World news and comment from the Guardian | guardian.co.uk |
- UN warns Idlib could be next Syrian disaster zone in 'marathon of pain'
- Macron pitches new Iran deal to sweeten existing agreement for Trump
- Toronto van attack: Facebook post may link suspect to misogynist 'incel' subculture
- UN staff pension fund mired in 'dirty profits' from firms guilty of rights abuses
- Toronto police officer hailed as hero for arresting suspect without firing shot
- Eight months on, is the world's most drastic plastic bag ban working?
- 'Mountains and mountains of plastic': life on Cambodia's polluted coast
- Mummified body found in Iran could be of ex-ruler Reza Shah
- Trudeau raises 'serious concern' over jailed blogger in call with Saudi king
- Mexico: dismembered corpse dumped after presidential candidate says 'cut off hands'
- Record levels of plastic discovered in Arctic sea ice
- Cambridge University rejected Facebook study over 'deceptive' privacy standards
- Cheesed off: Spain's manchego makers vow to fight EU name ruling
- Sean Hannity's real estate venture linked to fraudulent property dealer
- Money problems: why Finland has given up on the basic income dream
- Alfie Evans' parents make last-ditch attempt to overturn court ruling
- WhatsApp raises minimum age to 16 for Europeans ahead of GDPR
- Arizona special election: Debbie Lesko holds on to seat for Republicans
- Philippines to expel Australian nun Patricia Fox after arrest for 'political activities'
- Mass resignations at Chinese owner of Australia's largest dairy farm cast doubt on investment
- Sun, sand and thousands of refugees: the Lesbos volunteer – podcast
- 'Deals with the devil always unravel': the UK blind spot for Sudan's abuses | Rebecca Lowe
- India's death penalty for rapists of young girls could push them to kill | Rituparna Chatterjee
- DNC lawsuit against Trump campaign divides party – but could reveal key facts
- Trump and Macron share an awkward handshake and a kiss - video
- I’ll get that little piece of dandruff off, says Trump as he flicks at Macron's jacket - video
- Emmanuel Macron goes to Washington – in pictures
- Unfit for office? How the 25th amendment could remove Trump – video explainer
| UN warns Idlib could be next Syrian disaster zone in 'marathon of pain' Posted: 24 Apr 2018 09:00 PM PDT Humanitarian chief and special envoy warn of potential for another humanitarian catastrophe The UN's two most senior Syria experts have warned of an Aleppo-style humanitarian catastrophe in Idlib as an EU donor conference aimed to raise up to $6bn (£4bn)to help Syrians displaced both inside and outside the country. Idlib is the last major territory still in rebel hands. It is partly held by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, a jihadi group that Russia and the Syrian government regard as a legitimate target in an area where civilians and fighters continue to pour in as part of evacuation deals in other parts of the country. Continue reading... |
| Macron pitches new Iran deal to sweeten existing agreement for Trump Posted: 24 Apr 2018 11:59 AM PDT French president's offer seems calculated to appease Donald Trump's discontent with the current 'bad deal' on Iran's nuclear programme Emmanuel Macron has proposed negotiations on a "new deal" aimed at curbing Iran's military power and regional activities, to exist alongside a three year-old agreement that restricts the country's nuclear programme. Related: The Trump-Macron minibreak makes for some fantastique photographs Continue reading... |
| Toronto van attack: Facebook post may link suspect to misogynist 'incel' subculture Posted: 25 Apr 2018 12:54 AM PDT Post appears to connect alleged killer with 'incel', or 'involuntary celibate', communities that have made sexual frustration the basis for misogyny Shortly before a rented van ploughed into a crowd of pedestrians in Toronto, killing 10 and wounding 14 others, a short and cryptic message was posted on the Facebook account of Alek Minassian, the man accused of carrying out the attack. The post referred to another mass killer – Elliot Rodger, who shot dead six people and wounded 13 others in Isla Vista, California, in 2014 – and said that the "incel rebellion has already begun. We will overthrow all the Chads and the Stacys". Continue reading... |
| UN staff pension fund mired in 'dirty profits' from firms guilty of rights abuses Posted: 24 Apr 2018 11:00 PM PDT Guardian investigation reveals $64bn fund includes investments in companies involved in bribery and major environmental damage The United Nations is facing calls for a full review of its staff pension fund after the Guardian uncovered that it has around a billion dollars invested in companies whose activities are or have been incompatible with core UN principles and programmes. Established in 1948 by the UN general assembly, the fund provides retirement, death and disability benefits to employees. At present it has 203,050 beneficiaries and a market value of $64bn (£45bn), of which nearly $1.5bn is invested in 24 publicly traded companies. Many of those companies have been or are being prosecuted for corrupt practices, implicated in human rights abuses or in environmental catastrophes. Continue reading... |
| Toronto police officer hailed as hero for arresting suspect without firing shot Posted: 24 Apr 2018 12:37 PM PDT The officer, identified as Ken Lam, arrested Alek Minassian, who allegedly drove a van into pedestrians, killing 10 and injuring dozens A Canadian police officer is being hailed for the restraint and professionalism he showed in arresting the suspect in the Toronto van attack without firing a single shot. Related: 'This lady died in front of me': Toronto shocked into silence after van fatalities Continue reading... |
| Eight months on, is the world's most drastic plastic bag ban working? Posted: 24 Apr 2018 09:00 PM PDT Kenya's ban comes with the world's stiffest fines and some businesses are struggling to find affordable alternatives, but in Nairobi's shanty towns the clean-up is changing lives Waterways are clearer, the food chain is less contaminated with plastic – and there are fewer "flying toilets". A year after Kenya announced the world's toughest ban on plastic bags, and eight months after it was introduced, the authorities are claiming victory – so much so that other east African nations Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda and South Sudan are considering following suit. Continue reading... |
| 'Mountains and mountains of plastic': life on Cambodia's polluted coast Posted: 24 Apr 2018 03:19 PM PDT Photographs from Sihanouk in the country's south west reveal locals living amid a staggering tide of plastic pollution Looking down into the water that lies beneath the ramshackle houses of Sihanouk, Cambodia, it is hard to imagine that the sea is there at all. Instead, there is dense layer upon layer of plastic waste clogging the water, piling up around poles that support the wooden homes, carpeting the beach. Continue reading... |
| Mummified body found in Iran could be of ex-ruler Reza Shah Posted: 24 Apr 2018 09:37 AM PDT Remains found near mausoleum destroyed after 1979 revolution, which deposed Pahlavi dynasty A mummified body found near a shrine in Tehran could be of the early 20th-century Iranian monarch Reza Shah, a polarising figure whose reappearance would be problematic for the country's present Islamic leaders. Local media have published conflicting reports about this week's discovery at Shah Abdol-Azim shrine, close to a former royal mausoleum south of the capital where the shah had been buried. |
| Trudeau raises 'serious concern' over jailed blogger in call with Saudi king Posted: 24 Apr 2018 02:40 PM PDT Prime minister reportedly discussed the plight of Raif Badawi, Saudi sentenced to 1,000 lashes, whose wife has asylum in Canada Canada's prime minister, Justin Trudeau, expressed his "serious concern" over the continued imprisonment of the Saudi blogger Raif Badawi to the kingdom's King Salman bin Abdulaziz, his office said on Tuesday. The 34-year-old prisoner, who ran a blog that promoted free speech and women's rights in Saudi Arabia, was arrested in 2012 and sentenced to 1,000 lashes and 10 years in jail for "insulting Islam" in a case that sparked an international outcry. Continue reading... |
| Mexico: dismembered corpse dumped after presidential candidate says 'cut off hands' Posted: 24 Apr 2018 10:40 AM PDT Jaime RodrÃguez's grim suggestion for punishing those who steal from the public purse drew incredulty and mockery, then terrifying reality When a Mexican presidential candidate proposed in a televised debate that public servants who steal should have their hands cut off, his comments were initially greeted with disbelief, and then mockery. Hours later, however, there was a much grimmer reaction: drug cartel members dumped a dismembered corpse in the Pacific city of Acapulco with a sign saying that they were already enforcing the punishment. Continue reading... |
| Record levels of plastic discovered in Arctic sea ice Posted: 24 Apr 2018 08:00 AM PDT Samples taken from five locations found concentrations of more than 12,000 microplastic particles per litre of sea ice Scientists have found a record amount of plastic trapped in Arctic sea ice, raising concern about the impact on marine life and human health. Up to 12,000 pieces of microplastic particles were found per litre of sea ice in core samples taken from five regions on trips to the Arctic Ocean – as many as three times higher than levels in previous studies. Continue reading... |
| Cambridge University rejected Facebook study over 'deceptive' privacy standards Posted: 24 Apr 2018 07:08 AM PDT Exclusive: panel told researcher Aleksandr Kogan that Facebook's approach fell 'far below ethical expectations' A Cambridge University ethics panel rejected research by the academic at the centre of the Facebook data harvesting scandal over the social network's "deceptive" approach to its users privacy, newly released documents reveal. A 2015 proposal by Aleksandr Kogan, a member of the university's psychology department, involved the personal data from 250,000 Facebook users and their 54 million friends that he had already gleaned via a personality quiz app in a commercial project funded by SCL, the parent company of Cambridge Analytica. Continue reading... |
| Cheesed off: Spain's manchego makers vow to fight EU name ruling Posted: 24 Apr 2018 08:04 AM PDT EU says Mexican producers can use manchego name to describe their cheaper, cow's milk cheese Makers and lovers of manchego, Spain's famous sheep's milk cheese, have vowed to fight an EU decision allowing Mexican producers to carry on using the same name to describe their cheaper, cow's milk cheese. A battle over ownership of the name had delayed a major trade deal between the EU and Mexico for months, but agreement was finally reached over the weekend in a deal that will allow 99% of goods to be traded between Mexico and the EU on a tariff-free basis. Continue reading... |
| Sean Hannity's real estate venture linked to fraudulent property dealer Posted: 24 Apr 2018 04:09 AM PDT Shell company tied to the Fox News host bought homes through Jeff Brock, who was charged in 2016 with fraud and conspiracy for his role in a scheme to rig auctions on foreclosed properties
Sean Hannity's real estate venture bought houses through a property dealer who was involved in a criminal conspiracy to fraudulently obtain foreclosed homes, according to records reviewed by the Guardian. In 2012, a shell company linked to the Fox News host bought 11 homes in Georgia that had been purchased by the dealer, Jeff Brock, following foreclosures. Brock transferred the properties to corporate vehicles that sold them on to the Hannity-linked company at a profit. Continue reading... |
| Money problems: why Finland has given up on the basic income dream Posted: 24 Apr 2018 08:42 AM PDT As Finland's government calls time on a bold experiment in giving citizens cash, can others still attempt such utopian schemes? When the Finnish government embarked on a trial of basic income it was lauded as bold, evidence-focused and innovative. The country became something of a standard bearer in a worldwide push towards basic income projects. In failing to commit to widening the scope of the trial in 2019 beyond its current group, however, that reputation is under threat. Universal basic income (UBI) in its purest form is a payment that every citizen receives on a regular basis, without condition and as of right, in and out of work. Universal credit is paid on a household basis, is means tested and conditional, for example on recipients proving that they are actively searching for and accepting offers of work. The Finnish trial is not universal, as only 2,000 unemployed people were selected for it, but it is a basic income. Continue reading... |
| Alfie Evans' parents make last-ditch attempt to overturn court ruling Posted: 25 Apr 2018 01:23 AM PDT Tom Evans and Kate James challenge decision preventing transfer to Vatican City The parents of the seriously ill baby Alfie Evans are returning to the courts in another attempt to overturn a high court ruling that the judge described as "the final chapter in the case of this extraordinary little boy". Tom Evans and Kate James are appealing against the decision to prevent their son from being taken to Vatican City in Rome for treatment. Continue reading... |
| WhatsApp raises minimum age to 16 for Europeans ahead of GDPR Posted: 25 Apr 2018 02:02 AM PDT Facebook-owned messaging service will demand users confirm they are old enough to use app after raising age limit from 13 WhatsApp is raising the minimum user age from 13 to 16, potentially locking out large numbers of teenagers as the messaging app looks to comply with the EU's upcoming new data protection rules. The Facebook-owned messaging service that has more than 1.5 billion users will ask people in the 28 EU states to confirm they are 16 or older as part of a prompt to accept a new terms of service and an updated privacy policy in the next few weeks. Continue reading... |
| Arizona special election: Debbie Lesko holds on to seat for Republicans Posted: 24 Apr 2018 10:54 PM PDT Relief for party and Trump after surprising Democratic special election victories in other Republican strongholds Republicans held on to a deeply conservative Arizona congressional seat on Tuesday night in a special election race to replace an incumbent lawmaker who resigned amid sexual misconduct allegations. The Associated Press called the race for Republican Debbie Lesko shortly after 8pm local time, when the results from the first batch of early votes showed she had an insurmountable lead over her Democratic opponent, Hiral Tiperneni. Continue reading... |
| Philippines to expel Australian nun Patricia Fox after arrest for 'political activities' Posted: 24 Apr 2018 09:52 PM PDT Philippines cancels visa and gives nun 30 days to leave after president Rodrigo Duterte orders investigation The Philippines has cancelled the visa of Sister Patricia Fox, the Australian missionary who was arrested for allegedly engaging in political activity, and has given her 30 days to leave the country. The Philippine president, Rodrigo Duterte, had ordered an investigation into 71-year-old as an "undesirable" foreigner. Continue reading... |
| Mass resignations at Chinese owner of Australia's largest dairy farm cast doubt on investment Posted: 25 Apr 2018 12:01 AM PDT Andrew Wilkie says opponents of Van Diemen's Land Company's sale to Moon Lake Investments were 'right all along' A mass board resignation at the Chinese firm that bought Australia's largest dairy farm has fuelled concerns it may not fulfil the promises of local investment and environmental protection that convinced the Turnbull government to sign off on the sale. Moon Lake Investments attracted scrutiny in 2015 when it offered $280m for the Van Diemen's Land Company, which owned Australia's largest dairy farm in north-western Tasmania. Continue reading... |
| Sun, sand and thousands of refugees: the Lesbos volunteer – podcast Posted: 24 Apr 2018 10:00 PM PDT Shocked by the humanitarian crisis she saw unfolding in Greece, Ayesha Keller got on a plane to see if she could help save lives Ayesha Keller was horrified by the treatment of refugees in Europe and wanted to try to make a difference. She left her job and headed for the Greek island of Lesbos, where she found the beaches strewn with discarded lifejackets, and the formal refugee settlement overflowing. Thousands of people unable to get into the camp were huddled in freezing fields, with no facilities, food or shelter. Keller banded together with other volunteers who had gone to Greece in response to the tragedy. During her year-long stay, she helped crowdfund, establish and run a transit camp in a local farmer's olive groves Sounds from Lesbos were recorded by Cambria Bailey-Jones Continue reading... |
| 'Deals with the devil always unravel': the UK blind spot for Sudan's abuses | Rebecca Lowe Posted: 24 Apr 2018 04:55 AM PDT Britain and the EU are under fire for engaging with a nation with one of the world's worst human rights records – all in the name of stemming migration When Amjed Farid was transferred to a small cell in Kober prison on 5 April, he had a sense of deja vu. "I suddenly realised it was the same one I'd been in five years before," he says. "It brought back some unpleasant memories. I spent a month in solitary, and had hoped I'd never have to see the place again." Farid was one of hundreds imprisoned in Sudan in January following peaceful protests against government austerity measures. While some were released after a few weeks, dozens were detained for nearly three months without charge, including British citizen Sidqi Kaballo. Many were kept in a bitterly cold security centre in Khartoum notorious for interrogations and torture, dubbed "the Hotel" by officials. |
| India's death penalty for rapists of young girls could push them to kill | Rituparna Chatterjee Posted: 24 Apr 2018 02:47 AM PDT With the majority of rapes committed by someone known to the victim, the new law could drive offenders to murder to avoid detection On Saturday India's government approved the death penalty for convicted rapists of girls under the age of 12, amid a groundswell of public outrage following the gang-rape and murder of an eight-year-old Muslim girl in Jammu and Kashmir state. The shocking case involved a girl from the Bakarwal nomadic tribe, who was out grazing her horses when she was abducted, drugged and murdered after a week of torture and repeated rape. It led to a nationwide outcry for swifter justice. Continue reading... |
| DNC lawsuit against Trump campaign divides party – but could reveal key facts Posted: 24 Apr 2018 03:00 AM PDT Experts say suit alleging election conspiracy could inform the public about Trump and Russia, but some Democrats have voiced concern By suing the Trump campaign, the Russian government and others, the Democratic National Committee has opened up a new front in a legal battle that is either a campaign for justice or a pitiable attempt to overturn the 2016 election result, depending on whom you ask. Related: 'Protecting our democracy': DNC chair defends suit against Trump and Russia Continue reading... |
| Trump and Macron share an awkward handshake and a kiss - video Posted: 24 Apr 2018 11:03 AM PDT The US president, Donald Trump, and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, exchange a vigorous handshake at the White House. Macron is the first leader to be accorded a state visit since Trump came to power in January 2017 Continue reading... |
| I’ll get that little piece of dandruff off, says Trump as he flicks at Macron's jacket - video Posted: 24 Apr 2018 08:43 AM PDT The US president has treated his French counterpart to a colourful welcome at the White House. As the two leaders stood for a photo-op, Donald Trump said he and Emmanuel Macron had 'a very special relationship' before brushing away what he said was a 'little piece' of dandruff from Macron's jacket to 'make him perfect'. While the French president has tried to develop a close relationship with Trump since taking office last May, he has so far seen few tangible results on issues from Iran to climate politics. |
| Emmanuel Macron goes to Washington – in pictures Posted: 24 Apr 2018 07:14 AM PDT The French president and his wife Brigitte opened their pomp-filled three-day state visit with a double date with Donald and Melania Trump at George Washington's house Continue reading... |
| Unfit for office? How the 25th amendment could remove Trump – video explainer Posted: 24 Apr 2018 06:00 AM PDT Political dramas Homeland and Designated Survivor have recently explored how a president could be removed from office using the 25th amendment to the US constitution. It can only be triggered if the president is deemed 'unfit for office'. But how would it work in reality? Who would be needed to trigger it? And why has it never been used before? The Guardian's US political reporter Sabrina Siddiqui explains Continue reading... |
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