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Showing posts from January, 2019

Penny Mordaunt criticised over call for aid to come from private sector

International development secretary says she wants DfID to become more a fundraising than a spending department Penny Mordaunt has been criticised by charities and MPs for suggesting the government’s international development spending should become more reliant on private sector investment and philanthropy. The international development secretary told cabinet ministers she would aim for her department to become a fundraising department rather than a spending department, telling them it was unsustainable to continue to meet the spending target with taxpayer cash. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2FXAh8P

How the religious right gained unprecedented access to Trump

As the president offers a sympathetic ear – and policies to match – critics see a de facto advisory committee, violating federal law The US health secretary sat for an interview with a man experts say is the leader of a hate group known for “defaming gays and lesbians”, just two days after Karen Pence, the US second lady, was criticized for teaching at a Christian school that bans homosexuality . Alex Azar, secretary of health and human services, was interviewed by the Family Research Council President , Tony Perkins, at an anti-abortion event called ProLifeCon in mid-January. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2sYuozS

Lake Michigan like a 'boiling cauldron' as temperatures plummet in Chicago – video

Wind chills fell as low as -47C in Chicago, with the temperature hitting -23C, as bitterly cold weather moved into Illinois, US. A local newscaster published this video of Lake Michigan , as viewed from Chicago’s Edgewater neighbourhood, appearing like a ‘boiling cauldron’ on Wednesday. State and local officials have asked residents to stay indoors if possible and check on neighbours Polar vortex: Chicago colder than Antarctica as temperatures plummet Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2Rs6fLy

This Woman Creates Landscapes Using Embroidery And The Results Are Breathtaking

Wow. View Entire Post › from BuzzFeed News http://bit.ly/2MFkThS

Ministers Think A Permanent Customs Union With The EU Is The Price For Solving The Backstop

“It would not be fig leaf, it would be a fig tree.” View Entire Post › from BuzzFeed News https://bzfd.it/2HEilSr

This Woman Found Revenge Porn On Google Drive — And Now She's Fighting Back

One young woman’s attempt to be so much more than a cautionary tale. View Entire Post › from BuzzFeed News http://bit.ly/2G8vPn4

A British Catholic Magazine Met With Steve Bannon To Come Up With A List Of “Catholic Influencers And Millionaires”

One of Bannon's ideas was to create the “Catholic Spectator”, a source said, adding that the magazine was on a “holy mission” to take on Pope Francis. View Entire Post › from BuzzFeed News https://bzfd.it/2HFSZUg

Canada confirms 14th case of diplomat falling mysteriously ill in Cuba

Canada has confirmed a 14th case of unusual health symptoms experienced by some Canadian diplomatic staff and their family members posted in Havana, Cuba, according to a government statement Wednesday. from CNN.com - RSS Channel - World https://cnn.it/2RY4Em8

Tesla shares sink after earnings

Tesla is still profitable — it's just not as much as investors hoped. from CNN.com - RSS Channel - World https://cnn.it/2sVR7MM

Robot valets head to London

Travelers flying out of London's Gatwick Airport may soon have a robot parking their car. from CNN.com - RSS Channel - World https://cnn.it/2CNRAp0

Emiliano Sala: Touching tributes to missing footballer

On nights like this soccer can be a comfort, acting as a balm during life's tragedies, offering 90-minutes of respite when the emotional fallout is taking its toll, while at the same time providing a reminder of how inconsequential the beautiful game is. from CNN.com - RSS Channel - World https://cnn.it/2MDLCeM

Norway to build 'floating' tunnel

With majestic glaciers, fjords and mountains, Norway is famous for its dramatic natural landscape. from CNN.com - RSS Channel - World https://cnn.it/2RnO7Cx

S.Korea male beauty trend heads West

South Korean men have long embraced beauty products deemed unmarketable to their Western counterparts. Over the past decade, they have become the world's biggest male spenders on skincare, a market that grew by 44% in the country between 2011 and 2017, according to Euromonitor. from CNN.com - RSS Channel - World https://cnn.it/2FZhuZS

Brexit: May goes back to Brussels but EU says nothing has changed

MPs pass amendment pledging to replace Irish backstop with ‘alternative arrangements’ Follow all the day’s political developments – live How each MP voted – interactive Theresa May was handed a two-week deadline to resuscitate her Brexit deal last night after she caved to Tory Eurosceptics and pledged to go back to Brussels to demand changes to the Irish backstop. With just 59 days to go until exit day, MPs narrowly passed a government-backed amendment, tabled by the senior Conservative Graham Brady, promising to replace the Irish backstop with unspecified “alternative arrangements”. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2t2EY97

Venezuela court freezes Juan Guaidó's bank accounts and imposes travel ban

Crisis deepens as attorney general orders investigation into Guaidó for alleged role in ‘crimes that threaten the constitutional order’ Venezuela’s supreme court has imposed a travel ban and financial restrictions on self-declared interim president Juan Guaidó, including freezing his bank accounts. On Tuesday, the political crisis deepened as the country’s attorney general ordered an investigation into the opposition leader, who last week declared himself interim president in a rare challenge to the incumbent, Nicolás Maduro. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2DGq0vv

Polar vortex blasts US with life-threatening cold

Warming shelters open in midwest as Chicago area sees temperatures drop to -50F (-46C), with snow possible in southern states Polar vortex: how cold will it be? A blast of arctic-chilled air from the polar vortex brought dangerous, record-setting cold to a wide swath of the eastern US on Tuesday, stretching from the Dakotas through Maine, with snow expected as far south as Alabama and Georgia. Cities in the midwest opened warming shelters as temperatures plummeted well below zero degrees Fahrenheit (-17.8C) . Regional governments closed hundreds of schools and airlines canceled more than 1,000 flights, including many to Atlanta days before the Super Bowl. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2FVkBTC

Historian berates billionaires at Davos over tax avoidance

Rutger Bregman tells panel that the real issue is the rich not paying their fair share A discussion panel at the Davos World Economic Forum has become a sensation after a Dutch historian took billionaires to task for not paying taxes. In a video shared tens of thousands of times, Rutger Bregman, author of the book Utopia for Realists , bemoans the failure of attendees at the recent gathering in Switzerland to address the key issue in the battle for greater equality: the failure of rich people to pay their fair share of taxes. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2TiSRLC

Huawei's Meng Wanzhou appears in court on eve of US China trade talks

Extradition case in Canada drags on as Donald Trump prepares to meet Beijing’s top trade envoy in Washington The chief financial officer of Huawei, Meng Wanzhou, has made her first appearance in a Canadian court in more than a month, part of a high-stakes dispute that threatens to cast a pall over this week’s US-China trade talks. Meng, the daughter of the Chinese telecoms company’s founder, attended the hearing in British Columbia supreme court on Tuesday, just two days before Donald Trump and Chinese vice premier Liu He are scheduled to meet in Washington. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2Sir68E

Toxic smog forces Bangkok to close hundreds of schools

Thai capital has been shrouded in murky haze for weeks, forcing residents to don masks and sparking criticism of government Toxic smog forced Bangkok authorities to issue an unprecedented order to shut nearly 450 schools on Wednesday as authorities struggled to manage a pollution crisis that has stirred widespread concern. The Thai capital has been shrouded in murky haze for weeks, forcing residents to don masks and sparking social media criticism of the uneven response by the government. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2METo8i

Intelligence chief contradicts Trump on North Korea and Iran

In a statement to the Senate, Daniel Coats said North Korea is unlikely to give up its nuclear weapons The head of US intelligence has said that North Korea is “unlikely to give up” its nuclear weapons because its leadership sees them as “critical to regime survival” – in comments which contrasted sharply with Donald Trump’s own assessment. Daniel Coats, the director of national intelligence, made his assessment in a written statement on “worldwide threats” to the Senate on Tuesday, which was noteworthy for the many ways it differed from the rhetoric favoured by the president and his top aides. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2HGbk3p

French police weapons under scrutiny after gilets jaunes injuries

Government facing calls to ban riot police’s use of explosives The French government is under growing pressure to review police use of explosive weapons against civilians after serious injuries were reported during gilets jaunes street demonstrations, including people alleged to have lost eyes and to have had their hands and feet mutilated. France’s legal advisory body, the council of state, will on Wednesday examine an urgent request by the French Human Rights League and the CGT trade union to ban police from using a form of rubber-bullet launcher in which ball-shaped projectiles are shot out of specialised handheld launchers. France’s rights ombudsman has long warned they are dangerous and carry “disproportionate risk”. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2sUUpQE

Apple reports first decline in revenues and profits in over a decade

Company blames iPhone sales and a downturn in China for reduced revenue, a day after it scrambled to fix FaceTime glitch Apple reported its first decline in revenues and profits in over a decade on Tuesday. Weak iPhone sales and a downturn in China reduced the tech company’s revenue by 4.5% to $84.3bn in the three months ending 29 December compared with the same period last year. Profits fell slightly to $19.97bn. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2SiYyfc

Indonesia to let UN workers into West Papua as violence continues

UNHCHR wants access after Indonesian military crackdown in response to guerrilla attack Indonesia has agreed in principle to allow the UN office of the human rights commissioner into West Papua amid continuing violence in the region. The long-running low-level insurgency violently escalated late last year, after West Papuan guerrillas attacked a construction site in Nduga, killing at least 17 people they claimed were Indonesian military but who Jakarta insists were civilian workers. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2CPonKe

‘I'd like to offer you a holiday’: Richard E Grant's childhood letter to Barbra Streisand

Singer responds after actor and superfan shared letter and posed outside her house Richard E Grant has shared a letter he wrote to Barbra Streisand when he was 14 years old, in which he invited her to stay with him and his family in Swaziland for two weeks, and promising “not many people will know who you are, so no chance of being mobbed”. The actor shared the letter on Twitter this morning, after taking a photograph outside her home. (“Asked Security for permission, and he replied, ‘It’s a public road, but thanks for asking’,” he Tweeted. “My wife is very understanding!”) Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2HNWSX0

Chinese city seeks young blood: how ageing Nanjing lures new talent

The next 15 megacities #12 : The ancient capital of China is pulling out all the stops in a bid to defuse its ticking demographic timebomb Read the rest of our megacities series here Tan Jingquan is exactly the kind of person the ancient Chinese city of Nanjing wants to attract. The 38-year-old had been searching rival cities for possible sites for his biotech startup for years – until the Nanjing government finally made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. “I visited and explored opportunities in nearly a dozen cities,” recalls Tan, a native of Wuhan in central China. “It turned out Nanjing has the best combination of policy incentives and market potential for small startups.” Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2Rpqaem

Quebec mosque attack: two years on, will security trump openness?

The planned transformation of Quebec’s Grand Mosque is haunted by the deadly attack on the Islamic centre in 2017 Until 29 January 2017, random motorists on the busy Chemin Sainte-Foy would sometimes pull over to the Quebec City Grand Mosque to withdraw some money. Converted from a Desjardins Bank, it still looks like one, with its rows of rectangular glass panes and a barricaded drive-through. Its only crescent and minaret are in graphic form on a small plastic sign, blocked from the road by trees. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2RlbooN

The white stuff: why Britain can’t get enough cocaine

Britain snorts more of the drug than almost anywhere in Europe, more young people are taking it and deaths are rising. Why? The moment Dan (not his real name) realised he had a problem with cocaine, he had been off work for a week, sick with flu. His phone buzzed. It was his cocaine dealer, calling to check he was OK. When Dan, one of his favoured customers, hadn’t been in touch to buy the cocaine he usually took several times a week, the dealer knew something was wrong. “I don’t like thinking about that,” Dan says, shaking his head as we sit in a London pub. Now 36, Dan estimates he has spent £25,000 on cocaine. Lines in the pub on a Friday night after work. Lines on a Wednesday evening at a friend’s house while earnestly discussing 90s hip-hop. Lines at house parties, weddings, birthday parties and for no reason at all, other than that cocaine – the white powder that makes no one a better version of themselves, but that many of us continue to do anyway – is everywhere and freely av...

Man, 90, told to fly to US to get correct visa to remain in UK with wife

Albert Dolbec requires care but has been given no right of appeal from inside the UK A 90-year-old man with crippling arthritis, diabetes, and who is frequently confused, could be forced to return to the US to apply for a visa to live with his British wife in the UK. Albert Dolbec has been married to his wife Dawn, 84, for 25 years, and they divided their time between the US and the UK for many years, but when their health declined three years ago they decided to locate permanently in the UK so Dawn’s family could help look after them. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2SjBRYi

Yotam Ottolenghi: 'I don’t like to tell people what to eat'

In conversation with Adam Liaw, the chef discusses cultural appropriation of food, sustainability and getting his kids to eat what he cooks “Who owns the recipe?” This was one of the questions Yotam Ottolenghi and Adam Liaw considered on Tuesday night. The chef and the cook, both bestselling authors, were in conversation as part of An Evening with Ottolenghi at the Sydney Opera House. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2Ro6WG0

What next for Venezuela? The four most likely outcomes

Will Maduro hang on to power? Will the standoff end in war? The embattled nation stands at a crossroads Venezuela is in turmoil. Both Nicolás Maduro and Juan Guaidó claim to be president – the latter until new elections can be held – and neither has any incentive to back down. Maduro, who two weeks ago was sworn into his second term following disputed elections last year, has little public support, but he retains the backing of the military. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2SdLSX6

Josh Frydenberg defends Coalition's climate record as he faces challenge in Kooyong

Treasurer says climate change is real and Scott Morrison’s government takes emissions reduction ‘very seriously’ Josh Frydenberg has defended the Coalition’s record on climate change and says he will work hard to earn the trust of his constituents in the face of a challenge from long-time Liberal and now independent Oliver Yates. Yates, a former Macquarie banker and head of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, confirmed on Wednesday he would run in Kooyong at the coming federal election, declaring Frydenberg deserved to be challenged because of a lack of action on the environment. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2Bcf4UA

The miracle method for sustainable rice that scientists dismissed | John Vidal

A technique developed by a Jesuit priest is producing bigger harvests – and reducing emissions of a crop responsible for 1.5% of greenhouse gases The fragrant jasmine rice growing on the left side of Kreaougkra Junpeng’s five-acre field stands nearly five feet tall. Each plant has 15 or more tillers, or stalks, and the grains hang heavy from them. The Thai farmer says this will be his best-ever harvest in 30 years and he will reap it four weeks earlier than usual. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2Bbl2oS

Arrests made in Sicily over suspected sex trafficking of girls from Nigeria

Authorities believe trafficking ring lured young women to Italy to force them into prostitution Sicilian authorities have made a series of arrests after a suspected sex trafficking ring was believed to have forced at least 15 Nigerian girls into prostitution in Italy. Among those arrested were two Nigerian women, Rita Ihama, 38, and Monica Onaigfohe, aged 20, who police believe organised the trafficking of the women from Libya to Italy. An Italian national, Giovanni Buscemi, was also arrested on suspicion of helping facilitate the trafficking and exploitation of the girls. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2CPyTRM

Polar vortex: how cold will it be and what should the midwest expect?

Though the region is familiar with bitter winters, record low temperatures may be threatening, forecasters warn Record low temperatures are descending on the American midwest. The region is long familiar with bitter winters, but this is an exceptional cold snap that forecasters warn could be life-threatening. The extreme chill comes after a snowstorm that hit the area overnight on Monday. Related: Americans’ climate change concerns surge to record levels, poll shows Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2G8101N

Venezuelan officials seek to block U.S.-supported opposition leader Juan Guaidó from leaving the country, freeze his assets

The moves from the pro-government prosecutor’s office come one day after the United States issued potentially crippling sanctions on Venezuela’s national oil company in an attempt to force President Nicolás Maduro from power. This is a developing story. It will be updated.   from World https://wapo.st/2Wu4YaA

Meet The Iranian Influencers Whose Livelihoods Will Be Stripped Away By A Ban On Instagram

One of the last remaining major social networks in Iran has become a haven for free expression and opportunity for women. That’s put it in the sights of the regime. View Entire Post › from BuzzFeed News http://bit.ly/2FUM7AE

Hackers From Iran Are Reportedly Stealing People’s Travel And Mobile Data In The Middle East

The previously undetected group — dubbed APT39 — is thought to be providing information to the Iranian government. View Entire Post › from BuzzFeed News http://bit.ly/2CQ6sDf

Her Reporting Led To The Firing Of Canada’s Ambassador. That’s Made Her A Target For China’s State Media.

“I’m starting to feel unsafe even though I’m in Canada,” Joanna Chiu wrote on Twitter. View Entire Post › from BuzzFeed News http://bit.ly/2sQCSsF

Huawei: China calls US charges 'immoral' as markets slide

Grand juries indict company, affiliates and CFO on 23 charges Attorney general says offending went ‘all the way to the top’ China has blasted the US government’s indictments against Huawei as “unfair and immoral” and urged Washington to stop its “unreasonable suppression” of the Chinese telecommunications company after it was charged with a series of offences. In an escalation of hostilities between the world’s biggest economic powers, the US justice department charged Huawei and its chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou , with conspiring to violate sanctions on Iran by doing business with Tehran through a subsidiary it tried to hide. Separately, it said Huawei stole robotic technology from the US carrier T-Mobile. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2DH1UAH

Trump steps up Maduro pressure with sanctions on Venezuelan oil company

Sanctions on $7bn in assets intended to boost Guaidó John Bolton keen to counter ‘penetration’ from Cuba and Iran The Trump administration has tightened the screws on Venezuela ’s embattled president, Nicolás Maduro, announcing sanctions against the country’s state-owned oil company PDVSA in what the US national security adviser admitted was partly an attempt to counter strategic threats from Cuba and Iran. Related: Juan Guaidó: Venezuela has chance to leave chaos behind Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2CRATsM

Theresa May splits Tories over anti-backstop Brexit deal

Jacob Rees-Mogg says ERG will not back Brady amendment but other Brexiters waver Parliament is facing a day of further Brexit deadlock after Theresa May swung the government’s weight behind an amendment that would send her back to Brussels to demand an alternative to the Irish border backstop, splintering Conservative support. The chances of the amendment, championed by the senior backbencher Sir Graham Brady, are on a knife-edge after Tory Brexiters split over whether they should back the change, while pro-remain MPs suggested they would vote against. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2Wszi5M

Joshua Tree national park 'may take 300 years to recover' from shutdown

National park saw ‘irreparable’ damage including vandalism, ruined trails and trees cut down, says former superintendent The former superintendent of Joshua Tree national park has said it could take hundreds of years to recover from damage caused by visitors during the longest-ever government shutdown. “What’s happened to our park in the last 34 days is irreparable for the next 200 to 300 years,” Curt Sauer said at a rally over the weekend, according to a report from the Desert Sun. Sauer retired in 2010 after running the park for seven years. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2sUrYSN

Pakistan court to hear appeal against Asia Bibi blasphemy acquittal

Supreme court to consider petition against last year’s quashing of conviction Pakistan’s supreme court is to consider a petition on Tuesday against the acquittal of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman whose blasphemy conviction was overturned in October. Bibi, who spent eight years on death row, has been held at a secret location since her death sentence was quashed after hardline Islamists threatened to kill her if she was freed. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2UkXSDF

India's main opposition promises universal basic income for poor

Ruling party dismisses Congress leader’s election pledge as unaffordable India’s main opposition Congress party has said it will implement a variation of a universal basic income (UBI) targeted at the poor if it wins the country’s upcoming national election . The announcement, dismissed by the ruling Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) as financially irresponsible, is the first major shot in an election battle likely to be replete with populist giveaways to voters. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2B3STjh

Apple rushes to fix FaceTime bug that let users eavesdrop on others

Serious glitch, which can also turn on video without people’s knowledge, comes amid increasing concerns over privacy Apple has made the group functionality on its FaceTime application temporarily unavailable as it rushes to fix a glitch that allowed users to listen in on the people they were calling when they did not pick up the call. Under certain circumstances, the glitch also allowed callers to see video of the person they were calling before they picked up. The Guardian confirmed the existence of the bug, which was first reported by 9to5Mac . It turned the phone of the recipient of a FaceTime call into a microphone while the call was still ringing. If the recipient of the call pressed the power button on the side of the iPhone – an action that is typically used to silence or ignore an incoming call – their phone would begin broadcasting video to the initial caller. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2RTPkXn

Mueller investigation is almost finished, says acting attorney general

Rare comment from justice department is first official sign Trump-Russia inquiry may be reaching an end The special counsel’s Russia investigation is “close to being completed”, the acting attorney general said Monday in the first official sign that the investigation may be wrapping up. The comments from Matthew Whitaker were a departure for the justice department, which rarely comments on the state of the investigation into whether Donald Trump’s campaign coordinated with Russia during the 2016 presidential election. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2WoH4gJ

Dutch man's epic 89,000km drive proves electric cars are viable in Australia

By driving such extreme distances, Wiebe Wakker hopes to bust Australian anxieties about electric vehicles A Dutch man who has driven 89,000km from Amsterdam to Adelaide in a small electric car says he is proving to Australians that electric vehicles are a viable alternative. Since March 2016, adventurer Wiebe Wakker has driven across 33 countries from Europe to the Middle East to south-east Asia and finally to Australia in a 2009 Volkswagen Golf, converted to electric. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2FYBqgq

Outcry after Duke administrator warns Chinese students to speak English

University apologizes and opens investigation as email sent to foreign scholars denounced as discriminatory Duke University moved quickly Monday to offer apologies, launch an investigation and reassure a core group of graduate scholars after a medical school administrator sent an email warning to Chinese students to speak in English. Outcry mounted after an email sent Friday by Megan Neely, who teaches in the biostatistics master’s degree program and served as its director of graduate studies. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2DFV4vm

Stinking rich? Rare durian fruit go on sale for $1,000 each

Variety called ‘J-Queen’ goes on sale in Indonesia and comes from trees its creator claims fruit once every three years A rare durian fruit is causing a stir in Indonesia, where the pungent delicacy is selling for the equivalent of $1,000 each, or more than three times the average monthly wage. The so-called “J-Queen” variety has gone sale at a shopping centre in Tasikmalaya, West Java – where several are on display in clear boxes atop red satin and adorned in fake flowers – with an accompanying price tag of 14m rupiah, or about £750. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2UqbgGB

Tollywood confidential: inside the world's biggest film city

The next 15 megacities #11 : As Hyderabad heads towards megacity status, its film industry is going from strength to strength. Its secret? Cutting-edge VFX and filming in multiple languages Read the rest of our megacities series here It is rush hour on Monday morning in Hyderabad, but the city’s usual deafening soundtrack of revving engines and blaring horns is absent. The only noise comes from a woman gently sweeping the veranda of one of the large, pastel-coloured mansions nearby. The silence is even more disconcerting when you see the airport near the end of the street, and, just beyond that, a railway station. New York’s Statue of Liberty is a short walk away, as is the splendour of the ancient city of Mahishmati. In fact, Mahishmati is the first place here where I encounter any real noise – the blue special effects screens around the fibreglass throne area are rather flimsy, and a buzz from power tools carries from the adjoining parking lot, where workers are building a pirate...

White gold: the unstoppable rise of alternative milks

How wellness upstarts spoiled milk’s healthy reputation – and built a billion-dollar industry from juicing oats and nuts. By Oliver Franklin-Wallis In the spring of 2018, New York was gripped by a sudden, very particular and, for some, calamitous food shortage. Gaps appeared on grocery shelves. Coffee shops put out signs, turning customers away. Twitter and Instagram brimmed with outrage. The truly desperate searched from Williamsburg to Harlem, but it seemed undeniable: New York was out of oat milk. It wasn’t just New York, in fact. The entire US was suffering from a shortage of Oatly , a Swedish plant milk whose rapid rise from obscure digestive health brand to the dairy alternative of choice had caught even Oatly by surprise. Since its US launch in 2016, Oatly had gone from supplying a handful of upscale New York coffee shops to more than 3,000 cafes and grocery stores nationwide. The company had ramped up production by 1,250% , but when I spoke to CEO Toni Petersson in late summ...

Sentencing of MP who lied to avoid speeding ticket could spark byelection

If Fiona Onasanya, since disowned by Labour party, gets substantial term, she will be forced to step down An MP who was found guilty of lying to avoid a speeding ticket will be sentenced at the Old Bailey on Tuesday, a decision that could spark a closely contested byelection within weeks. If Fiona Onasanya, elected on a Labour ticket to represent Peterborough, receives a custodial sentence of 12 months or more, she will automatically be forced to step down. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2MFxodl

France’s gilets jaunes used to cause chaos. Right now they’re just chaotic | Pauline Bock

The anti-Macron protest movement is split over a decision to compete in elections. A battle for its soul is under way The art of the street demo has a long and venerable tradition in France, but the era of the colour wars may be only just beginning. What started with guerrilla blockades of roundabouts by the gilets jaunes (yellow vests) in opposition to French president Emmanuel Macron’s new fuel tax has led to weekly marches in Paris and across France, some ending in violent stand-offs between protesters and the police. On Saturday, for “Act XI” (the rather portentous title given to the 11th protest) the yellow vests numbered 69,000 across France and 4,500 in Paris. Although down from the previous week, with 84,000 nationwide, the figures were higher than in December. The political wing is viewed with contempt by the gilets jaunes radicals, who remain devotees of a more grassroots style Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2WopZ6E

Australia's generous aid to Yemen mustn't be undermined by its weapons sales | Jason Lee

Military exports to Saudi Arabia should cease if we are serious about ending the four-year war that has killed 85,000 children Almost 15 months ago to the day I landed in Yemen, home to the biggest humanitarian crisis on the planet. I’ve been an aid worker for more than a decade, deployed to emergencies in places like Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe and Timor Leste. But nothing prepared me be for this. The suffering in Yemen is on a scale that’s hard to fathom. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2B4sYrJ

Let Me Finish review: Everybody hates Chris Christie – and he hates Jared Kushner

The former New Jersey governor spares Donald Trump but lashes out at everyone else. The result is a political tour de farce Chris Christie failed to a win a single delegate in his quest for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, and garnered less than 1% of the votes cast in the GOP primary. He then left the New Jersey governor’s mansion with a 14% approval rating . Let Me Finish, his bombshell of a book , could just as easily have been titled Everybody Hates Chris. Related: Chris Christie accuses Jared Kushner of political 'hit job' in explosive new book Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2MDX5uR

'The river is dying': the vast ecological cost of Brazil's mining disasters

Water resources are tapped with often reckless abandon and poor regulation. And it looks set to go on under new president The Brazilian government has pledged to ease environmental licensing regulations just days after the deadliest mining disaster in decades prompted calls for tougher controls and stricter punishments for ecological crimes. The torrent of mud and iron ore tailings that engulfed the community of Brumadinho on Friday continues to inflict a toll on residents, river systems and freshwater species. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2WrREDG

Chinese activist Liu Feiyue given five years' jail for 'inciting subversion'

Flawed trial shows how Beijing abuses the judicial system to silence dissent, says Amnesty International The founder of a prominent Chinese civil and human rights website has been sentenced to five years in prison for inciting state subversion, according to human rights organisations. Liu Feiyue created and ran the Civil Rights and Livelihood Watch website, which covers a range of rights issues including protests, police abuses and government corruption – sensitive topics that are scrubbed from most Chinese media sites. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2MFowV5

Three homes destroyed by bushfires in southern Tasmania

Fire service warns more properties could be lost in Castle Forbes Bay area as crews battle multiple blazes across the state Three properties have been destroyed by fires in Tasmania and the state’s fire service has warned more property could be lost as 12 emergency warnings remained in place on Tuesday afternoon. The Tasmania Fire Service confirmed on Tuesday that three homes had been destroyed on Frypan and Bermuda roads in Glen Huon, in southern Tasmania, as a result of either ember attacks or direct combustion from radiant heat. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2G6LP8Z

Breast-ironing: British peer to raise issue in parliament

Leading QC Alex Carlile hopes to force wider scrutiny of the practice after Guardian revealed ‘dozens’ of girls subjected to abusive custom A British peer is to table questions in parliament on the secretive practice of “breast-ironing”, after the Guardian revealed that the abusive intervention is spreading in the UK. Alex Carlile, one of the UK’s leading QCs who is a former deputy high court judge and a member of the House of Lords, told the Guardian that he hoped to trigger a wider scrutiny of the practice in the UK. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2DEMoW4

'It kills within hours': two die as cholera outbreak spreads in Ugandan capital

Health officials battle to stop disease spreading in Kampala slums with lack of toilets and poor sanitation made worse by heavy rains Two people have died in a new cholera outbreak in the overcrowded slums of Uganda’s capital, Kampala. The ministry of health confirmed at the weekend that there were 43 suspected cases of cholera in the city and that two people had died. It said an emergency isolation unit had been set up. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2MEa5At

Leading UK child health body under fire over baby milk sponsorship

Royal College of Paediatrics urged to rethink conference funding amid claims deal contravenes World Health Organization code The Royal College of Paediatrics has been accused of breaching World Health Organization guidance after it accepted sponsorship funding from baby formula companies. More than 100 medics and 13 health groups have written to the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), urging it to drop Nestlé, Nutricia and Danone from the list of sponsors for its first international conference , to be held in Cairo on 29 January. Continue reading... from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2sT2vsV

Huge tornado in Cuba kills 3 and injures 172

A tornado that hit the Cuban capital, Havana, on Sunday night has left three people dead and 172 injured. from CNN.com - RSS Channel - World https://cnn.it/2Th2evq

Venezuelan troops 'ready to die' for their homeland, defense minister says

As Venezuela's self-appointed interim president reportedly works behind the scenes to win over the armed forces, even offering them amnesty for past crimes, the country's defense minister said Monday that the military is "ready to die" for its homeland. from CNN.com - RSS Channel - World https://cnn.it/2TjLiUU

10 kidnapped children found dead in Tanzania with missing body parts, ministry says

Ten children kidnapped in Tanzania have been found dead with their body parts mutilated, authorities told CNN on Monday. from CNN.com - RSS Channel - World https://cnn.it/2FXOJOa

US files criminal charges against China's Huawei

The United States has filed criminal charges against Huawei, escalating its fight against the Chinese tech giant and potentially complicating efforts by Washington and Beijing to negotiate an end to their bruising trade war. from CNN.com - RSS Channel - World https://cnn.it/2RTLfCB

Rogue elevator tosses people up and down at shopping center in Wales

A group of shoppers in Wales said they were terrified when they became trapped in a malfunctioning shopping-center elevator that rose and plunged repeatedly at a higher-than-usual speed. from CNN.com - RSS Channel - World https://cnn.it/2RYeuEF

Meghan-Kate royal 'rivalry' prompts campaign over online abuse

An increase in online abuse directed at British Duchesses Kate and Meghan has prompted one of the UK's leading celebrity magazines to launch a campaign calling for people to change how they post online. from CNN.com - RSS Channel - World https://cnn.it/2FPSYeN

McDonald's and KFC warn of price hikes if no Brexit deal

McDonald's, KFC and Pret a Manger have joined with UK supermarkets to warn that crashing out of the European Union will result in "significant" disruptions to their supply chains. from CNN.com - RSS Channel - World https://cnn.it/2DE1Dyu

Why Davos was so gloomy

A year ago, the mood in Davos was upbeat. The global economy was humming, President Donald Trump's tax cuts were kicking in and a trade war between the United States and China was still just a threat. from CNN.com - RSS Channel - World https://cnn.it/2RdtZDe

Best dressed stars at the SAG Awards

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Tiny house on wheels has the Wright stuff

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In Denmark, they’re building a wall — to keep out German boars

The country has become ensnared in its own border-wall controversy as it begins constructing a steel fence to keep out boars, part of an attempt to halt the spread of African swine fever. An outbreak of the illness, which is harmless to humans and other animals, could devastate Denmark’s $4.5 billion pork industry. from World https://wapo.st/2G34bI9

This "Gender Balance" Award Ceremony's Winners Are A Bit Much Even For 2019

Good job, guys. Huge. View Entire Post › from BuzzFeed News http://bit.ly/2D0lM0j

Schwarzenegger: Why Trump is 'wrong' on climate change

"The Terminator" Arnold Schwarzenegger says US President Donald Trump is making a "big mistake" on environmental policy. from CNN.com - RSS Channel - World https://cnn.it/2DCNYYB

What, no samovars? Roman Abramovich presents a Chekhov for Russia's meltdown

The Cherry Orchard has been given an absurdist reboot – with blood transfusions, a beach party and a bed-hopping sex maniac. And thanks to Chelsea’s oligarch, it’s coming to Britain Oh my goodness, what have they done to The Cherry Orchard? The grand ball has become a beach party. Madame Ranevskaya has a noose around her neck. The entire ensemble are receiving blood transfusions. And Lopakhin has become a sex maniac who begins the play in bed with the maid. There isn’t a samovar in sight – or even a cherry orchard, for that matter. This is the Pushkin Drama Theatre’s production, which is on its way to Britain. I caught it in Moscow just before Christmas – and was somewhat taken aback. It is Chekhov as absurdist drama, played on a raked stage with minimal props. In this portrait of a dysfunctional family and a neurotic society, Lopakhin is a youthful oligarch in love with money – and with the glamorous Madame Ranevskaya. Both are much younger than we are used to seeing them in the UK,...

What has happened in Venezuela is a coup. Trump’s denial is dangerous | Oscar Guardiola-Rivera

Juan Guaidó has declared himself president. Now the US and rightwing regimes may seek an excuse to intervene in support The picture shows him in the act of swearing himself in as “interim” president of Venezuela . His right hand raised to the heavens, as is proper of one who, having no popular mandate, proclaims himself in the name of God like the kings of old. Only this is no kingdom, but a revolutionary republic born of a people’s war. It has since protected its right to self-determination by means of people power and persistent anti-colonial struggle. In the 19th century the struggle was led by Simón Bolívar , “the liberator”. Rebelling against the laws of the time, Bolivar stood up to the might of the Spanish empire in alliance with then free Haiti. Bolivar made instant enemies of slaveholders in the newly formed US and the rest of the Americas upon embracing a universal right and call to happiness without hypocrisy. That promise was realised only in part. Continue reading... ...

Cuba opens its first new church since the revolution 60 years ago

Parishioners wiped away tears and gave thanks to God as the first Roman Catholic church built since the 1959 Cuban revolution opened its doors on Saturday. from CNN.com - RSS Channel - World https://cnn.it/2Mz3Pu0

Fresh evacuations ordered in Brazil as another dam raises disaster fears

Two days after a dam at an iron mine in Brazil ruptured, killing at least 34 people, residents were being evacuated after an alarming increase in water levels was detected at a second dam, according to a news release from the Vale mining company. from CNN.com - RSS Channel - World https://cnn.it/2DD38Ni

The class divide at Davos is real

Davos, Switzerland — The crisp white snow sparkles off stunningly high mountain peaks, a gorgeous backdrop for the thousands of the world's elite gathered here every year for the World Economic Forum. from CNN.com - RSS Channel - World https://cnn.it/2sNyD0Q

How to stay healthy while traveling for work

These tips can help you clear your head, lower your heart rate and keep you focused. from CNN.com - RSS Channel - World https://cnn.it/2R9siqp

South African paramilitary unit plotted to infect black population with Aids, former member claims

Group said to have 'spread the virus' at the behest of Keith Maxwell, eccentric leader of the shadowy South African Institute of Maritime Research, who wanted a white majority country where 'the excesses of the 1960s, 70s and 80s have no place in the post-Aids world'. from The Independent - World https://ind.pn/2Ujra5y