A wave of dissent has swept across the globe in recent weeks, from Latin America to the Middle East and a multitude of points in between. Is there a common thread fuelling the protests – and if so, what? Michael Safi and the Guardian’s international correspondents put five key flashpoints into context, while foreign affairs commentator Simon Tisdall argues that the planet’s huge population of networked young people is the common denominator.
Could the death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Islamic State’s erstwhile leader, draw a line under the terrorist group that has sowed chaos around the world for the last five years? While Donald Trump revelled in the role played by US special forces in Baghdadi’s demise, Middle East correspondent Martin Chulov sounds a note of caution, while also charting the background to the end of the hunt for one of the world’s most wanted men.
David Attenborough is the most beloved figure in Britain, and, at 93, a global superstar. His films long shied away from discussing humanity’s impact on the planet. Now they are sounding the alarm – but is it all too late, wonders nature writer Patrick Barkham.
Facebook’s chief executive Mark Zuckerberg was grilled by the US Congress last week over the social network’s opaque policies on misinformation in advertising. On the opinion pages Carole Cadwalladr praises New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who made sure Zuckerberg’s visit was an uncomfortable one.
Elsewhere there’s a terrific long read on why meat-eaters get so annoyed by veganism, Marina Hyde on the shambles of the NBA-China standoff, and peek into the lost letters of the late pop star Prince.
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