if he stands for election

Anazir Maria de Oliveira has a simple message for the man they call Lula.

“Comrade, I want you back,” said the 88-year-old union veteran and black activist as she celebrated the return of her “guru” to Brazil’s political fray.

Continue reading...

Israel blames Iran for attack on tanker that killed Briton and Romanian

Posted on by

Israeli foreign minister contacts Dominic Raab and says ‘Iran is not just an Israeli problem’

Israel has blamed Iran for a suspected drone attack on a tanker in the Arabian Sea that killed two crew, including a British national, and has vowed a harsh response.

The Liberian flagged Mercer Street, which is linked to an Israeli tycoon, was hit off the coast of Oman late on Thursday in what is thought to have been a swarm attack involving multiple drones.

Continue reading...

Haiti president’s widow suspects ‘oligarchs’ of organising his killing

Posted on by

Martine Moïse, who was injured in attack on her husband, recounts moment assassins opened fire

The widow of Haiti’s recently assassinated president has said she suspects his murder was engineered by wealthy Haitian “oligarchs” who have yet to be apprehended.

Martine Moïse, who survived the 7 July assault in which her husband, Jovenel Moïse, was shot dead, told the New York Times (NYT) she was unconvinced Haitian police – who have detained more than 20 suspects – had identified those who ordered and bankrolled the murder.

Continue reading...

Thailand bans sharing of news that ‘causes public fear’ amid pandemic criticism

Posted on by

Measures condemned by media and rights groups as attempt to shut down negative news reports

The Thai government has outlawed sharing news that “causes public fear”, even if such reports are true, as officials face mounting criticism over their handling of the pandemic.

On Thursday, the government tightened an emergency decree imposed more than a year ago that initially targeted false news. The latest constrictions forbid people from distributing “information causing public fear”, or from sharing “distorted information causing misunderstanding which affects national stability”.

Continue reading...

Bennifer is back, but don’t rush to contact your ex, say experts

Posted on by

J Lo and Ben Affleck did it, but experts urge restraint after lockdown prompts ‘rekindled romance’ dating trend

Relationship experts have warned against romanticising the idea of getting back with your ex-partner, after it was confirmed that one of the most famous celebrity couples of the early noughties – Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck – were indeed back together.

Last week, the actor and singer thrilled fans when they recreated a famous intimate image from J-Lo’s 2002 music video for Jenny from the Block to mark her 52nd birthday, 17 years after their break up.

Continue reading...

US voices concern with Israeli officials about Pegasus revelations

Posted on by

Top Biden administration official reportedly raised questions about spyware sold by NSO Group

The White House has raised concerns with top Israeli officials about allegations that spyware sold by Israeli surveillance company NSO Group has been used by governments around the world to monitor journalists and activists and – potentially – government officials with close ties to the US.

Brett McGurk, a top Biden administration adviser on the Middle East, raised questions privately about NSO in a meeting last week with Zohar Palti, a senior Israeli defence ministry official, according to reports by Axios and the Washington Post.

Continue reading...

UK minister seeks to calm row over France Covid travel curbs

Posted on by

Grant Shapps defends decision to put France on UK’s amber-plus list over Beta variant threat

A British cabinet minister has sought to dampen down a growing diplomatic row with France over the imposition of tougher international restrictions on millions of travellers owing to the threat of the Beta variant of coronavirus.

Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, defended the decision to put France on the “amber-plus” list, after the foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, on Thursday suggested the variant’s prevalence on Réunion, a French overseas territory in the Indian Ocean, was partly to blame.

Continue reading...