UN votes to describe slave trade as ‘gravest crime against humanity’ pred 5 urami in 1 minuto Members call for reparatory justice as landmark resolution aims for ‘political recognition at the highest level’The United Nations has voted to describe the transatlantic chattel slave trade as the “gravest crime against humanity” and called for reparations as “a concrete step towards remedying historical wrongs”.The landmark resolution passed on Wednesday was backed by the African Union (AU) and the Caribbean Community (Caricom). It had been proposed by Ghana’s president, John Dramani Mahama, who said: “Let it be recorded that when history beckoned, we did what was right for the memory of millions who suffered the indignity of slavery.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Labour’s donations crackdown is a blow to Reform UK – and a highly political move pred 5 urami in 5 minutami Reform’s ability to fundraise is hobbled in a move that draws attention to donations from an overseas billionaireReform UK are no doubt the biggest losers from the government’s emergency measures to overhaul political donations.Labour MPs are absolutely delighted that No 10 is at last bringing in changes that will hobble Reform’s ability to raise money from its Thailand-based mega-donor, Christopher Harborne, at the same time as making the electoral system fairer in the eyes of the public. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
TSA staffing shortage and upcoming World Cup will create ‘perfect storm’, warns acting head pred 5 urami in 10 minutami Ha Nguyen McNeill testified before House committee about airport wait times amid DHS funding shutdownSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxThe acting head of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said on Wednesday that airports across the country are experiencing the “highest wait times in TSA history”, as the partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) enters its sixth week.At a House homeland security committee hearing, Ha Nguyen McNeill said her agency has been shut down for 50% of the fiscal year so far – a stretch that includes last year’s record-breaking 43‑day lapse in federal funding. She told lawmakers that by Friday, TSA employees will have missed $1bn in paychecks as a result of the closures. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Maternal mortality rises in US aid-dependent countries under Republican presidents, study shows pred 5 urami in 13 minutami Cuts to family planning aid are linked to an 11% increase in deaths during pregnancy and childbirth in some countriesWhen Republican presidents win power in the US there is a stark consequence for many pregnant woman around the world – a significant rise in maternal mortality as aid is withdrawn, a new study has found.Global family planning aid typically drops under Republican presidents and then rises again by 48% once Democratic presidents are elected, the research, published in BMJ Global Health, finds. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Fifteen new councils to be created in south and east of England pred 5 urami in 29 minutami New unitary councils will replace 43 county and district councils, in latest round of local government overhaulFifteen new councils will be created in the south and east of England under the latest round of a major local government overhaul, aimed at boosting economic growth and accelerating mass housebuilding plans.The new unitary councils will replace 43 counties and districts across Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Hampshire, with hundreds of councillors’ roles axed. A decision on future arrangements for East Sussex and West Sussex has been delayed. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Italy’s tourism minister resigns amid turmoil from referendum failure pred 5 urami in 42 minutami Giorgia Meloni made public request for Daniela Santanchè to quit in effort to restore credibility after voters rejected judicial reformItaly’s embattled tourism minister has resigned, heeding a call to step down as the prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, strives to restore credibility after a bruising defeat in a referendum that has thrown her far-right government into turmoil.The resignation on Wednesday of Daniela Santanchè, a prominent and brash member of Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party, came after the prime minister took the unusual step of calling in a public statement for her to go. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘It’s bizarre’: Iranians try to maintain semblance of normal life as conflict drags on pred 7 urami in 27 minutami Explosions lit up Tehran skyline as Israel launched new airstrikes but by morning joggers were in the parkMiddle East crisis – live updatesThe days after Nowruz, the Persian New Year, are usually a bustling time in Tehran, with spring arriving, trees blossoming, businesses reopening after the holidays, and people returning to work and school.This year, however, Iranians are trying to maintain a semblance of ordinary life against the constant backdrop of explosions, airstrikes – and a conflict many fear may drag on for weeks or months. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
UK iPhone users face over-18 age check to use services after update pred 7 urami in 46 minutami Ofcom says decision is ‘real win for children and families’ but some users raise concerns over privacyMillions of Apple iPhone customers in the UK will now have to confirm they are 18 or older to use all available services, including by showing a credit card or by scanning an ID.The move, believed to be a first for a European market, comes amid pressure on tech companies from the government to do more to protect children online. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Republicans introduce bill to fund Iran war amid fight over DHS shutdown pred 7 urami in 48 minutami Party intends to craft a bill using the reconciliation procedure, which will allow it to circumvent the Senate filibusterUS politics live – latest updatesSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailSenate Republicans on Wednesday announced plans to begin a unilateral push for legislation that may include funding for Donald Trump’s war with Iran and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), while also including elements of a voter ID bill that is a priority of the party’s right wing.The legislative effort – which could take weeks to play out and has no guarantee of success – comes amid a protracted standoff with Democrats over the partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which has led to lengthy lines at Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints at some airports. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Bond between dogs and humans dates back more than 15,000 years, study finds pred 8 urami in 18 minutami Research suggests hunter-gatherers were feeding dogs and giving them ritual burials as early as the last ice ageThey are humankind’s best friend, and now ancient DNA analysis has revealed that the enduring bond between dogs and humans dates back more than 15,000 years.The groundbreaking research, published in the journal Nature, pushes back the oldest genetic evidence for domestic dogs by 5,000 years, revealing that hunter-gatherers were feeding the animals and giving them ritual burials long before the emergence of agriculture. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
