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London CNN —Asylum-seekers have been removed from a controversial barge in southern England after Legionella bacteria was discovered in the water – days after experts warned of the risk of infection. Thirty-nine asylum-seekers disembarked the Bibby Stockholm barge, a UK Home Office spokesperson said in a statement Friday – just days after they were first housed in it. Legionella bacteria, which is commonly found in water, and can cause Legionnaires’ disease, a serious lung infection. The spokesperson said that no individuals on board the barge showed symptoms of Legionnaires’ and that the asylum-seekers were being provided with appropriate advice and support. “The presence of life-threatening bacteria onboard the Bibby Stockholm is just another shocking revelation that we’ve seen unfold over the past few weeks.

Persons: Bibby, Ben Birchall, Kolbassia Haoussou Organizations: London CNN —, Bibby, Home, Channel, Fire Brigades Union, CNN Locations: England, Portland, Bibby Stockholm, Dorset, Portland , Dorset, Britain

CNN —South Africa’s former President Jacob Zuma was returned to prison on Friday to comply with a ruling that his release on ill health was unlawful – but was freed after just an hour under a remission process to address overcrowding in jail. In September 2021 the government’s correctional services department said Zuma, then 79, had been released from prison on medical parole due to ill health. The department announced that Zuma had been released from prison in October 2022. But South Africa’s Court of Appeal ruled in November that Zuma should return to prison, saying the decision to release him on medical parole was unlawful. To comply with the ruling, Zuma returned to prison on Friday, but benefited from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s policy of granting remission to nonviolent offenders in South Africa, in order to reduce overcrowding in prisons.

Persons: Jacob Zuma, “, Makgothi Thobakgale, Zuma, Cyril Ramaphosa’s, Ronald Lamola, ” Organizations: CNN, Correctional Services, ” Correctional Locations: South Africa, Africa’s

☆ Riikka Purra: Finnish finance minister apologizes for racist and violent comments made online in 2008
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Zahid Mahmood | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Finnish finance minister Riikka Purra has apologized after she made racist comments in 2008 that were recently discovered online. The leader of the far-right Finns Party said her old comments were “stupid” and that she was sorry for the harm they had caused. Purra’s Finns Party won second place in April’s elections, finishing behind Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s National Coalition Party, before forming a coalition. Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said his government was committed to combating racism. “Our immigration policy is legitimate and legal and there is nothing wrong or suspicious about it,” Purra added on Twitter.

Persons: Riikka Purra, “, ” Purra, ”, Petteri, Orpo, Petteri Orpo, Ksenia Kuleshova, ” Orpo, Purra Organizations: CNN, Finns Party, Purra’s Finns Party, Finnish, National Coalition Party, Bloomberg, Getty, Swedish People’s Party, Christian, Twitter Locations: Spain, Finnish, Finland, Nordic

CNN —At least 17 people have died from nitrate gas inhalation following a gas leak at an informal settlement camp in South Africa, according to state media. The leak came from a gas cylinder containing nitrate oxide at the informal settlement, William Ntlad, spokesperson for the Disaster and Emergency Management Services said. He said an initial investigation indicates the leak could be linked to illegal mining activity in the area. A police officer sits in the back of a police vehicle loaded with illegal mining equipment, after investigating the scene of a suspected gas leak thought to be linked to illegal mining, in the Angelo shack settlement, near Boksburg, east of Johannesburg, South Africa July 6, 2023. Siphiwe Sibeko/ReutersIllegal mining, mostly for gold, has remained rife in South Africa and costs the country millions of dollars each year.

Persons: Lesufi, William Ntlad, Ntladi, Siphiwe Sibeko, ” Organizations: CNN, SABC, Premier, Tambo Memorial Hospital, Emergency Management Services, Reuters, country’s Department of Mineral and Energy Resources, country’s Free Locations: South Africa, Angelo, Boksburg, Gauteng, Panyaza, Tambo, Johannesburg, Lesotho

☆ Greek migrant boat disaster may be ‘worst ever tragedy’ in Mediterranean sea, EU commissioner says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( Florence Davey Attlee Elinda Labropoulou Zahid Mahmood Mostafa Salem Nadine Schmidt Eyad Kourdi Sharon Braithwaite Heather Chen | Florence Davey Attlee | Elinda Labropoulou | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —The sinking of a packed migrant boat off the coast of Greece may be “the worst tragedy ever” in the Mediterranean sea, according to the EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson. “We don’t have all information yet on what has happened but it seems like this is the worst ever tragedy we’ve seen in the Mediterranean,” she told a press conference in Brussels on Friday. On Friday, they denied claims that the boat had capsized after the coast guard attempted to tow it to shore. A rope, not a mooring rope, was also used when the coast guard approached,” he added. “When the Greek navy tried pulling them it caused the boat to capsize.”CNN has reached out to Greek authorities regarding the allegations.

Persons: Home Affairs Ylva Johansson, ”, Johansson, “, we’ve, Ilias Siakanderis, –, …, ” Tarek Aldroobi, ” Aldroobi, Ayman Abu Mahmoud, ” Abu Mahmoud Organizations: CNN, Home Affairs, International Organization for Migration, UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, Authorities, ERT, Horan Free League Locations: Greece, Tobruk, Libya, Italy, Brussels, Europe, Syrian, Deraa

☆ Putin warns NATO over being drawn into Ukraine war, says Russia has more nukes
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( Zahid Mahmood | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned there is a “serious danger” of NATO being drawn further into the Ukraine war if members of the alliance continue to supply military weaponry to Kyiv. “NATO, of course, is being drawn into the war in Ukraine, what are we talking here,” Putin said at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Friday. While Ukraine is not a member of NATO, some NATO members have been supplying Kyiv with tanks, armored vehicles and other weaponry – prompting threats of retaliation from Russia. During his speech to the forum, Putin also suggested Russia’s large number of nuclear weapons would “guarantee” its security – noting that Russia had more such weapons than NATO countries. “Nuclear weapons are created to guarantee our security in the broader sense and the existence of the Russian state,” Putin said.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, ” Putin, American Bradley, Jens Stoltenberg, Putin, we’ll, “, ” Organizations: CNN, NATO, St ., Economic, Atlantic Treaty Organization, British Challenger, Leopards, Arms Control Association, Foreign Ministry Locations: Ukraine, St, St . Petersburg, Soviet Union, Russia, American, Britain, France, Russian, United States

CNN —At least 46 people, including 23 children, were killed and six were wounded at a displacement camp in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to network of observers based in the country. The Kivu Security Tracker said the incident happened in the Djugu territory following an attack by the militia group ‘Codeco,’ on Monday. “At least 46 civilians were killed and six wounded on Monday 12 June at the #Lala displaced persons camp (Djugu territory, #Ituri) following an incursion of #CODECO,” Kivu Security said on Twitter. Kivu Security added that the attack was the deadliest experienced in the area in more than a year. “MONUSCO has reinforced its security presence in the area, in liaison with the provincial authorities,” a statement by MONUSCO chief said.

Persons: ’, “, Monusco ’, “ MONUSCO, MONUSCO, LUCHA Organizations: CNN, Democratic, ” Kivu Security, Twitter, Kivu Security, UN, ADF Locations: Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC, Kivu, Ituri, ” Kivu, North Kivu, Congolese, Kasindi

☆ Rwanda: UN court rules Félicien Kabuga mentally unfit to stand trial
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Zahid Mahmood | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

London CNN —A UN war crimes court has ruled that 88-year-old Rwandan genocide suspect Félicien Kabuga is no longer capable of “meaningful participation” in his trial. Kabuga’s trial began last September before the IRMCT for what prosecutors say was his “substantial” contributions to the genocide against the Tutsi ethnic group in Rwanda. Prosecutors say Kabuga’s radio station RTLM broadcast genocidal propaganda and accuse him of arming the ‘Interahamwe’ militia, widely considered to be the main culprits behind the killings. IRMCT prosecutors say he did not wield a machete or pick up a microphone to broadcast hate but his conduct since 1992 pointed to a consistent anti-Tutsi agenda. “The charges against Kabuga reflect his status as a wealthy and well-connected insider,” prosecutor Rashid S. Rashid said in his opening statement last September.

Persons: Félicien Kabuga, ”, Kabuga, Rashid S, Rashid Organizations: London CNN, UN, Radio Television Libre des, Prosecutors Locations: Hague, Rwanda, Paris

☆ NATO chief visits Kyiv: Jens Stoltenberg says Ukraine's "rightful place" is in the alliance
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Sana Noor Haq Luke Mcgee Alex Hardie Zahid Mahmood Victoria Butenko | Sana Noor Haq | Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday “Ukraine’s future is in NATO,” in his strongest remarks reaffirming ties with Kyiv since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg visits the Wall of Remembrance to pay tribute to fallen Ukrainian soldiers in Kyiv on April 20, 2023. Gleb Garanich/ReutersStoltenberg (left) and President Volodymyr Zelensky (right) meet during the alliance chief's historic trip to Ukraine on Thursday. Finnish public support for accession snowballed following the invasion of Ukraine, and also reignited calls from Kyiv to join. Speaking at a joint conference in Kyiv, Zelensky said he valued the support from the alliance but pressed Stoltenberg on when Ukraine would be invited to join NATO.

☆ 'I screamed so loud, I blacked out': Afghans tell of the Taliban's return to their old torture playbook
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Zahid Mahmood | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

"There were about 12 Taliban members surrounding me, they tied me to a chair and started beating me from all sides," Zafri told CNN. He added: "I screamed so loud, I blacked out because of the trauma." Fereshta Abbasi, a researcher at Human Rights Watch, told CNN that, since the Taliban's comeback, a local journalist told her how bleak the media landscape is, threatening free speech. "Freedom of speech and media in Afghanistan was one of the country's biggest achievements, which has now unfortunately gone." Meanwhile, Zafri remains stuck in Afghanistan despite repeated attempts to leave following his detention and torture by the Taliban.

☆ Donetsk: Ukraine launches 'most massive strike' on occupied region since 2014, Russia-installed mayor says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Olga Voitovych Anna Chernova Zahid Mahmood Josh Pennington Sana Noor Haq | Olga Voitovych | Anna Chernova | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

“At exactly 7 a.m. the (Ukrainians) subjected the center of Donetsk (city) to the most massive strike since 2014,” the Moscow-appointed mayor, Aleksey Kulemzin, posted on Telegram. “Forty rockets from BM-21 ‘Grad’ MLRS were fired at civilians in our city,” he said Thursday, adding that a key intersection in Donetsk city center had come under fire. A firefighter works inside a destroyed apartment of a residential building hit by shelling in Donetsk on December 15. Men insert wooden boards in the window of a bank next to the building of the State Administration of Kherson after a rocket attack in Kherson city on Wednesday. “And these realities indicate that the Russian Federation has new subjects,” he said, referring to four areas Russia has claimed to have annexed, Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia.

☆ UK strikes set to escalate as nurses prepare for ‘unprecedented’ walkout
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

“It is pretty unprecedented,” Billy Palmer, senior fellow at Nuffield Trust, a health research firm, told CNN. While small pockets of nursing staff have walked out before, the country’s National Health Service has seen “nothing of this scale until now,” he added. ‘Enough is enough’Earlier this year, the RCN rejected an offer by the government to increase nurses’ pay by a minimum of £1,400 ($1,707) a year. Each additional 1% pay rise for nursing staff would cost the government around £700 million ($854 million), he added. Internationally, it is hard to compare UK nurses’ pay, given health care systems differ significantly between countries, but it falls somewhere in the middle of the range of comparable economies, Palmer said.

CNN —German officials arrested 22 suspected members and three suspected supporters of a far-right terrorist organization across the country on Wednesday on suspicion of plotting to overthrow the government. Christian Mang/ReutersPolice secure an area in Berlin, Germany on Wednesday after arresting supporters of a far-right terrorist organization. Christian Mang/ReutersThe statement said the suspected members of the organization were German nationals. Two of the suspected supporters were German and one was Russian, it added. “The Federal Public Prosecutor is investigating a suspected terrorist network from the Reich citizen milieu,” Buschmann said on Twitter.

CNN —England soccer star Raheem Sterling is returning home from the World Cup in Qatar after armed intruders broke into his home while his family were inside, a person with knowledge of the situation told CNN. The incident happened on Saturday evening, the individual told CNN, and Sterling is said to be “shaken” and “concerned” about the well-being of his children after the break-in. “Police were contacted just before 9pm on Saturday December 3rd after the occupants of the property came home and discovered a number of items including jewellery and watches had been stolen,” a spokesperson from Surrey Police told CNN. We’re obviously mindful of him being allowed space and privacy respected so we don’t want to talk in too much detail. The Chelsea forward played in England’s first two games in the group stages of the World Cup and scored in the team’s 6-2 victory against Iran.

☆ England scent victory after bold declaration
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Having taken a 78-run lead in the runfest, England declared their second innings on 264-7 to set Pakistan an improbable victory target of 343 with four sessions to go. Opener Imam-ul-Haq (43) and debutant Saud Shakeel (24) were resisting England's victory march when bad light stopped play. Agha Salman's breezy 53 frustrated England who had to toil for about 75 minutes to claim the last three Pakistan wickets. England were rattled early in their second innings with Naseem Shah in the thick of things. Naseem dismissed Ben Duckett, one of four century-makers in England's first innings, for a first-ball duck with the second delivery of the innings.

☆ Nexperia and Elmos cases show how the US-China chip war is spilling over to Europe
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Last week, the new owner of Britain’s biggest chipmaker was ordered to unwind its takeover, just days after another chip factory sale was blocked in Germany. “These decisions mark a shift towards tougher stances regarding Chinese investment in critical industries in Europe,” said Xiaomeng Lu, director of geo‑technology at Eurasia Group. A worker in a clean room for silicon semiconductor wafer manufacturing at the Newport Wafer Fab, owned by Nexperia, in Newport, Wales on Aug. 18. A company sign of Elmos Semiconductor, seen on Nov. 9 in the German city of Dortmund. Both Britain and Germany have recently added rules that expand government oversight over such decisions, making outcomes harder to predict.

London CNN Business —UK Prime Minister Liz Truss will hold a news conference Friday amid widespread speculation that she’s getting ready to ditch a big part of her economic strategy unveiled just three weeks ago. Kwarteng flew back from the IMF meeting in Washington, D.C., on Friday for discussions with Truss about the plan. Under pressure, Kwarteng has already brought forward his full budget statement to Oct. 31, more than three weeks earlier than planned. But investors may not be prepared to wait that long for reassurance about the state of Britain’s public finances. — Luke McGee and Zahid Mahmood in London, and Xiaofei Xu in Paris contributed to this article

London CNN Business —UK Prime Minister Liz Truss has fired finance minister Kwasi Kwarteng and ditched a big part of her discredited economic strategy in a desperate bid to rescue her month-old premiership. “It was right, in the face of the issues we had, that I acted decisively to ensure that we had economic stability,” Truss said Friday. Kwarteng presented a “mini budget” just three weeks ago, promising tax cuts worth £45 billion ($50 billion) and increased borrowing with the hope of boosting UK economic growth. “Liz Truss’ reckless approach has crashed the economy, causing mortgages to skyrocket, and has undermined Britain’s standing on the world stage,” he said. Kwarteng had flown back from the IMF meeting in Washington, D.C., overnight for discussions with Truss.

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