Новости за 19.04.2017

The United Nations is once again denying proper justice to victims of cholera in Haiti. Perhaps the UN hopes it can make good by apologising, which it did at the end of 2016, and accepting that it was at least partly involved in the initial outbreak of the disease. But this isn’t enough. And while it promises to prevent future outbreaks and offer remedies to victims, its efforts are proving inadequate.

How the UK press covered the election announcement. Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, Daily Express

It was the Daily Mail headline that caught most people’s eye as they sat down to read press reaction to Theresa May’s snap election announcement. “Crush the Saboteurs”, screamed the paper’s front page below a write-off which congratulated the prime minister on a “stunning move” that would call the bluff of the “game-playing” Remoaners – including the “unelected Lords”.

For the second time in less than 12 months, the UK Prime Minister, Theresa May, has performed a breathtaking political U-turn. This first took place in June 2016 when she transformed from solid Remainer to fervent Leaver – all in the name of securing the position of Tory leader and PM. Her second came the moment she stood in front of Downing Street to call a snap general election – an election she had repeatedly claimed she would not trigger in the interests of political stability.

The French call it Mélenchonite, a feverish excitement brought on by over-exposure to left-wing populism.

Shutterstock/Lisa S.

Air pollution is often seen as a local problem requiring local and regional solutions. Karachi, London, Lagos, Mexico City and Paris are just a few of the world’s cities grappling with poor air quality. With city-dwellers increasingly being asked to ditch the car – especially if it’s diesel – and use greener modes of transport, it’s easy to forget that air is also mobile. As a result, there’s very little attention being paid to the impact of cross-border air pollution on human health and well-being. Читать дальше...

Celebrating 100 years. Shutterstock

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Russian revolution. It began in February 1917 and reached a climax eight months later in October when the Bolsheviks seized power. A year of enormous significance in the nation’s history, it has so far received little attention in 2017.

Jacek Wojnarowski / shutterstock

The Daily Mail calls it a “slime wave”. The Sun calls them “an army”. Either way, both papers have reported 500 billion slugs are set to invade British gardens, after a mild winter created perfect breeding conditions.

Kelvin MacKenzie has been suspended as a Sun columnist for an opinion piece in which he referred to Everton footballer Ross Barkley – who has a Nigerian grandfather – as a “gorilla”. MacKenzie also used the column to imply that the only wealthy people in Liverpool – other than footballers – are drug dealers.

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On the afternoon following the EU referendum result, I found myself in an Oxford pub garden. Close by was a large and boisterous table of university lads celebrating what for them was a brilliant victory. There had been the odd loud outburst of patriotic feeling but the biggest cheer of the evening occurred when one shouted: “Today we’re free of the EU! Next we reconquer the Empire!”

Theresa May’s announcement, calling for a general election on June 8, 2017, caught virtually everyone by surprise.

Frank in 8-bit glory Steve Horsley

Walk down any British high street in the 1980s, and you’d be bombarded by an array of computers for sale. The Commodore 64, Dragon 32 and Acorn Electron formed a wave of microcomputers, so-called for their small size and cost.

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The new metropolitan mayors who are being elected in the UK in May will wield significant power. But can they do any better than their colleagues in Westminster when it comes to tackling poverty? Housing is perhaps one area where the new mayors will be able to make their mark.

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With an impressive 28 seasons under its belt, and a 29th and 30th run recently commissioned, The Simpsons is an incredible example of primetime television show longevity. It will leave Gunsmoke holstering its weapon as it takes the record for the most episodes of a scripted television series.

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Few people would disagree that children have a right to participate in matters that affect them. But in hospitals this right seems to be waived. My research at hospitals in Ireland revealed that children find it difficult to have their views heard.

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Inequality is the defining social, political and economic phenomenon of our time. Just 1% of the world’s population now holds over 35% of all private wealth, more than the bottom 95% combined. Bad as this may seem, trends suggest that the situation will only get worse. Addressing it will involve multiple strategies working together, but one which is less well understood is how simple, affordable solutions to people’s problems can make a genuine difference from the bottom up. Читать дальше...

Otra Nation

Trump promised his supporters a “big and beautiful” wall. Accordingly, the recent design competition required it, among other things, to look good – from the US side. Yet it seems unlikely that the wall will ever be completed. The areas where US border security deemed a physical barrier necessary and viable have already been built. The remaining sections of the border feature formidable natural barriers where countless innocent people have lost their lives.

Since the 1980s, all major Western states practice what they call civil or administrative confinement of undocumented immigrants and non-citizens. But this practice of putting undocumented immigrants – as well as asylum seekers – in detention centres does not deter people from seeking sanctuary in the West. Instead, it feeds a growing private prison industry and can portray genuine asylum seekers, who are often deeply scarred by trauma, as criminals who pose a security threat.