34 h. ago ‘Even if we stop drinking we will be exposed’: A French region has banned tap water. Is it a warning for the rest of Europe?

Forever chemicals have polluted the water supply of 60,000 people, threatening human health, wildlife and the wider ecosystem. But activists say this is just the tip of the Pfas icebergOne quiet Saturday night, Sandra Wiedemann was curled up on the sofa when a story broke on TV news: the water coming from her tap could be poisoning her. The 36-year-old, who is breastfeeding her six-month-old son Côme, lives in the quiet French commune of Buschwiller in Saint-Louis, near the Swiss city of Basel. Perched on a hill not far from the Swiss and German borders, it feels like a safe place to raise a child – spacious houses are surrounded by manicured gardens, framed by the wild Jura mountains.But as she watched the news, this safety felt threatened: Wiedemann and her family use tap water every day, for drinking, brushing her teeth, showering, cooking and washing vegetables. Now, she learned that chemicals she had never heard of were lurking in her body, on her skin, potentially harming her ...

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8 d. ago Turkey travel alert issued by Foreign Office as tensions flare

The Mediterranean destination is loved by UK holidaymakers, and in 2024, Turkey welcomed over four million Brits. However, conflict in the region has led the UK Foreign Office to issue a travel warning

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2 w. ago Pacific faces ‘critical moment’ in fight for press freedom, media watchdog warns

Some reporters in the region face jail for alleged defamation in countries where news outlets often lack resources to defend lawsuitsThe Pacific is facing a “critical moment” for press freedom, the region’s media watchdog has warned, as a number of senior journalists in a range of Pacific countries are facing costly lawsuits and criminal prosecution for alleged defamation.“We have seen a few cases coming up challenging the fundamentals of press freedom in the region,” said Robert Iroga, the chair of the Pacific Freedom Forum. Continue reading...

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2 w. ago Israel and Iran broaden strikes during third day of escalating war

Trump calls for end to conflict and warns Tehran against striking US targets in the regionMiddle East crisis – live updatesIsrael and Iran have broadened their strikes against each other on the third day of an escalating war that has killed and injured hundreds of people, as Donald Trump called for an end to the conflict and warned Tehran against striking US targets in the region.G7 leaders flying to Canada for a summit that starts on Monday are likely to try to use their time with the US president to urge him to keep the US out of the conflict and use his influence with Israel to broker a ceasefire. Continue reading...

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2 w. ago Britons warned not to travel to Israel as conflict with Iran ramps up and UK deploys more jets to region

The Foreign Office is now advising 'against all travel to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories'.

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2 w. ago UK moving jets to Middle East as Israel warns more severe strikes coming

Sir Keir Starmer confirmed Britain was moving military assets to the region as Iran warned UK bases would be targeted if it helped defend Israel

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2 w. ago World looks on in horror as Israel and Iran bombard each other with strikes

Sir Keir Starmer confirmed Britain was moving military assets to the region as Iran warned UK bases would be targeted if it helped defend Israel

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4 w. ago Russia wants to deploy 10,000 troops in Moldovan breakaway region, PM warns

Moscow aims to eject government and place soldiers on Ukraine border in Transnistria, premier says

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