An investigation by one of Brazil's leading health research institutes has linked high intakes of ultra processed foods to greater rates of premature death.

For some countries like the US and United Kingdom, as many as 1 in 7 deaths could be attributed to ultraprocessed food consumption.

The study led by researchers from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, based in Rio de Janeiro, analyzed data from eight countries, including nationally representative dietary surveys and mortality data.

Meta faces a $2.4bn (£1.8bn) lawsuit accusing the Facebook owner of inflaming violence in Ethiopia after the Kenyan high court said a legal case against the US tech group could go ahead.

The case brought by two Ethiopian nationals calls on Facebook to alter its algorithm to stop promoting hateful material and incitement to violence, as well as hiring more content moderators in Africa. It is also seeking a $2.4bn “restitution fund” for victims of hate and violence incited on Facebook.

In an international operation spanning 38 countries, German investigators said on Wednesday that they had dismantled "KidFlix", a major online platform for the distribution of child sex abuse images with 1.8 million users worldwide.

CHISINAU, April 2 (Reuters) - Moldova's prime minister said on Wednesday that Russian agents spent around 200 million euros ($217 million)- nearly 1% of the small pro-European country's GDP - on efforts to buy votes at its presidential election and EU referendum last year. The comments came on the same day Britain sanctioned Evrazia, a pro-Russian non-governmental organisation, saying it was responsible for attempting to rig the referendum in Moldova and destabilise its democracy.

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Ahmed al-Sharaa announced a transitional government on Saturday, appointing 23 ministers in a broadened cabinet seen as a key milestone in the transition from decades of Assad family rule and to improving Syria's ties with the West.

Syria's new Sunni Islamist-led authorities have been under pressure from the West and Arab countries to form a government that is more inclusive of the country's diverse ethnic and religious communities.

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ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkish authorities detained several journalists from their homes, a media workers’ union said Monday, calling it a crackdown amid growing protests triggered by the jailing of Istanbul’s mayor, a top rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.(..)

The Disk-Basin-Is union said at least eight reporters and photojournalists were detained in what it called an “attack on press freedoms and the people’s right to learn the truth.” It called for their immediate release.

A total of 1,133 people have been detained since the mayor was arrested at his home, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said. As many as 123 police officers were injured in the protests, he said, adding that materials such as acid, firebombs and knives were seized.(..)

Sir Keir Starmer's plan for an international force to support a ceasefire in Ukraine has been dismissed as "a posture and a pose" by Donald Trump's special envoy.

Steve Witkoff said the idea was based on a "simplistic" notion of the UK prime minister and other European leaders thinking "we have all got to be like Winston Churchill".

In an interview with pro-Trump journalist Tucker Carlson, Witkoff praised Vladimir Putin, saying he "liked" the Russian president.

"I don't regard Putin as a bad guy," he said. "He's super smart."

Rural regions account for 43 percent of the world's population – estimated to be just over 8 billion, at the last count – and if the calculations in this new study are correct then the number of unaccounted-for people could potentially stretch into the billions.(...)

"We were surprised to find that the actual population living in rural areas is much higher than the global population data indicates – depending on the dataset, rural populations have been underestimated by between 53 percent to 84 percent over the period studied."(..)

ad: "Not everyone is convinced. Scientists who weren't involved in the study told Chris Stokel-Walker at New Scientist that improvements in satellite imagery and the quality of data collecting in some countries would make these discrepancies smaller."(..)

Hundreds of thousands of protesters marched in Istanbul on Friday in support of Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu – Erdogan's chief political rival – who was detained on Wednesday, just days before he was to be formally named as a candidate in Turkey's 2028 presidential election. The protestors marched despite a warning that authorities will crack down on "street terrorism".

Thousands of people have gathered outside Istanbul's city hall for a second consecutive night to protest against the arrest of the city's mayor, which many view as a politically driven attempt to eliminate a key rival from the next presidential race.

A easy to read article about the similarities between Northern & Southern Europe .

The Celto-Germanic connection unveils a captivating tale of migration, cultural encounters, and shared heritage. Through their linguistic, cultural, and genetic ties, the Celts and Germanic tribes shaped the course of European history. Exploring this connection not only deepens our understanding of ancient Europe but also highlights the rich tapestry of human civilizations and their interconnectedness.

For additional info check this other source

TLDR; both used (democratic) councils, Druids, similar culture & art, Sky Father or afraid of the Sky.