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‘Iron river’: Mexico’s cartel violence fuelled by trafficked firearms from US

‘Iron river’: Mexico’s cartel violence fuelled by trafficked firearms from US

Lax American gun laws mean weapons are readily available to buy and smuggle south of the border Mexico was rocked this week by a wave of brutal violence after the capture of the drug lord Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, AKA “El Mencho” , as members of his powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel blew up trucks, fired on police stations and engaged in gun battles with Mexican security forces. The chaos eventually calmed but not before 62 people had been killed, including a pregnant woman caught in the cross fire. The scale of the carnage, as well as the arsenal involved, has underscored a key element of Mexico’s struggle against organised crime: cartels are armed to the teeth, and most of their weapons are trafficked from the US. Continue reading...

‘Iron river’: Mexico’s cartel violence fuelled by trafficked firearms from US

‘Iron river’: Mexico’s cartel violence fuelled by trafficked firearms from US

Lax American gun laws mean weapons are readily available to buy and smuggle south of the border Mexico was rocked this week by a wave of brutal violence after the capture of the drug lord Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, AKA “El Mencho” , as members of his powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel blew up trucks, fired on police stations and engaged in gun battles with Mexican security forces. The chaos eventually calmed but not before 62 people had been killed, including a pregnant woman caught in the cross fire. The scale of the carnage, as well as the arsenal involved, has underscored a key element of Mexico’s struggle against organised crime: cartels are armed to the teeth, and most of their weapons are trafficked from the US. Continue reading...

Decision to allow UK exports to Armenian firm under review over Russian links

Decision to allow UK exports to Armenian firm under review over Russian links

Cygnet Texkimp was approved to export machines to Rydena, but ministers examining deal after Guardian highlighted founders’ links to Kremlin military supply chain Ministers are reviewing a decision to allow a British company to export hi-tech equipment to Armenia after the Guardian uncovered links to the Russian military supply chain. Cygnet Texkimp, based in Cheshire, was weeks away from exporting two machines that produce carbon fibre “prepreg”, a lightweight material that can be used in a range of civil and military applications. Continue reading...

‘Melts into an oozy blob’: the best supermarket brie, tasted and rated

‘Melts into an oozy blob’: the best supermarket brie, tasted and rated

Which wedge is utterly brie-liant, and which stinks the place out? Let the tasting commence … • The best supermarket chutneys Brie and baguette is one of life’s simplest pleasures, to be enjoyed anywhere from a park bench to halfway up a mountain, and with no knife or kit required. It’s a soft, white, mould-ripened cheese made from raw or pasteurised cow’s milk, and has a characteristically soft texture. Gently warmed milk is separated into curds with rennet, then inoculated with Penicillium candidum (sometimes called P camemberti) , which gives it that characteristic flavour and white mould rind. It’s then transferred to moulds, salted and ripened for a month or longer. It originally hails from the Brie region in northern France. Continue reading...

‘Viruses don’t know borders’: US anti-vaccine rhetoric could impact global measles crisis

‘Viruses don’t know borders’: US anti-vaccine rhetoric could impact global measles crisis

Experts say global measles vaccination rates are falling as Trump officials signal a deprioritization of the virus The US government has amplified anti-vaccine rhetoric and signaled that it does not consider measles to be a priority, which could have global ramifications as countries around the world have lost or are on the brink of losing measles elimination status. The World Health Organization announced in late January that six European countries: the United Kingdom, Spain, Austria, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan had all officially lost their measles elimination status, which means the virus has been circulating continuously in those countries for more than 12 months. In order to contain measles, at least 95% of children should be fully vaccinated against it, according to health recommendations, but vaccination rates have been falling across Europe. Continue reading...