Saturday, June 26, 2021

Britain's beleaguered health secretary resigns after being caught kissing aide

Matt Hancock resigned as Britain's Health Secretary Saturday, one day after he apologized for breaching Covid regulations.
https://ift.tt/3x14gUa

The UK should be having a racial reckoning. Instead, Black Lives Matter activists say they fear for their safety

Aima, 19, is one of Britain's most prominent Black Lives Matter (BLM) activists, but at a protest in London she is nervous. She has her hood up and, while a pandemic-mandated mask covers most of her face, she keeps her head down for fear of being recognized. Her eyes constantly dart to check the location of the police.
https://ift.tt/35U3FIg

Friday, June 25, 2021

A look inside Buckingham Palace's $500 million refurbishment

The Queen has a whopping £369 million ($514 million) budget to refurbish her London pad -- a figure that may seem excessive when she spends most of her time at Windsor Castle these days. This week, the Queen's royal accounts for the past financial year were published, revealing £31.6 million ($44 million) had been spent on the renovation in the past 12 months, up from £16.4 million ($23 million) the year before.
https://ift.tt/3vQTVJ3

A GB News anchor is taking a break -- just two weeks after the channel's debut

An anchor for GB News, a newly-launched TV channel in Britain that has been compared to Fox News in the US, said he is taking a break after just two weeks on the job.
https://ift.tt/3vUq5Dt

Palestinians demand end to Abbas presidency after activist dies during 'brutal beating and arrest'

Large demonstrations are being held across the West Bank calling for an end to the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Presidency of Mahmoud Abbas, after the funeral of Palestinian activist Nizar Banat, who died while in the custody of PA security forces on Thursday morning.
https://ift.tt/2T9utRV

Cubans are risking everything to enter the US

The four Cuban migrants stepped off the US Coast Guard cutter blinking and looking dazed under the blazing Caribbean sun. They risked their lives to cross the Florida Straits to go to the United States, only to be stopped at sea and returned to Cuba.
https://ift.tt/2SZnqeE

Frenchwoman who killed abusive husband faints in court

A Frenchwoman who has admitted to killing her abusive husband fainted with apparent shock and relief in court after hearing the sentence sought against her by prosecutors Friday.
https://ift.tt/2SWQbZp

Woman's bestselling book admits she killed abusive husband

The murder trial of a woman who killed her abusive husband got underway in the French city of Chalon-sur-SaĆ“ne. In her bestselling book, Valerie Bacot, admits to shooting Daniel Polette dead in self-defense in 2016. She faces a life sentence for murder.​
https://ift.tt/2SinZj6

Matt Hancock, Britain's beleaguered health secretary, apologizes after being caught in embrace with aide

Britain's beleaguered Health Secretary Matt Hancock has apologized for breaching Covid regulations after being pictured in an embrace with his adviser, with whom British tabloid The Sun alleges he is having an extramarital affair.
https://ift.tt/3x1hyA8

Three killed as tornado wreaks havoc in Czech Republic

At least three people have been killed and dozens injured after a rare tornado along with tennis ball-sized hailstones hit several villages in South Moravia, in the southeast of the Czech Republic, according to regional emergency services spokeswoman Michaela Bothova.
https://ift.tt/3ddi5qF

In China, the media doesn't hold the powerful accountable. It ensures those in power hold on to it


https://ift.tt/3jd81lE

Modi holds talks on Kashmir elections

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told leaders from the former state of Jammu and Kashmir that elections would be held there after the region's constituencies were reconfigured, following the revocation of its semi-autonomous statehood, meeting participants said.
https://ift.tt/3wU5z7m

Thursday, June 24, 2021

Uyghurs in Xinjiang are being given long prison sentences. Their families say they have done nothing wrong

Newlyweds Mehray Mezensof and Mirzat Taher were two days from leaving Xinjiang to start a new life in Australia when Chinese police knocked on their door in April 2017, seized Taher's passport and threw him into detention.
https://ift.tt/3gZyVMl

Hungary 'has no place in the EU anymore,' Dutch leader says

Hungary "has no place" in the European Union after passing a controversial new bill banning LGBTQ content in schools, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Thursday.
https://ift.tt/3ddVryF

Taiwan foreign minister says 'we need to prepare' for combat

China's escalating military intimidation of Taiwan shows the self-governed island "needs to prepare" for a possible military conflict, Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said in an exclusive interview with CNN.
https://ift.tt/2TZwU9y

US Ambassador to Russia returns to Moscow

US Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan arrived back in Moscow Thursday, days after the Russian ambassador to the US resumed his post in Washington, DC.
https://ift.tt/3vWMBvw

Cuban migrants are attempting treacherous journey to US

CNN's Patrick Oppmann gains exclusive access to the port where those trying to flee Cuba are returned by the US Coast Guard. Cuba is seeing record daily cases of Covid-19 while Trump-era sanctions, Covid restrictions and the collapse of tourism have hit the island's economy and people's incomes hard.
https://ift.tt/3zUKBan

Greek orthodox priest moved to psychiatric hospital after attacking group of bishops with acid

A 37-year-old priest is in custody in Greece after allegedly launching an acid attack that injured 10 people at a meeting of senior bishops.
https://ift.tt/35MucHe

Biden bans certain solar panel materials from Chinese company over forced labor

The Biden administration on Thursday announced it was blocking the import of certain materials that are used in solar panels from a company in Xinjiang, China, over allegations of forced labor.
https://ift.tt/2U1FBQY

Biden administration intends to relocate thousands of Afghans who helped US while they apply for visas

The Biden administration intends to relocate thousands of Afghan nationals who have worked alongside US diplomats and troops in order to protect their safety while they wait for their visa applications to be approved, senior administration officials say.
https://ift.tt/3dbX6Vj

Condemnation builds over deadly government airstrike in Tigray

International condemnation is growing over an airstrike that killed dozens of people in Ethiopia's war-torn northern Tigray region earlier this week, as Africa's second-most populous nation tallied ballots to decide its next leader.
https://ift.tt/35PtusI

Former Philippine President dies age 61

The former President of the Philippines Benigno Aquino III died Thursday at the age of 61 after being hospitalized in Quezon City, state media reported.
https://ift.tt/3h2plXt

Palestinian activist dies during 'brutal beating and arrest' by Palestinian Authority security forces

A well-known Palestinian critic of the Palestinian Authority (PA) has died in police custody in Hebron, sparking angry condemnation from leading figures in the West Bank and beyond.
https://ift.tt/2UpHF5g

UK says it would sail into Crimean waters again, a day after naval confrontation with Russia

A UK government minister said Thursday that Britain was prepared to sail naval vessels through disputed waters near Crimea again, a day after confrontation between a British warship and Russian forces in the Black Sea.
https://ift.tt/3h0SNgD

Wednesday, June 23, 2021

Inside Cara Delevingne's extravagant LA home

The floor plan of Cara Delevingne's home probably looks more like a tabletop board game than a structurally sound blueprint. From a fiery-red poker room to a therapeutic ball pit and walk-in closet for costume party emergencies, every inch of Delevingne's home appears to be designed with one thing in mind: fun.
https://ift.tt/3gJvjh4

Chinese art gallery sparks outrage with video ranking women's looks

A Shanghai gallery has apologized for exhibiting a seven-hour video in which an artist filmed passing women before giving them a score and ordering them "from the prettiest to the ugliest."
https://ift.tt/3zFexY7

Style Spotlight on Grace Wales Bonner

London's Grace Wales Bonner is a singular talent in today's top fashion echelons. Britain-born and of Jamaican descent, her eponymous label has become a galvanizing force since its launch in 2014.
https://ift.tt/3cYltpt

Reemerging from lockdown? Fashion and beauty tips for a post-confinement world

Throughout the pandemic, many of us have daydreamed about what life might look like once the world starts recovering. As we stewed in our tracksuits and traded makeup for skincare, we fantasized about the ordinary: our first haircut, the next date night outfit, wearing lipstick without it smearing all over our masks.
https://ift.tt/3vMGnhQ

Buckingham Palace admits it 'must do more' on diversity in annual report

Buckingham Palace has admitted the royal household is not diverse enough, as it releases its annual financial report.
https://ift.tt/3dauPOT

Covid outbreak at US Embassy in Afghanistan grows

The Covid-19 outbreak at the US Embassy in Kabul has grown to 159 cases, according to a diplomatic cable sent Tuesday, as a devastating third wave of the deadly disease continues to hit Afghanistan.
https://ift.tt/3zR82l0

National Geographic: The world has a fifth ocean


https://ift.tt/3xK96VP

Russia says it fired warning shots on British warship but UK denies the claim

Russia says one of its warplanes dropped bombs and a patrol boat fired warning shots to turn back a British destroyer it claims entered into its territorial waters in the Black Sea on Wednesday.
https://ift.tt/3vL4yxf

Airstrike kills up to 30 people at market in war-torn Ethiopian region of Tigray

An airstrike in Ethiopia's war-torn northern region of Tigray killed as many as 30 people when it hit a market on Tuesday, eyewitnesses have told CNN.
https://ift.tt/3gPSDd3

What a tabloid's fate says about a city's political future

Hong Kong's embattled, pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily is facing shut down as questions over how the government enforces the National Security Law becomes clear. CNN's Ivan Watson reports.
https://ift.tt/3gUBxtn

Italy moves to halt overtourism before travel restarts

Its founder calls it "the biggest shakeup in Italy" in the past decade, it's been hailed as a "vital way to combat overtourism," and now it's ready: the region of Tuscany has taken the first step towards becoming one giant gallery.
https://ift.tt/3xKL6lE

Five years after the Brexit vote, the United Kingdom is more divided than ever

Britain was a very different place in 2006.
https://ift.tt/2SOJfxp

Biden made it easier to get a work visa. Here's why foreign workers still can't get to the US.

When President Joe Biden revoked a Trump-era executive order in February that had temporarily banned some immigrant visas during the coronavirus pandemic, he touted the way US industries could again "utilize talent from around the world."
https://ift.tt/3vPhfqN

Italian lawmakers reject 'interference' after Vatican protests anti-homophobia law

Senior lawmakers in Italy pushed back Wednesday against "interference" from the Vatican after it protested against a draft Italian law designed to combat homophobia.
https://ift.tt/3d3YWY8

Residents in parts of Sydney confined to city as Covid cases surge

A series of Covid-19 restrictions have been introduced in Sydney following a growing number of cases in the Australian city.
https://ift.tt/3xKi59v

Nigeria announces talks with Twitter after ban, as Ecowas court bars government crackdown on users

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has assembled a reconciliation team to lead negotiations with Twitter, more than two weeks after the American social media company's operation was indefinitely suspended in the West African nation.
https://ift.tt/3gQdjQU

Microsoft reaches a $2 trillion market cap

Microsoft has officially entered the most elite of clubs: corporations with a market value exceeding $2 trillion.
https://ift.tt/3wVaPb6

MotorTrend: Tesla's Model S Plaid goes 0-60 in 2 secs, but there's a catch

Elon Musk said the new 1,020-horsepower Tesla Model S Plaid electric sedan would be able to go from zero to 60 miles an hour in less than 2 seconds. And it can, according to a recent test by MotorTrend, but that's assuming you've followed a strict set of steps which can entail waiting up to 15 minutes before you try.
https://ift.tt/3jbbSj9

Why American investors are trying to buy a UK supermarket

Britain's fourth biggest supermarket chain Morrisons has become the takeover target of an American private equity firm in the latest sign of a strong appetite among investors for UK assets.
https://ift.tt/2UpCLW4

Tuesday, June 22, 2021

Parts of the Amazon have rarely been drier. Scientists fear it could spark devastating fires

Scientists are on high alert that the Amazon is careening toward a destructive fire season. Parts of Brazil and its typically lush rainforest are parched by drought and loaded with fire-kindling fuel after a surge of deforestation in 2020.
https://ift.tt/3qiEnfY

US government seizes dozens of US website domains connected to Iran

The United States government has seized dozens of US website domains connected to Iran, linked to what the US says are disinformation efforts, a US national security official told CNN.
https://ift.tt/3zPGkov

How Brazil's fear of losing the Amazon guides Bolsonaro's policies towards the forest

In 2000, when the internet in Brazil was still in its infancy, an email with an alarming message about the Amazon went viral. It claimed that the United States and the United Nations had taken the forest from Brazilians and transformed it into a protected area -- a falsehood, but one that reflected a long-running conspiracy theory still promoted today by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.
https://ift.tt/3d5uZqJ

Britain's Pacific trade ambitions won't compensate for Brexit

The United Kingdom has begun talks on joining a Pacific trade partnership that it sees as one of its biggest opportunities to forge economic alliances beyond Europe after Brexit.
https://ift.tt/3xNiGHH

See where Olympians will eat, sleep and relax in Tokyo

CNN's Selina Wang takes a look at Tokyo's Olympic Village, a city within a city where elite athletes from all over the world will spend their time when they're not competing for Olympic gold.
https://ift.tt/3iUGMfc

He bought a cheap house in Italy. This is what happened next

Italy's cheap homes bonanza continues to lure hundreds of interested buyers, despite the pandemic. But what happens once someone takes the plunge and invests their (small) chunk of change in a crumbling corner of a remote town?
https://ift.tt/2SGnyiZ

Mouse plague forces Australian prison to evacuate staff and inmates

A plague of mice in the Australian state of New South Wales has forced a prison to evacuate at least 420 inmates and 200 staff, according to local authorities.
https://ift.tt/3j8C4dQ