Non-coronavirus news you may have missed overnight
Dozens killed in Afghanistan attacks as Facebook agrees to pay millions over workers' PTSD
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Your support makes all the difference.Although coronavirus continues to dominate headlines in the UK, the rest of the world has not completely ground to a halt. Here is your morning briefing of the non-coronavirus news you may have missed overnight.
Two newborn babies were among 16 people killed in an attack by gunmen disguised as police at a maternity hospital in Afghanistan’s capital of Kabul on Tuesday, Afghan officials have said.
In a separate attack on Tuesday, a suicide bomber struck a police commander’s funeral which was attended by government officials and a member of parliament, killing at least 24 people and injuring 68 – a toll which authorities warned could rise.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for either attack, with the Taliban denying involvement in both incidents.
Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, has condemned the hospital attack as “an act of sheer evil”.
Facebook has announced it will pay $52m (£42m) in total to content moderators who developed PTSD while working for the social media platform, according to a report.
The company has been embroiled in controversy since The Verge published a detailed report about Facebook content moderators facing trauma and developing PTSD with severely limited mental resources.
The social media giant will provide moderators with more counselling and at least $1,000 to all eligible current and former content moderators with diagnosed PTSD or other conditions, the tech news website reported.
Conservative’s discrimination probe is a ‘facade’ to distract from Islamophobia, Muslim Council says
The Muslim Council of Britain has described a probe into discrimination within the Conservative Party as a “facade” to distract from the party’s problems with Islamophobia.
The probe will look at the “nature and extent of complaints” as well as how the party had responded to them, following calls for Boris Johnson to examine allegations of Islamophobia within his party last year.
“We have previously described the Conservative Party’s attitude to Islamophobia as one of denial, dismissal and deceit,” Harun Khan, secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain, said.
“The publication of the terms of reference for its inquiry reflects that regrettable attitude. They are a facade to hide the hundreds of incidences of Islamophobic bigotry we have identified in its ranks.”
Mr Khan added: “In sum, it seems even today, the Conservative Party refuses to acknowledge that there can be bigotry and prejudice directed at Muslims.”
Amanda Milling, the Conservatives' co-chairman, said the party would never "stand by when it comes to prejudice and discrimination of any kind".
US signals Sacoolas extradition refusal is final amid calls for inquiry
The US State Department has signalled that the decision to refuse an extradition request for Harry Dunn's alleged killer is final, following reports that an Interpol Red Notice had been issued for her arrest.
The teenage motorcyclist’s family were told by Northamptonshire Police on Monday that 42-year-old Anne Sacoolas - the wife of a US intelligence official - was “wanted internationally” in connection to his death.
Downing Street said the US refusal to extradite Ms Sacoolas amounted to a “denial of justice”, while Lisa Nandy, Labour’s shadow foreign secretary, said the government had made “clear and repeated failings” in its handling of the case and called for an inquiry into the issue.
However, a spokesperson for the US State Department said officials still maintained the position that Ms Sacoolas had diplomatic immunity from criminal jurisdiction.
MPs warn ban on chlorinated chicken and hormone-fed beef should remain
The government has been warned chlorine-washed chicken and hormone-fed beef should remain banned in England to protect farm standards after the UK leaves the EU.
Opponents of the practices have said they want ministers to guarantee food standards in the Agriculture Bill, which will return to parliament on Wednesday, while ministers have said the issue will be dealt with in the upcoming Trade Bill.
“We [The Tories] put high welfare standards in our manifesto so people will be expecting us to deliver on that,” Neil Parish, Conservative chair of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs committee, said.
“The government mustn’t allow any trade deal with the US, or anyone else, to undermine British food standards.”
Although both practices are banned in the EU, the US has argued the restrictions should be lifted.
Additional reporting by agencies
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