Six In The Morning Thursday 25 February 2021

 

Princess Latifa urges UK police to reopen sister's kidnap case

Princess Latifa, the captive daughter of Dubai's ruler, has appealed to UK police to re-investigate the kidnap of her older sister from a Cambridge street more than 20 years ago.

In a letter shared with the BBC, Latifa tells Cambridgeshire police this could help free Princess Shamsa, who was captured on the orders of their father.

Shamsa, who was just 18 then and is now 39, has not been seen in public since.

The government of Dubai has not responded to BBC requests for comment.

Atlantic Ocean circulation at weakest in a millennium, say scientists

Decline in system underpinning Gulf Stream could lead to more extreme weather in Europe and higher sea levels on US east coast

Fiona Harvey Environment correspondent

Thu 25 Feb 2021 16.00 GMT

The Atlantic Ocean circulation that underpins the Gulf Stream, the weather system that brings warm and mild weather to Europe, is at its weakest in more than a millennium, and Joe Sommerlad@JoeSommerlad

28 minutes ago

 climate breakdown is the probable cause, according to new data.

Further weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) could result in more storms battering the UK, and more intense winters and an increase in damaging heatwaves and droughts across Europe.

Scientists predict that the AMOC will weaken further if global heating continues, and could reduce by about 34% to 45% by the end of this century, which could bring us close to a “tipping point” at which the system could become irrevocably unstable. A weakened Gulf Stream would also raise sea levels on the Atlantic coast of the US, with potentially disastrous consequences.

QAnon: How the US Satanic paedophile cult conspiracy theory took root in Europe

Movement mutating away from original Trump-centric mythology to appeal to anti-establishment suspicion and anti-lockdown discontent in UK, France, Germany and beyond

Joe Sommerlad@JoeSommerlad

QAnon is the online conspiracy theory cult that in the past has claimed a secret deep state cabal of devil-worshipping paedophiles is operating at the heart of the US government in Washington, DC, wielding the levers of power and drinking the blood of its enemies to stay forever young.

Originating on 4chan in October 2017, the movement believed, until recently, that Donald Trump was quietly doing battle with the Democrat leaders of this sinister elite - comprised of a constellation of conservative hate figures from Hillary Clinton to Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey and Tom Hanks - and would ultimately win the day by overthrowing their tyranny and freeing the (imaginary) children they held captive for sex slavery.

Facebook bans all Myanmar military-linked accounts

Facebook has banned all accounts linked to Myanmar's army. The social media giant has cited the violence since the February 1 coup as the reason behind the ban.

Facebook has barred accounts tied to Myanmar's military as well as military-controlled media accounts from using its platforms, the social media giant said on Thursday.

The ban also includes Facebook ads from military-controlled companies and accounts on Instagram.

The company cited the military coup earlier this month as well as the violence against protesters that followed as the reason for the ban.

WHO says patients suffering long Covid symptoms ‘need to be heard’

Covid or long Covid symptoms needed to be listened to and understanding long-term consequences should be made a priority by health authorities.

"The sufferers of post-COVID conditions need to be heard if we are to understand the long-term consequences and recovery from COVID-19. It's a clear priority for WHO, and of the utmost importance. It should be for every health authority," Hans Kluge, regional director for WHO Europe, told a press conference.

Muslim victims of 2020 Delhi violence ‘losing hopes of justice’

Victims say they have come up against the police’s repeated refusal to investigate complaints against Hindu rioters.

The shooter shouted “Victory to Lord Ram,” the Hindu god, before pulling the trigger that sent a bullet into Muhammad Nasir Khan’s left eye.

Khan put a trembling hand on his bloody eye socket and his fingers slipped deep into the wound. At that moment, he was sure he would die.

Khan ended up surviving the violence that killed 53 others, mostly fellow Muslims, when it engulfed his neighbourhood in the Indian capital last year – India’s worst communal riots in decades.