Strikes at Ukraine nuclear plant prompt UN chief to call for demilitarised zone
Kyiv, Ukraine/New York, US Reuters Russia and Ukraine accused each other on Thursday of shelling Europe’s biggest nuclear power plant as the UN chief proposed a demilitarised zone at the site amid fears of a catastrophe. Ukraine’s Energoatom agency said the Zaporizhzhia complex was struck five times on Thursday, including near where radioactive materials are […]
Wildfires – including France’s “monster” – burn, farmers struggle as another heatwave bakes western Europe
Hostens, France Reuters European nations sent firefighting teams to help France tackle a “monster” wildfire on Thursday, while forest blazes also raged in Spain and Portugal and the head of the European Space Agency urged immediate action to combat climate change. More than 1,000 firefighters, backed by water-bombing planes, battled for a third day a […]
Freetown in shock after dozens killed in Sierra Leone protests
Freetown, Sierra Leone Reuters Dozens died in anti-government protests in Sierra Leone, police and other sources said on Thursday, sharply raising the death toll from the previous day’s clashes as shocked citizens stayed mostly behind closed doors in the capital Freetown. Six police officers and at least 21 civilians were killed, the sources said, as […]
On the Screen: ‘Thirteen Lives’ a deft retelling of an extraordinary story
DAVID ADAMS watches ‘Thirteen Lives’…
Wave of shelling hits military, civilian targets in Russia’s offensive, Ukraine says
Kyiv, UkraineReuters Russia is attacking scores of civilian and military targets in its bid to establish full control over the east Ukraine regions of Luhansk and Donetsk, with 120 rockets hitting the area around the town of Nikopol overnight, Ukrainian officials said. Dnipropetrovsk Governor Valentyn Reznychenko said three people were killed and seven wounded by […]
“Hitting rock bottom” – drought, heat drain Spanish reservoirs
Cijara, Spain Reuters A flock of sheep shelter from the midday sun under the gothic arches of a medieval bridge flooded in 1956 to create the Cijara reservoir in central Spain, but now fully exposed as the reservoir is 84 per cent empty after a severe drought. In Andalusia, one of Europe’s hottest and driest […]
GreenSight: The ‘shamir’ or brier
ALVIN JOHNSON looks at Biblical mentions of the shamir – found in the Book of Isaiah…
Taiwan residents largely calm in the face of Chinese anger
Pingtung, TaiwanReuters Many people on self-ruled Taiwan look upon China’s unprecedented military exercises with calm resignation, doubting that war is imminent and if anything, feeling pride in their democratic island’s determination to defend itself. China, reacting to a visit to Taiwan last week by Nancy Pelosi, the US House Speaker, has sent ships and aircraft […]
Chile rethinks mine safety after worker deaths and expanding sinkhole
Reuters Chile is taking another look at health in safety in its mines after two workers died on a mining construction project in July and a giant sinkhole more recently opened up near a copper mine. Chile President Gabriel Boric said on Wednesday he wants to ratify an International Labor Organization convention on health and […]
Sierra Leone imposes nationwide curfew amid deadly anti-government protests
Freetown, Sierra Leone Reuters At least two police officers and one civilian died after a day of anti-government protests in Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown, staff at the city’s main mortuary said on Wednesday. Sierra Leone’s government previously said there had been deaths, but did not say how many, as protesters threw rocks and burned tyres […]