Picture by the Italian fire and rescue service shows the burned out wreckage of a school bus after police rescued some 50 children when their driver torched the vehicle. (AFP/Handout) Some of the children were tied up during the 30-minute ordeal, which saw the bus slam into a car but was brought to an end by police after one of the children was able to call for help. No one was seriously injured. "It is a miracle, it could have been carnage. The police were outstanding, blocking the bus and getting the children off," said Milan prosecutor Francesco Greco. Photos showed the burnt-out shell of the bus and the car, which were travelling on a road near Milan. Driver Ousseynou Sy - a 47-year-old Italian citizen of Senegalese origin - explained under questioning that he wanted "to draw attention to the consequences of migration policies", according to his lawyer. The 51 students in year two of secondary school in Crema were coming back from a sports outing accompanied by three adults when … [Read more...] about Italian bus driver takes 51 children hostage, sets school bus on fire
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US trade negotiators to return to China next week
US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin will return to Beijing next week as the United States and China inch toward resolving their trade war, a senior administration official told AFP on Tuesday (Mar 19). In this file photo taken on Feb 22, 2019, US President Donald Trump watches as China's Vice Premier Liu He (left) speaks with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer (right) in the Oval Office. (AFP/MANDEL NGAN) The renewed shuttle diplomacy is a sign of progress in the talks after several weeks in which momentum toward a resolution appeared to have slowed. Following the renewed talks in Beijing, Chinese trade envoy Liu He will return to Washington the following week, with talks in their final stages, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday. US President Donald Trump on Tuesday told reporters the talks were going "very well," reiterating the positive message of recent months. But Trump also said last week that he was in "no … [Read more...] about US trade negotiators to return to China next week
European secret services view ultra right as growing threat
Tarrant said in an online manifesto that he had acted in part to avenge the killing of a young girl in a jihadist attack in Sweden in 2017. (Photo: AFP/Mark Mitchell) Security services in France, Britain, Germany and Italy have repeatedly warned of the risks associated with growing tensions within Western societies over immigration and Islamist attacks. "Europe is in great danger: extremism is rising everywhere and we, the intelligence services, are busy channelling resources into looking at the far-right," Patrick Calvar, the then director of French counter-intelligence, said in May 2016. "We have to anticipate and stop all these groups which, sooner or later, would like to spark inter-communal clashes," he added. Peter Neumann, head of the London-based International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation, told CNN on Friday that "across Western countries we've seen an increase for four of five years in the number of hate crimes and also right-wing terrorist violence. "I attribute … [Read more...] about European secret services view ultra right as growing threat
“I Live! I Die!”: New Zealand uses haka to heal after attacks
As the country struggles to respond to the horrific tragedy, it was perhaps inevitable that many would turn to the haka. (Photo: AFP/ANTHONY WALLACE) Kiwis ranging from heavily tattooed bikers to business executives, children and the elderly have lined up to perform the intimidating ceremonial dance which begins with fierce chants roughly translated as "I Live! I Die!" As the country struggles to respond to the horrific tragedy, it was perhaps inevitable that many would turn to the haka - a dance whose origins lie with the indigenous Maori community but which has become a global symbol of New Zealand as the battle cry of its national rugby team, the All Blacks. The aggressive ritual and threatening histrionics may seem out of step with the sombre atmosphere gripping the nation after Brenton Tarrant, a 28-year-old Australian and avowed white supremacist, allegedly gunned down 50 Muslims during prayers last Friday (Mar 15). But the haka is not only meant to intimidate, but also to … [Read more...] about “I Live! I Die!”: New Zealand uses haka to heal after attacks
Baby reunited with dad as Indonesia flood death toll hits 77
A baby trapped under rubble after flash flooding destroyed his home in Indonesia has been reunited with his father after the disaster killed the rest of their family, officials said on Monday (Mar 18), as the death toll hit 77. The baby was plucked from debris inside a house where his mother and siblings were found dead. (Photo: AFP/Handout) The five-month old was plucked on Sunday from debris inside a house where his mother and siblings were found dead in the hard-hit northeastern town of Sentani. The tot has since been returned to his surviving father. "We took the baby to the hospital and had him treated," Papua military spokesman Muhammad Aidi told AFP. "He was in stable condition and has been released. The father was distressed but happy to be reunited with his baby." The news came as Indonesia's disaster agency raised the official death toll from 58, with more than three dozen people still missing. Scores have been injured in the disaster, triggered by torrential rain … [Read more...] about Baby reunited with dad as Indonesia flood death toll hits 77