Walkie-talkie explosions spark fresh day of chaos in Lebanon
A second wave of communication device explosions killed at least 20 people, Lebanese officials say.
UK summer’s ‘last hurrah’ set to give way to heavy rainfall at weekend
Met Office says ‘gentle decline’ in temperature expected, ushering in more typical autumn weather
The UK is enjoying “summer’s last hurrah” before heavy rainfall is expected to drench the country over the weekend, the Met Office has said.
On Wednesday, temperatures hit 25.5C in Inverness, which is 14C above average for this time of year, according to the forecaster. Warm and bright conditions are expected to continue into Thursday after a cloudy morning – with highs of 26C in London, the weather service added.
Continue reading...Harvey Weinstein pleads not guilty to new sex crime charge
The fresh charge relates to the alleged sexual assault of a woman in a Manhattan hotel in 2006.
Elon Musk’s X circumvents court-ordered block in Brazil
Social media platform routes internet traffic outside of Brazil using a communications network update
Social media platform Twitter/X became accessible to many users in Brazil on Wednesday as an update to its communications network circumvented a block order by the country’s supreme court.
The X update used cloud services offered by third parties, allowing some Brazilian users to take a route outside of the country to reach X, even without a virtual private network, according to Abrint, the Brazilian Association of Internet and Telecommunications Providers.
Continue reading...Teamsters union says won’t endorse Harris or Trump in US election
Influential union backed every Democratic presidential candidate since 2000, but declines to make endorsement this year.
US goes big with first interest rate cut in four years
The Federal Reserve has cut its key lending rate by 0.5 percentage points - a larger cut than expected.
What we know about Trump assassination suspect Routh’s party affiliation
Ryan Wesley Routh lost his US voter registration in 2002 after being convicted of a felony.
Harvey Weinstein pleads not guilty to new sex crime charge as he awaits retrial
New allegations against disgraced film mogul, currently jailed in New York, not related to his overturned conviction
Harvey Weinstein pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to a new sex crime charge in New York, as he awaits retrial in his landmark #MeToo case.
Details of the new allegations were not immediately available. He was charged with committing a criminal sex act.
Continue reading...Venezuela opposition leader says he was forced to sign letter accepting Maduro victory
Edmundo González says he signed election letter under duress as condition for allowing him to flee to Spain
Venezuela’s opposition candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia, has said he was coerced into signing a letter recognizing Nicolás Maduro as the winner of the country’s disputed election as a condition for letting him flee to Spain.
The revelation of the letter is the latest strain to the country’s political crisis, which was exacerbated by the disputed election results and González’s recent departure for exile in Spain.
Continue reading...In Kashmir, voting begins in first local elections since India revoked autonomy – NPR
- In Kashmir, voting begins in first local elections since India revoked autonomy NPR
- Brisk voting for local government in Indian-controlled Kashmir for first time after losing autonomy The Associated Press
- Kashmiris Are Voting Again. But Do They Have a Voice? The New York Times
- Despite prison, torture, this Kashmiri politician won’t give up on India Al Jazeera English
- J&K assembly election 2024 live updates: Polling for phase one assembly elections begins Hindustan Times
Afghanistan stroll to historic first ODI win against South Africa
Afghanistan bowl South Africa out for 106 to seal first ODI cricket win in six-wicket victory.
Top UK food firms urged to do more to cut ‘staggering’ emissions
Food campaign Bite Back says 10 firms account for more carbon emissions globally than aviation industry
Britain’s biggest food and drink firms are doing too little to tackle the climate emergency and are producing “staggering” amounts of greenhouse gases, campaigners claim.
The 10 companies that manufacture more of the UK’s food than anyone else produce more carbon emissions between them than even the aviation industry, a report says.
Three of the firms increased their annual emissions in 2022 – Ferrero, Kraft Heinz and PepsiCo.
Seven are on course to miss meeting emissions targets they have set themselves to achieve by 2050.
Only four have a verifiable commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050 – Danone, Mars, Mondelēz and Nestlé.
Continue reading...IAF strikes Hezbollah terrorists, targets in southern Lebanon – The Jerusalem Post
- IAF strikes Hezbollah terrorists, targets in southern Lebanon The Jerusalem Post
- Israeli strikes hit multiple targets in Lebanon Reuters
- Eight Israelis Wounded by Hezbollah Anti-tank Missile Fire in Country's North Haaretz
- Mapping 11 months of Israel-Lebanon cross-border attacks Al Jazeera English
- Israeli military says it has hit Hezbollah weapons storage facilities in several areas of Lebanon CNN
Explosions across Lebanon in second day of attacks
At least 14 people were killed and over 450 injured in a second day of explosions across Lebanon.
Scientists collect lava from Kilauea volcano eruption
The volcano, one of the world's most active, has erupted in a remote area of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Israel’s double-punch humiliation of Hezbollah is a dance on the edge of an abyss
Tactical daring keeps Netanyahu on the front foot but risks lurch into full-blown war
The detonation of walkie-talkies around Lebanon a day after scores of pagers used by Hezbollah officials blew up is a one-two punch that drives home the extent of Israel’s penetration of its Shia foe’s defences across its northern border.
It represents utter humiliation for Hezbollah that its security can be so effortlessly breached twice, and be shown incapable of protecting its own people.
Continue reading...Israeli defence minister says war is moving to the north
Israel’s defence minister Yoav Gallant says the military is diverting resources to the north.
Cat that comforts trafficked women in London safe house is feline of the year
Marley, whose ‘incredible gift of empathy’ is said to help exploited women, beats thousands of cats to prize
A cat that offers comfort to trafficked women has been named cat of the year at a national ceremony.
Marley, a black and white cat who lives at a safe house for women who have been enslaved, exploited and trafficked, won the award because of his “gift of empathy”.
Continue reading...Pager and walkie-talkie attacks on Hezbollah were audacious and carefully planned
Israel is widely believed to be behind the operations – but who made the devices, and how did they explode?
It may be years before the full story is told of how the coordinated explosions of thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah were orchestrated. But, even without Israel publicly admitting responsibility, it is clear that the attack must have been carefully planned – however uncertain its consequences.
Experts generally believe a small mount of stable explosive was carefully implanted into each sabotaged device. Alan Woodward, a professor of cybersecurity at Surrey University, said: “There wouldn’t need to be much explosive, as proximity to a human body means it would cause injury even if it was a few grams.”
Continue reading...US Fed cuts rates by larger than usual half-percentage point
Central bank's rate-setting committee says it has 'greater confidence' inflation is moving towards two-percent target.