Six In The Morning

World's giant trees are dying off rapidly, studies show

 Ecological 'kings of the jungle' being toppled by forest fragmentation, severe drought and new pests and diseases 

 

• John Vidal, environment editor
• The Guardian, Thursday 26 January 2012

 The biggest trees in the world, known as the true ecological kings of the jungle, are dying off rapidly as roads, farms and settlements fragment forests and they come under prolonged attack from severe droughts and new pests and diseases.

Long-term studies in Amazonia, Africa and central America show that while these botanical behemoths may have adapted successfully to centuries of storms, pests and short-term climatic extremes, they are counterintuitively more vulnerable than other trees to today's threats.

Palestinians to walk away from peace talks

 President Abbas blames Israeli settlements for failed bid to revive top-level negotiations

Jerusalem

Thursday 26 January 2012

 
The Palestinians were last night preparing to walk away from talks with Israel aimed at reviving peace negotiations as international mediators frantically shuttled between Ramallah and Jerusalem in an attempt to keep the peace process alive.

Palestinian representatives believe that negotiations have run their course as a deadline for both sides to present proposals on borders and security expires today. Israel, which has criticised the deadline as "artificial," said talks should continue.


 Prisoners being tortured in Libya, UN says
 Human-rights chief Navi Pillay "extremely concerned" about detainees accused by fighters of being Gaddafi loyalists.

Last Modified: 26 Jan 2012 09:12

Detainees from Libya's war held by fighters continue to be subjected to torture despite efforts by the provisional government to address the issue, according to the UN human-rights chief.
Navi Pillay told the UN Security Council on Wednesday she was extremely concerned about thousands of prisoners, most of them accused of being loyalists of the toppled government of Muammar Gaddafi and many from sub-Saharan Africa.
 "The lack of oversight by the central authorities creates an environment conducive to torture and ill-treatment," Pillay said.

"My staff have received alarming reports that this is happening in places of detention that they have visited."

PIP breast implant boss arrested in France

 The owner of a French breast implant maker at the centre of a safety scare has been arrested in France.

Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) founder Jean-Claude Mas, 72, was held at his home southern France, police sources told reporters.
In 2010, France banned PIP implants made with the low-grade industrial silicone, amid fears they could rupture and leak.
An estimated 300,000 to 400,000 women in 65 countries were given implants.
In France, 30,000 women were advised to remove them.
Interpol
Mr Mas, who was arrested in Six-Fours-les-Plages, has been under investigation since he revealed in a police interview last year that PIP ordered employees to hide the unauthorised silicone when they visited its factory.

Kidnapped US aid contractor reportedly held by militants in Pakistan

Some five months after Warren Weinstein was kidnapped, the US aid contractor is reported to be in the custody of a Pakistani Al Qaeda affiliate, McClatchy Newspapers reports.

 By Tom Hussain, McClatchy Newspapers


 A kidnapped American aid contractor is alive and in good health, being held by a Pakistani Al Qaeda affiliate that's likely to use him as a bargaining chip, according to militants, security officials, and analysts.

 Warren Weinstein, who was kidnapped in August from his home in Lahore, Pakistan, is in the custody of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi militants in North Waziristan, a ranking Pakistani militant told McClatchy. The militant said he'd seen Mr. Weinstein last month and at that point "his health was fine."

Australia's Gillard dragged away from Aboriginal protest

 By msnbc.com staff and news services

CANBERRA -- Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard was dragged away by security guards Thursday after she was trapped in a restaurant by rowdy protesters demonstrating for indigenous rights following a ceremony to mark Australia's national day.
Some 200 supporters of Aboriginal rights surrounded a Canberra restaurant and banged on its windows while Gillard and opposition leader Tony Abbott were inside officiating at an award ceremony.
The protesters were marching at the nearby Aboriginal Tent Embassy to mark 40 years since its establishment and rushed the restaurant in response to comments by Abbott earlier in the day, The Australian newspaper reported.