China's data centres -- the backbone of the country's fast-growing digital economy -- are on track to guzzle more electricity by 2023 than all of Australia last year, said a Greenpeace report published Monday.
While China leads the world in renewable energy capacity, data centres in the country remain dependent on coal.
Nearly three-quarters of the electricity used by data centres was sourced from coal in 2018, according to research by Greenpeace East Asia and the North China Electric Power University -- emitting 99 million tonnes of carbon emissions.
By 2023, that number could jump to 163 million tonnes.
The appetite for data storage and transmission in China has skyrocketed in recent years, with 800 million online users and a booming tech industry churning out photos, videos, and online transactions.
"While China's data centre industry has made significant improvements in terms of energy efficiency, the industry's massive carbon footprint is proof that much more action is needed," ..

China data centres set to consume more power than Australia: report

PTI Automatic

Swedish prosecutors have interviewed two new witnesses over a 2010 rape allegation against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, the Prosecution Authority said Monday.
It said a total of seven witnesses had been interviewed over the summer.
"We have mainly re-interviewed those individuals who were interviewed in 2010, although two of the persons interviewed have not previously been interviewed," the deputy director of public prosecution, Eva-Marie Persson, said.
The Swedish investigation concerns events which took place in August 2010 when a Swedish woman accused Assange of rape, after meeting him at a WikiLeaks conference in Stockholm.
Assange, 48, has always denied the allegation.
The statute of limitations in the case expires in August 2020. "Once we have analysed the interviews, I will decide how to proceed with the case. The investigation may then be discontinued or I may decide to conduct further inquiries," she said.
"If I make the assessment that the next step is to interview ...

Swedish prosecutors interview new witnesses in Assange case

A powerful typhoon that battered Tokyo overnight with record winds killed two people, police said Monday, as cancelled trains caused commuter chaos and more than 100 flights were scrapped, leaving thousands stranded at the airport.
Typhoon Faxai, packing winds of up to 207 kilometres (129 miles) per hour, made landfall in Chiba just east of the capital before dawn, after barrelling through Tokyo Bay.
The transport disruptions unleashed by the storm came less than two weeks before the start of the Rugby World Cup, and delayed the arrival of the Australian team -- a reminder that Japan's typhoon season could present challenges for organisers.
Police confirmed two people were killed in the storm -- a woman in her fifties who was found dead in Tokyo and an elderly man in the neighbouring Chiba prefecture.
Security camera footage showed that high winds pushed her across a street and into a wall, while the 87-year-old man was found dead in the woods under a fallen tree.
The storm injured ...

Two dead, travel chaos, after powerful typhoon pummels Tokyo

Close relatives and government officials flew out of Zimbabwe on Monday to collect the body of ex-president Robert Mugabe from Singapore where he died last week, his nephew said.
Mugabe, a guerrilla leader who swept to power after Zimbabwe's independence from Britain and went on to rule for 37 years until he was ousted in 2017, died on Friday, aged 95.
A charter flight left Harare at nine am (0700 GMT) on Monday and was expected to return home on Wednesday at 1300 GMT, Leo Mugabe told AFP.
On arrival, the body will be taken straight to his rural village in Zvimba, about 90 kilometres (56 miles) west of the capital Harare, for an overnight wake.
On Thursday and Friday the body will lie in state at Rufaro Stadium in Mbare township in Harare for the public to pay their final respects, he said.
The 35,000-seater stadium is where Mugabe took his oath of office at a colourful ceremony when colonial Rhodesian prime minister Ian Smith handed over the country to Mugabe.
There Mugabe hoisted ...

Relatives fly to Singapore to bring Mugabe home

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Monday said America's economy was unscathed after more than a year of entrenched trade conflict with China and Europe.
"We have not seen any impact on the US economy," he told Fox Business.
"There's no question there's been a considerable slowdown in the world economy both in China and in Europe but as you look at the US, we continued to be the bright spot.

US Treasury Secretary: 'I don't see in any way a recession'

The month-long suspension of the British parliament ordered by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in an apparent bid to stop MPs blocking his Brexit strategy will begin late Monday, his spokesman said.
"Parliament will be prorogued at close of business today," the spokesman said, using the parliamentary term for the suspension.
He added it would take place regardless of the outcome of a government-led vote on holding a snap election next month.
Johnson last month asked Queen Elizabeth II to close the Houses of Parliament until October 14, claiming it was needed to allow him to introduce a new domestic agenda.
But the suspension's timing and longer than unusual duration sparked uproar across the political spectrum, with critics calling it a "constitutional outrage" and a coup.
Lawmakers opposed to a no-deal Brexit said it was clearly aimed at hobbling their efforts to prevent such a scenario, while it also prompted several so far unsuccessful court challenges.
However, the move appeared to ..

UK Parliament's suspension to begin late Monday

Final scoreboard at the end of the one-off Test between Bangladesh and Afghanistan at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong on Monday:
Afghanistan first innings: 342
Bangladesh first innnings:205
Afghanistan second innings 260
Bangladesh second innings: 173 (Overnight 136-6)
Liton Das lbw b Zahir 9
Shadman Islam lbw b Nabi 41
Mosaddek Hossain c Asghar b Zahir 12
Mushfiqur Rahim lbw b Rashid 23
Mominul Haque lbw b Rashid 3
Shakib Al Hasan c Zazai b Zahir 44
Mahmudullah c Zadran b Rashid 7
Soumya Sarkar c Zadran  b Rashid 15
Mehidy Hasan lbw b Rashid 12
Taijul Islam lbw b Rashid 0
Nayeem Hasan not out 1
Extras: (b4, lb2) 6
Total (all out; 61.4 overs) 173
Fall of wickets: 1-30, 2-52 , 3-78, 4-82, 5-106, 6-125, 7-143, 8-166, 9-166, 10-173.
Bowling: Yamin 4-1-14-0, Nabi 20-5-39-1, Rashid 21.4-6-49-6, Zahir 15-0-59-3.

Cricket: Bangladesh v Afghanistan first Test scoreboard

Rashid Khan claimed 6-49 and completed his maiden 10-wicket haul in Test cricket as Afghanistan overcame rain and fading light to crush Bangladesh by 224 runs in the one-off Test in Chittagong on Monday.
In only his country's third Test match, Rashid took three of the last four wickets to finish with a match haul of 11 wickets, helping Afghanistan bowl out Bangladesh for 173 runs in the second innings.
With four wickets in hand, the hosts were given 18.3 overs to survive after play resumed in the final session following a rain break but they succumbed with three overs to spare.
Brief scores: Afghanistan first innings 342 all out (Rahmat Shah 102, Asghar Afghan 92, Rashid Khan 51; Taijul Islam 4-116) and 260 all out (Ibrahim Zadran 87, Asghar Afgan 50; Shakib Al Hasan 3-58) vs Bangladesh first innings 205 (Mominul Haque 52; Rashid Khan 5-55, Mohammad Nabi 3-56) and 173 in 61.

Afghanistan thrash Bangladesh by 224 runs in one-off Test

China lashed out at the United States on Monday after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called Beijing's treatment of the country's ethnic Uighur minority among "the worst stains on the world".
Speaking at Kansas State University last week, Pompeo said Washington would use this month's UN General Assembly to rally support for the Uighurs, a mostly Muslim minority that has seen mass incarceration under the Chinese government.
"The lies of American politicians can't trick people around the world and will only further expose the purpose of their hidden political motives," said Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying.
"We express our strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to these US officials who disregard the facts... and seriously interfere in China's internal affairs," she told reporters at a press briefing in Beijing.
China has come under international scrutiny over its policies in the northwestern region of Xinjiang, where as many as one million Uighurs and other ...

China slams US Xinjiang remarks as 'lies'

England will assess star all-rounder Ben Stokes's fitness to bowl in this week's fifth Test with Australia at the Oval as they look for a consolation win after failing to regain the Ashes.
Stokes was included in an unchanged 13-man England squad announced Monday following a 185-run defeat in the fourth Test on Sunday that ensured Australia would keep hold of the Ashes at 2-1 up with one to play in the five-Test series.
Durham paceman Stokes, England's vice-captain, did not bowl in Australia's second innings at Old Trafford following a shoulder injury sustained during his 11th over in the tourists' first innings.
If Stokes is unfit to bowl at the Oval, where the fifth Test starts on Thursday, he is expected to play as a specialist batsman -- it was his stunning 135 not out that saw England to a dramatic one-wicket win in the third Test at Headingley.
In that case, England would look to bring in a bowling all-rounder from within the squad in either Sam Curran, who would be playing on ...

Unchanged England to assess Stokes's bowling fitness for Ashes finale

US Open winner Bianca Andreescu, 200th in the world rankings a year ago, leapt into the top five on Monday, while Ashleigh Barty knocked Naomi Osaka off top spot.
Eliminated in the first qualifying round in New York a year ago, Andreescu rose 10 places to number five after beating Serena Williams in the final on Saturday.
The 19-year-old Canadian is one place behind Osaka, whose defence of her US title ended in the quarterfinals.
Barty was also knocked out in the last eight but, since she was knocked out in the fourth round in 2018, increased her ranking points total.
The Australian is just over 400 points ahead of the Czech Karolina Pliskova, who climbed one place to second.
The top two have opened a substantial gap over Elina Svitolina, who rose two spots to third after reaching the semi-finals in New York.
WTA rankings as of September 9:
1. Ashleigh Barty (AUS) 6,501 pts (+1)
2. Karolina Pliskova (CZE) 6,125 (+1)
3. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 5,032 (+2)
4. Naomi Osaka (JPN) 4,846 ...

Andreescu jumps into top five as Barty grabs top ranking

Daniil Medvedev climbed to a career high of fourth in the ATP rankings on Monday after a remarkable six-week hardcourt run in North America that culminated with an agonising five-set loss to Rafael Nadal in the US Open final.
Medvedev, who won his first Masters title last month in Cincinnati, became just the third man to reach finals there, at Washington, Canada and the US Open in the same summer.
However like those before him -- Ivan Lendl in 1982 and Andre Agassi in 1995 -- he too finished runner-up in New York, beaten by Nadal Sunday in a pulsating contest 7-5, 6-3, 5-7, 4-6, 6-4 after four hours and 50 minutes at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Nadal meanwhile remains second but moves to within 640 points of world number one Novak Djokovic -- eliminated by Stan Wawrinka in the last 16 at Flushing Meadows -- after conquering his 19th Grand Slam title, just one short of third-ranked Roger Federer's record total of 20.
Italian Matteo Berrettini shot up 12 places after to 13th after reaching the 

Medvedev debuts in ATP top four after US Open final agony

The month-long suspension of the British parliament ordered by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in an apparent bid to stop MPs blocking his Brexit strategy will begin late Monday, his spokesman said.
"Parliament will be prorogued at close of business today," the spokesman said, using the parliamentary term for the suspension.
He added it would take place regardless of the outcome of a government-led vote on holding a snap election next month.

UK parliament's suspension to begin late Monday: official

The acting head of the UN nuclear watchdog on Monday called on Iran to "respond promptly" to the agency's questions regarding Tehran's nuclear programme.
Cornel Feruta was addressing the quarterly board meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) a day after meeting high-level Iranian officials in Tehran.
He said that in his meetings he "stressed the need for Iran to respond promptly to Agency questions related to the completeness of Iran's safeguards declarations", adding: "Time is of the essence.

Acting IAEA head presses Iran for response on nuclear questions

A Kremlin-backed candidate has been elected governor of Russia's second-largest city of Saint Petersburg, results showed Monday, but the opposition complained of vote fraud.
Alexander Beglov, who was previously acting governor and is a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, won 64.57 per cent of the vote with 97 per cent counted, the city's electoral commission said.
The acting governor was running against just two little-known candidates, who together won almost a third of the vote.
His main opponent had been Communist Vladimir Bortko, a prominent television and film director, who pulled out at the last moment, complaining that the result was pre-decided.
Thousands had rallied in the city after dozens of opposition candidates were unable to register to stand in the polls.
The opposition complained of electoral fraud during Sunday's vote, publishing interviews with voters who claimed they were paid to back candidates and images of ballot-stuffing.
The number of people listed as ...

Kremlin candidate elected in Saint Petersburg, opposition cries foul

The battle over the future of the Champions League will resume on Monday and Tuesday when the European Club Association (ECA) meets in Geneva and the leadership faces rebellion from members.
ECA, led by Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli, is closely involved in proposals to reshape Europe's main club competition from 2024.
The proposals were presented by European football's governing body UEFA in May although details had leaked earlier.
The reforms include the introduction of weekend fixtures, four groups of eight, and a tiered system with relegation and promotion that would see the top six teams in each group automatically qualify for the following year's competition.
ECA, which boasts of "more than 230 members", faced an outcry from many of those clubs and from national leagues which would be hit hard by the scheme.
"A semi-closed league with more matches... threatens to enormously impoverish the Spanish league," said Javier Tebas of La Liga.
England's Premier League issued a ...

Europe's clubs divided over Champions League reform

Daniil Medvedev said the energy of the New York crowd helped instigate his stunning fightback that saw him fall just short against Rafael Nadal in a five-set classic in Sunday's US Open final.
The Russian fifth seed dropped the first two sets to Nadal in his first Grand Slam final but charged back to force a decider, almost erasing a double break deficit in the fifth set before going down 7-5, 6-3, 5-7, 4-6, 6-4.
"First of all I just want to congratulate Rafa, 19th Grand Slam title is something unbelievable, outrageous," Medvedev said.
"What you've done for tennis in general, it's amazing for our sport. Thank you and congrats again."
Medvedev has experienced a love-hate relationship with fans at Flushing Meadows after an obscene gesture in a third-round match prompted loud boos, to which the Russian later responded with a taunt of his own.
But the 23-year-old won the crowd over during his run to the final, where he was attempting to become the youngest Grand Slam champion since Juan ..

I fought like hell, says US Open runner-up Medvedev

The UN's nuclear watchdog confirmed Monday that Iran was installing advanced centrifuges as the troubled 2015 deal with world powers over Tehran's nuclear programme threatens to fall apart.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a statement that on September 7 it had "verified that the following centrifuges were either installed or being installed...: 22 IR-4, one IR-5, 30 IR-6 and three IR-6s".
The IAEA's confirmation comes a day after Tehran hit out at European powers, saying they had left Iran little option but to scale back its commitments under the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
The IAEA added in its statement that the centrifuges had been installed at Iran's Natanz facility and said "all of the installed centrifuges had been prepared for testing with UF6 (uranium hexafluoride), although none of them were being tested with UF6 on 7 and 8 September 2019."
"In addition, in a letter to the Agency dated 8 September, Iran informed the Agency that it ...

Iran installing advanced centrifuges: UN nuclear watchdog

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said on Monday that the European Union had not received from Britain any alternatives to the so-called backstop provision in the Brexit divorce deal.
"We haven't received such proposals to date," Varadkar said during a visit by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson ahead of their first face-to-face talks since the British leader took power in July.

EU yet to receive UK's alternatives to Brexit backstop: Varadkar

One week after Hurricane Dorian devastated the Bahamas, residents struggled amid the ruins Sunday, with many forced to seek refuge far from their shattered homes as the death toll from the top-intensity storm hit 44 in the islands.
Dorian, now classified as a post-tropical storm, caused "severe damage" in eastern Canada and was expected to move soon into the North Atlantic after cutting a destructive swath through the Bahamas and going up the US east coast.
In the Bahamas, people were still scrambling for shelter, with the lucky evacuees beginning to reunite with loved ones but the fate of uncounted others still in doubt.
Prime Minister Hubert Minnis warned the death toll -- which Health Minister Duane Sands put at 44, according to local media -- was likely to climb "significantly".
A loosely coordinated armada of passenger planes, helicopters and both private and government boats and ships -- including redirected cruise liners -- converged in the Bahamas on the horribly battered ...

One week after Dorian, Bahamians struggle amid the ruins

Taiwan's president on Monday urged the Solomon Islands not to switch diplomatic allegiance to China, as the Pacific nation deliberates whether to recognise the far more economically powerful Beijing instead.
The Solomons are among only 17 countries that maintain official ties with Taiwan, but Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has vowed to review the relationship.
Beijing has poached five diplomatic allies from Taipei since the 2016 election of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen -- part of a wider campaign to isolate the island because her party refuses to accept that Taiwan is part of "one China".
Taiwan is desperate to stave off losing another diplomatic ally.
Last week the government warned that Chinese financial incentives had rendered other Pacific nations "in debt traps" with "flashy and false promises" of building infrastructure.
On Monday Tsai told the visiting Solomons Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele that Taiwan is a responsible partner in the international community.
She called 

AFP

AFP

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