The road to Sinjar passes through dozens of bleak, damp, wrecked villages. Their houses have crumpled under shellfire, the gateways lie in the street, a mosque sprawls half way across a road, its silver metal crescent resting on its side on the pavement. So swiftly have the Islamist al-Nusra group ... Read More »
Trump may have gone to Davos because Obama didn’t – but the two presidents’ foreign policies are unexpectedly similar
On balance, it could be argued that, one year in, Trump has continued large swathes of Obama’s foreign policy, with more purpose, a lot more noise, but also – to a limited degree – more success You can understand why Donald Trump might have baulked at flying halfway around ... Read More »
George Soros: Facebook and Google are a menace to society
Billionaire says social media companies’ ‘days are numbered’ Soros warns of ‘far-reaching adverse consequences’ for democracy Facebook and Google have become “obstacles to innovation” and are a “menace” to society whose “days are numbered”, said billionaire investor and philanthropist George Soros at the World Economic Forum in Davos on ... Read More »
‘Space graffiti’: astronomers angry over launch of fake star into sky
Giant disco ball dubbed ‘Humanity Star’, launched by startup Rocket Lab, will interfere with scientific study of the universe, experts say Astronomers across the world have criticised a privately owned, New Zealand-based space company after it secretively put a satellite likened to a giant disco ball into orbit. ... Read More »
Mayon volcano explosive eruption looms; danger zone widened
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has warned disaster risk reduction and local government officials to brace for an explosive eruption of Mayon Volcano in the coming days. Phivolcs’ warning came as Mayon spewed a huge column of ash at 12:45 p.m. last Monday, ... Read More »
North Korea calls for reunification ‘breakthrough’ with South Korea
Announcement is another sign of eased relations between Pyongyang and Seoul North Korea issued a rare announcement asking all Koreans to work towards a “breakthrough” in efforts to reunify with the South. The call from Pyongyang continued a thaw in relations following months of mounting tension on the Korean Peninsula. It ... Read More »
Donald Trump: ‘I’m looking forward’ to speaking under oath to Russia inquiry
Trump says he is willing to talk with Robert Mueller in investigation into Russian interference in 2016 election Donald Trump said late Wednesday that he would be willing to speak to the special counsel office’s under oath, adding that he was “looking forward” to talking with Robert Mueller, who ... Read More »
Two planets in unusual star system are very likely habitable, scientists say
Exoplanets orbiting Trappist-1 have thrilled astronomers since their discovery last year thanks to their Earth-like potential to harbor water Scientists have identified two planets circling round a dim dwarf star as especially likely candidates to have habitable conditions, with probable water and a source of heat, attributes thought necessary ... Read More »
Kabul attack latest: 14 foreign nationals and four Afghans dead after Taliban assault on Intercontinental Hotel
Most of the foreigners worked for a private Afghan airline, says interior ministry Fourteen foreign nationals and four Afghans were killed when the Taliban attacked Kabul‘s Intercontinental Hotel overnight on Saturday, Afghanistan’s interior ministry said. The number of casualties is expected to rise following a 13-hour siege that ended on ... Read More »
Emmanuel Macron expected to be guest of honour at Donald Trump’s first state dinner – in snub to Theresa May
Theresa May appears to have been snubbed by Donald Trump, amid reports that the White House is preparing to announce that their first guest for a state visit will be the French president, Emmanuel Macron. Two diplomatic sources told CNN that the announcement was expected to come this week, ... Read More »