Senin, 19 September 2022

Russian missile narrowly misses Ukraine nuclear plant, says Kyiv - Financial Times

Russian forces carried out a missile strike that narrowly missed a nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine, officials in Kyiv said, days after an international watchdog warned that shelling at another atomic energy site risked causing a serious incident.

Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday said the strike nearly hit the Pivdennoukrainsk nuclear power plant in the Mykolayiv region, about 200km north of the southern frontline of fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops.

“At night, a missile fell 300 metres from the Pivdennoukrainsk nuclear power plant,” Zelenskyy said in a Telegram channel post which included video footage purporting to show the strike and subsequent explosion. “Russia endangers the whole world. We have to stop it before it’s too late,” he added.

Energoatom, Ukraine’s state nuclear power company, said three reactors at the plant continued to operate and nobody was injured. It added that about 100 windows at the site were shattered and a brief power outage had occurred.

Ukraine’s energy minister, German Galushchenko, on Monday accused Moscow of adopting a “nuclear terror” strategy following the invasion of Russian troops in February. “Russia, in desperation, is putting the world on the brink of a nuclear catastrophe,” he said.

A senior US official said on Monday: “We assess that the strike hit a power station near the power plant but did not directly strike the power plant.” Moscow did not immediately confirm or deny the strike.

Ukraine and Russia have repeatedly accused each other of conducting artillery strikes at another atomic energy site — the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, located in the southern town of Energodar.

A CCTV camera image purportedly showing a Russian military strike at the Pivdennoukrainsk nuclear power plant
A CCTV camera image purportedly showing a Russian military strike at the Pivdennoukrainsk nuclear power plant © Reuters

The International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN’s nuclear watchdog, last week urged the Kremlin to surrender control of the Zaporizhzhia plant, warning that “persistent violent actions” at the site increased the risk of “a nuclear accident or incident”. The IAEA’s board adopted a resolution calling on Russia to “cease” all actions at and against the plant, and any other nuclear plant in Ukraine, to “ensure their safe and secure operation”.

Russian forces have stepped up missile attacks on critical infrastructure including electricity generators and a reservoir dam in the central city of Kryviy Rih, Zelenskyy’s hometown.

It follows a lightning counter-offensive in the north-eastern Kharkiv region that forced Moscow’s army to surrender more than 3,000 sq km of territory. It was the biggest military success by Ukraine’s forces since they repelled Russia’s attempt early in the war to capture the capital, Kyiv.

Ukraine last week claimed to have uncovered a mass grave of more than 440 people in the north-eastern city of Izyum that was recaptured as part of the operation. It said the discovery was further evidence of war crimes committed by Russian forces. On Monday, Russian president Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said the claims were untrue. “It’s a lie,” he said.

Oleg Synegubov, governor of the Kharkiv region, said on Monday that of the “146 bodies exhumed so far, the vast majority of were civilians, including two children.”

“Some of the dead have signs of violent death, there are bodies with tied hands and traces of torture. The deceased were also found to have mine-explosive injuries, shrapnel and stab wounds,” he added in a Telegram channel post.

Ukrainian forces, increasingly armed by the west with modern weaponry, this weekend claimed they had added to territory regained in the Kharkiv region by taking parts of the east bank of the Oskil river and its reservoir. That would bring its troops closer to the border of the Russia-controlled far eastern Luhansk region. It would also put them within artillery striking range of roads supplying Russia’s largest eastern concentration of forces in northern parts of the Donetsk region.

The two regions make up the Donbas, the “liberation” of which Russia’s president claimed as justification for the invasion launched by his troops seven months ago.

In an interview aired this weekend on CBS’s 60 Minutes programme, US president Joe Biden said Ukraine was “defeating Russia”, adding that victory meant “to get Russia out of Ukraine completely”.

Addressing fears that Putin could resort to the use of tactical nuclear or chemical weapons, Biden said: “Don’t. Don’t. Don’t.”

“It would change the face of war unlike anything since world war two,” he added.

Additional reporting by Felicia Schwartz

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2022-09-19 16:57:15Z
1574495881

Queen Elizabeth funeral: World says goodbye to Her Majesty - Daily Mail

'Few leaders receive such an outpouring of love': World's media is captivated by 'tremendous' funeral for Queen Elizabeth and laments that 'we will never see anything like it again'

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2022-09-19 13:01:39Z
1562509238

Biden again says US would defend Taiwan if China attacks - bbc.co.uk

Taiwan aricraft in military expercise, spetember 2022EPA

US President Joe Biden has again said the US would defend Taiwan in the event of an attack by China.

Asked in a CBS interview if US troops would defend the island, Mr Biden said: "Yes, if in fact, there was an unprecedented attack."

The remarks prompted the White House to clarify that US policy had not changed.

Washington has long maintained a stance of "strategic ambiguity" - it does not commit to defending Taiwan, but also does not rule out the option.

Taiwan is a self-ruled island off the coast of eastern China that Beijing claims as part of its territory.

Washington has always walked a diplomatic tightrope over the issue.

On the one hand it adheres to the One China policy, a cornerstone of its relationship with Beijing. Under this policy, the US acknowledges that there is only one Chinese government, and has formal ties with Beijing rather than Taiwan.

But it also maintains close relations with Taiwan and sells arms to it under the Taiwan Relations Act, which states that the US must provide the island with the means to defend itself.

Taiwan responded to Mr Biden's remarks on Monday by welcoming the "US government's rock-solid security commitment to Taiwan". Taipei said it would continue to deepen its "close security partnership" with Washington.

Only earlier this month, the US agreed to sell $1.1bn (£955m) in weaponry and missile defence to Taiwan, provoking anger from China.

Beijing is yet to respond to Mr Biden's latest remarks, broadcast in a CBS 60 Minutes interview on Sunday. But China has previously condemned such comments from Mr Biden pledging US military action.

"Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory... The Taiwan question is purely China's internal affair that brooks no foreign interference," a foreign ministry spokesman had said in May.

That was in response to Mr Biden's comments in Tokyo in May when he said "Yes" when asked if the US would defend Taiwan. The White House had quickly issued a follow up saying there was no departure from long-standing US policy.

This time too the White House issued a statement, downplaying the president's comments: "The President has said this before, including in Tokyo earlier this year. He also made clear then that our Taiwan policy hasn't changed. That remains true."

It's the third time since October last year that President Biden has gone further than the official stance.

But in the interview on Sunday, Mr Biden reiterated that the US was not encouraging Taiwan independence.

"There's a One China policy and Taiwan makes their own judgements on their independence. We are not moving, not encouraging their being independent - that's their decision," he said.

Tensions between US and China have ramped up after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made a controversial visit to the island in August - a trip Mr Biden had said was "not a good idea".

Beijing responded with a five-day military blockade around Taiwan. The US claims China shot missiles over the island, but Beijing did not confirm this. Taiwan said the missiles China fired flew high into the atmosphere and posed no threat.

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2022-09-19 05:46:29Z
1573459799

Minggu, 18 September 2022

Super typhoon Nanmadol batters southern Japan, 'forcing more than 8 million to flee their homes' - Sky News

As an intense typhoon batters southern Japan with torrential rain and gales, authorities have ordered millions people to evacuate their homes, according to local reports.

Public broadcaster NHK said local governments have now ordered more than eight million people in southern and western Japan to flee due to Typhoon Nanmadol, which has already triggered power blackouts and flight cancellations.

Officials issued the highest grade on Japan's disaster warning scale - a level 5 alert - to more than 330,000 people in Kagoshima, Miyazaki and Oita prefectures, NHK said.

The level 4 alert that prompts the evacuation order for eight million people affects 3.7 million households in parts of the Kyushu, Shikoku and Chugoku regions.

Weather forecasters have warned of strong winds and high waves "like never experienced before", with the threat of rivers overflowing, high waves, violent winds and landslides.

Typhoon Nanmadol, classified as a super typhoon by the US Navy's Joint Typhoon Warning Center, has been slowly heading north to the country's main southern island of Kyushu.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said the area faces being deluged by 500mm (20in) of rain and wind gusts of up to 155mph (250kph) on Sunday.

More on Japan

It also warned residents of "unprecedented" levels of powerful winds and waves in some areas, urging them to evacuate early.

Nanmadol is expected to turn east and reach Tokyo on Tuesday before moving out to sea.

In affected areas, thousands of residents have taken shelter at evacuation centres.

A high wave overflows a breakwater at Haruno Fishery Port in Kochi Prefecture on Sept. 18, 2022. ..According to Japan Meteorological Agency, Typhoon Nanmadol has become the highest classification of "violent" and it issued a special warning for southwestern regions in Kyushu, where a large-scale disaster could be imminent. The massive typhoon will keep on hitting Japan through early next week. ( The Yomiuri Shimbun via AP Images )
Image: Pic: Kyodo News via AP

Kyushu Electric Power Company said more than 93,000 homes across the island were without electricity on Sunday because of damage to power lines.

Hundreds of domestic flights in and out of the region have been cancelled and more are planned to be grounded in western Japan until Tuesday.

Public transport, including rail services and buses, have also been suspended along with the famous bullet train.

Hundreds of shops have closed in the face of the extreme weather.

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2022-09-18 16:18:01Z
1571162983

World leaders descend on London: Brazil's far-right ruler speaks to crowd outside London embassy - Daily Mail

Strongman world leaders descend on London: Brazil's far-right populist ruler Jair Bolsanaro speaks to crowd outside London embassy as he and other politicians visit Queen lying in state and snipers keep look out from roofs

  • World leaders are arriving in London to pay their respects to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
  • Snipers are on top of the Royal Hospital in Chelsea where VIPs will meet before being bussed to the Palace 
  • Brazil's right-wing populist ruler Jair Bolsonaro held a tub-thumping rally from his country's Embassy 
  • Saudi dictator Mohammed bin Salman is flying to London 'but will not be attending the funeral'
  • Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu will attend in place of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
  • Russia and Belarus have not received invitations because of Putin's invasion of Ukraine 
  • The Queen's funeral: All the latest Royal Family news and coverage

World leaders are arriving in Britain to pay their respects to the Queen - as Brazilian right-wing populist ruler Jair Bolsonaro riled up a flag-waving crowd while staging a tub-thumping rally from the windows of his country's Embassy to win political points back home ahead of the South American country's upcoming presidential elections.

Around 500 emperors, kings, queens, presidents, prime ministers and other heads of states from around the planet are descending on London for Her Majesty's state funeral at Westminster Abbey tomorrow as the world pays respect to the nation's greatest ever monarch.

Snipers have been standing guard on top of a West London hospital, where VIPs are expected to gather before being bussed to Buckingham Palace today. 

The list of dignitaries includes a string of controversial rulers including Bolsonaro, who was filmed today giving a thunderous speech from the windows of the Brazilian Embassy to a cheering crowd waving the national flag. His allies hope his four-day international trip - first in London, then at the UN Assembly General session in New York - will sway some voters in the upcoming elections, give him some gravitas after almost four years of rifts with other world leaders and provide material for TV ads.

Video also shows the Brazilian strongman's supporters draping themselves in the national flag and swearing at nearby anti-Bolsonaro protesters.

And today Foreign Office sources told the BBC that Saudi Arabia's dictatorial Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman - also known by the abbrevation MBS - is not expected to attend the funeral amid a backlash over his human rights abuses. Sources close to the Saudi Embassy earlier said the Crown Prince would be visiting London this weekend. But Prince Turki al-Faisal, another senior Saudi royal, is now expected to attend the Queen's funeral, the Foreign Office source told the broadcaster. 

MBS had been set to hold talks with Prime Minister Liz Truss in London on Sunday night, despite international outrage after he ordered Saudi agents to brutally murder and dismember journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in 2018. 

King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla are preparing to host 1,000 dignitaries including US President Joe Biden, New Zealand's prime minister Jacinda Ardern and Canadian premier Justin Trudeau, alongside European royalty an senior members of the British royal family, at the palace this evening, then lead Britain in a minute's silence from 8pm. 

Most are expected to view the Queen's coffin, which will lie in state until tomorrow morning, in the ancient heart of Parliament today after being given a VIP timeslot.

The Brazilian leader's visit came after he gave a speech from the balcony of the embassy in London
President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil and his wife Michelle Bolsonaro pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II's flag-draped coffin lying in state on the catafalque at Westminster Hall
President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil and his wife Michelle Bolsonaro pay their respects inside Westminster Hall
Preparations are made at a West London hospital, where dignitaries are expected to gather before being bussed to Buckingham Palace today
Larry the cat looks at members of staff arrange a red carpet outside 10 Downing Street
French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron wearing sunglasses and trainers as they are escorted to the Palace of Westminster by security to pay their respects to the Queen lying-in-state
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden arrive at London Stansted Airport
US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden leave London Stansted airport in their motorcade
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman smiles as he arrives at presidential Elysee Palace
President of Ireland Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina with Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin at Westminster Hall today
Colombia's First Lady Veronica Alcocer Gargia and Foreign Minister Alvaro Leyva pay their respects
Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina Wazed is pictured inside Westminster Hall earlier today
Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan is pictured by an aide at the foot of the Queen's coffin
Canada's Prime Minister arrives for a meeting at 10 Downing Street with Liz Truss this afternoon
King Charles III receives Prime Minister of Tuvalu Kausea Natano in the 1844 Room at Buckingham Palace
President of Barbados Sandra Mason signs a book of condolence at Lancaster House, London, today
Prime Minister of Fiji, Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama signing the condolence book at Lancaster House today
President of Albania, Bajram Begaj
President of Ethiopia Sahle-Work Zewde
The President of India, Droupadi Murmu and Acting High Commissioner Sujit Ghosh pose after signing the book

World leaders including Biden and Macron heading to London - but Putin and Xi likely to miss final farewell 

Not invited

Russia's Vladimir Putin

Belarus' Aleksandr Lukashenko

Min Aung Hlaing of Myanmar

Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei/President Ebrahim Raisi - but the ambassador to the UK will be asked

Confirmed

Joe Biden and Jill Biden, President and first lady of the United States

Emmanuel Macron, President of France

President Isaac Herzog of Israel

Alexander Van der Bellen, President of Austria

Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand

Anthony Albanese, Australian Prime Minister

Gitanas Nauseda, President of Lithuania

Ranil Wickremesinghe, Sri Lankan President

Frank-Walter Steinmeier, President of Germany

Yoon Suk-yeol, South Korean President

Jair Bolsonaro, President of Brazil

Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan

King Philip and Queen Mathilde of Belgium

Andrzej Duda, President of Poland

Sergio Mattarella, President of Italy

Justin Trudeau, Canadian Prime Minister

Charles Michel, President of the European Council

Egils Levits, President of Latvia

Paula-Mae Weekes, President of Trinidad and Tobago

Mohammad Shtayyeh, Palestinian Prime Minister

Sauli Niinisto, President of Finland

Katalin Novak, Hungarian President

Michael D Higgins, Irish President and Micheál Martin, Irish Prime Minister

Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud or his son, de facto leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud 

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the authoritarian ruler who has jailed hundreds of journalists and busily dismantled Turkish democracy, is also coming to the funeral. 

China has announced it will send its vice-president, Wang Qishan, but was barred by parliamentary leaders from the lying-in-state. 

Due to strained ties, the UK opted to invite ambassadors, not heads of state, from Iran, Nicaragua and North Korea. Meanwhile, Russia and Belarus are among a small group of nations excluded altogether following Putin's invasion of Ukraine. 

Putin - under a travel ban to the UK because of sanctions - had already said he would not attend. 

But Moscow's foreign ministry last week called the decision 'deeply immoral', and 'blasphemous' to the queen's memory. 

Other countries with no invitations are Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, Myanmar - with whom relations with the UK have soured since last year's coup - Syria and Venezuela.

A host of royals from Europe and further afield have confirmed their attendance at the funeral for Britain's longest-serving monarch.

Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako will attend - their first overseas trip since assuming the throne in 2019. The visit marks a departure from Japanese tradition, which rarely sees the emperor attend funerals.

Europe's royal families are closely related after centuries of mingling their bloodlines, so it will be no surprise to see several monarchs from the continent in the congregation.

Dutch King Willem-Alexander, Queen Maxima and Crown Princess Beatrix, Philippe King of the Belgians, King Harald V of Norway and Prince Albert II of Monaco will all attend.

Denmark's Queen Margrethe, who scrapped a series of events marking her 50th jubilee following the death of her third cousin, Queen Elizabeth, is also coming.

Spain's King Felipe VI will be there too with his wife Letizia. So too will his father, former king Juan Carlos I, who abdicated in disgrace in 2014 and now lives in self-imposed exile in the United Arab Emirates.

The prime minister of Australia has said now is not the time for constitutional questions, as his counterpart in New Zealand made clear she had no intention of steering away from a monarchical system.

The leaders were both asked about the potential for their countries to become republics as they visited the UK for the Queen's funeral.

Jacinda Ardern suggested she still believes New Zealand is likely to make the transition in in her lifetime, but said bonds will remain between Commonwealth nations even as relationships with the UK evolve over the years.

Meanwhile, Anthony Albanese batted away questions over Australia's constitution in the wake of the Queen's death, arguing now is not the right time to discuss these issues.

Reflecting on the change in sovereign, Ms Ardern said the move from Queen to King will not be 'jarring' for New Zealand as Charles is 'well known' in the country.

She told the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg show: 'He shares many passions and interests that New Zealanders do.

'And I think that means that that relationship already exists. It's a transition, but it's not a jarring transition for New Zealand.'

Asked why she has said in the past that she believes the country will become a republic in her lifetime, she said: 'I think even the Queen herself has observed and acknowledged the evolution over time in our relationships.

'My observation is that there will continue to be an evolution in our relationship. I don't believe it will be quick or soon, but over the course of my lifetime.'

Pressed on how and when this might happen, she said: 'We have complex arrangements, the Treaty of Waitangi - a very important founding document for Aotearoa, New Zealand, signed between Maori and the Crown. This is why it's not a process I have any intent of instigating, but if and when it does occur, it will take time, and it will need to be very carefully worked through.'

Mr Albanese said now is not the right time to discuss whether his country may become a republic.

Ireland's President Michael D. Higgins signs a book of condolence at Lancaster House after visiting her coffin
Chad's Minister of Petroleum and Energy Djerassem Le Bemadjiel has also arrived in London for the funeral
Colombia's First Lady Veronica Alcocer Gargia (L) and Foreign Minister Alvaro Leyva, who have visited the coffin, sign the book at Lancaster House
President of Gabon Ali Bongo Ondimba signs a book of condolence at Lancaster House earlier today
Foreign Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina Dr Bisera Turkovic is also among dignitaries to write in the book
President of Panama, Laurentino Cortizo, paying respects to the Queen
High Commissioner of Sierra Leone, Dr Morie Komba Manyeh (left) and Fatima Jabbe-Bio First Lady of Sierra Leone, pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II's flag-draped coffin lying in state on the catafalque at Westminster Hall
South Africa's Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor and President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa pay their respects
Head of State of the Independent State of Samoa Afioga Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II
President of Poland, Andrzej Duda, arrives at 10 Downing Street in London

Fury as president of Armenia and Putin ally is photographed by entourage while posing in front of Queen's coffin in Westminster Hall 

The President of Armenia has copped flak for disrespecting the Queen this morning as he took photos and chatted to aides during a visit to see her lying-in-state in Westminster Hall this morning.

Vahagn Khachaturyan, an ally of warmongering Russian president Vladimir Putin, was seen bowing at the late monarch's coffin as one of his lackies snapped some pictures on his mobile phone.

Bystanders meanwhile claimed the Armenian leader was loudly rabbiting on to his entourage as they trundled along the VIP walkway and down to the floor where Queen Elizabeth II's coffin is lying.

His actions flew in the face of strict rules in the 1,000-year-old chamber which forbid the taking of photos or videos and call for quiet, respectful behaviour.

Khachaturyan was seen in June of this year sharing a warm embrace with Putin at a Russian economic conference even as war raged across the border in Ukraine.

One attendee at Westminster Hall told The Sun: 'There were hundreds of people in that hall - no one was speaking. Only him. Yap, yap, yap, yap. He clearly planned to have his photo taken.

'He and his aide hold back as the group in front passes the coffin... He knows the rules and would have been told before he went in.'

He was asked in a separate BBC interview when the question might arise again, with Australians having voted against the move in a referendum just before the turn of the century.

'I don't think now's the time to discuss those issues, and I have made that clear,' he said.

'This is a time in which we should acknowledge the life of service of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.'

He said the late monarch had a 'close affinity' to Australia, always standing with its people at 'times of difficulty'. In addition to the UK, New Zealand and Australia, the King is head of state for 12 Commonwealth realms. These are Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu. But the monarchy's future role in some of the countries appears less certain with the start of a new reign.

The prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, said after the Queen's death that he would call for a referendum on the country becoming a republic within three years.

Jamaica is expected to follow Barbados, which became a republic in November 2021, although it remains within the Commonwealth.

Ms Ardern also reflected on her first meeting with the Queen, during which she asked how the late monarch managed being both a mother and a leader.

The New Zealand prime minister, who was pregnant at the time of the exchange, said: 'I asked her, for instance, of course what was one of the things on my mind alongside being a new prime minister was being a prime minister and a mum.

'I said to her: 'How did you manage?' And I remember she just said: 'Well, you just get on with it'. And that was actually probably the best and most, I think, factual advice I could have. You do, you just take every day as it comes. And she did. But I have such respect for her because I see now what it takes to be a mum and a leader and she did it more times over than I.'

Mr Albanese also said in his BBC interview that he would be 'very comfortable' with the King expressing views on the 'importance of climate change'.

'We know that in Australia the impacts of bushfires, floods, natural disasters, are doing exactly what the science told us would happen, which is that there have always been natural disasters in Australia, but they're more frequent, and they're more intense,' he said.

'And that's why this issue shouldn't be a partisan political issue. It should be an issue which the world needs to confront.'

The funeral of the only monarch most Britons have known involves the biggest security operation London has ever seen.

Mayor Sadiq Khan says tomorrow's state funeral is an 'unprecedented' security challenge, with hundreds of thousands of people packing central London and a funeral guest list of 500 emperors, kings, queens, presidents, prime ministers and other leaders from around the world.

'It's been decades since this many world leaders were in one place,' Mr Khan said. 'This is unprecedented ... in relation to the various things that we're juggling.'

'There could be bad people wanting to cause damage to individuals or to some of our world leaders,' he told The Associated Press. 'So we are working incredibly hard - the police, the security services and many, many others - to make sure this state funeral is as successful as it can be.'

Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy said the 'hugely complex' policing operation is the biggest in the London force's history, surpassing the London 2012 Olympics.

Members of the public pass the London Eye as they queue to see the Queen lying in state
Members of the public queue opposite Westminster to see Queen Elizabeth II lying in state
People gather ahead on The Mall ahead of the funeral tomorrow
Around a million people will line the streets of London tomorrow to witness historic scenes of breathtaking pomp and splendour, punctuated by historic moments of sorrow and solemnity, as Her Majesty's coffin is transported from Westminster Hall to Westminster Abbey. The Queen's coffin will then be transported by a spectacular procession from the abbey to Wellington Arch at Hyde Park Corner, before she is carried by State Hearse to Windsor. There, she will be lowered into the Royal Vault at St George's Chapel, where she will join her beloved husband the Duke of Edinburgh and parents King George VI and the Queen Mother, and where her sister Princess Margaret's ashes are interred
Royal guards stand by Queen Elizabeth II's flag-draped coffin lying in state on the catafalque at Westminster Hall

Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece says the Queen was 'one of the most wonderful people ever' as he confirms he will represent his father King Constantine II at the funeral 

Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece has said his third cousin Queen Elizabeth II was 'one of the most wonderful people ever' as he prepares to attend her funeral tomorrow.

The Crown Prince, who is the son of King Constantine II, the last King of Greece and Anne-Marie of Denmark, has revealed he will be attending Her late Majesty's state funeral on behalf of his father, who is too ill to make the journey.

Speaking on the BBC today, Prince Pavlos, 55, said the Queen, who was his third cousin twice removed, always supported his family and showed them great kindness.

He said: 'The Queen has always been a very kind person to my famiy. Always received with a smile.

'My parents were very well taken care of by her when we left Greece and lived in England for years after.'

Prince Pavlos added his father was a 'confidant' for the Queen throughout their years in the UK, after he was forced to flee the country with his family following a coup.

The 55-year-old added: 'The Queen was always receiving us with great smiles and family friendship. Always enquiring how things were going back home or elsewhere. One of the most wonderful people ever.'

He went on to praise the late monarch's 'empathy, kindness and her service' - while adding the Duke of Edinburgh also showed him great respect over the years.

'Our response here in London will be proportionate, it will be balanced, and officers will only be taking action where it is absolutely necessary,' he said.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley said the goal was to keep the event safe, 'and try to do it in as unobtrusive a way as possible, because this is obviously a solemn occasion.'

More than 10,000 police officers will be on duty Monday, with London officers supplemented by reinforcements from all of Britain's 43 police forces. Hundreds of volunteer marshals and members of the armed forces will also act as stewards along the processional route.

They are just the most visible part of a security operation that is being run from a high-tech control center near Lambeth Bridge, not far from Parliament.

Street drains and garbage bins are being searched and sealed. Tomorrow there will be police spotters on rooftops, sniffer dogs on the streets, marine officers on the River Thames and mounted police on horseback.

Flying drones over Central London has been temporarily banned, and Heathrow Airport is grounding scores of flights so that aircraft noise does not disturb the funeral service.

Authorities face the challenge of keeping 500 world leaders safe, without ruffling too many diplomatic feathers. Presidents, prime ministers and royalty will gather offsite before being taken by bus to the abbey - though an exception is being made for Mr Biden, who is expected to arrive in his armored limousine, known as The Beast.

Police are deploying more than 22 miles of barriers in central London to control the crowds, and transit bosses are preparing for jam-packed stations, buses and subway trains as 1million people flood the ceremonial heart of London. Subways will run later than normal and train companies are adding extra services to help get people home.

While many will be mourning the queen, support for the monarchy is far from universal. Police have already drawn criticism for arresting several people who staged peaceful protests during events related to the queen's death and the accession of King Charles III.

Mr Cundy said it had been made clear to officers that 'people have a right to protest.'

The final day of the Queen's lying in state is set to take place, while a minute's silence will be held later to mourn her death.

The late monarch's coffin will remain in Westminster Hall for the public to view until 6.30am on Monday, ahead of the state funeral in Westminster Abbey, with Sunday likely to be the last chance to join the queue.

Another challenge is the sheer size of the crowds expected to gather around Westminster Abbey and along the route the coffin will travel after the funeral, past Buckingham Palace to Hyde Park. From there it will be taken by hearse about 20 miles to Windsor, where another 2,000 police officers will be on duty.

The Queen is due to be interred in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle alongside her husband Prince Philip, who died last year aged 99.

Tens of thousands of mourners are still queueing for at least 13 hours on the final day of Her Majesty's lying-in-state at the Palace of Westminster before her coffin is removed from public view at 6.30am tomorrow, the morning of her state funeral at Westminster Abbey. 

At 8pm, the country will observe a one-minute silence to remember the Queen, with people invited to mark the occasion privately at home, on their doorstep or street, or at community events and vigils.

It will come shortly after the Queen Consort pays a televised tribute to the late monarch, recalling her 'wonderful blue eyes' and saying: 'I will always remember her smile.'

Camilla, in pre-recorded words on the BBC, will speak of how Queen Elizabeth II was a 'solitary woman' in a male-dominated world.

She will add: 'I can't remember anyone except the Queen being there.'

There will also be a service of reflection near Falkirk, Scotland at 7.30pm.

The DCMS has said the historic occasion will be shown on giant screens in various locations across the UK - from London's Hyde Park to Coleraine Town Hall in Northern Ireland.

Around 125 cinemas will also be screening the event - along with Sky News, ITV and the BBC for people watching from home.

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2022-09-18 13:11:07Z
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Japan storm: Millions told to evacuate as Typhoon Nanmadol makes landfall - BBC

A man cycles through torrential and winds in the city of Miyazaki after Typhoon Nanmadol made landfall in JapanReuters

One of the biggest typhoons ever to strike Japan has made landfall on the southern island of Kyushu.

Typhoon Nanmadol has brought winds of at least 180 km/h (112mph) and some areas could see 500mm (20 inches) of rainfall over today and tonight.

At least four million people have been told to evacuate their homes.

Extensive flooding and landslides are expected, while bullet train services, ferries, and hundreds of flights have been cancelled.

The typhoon made landfall near the city of Kagoshima, on the southern tip of Kyushu, this morning.

Kyushu is the southernmost of the four islands that make up the main body of Japan and has a population of more than 13 million people.

Authorities had issued a "special alert" for the island, the first ever put in place outside the Okinawa Prefecture, which consists of the smaller, remote Japanese islands in the East China Sea, the Japan Times reports.

Japan's Meteorological Agency said Nanmadol would bring torrential rain, storm surges along the coast, and winds so powerful there was a risk that homes could collapse.

The typhoon is now moving north across Kyushu, dropping huge amounts of rain on the mountainous centre of the island.

It is expected to travel up through central Japan towards Tokyo over the coming days and to maintain much of its strength as it moves.

The biggest threat to life and property is from the rain, which is already causing rivers to rise and could unleash land and mudslides.

Authorities have told people across Kyushu to seek refuge in shelters.

Nanmadol is the 14th Pacific typhoon this season, and by far the largest to hit Japan.

Speaking on Saturday, an official from Japan's meteorological agency said it had the potential to be worse than both Typhoon Jebi in 2018, which left 14 people dead, and Typhoon Hagibis, which caused widespread power cuts in 2019.

The country is well-prepared for dealing with such storms, but scientists say climate change is making them bigger and more destructive.

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2022-09-18 07:23:22Z
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Sabtu, 17 September 2022

Cheetahs return to India 70 years after being declared extinct - Sky News

Cheetahs have been reintroduced to India - a controversial move that comes seven decades after being declared extinct.

Eight of the big cats were flown 5,000 miles from Namibia as part of a 13-year project to restore the species to the country.

It is the first time the animals have been moved across continents to be released.

The eight radio-collared African cheetahs were taken to Kuno National Park in central India with their arrival coinciding with the 72nd birthday of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who released the first cat on Saturday.

Another 12 cheetahs are expected to join the group next month from South Africa amid hopes the population will eventually reach 40.

Experts said the extinction of the cheetah in India in 1952 was the only time the country had lost a large mammal species since independence and there was a "moral and ethical responsibility to bring it back".

But some Indian conservationists called the effort a "vanity project" that ignores the fact the African cheetah - a subspecies similar but separate from the endangered Asiatic cheetah now only found in Iran - is not native to the Indian subcontinent.

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Scientists say modern India presents challenges not faced by the cheetah - the world's fastest land animal - in the past.

Once the cheetahs move beyond Kuno's unfenced boundaries, "they'll be knocked out within six months by domestic dogs, by leopards", said biologist Ullas Karanth, director of the Centre for Wildlife Studies in Bengaluru.

To set the cheetahs up for success, authorities are relocating villagers from Bagcha near Kuno, while domestic dogs in the area are being vaccinated against diseases that could spread to the cats.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds a camera after he released cheetahs following their translocation from Namibia, in Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh, India, September 17, 2022. India's Press Information Bureau/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES.
Image: The cheetahs were released into Kuno National Park following a two-day journey from Namibia

Other experts say the promise of restoring the cheetahs to India - a venture which started in 2009 - is worth the challenges.

"Cheetahs play an important role in grassland ecosystems, herding prey through grasslands and preventing overgrazing," said conservation biologist Laurie Marker, founder of the Cheetah Conservation Fund leading the Namibian side of the project.

Read more on Sky News:
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Bodies of Ukrainian troops 'dumped as if they were dogs in a ditch'

The cheetahs - five females and three males - arrived after a two-day plane and helicopter journey from the African savannah and will remain in a restricted area for several weeks before their wider release.

If all goes as planned, the cats will eventually be released to run through 5,000 square km (2,000 square miles) of forest and grassland, sharing the landscape with leopards, sloth bears and striped hyenas.

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2022-09-17 10:46:53Z
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