Iranian President, Hassan Rouhani, returns from Barack Obama talk to jeers – and cheers – in Tehran
JONATHAN OWEN SUNDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2013
The Iranian President, Hassan Rouhani, was greeted by angry scenes on his return to Tehran from New York yesterday, with his convoy pelted with eggs, shoes and stones amid chants of “Death to America” and “Death to Israel”.
But supporters of his controversial decision to break a 34-year silence between the leaders of Iran and America, by speaking to President Barack Obama on Friday, cheered and hailed him as a “lord of peace”.
The 15-minute telephone call between the two men was the first conversation between the presidents of the two countries since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. It came after last week’s United Nations meeting in New York, and assurances made by Mr Rouhani about Iran’s controversial nuclear programme. “We say explicitly that we will be transparent; we say explicitly that we will not build a bomb,” he said.
Kenya criticizes U.S. over updated travel warning
By Adam Schreck, Sunday, September 29, 7:34 AM
NAIROBI – Kenya on Saturday sharply criticized a decision by the United States to reissue a travel advisory for the country in the wake of the deadly attack on an upscale mall in the capital, highlighting fears that the assault could hurt the East African nation’s lucrative tourism industry.
The State Department released the updated advisory on Friday, which made specific reference to the recent terrorist attack on the Westgate Premier Shopping Mall in Nairobi that left at least 67 people dead, including several foreigners. Five Americans were injured, according to the State Department.
Special report: The punishment was death by stoning. The crime? Having a mobile phone
This barbaric form of execution is on the rise, and campaigners are calling on the UN to act
EMMA BATHA SUNDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2013
Two months ago, a young mother of two was stoned to death by her relatives on the order of a tribal court in Pakistan. Her crime: possession of a mobile phone.
Arifa Bibi’s uncle, cousins and others hurled stones and bricks at her until she died, according to media reports. She was buried in a desert far from her village. It’s unlikely anyone was arrested. Her case is not unique. Stoning is legal or practised in at least 15 countries or regions. And campaigners fear this barbaric form of execution may be on the rise, particularly in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq.
Protesters in Khartoum call for Bashir to quit
More than 3 000 protesters took to the streets of the Sudanese capital Khartoum to demand President Omar Hassan al-Bashir quit.
28 SEP 2013 11:40 KHALID ABDELAZIZ
Protesters in Khartoum have taken to the streets to demand that President Omal Hassan al-Bashir quit, witnesses said, after days of unrest in which dozens of people have been killed.
Daily demonstrations this week followed the government cutting fuel and cooking gas subsidies on Monday when pump prices doubled overnight.
Four protesters were shot dead by unidentified gunmen on Friday, police said, bringing the official death toll to 33.
In Khartoum’s Burri district, home to a top government official, more than 1 000 people gathered for the funeral of one of the victims, Salah Sanhuri, a doctor from a prominent merchant family with strong ties to the government.
Is population growth out of control?
By Hannah Barnes
BBC News“The world’s population is increasing out of control,” Sir David told the BBC’s Today programme.
“Since I first started making programmes 60 years ago, the human population has tripled.”
Two striking claims.
Let’s take the second one first – that the world’s population has tripled in 60 years.
In 1950, around the time Sir David began his broadcasting career, there were 2.53 billion people in the world. Sixty-three years later and the latest estimate of world population is 7.16 billion.
Chimps are making monkeys out of us
Extraordinary research from Japan shows that chimpanzees are way ahead of humans in complex memory tests
Justin McCurry
The Observer, Sunday 29 September 2013Tetsuro Matsuzawa begins his working day, conventionally enough, in front of a computer. He taps in a few commands, takes a seat and waits. Within minutes, the calm of his basement laboratory is pierced by the sound of excitable primates.
On cue, two chimpanzees appear through an opening in the ceiling, flash a look of recognition at Matsuzawa, and then aim an inquisitive stare at his unfamiliar companion from the Observer.