Latest News
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UK anti-Islam Robinson detained briefly under terrorism laws
Tommy Robinson, a British anti-Islamist activist, said that he was detained and his phone confiscated at Heathrow Airport on Saturday. This came after he had posted a lot?online for a week about 'racist and antiimmigrant riots? in Northern Ireland. Robinson, whose actual name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon said on X that he was detained on Saturday night for about three hours, under the Counter-Terrorism and?Border Security Act. He said, "My phone was seized by?police", on X. Please help me start my legal defense fund. Robinson tweeted about the violence in Belfast that spread after a viral video showed a brutal stabbing attack on a man who lost an eye. A Sudanese has been charged with the attempted murder of a man. The police have stated that they do not consider the attack to be terrorism. In the days following, rioters attacked 'homes and businesses of ethnic minorities or foreigners in what the British Minister?for the Province called racist thuggery. Local politicians have said that far-right online agitators helped coordinate or promote violence. A?police spokesperson said that officers stopped a man in his 40s on Saturday at Heathrow Airport, after he returned?to Britain from Russia via Turkey. The man's communication devices were confiscated and he was interviewed by police officers. The spokesman confirmed that he was released. (Reporting and editing by Barbara Lewis; Kate Holton)
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Manhattan erupts in chaos after Knicks victory, with a World Cup bus on fire
A World Cup bus caught fire and a teenager was wounded by a gunshot in chaotic scenes that broke out in Midtown Manhattan late Saturday night as basketball fans poured onto the streets to celebrate the historic victory of the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals. After spilling from packed bars and outdoor venues and chanting, "Knicks in Five!" some fans fired smoke grenades and set off fireworks. Fans celebrate their team's win in the fifth of seven possible games by setting off fireworks and firing smoke grenades. The New York Knicks are yet to win a championship since 1973. This was their third finals appearance after losing in 1994 and 1998 - both times to the Houston Rockets and the San Antonio Spurs. They won on Saturday night. WORLD CUP SHUTTLE BIKES SWOUNDED A New York Police officer reported that a 17 year old was shot in the leg at 2 am during celebrations in Times Square. He added that three persons of interest had been taken into custody. As the celebrations continued into the evening, hundreds of mainly young people swarmed around a convoy consisting of 15 shuttle buses, after they had transported soccer fans to the area of Times Square from the first World Cup match between Brazil and Morocco which ended in a tie. Some of them climbed on the roofs, sat inside the bus and drove it. According to a journalist who saw the bus in flames, one of the yellow buses that the city hired to transport soccer fans had been set on fire. The incident was not reported as a serious injury. Three more shuttle buses have been badly damaged by the crowds. The Brazilian soccer team and Knicks supporters joined together on the top of a bus to wave their national flags. A man walked among the crowds with a bleeding facial injury, but it was not clear what had caused it. Youssef Sabbr, a 49-year-old Canadian with Moroccan descent who got off a World Cup bus before it became surrounded by a crowd, said: "They're expressing their joy, a bit violently. But it is what it Is." Sabbr stated that "that's what happens everywhere in the world when teams win." The police move in to arrest fans After holding back for two hours, police in riot gear moved in and chased fans through the streets. The Knicks home court, Madison Square Garden, was cleared by officers riding on horses. Carol Marino in her fifties, an estate agent in New York was taking a break on the sidewalk after watching a game in a bar. "Oh my god. She said that the celebrations were like New Year's Eve 'time twenty'. Other fans jumped on traffic lights and scaffolding, hugged, and played the?drums. Dean and Christina Smiros, a couple from New York who have both been Knicks supporters for their entire lives, were delighted to see the team win their first championship in their lifetime. Christina stated, "They haven't won since we were born." (Reporting and editing by Helen Popper; Ed Ou, Maria Tsvetkova).
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Australian state reviews drone restrictions after shark attack
A regulator will review restrictions on drones flying above 'Australia's Coogee Beach so that rescuers from New South Wales can monitor for sharks after an attack Saturday left a woman critically injured. On Saturday morning, emergency services were dispatched to Coogee Beach on the eastern side of Sydney after reports that a woman aged 35 had been bitten about 30 metres from shore by a large white shark. A spokesperson said that the woman's condition was critical but stable at St Vincent's Hospital after she suffered serious injuries to her left lower leg and arms. Coogee Beach, as well as other beaches in the Randwick Council area of the city, were closed for 24 hours after the attack. Drones were used to scan the skies for sharks under emergency measures. Tara Moriarty is the minister of agriculture for New South Wales. She said, "It has been a tough summer in Sydney with shark attacks and activity. The NSW government takes this very seriously." Moriarty stated that the NSW government will consider new measures to protect swimmers from shark attacks. This includes using drones and other technology. Australian lifesavers are using drones to monitor for sharks. However, Coogee Beach is restricted from commercial drone usage because it lies under the flight path at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport. A Civil Aviation Safety Authority spokesperson said that after the attack they would be looking at how to adapt the existing rules. PADDLEBOARDER RESCUES Charlie Verco, 25, a paddleboard champion and lifeguard who was off duty, rescued the woman from the water. He told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation he felt "very afraid" when he saw a three to four metre shark close to a group swimming. He said: "I looked at the beach and tried to?signal to the lifeguards a large code X to get them to?understand what was happening?outthere, clear the waters if they could, get the power crafts out there." "She was submerged for a second. I could not see her because she was in a sea of red. She popped up, and the shark let her go. I was able get close enough to catch her. The woman was then taken to the hospital by ambulance after being greeted by police, lifeguards and medical experts. This year, Australia has experienced a number of shark attacks. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, the majority of shark attacks happen along Australia's east and southeast coasts, with an average of 20 incidents per year.
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Haiti: Senior defense official reported abducted in Port-au-Prince
According to reports in the media on Saturday, June 13, armed men have kidnapped in Haiti a senior government and police official in Port-au-Prince. This is 'the highest-ranking abduction in recent years in a nation gripped by gang-related violence. James Boyard was reportedly seized in the Bourdon area on Thursday, according to a source familiar with the case. Boyard, a security expert widely respected in Haiti and a leader in the field of security, was abducted on Tuesday. His kidnapping marks an important escalation in the targeting of senior officials there. Gangs in Haiti have tightened their grip over 'the capital. As criminal groups increase their influence in Haiti, they are 'undermining the government authority' and worsening an already deteriorating humanitarian crisis. Authorities have not commented publicly on Boyard's case. Reporting by Cassandra Garrison, Mexico City; editing by Kim Coghill
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Governor of Temryuk says that a drone strike in Ukraine has killed one and ignited a fire in the Russian port.
Veniamin Kondratiev, the governor of the Krasnodar Region, said that a 'Ukrainian drone attack' sparked an blaze at a sea port in Temryuk in southern Russia. Peace talks to end the Ukraine War have stagnated. Temryuk was previously attacked by Ukrainian drones in late May when Kyiv’s security service claimed it had hit a gas station there. Regional authorities cited Governor Andrei Bocharov as saying that a separate strike took place on Saturday and caused a fire to break out in an industrial area of the Kotovo District in the Volgograd Region. Bocharov did not disclose the details of the damages or the affected facilities. The?report on June 1?stated that Lukoil's Volgograd oil refining plant in Russia's south has been suspended since May 29 due to a Ukrainian drone strike.
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Brazil launches a subsidised motorcycle credit program for delivery drivers using apps
The Brazilian government launched on Friday a subsidised?credit program to help app-based drivers purchase motorcycles. This is a new initiative aimed at boosting demand and supporting a sector of the workforce which has grown rapidly in recent years. Bruno Moretti, Minister of Planning, said at an event held in Brasilia that the program would offer interest rates for male and female drivers of 11,5% and 12,5%, respectively. The benchmark rate of the central bank is currently 14.5%. Moretti stated that state-run lenders Caixa Econômica Federal and Banco do Brasil would provide?financing for eligible borrowers. He also noted that a government funded will mitigate credit risks by covering a part of potential losses. The Ministry of Industry, Development and Trade stated that the new loans are expected to be worth up to 2.5 billion reais (494,19 million dollars). This initiative is the latest of a series quasi-fiscal policies introduced at the beginning of the year. They do not affect the primary balance of the federal government, but they are meant to 'boost demand before the elections in October. Leftist Luiz inacio Lula da So is running for a fourth non-consecutive term. The new measures include a program to renegotiate consumer debts, initiatives to encourage truck purchase and vehicle financing support for ride-hailing driver. The app-based drivers program will offer discounts on motorcycles made in Brazil. This includes electric models. It will be open to drivers who have been registered for at least 6 months and completed 100 trips or delivery. This will cover all taxi drivers, cyclists and motorcycle couriers who have been formally employed for at least six consecutive months by the same company. A government statement states that borrowers have up to 48-months to repay their loans, and a grace period of two months. ABOVE TARGET INFLATION On?Friday earlier, Dario Durigan reiterated the government's plans to launch a program later this month to renegotiate consumer debts and personal loans for Brazilians that are up-to-date on their payments. Economists warn that the combination of demand-boosting measures and inflationary pressures resulting from the U.S. supported?war against Iran has clouded the outlook on monetary policy ease in Brazil. Previously, the central bank of this South American country was expected to make much larger rate cuts in 2018. The annual inflation rate is 4.72% and above the central banks' official 3% target. BTG Pactual expects only one more?25-basis point rate cut next Monday, followed by a pause for the remainder of the year. In a report released this week, the firm estimated that the Lula government's previous stimulus measures would inject 142 billion Reais into the Brazilian economy this year. This is equivalent to 1% of the GDP.
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US EPA sends California emission rules to Congress as a possible reversal
The US Environmental Protection Agency announced on Friday that it would be sending California's landmark vehicle emissions rules to Congress for possible repeal. This is the latest attempt to stop state tailpipe regulations becoming more strict. According to the EPA, waivers of California regulations that were approved by Democratic administrations in the past should have been sent directly to legislators under the Congressional Review Act. California's Advanced Clean Cars I, which allows California to set vehicle emission standards that are more stringent than federal standards, is included in the rules. California has not yet responded to the EPA proposal. The administration of President Donald Trump has launched a multifaceted effort to prevent California from requiring cleaner vehicles and more electric vehicles. The EPA also enacted regulations that make it easier for automakers sell more gasoline powered cars and?trucks while making EVs more expensive. California was granted authority to set its own emission standards for cars, trucks and lawn and garden equipment through the four waivers that were sent to Congress to be reviewed. These rules have prompted companies to "produce cleaner electric versions to reduce emissions." California?won approval for its current vehicle regulations known as Advanced Clean Cars I (ACC I) in 2022, under the then President Joe Biden’s EPA. These rules remain in place. The U.S. Transportation Department filed a lawsuit against the California Air Resources Board in March. It claimed that the rules of the state governing zero-emission vehicles and emissions from tailpipes are illegal. California's regulations require automakers sell an increasing number of electric cars and adhere to?increasingly strict limits on tailpipe emission. These rules are stricter than the ones imposed by Trump's administration, who plans to rollback federal fuel economy regulations. Trump signed legislation in 2017 to "overturn California's Advanced Clean Cars II regulations that aim to phase-out new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035." California claims that the fuel savings consumers will enjoy from the new rules will far outweigh the initial costs of electric vehicles. Congress revoked California's authority to ban traditional gasoline-powered cars after?2035, after Toyota GM and other automobile manufacturers lobbied Congress for relief from California’s emission regulations. This was after the EPA had sent Congress a waiver for this program to be reviewed. Many Democratic legislators claimed that waivers were not subject to review under the CRA. The White House has also weakened federal tailpipe regulations. Congress passed legislation to stop collecting penalties in 2025 for failing to meet vehicle tailpipe standards. This will save automakers hundreds and millions of dollars. In February, the EPA repealed a scientific conclusion that greenhouse gas emission endangers human health and removed federal tailpipe standards for cars and truck. David Shepardson, David Gregorio (Editing and Reporting)
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EU agrees to continue compensating passengers for delays in flights
Reporters were told that the European Union countries had agreed to maintain the three-hour delay compensation threshold in the EU's upcoming set of airline passenger rights. They also agreed to ask for greater transparency regarding fees for carry-on luggage. The diplomat stated that the 27 member states would now submit their proposals to the Parliament which would evaluate them from Monday. The European Commission and the EU members had been at odds over a package of measures that was first proposed by the EU executive more than a decade ago. The Commission proposed that the compensation threshold be raised to four hours, and the member states wanted to cap it at EUR 500. According to rules in effect since 2004, passengers who are delayed more than three hours on their flight can receive compensation ranging from EUR250 to EUR600 depending on the length of the flight. The member states have decided to maintain the status quo in the controversial issue of compensation for delay. This issue pitted airlines against consumer protection groups, who demanded greater flexibility in order to remain competitive. The member states propose that airlines include the cost of cabin baggage in the basic ticket price. Consumers who choose to opt out can receive discounts. The measure aims to increase price transparency and comparison. These fees were widely criticized by consumer rights associations across the EU. They sparked a battle in 2024 when the Spanish Consumer Rights Ministry fined low-cost airlines EUR179,000,000 for charging them. The airlines have appealed against the fine. The countries have also kept the rules unchanged that allow an adult accompanying a child to sit next to them without having to pay a fee and that require airlines to provide more services when a connection is missed. The law also prohibited airlines from forcing their passengers to download an app on their mobile phones to obtain a boarding card, a practice Ryanair began in November.
In Havana's still dark corners, a demonstration appears
Simply 3 or 4 city blocks in all of Central Havana stayed without electrical power on Monday evening an island of darkness in the Cuban capital's. sea of flashing lights, pounding reggaeton and jammed bars and. cafes. That is where an uncommon demonstration broke out.
Near the intersection of Campanario and Salud streets,. lots of locals chanted We want light! while banging pots. with metal spoons. They were angry, they said, after four days. without electrical energy in their homes following a. near-unprecedented collapse of Cuba's grid on Friday.
Cuba's grid operator brought back power to Havana by nightfall. on Monday, days after a grid failure cut power for the Caribbean. nation's 10 million individuals.
Officials on Tuesday stated around 90% of Havana - a city of. around 2 million people - had seen light return by midday. The. government has warned that in spite of progress, blackouts will. continue.
Cuba's oil-fired power plants, already outdated and. having a hard time to keep the lights on, reached a full crisis this. year as oil imports from Venezuela, Russia and Mexico dwindled.
We have actually gone 4 days without electricity. Our food is going. bad. Our kids are suffering. We don't have ... water, said. Marley Gonzalez, a resident who banged a pot in protest,. surrounded by her neighbors.
Blackouts as long as 18 or 20 hours a day have become the. standard in the past month throughout Cuba's far-flung provinces, where. stress have flared in the middle of an unmatched economic crisis that. has likewise made food, water, fuel and medicine scarce.
However the latest all-day blackouts in Havana, densely. inhabited and long secured from the worst interruptions, marked a. abrupt change for the capital's homeowners.
Reuters talked to seven individuals throughout and after the demonstration. on Monday night. The majority of described the extended blackouts as a. last straw, another in a growing list of issues.
Homemaker Ramona Martinez, 37, stated she might not afford to. feed her 4 children on the 2,600 peso month-to-month stipend ($ 8. based upon Cuba's utilized informal rate) she received from. the federal government. Costs have actually soared in Cuba over the past three. years, while salaries and benefits have barely budged.
It's not even adequate for a bag of (powdered) milk, said. Martinez as her 6-year-old child, who has spastic paralysis, retched. on the bed in her one-room home. This is crazy.
Martinez's fridge, standing with its doors open,. housed only a tablet bottle of Vitamin C, a bag of thawed chicken. and several empty plastic bottles.
They haven't put on the electrical energy and they do not provide us. any action, she stated. So we took to the streets as a. community.
The neighborhood around Campanario Street, where the demonstration. took place, is plain. Loads of trash line some intersections. Roadways have deep holes. Many households are packed into small. spaces in run-down buildings whose exteriors and balconies are. falling apart.
FAIR WARNING
During the protest, numerous citizens, their perseverance worn. thin, shouted in anger at their situation.
My 85-year-old granny has been asking me for cold. water considering that Friday when we lost power stated Alcer Alfonso, a. boy in a rough white T-shirt, as he rallied the crowd to. chant light!
Street demonstrations in Communist-run Cuba are unusual. On July 11,. 2021, anti-government rallies rocked the island, the biggest. because former Cuban leader Fidel Castro's 1959 transformation. Those. demonstrations followed months of seclusion throughout the pandemic, however. also, growing anger over lacks and blackouts.
President Miguel Diaz-Canel spoke on national tv on. Sunday, simply prior to the Central Havana demonstration, encouraging. Cubans to air grievances with discipline and civility.
We are not going to accept nor permit anybody to show. vandalism and much less to change the serenity of our individuals,. Diaz-Canel stated. That's a conviction, a principle of our. transformation.
Authorities gathered on Monday at a close-by crossway in. Central Havana, observing protesters from a distance however not. facing them.
Citizen Leyke Milay Puentes, 42, sat on her doorstep a few. paces from the demonstration, punctuating and down the roadway at others. simply a city block away strolling lit streets.
There's electrical power over there and there, she stated,. shaking her head. All over but here..
(source: Reuters)