In an explosive interview to New Internationalist, the Kurdish female leader Bese Hozat opens up about peace, the party’s view on the region and the independence referendum in South Kurdistan, and accuses Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the West to have incubated Isis. By Karlos Zurutuza.

Emboldened by a recent study, The Guardian repeats the myth that becoming vegan is the ‘single biggest way’ to reduce your impact on Earth. Chris Saltmarsh and Harpreet Kaur Paul disagree.

The backlash against social media titans is in full swing. But are moves to bring them to heel, including new privacy laws, appropriate? Mike Morel investigates.

Millennials have been condemned to a life of permanent adolescence. Despite the obsession with all things shiny and new, Yohann Koshy argues that young people are using old-fashioned ideas to chart a way forward.

The current clampdown on popular rights mirrors a profound malaise with our system of top-down political representation, argues Richard Swift.

Technology is changing society at breakneck speed but considerations of human impacts lag far behind. Dinyar Godrej sketches out some of the key political battles ahead.

After 54 years of struggle under Indonesian rule, is freedom finally in sight for West Papua? Danny Chivers investigates.

Hardliners are thriving on popular disenchantment with politics. Dinyar Godrej on the challenge they pose.

Does it matter that Google, Facebook and Amazon are so successful? Vanessa Baird examines what their domination means for all of us.

Spud life; Toy story; Elephant reprieve.

After concerted campaigning, the Chilean government has turned down a proposal for two open-pit copper and iron mines – that would have sat right next to the nature reserve sheltering the endangered Humboldt penguin. Lydia Noon reports.

Report from South-East Asia

Mountains May Depart, by Jia Zhangke, and Makala, by Emmanuel Gras are reviewed this month.

No Turning Back by Rania Abouzeid; Beside the Syrian Sea by James Wolff; Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi, translated by Jonathan Wright; Sara by Sakine Cansiz, translated by Janet Biehl.

Kin Sonic; Salone

Violent weather presages human violence. Dan Baron Cohen writes from a community and country on high alert.

Rajendra Singh is reviving Indian villages through traditional rainwater harvesting.

The president of the Philippines he may be, but his reputation is as a Dirty Harry of vigilante politics.

A snapshot of progress, setbacks and future prospects

Almost any Libyan can tell you the story of a relative or friend imprisoned, tortured, exiled or simply disappeared. Zoe Holman profiles this complex country.

Hossien Rezaye from Afghanistan with 'Child Marriage'.