More than 200 animals abandoned by farmers after the eruption have not been fed or watered for days
A daring operation is being launched to rescue more than 200 sheep left to their fate by farmers after a volcanic eruption near the evacuated Icelandic town of Grindavik.
With molten lava setting homes ablaze and the ground surface cracking, rescue teams are seeking to bring out an estimated 270 animals from their fields and indoor pens.
Continue reading...Alexander De Croo says democracy and liberty will be put to the test in Europe this year but EU should not be afraid of going it alone
The European parliament will tonight debate the resurgence of neo-fascism across the continent, after a last-minute agenda item was added to address a chilling video from Italy that appeared to show hundreds of men making fascist salutes earlier this month.
The debate was put on the agenda by the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) group after its members were “outraged and distressed” by the images, S&D leader Iratxe García said in a statement.
The rise of neo-fascism is a dark cloud that looms across parts of Europe ... It is both unacceptable and alarming that in 2024 we still bear witness to such scenes.
What is even more disconcerting is the lack of consequences and the lack of a clear, decisive response from the Prime Minister. Why has (Giorgia) Meloni chosen silence? Why has she not condemned these disturbing images?
The European Parliament is not going along with this and will challenge her decision before the European Court of Justice. There must be no more rebates on the rule of law in the EU.
Continue reading...Prosecutors say they intend to charge Paul Nthenge Mackenzie and dozens of other suspects with murder and terrorism
Kenyan prosecutors have said they intend to charge a suspected cult leader and dozens of other suspects with murder and terrorism over the deaths of more than 400 of his followers, after a court warned it may have to free him.
The self-proclaimed pastor Paul Nthenge Mackenzie is alleged to have incited his followers to starve to death in order to “meet Jesus” in a case that shocked the world.
Continue reading...Charities warns of ‘dire’ outcome for the impoverished country, where two-thirds of the population already relies on aid to survive
Aid agencies have begun suspending vital operations in Yemen after the recent US and UK strikes on Houthi targets, amid warnings that further military intervention risks deepening one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
A coalition of 23 aid organisations operating within the Gulf state issued a joint statement on Tuesday, warning that military escalation will further compromise their ability to deliver critical services while worsening living conditions for millions of people in Yemen.
Continue reading...Higher costs as a result of Ukraine war, supply chain issues and effects of Covid force lunching office workers to tighten belts
Even in a city of tens of thousands of restaurants, including a large number with Michelin stars, is it really possible in Tokyo to spend as little as ¥500 (£2.60) a day on lunch without eating the same modest meal day in, day out?
The answer, according to increasingly cash-strapped office workers in the Japanese capital, is a resounding yes.
Continue reading...Exclusive: summary sent to UK supermarkets describes conflict between pineapple thieves and Del Monte security staff
Major human rights violations are being committed at a vast Del Monte pineapple farm in Kenya where there have been numerous deaths and violence, according to the conclusions of an unpublished report.
The findings, seen by the Guardian, are highly critical of Del Monte Kenya and include claims that the company’s employees are working with a cartel of thieves, providing them with intelligence. The report says the farm has serious problems with organised pineapple theft, losing crops to gangs at a large scale.
Continue reading...Former US president beats Republican rivals in first state to choose their Republican candidate
Florida senator Marco Rubio formally endorsed Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign on Sunday, effectively snubbing his state’s own governor Ron DeSantis.
In a social media post, Rubio cited his work with Trump to expand child tax credit as well as sanctions placed on Cuba and Venezuela as reasons for throwing his support behind the former president. Rubio added:
I support Trump because that kind of leadership is the ONLY way we will get the extraordinary actions needed to fix the disaster Biden has created.
Continue reading...Civilians killed in strikes on Erbil include millionaire Kurdish businessman and his family, medical sources say
Iraq has vowed to take Iran to the UN security council after the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed they had attacked an Israeli “espionage headquarters” in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region.
Iran said it was acting in defence of its sovereignty and as a counter-terrorism measure in response to an Islamic State suicide attack in Kerman this month that killed more than 80 people.
Continue reading...It is unclear how Ukraine succeeded in shooting down the command planes flying above the Sea of Azov
Ukraine’s military has shot down two of Russia’s command planes, in one of the most disastrous days for the Kremlin’s air power since the start of Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion.
Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Ukraine’s commander in chief, said his air force had destroyed an A-50 long-range radar detection aircraft and an Il-22 control centre plane. Both were flying above the Sea of Azov on Sunday when they were hit at 9.10pm local time.
Continue reading...Gibraltar Eagle vessel not seriously damaged in assault that raises some doubts over efficacy of UK-US action
The Iran-backed Houthi militia group has continued to attack commercial shipping, hitting an American-owned container ship with a ballistic missile in defiance of a wave of US and UK strikes on Yemen.
The strike against the Marshall Islands-flagged Gibraltar Eagle container ship represented a widening of the theatre of war beyond the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. The strike hit the cargo hold of the ship and while it was thought to have caused no major damage, will add to fears that the US and UK strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen have not degraded the militia group’s ability to threaten commercial shipping.
Continue reading...Lax employment law cited as motivation for ice-cold crossing in which five people died off Wimereux
The mayor of the French seaside resort where five people died off the coast trying to reach the UK has blamed the British immigration system for the crisis that engulfed the town at the weekend.
“What’s happening today is their fault,” said Jean-Luc Dubaële, the mayor of Wimereux, claiming Britain was offering “monts et merveilles”, a French expression meaning they were promising the world.
Continue reading...Prime minister addresses MPs hours after Yemen-based group fires on another container ship in Red Sea
Rishi Sunak has said the UK is willing to take military action against Houthi rebels again, hours after the Yemen-based group fired another missile at a container ship in the Red Sea.
The prime minister addressed MPs on Monday for the first time since the UK took part in airstrikes on the Houthis on Friday night, which he said destroyed 13 targets at two sites, including drones, an airfield and a cruise missile launcher.
Continue reading...Ukraine, Middle East and Taiwan overshadow annual meeting at Davos, with artificial intelligence also high on agenda
Growing concern that heightened geopolitical tension could damage an already shaky global economy has dominated the start of the annual gathering of the world’s business and political elite in Davos, Switzerland.
Three potential flash points – Ukraine, the Middle East and Taiwan – threatened to overshadow the meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) aimed at rebuilding trust after the series of setbacks suffered in the past four years, including war, the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis.
Continue reading...The 3,800 inhabitants of south-western Icelandic town fear they may never be able to return home
Residents of the Icelandic town of Grindavík fear they may not be able to return to their homes after volcanic lava destroyed several houses and damaged water and electricity supplies.
The Fagradalsfjall volcano erupted for the second time in less than a month on Sunday morning, hours after the authorities had instructed residents to leave the fishing town in the south-west of the island after a “swarm” of mini-earthquakes suggested an eruption was imminent.
Continue reading...Pidgin English term triggers debate after going viral in new year as a motto for self-reliance and resilience
A Nigerian slang term meaning not letting anyone bully or cheat you is sparking debate after police warned the slogan could be a message of rebellion.
While not new, the pidgin English term “No gree for anybody”, and variations of it, has been going viral since the start of the year as a motto for self-reliance and resilience in the face of difficulties.
Continue reading...Ukraine army chief Valeriy Zaluzhnyi says A-50 spy plane and Il-22 command aircraft downed near Sea of Azov; Britain to send army, navy and RAF personnel to Nato exercise
Shapps has cited the UK’s increase in support to Ukraine in the highest level ever as an example of its commitment to defence spending.
To some the cost may seem steep but Britain cannot afford to reverse the gains we have.
Under this Conservative government Britain never will.
Continue reading...Finance minister Christian Lindner met with jeers as he says he cannot promise more money at demonstration in Berlin
How have you been affected?
If you’ve been affected by the eruption in Iceland, we would like to hear from you. Have you been evacuated? Where are you now and what is your situation? Where are you staying? How did you feel about leaving your home? What damage has your town suffered and what are your concerns?
Farmers are demonstrating in Berlin today after a week of nationwide protests over planned cuts to agricultural sector subsidies.
Continue reading...In unverified video, woman also held captive and speaking under duress says two men have been killed
Hamas has released a video announcing the death of two Israeli hostages and claimed that they were killed by Israeli airstrikes.
The video showed a female hostage named in Israeli media as Noa Argamani, 26, speaking under duress, revealing that two men she was held captive with had been killed in captivity. It was not clear when or where the video was filmed and there was no independent confirmation of Hamas’s claims.
Continue reading...‘Crucial’ that countries build social safety nets to mitigate impact on workers, says Kristalina Georgieva
Artificial intelligence will affect 40% of jobs around the world and it is “crucial” that countries build social safety nets to mitigate the impact on vulnerable workers, according to the head of the International Monetary Fund.
AI, the term for computer systems that can perform tasks usually associated with human levels of intelligence, is poised to profoundly change the global economy with advanced economies at greater risk of disruption.
Continue reading...Grant Shapps says UK has no interest in wider Yemen conflict as Rishi Sunak prepares to address MPs
The UK has no interest in taking part in any wider conflict in Yemen but is “waiting to see what happens” before deciding whether further military strikes against Houthi forces might be needed, the defence secretary has said.
Discussing the US-led strikes on the Yemen-based rebels in the early hours of Friday, which were aimed at stopping Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, Grant Shapps said the aims of the military operation were always limited.
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