Skip to main content

World in brief: 06/06/2014

CANADA: Quebec adopted a right to-die Bill today, the first of its kind in the country.

Bill 52 carried the day by a 94-22 majority. The legislation is officially dubbed “an Act respecting end-of-life care.”

It stipulates that patients would have to repeatedly ask a doctor to end their lives on the basis of unbearable physical or psychological suffering.

The federal government said it might make a legal challenge.

 

 

INTERNATIONAL: Telecoms carrier Vodafone revealed today that snooping governments across the world can directly access phone networks.

The company outlined the details in a report covering 29 countries in which it operates.

Vodafone said that in some countries, authorities “demand direct access to an operator’s network.”

It said: “Vodafone will not receive any form of demand for lawful interception access as the relevant agencies and authorities already have permanent access.”

 

 

KOSOVO: An explosion occurred at a large coal-fired power station outside the capital Pristina today, killing at least three people.

The blast at the Kosovo A plant was heard in the capital six miles away.

Kosovo A and the larger Kosovo B plant account for 90 per cent of electricity generation in the Balkan country.

Some 40 years old, Kosovo A is considered one of the worst polluters in Europe.

 

 

GREECE: A strawberry farmer and three of his foremen went on trial in Patras today over a shotgun attack on a group of Bangladeshi migrant laborers protesting about unpaid wages.

Last year’s shootings near Manolada wounded 28 and the suspects have been charged with human trafficking and breaches of firearms and employment laws, while attempted murder charges have been reduced to grievous bodily harm.

 

 

PAKISTAN: The media regulatory agency suspended the operating license of the leading news channel for two weeks today to placate an angry military.

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority suspended Geo News for 15 days and imposed a 10 million rupee (£100,000) fine.

The station angered the country’s powerful military intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence, by repeatedly airing accusations that it was behind an attack on a newsreader.

 

 

HAITI: Police fired tear gas yesterday to break up a march calling for the ousting of President Michel Martelly.

Around 5,000 protesters marched through Port-au-Prince calling for Mr Martelly’s removal because of widespread corruption in the government and the failure of his administration to improve jobs, schools and healthcare.

 

 

SOUTH AFRICA: The Clothing and Textile Workers Union gave notice today that its members would walk out on a wage strike from Monday.

Thousand of members are set to down tools after talks stalled with footwear manufacturers over wage increases.

CTWU wants a 10 per cent rise, but employers are offering 7.75 per cent.

The union also declared a wage dispute in the wool and mohair textiles sector on similar grounds.

 

 

PERU: A provincial governor has been arrested and another is being sought in a crackdown on corruption, prosecutors said yesterday.

Chief prosecutor Carlos Ramos said a video purported to show one of Cerro de Pasco Governor Klever Melendez’s aides receiving a £60,000 bribe from businessmen seeking public works contracts. The aide, Juan Boza, was arrested as well.

Prosecutors also said they are trying to arrest Gerardo Vinas of Tumbes province over the firesale of 89 acres of public land.

OWNED BY OUR READERS

We're a reader-owned co-operative, which means you can become part of the paper too by buying shares in the People’s Press Printing Society.

 

 

Become a supporter

Fighting fund

You've Raised:£ 13,288
We need:£ 4,712
3 Days remaining
Donate today