Russia says Ukraine aid convoy contains no military personnel August 16, 2014 Russia's defence secretary Sergey Shoygu has assured his US counterpart Chuck Hagel that an aid convoy heading for Ukraine contains no military personnel. Western countries have expressed concern that Russia is using the convoy as a pretext for sending more soldiers to the area, but Russia denies these allegations, saying that the purpose of the convoy [...]
Australian PM Tony Abbott warns against voting for an independent Scotland August 16, 2014 Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has warned against voting yes at next month's Scottish independence referendum. In an interview with The Times, he said that a split between Scotland and the rest of the UK would be a “victory for the enemies of freedom of justice”, and that is was “hard to see how [...]
Ebola outbreak will take six months to control, says humanitarian organisation August 15, 2014 It will be a matter of months before the Ebola outbreak currently gripping West Africa is brought under control, according to humanitarian group Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF). At a meeting in Geneva today, MSF's president Joanne Lui said: "In terms of timeline, we're not talking in terms of weeks, we're talking in terms of months. [...]
Sniffing out the smugglers: The smell of dollars could catch criminals August 15, 2014 For the first time, scientists have identified the unique smell of paper money, which they say could help border guards catch criminals trying to smuggle money across the border from Mexico to the US. The billions of dollars currently smuggled across the border each year have been causing problems for border guards, who are [...]
Iraq crisis: EU holds emergency meeting to discuss arming Kurds August 15, 2014 The possibility of arming Kurds in Iraq is being discussed by EU foreign ministers today at an emergency meeting in Brussels. Around 20 ministers will talk about the possibility of giving weapons to the Peshmerga fighters – the Kurdish forces – in order to stop the advance of the Islamic State (IS) militant group [...]
Hic and click: Brits blow £142 during drunken online shopping sprees August 15, 2014 What connects a lobster pot, some diving equipment and a washing machine? According to a new study, these are just some of the items Brits have bought online while under the influence. “Hic-and-click” has apparently become a widespread phenomenon with nearly a quarter of people surveyed by comparison site Confused.com admitting they have spent [...]
Iraq’s new PM: Who is Haider al-Abadi and why will he be better than Maliki? August 15, 2014 Yesterday Nouri al-Maliki stepped down as Prime Minister of Iraq, following mounting pressure from the West and East alike. A divisive figure with a pro-Shiite attitude, he has been blamed for the deep schism that has formed between the Shia-led government and the country's Sunni minority, which accuses him of alienating them and not [...]
Most popular 2013 UK baby names: Boys called Neymar, Xavi and Zidane as World Cup fever hit August 15, 2014 With boys born in England and Wales last year given names such as Neymar, Xavi and Zidane, World Cup fever was evidently gathering momentum well ahead of time. There will be eight new parents in England and Wales who will have to explain to their little Neymar how his namesake endured a disappointing tournament [...]
Westminster and Holyrood set to clash over fracking August 15, 2014 Moves to liberalise the regulations for fracking natural gas face a rough ride north of the border, with Scotland's energy minister Ferus Ewing pledging to oppose plans that would prevent householders from objecting to drilling under their homes. The Department of Energy and Climate Change is running a consultation over whether to allow companies to [...]
Legalise medical marijuana: Colombian President labels war on drugs a failure August 15, 2014 Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos has voiced his support for the legalisation of medical marijuana, which the Colombian congress is expected to vote on later this year. Speaking at a drugs policy forum, Santos told the audience: We look favorably on the initiative on the medical and therapeutic use of marijuana. It's a way to [...]