FIBA and NBA news: Dario Saric, Deandre Ayton, and Argentina's woes
The NBA offseason may be quiet, but FIBA play is going to continue to give us basketball junkies their fix. Dario Saric, Deandre Ayton, and Argentina all made headlines this week.Many are counting down to the start of the NBA season as they wait for basketball to come back, but there are still p...
2023-08-22 07:51
Deepfake Imposter Scams Are Driving a New Wave of Fraud
(Bloomberg Markets) -- Computer-generated children’s voices so realistic they fool their own parents. Masks created with photos from social media
2023-08-22 07:17
BHP’s Full-Year Profit Falls 37% as China’s Metals Demand Wanes
BHP Group Ltd., the world’s biggest miner, reported a 37% decline in full-year profit, missing analysts’ forecasts, as
2023-08-22 06:56
Italy warns tourists to avoid sun from 10am until 6pm as heatwave expected
Italian authorities have warned people to stay out of the sun from 10am until 6pm as temperatures reach over 40C. A red alert has been issued for 17 cities amid the third punishing heatwave in just two months and temperatures are it is expected to start on Wednesday. This is the most severe warning meaning that even the young, fit and healthy are at risk of adverse effects from the intense heat. Several of Italy's biggest cities such as Rome and Florence saw temperatures reach 38C today and the mercury is expected to reach 40C on Thursday. This has prompted authorities to warn people to avoid the sun, europe/italy-issues-red-alert-for-17-cities-as-another-heat-wave-expected-from-wednesday/2972888">Anadolu Ajansi reported. While Britain has been hit with torrential rain and stormy conditions for most of the summer, Europe has been hit with record-breaking heatwaves with the mercury reaching 48C in southern Italy. The heat was so intense that several cities last month were hit by power cuts due to heat damage to underground cables. Between 200,000 and 300,000 people were left without power or running water around the city of Catania. Italy and other parts of southern Europe have also had to contend with wildfires. Major wildfires were burning in Greece and in Spain's Canary Islands on Monday, with hot, dry and windy conditions hampering the efforts of hundreds of firefighters battling the blazes. Two of the fires have been burning for several days. European Union officials have blamed climate change for the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires in Europe, noting that 2022 was the second-worst year for wildfire damage on record after 2017. In Greece, authorities said the body of a man was recovered from a sheep pen in an area in the central Viotia region under evacuation as a wildfire approached. Local media reported the man apparently died of smoke inhalation while trying to save his livestock. Last month, a wildfire on the resort island of Rhodes forced the evacuation of some 20,000 tourists. Days later, two air force pilots were killed when their water-dropping plane crashed while diving low to tackle a blaze on Evia. Another three wildfire-related deaths have been recorded this summer. In Spain's Canary Islands off the coast of West Africa, a wildfire that police say was started deliberately last Tuesday in Tenerife continued to burn out of control. More than 12,000 people have been evacuated and about 13,400 hectares (33,000 acres) of pine forest and scrubland have burned. European forecast High pressure dubbed a “heat dome” has moved in across mainland Europe and has extended down to the Mediterranean and is expected to push through on Thursday when temperatures are expected to reach their highest. Parts of the Iberian peninsula could reach close to 45C while southern France and northern Italy will see highs of 30s to low 40s. In France, weather warnings are also in place this week where temperatures in the south and east have already reached highs of 40C. Also, there are warnings for high temperatures in Switzerland, Germany, Poland, Italy, Croatia, Greece, Hungary Austria and Lithuania. Spain announced a heatwave Sunday and expected to last until at least Thursday. But Spain and France should avoid some of the worst heat by the weekend. Read More Mapped: Where are the wildfires in Tenerife as blaze forces thousands to flee The five charts alarming scientists about the climate crisis ‘Out of control’ wildfire on Spanish island of Tenerife leads to evacuation of villages Why do heatwaves in the UK feel hotter than abroad? The startling and grim discoveries unearthed by the climate crisis Earth’s CO2 hits highest recorded level in human history
2023-08-22 04:18
Greece wildfires: Authorities on alert for new spate of blazes
Officials warn that high temperatures and strong winds on Tuesday could see more devastating fires.
2023-08-22 02:47
Catalonia media guide
Notes on the media in Catalonia, as well as links to newspapers and broadcasters.
2023-08-22 00:57
Catalonia profile
Provides an overview of Catalonia, and key facts about this politically distinct Spanish region.
2023-08-22 00:55
How Satellites Are Helping Farmers Adapt to Global Warming
When to harvest is one of the most crucial decisions a winemaker can make. Too early, and the
2023-08-22 00:25
Tenerife fire that has raged for six days was started deliberately
A raging wildfire that has torn through Tenerife was started deliberately, officials have now confirmed. More than 12,000 people have been evacuated from their homes as the devastating blaze obliterated about 13,400 hectares (33,000 acres) of pine forest and scrubland. Locals have been fleeing in horror against of background of towering flames and smoke as the fire spread after it was first sparked last Tuesday. Fernando Clavijo, regional president of Canary Islands, said police suspected arson and have opened three lines of investigation. It has not been revealed if any arrests were made. The fire began in the Arafo mountains around the Mount Teide volcano - Spain’s highest peak- expanding to a raging perimeter of 84 kilometers as it ravaged the north of the island over the last six days. The municipalities of Arafo, Candelaria, El Rosario, La Orotava, Santa Úrsula, La Victoria, El Sauzal and Tacoronte have been the most severely impacted. But today, Mr Clavijo told Spain’s Cadena SER radio “the worst is over,” adding that the hundreds of firefighters deployed had made some progress for the second night in a row. “Today, we will keep on working, consolidating perimeters. We cannot talk about control yet, we’ll see if we can stabilise all the fronts,” he added. Acting Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the fire area would be declared a catastrophe zone, entitling the island to funds to help with reforestation and compensation for people affected. Below is a map of the areas impacted by the wildfire: Authorities on Sunday allowed some of the 12,000 people evacuated from the villages of Arafo and Candelaria to return to their homes and the remaining evacuees could receive more good news on Monday, Clavijo said. However, emergency services recommended residents in the area around the fire, which includes the capital Santa Cruz de Tenerife, to close windows and to stay indoors. It recommended wearing face masks if they need to go outside, as the air quality was “very unfavourable” due to smoke. Popular tourist areas on Tenerife, part of the Canaries archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, have so far been unaffected and its two airports have been operating normally. Tenerife is the largest of the Canary Islands, off the northwest coast of Africa. The island’s tourism office stressed in a statement Thursday afternoon that the main tourist areas and cities of the island were away from the fire. Read More Major wildfires burn in Greece, Spain's Canary Island of Tenerife Mapped: Where are the wildfires in Tenerife as blaze forces thousands to flee Best winter holiday destinations: where to travel for snow, sun or skiing Tenerife wildfires mapped as blaze forces thousands to flee Thousands more evacuated as Tenerife fire rages on Spain's Canary Islands Firefighters battle to stop Tenerife’s worst wildfires in decades
2023-08-21 22:56
Luna-25 crash: Russian scientist who worked on Putin’s failed moon mission rushed to hospital
A leading physicist and astronomer who served as a key consultant in Vladimir Putin’s moon mission was hospitalised in Moscow after Russia’s first lunar expedition in 47 years failed. Mikhail Marov, 90, was rushed to hospital following a “sharp deterioration” in his health after Luna-25 spacecraft spun out of control and crashed into the moon. "It is so sad that it was not possible to land the apparatus," he said after the failure of Luna-25 was announced. Russia’s state space corporation Roskosmos said it lost contact with the craft at 11.57am (GMT) on Saturday after a problem as the craft was shunted into pre-landing orbit. A soft landing had been planned for Monday. "The apparatus moved into an unpredictable orbit and ceased to exist as a result of a collision with the surface of the Moon," Roskosmos said in a statement. It said a special inter-departmental commission had been formed to investigate the reasons behind the loss of the Luna-25 craft, whose mission had raised hopes in Moscow that Russia was returning to the big power moon race. Mr Marov told the Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper that he hoped the reasons behind the crash would be discussed and examined rigorously. "This was perhaps the last hope for me to see a revival of our lunar programme," he said, according to Reuters. “There was a mistake in the algorithms for launching into near-lunar orbit,’ he was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail. “It must be found.” “For the specialists who will be involved in the work of the commission, this will not be a big problem. I think the answer will be found in the foreseeable future.” Sharing details on his medical condition, he told the outlet that he is currently “under observation” as he shared his exasperation over the failure of the mission. “How can I not worry? This has been very much a matter of my life. It’s all very hard.” The failure of Luna-25 underscored the decline of Russia’s space power since the glory days of Cold War competition when Moscow was the first to launch a satellite to orbit the Earth – Sputnik 1, in 1957 – and Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man to travel into space in 1961. It also comes as Russia’s $2 trillion economy faces its biggest external challenge for decades: the pressure of both Western sanctions and fighting the biggest land war in Europe since World War Two. Though moon missions are fiendishly difficult, and many US and Soviet attempts have failed, Russia had not attempted a moon mission since Luna-24 in 1976, when Communist leader Leonid Brezhnev ruled the Kremlin. Russia has been racing against India, whose Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft is scheduled to land on the moon’s south pole this week, and more broadly against China and the United States which both have advanced lunar ambitions. Russian officials had hoped that the Luna-25 mission would show Russia can compete with the superpowers in space despite its post-Soviet decline and the vast cost of the Ukraine war. Additional reporting by agencies Read More Russia’s Luna-25 spacecraft crashes into moon in failed mission The Russian space agency says its Luna-25 spacecraft has crashed into the moon. Russia's Luna-25 spacecraft suffers technical glitch in pre-landing maneuver The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary
2023-08-21 20:57
A decade after a sarin gas attack in a Damascus suburb, Syrian survivors lose hope for justice
One summer night a decade ago, the al-Shami family was woken up by a roaring sound or rockets but it wasn't followed by the usual explosions. Instead, the family members started having difficulty breathing. Ghiad al-Shami, 26, remembers how everyone tried to run to the rooftop of their apartment building in eastern Ghouta, a Damascus suburb that at the time was held by opposition fighters trying to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad. Al-Shami's mother, three sisters and two brothers died that night — victims of the Aug. 21, 2013 sarin gas attack that killed hundreds and left thousands of others hurt. Ten years on, al-Shami and other survivors say there has been no accountability for the attack and for the other atrocities committed in Syria during the country's brutal civil war, now in its 13th year. Over the past year, Assad's government — accused by the United Nations of repeated chemical weapons attacks on Syrian civilians — has been able to break out of its political isolation. Assad was welcomed back to the Arab League, which had suspended Syria’s membership in 2011 following a crackdown on anti-government protests. With the help of top allies Russia and Iran, Assad also recaptured large swaths of territory he initially lost to opposition groups. “Today, instead of holding perpetrators accountable, Assad is being welcomed back into the Arab League and invited to international conferences, cementing impunity for the most heinous of crimes,” said Laila Kiki, executive director of The Syria Campaign advocacy group. “To all those who seek to shake hands with Assad, this anniversary should serve as a clear reminder of the atrocities his regime has committed,” she said in a statement. In 2013, Assad was widely held responsible for the eastern Ghouta attack — weapons specialists said the rocket systems involved were in the Syrian army’s arsenal. The Syrian government has denied ever using chemical weapons. Russia, Syria’s prime ally, claims the Ghouta attack was carried out by opposition forces trying to push for foreign military intervention. The United States threatened military retaliation in the aftermath of the attack, with then-President Barack Obama saying Assad’s use of chemical weapons would be Washington’s “red line.” However, the U.S. public and Congress were wary of a new war, as invasions in Afghanistan and Iraq had turned into quagmires. In the end, Washington settled for a deal with Moscow for Assad to give up his chemical weapons' stockpile. Syria says it eliminated its chemical arsenal under the 2013 agreement. It also joined a global chemical weapons watchdog based in The Hague, Netherlands, as global pressure mounted on Damascus. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons has blamed the Syrian government for several deadly chemical attacks, most recently for a 2018 chlorine gas attack over Douma, another Damascus suburb, that killed 43 people. Syrian authorities refused to allow investigation teams access to the site of the attack, and had their voting rights within the OPCW suspended in 2021 as punishment for the repeated use of toxic gas. Damascus has accused the watchdog of bias in favor of the West and has not recognized its authority. Western countries say that Syria has not fully declared its chemical weapons stockpile to the OPCW to be destroyed. The Syrian government and its allies reclaimed eastern Ghouta in 2018, with most of its residents fleeing to the last rebel-held enclave in Syria's northwest. Abdel Rahman Sabhia, a nurse and former resident of the suburb, has since moved to the town of Afrin in the northern Aleppo province, now under Turkish-backed groups. “We lost hope in the international community,” said Sabhia, who worked at a voluntary field hospital in Ghouta at the time of the gas attack. “Why should we trust in them if we still haven’t seen any accountability for all the children who lost their families?” Sabhia says he had gotten used to airstrikes and shelling, but the aftermath of the 2013 attack was different. The streets were eerily quiet, “like a ghost town,” he recalled. “We broke into a house and saw a baby, just months old, lying dead in bed with his parents." At the time, dozens of bodies were laid out in hospitals with families looking to identify their loved ones. Some families were buried together in large graves. Al-Shami, who now lives in Istanbul recalls regaining consciousness a day after the attack. “I felt helpless,” he said. ___ Chehayeb reported from Beirut. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Protests rock government-held areas in southern Syria as economy crumbles Iran's foreign minister visits Saudi Arabia's powerful crown prince as tensions between rivals ease Syrian president doubles public sector wages as national currency spirals downwards
2023-08-21 20:54
Nordea Boosts Interest on Finnish Retail Clients’ Deposits
Nordea Bank Abp, the largest bank in the Nordic region, is raising deposit rates on accounts held by
2023-08-21 18:51