European election polls: How the EU’s establishment parties will lose ground as far-Right populism increases
The established centre-left and centre-right blocs in the EU Parliament are likely to lose their combined majority in May’s European Elections, according to the latest polling. Polls indicate that these two large pan-European blocs, which are comprised of a host of allied parties from each EU country, will lose seats under a tide of populist…
Turtle species on brink of extinction as last-known female dies in China
One of the world’s rarest turtles, a Yangtze giant softshell, has died in a Chinese zoo, leaving only three of the critically endangered species left. The turtle was the last confirmed female in the world when she died during fertility treatment, raising the grim prospect that the species, which is also known as the Red…
Angela Merkel pulls out of European elections event amid rumours of row within party
Angela Merkel has upset the new leader of her Christian Democratic party (CDU) party by cancelling a key hustings for the European elections, leading to speculation that the two leading figures in German politics have fallen out over the party’s new identity. Ms Merkel has informed Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer at the eleventh hour that she will…
Venezuelan former spy chief arrested in Spain and faces US extradition
Hugo Chavez’s former spy chief appeared in a Madrid court on Saturday and refused voluntary extradition to the United States. Hugo Carvajal, 59, was arrested by Spanish police at 3:30pm local time on Friday, on the request of US authorities, who have been trying to detain him on drug trafficking charges for many years. A…
Steve Bannon says the Pope is ‘dead wrong’ about the danger of nationalist movements
Steve Bannon has used a new interview to attack the Pope over his anti-populism, as the former Trump adviser ramps up his message ahead of the European elections. In an interview with NBC News, to be broadcast in the US on Sunday night, Mr Bannon said the Pontiff should stay out of politics. “He’s the…
White House screens controversial anti-abortion film amid hopes of a Hollywood awakening
An anti-abortion film which major Hollywood studios refused to fund was screened at the White House on Friday night, amid jubilation from conservatives who believe the film industry will now wake up to their perspective. “Conservatives had given up on Hollywood,” said Phelim McAleer, the Irish producer of the film. “People told us they hadn’t…
Wikileaks’ 11 greatest stories
1. Iraq Apache helicopter attack Horrifying video footage showing 15 people including two Reuters journalists being shot dead by a US Army Apache helicopter gunman, taken from the helicopter’s gun camera, appalled the world when it was released on Wikileaks. The crew were heard laughing at the "dead b—–ds" and saying "light ’em up!" and "keep shooting, keep shooting".…
US Muslim congresswoman says she won’t be silenced by Donald Trump
One of America’s first Muslim congresswomen has vowed not to be silenced after Donald Trump led an attack on her for controversial remarks she made about 9/11. Rep Ilhan Omar of Minnesota sparked a furious row after she characterised the atrocity by saying “some people did something” during a speech in Los Angeles last month to the…
How Sudan’s precarious revolution could fall prey to old elites and regional interference
The noise outside must have been deafening. All week, Sudan’s generals had heard the repeated call “just fall, that’s all,” eventually yielding to it by toppling Omar al-Bashir, Sudan’s military dictator, and placing him under arrest. But as night fell on Friday, the chants wafting through the windows of Khartoum’s military headquarters were directed at them. Hundreds of thousands, more than at…
Georgetown University students vote to pay $27 per-semester fee for slavery reparations
Georgetown University students have voted to pay a $27 (£20) per semester fee in reparations to the descendants of slaves sold by the elite institution in the 1800s. The ‘Reconciliation Contribution’ fee would create one of the first reparation funds of its kind in the US and provide money for the education of the slaves’…