UN raps British govt for inaction on air pollution

LONDON • The British government is "flouting" its duty to protect the lives and health of its citizens from illegal and dangerous levels of air pollution, according to the United Nations' special rapporteur on human rights related to toxic waste.

With more than 40,000 premature deaths a year linked to air pollution, the report claims government inaction "violated its obligations" to protect children.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

30 injured in Swiss Alps train accident

GENEVA • At least 30 people were injured in a train accident yesterday at a station in the Swiss Alpine village of Andermatt, the police said.

The accident happened when the train - a locomotive and its five carriages - tried to move to a parallel track to go from the back of the train to the front and allow it to return to another resort.

But the locomotive slammed into the carriages instead.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Spanish data watchdog fines Facebook $2 million

MADRID • Spain's data protection watchdog said yesterday it has fined Facebook €1.2 million (S$2 million) for failing to prevent its users' data being accessed by advertisers.

Facebook collected personal data from users in Spain without obtaining "unequivocal consent" and without informing them how such information would be used, the Spanish Data Protection Agency said.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE