Ten new stories you won't hear because Kate Middleton is pregnant

Caroline Crampton of the reliably leftist New Statesman has offered us a charming reminder that while the world gawps at the news of Kate Middleton's pregnancy, there is plenty else going on which - republican heresy! - is more important. This includes such trifling matters as the 40,000 dead in Syria, Britain's ongoing recession, a giant bailout for Spain and a spot of the old missile testing in North Korea.

Here's her excellent summary of the situation in Syria: "Syrian foreign ministry spokesman Jihad Makdissi has reportedly defected from Assad’s regime. Makdissi, who is part of Syria’s Christian minority, had previously staunchly defended the regime’s crackdown, but is now said to have “left the country”. There are also reports that the UN is pulling its staff out of Syria, meaning that aid missions outside the city of Damascus will be suspended."