Category Archives: World News

Saeb Erekat, veteran Palestinian peace negotiator, dies after Covid diagnosis

Posted on by

Key PLO figure and advocate for two-state solution dies aged 65

Saeb Erekat, the veteran Palestinian peace negotiator and one of the most high-profile figures in its leadership since the early 1990s, has died after contracting coronavirus.

Erekat, a lawmaker from Jericho in the occupied West Bank, was a senior adviser to the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, and also worked for Abbas’s predecessor, Yasser Arafat. He served as the secretary-general of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).

Continue reading...

Canary Islands appeal for help as 2,200 migrants arrive over weekend

Posted on by

People housed in makeshift dock-side camps after braving dangerous Atlantic route from Africa

The president of the Canary Islands has appealed for urgent help from the Spanish government and the EU after around 2,200 migrants arrived on the archipelago over the weekend, putting further strain on its already massively overstretched reception resources.

Ángel Víctor Torres said the Canaries’ existing infrastructure simply could not cope with the number of people arriving as the dangerous Atlantic route from Africa to Europe attracts more refugees and migrants.

Continue reading...

Child sexual abuse in Catholic church was ‘swept under the carpet’, inquiry finds

Posted on by

Damning report says church put its reputation above the welfare of abuse victims

The Catholic church “betrayed” its moral purpose by prioritising its reputation over the welfare of children who had been sexually abused by priests, a damning inquiry report has concluded.

In its final review of the church, the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse (IICSA) was scathing in its criticism of the leadership of Cardinal Vincent Nichols and says the Vatican’s failure to cooperate with the investigation “passes understanding”.

Continue reading...

Peruvians take to the streets to protest against president’s ousting – video

Posted on by

Protests erupted in the Peruvian capital, Lima, following the surprise ousting of President Martín Vizcarra, who lost an impeachment vote he had been expected to survive. Allegations of corruption marred Vizcarra's presidency in the last few months, culminating in the vote. Vizcarra said he would not challenge the decision, but Peruvians took to the streets to voice their anger. Despite the accusations of corruption against Vizacarra, which analysts have deemed minor, the public supported his efforts to fight corruption in the government's highest levels

Continue reading...

Inquiry launched into EU commission’s protection of migrants at Croatia border

Posted on by

Investigation follows allegations of brutal pushbacks of refugees into Bosnia and lack of monitoring of border police

An official inquiry has been launched into the European commission’s alleged failure to protect the rights of migrants and refugees said to have been robbed and abused by police at Croatia’s borders.

The EU ombudsman is investigating the potential complicity of the EU’s executive branch in the maladministration of funds that should have been spent on supervising the behaviour of border officers working at the scene of some of the violence.

Continue reading...

Barcelona terror attack: three in court in Madrid

Posted on by

Trio accused of links to deadly van attack on La Rambla in 2017 and subsequent assault in nearby coastal town

Three men have appeared in court in Madrid to face trial over their alleged roles in the 2017 terror attacks in Catalonia that left 16 people dead and 140 wounded.

The perpetrators of the atrocities – Spain’s worst terror attack since the Madrid train bombings in March 2004 – used a van to knock down pedestrians on Barcelona’s La Rambla boulevard on 17 August 2017 and then staged another assault the following day in the Catalan coastal town of Cambrils.

Continue reading...

Trial begins of man who admitted killing 10 in Toronto van attack

Posted on by

Judge-only trial will focus on mental state of Alek Minassian, 28, and his association with misogynistic ‘incel’ ideology

The trial of Canadian man who killed 10 people when he drove a van on to a crowded Toronto sidewalk will begin on Tuesday, and is expected to focus on questions of criminal responsibility, misogyny and mental illness.

Alek Minassian, 28, faces 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder over the April 2018 attack, the worst mass murder in the city’s history.

Continue reading...

Man who killed 10 in Toronto van attack pleads not guilty

Posted on by

Alek Minassian’s lawyer said he will argue he is not criminally responsible because of his state of mind at the time

A Canadian man who killed 10 people when he drove a van on to a crowded Toronto sidewalk has pleaded not guilty and his lawyer said he will argue he is not criminally responsible because of his state of mind at the time.

Alek Minassian, 28, faces 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder over the April 2018 attack, the worst mass murder in the city’s history.

Continue reading...

Journalist killed in Philippines in second attempt on his life

Posted on by

Virgilio Maganes shot outside his home in what NUJP says is 18th such killing under Duterte

A Filipino journalist who survived a previous attempt on his life by pretending to be dead has been killed outside his home, police have said..

Virgilio Maganes, 62, who was a commentator for DWPR radio station in the northern province of Pangasinan, died instantly after he was shot six times by motorcycle-riding gunmen, Major Christian Alucod told AFP.

Continue reading...

Nagorno-Karabakh peace deal brokered by Moscow prompts anger in Armenia

Posted on by

Crowds claim agreement with Azerbaijan to withdraw is a betrayal after fierce fighting over disputed enclave

Russian peacekeepers have deployed to Nagorno-Karabakh after Moscow brokered a peace deal that sparked celebrations in Azerbaijan and protests in Armenia, where demonstrators briefly occupied government buildings.

The truce, announced late on Monday night, calls for the deployment of nearly 2,000 Russian peacekeepers to the disputed enclave, where Azerbaijan will receive significant territorial concessions from an Armenian-backed local government.

Continue reading...

Trump poised to leave legacy of chaos with last-minute foreign policy moves | Analysis

Posted on by

Analysis: With defence secretary’s firing and potential new Iran sanctions, Trump raises fears over impact of a vengeful president

The abrupt dismissal of the US defence secretary, Mark Esper, and reported plans for multiple layers of new sanctions on Iran have made clear that Donald Trump’s last 10 weeks in office could still prove a very bumpy ride for the rest of the world.

Trump is refusing to concede his loss to Joe Biden and, while he launches a quiver of baseless legal challenges to the results, he is also seeking to demonstrate he is still in charge of foreign and defence policy – fueling fears about the impact a vengeful president might have on the US role on the world stage over the coming 10 weeks of transition.

Continue reading...

The tasks Joe Biden faces: from racial justice to restoring faith in science

Posted on by

The new president will be busy – especially as he wrestles with the fallout from the Trump administration

As the coronavirus pandemic tore through the US, Joe Biden’s most important promise to the American people was a policy platform taken for granted prior the Trump presidency: believe science.

Continue reading...

Soul of the nation: how Joe Biden’s faith will shape his presidency

Posted on by

President-elect of the US says his belief in equality is rooted in his ‘cultural Catholicism’

He carries a rosary in his pocket, one that belonged to his dead son, Beau. On election day last Tuesday, he went to mass, as he does every Sunday.

In his victory speech on Saturday night, he quoted from Ecclesiastes: “The Bible tells us that to everything there is a season – a time to build, a time to reap, a time to sow. And a time to heal. This is the time to heal in America.”

Continue reading...

Fears for a million livelihoods in Kenya and Tanzania as Mara River fish die out

Posted on by

Water biodiversity is on the brink, with dire consequences for the region known for the zebra and wildebeest migration, says WWF

Fish are being driven to extinction in the Mara River basin, putting the livelihoods of more than a million people in Kenya and Tanzania in jeopardy, according to WWF.

A report by the wildlife NGO details how farming, deforestation, mining, illegal fishing and invasive species could sound a death knell for the transboundary river.

Continue reading...

People plan to drive more post-Covid, climate poll shows

Posted on by

Exclusive: Gap between actions and beliefs threatens green recovery from pandemic

People are planning to drive more in future than they did before the coronavirus pandemic, a survey suggests, even though the overwhelming majority accept human responsibility for the climate crisis.

The apparent disconnect between beliefs and actions raises fears that without strong political intervention, these actions could undermine efforts to meet the targets set in the Paris agreement and hopes of a green recovery from the coronavirus crisis.

Continue reading...

Nearly one in five Covid patients later diagnosed with mental illness – study

Posted on by

US data shows nearly twice as many diagnoses over three months among those testing positive

Nearly one in five people who have had Covid-19 are diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder such as anxiety, depression or insomnia within three months of testing positive for the virus, according to a study that suggests action is needed to mitigate the mental health toll of the pandemic.

The analysis – conducted by researchers from the University of Oxford and NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre – also found that people with a pre-existing mental health diagnosis were 65% more likely to be diagnosed with Covid-19 than those without, even accounting for known risk factors such as age, sex, race, and underlying physical conditions.

Continue reading...

Donald Trump fires defense secretary Mark Esper – US politics live

Posted on by

Another adviser to Donald Trump has reportedly tested positive for coronavirus, amid an apparent outbreak among the president’s team.

According to Bloomberg News, David Bossie has now tested positive for the virus.

BREAKING: Trump outside adviser David Bossie tested positive for coronavirus on Sunday, sources tell me.

Susan Collins has become one of the few Republican lawmakers to congratulate Joe Biden on his victory in the presidential election.

“First, I would offer my congratulations to President-elect Biden on his apparent victory – he loves this country, and I wish him every success. Presidential transitions are important, and the President-elect and the Vice-President-elect should be given every opportunity to ensure that they are ready to govern on January 20th,” Collins said in a new statement.

My statement on the 2020 Presidential election results: pic.twitter.com/8NY1WpaJpC

Continue reading...

Two dead as Russian military helicopter shot down in Armenia

Posted on by

Incident threatens to draw Moscow further into conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh

A Russian military helicopter has been shot down over Armenia, threatening to draw Moscow further into an escalating conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan that has left thousands dead.

The Russian Mi-24 military helicopter was shot down on Monday by a surface-to-air missile while escorting a convoy from a Russian military base in the country. Two Russian servicemen were killed in the attack, Moscow said, and another was injured. The Russian defence ministry said it was investigating who was behind the attack.

Continue reading...

Hopes rise for end of pandemic as Pfizer says vaccine is 90% effective

Posted on by

Global stocks surge and experts optimistic as Covid vaccine exceeds expectations

Hopes are soaring that a Covid vaccine is within reach, following news that an interim analysis has shown Pfizer/BioNTech’s candidate was 90% effective in protecting people from transmission of the virus in global trials.

The vaccine performed much better than most experts had hoped for, according to the companies’ analysis, and brings into view a potential end to a pandemic that has killed more than a million people, battered economies and upended daily life worldwide.

Continue reading...