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- Should we give up half of the Earth to wildlife?
- Ramaphosa set to purge cabinet of Zuma cronies in war on corruption
- Senior Trump adviser says Russian election meddling 'beyond dispute'
- Pope Francis wowed the world but, five years on, is in troubled waters
- Italy used to be a tolerant country, but now racism is rising
- Michelle Obama portrait puts black Baltimore artist in the spotlight
- Iceland law to outlaw male circumcision sparks row over religious freedom
- Israeli jets strike Gaza after soldiers injured by Gaza bomb
- Pakistan court sentences man to death for rape and murder of girl, 7
- Amid the chaos of Syria, will Israel and Iran launch an all-out war?
- Nigeria: three suicide bombers kill at least 20 people at market
- Artwork hidden under Picasso painting revealed by x-ray
- Canadian actor's suit against Weinstein and assistant must proceed, judge rules
- 'Throw them out': plans to eject politicians 'beholden to the gun lobby'
- Saved for posterity … 40,000 memories of the Troubles
- 'Plagiarism': Spain's manchego makers in Mexican standoff over famed cheese
- The Wife’s Tale by Aida Edemariam review – anatomy of an unyielding spirit
- 'How about we stop blaming the victims?': Florida shooting survivors speak at anti-gun rally – video
- 'They still respect their priest':the Mexican bishop who negotiates with cartel bosses
- More Nauru refugees depart for US as attack on Manus provokes panic
- Malcolm Turnbull consulted his wife, Lucy, over minister-staff sex ban
- Mexico’s Zapatista rebels, 24 years on and defiant in mountain strongholds
- ‘It was heartbreaking’: the bleak truth behind Bafta-chasing migrant drama
- Putin’s chef, a troll farm and Russia's plot to hijack US democracy
- Trump vowed to end 'this American carnage' – but the attacks keep happening
- After Florida, I see the NRA as nothing less than a terrorist organization
- US national security adviser on Russian election meddling: 'evidence is incontrovertible' – video
| Should we give up half of the Earth to wildlife? Posted: 17 Feb 2018 04:05 PM PST Populations of all kinds of wildlife are declining at alarming speed. One radical solution is to make 50% of the planet a nature reserve The orangutan is one of our planet's most distinctive and intelligent creatures. It has been observed using primitive tools, such as the branch of a tree, to hunt food, and is capable of complex social behaviour. Orangutans also played a special role in humanity's own intellectual history when, in the 19th century, Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace, co-developers of the theory of natural selection, used observations of them to hone their ideas about evolution. But humanity has not repaid orangutans with kindness. The numbers of these distinctive, red-maned primates are now plummeting thanks to our destruction of their habitats and illegal hunting of the species. Last week, an international study revealed that its population in Borneo, the animal's last main stronghold, now stands at between 70,000 and 100,000, less than half of what it was in 1995. "I expected to see a fairly steep decline, but I did not anticipate it would be this large," said one of the study's co-authors, Serge Wich of Liverpool John Moores University. Continue reading... |
| Ramaphosa set to purge cabinet of Zuma cronies in war on corruption Posted: 17 Feb 2018 01:00 PM PST New president calls on South Africa to unite as police step up hunt for former leader's son and missing Gupta brother Cyril Ramaphosa, the new president of South Africa, is expected to move within days to purge his cabinet of ministers tainted by allegations of corruption, and to intensify efforts to bring to trial high-profile businessmen alleged to have made millions under his predecessor, Jacob Zuma. Ramaphosa, 65, hailed a "new dawn" in South Africa in his first major speech on Friday and promised to fight to "turn the tide of corruption in our public institutions". His speech, with its call to all South Africans to unite to set the country on a new path, prompted an outpouring of enthusiastic patriotism in the media. Continue reading... |
| Senior Trump adviser says Russian election meddling 'beyond dispute' Posted: 17 Feb 2018 12:42 PM PST HR McMaster calls evidence incontrovertible in wake of latest US indictments against more than a dozen Russians Donald Trump's national security adviser, HR McMaster, said on Saturday that Russian meddling in the 2016 election is "incontrovertible" and "beyond dispute" in the wake of new US indictments. McMaster spoke after Robert Mueller, the special counsel in the Russia investigation, revealed new details about Moscow's sophisticated cyber-meddling campaign on Friday. Continue reading... |
| Pope Francis wowed the world but, five years on, is in troubled waters Posted: 17 Feb 2018 04:05 PM PST He entered office on a wave of energy but, as discontent grows over his attitude to abuse scandals, Francis faces opposition on all sides Chatham House is one of the most important foreign affairs thinktanks in the UK. But on Wednesday its focus will not be a president, or an organisation like the World Bank, or the future of the EU after Brexit, but a religious leader: Pope Francis. And it will be the third time in recent weeks that Britain has turned its attention to the pope. Two weeks ago, the Foreign Office-sponsored thinktank Wilton Park took delegates to the Vatican to meet the pope and discuss violent religious extremism, while last week the Metropolitan police commissioner, Cressida Dick, was in Rome to talk with Francis about modern slavery. Continue reading... |
| Italy used to be a tolerant country, but now racism is rising Posted: 17 Feb 2018 04:05 PM PST The upcoming election has unleashed a tide of anti-migrant action, whose roots can be traced to the financial crisis and the country's weakened leftwing Pape Diaw, originally from Senegal, arrived in Florence to study engineering in the late 1970s. Part of a group of 15 African students, he inspired curiosity among his Italian counterparts and the wider community, but never encountered racism. "I remember walking along the street and people would ask to have a photo taken," he said. "We were seen as a novelty, but never insulted. When we went to process our residency permits, the police officers would give us coffee. Continue reading... |
| Michelle Obama portrait puts black Baltimore artist in the spotlight Posted: 17 Feb 2018 04:05 PM PST The commission of a lifetime for Amy Sherald has kickstarted a conversation about art, politics and culture She is a Baltimore-based artist who only paints African-American subjects and always uses a muted palette. But last week, Amy Sherald became the art world's latest sensation as her portrait of former first lady Michelle Obama was unveiled in Washington. Sherald, 44, almost didn't get to paint Obama. She put away her brushes for three years to care for her family in Georgia. Then, in 2012, she collapsed and underwent a heart transplant that meant she needed another year to recuperate. Continue reading... |
| Iceland law to outlaw male circumcision sparks row over religious freedom Posted: 17 Feb 2018 04:03 PM PST Jewish and Muslim leaders condemn first European country to propose ban Iceland is poised to become the first European country to outlaw male circumcision amid signs that the ritual common to both Judaism and Islam may be a new battleground over religious freedom. A bill currently before the Icelandic parliament proposes a penalty of up to six years in prison for anyone carrying out a circumcision other than for medical reasons. Critics say the move, which has sparked alarm among religious leaders across Europe, would make life for Jews and Muslims in Iceland unsustainable. Continue reading... |
| Israeli jets strike Gaza after soldiers injured by Gaza bomb Posted: 17 Feb 2018 10:47 PM PST Eighteen Hamas positions targeted, says Israel's military, after IED explosion on border left four troops injured, two of them severely Israeli jets have struck the Gaza Strip after four soldiers were wounded when an improvised explosive device blew up along the border with the Palestinian enclave. The explosion earlier on Saturday, which left two of the Israeli soldiers severely injured, was one of the most serious incidents on the border of the Hamas-ruled enclave since the movement and Israel fought a war in 2014. Continue reading... |
| Pakistan court sentences man to death for rape and murder of girl, 7 Posted: 17 Feb 2018 02:51 AM PST Imran Ali, 24, convicted over death of Zainab Ansari, has also been linked to death of seven other girls A Pakistani anti-terrorism court has sentenced a suspected serial killer to death for the rape and murder of a seven-year-old girl, a prosecutor said. The girl's murder ignited nationwide protests over allegations of government inaction, and a media campaign led to his arrest after years of him being on the loose. Continue reading... |
| Amid the chaos of Syria, will Israel and Iran launch an all-out war? Posted: 17 Feb 2018 04:05 PM PST Neither country will benefit from a new Middle East conflict, but unless they cease military clashes, such as those inside Syria last weekend, hopes of peace remain fragile Tensions between Israel and Iran have hit a new high following last weekend's unprecedented military clashes inside Syria. The fighting has intensified fears that the Middle East is heading for all-out war. But such alarming predictions assume both protagonists standing toe-to-toe, actuallywant to fight. Is this reallytrue? Iran is portrayed as a wanton aggressor, especially by the Trump administration and the Saudis. It has steadily expanded its military presence in Syria since supporting Bashar al-Assad after 2011, deploying Afghan and Pakistani Shia militias, Lebanese Hezbollah fighters and its own Revolutionary Guards. Continue reading... |
| Nigeria: three suicide bombers kill at least 20 people at market Posted: 17 Feb 2018 04:45 AM PST Bombers leave dozens wounded at crowded fish market in Konduga, just outside Maiduguri Three suicide bombers have detonated their devices at a crowded fish market in northern Nigeria, killing at least 20 people. Borno state police spokesman Joseph Kwaji said on Saturday that the attack happened on Friday night. Hospital officials said two patients later died from their injuries. Continue reading... |
| Artwork hidden under Picasso painting revealed by x-ray Posted: 17 Feb 2018 07:00 AM PST Non-invasive imaging reveals landscape painting beneath Pablo Picasso's The Crouching Beggar but who created it remains a mystery Wrapped in a mustard coloured blanket with a white scarf and her head on one side, Pablo Picasso's La Misereuse Accroupie (The Crouching Beggar) is a study of forlorn resignation. But researchers say that there is more to desolate character than meets the eye. Beneath the mournful image lies another painting, a landscape, researchers have revealed after using non-invasive imaging techniques to examine the work. Continue reading... |
| Canadian actor's suit against Weinstein and assistant must proceed, judge rules Posted: 17 Feb 2018 12:28 PM PST Judge dismisses former assistant's challenge to lawsuit, which claims she knew of Weinstein's predation and helped facilitate attacks A Canadian judge has rejected a bid to dismiss an anonymous actor's $4m sexual assault lawsuit against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, his former assistant and two entertainment companies. In a ruling released on Friday, the Toronto judge Patrick Monohan dismissed a challenge to the actor's lawsuit filed by Weinstein's former assistant Barbara Schneeweiss which argued that the allegations concerning her had expired under Ontario statute of limitations laws. Continue reading... |
| 'Throw them out': plans to eject politicians 'beholden to the gun lobby' Posted: 17 Feb 2018 06:00 AM PST Moms Demand Action and Everytown launch campaign to empower voters following the horrors of Parkland Activist organizations have renewed calls for gun control in the US in the wake of the school shooting in Florida. Continue reading... |
| Saved for posterity … 40,000 memories of the Troubles Posted: 17 Feb 2018 04:05 PM PST One man's 50-year treasure trove goes on display to mark bloody era in Northern Ireland There are "Ulster Says No" cigarette lighters, Orange Order Christmas decorations and banknotes mocked up with an image of Gerry Adams at the time of the 2004 Northern Bank heist in Belfast. In all, Peter Moloney has collected 40,000 such artefacts, all culled from decades of political turmoil and bloody strife. Moloney, a retired London-based architect, has spent 50 years accumulating the largest array of memorabilia relating to the history of the Troubles in Northern Ireland – a labour of love that began when he was just 15. And this month he finally packed up the unique historical treasure trove and sent it back to Northern Ireland, where it will go on public display. The exhibition will coincide with what is regarded as the 50th anniversary of the beginning of a bloody chapter, sparked by the Catholic civil rights movement of the late 1960s. Continue reading... |
| 'Plagiarism': Spain's manchego makers in Mexican standoff over famed cheese Posted: 17 Feb 2018 10:31 PM PST Calls for Mexico's cheesemakers to stop using the name are threatening a new trade deal between Latin American country and the EU The producers of Spain's renowned manchego cheese have accused their Mexican counterparts of "crude plagiarism" in a row that is holding back a new trade deal between the EU and Mexico. "We have to defend our manchego tooth and nail," says Francisco Tejado, walking through the factory of Spain's biggest cheese producer, Garcia Baquero, located in the arid plains of La Mancha, the region famed for the cheese. Continue reading... |
| The Wife’s Tale by Aida Edemariam review – anatomy of an unyielding spirit Posted: 18 Feb 2018 02:00 AM PST The extraordinary life of the author's grandmother, who married aged eight and survived tumultuous events, is richly and painstakingly evoked Aida Edemariam found the subject of this engaging biography in her own family tree – The Wife's Tale being the story of her paternal grandmother. And in choosing to excavate and write a family history, she follows a growing trend among biographers reshaping the genre with intimate studies of late mothers, complicated fathers and tragic siblings, from Helen Macdonald and Richard Beard to 2017's Costa prize-winning biographer, Rebecca Stott. In Edemariam's case, it is the life of Yetemegnu, who was born in the northern Ethiopian city of Gondar and died five years ago at the grand age of 97 (or thereabouts: the timeline in the book explains that formal birth certificates weren't used in Ethiopia in the early 20th century). She emerges as a bewitching and resilient figure whose life-changing moments sometimes intersect with the tumultuous history of her nation. Edemariam's narrative often expands to cover the bigger picture – Italian occupation in the 1930s, resistance, liberation, political coups, revolts and famine – before contracting back to Yetemegnu's life. Continue reading... |
| 'How about we stop blaming the victims?': Florida shooting survivors speak at anti-gun rally – video Posted: 18 Feb 2018 01:23 AM PST Students who survived the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High school have given emotive speeches condemning gun laws in the US. Hundreds of people protested at an anti-gun rally in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday Continue reading... |
| 'They still respect their priest':the Mexican bishop who negotiates with cartel bosses Posted: 18 Feb 2018 12:01 AM PST In the country's heroin-producing heartland, Bishop Salvador Rangel Mendoza is attempting a radical solution to drug violence The bishop Salvador Rangel Mendoza ministers to one of the toughest dioceses in Mexico: Chilpancingo-Chilapa lies in the country's heroin-producing heartland, the setting for fierce battles between rival crime groups and security forces. Violence in this part of the rugged state of Guerrero has reached such levels that entire villages have fled en masse and local morgues have run out of space to take more dead bodies. Continue reading... |
| More Nauru refugees depart for US as attack on Manus provokes panic Posted: 17 Feb 2018 07:33 PM PST
Another 35 refugees are leaving Nauru for the United States on Sunday, the third group to depart Australia's offshore immigration centres this week. The makeup further confirms fears that Iranians, who make up the largest national group on Nauru, have so far been excluded from the US intake. Iran was proscribed by Donald Trump's "travel ban". Continue reading... |
| Malcolm Turnbull consulted his wife, Lucy, over minister-staff sex ban Posted: 18 Feb 2018 02:00 AM PST PM says his criticism of Barnaby Joyce 'would have overwhelming endorsement of Australians' The ministerial sex ban Malcolm Turnbull imposed on his government was "one of those classic issues" where he sought the counsel of his wife, Lucy, the prime minister has revealed. In an interview for 60 minutes, Turnbull maintained he had no regrets about the public flaying he gave his deputy, Barnaby Joyce, over his affair with a former staffer. Turnbull said he spoke for the nation despite his now-infamous comments that threatened to tear the Coalition apart. Continue reading... |
| Mexico’s Zapatista rebels, 24 years on and defiant in mountain strongholds Posted: 17 Feb 2018 12:30 PM PST The peasant rebels took up arms in 1994, and now number 300,000 in centres with their own doctors, teachers and currency, but rarely answer questions – until now Diners in the Tierradentro cafe in the southern Mexican town of San Cristóbal de las Casas can choose between a variety of omelettes. The "Liberty" has the most ingredients, the "Democracy" looks the best, but the "Justice" costs the most – possibly because it comes with cheese. The restaurant is one of many celebrating, or cashing in on, the Zapatistas, the indigenous peasant rights movement from dirt-poor Chiapas state, which took up arms and occupied San Cristóbal on 1 January 1994, the day Mexico signed up to Nafta, the North American free trade agreement. Continue reading... |
| ‘It was heartbreaking’: the bleak truth behind Bafta-chasing migrant drama Posted: 17 Feb 2018 03:00 AM PST Stark realities underpin Aamir, Vika Evdokimenko's ostensibly fictional tale of a young migrant forced to fend for himself Aamir is just 13. Like many teenagers, his coming of age is marked by a wispy moustache above his upper lip, a vulnerability in his hunched shoulders, a voice not yet broken. But after soldiers break into his family home in Mosul and shoot and kill his father, Aamir must become a man. His mother sends him away with a few wads of cash and his father's watch as insurance, hoping to give him a better life – one he might actually survive. But as the boy tries to find his feet all alone in a foreign world, will he end up losing his mind in the process? Continue reading... |
| Putin’s chef, a troll farm and Russia's plot to hijack US democracy Posted: 17 Feb 2018 06:18 AM PST Robert Mueller has revealed audacious meddling in the 2016 election. Can he link it to Trump? The plot against America began in 2014. Thousands of miles away, in a drab office building in St Petersburg, Russia, a fake newsroom was under construction with its own graphics, data analysis, search engine optimisation, IT and finance departments. Its mission: "information warfare against the United States of America". What followed, according to an indictment brought by the US special counsel, Robert Mueller, on Friday, was a stunningly successful attack on the most powerful democracy in the world. It involved stolen identities, fake social media accounts, rallies organised from afar, US citizens duped into doing Moscow's bidding, and two Russians going undercover in a ruse reminiscent of The Americans, a TV drama about KGB spies in suburban Washington during the cold war. Continue reading... |
| Trump vowed to end 'this American carnage' – but the attacks keep happening Posted: 17 Feb 2018 04:30 AM PST Under Trump, the US has endured three of the worst mass shootings in modern history. Yet as the grief and anger grows, inertia reigns "Beginning on January 20 2017, safety will be restored," Donald Trump vowed as he accepted the nomination as the Republican candidate for president. Continue reading... |
| After Florida, I see the NRA as nothing less than a terrorist organization Posted: 17 Feb 2018 04:00 AM PST What else would you call a group that ensures I need to have a conversation with my daughter about how to survive a school shooting? I try so hard not to let tragedies like the one that happened at a Florida high school this week feel like just another shooting. This happens so often, it's easy to fall into frozen despair. If child after child is killed, and still our politicians do nothing – how can we expect anything to change? The truth is that we have to stop voting for Republicans; we have to stop voting for people who take money from the NRA. At this point, I consider them nothing less than a terrorist organization – what else would you call a group that ensures I have to have a conversation with my seven-year-old about playing dead should she be unable to run away from a shooter. Continue reading... |
| US national security adviser on Russian election meddling: 'evidence is incontrovertible' – video Posted: 17 Feb 2018 12:22 PM PST HR McMaster, US national security adviser, says the evidence of Russian meddling during the 2016 elections is 'incontrovertible'. McMaster's comments were made in response to a question on the topic of US-Russia dialogue on cyber security at the Munich security conference Continue reading... |
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