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Minggu, 06 Februari 2022

Canada truckers: US groups need to stop interfering in COVID protests, former ambassador Bruce Heyman says - Sky News

A former US ambassador has hit out at groups from the United States for interfering in protests in Canada over vaccine mandates and COVID restrictions.

Demonstrations by Canadian truckers started in Ottawa, in what many have described as a week-long occupation of the capital, and have since spread across the country.

Bruce Heyman, who was the ambassador to Canada under Barack Obama, said groups in the United States should stop getting involved in "disruptive activities in Canada".

"Under no circumstances should any group in the USA fund disruptive activities in Canada. Period. Full stop," he wrote on Twitter.

It comes as GoFundMe closed a fundraising page set up by groups in the US to help support the truckers' protests in Canada.

The page raised millions of dollars for the demonstrators before the page was pulled and GoFundMe said it would issue refunds or redirect the donations to other charities.

The move drew criticism from US Republicans, including Florida's governor, Ron DeSantis, who tweeted that it is "fraud for @gofundme to commandeer $9m in donations sent to support truckers and give it to causes of their own choosing".

The protest has attracted support from from US president Donald Trump, who said in a statement on Friday that "the Freedom Convoy is peacefully protesting the harsh policies of far-left lunatic Justin Trudeau who has destroyed Canada with insane COVID mandates".

Why are truckers protesting?

The organisers of the convoy had been calling for the suspension of COVID-19 restrictions and an end to the vaccine mandate for cross-border truckers.

After a week-long drive across Canada, thousands of truckers rolled into the capital Ottawa on 29 January, which quickly turned into a larger demonstration against government overreach during the pandemic.

The truck drivers parked on the grounds of the National War Memorial, while some danced of the Tomb of Unknown Soldier and others carried signs and flags with swastikas.

A statue of Canadian hero Terry Fox - who lost a leg to bone cancer and then trekked across the country in 1980 - was draped in an upside-down Canadian flag calling to "mandate freedom".

In Toronto, several hundred healthcare workers and supporters marched from the University of Toronto to Hospital Row just south of the legislature.

They held placards reading "free-dumb" and "N95 masks for all."

Demonstrators also gathered in Quebec City, Fredericton and Winnipeg, with rallies planned for Regina, Edmonton, Vancouver, Victoria and the US border crossing at Coutts.

Trudeau 'disgusted' by protesters

The protests have drawn widespread condemnation, including from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

On 31 January, he tweeted that, while he understands that "this pandemic is frustrating", Canadians have been "disgusted by the behaviour displayed by some people protesting in our nation's capital".

He also retweeted a statement from the Terry Fox Foundation that said: "Terry believed in science and gave his life to help others."

Canada's Defence Staff Chief General Wayne Eyre said those involved in the demonstration "should hang their heads in shame", tweeting: "I am sickened to see protesters dance on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and desecrate the National War Memorial."

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Canada has one of the highest vaccination rates globally and the premier of the province of Quebec is proposing to tax the unvaccinated.

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2022-02-06 15:19:52Z
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Lata Mangeshkar: The legendary Indian singer known as the 'Nightingale' and voice of Bollywood dies aged 92 - Sky News

Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar, one of India's biggest cultural icons, has died aged 92.

The star died of multiple organ failure at the Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai after she was admitted on 11 January with COVID-19, officials said.

Born in 1929 in pre-independence India, Mangeshkar's career spanned eight decades - from the era of Frank Sinatra to Adele - having begun singing on stage aged just nine.

At 13 she acted in a Marathi film and also had some small roles in Hindi cinema, but singing was her passion.

She went on to perform an estimated 15,000 songs in more than a dozen languages and was considered the voice of Bollywood, working with nearly every director, actor and actress in the industry.

Fondly revered as the "Melody Queen" and "Nightingale of India", she enthralled listeners with her lilting voice and range, singing everything from patriotic songs to romantic numbers, both in films and albums.

Her career-defining moment came in the epic historical Mughal-e-Azam, a romantic tragedy that was released in 1960.

The film's iconic song Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya? (Why fear if you are in love?) is considered one of the defining songs of Bollywood films.

Her song Aye Mere Waten ke Log, commemorating Indian soldiers who died in the 1962 war with China, is only second to India's national anthem and moved the then-prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru to tears when she sang it in his presence.

Many of the songs she performed in more than 500 films are considered classics, including Aaega Aanewale, Lag jaa gale, Mohe panghat Pe, Chalte chalte, Mere Aawaz hi Meri Pechchan hai, Ajeeb Daastan hai, Neela aasma so gaya, Pani pani re and Jiya Jale.

Popularity extended far beyond India

Her voice was seen as a benchmark of excellence against which every playback singer - whose voice is pre-recorded for use in films - was compared.

Even in her advanced years she sang songs for actresses a third of her age.

Mangeshkar fought for giving playback singers their rightful place in cinema and did not back down on royalty rights even though it meant not working with some of the best music directors for long periods.

She refused to perform in film award ceremonies until a separate category was created for playback singers.

She also raised concerns of diminishing originality when old songs were remixed with new music.

Lauded and honoured at home, Mangeshkar's popularity extended far beyond India.

She was celebrated not only in neighbouring Pakistan and Bangladesh but also in western countries, Africa and the Middle East.

The government of France conferred on her its highest civilian award, Officier de la Legion d'Honneur, in 2007.

'A void that cannot be filled'

"I am anguished beyond words," India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted as he reacted to the news.

"The kind and caring Lata Didi has left us. She leaves a void in our nation that cannot be filled.

"The coming generations will remember her as a stalwart of Indian culture, whose melodious voice had an unparalleled ability to mesmerise people."

The country's president Ram Nath Kovind has described her death as "heart breaking".

Two days of national mourning will be observed with the national flag will flying at half mast, according to government sources.

Mangeshkar, the eldest of five children, never married.

She is survived by her four siblings, who are all accomplished singers and musicians.

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2022-02-06 08:48:45Z
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Oil price surge: Biggest boom since 2014 as Turkey and Israel to supply gas to Europe - Daily Express

The price surge came due to ongoing supply worries and as frigid weather cascades across the United States. Global benchmark Brent crude settled at $91.11 a barrel, up $1.64, or 1.8 percent, while West Texas Intermediate crude soared $2.01, or 2.3 percent, higher to end at $90.27 a barrel, the first time the US benchmark has closed above the $90-level since Oct 6, 2014.

The market has also been influenced by developments between Russia and the West over the former's aggressive posture towards Ukraine.

The United States warned Russia was planning to use a staged attack as justification for invading the neighboring nation.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin has blamed NATO and the West for increased tensions, even as he has moved thousands of troops closer to Ukraine's border.

The development comes at the time when Turkey is keen in resuming talks with Israel about using Israeli natural gas and transporting it to Europe, a news outlet has claimed.

According to Daily Sabah, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: “We can use Israeli natural gas in our country, and beyond using it, we can also engage in a joint effort on its passage to Europe.”

Over the recent years, Turkey and Israel’s relationship have been critical after a fallout in 2018, when Turkey criticized Israel for its activities in the West Bank and its treatment of Palestinians.

Israel, for its part, has demanded that Turkey drop support for Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

In 2018, Turkey and Israel expelled each other’s ambassadors, following clashes on the Gaza border in which Israeli forces killed Palestinians.

Earlier this week, Mr Erdogan said that Israel’s President Isaac Herzog will visit Turkey in the middle of next month.

According to the reports, energy cooperation will be one of the topics of discussion during the upcoming visit of the Israeli president.

The United States has reportedly pulled its support for the planned EastMed natural gas pipeline from Israel to Europe—a plan which does not involve Turkey and is backed by Israel, Greece, and Cyprus, The Jerusalem Post reported last month.

Turkey has long opposed the EastMed pipeline project because it sidelines Ankara from energy plans in the Eastern Mediterranean.

In January, Erdogan said that the US had withdrawn its support for the EastMed gas pipeline project because of its high costs and reiterated that the project “cannot work without Turkey.”

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2022-02-06 06:53:24Z
1237879266

Sabtu, 05 Februari 2022

Ukraine crisis: 'Malicious Russian activity' must be opposed, Johnson and Macron agree - Sky News

Boris Johnson and Emmanuel Macron have agreed that countries on NATO's eastern flank must be "fully defended against malicious Russian activity".

That applies "wherever and however it might occur", the two leaders added.

Amid continuing concerns that Russia may invade Ukraine, the British prime minister and French president also "stressed that NATO must be united in the face of Russian aggression", Downing Street said.

In other developments, US troops have arrived at an airbase in southeastern Poland.

President Biden has ordered that 3,000 troops be sent to support NATO allies as tensions between the West and Moscow continue to increase.

And the leaders of Germany, France and Poland will meet in Berlin on Tuesday, in an attempt at de-escalation.

Mr Johnson and Mr Macron said that solving the dispute through diplomatic means must "remain the overriding priority".

They also agreed to "work together to develop a package of sanctions which would come into force immediately should Russia further invade Ukraine".

Russia has denied it is planning to invade, despite deploying 100,000 troops to the border.

Moscow is demanding that NATO never admits Ukraine as a member.

President Vladimir Putin met Chinese leader Xi Jinping prior to the opening of the Winter Olympics in Beijing.

Mr Macron has also spoken to NATO's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

The French leader stressed the "need to continue efforts to find through dialogue a de-escalation path" that respects the "fundamental principles of European security, the sovereignty of the states and the resulting rights", his office said.

Meanwhile, three new signs have been observed which suggest a Russian invasion of Ukraine could be imminent.

The building of a field hospital, the movement of additional troops to the border, and the deployment of the Russian military police suggest more invasion preparations are now in place.

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2022-02-05 16:04:56Z
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Rayan: Moroccan rescuers inch nearer to boy stuck in well for days - BBC News

Rescuers who are desperately trying to reach a five-year-old boy who fell into a deep well in Morocco are entering the final stages of their operation.

They worked through the night to reach the boy, named by local media as Rayan, who plunged 32m (104ft) through the well's narrow opening four days ago.

Rescuers said they were in an access tunnel less than a metre from the boy.

Fears of a possible landslide have complicated the task. A rescue official was unsure Rayan was still alive.

Chief rescuer Abdelhadi Tamrani told AFP that the camera showed him from behind lying on his side.

"It is not possible to determine the child's condition at all at this time. But we hope to God that the child is alive," he told local TV.

Footage on Thursday from a camera lowered into the well showed that the boy was alive and conscious, although he appeared to be suffering from some minor head injuries.

Rescue workers have lowered an oxygen mask, food and water into the well but it was unclear whether the boy had been able to use the supplies.

A medical team is also on site, ready to treat the boy. A helicopter has also arrived at the scene.

The rescue effort has gripped the North African country for days, and thousands have gathered at the scene and have been encouraging rescuers.

The mixture of rocky and sandy soils has meant rescuers deem opening the water well's narrow shaft to be too dangerous.

Instead, bulldozers were used to cut a huge trench next to the well. Rescuers then started digging horizontally to reach the boy.

"We're almost there," said one of the operation's leaders, Abdesalam Makoudi, on Friday afternoon. "We've been working non-stop for three days and tiredness is kicking in, but the whole rescue team is hanging on."

Led by Morocco's Civil Protection Directorate, rescue operations in the small northern town of Tamorot, around 100km (62 miles) from the city of Chefchaouen, have been ongoing since Tuesday evening.

Rayan's father was repairing the well at the time of the accident, and has said he and Rayan's mother were "devastated and very worried".

"In that one moment I took my eyes off him, the little one fell into the well. I haven't slept a wink", he told news site le360 on Wednesday.

Speaking to Moroccan media with tears in her eyes, Rayan's mother said: "The whole family went out to look for him. Then we realised that he'd fallen down the well. I'm still keeping up hope that we'll get him out alive."

On Moroccan social media, the #SaveRayan has been trending across the country as thousands of people have followed updates from local media and onlookers at the scene.

Mohamed Yassin El Quahabi, president of the Chefchaouen Association of Caving and Mountain Activities, has been helping with the rescue and he told the BBC that the narrowness of the well had hampered rescue efforts.

He added that several attempts by local volunteers and rescue workers to gain access through the well's opening have already failed.

"The problem of this rescue is that the hole diameter is very, very small, about 25cm (9.8 inches)," Mr El Quahabi said. "At the depth of 28 metres it became smaller so we couldn't reach him."

People watch as Moroccan emergency services teams work on the rescue of five-year-old boy Rayan from a well shaft he fell into

One of the rescue team explained: "The closer we get, the hole gets narrow and hard to pass through - which makes it very hard to save the child through volunteers. That's why we had to come up with another technique - which is digging.''

But authorities remain concerned that any interference with the well could accidentally hurt the five-year-old by triggering a landslide.

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2022-02-05 15:28:33Z
1281590758

Rayan: Moroccan rescuers inch nearer to boy stuck in well for days - BBC News

Rescuers who are desperately trying to reach a five-year-old boy who fell into a deep well in Morocco are entering the final stages of their operation.

They worked through the night to reach the boy, named by local media as Rayan, who plunged 32m (104ft) through the well's narrow opening four days ago.

The complex operation has gripped the North African country for days, and thousands have gathered at the scene.

Fears of a landslide have made the rescue operation more dangerous.

That risk combined with the mixture of rocky and sandy soils has meant rescuers deem opening the water well's narrow shaft to be too dangerous.

Instead, bulldozers have been used to cut a huge trench next to the well and authorities say they are "almost there".

Once the trench reaches the same depth as the well, rescuers can start digging horizontally to reach the boy.

Led by Morocco's Civil Protection Directorate, rescue operations in the small northern town of Tamorot, around 100km (62 miles) from the city of Chefchaouen, have been ongoing since Tuesday evening.

The roads around the town are lined with cars and buses, while thousands have cheered rescuers at the site.

'I haven't slept a wink'

Rayan's father was repairing the well at the time of the accident, and has said he and Rayan's mother were "devastated and very worried".

"In that one moment I took my eyes off him, the little one fell into the well. I haven't slept a wink", he told news site le360 on Wednesday.

Footage on Thursday from a camera lowered into the well showed that the boy was alive and conscious, although he appeared to be suffering from some minor head injuries.

Rescue workers have lowered an oxygen mask, food and water into the well and a medical team is also on site, ready to treat the boy. A helicopter has also arrived at the scene to take him to hospital once he has been freed from the well.

On Moroccan social media, the #SaveRayan has been trending across the country as thousands of people have followed updates from local media and onlookers at the scene.

He added that several attempts by local volunteers and rescue workers to gain access through the well's opening have already failed.

"The problem of this rescue is that the hole diameter is very, very small, about 25cm (9.8 inches)," Mr El Quahabi said. "At the depth of 28 metres it became smaller so we couldn't reach him."

But authorities remain concerned that any interference with the well could accidentally hurt the five-year-old by triggering a landslide.

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Rayan: Moroccan rescuers inch nearer to boy stuck in well for days - BBC News

Rescuers who are desperately trying to reach a five-year-old boy who fell into a deep well in Morocco are entering the final stages of their operation.

They worked through the night to reach the boy, named by local media as Rayan, who plunged 32m (104ft) through the well's narrow opening four days ago.

The complex operation has gripped the North African country for days, and thousands have gathered at the scene.

Fears of a landslide have made the rescue operation more dangerous.

That risk combined with the mixture of rocky and sandy soils has meant rescuers deem opening the well's narrow shaft to be too dangerous.

Instead, bulldozers have been used to cut a huge trench next to the well and authorities say they are "almost there".

Once the trench reaches the same depth as the well, rescuers can start digging horizontally to reach the boy, a witness told Reuters news agency.

Rescue operations led by Morocco's Civil Protection Directorate have been ongoing since Tuesday evening.

The roads around the northern town of Tamorot are lined with cars and buses, while thousands have cheered rescuers at the site.

'I haven't slept a wink'

Rayan's father was repairing the well at the time of the accident, and has said he and Rayan's mother were "devastated and very worried".

"In that one moment I took my eyes off him, the little one fell into the well. I haven't slept a wink", he told news site le360 on Wednesday.

Footage on Thursday from a camera lowered into the well showed that the boy was alive and conscious, although he appeared to be suffering from some minor head injuries.

On Moroccan social media, the #SaveRayan has been trending across the country as thousands of people have followed updates from local media and onlookers at the scene.

He added that several attempts by local volunteers and rescue workers to gain access through the well's opening have already failed.

"The problem of this rescue is that the hole diameter is very, very small, about 25cm (9.8 inches)," Mr El Quahabi said. "At the depth of 28 metres it became smaller so we couldn't reach him."

But authorities remain concerned that any interference with the well could accidentally hurt the five-year-old by triggering a landslide.

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Minggu, 06 Februari 2022

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Sabtu, 05 Februari 2022

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'I haven't slept a wink'

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'I haven't slept a wink'

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