Cities across southern Europe are experiencing dangerously high levels of smog caused by a prolonged period of dry sunny weather and light winds. Temporary bans on diesel vehicles have been ordered in major Italian cities, including the capital, Rome, in an effort to reduce the pollution.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, protesters have taken to the streets in gas masks demanding action from the government. Environmentalists have described the situation as a smog emergency. In Rome, diesel cars, vans and motorbikes have been banned during peak times, while other polluting vehicles have been banned altogether.

The restrictions, which are set to remain in place over the next three days, are expected to affect about one million vehicles. At least nine of the 13 areas in Rome that monitor particulate matter – a fine dust known as PM10 – have recorded levels this week in excess of the legal limit, Italy’s Il Messaggero reported.(BBC)…[+]

Angolan billionaire Isabel dos Santos, who is embroiled in a huge financial scandal, has suggested that she may seek to become the country’s president.

In a BBC interview, Ms Dos Santos pointedly declined four times to rule out running for the presidency. Her father José Eduardo dos Santos ruled Angola for 38 years. Prosecutors are seeking to recover $1bn (£760m) Ms Dos Santos and her associates are alleged to owe the state. She has denied any wrongdoing. Ms Dos Santos, 46, is one of the world’s richest women, with Forbes magazine estimating her fortune to be worth $2.2bn, making her the richest woman in Africa.

Her father controversially appointed her as the head of Angola’s state-owned oil firm Sonangol in 2016. She was sacked from the post in 2017 by President Joao Lourenço, her father’s handpicked successor.(bbc)…[+]

Harvey Weinstein is about to go on trial – and 12 men and women in New York will be responsible for determining whether he is guilty. Jury selection is currently under way, with the former Hollywood producer accused of five charges, including rape and predatory sexual assault relating to two alleged victims. But finding impartial juries for such a high-profile case – one that galvanised the #MeToo movement across the world – could be difficult.

The court has summoned 2,000 potential jurors for the case – about five times more than normal – just to find 12 suitable regular jurors and six alternate jurors. And on the very first day of jury selection, a third of the potential jurors present were dismissed outright, after telling the judge they did not think they could be impartial.

“The first few days of jury selection has already underscored just how challenging it’s going to be,” Valerie Hans, a law professor and jury expert at Cornell University says. “When you have large numbers of people saying they can’t be impartial, it’s a wakeup call – because most people think of themselves as generally fair.”(bbc)…[+]