Cost to clean up toxic PFAS pollution could top £1.6tn in UK and Europe
The cost of cleaning up toxic forever chemical pollution could reach more than £1.6tn across the UK and Europe over a 20-year period, an annual bill of £84bn, research has found. PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), commonly referred to as “forever chemicals” are a family of more than 10,000 human-made substances. The UK Environment Agency has identified up to 10,000 high-risk sites in the UK that are contaminated with PFAS. The RSC is calling for public protections from toxic PFAS to be enshrined in the recent water special measures bill, which is now at the committee stage. “These figures show that the cost of regulatory inaction on PFAS pollution is staggering,” said a spokesperson for environmental charity ChemTrust.
Source:The Guardian
January 14, 2025 12:30 UTC
‘It’s a continuation of hope’: Paris-based TV station provides a lifeline for women in Afghanistan
“For us, it’s a way to provide hope,” said Hamida Aman, the Afghanistan-born, Swiss-raised entrepreneur behind the satellite channel Begum TV. “For women in Afghanistan, television is their only window into the world. All the Begum TV journalists and presenters are Afghan women who sought political asylum in France after fleeing the Taliban regime. “We know that some of our colleagues are worried about their families in Afghanistan, so they do not feel 100% free. “Our hopes and every hope we had for a brighter future for Afghanistan and all the women of Afghanistan might have turned into ashes,” she said.
Source:The Guardian
January 13, 2025 19:21 UTC
Tick-tock: the return of the non-smart watch
Announcing changes on Tuesday to Facebook and Instagram’s factchecking programmes , the Meta boss wore a $900k (£740k) watch from the Swiss brand Greubel Forsey. It joins Zuckerberg’s growing horological collection including a $1.2m rose gold timepiece from Patek Philippe and the thinnest watch ever made. Forty-two years after Swatch first disrupted the traditional Swiss watch market with its colourful, plastic casings and low price points, the retro brand is now being championed by hypebeasts thanks to an ongoing collaboration with Omega. Emmanuel Macron was previously spotted removing his luxury watch during a television interview. The former British prime minister Rishi Sunak favoured vintage watches from Rolex and Chopard, while Keir Starmer wears a rubber-strap watch from Tissot.
Source:The Guardian
January 13, 2025 18:35 UTC
Birkenstock sues ‘copycat’ rivals claiming its sandals are applied art
The competitors, including Tchibo, are alleged to have sold sandals considered to be very similar to the Birkenstock models, violating copyright law, according to Birkenstock’s lawyers who argue the company’s shoes should be considered “works of applied art”. The origins of the sandal go back to the 18th century, and its inventor Johannes Birkenstock according to the company, which is based in Linz am Rhein in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. Birkenstock lawyers argue that copyright law gives the sandal’s creators exclusive rights of use, as it would for any artist or creator, whether of written works, computer programmes, or paintings. The Porsche 356 car, another German invention, is also protected by this law, according to a ruling by the court from April 2022. “Under copyright law it has been recognised for decades that outstanding designs of everyday objects can also be protected by copyright,” said Konstantin Wegner, a lawyer for the company.
Source:The Guardian
January 09, 2025 20:15 UTC
Mark Zuckerberg sports $900,000 watch as he calls time on Meta fact-checking
Meta would also “get rid of a bunch of restrictions on topics like immigration and gender” that were “out of touch with mainstream discourse”, the 40-year-old billionaire said, while wearing a Greubel Forsey “Hand Made 1” on his left wrist, Bloomberg reported. View image in fullscreen The Greubel Forsey Hand Made 1. Photograph: Greubel ForseyOn its website, Greubel Forsey says only two or three Hand Made 1 pieces are produced each year. For more information see our Privacy Policy . We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Source:The Guardian
January 09, 2025 03:17 UTC
Tom Jenkins’ best sport photographs of 2024
Arsenal Women v Spurs Women, Emirates Stadium – 3 MarchLens 130mm, 1/16000, f4, ISO 500I know, another corner picture at Arsenal – sorry! Scotland fan walk, Euros 2024, Cologne – 20 JuneLens 16mm, 1/1250, f4, ISO 400For me, the most memorable moments at the men’s Euros in Germany were created by the fans. To say the Paris Olympics were beautiful is a bit of an understatement. Simone Biles, gymnastics women’s team final, Paris Olympics, Bercy Arena – 30 JulyLens 400mm, 1/2500, f4, ISO 2500Biles was a huge attraction at the Olympics this summer. Man City v Man Utd, Premier League, Etihad Stadium – 15 DecemberLens 560mm, 1/1600, f4, ISO 4000You can’t beat a bit of pre-Christmas local derby argy-bargy.
Source:The Guardian
December 30, 2024 20:21 UTC
Italian journalist’s arrest in Iran alleged to be reprisal for detention of suspected arms dealer
The arrest of a renowned Italian journalist in Iran is reportedly in retaliation for the detention of a Swiss-Iranian businessman and suspected arms dealer in Italy three days earlier, according to media reports quoting the US state department. The Italian ambassador, Paola Amadei, visited Sala in prison on Friday, and Antonio Tajani, Italy’s foreign minister, said the journalist was “in good health condition”. Journalists do crucial work in informing the public, often under dangerous conditions, and must be protected.’’“We are aware of the arrest in Iran of the Italian journalist Cecilia Sala,” the US state department added. “Her arrest comes after an Iranian citizen was arrested in Italy on 16 December for smuggling drone components. The European Commission’s foreign policy spokesperson, Anouar El Anouni, has confirmed close monitoring of the Italian journalist’s “sensitive” situation.
Source:The Guardian
December 30, 2024 17:27 UTC
Brésil: Bolsonaro conscient d’un projet d’assassinat de Lula
Présidentielle au Brésil – Bolsonaro «était pleinement conscient» d’un projet d’assassinat de Lula en 2022 Un rapport de police démontre l’implication de l’ancien chef d’État brésilien dans la tentative d’assassinat de son concurrent et dans un projet de coup d’État. L’ancien président brésilien Jair Bolsonaro. Jair Bolsonaro, 69 ans, a toujours clamé son innocence et s’est dit à plusieurs reprises victime de «persécution politique». «Le terme coup d’État n’a jamais fait partie de mon lexique», a-t-il déclaré lors d’une conférence de presse lundi. La tentative de nous empoisonner, moi et Alckmin, n’a pas marché», avait déclaré Lula jeudi dernier lors d’une cérémonie officielle.
Source:Tribune de Genève
November 26, 2024 21:46 UTC
Four bodies recovered from Red Sea day after tourist boat capsizes
Egyptian naval forces recovered four bodies and rescued five more people from the Red Sea a day after a large tourist boat sank in rough waters, officials have said. The Red Sea governor, Amr Hanafi, said the yacht, called Sea Story, had been struck by high waves on Monday and sank in less than 7 minutes. Photograph: Red Sea governorate/FacebookNo information has been released about the nationalities of the people whose bodies were recovered. Renowned for its coral reefs, the Red Sea is a major hub for Egypt’s tourism industry. Egypt’s meteorological authority on Saturday warned about turbulence and high waves on the Red Sea and advised against maritime activity for Sunday and Monday.
Source:The Guardian
November 26, 2024 17:25 UTC
Regrets, feminism, and Trump’s ‘fascination’ with Putin: key takeways from Merkel’s memoir
View image in fullscreen Theresa May, UK prime minister, and Angela Merkel, Germany’s chancellor, pause during a news conference at the Chancellery in Berlin, November, 2016. Far from showing her disdain for patriotism, Merkel writes, she found the flag-waving “inappropriate” because she believed her party should be humble in victory. As a result, she spoke little about her East German identity as she rose through the party ranks. View image in fullscreen Angela Merkel in 1990 Photograph: Melde Bildagentur/ullstein bild/Getty Images7. But that didn’t endear him to East German authorities, who were state atheist by policy and suspicious of any member of the intelligentsia.
Source:The Guardian
November 26, 2024 17:22 UTC
Affaire MSC: les poursuites contre Alexis Kohler confirmés
Affaire MSC – La Cour d’appel de Paris confirme les poursuites contre Alexis Kohler Le secrétaire général de l’Élysée reste en examen pour prise illégale d’intérêts dans l’enquête sur ses liens familiaux avec l’armateur MSC, dont le siège est à Genève. Le bras droit d’Emmanuel Macron est mis en examen depuis 2022 pour prise illégale d’intérêts avec l’armateur italo-suisse MSC. S'abonnerSe connecter BotTalkLa Cour d’appel de Paris a écarté mardi la prescription soulevée par le secrétaire général de l’Élysée, Alexis Kohler, et confirmé les poursuites le visant pour prise illégale d’intérêts dans l’enquête sur ses liens familiaux avec l’armateur MSC, ont indiqué à l’AFP plusieurs sources proches du dossier. Une partie des faits prescritsD’autre part, elle assure au terme d’un calcul juridique qu’au moins une partie des faits, antérieurs à 2014, sont prescrits. Pour ne rien rater de ce qui se passe dans votre canton, en Suisse ou dans le monde.
Source:Tribune de Genève
November 26, 2024 17:13 UTC
Naufrage en mer Rouge: les deux Suisses retrouvés vivants
Naufrage en mer Rouge – Les deux Suisses ont été retrouvés vivants Le Sea Story aurait chaviré en quelques minutes à cause d’une forte vague s’écrasant sur le navire. Le bateau touristique Sea Story a quitté Marsa Alam dimanche avec des plongeurs à bord pour une traversée de plusieurs jours vers Hurghada. Le Sea Story avait quitté dimanche Port Ghalib, près de Marsa Alam, pour une expédition de plongée de plusieurs jours. L’accident survenu lundi est au moins le troisième du genre signalé cette année près de Marsa Alam. Lire aussi Naufrage en mer Rouge La marine égyptienne recherche 17 disparus, dont un de nationalité suisseNewsletter «Dernières nouvelles» Vous voulez rester au top de l’info?
Source:Tribune de Genève
November 26, 2024 17:11 UTC
Finance durable. Une initiative populaire veut une place financière suisse durable
La Suisse est un petit pays, mais sa place financière est un poids lourd à l'échelle mondiale, a estimé le comité dans un communiqué. Et de fustiger le fait que les grandes banques et assurances helvétiques investissent chaque année des milliards dans des activités à l'étranger qui nuisent à l'environnement, comme le déboisement de la forêt tropicale ou l'exploitation du charbon.
Source:La Liberte
November 26, 2024 15:40 UTC
Deux professeures de la HES-SO Valais remportent le prix Credit Suisse Award for Best Teaching
De g. à d.: Anita Heinzmann lauréate, Nicole Langenegger Roux, directrice de la Haute Ecole et Ecole Supérieure de Travail Social et présidente du jury, Eline de Gaspari lauréate. Derrière: Cédric Métrailler (à gauche), responsable UBS Sierre, et François Seppey, directeur de la HES-SO Valais-Wallis. HES-SO Valais-Wallis
Source:Le Nouvelliste
November 26, 2024 15:22 UTC
Faune. Un garde-chasse abat par erreur trois lynx dans les Grisons
L’incident s’est produit de nuit dans la vallée de la Surselva (GR). Les trois lynx tués sont deux jeunes et un mâle adulte. Le garde-chasse a pour l’instant été exclu de la chasse aux loups.
Source:La Liberte
November 26, 2024 14:55 UTC