World news and comment from the Guardian | guardian.co.uk |
- Hillary Clinton: 'There have been times when I wanted never to leave the house again'
- Russia withdraws signature from international criminal court statute
- Obama and Merkel call for continued transatlantic cooperation
- Hong Kong abductions: Marco Rubio seeks US sanctions against officials
- Indian tycoon hosts £59m wedding for daughter amid cash crunch
- Brazil police use pepper spray at austerity protest outside Rio parliament
- In one week, 240 feared drowned in Med
- Philando Castile: police officer charged with manslaughter over shooting death
- Emmanuel Macron launches outsider bid for French presidency
- Drone came within 5 metres of passenger jet at Liverpool airport
- Climate change a Chinese hoax? Beijing gives Donald Trump a lesson in history
- Islamophobia growing as anti-extremism policy fails, says MP
- Boris Johnson ridiculed by European ministers after prosecco claim
- Lib Dems 'could force Theresa May to reveal Brexit plans before article 50'
- The 'us and them' divide worked for Putin and it will work for Trump
- The dolphins used to treat PTSD in Ukrainian soldiers
- I needed cash, says teenager accused of Treasury official's murder
- Is liberalism really to blame for Britain's (and America's) ills?
- Welcome to the UK, ethically challenged butler to Qatar’s World Cup dreams | Marina Hyde
- Rio Tinto sacks senior executives over $10.5m payments linked to Guinea mine
- Leonard Cohen died after fall at his Los Angeles home
- BHP Billiton chairman warns of global 'trauma' if Trump puts tariffs on China
- Irukandji jellyfish could have caused deaths of tourists on Great Barrier Reef
- Literal interpretation of Bible 'helps increase church attendance'
- India's rupee crisis: Modi accused of raiding rivals' coffers before key election
- Germany daunted by great expectations as Obama passes baton to Merkel
- Australia signals support for Chinese-led trade deals to replace TPP
- South Korea grounds all planes so students can focus on college exam
- Bali police killing: Briton David Taylor tells court he acted in self-defence
- New Zealand earthquake: first relief trucks sent to Kaikoura as road opens
- Orphaned monkey in China joins a herd of goats, and picks out a mother – video
- Mexican pyramid has two more inside, scientists discover
- Farc guerrillas killed in combat days after new peace deal with government
- 'Very real risk' of South Sudan atrocities, UN secretary general warns
- Canada mother calls for ban of indigenous ceremonies in schools
- Gibraltar rejects Spanish rightwing activists' torture claims
- Western civilisation is more than a myth | Letters
- A tip for Trump and a search for tropes | Brief letters
- That sinking feeling – why is Britain so bad at filling in sinkholes?
- Syria's Assad praises Trump victory but takes 'wait and see' approach – video
- Molly Rose obituary
- Home Office block on Afghan and Eritrean teen refugees 'a disgrace'
- Chagos islanders cannot return home, UK Foreign Office confirms
- IPCC wants to overturn its own report on Jordan Begley Taser death
- Jimmy Johns obituary
- British second world war shipwrecks in Java Sea destroyed by illegal scavenging
- British travellers could face €5 fee to visit Europe after Brexit
- Two men appear in South African court accused of forcing black man into coffin
- Japanese PM Abe to meet Trump against backdrop of security fears
- Big oil v orcas: Canadians fight pipeline that threatens killer whales on the brink
- The one-in-six rule: can Montreal fight gentrification by banning restaurants?
- 'Little evidence' public-private finance can plug development funding gap
- Kenya postpones planned closure of Dadaab refugee camp
- Cómo llegó Cuba a la mayoría de edad en el desarrollo de la primera infancia – podcast
- How Cuba came of age on early childhood development – podcast
- UK government led public to believe aid to India had ended, watchdog says
- 'Never give up': Clinton in first public appearance since election – video
- The son-in-law behind the throne: Jared Kushner's rise and rise – video
- Name stripped from Trump Place apartments in New York after residents protest – video
- Joe Biden gives Mike Pence a tour of vice-presidential residence – video
- Kellyanne Conway: Donald Trump's team has made ‘a lot of progress’ – video
- Barack Obama in Athens: globalisation needs a 'course correction'– video
- John Kerry warns of climate threat at talks overshadowed by Trump – video
| Hillary Clinton: 'There have been times when I wanted never to leave the house again' Posted: 16 Nov 2016 11:08 PM PST In first public appearance after Trump victory, Hillary Clinton says America is worth fighting for, as Bernie Sanders calls for Democrats to leave centre ground Hillary Clinton has made her first public appearance since conceding the election to Donald Trump a week ago, challenging supporters to continue the fight for a country that is "hopeful, inclusive and big-hearted". "I will admit coming here tonight wasn't the easiest thing for me," Clinton told the audience in Washington DC. "There have been a few times this past week when all I've wanted to do was just to curl up with a good book or our dogs and never leave the house ever again." Continue reading... |
| Russia withdraws signature from international criminal court statute Posted: 16 Nov 2016 06:14 AM PST Tribunal has not lived up to hopes of international community, Moscow says, day after ICC report on Crimea annexation Russia has said it is formally withdrawing its signature from the founding statute of the international criminal court, a day after the court published a report classifying the Russian annexation of Crimea as an occupation. The repudiation of the tribunal, though symbolic, is a fresh blow to efforts to establish a global legal order for pursuing genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Continue reading... |
| Obama and Merkel call for continued transatlantic cooperation Posted: 16 Nov 2016 12:12 PM PST US president and German chancellor write joint article stressing importance of partnership on issues such as climate change and terrorism Outgoing US president, Barack Obama, and the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, have made an appeal for continued cooperation between the US and the European Union on climate change, anti-terror measures as well as a transatlantic trade deal during Donald Trump's presidency. In a joint op-ed published in German weekly Wirtschaftswoche on the eve of the president's last European visit in office, the two leaders argue that while the world is at a crossroads, "the future is already happening and there will not be a return to a world before globalisation". Continue reading... |
| Hong Kong abductions: Marco Rubio seeks US sanctions against officials Posted: 16 Nov 2016 08:34 PM PST Senator calls for travel ban and asset freeze against those behind snatching of booksellers amid fears Donald Trump will ignore Chinese human rights abuses US senators have called for a travel ban and asset freeze for Chinese officials who abducted five Hong Kong booksellers in 2015, amid fears that Donald Trump will turn a blind eye to Chinese human rights abuses in a bid to improve relations with Beijing. Last year five book publishers based in Hong Kong were detained by Chinese authorities and held incommunicado for months, with two abducted from Thailand and Hong Kong. Continue reading... |
| Indian tycoon hosts £59m wedding for daughter amid cash crunch Posted: 16 Nov 2016 10:50 AM PST Extravagant wedding of Gali Janardhan Reddy's daughter criticised at a time when many Indians have been hit by cash crisis A controversial Indian mining tycoon has taken over a royal palace and flown in Brazilian dancers at a reported cost of 5bn rupees (£59m) to celebrate his daughter's wedding. Related: India's rupee crisis: Modi accused of raiding rivals' coffers before key election Continue reading... |
| Brazil police use pepper spray at austerity protest outside Rio parliament Posted: 16 Nov 2016 01:28 PM PST Demonstrators broke barriers outside meeting where legislators proposed ways to cope with post-Olympics fiscal crisis that delayed payment to state workers Military police have shot pepper spray at demonstrators who broke down barrier fences outside a meeting in Rio de Janeiro where legislators were considering austerity measures to cope with a deepening financial crisis that has kept thousands of public workers from being paid. The Brazilian federal government sent hundreds of military police to help after a similar protest last week became violent. Wielding shields and pepper spray guns, helmet-clad police formed lines in front of the legislative assembly of Rio de Janeiro state. Over several hours, protesters broke fences in various areas in attempts to get inside. Continue reading... |
| In one week, 240 feared drowned in Med Posted: 16 Nov 2016 09:50 AM PST UN reports four accidents, including 130 refugees missing from one boat, bringing this year's Mediterranean death toll to 4,500 About 240 people are suspected to have drowned this week in four separate incidents in the Mediterranean, raising the total annual death toll to an unprecedented 4,500. Deaths in the Mediterranean are now nearly 20% higher than last year's total of 3,771, which was the previous annual record. Continue reading... |
| Philando Castile: police officer charged with manslaughter over shooting death Posted: 16 Nov 2016 09:01 AM PST Jeronimo Yanez shot Castile dead while he was sitting in his car, the aftermath of which was streamed on Facebook, charged with second-degree manslaughter A Minnesota police officer has been charged with second-degree manslaughter in the killing of Philando Castile, an African American who was fatally shot in a suburb of St Paul, Minnesota, in July. Ramsey County attorney John Choi announced the manslaughter charge and two other felony charges on Wednesday, more than four months after Castile, 32, was killed. St Anthony police officer Jeronimo Yanez will have his first court appearance on Friday, Choi said. Yanez was also charged with two counts of felony discharge of a firearm. The maximum sentence for the second-degree manslaughter charge is 10 years and a $20,000 fine. |
| Emmanuel Macron launches outsider bid for French presidency Posted: 16 Nov 2016 04:26 AM PST Former economy minster vows to lead a 'democratic revolution' and move beyond self-interest of careerist politicians Emmanuel Macron, France's rebellious former economy minister, has launched an outsider bid for the presidency, promising to lead a people's "democratic revolution" against a "vacuous" political system. The former investment banker, 38, was unknown to the French public until two years ago, is not a member of a political party and has never run for elected office. However, he has promised to blow apart the inadequacies of a governing system that he says has failed the people. Continue reading... |
| Drone came within 5 metres of passenger jet at Liverpool airport Posted: 17 Nov 2016 01:02 AM PST Incident was one of four near misses in a month, with pilots and airports calling for tighter regulation of civilian drones A passenger jet taking off at Liverpool airport narrowly avoided a collision with a drone that came within 5 metres (16ft) of the aircraft's wingtip, an investigation has found. The pilot spotted the large, black and yellow drone immediately after the Airbus A319 took off, but it was so close there was nothing he could do to avoid it, he told a UK Airprox Board review, which found that "chance had played a major part" in avoiding a collision. Continue reading... |
| Climate change a Chinese hoax? Beijing gives Donald Trump a lesson in history Posted: 17 Nov 2016 12:34 AM PST China points out to global warming denier and president-elect that Republicans under Reagan and Bush actually put global warming on international agenda China has rejected Donald Trump's claims that climate change is a Chinese hoax, urging the US president-elect to take a "smart decision" over his country's commitment to the fight against global warming. Trump, who is the first self-declared climate change denier to lead one of the world's top emitters, has dismissed global warming as "very expensive … bullshit" and claimed the concept "was created by and for the Chinese in order to make US manufacturing non-competitive". Continue reading... |
| Islamophobia growing as anti-extremism policy fails, says MP Posted: 17 Nov 2016 12:06 AM PST Supremacists will thrive, says Liam Byrne, unless government sees that grievance rather than god inspires many to violence A vacuum at the heart of the government's counter-extremism policy is leading British Muslims to despair in the face of spiralling Islamophobia, a former Labour Cabinet and Home Office minister has warned. Related: Britain must lead the way in the battle of ideas that will defeat Isis | Liam Byrne Continue reading... |
| Boris Johnson ridiculed by European ministers after prosecco claim Posted: 16 Nov 2016 11:12 PM PST Italian minister Carlo Calenda says UK foreign secretary's Brexit approach insulting after exports claim Boris Johnson's approach to Brexit has been ridiculed by European ministers after he told Italy it would have to offer tariff-free trade in order to sell its prosecco in the UK. Carlo Calenda, an Italian economics minister, said it was insulting that Johnson had told him during a recent meeting that Italy would grant Britain access to the EU's single market "because you don't want to lose prosecco exports". |
| Lib Dems 'could force Theresa May to reveal Brexit plans before article 50' Posted: 16 Nov 2016 11:00 PM PST Party's pro-EU peers believe there is no constitutional reason why they can't add extra clauses to Brexit bill Pro-remain Liberal Democrat peers believe they could insert extra clauses into even the most tightly worded Brexit bill to force Theresa May to tell parliament more about her negotiating plans before she triggers article 50. With the supreme court judgment on whether the government must consult parliament before invoking article 50 – the formal process for leaving the European Union - not expected until the new year, the government is thought to be quietly drafting a basic bill that its lawyers believe would be hard to amend. Continue reading... |
| The 'us and them' divide worked for Putin and it will work for Trump Posted: 16 Nov 2016 11:00 PM PST We Russians have watched our president embrace anyone prepared to join his gang and do his bidding. Americans will see the same from their new president As someone from Russia, which has been ruled by an alt-right autocratic regime for 17 years, I have the privilege of being able to convey messages from the future to my friends in the US and Europe. The first message is about Trump's racism and xenophobia. The president-elect and members of his team are accused of spreading hatred towards Muslims, Jews and Hispanics. The outrage is justified, but if Trump is to become a successful alt-right autocrat, he will soon neutralise this criticism by co-opting numerous representatives of these communities into his camp, and indeed the government. Continue reading... |
| The dolphins used to treat PTSD in Ukrainian soldiers Posted: 16 Nov 2016 02:40 AM PST Trainers in Odessa say sessions can help veterans, as well as children with learning difficulties, but there are concerns about the animals' welfare Ivan Golubev was a hyperactive child until his school in the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine was attacked by gunfire. The trauma left him unable to to speak. A few months later he was on holiday in Odessa and his mother, Anna, decided to try dolphin therapy. "By the end of the first session he started talking again, and I just couldn't stop crying," she says, as her son splashes round in the pool as part of his follow-up treatment. Continue reading... |
| I needed cash, says teenager accused of Treasury official's murder Posted: 16 Nov 2016 04:35 PM PST 17-year-old stabbed civil servant 40 times to protect himself after meeting via Grindr, court hears A teenager accused of murdering a senior civil servant he met via the gay dating app Grindr has told a court he met him on the night he was killed in the hope that the older man would help him pay off a debt. A teenager accused of murdering a senior civil servant he met via the gay dating app Grindr has told a court he met him on the night he was killed in the hope that the older man would help him pay off a debt. Continue reading... |
| Is liberalism really to blame for Britain's (and America's) ills? Posted: 17 Nov 2016 12:57 AM PST With rightwing newspapers heaping abuse on 'the liberal left' in this post-Brexit era, we need to consider why the working class appear to agree with them Are we turning our backs on the age of enlightenment? Reading the rightwing press in Britain would suggest we have. Its editors and commentators have sought to turn liberalism, the enlightenment's political gift, into a dirty word. Newspapers have derided liberalism and all its works, ridiculing those who espouse it and praising "the people" for rejecting it. Continue reading... |
| Welcome to the UK, ethically challenged butler to Qatar’s World Cup dreams | Marina Hyde Posted: 16 Nov 2016 10:59 AM PST Trade minister Greg Hands presses the case for 'creating a lasting, positive impact', conveniently overlooking appalling abuses suffered by migrant workers For obvious reasons, the small hours of last Wednesday turned out to be an excellent time to bury bad news. Even so, I was pleased to be awake for a tweet emanating from the trade minister Greg Hands, in which he announced: "In Qatar to open our #SportIsGreat conference, supporting Qatar's 2022 World Cup & offering UK to be the partner of choice for delivery." Related: Qatar World Cup 2022: Amnesty hits out at UK silence on human rights Continue reading... |
| Rio Tinto sacks senior executives over $10.5m payments linked to Guinea mine Posted: 16 Nov 2016 10:05 PM PST The mining company fires Alan Davies and Debra Valentine amid investigation into money paid for 'advisory services' Rio Tinto has fired two senior executives after an internal investigation into US$10.5m (£8.5m) in payments linked to the world's biggest untapped iron ore deposit in Guinea. The Anglo-Australian firm last week said it had launched an investigation and notified American, British and Australian regulatory authorities. Continue reading... |
| Leonard Cohen died after fall at his Los Angeles home Posted: 16 Nov 2016 05:46 PM PST Manager says death was 'sudden, unexpected and peaceful', revealing singer-songwriter, 82, died in his sleep after falling in the middle of the night Leonard Cohen died in his sleep after a fall at his home in Los Angeles, his manager has said. The Canadian singer-songwriter died on 7 November at the age of 82. His death was confirmed a few days later in an announcement on his official Facebook page, which gave no details of the circumstances. Continue reading... |
| BHP Billiton chairman warns of global 'trauma' if Trump puts tariffs on China Posted: 17 Nov 2016 12:03 AM PST Jac Nasser says Donald Trump's pledge would trigger a damaging global trade war, but believes the promise was only campaign rhetoric Executives from the world's largest mining company have urged Donald Trump to uphold the Paris climate pact, while warning the "whole world will be in trauma" if the incoming US president follows through on tariffs against China. BHP Billiton chief executive Andrew McKenzie told shareholders in Brisbane that he hoped Trump maintained US support of the Paris agreement and built on crucial cooperation with China on climate action begun by his predecessor. Continue reading... |
| Irukandji jellyfish could have caused deaths of tourists on Great Barrier Reef Posted: 17 Nov 2016 01:33 AM PST The two French tourists are believed to have suffered heart attacks in the water while snorkelling, but a cardiologist says the timing is unlikely Deadly jellyfish stings are being touted as a possible cause of the mystery deaths of two French tourists snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef. Jacques Goron, 76, and Danielle Franck, 74, were found floating motionless in the water at Michaelmas Cay within minutes of each other while skin-diving on Wednesday morning. Continue reading... |
| Literal interpretation of Bible 'helps increase church attendance' Posted: 16 Nov 2016 11:00 PM PST Study finds conservative theology mixed with innovative worship approach helps Protestant churches grow congregations Churches that are theologically conservative with beliefs based on a literal interpretation of the Bible grow faster than those with a liberal orientation, according to a five-year academic study. "If we are talking solely about what belief system is more likely to lead to numerical growth among Protestant churches, the evidence suggests conservative Protestant theology is the clear winner," said David Haskell, the Canadian study's lead researcher. |
| India's rupee crisis: Modi accused of raiding rivals' coffers before key election Posted: 16 Nov 2016 10:31 PM PST Rivals of the prime minister's BJP party have suddenly found their resources depleted in the run-up to an election in the key state of Uttar Pradesh Indian prime minister Narendra Modi's sudden ban on high-value banknotes will hit the war chests of his rivals before a key state election next year, sparking accusations that his strike against "black cash" will unfairly boost his party's chances. Opposition politicians are scrambling to redraft campaign plans before the ballot expected early next year in Uttar Pradesh, a state of more than 200 million people which will be crucial to Modi's long-term plan for re-election in 2019. |
| Germany daunted by great expectations as Obama passes baton to Merkel Posted: 16 Nov 2016 10:00 PM PST Some fear Germany may struggle to assume America's status as torchbearer for liberal democracy after Trump victory in US As Barack Obama meets Angela Merkel for the last time in his presidency, he may be tempted to think back to one of their first encounters, when the German chancellor gave a historic speech in front the US Congress in November 2009. Unusually for a politician whose standard rhetoric is characterised by wilful unwieldiness, Merkel's speech flowed freely, reaching for personal anecdotes and hyperbole. America, Merkel confided back then, had been the country of her dreams before the fall of the wall and the destination of her first trip abroad shortly after, and she would never forget her first glimpse of the Pacific Ocean. "I was passionate about the vast American landscape, which seemed to breathe the very spirit of freedom and independence," she said. It was one of the rare occasions when the German Christian Democrat sounded like a US president. Continue reading... |
| Australia signals support for Chinese-led trade deals to replace TPP Posted: 16 Nov 2016 10:00 PM PST With the Trans-Pacific Partnership's future 'looking grim', Steve Ciobo says Coalition would back free trade zone The Australian government has effectively cut its losses in the Trans-Pacific Partnership, signalling support for Chinese-led trade deals before a meeting this weekend of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation group in Peru. In an opinion piece published by the Australian Financial Review on Thursday and in an interview with the Financial Times before Apec, the trade minister, Steve Ciobo, said Australia would support a proposal being advanced by the Chinese government, the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific. Continue reading... |
| South Korea grounds all planes so students can focus on college exam Posted: 16 Nov 2016 08:28 PM PST Airport take-offs and landings suspended so students can hear language test, while roads are cleared for late-running teenagers South Korea fell silent on Thursday with heavy trucks banned and businesses opening late as more than 600,000 students sat the annual college entrance exam, which could define their future in the ultra-competitive country. Related: Where is the world's most hi-tech city? (And it's not San Francisco …) Continue reading... |
| Bali police killing: Briton David Taylor tells court he acted in self-defence Posted: 16 Nov 2016 07:54 PM PST Australian Sara Connor and her British boyfriend Taylor are facing trial over death of police officer Wayan Sudarsa A British man facing murder charges in Bali over the killing of a policeman, along with his Australian girlfriend, has told his trial that he acted in self-defence and was not aware the man was a policeman when he hit him with a beer bottle and binoculars. David Taylor and Sara Connor are facing charges of unpremeditated murder, which carries a maximum 15-year jail sentence, fatal assault in company and assault causing death. Continue reading... |
| New Zealand earthquake: first relief trucks sent to Kaikoura as road opens Posted: 16 Nov 2016 07:38 PM PST Army convoy brings supplies for stricken South Island town, while navy ship berths in Christchurch carrying hundreds of evacuees A road has been cleared to the seaside town of Kaikoura on New Zealand's east coast four days after it was cut off by a magnitude 7.8 quake that devastated the North Canterbury region of the South Island. The inland road to Kaikoura was opened on Thursday morning, but only for trucks and four-wheel drive vehicles as it remained unstable and badly damaged. Continue reading... |
| Orphaned monkey in China joins a herd of goats, and picks out a mother – video Posted: 16 Nov 2016 05:33 PM PST A baby monkey found abandoned in China's eastern Jiangxi province has made a new family with a herd of goats on a farm. The money now clings on to one of the goats as if it were its mother, farmer Zhong Shu says. Wildlife protection authorities plan to transfer the monkey to Yichun Zoo Continue reading... |
| Mexican pyramid has two more inside, scientists discover Posted: 16 Nov 2016 04:52 PM PST Kukulkan pyramid built like 'Russian nesting doll' – a second structure had already been found under its exterior and now a third has been revealed Experts have discovered a third structure within the Kukulkan pyramid in eastern Mexico, revealing that it was built like a "Russian nesting doll", experts said on Wednesday. A 10m tall pyramid was found within another 20m structure, which itself is enveloped by the 30m exterior visible at the Mayan archeological complex known as Chichen Itza in Yucatan state. Continue reading... |
| Farc guerrillas killed in combat days after new peace deal with government Posted: 16 Nov 2016 03:02 PM PST Two sides finalized a revised deal over the weekend that aims to end 52 years of conflict that has killed more than 220,000 and displaced millions Two guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia have been killed in combat with security forces just four days after a new peace deal was signed to end a half century of fighting. Colombia's government and Farc signed a peace accord in September that was rejected in a plebiscite last month. Continue reading... |
| 'Very real risk' of South Sudan atrocities, UN secretary general warns Posted: 16 Nov 2016 01:10 PM PST Ban Ki-moon claims UN peacekeepers currently deployed in South Sudan would not be capable of preventing mass killings UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon has warned of a "very real risk of mass atrocities" in South Sudan and that peacekeepers deployed in the war-torn country will not be able to stop such a bloodbath. Related: South Sudan peacekeeping commander sacked over 'serious shortcomings' Continue reading... |
| Canada mother calls for ban of indigenous ceremonies in schools Posted: 16 Nov 2016 12:55 PM PST British Columbia parent says spiritual smudging ceremony violated religious freedom and asks supreme court to ban expressions of religion in public schools A mother in British Columbia has lodged a legal challenge against her local school district, alleging that an aboriginal ceremony at her children's school infringed on the family's right to religious freedom. Candice Servatius, whose two children attend an elementary school in Port Alberni, a small city on Vancouver Island, is seeking to have the supreme court of British Columbia ban indigenous ceremonies – and all other expressions of religion – from the public school district. Continue reading... |
| Gibraltar rejects Spanish rightwing activists' torture claims Posted: 16 Nov 2016 11:31 AM PST Chief minister says Vox party leader's allegation that he was mistreated after arrest on the Rock is 'frivolous' The government of Gibraltar has dismissed as "frivolous and vexatious" allegations that members of a rightwing Spanish party were subjected to torture when they were arrested after unfurling a Spanish flag on the Rock. Spain's top criminal court announced on Wednesday that it was investigating claims of ill-treatment made by Nacho MÃnguez, head of the Vox party in Madrid. Continue reading... |
| Western civilisation is more than a myth | Letters Posted: 16 Nov 2016 11:02 AM PST Kwame Anthony Appiah sets up too many straw men in seeking to prove there is "no such thing as western civilisation" (9 November). Of course no aspect of Chaucer's England was identical to today's, demonstrating "essence" of England, but even then there were aspects of England, and much of Europe, that were to contribute to the slow (and reversible) development of democracy and liberty. These included the rule of law, representative institutions capable of restraining kings, self-governing towns, numerous groups and individuals claiming rights and liberties, and relatively weak family and kin structures, all of which, even in Chaucer's time, made much of Europe different from the rest of the world. Cultural legacies which affect political and economic structures are not as easily "lost or exchanged" as Appiah seems to think (ask a Syrian), and these are the ones that most distinguish western civilisation, not high culture or everyday habits. It was not a historical accident that representative democracy, political freedom and economies capable of providing reasonable prosperity for all were pioneered in western countries rather than elsewhere, and that is what entitles us to refer to western civilisation, even if some of its aspects can be successfully transferred to some other countries. • Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com Continue reading... |
| A tip for Trump and a search for tropes | Brief letters Posted: 16 Nov 2016 11:00 AM PST The Great Hedge of India | The illiberal elite | Word origins | Memes | English national costume | Brian Clough's political stand | Robert Vaughn, super fly guy As Donald Trump is now talking of a fence in some places rather than a wall (Report, 14 November), perhaps he might also consider a hedge. In 1869 a hedge stretched across the whole of India – a distance of 2,300 miles. The Great Hedge was a customs barrier put up by the British to levy a duty on salt – cutting off an affordable supply of an absolute necessity of life. • Are Trump's appointees the illiberal elite (Backlash over Trump role for far-right aide, 15 November)? |
| That sinking feeling – why is Britain so bad at filling in sinkholes? Posted: 16 Nov 2016 09:17 AM PST In Japan, they filled a sinkhole in two days. Here, even a small one can take months and cause untold misery and chaos – blame the bureaucracy An enormous sinkhole on a busy road in the Japanese city of Fukuoka has been filled in 48 hours and the road reopened after a week. Meanwhile, in Britain, residents of a terrace in Ripon remain evacuated as the authorities debate a modest – but still terrifying – sinkhole that opened up in a garden a week ago. How long does it take to fill a sinkhole? And why do the Japanese put us to shame with their efficiency? Continue reading... |
| Syria's Assad praises Trump victory but takes 'wait and see' approach – video Posted: 16 Nov 2016 09:14 AM PST Syrian president Bashar al-Assad said on Tuesday that his government would have to 'wait and see' if the US president-elect, Donald Trump, would change Washington's policy on Syria but that he was ready to cooperate with him in fighting militants. In his first comments on Trump's victory, Assad said Trump had made promising comments on the need to battle Islamists in Syria's war, but added: 'Can he deliver?' Continue reading... |
| Posted: 16 Nov 2016 08:49 AM PST One of the female pilots of the Air Transport Auxiliary who served during the second world war Molly Rose, who has died aged 95, was one of the last surviving female pilots of the Air Transport Auxiliary, a civilian body of flyers who performed a vital service during the second world war delivering aircraft from manufacturers to airfields throughout Britain. In 1942, with RAF demands for qualified male pilots growing, Molly, who had a family background in aviation, was approached to join the ATA. At the time, she had flown no more than 57 hours, and only 18 solo, but she was to become one of its most prolific and accomplished female flyers. Continue reading... |
| Home Office block on Afghan and Eritrean teen refugees 'a disgrace' Posted: 16 Nov 2016 08:25 AM PST 'Dubs eligibility rules' restricting child migrant entry to UK by age and nationality slammed by shadow home affairs minister The Home Office has come under attack over the publication of new, highly restrictive, eligibility criteria for child refugees hoping to be transferred from France to Britain, which will stop many Eritrean, Afghan and Yemeni teenagers aged 13 or 14 getting sanctuary in the UK. The Home Office minister Robert Goodwill was also under pressure to explain why his department had issued eligibility rules excluding 16- and 17-year-olds, of all nationalities, for consideration for transfer to Britain under the Dubs amendment of the Immigration Act. Continue reading... |
| Chagos islanders cannot return home, UK Foreign Office confirms Posted: 16 Nov 2016 08:06 AM PST Decision follows decades of failed legal challenges by people who were removed to make way for military bases Chagos islanders who were expelled in the 1960s to make way for military bases will not be allowed to return to their Indian Ocean homes, the British Foreign Office has announced, citing the UK's interest in its "defence relationship" with the US. Confirmation of the ban on resettlement follows decades of unsuccessful legal challenges in the UK against removal by members of the Chagossian community who have been resettled in Britain. Continue reading... |
| IPCC wants to overturn its own report on Jordan Begley Taser death Posted: 16 Nov 2016 08:06 AM PST Police watchdog asks high court to quash report that cleared officers of wrongdoing, saying its investigation was legally flawed The Independent Police Complaints Commission is asking the high court to quash its own report clearing police officers of any serious wrongdoing following the death of a man shortly after he was Tasered. Jordan Begley, 23, a factory worker from Gorton, Manchester, died in July 2013 two hours after being shot at his home with a 50,000-volt stun gun from a distance of 70cm (28in). He was also punched and restrained by armed officers, who believed he had a knife. Continue reading... |
| Posted: 16 Nov 2016 07:38 AM PST My father, Jimmy Johns, who has died aged 80, was a campaigner for social justice and against war. He was once referred to as "the silver-haired spokesman" for his leadership within Essex CND. His principal belief was that mass non-violent direct action is the most effective tactic to respond to the power of government and state. From 1980 onwards, with the announcement of Cruise missile deployment in the UK, Jimmy stepped forward as the main coordinator for Essex CND. He travelled all over the county to mobilise supporters, producing weekly and monthly newsletters, bulletins and leaflets. Over the years he brought together thousands of people for blockades of air bases and of the US embassy in London. His activism was noted by MI5, who were increasingly concerned by the success of Essex CND. Continue reading... |
| British second world war shipwrecks in Java Sea destroyed by illegal scavenging Posted: 16 Nov 2016 06:41 AM PST Exclusive: 3D mapping report of sea off Indonesia, seen by the Guardian, shows large holes in the seabed where ships used to be Three British ships and a US submarine that sank in the Java Sea during the second world war have been destroyed by illegal scrap metal scavengers, the Guardian can reveal. The UK's Ministry of Defence said it condemned the "unauthorised disturbance of any wreck containing human remains" and requested Indonesian authorities investigate and take "appropriate action". Continue reading... |
| British travellers could face €5 fee to visit Europe after Brexit Posted: 16 Nov 2016 05:32 AM PST Non-EU citizens would have to fill out form before trip under proposed European travel information and authorisation scheme British citizens could have to pay to visit continental Europe after Brexit, under plans outlined by the EU executive. It is proposed that travellers from non-EU countries will have to fill out a form online and pay €5 to visit the continent, under a scheme intended to secure Europe's borders against people-smugglers and terrorists. Continue reading... |
| Two men appear in South African court accused of forcing black man into coffin Posted: 16 Nov 2016 03:40 AM PST Video emerges showing two white farmers allegedly threatening to burn victim alive in racially charged incident Two white South Africans accused of forcing a black man into a coffin and threatening to set him on fire have appeared before a judge, as demonstrators protested against racism outside the courthouse. Members of the ruling African National Congress party and opposition parties gathered on Wednesday outside the court in Middelburg town, Mpumalanga province, where the case against the two farmers, Willem Oosthuizen and Theo Martins Jackson, was postponed until 25 January. Continue reading... |
| Japanese PM Abe to meet Trump against backdrop of security fears Posted: 16 Nov 2016 03:16 AM PST Abe hopes to secure commitment to bilateral security ties during talks with US president-elect in New York on Thursday Japan's prime minister, Shinzo Abe, will seek reassurances about the US's commitment to his country's security when he becomes the first foreign leader to meet Donald Trump on Thursday. Japan and South Korea were rattled by comments the president-elect made during his campaign, when he hinted at a withdrawal of American troops from the Asia-Pacific unless the two US allies paid more towards the cost of their security. Continue reading... |
| Big oil v orcas: Canadians fight pipeline that threatens killer whales on the brink Posted: 16 Nov 2016 03:00 AM PST Conservationists say the proposed Trans Mountain Expansion project poses the greatest risk yet to a killer whale population on the edge of extinction On one shore there are snow-capped mountains. On the other side loom towering skyscrapers. These churning waters off the coast of Vancouver are marked by a constant flow of ferries and containers ships – but they are also home to 80 or so orcas. Known as the southern resident killer whales the group has long had a fraught relationship with the urban sprawl they live alongside, leaving them on the knife's edge of extinction. Continue reading... |
| The one-in-six rule: can Montreal fight gentrification by banning restaurants? Posted: 16 Nov 2016 04:30 AM PST A controversial law limiting new restaurant openings in Montreal's Saint-Henri area has pitted business owners against those who believe they are fighting for the very survival of Canada's 'culture capital'. Who is right? In Montreal's Saint-Henri neighbourhood, the hallmarks of gentrification shout loud and clear. Beautiful old brick buildings have been refurbished as funky shops, niche food markets and hipster cafes. Most notably, there are plenty of high-end restaurants. More than plenty, say some local residents – many of whom can't afford to eat in any of them. Earlier this month, the city council agreed enough was enough: the councillors of Montreal's Southwest borough voted unanimously to restrict the opening of new restaurants. The bylaw roughly follows the "one-in-six" rule, with new eateries forbidden from opening up within 25 metres of an existing one. Continue reading... |
| 'Little evidence' public-private finance can plug development funding gap Posted: 16 Nov 2016 04:01 PM PST Report says more transparency needed to ensure aid funding used to leverage private finance for development is well invested Aid donors are increasingly spending public money to encourage private investment in poorer countries but it is unclear where these funds are going and what impact they are having on development goals, according to a critical new report published on Thursday. Some donors and development banks have claimed "blended finance" can help plug the gap in funding needed to meet the sustainable development goals (SDGs), one of which is to end extreme global poverty by 2030. Continue reading... |
| Kenya postpones planned closure of Dadaab refugee camp Posted: 16 Nov 2016 07:35 AM PST Government bows to international pressure and agrees to six-month delay in shutting the world's largest refugee complex, home to 300,000 Somalis Kenya's government said on Wednesday it had agreed to delay the closure of a Somali refugee camp that it sees as a security risk, after international pressure to give residents more time to find new homes. Nairobi had vowed to shut Dadaab camp this month, saying it was being used by Islamist militants from neighbouring Somalia who have launched a string of attacks on Kenyan soil. Continue reading... |
| Cómo llegó Cuba a la mayoría de edad en el desarrollo de la primera infancia – podcast Posted: 16 Nov 2016 06:55 AM PST Más del 99,5% de los niños cubanos asiste a un programa o institución de educación infantil. Kary Stewart visita La Habana para hablar con familias, médicos y maestros sobre una historia de éxito en América Latina How Cuba came of age on early childhood development – podcast in English Kary Stewart investiga el exitoso programa de desarrollo infantil de Cuba. En los primeros años de vida de un niño el cerebro se desarrolla muy rápidamente: las células pueden hacer hasta mil conexiones por segundo. Stewart escucha cómo el buen cuidado de la primera infancia prepara a un niño para toda la vida, incluyendo contribuciones de Pia Rebello Britto, jefe y asesora principal de desarrollo de la primera infancia en Unicef, Omara Quintero Goicoechea y MarÃa Teresa Cabreja ambas del Ministerio de Educación de Cuba. Continue reading... |
| How Cuba came of age on early childhood development – podcast Posted: 16 Nov 2016 06:28 AM PST More than 99.5% of Cuban children attend an early childhood education programme or institution. Kary Stewart visits Havana to speak to families, doctors and teachers about a Latin American success story Cómo llegó Cuba a la mayorÃa de edad en el desarrollo de la primera infancia – podcast Kary Stewart investigates Cuba's highly successful programme of early childhood development (ECD). In the first years of a child's life the brain develops very rapidly: cells can make as many as a thousand connections a second. Stewart hears how good early years care sets up a child for life, including contributions from Pia Rebello Britto, senior advisor and global chief for ECD at Unicef, and Omara Quintero Goicoechea and MarÃa Teresa Cabreja from Cuba's Ministry of Education. Continue reading... |
| UK government led public to believe aid to India had ended, watchdog says Posted: 16 Nov 2016 05:20 AM PST Aid impact commission criticises Department for International Development's management of switch from traditional aid to new development partnerships Britain's statements around severing of aid to middle-income countries including China and India created the impression that it had stopped all funding to the countries, when in fact the government is still giving both nations millions of pounds. A review by the watchdog scrutinising taxpayer-funded UK aid said that the Department for International Development (DfID) had given the impression that "all aid was being phased out". Continue reading... |
| 'Never give up': Clinton in first public appearance since election – video Posted: 16 Nov 2016 11:21 PM PST Hillary Clinton makes her first public appearance since conceding the election to Donald Trump, challenging supporters to continue the fight for a country that is 'hopeful, inclusive and big-hearted'. Speaking at an event for the Children's Defense Fund in Washington DC on Wednesday, Clinton admits the difficulty of her loss for her supporters Continue reading... |
| The son-in-law behind the throne: Jared Kushner's rise and rise – video Posted: 16 Nov 2016 07:54 PM PST Jared Kushner is a real estate mogul who is married to Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka and is arguably the most powerful son-in-law to set foot in the White House. The 35-year-old has become embroiled in Trump's chaotic transition process, which has been described as a 'Stalinist purge' after New Jersey governor Chris Christie was abruptly sacked as head of Trump's transition team. Continue reading... |
| Name stripped from Trump Place apartments in New York after residents protest – video Posted: 16 Nov 2016 05:21 PM PST The president-elect's name is taken off three New York City luxury apartment buildings after hundreds of tenants sign a petition saying they were embarrassed to live in a place associated with him. About 600 residents in Trump Place signed the online petition. 'I'm glad it's coming off. It affects me badly, personally and professionally,' says resident Gary Brown. 'It looks like I'm agreeing with the very poor things that he says about people.' Continue reading... |
| Joe Biden gives Mike Pence a tour of vice-presidential residence – video Posted: 16 Nov 2016 02:48 PM PST The vice-president, Joe Biden, and his wife, Jill, talk to the media after spending nearly two hours with the vice-president elect, Mike Pence, and his wife, Karen, on Wednesday afternoon and giving them a tour of the vice-presidential residence and grounds. When asked if he's worried about the new Republican administration dismantling he and Barack Obama's legacy, he says: 'No, I'm not ... I told [the] vice-president elect I'm available to him 24/7. We've already talked about some matters relating to foreign policy and some other things' • Donald Trump renews war with media as transition chaos continues Continue reading... |
| Kellyanne Conway: Donald Trump's team has made ‘a lot of progress’ – video Posted: 16 Nov 2016 12:50 PM PST A senior adviser to President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday denied reports that Trump's transition to the White House was in turmoil and plagued by infighting, saying that new appointments were expected 'soon'. Speaking to reporters in the lobby of Trump Tower in New York City, Kellyanne Conway said: 'You don't form a federal government overnight and these are very serious issues, very serious appointments, very serious considerations' Continue reading... |
| Barack Obama in Athens: globalisation needs a 'course correction'– video Posted: 16 Nov 2016 11:01 AM PST President Barack Obama says globalisation will have to change its trajectory if it is to avoid creating inequality. Referencing tax avoidance, the president says often economic inequality is the biggest threat to democracy. He adds that now inequality is much easier to see thanks to the internet and social media |
| John Kerry warns of climate threat at talks overshadowed by Trump – video Posted: 16 Nov 2016 09:52 AM PST US secretary of state John Kerry urges countries to treat the earth's changing climate as an urgent threat as he addresses the uncertainty created by the election of Donald Trump. 'Obviously an election took place in my country, and I know it's left some here and elsewhere feeling uncertain about the future,' he told the audience, before reiterating that a majority of citizens in the US believe climate change is a real threat Continue reading... |
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