Wellington (AFP) Nov 30, 2020 New Zealand’s workplace safety watchdog handed down criminal charges Monday over last year’s White Island volcanic eruption that claimed 22 lives and left dozens more with horrific burns. WorkSafe had investigated why 47 people, mainly Australian tourists, were on the island in December 2019 when a column of burning ash and steam blasted from a volcanic vent. Chief executive Phil … Continue reading New Zealand lays charges over volcano deaths

Sydney (AFP) Nov 29, 2020 Sydney recorded its hottest November night as Australia’s largest city suffered through a weekend heatwave that saw daytime temperatures peak above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). The overnight temperature did not drop below 25.3 degrees Celsius Saturday into Sunday in central Sydney, according to the meteorology bureau, making it the hottest November night since records began.http://dlvr.it/RmhJNl Continue reading Sydney records hottest November night as heatwave sweeps city

Jakarta (AFP) Nov 30, 2020 Thousands have fled the scene of a rumbling Indonesian volcano that burst to life for the first time in several years, belching a massive column of smoke and ash, the disaster agency said Monday. The evacuation of more than 4,400 residents came as Mount Ili Lewotolok erupted Sunday, spouting a thick tower of debris four kilometres (2.5 miles) into the … Continue reading Thousands flee as Indonesian volcano bursts to life

Johannesburg (AFP) Nov 27, 2020 Hunger is worsening in drought-ravaged southern Madagascar, where the number of people in need has tripled in a matter of months, the UN’s food agency said Friday. The World Food Programme (WFP) said three consecutive years of drought had pushed half of the region’s population, or 1.5 million people, into “crisis” or “emergency” hunger conditions. “The number of people in … Continue reading Hunger crisis accelerating in southern Madagascar: WFP

Washington DC (UPI) Nov 27, 2020 Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller made a surprise visit to Somalia Friday in the last of a four-country tour as President Donald Trump contemplates a draw down of counterterrorism troops there. Miller, who replaced fired Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Nov. 9, was making his first trip abroad in the position. The U.S. military has about 700 troops in … Continue reading Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller travels to Somalia

Hong Kong (AFP) Nov 28, 2020 Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said she has “piles of cash” at home as she has no bank account after the United States slapped sanctions on her in response to a draconian security law China imposed on the city. Lam was targeted, along with 14 other senior city officials, in the toughest US action on Hong Kong since Beijing … Continue reading Cash and Carrie: US sanctioned Hong Kong leader has no bank account

It should be prime time for shopping, but the pandemic has forced many consumers to tighten their purse strings. To help consumers — and give e-tailers a heads up about better security — the E-Commerce Times discussed holiday shopping issues with a panel of cybersecurity experts. They offered advice on how consumers can avoid buying counterfeit products; and analyses of how fake goods affect the … Continue reading ‘Tis the Season for Online Counterfeits

London (AFP) Nov 25, 2020 Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai has urged Britain not to cut overseas aid, ahead of a major announcement by the country’s finance minister on Wednesday. Rishi Sunak is expected to suspend a legal commitment to spend 0.7 percent of gross national income on international development. Reports suggest he will cut the level of aid to 0.5 percent in his Spending Review, … Continue reading Don’t cut foreign aid, Malala Yousafzai urges UK

Hong Kong (AFP) Nov 25, 2020 Hong Kong’s leader vowed Wednesday to restore order to the city’s legislature and save its political system from “chaos”, in a key policy speech at a muted gathering of almost exclusively pro-Beijing lawmakers. Chief executive Carrie Lam’s annual policy address to the Legislative Council – postponed for more than a month after she was ordered to travel to mainland … Continue reading Hong Kong leader vows to restore political order in key speech

Geneva (AFP) Nov 23, 2020 Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the main driver of climate change, hit record highs last year and have continued climbing in 2020 despite measures to halt the Covid-19 pandemic, the UN said Monday. World Meteorological Organization (WMO) chief Petteri Taalas meanwhile welcomed several countries’ vows to focus on climate-friendly technologies as they seek to revive their economies after thttp://dlvr.it/RmNqWx Continue reading Greenhouse gas levels at new high, despite Covid-19 measures