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- China 'seriously concerned' after Trump questions Taiwan policy
- Islamic State retakes historic city of Palmyra
- Crimean Tatars accuse Russia of kidnappings and political arrests
- IMF's Christine Lagarde 'confident' as trial begins
- Romania's Social Democrats easily win parliamentary elections
- Paolo Gentiloni to succeed Matteo Renzi as Italian prime minister
- Kyrgyzstan votes to increase government's powers – early results
- World's longest rail tunnel begins regular service in Switzerland
- The Gambia: life goes on in Banjul as Yahya Jammeh clings to power
- Dinosaur skeleton fetches more than €1m at auction in France
- British-Algerian journalist dies after hunger strike
- Oil price surges as Opec and non-Opec member agree deal to cut output
- Newcomer Kitchen: how Syrian refugees took over a Toronto restaurant – video
- Dreaming of a frugal Christmas? Meet the people who’ve stopped shopping
- The corrosive effect of jailing novelists and journalists in Turkey
- 'Putin's new ghetto has no barbed-wire fence – just surveillance and harassment'
- Eyewitness: Barry Island, UK
- Crowdfunding medicine via Facebook is a lifesaver for sick children in Sudan
- New Zealand's new PM Bill English: 'Lead and dig up the diamonds around you' – video
- Indigenous woman dies in custody in Western Australia
- Bermuda is world's worst corporate tax haven, says Oxfam
- Air quality in holy city of Varanasi 'most toxic in India'
- The Daily Mail's pathetic pants-shaming stunt on Sam Armytage demeans us all | Brigid Delaney
- Jakarta governor Ahok's blasphemy trial – video explainer
- China riot police seal off city centre after smog protesters put masks on statues
- Australian cars use more fuel and emit more fumes than advertised, says AAA
- Flotsam covered in gooseneck barnacles perplexes New Zealanders
- Half a million South Koreans celebrate impeaching of president Park Geun-hye
- Venezuela pulls most common banknote from circulation to 'beat mafia'
- 'Boring' Bill English spices up first speech as New Zealand's prime minister
- Reindeer shrink as climate change in Arctic puts their food on ice
- Jakarta governor Ahok's blasphemy trial: all you need to know
- Netanyahu aims to discuss 'various ways' to undo Iran deal with Trump
- Can a change in economic policies cope with anger and alienation? | Letters
- Saudi arms money is running out | Letters
- France to require 'clean stickers' on vehicles in high pollution areas
- Iran finalizes $16.8bn deal with Boeing after nuclear agreement, state news says
- Aftermath of bomb blast inside Cairo’s Coptic church – video
- Isis regains control of Palmyra, forcing Syrian forces to retreat
- Eyewitness: New York, US
- Insider's guide to Auckland: a multicultural melting pot by the sea
- Cash chaos shows India's women need financial system they can bank on | Sarah Gammage
- Rex Tillerson: an appointment that would confirm Putin's US election win
- Trump: reports that Russia influenced US election are ‘ridiculous’ – video
| China 'seriously concerned' after Trump questions Taiwan policy Posted: 12 Dec 2016 12:22 AM PST President-elect says he sees no reason why the US should continuing abiding by One China policy unless a bargain is reached with Beijing involving trade The Chinese government has warned Donald Trump it is "seriously concerned" after the US president-elect indicated he might jettison a four-decade understanding with Beijing unless its leaders were prepared to strike a new "deal" with his administration. In an interview with Fox News on Sunday, the president-elect said he saw no reason why the US should continuing abiding by the "One China" policy – under which Washington does not recognise Taiwan as a sovereign state – unless Beijing was prepared to enter into some kind of bargain. Continue reading... |
| Islamic State retakes historic city of Palmyra Posted: 11 Dec 2016 08:23 AM PST Isis-affiliated news channel claims victory for jihadi fighters after intense fighting prompts Syrian military to withdraw Islamic State fighters appear to have reconquered the historic city of Palmyra after days of intense fighting on its outskirts prompted a withdrawal by the Syrian military. "The catastrophe has happened, I am in absolute shock," said Maamoun Abdulkarim, Syria's director of antiquities, in a phone interview. "I am losing hope, it looks like we have lost the city." Continue reading... |
| Crimean Tatars accuse Russia of kidnappings and political arrests Posted: 11 Dec 2016 11:00 PM PST Moscow said to be trying to scare activists into submission over annexation, with growing numbers disappearing Human rights activists have warned of a worsening campaign of harassment in Crimea against Crimean Tatars, including political arrests, trials and kidnappings. Related: 'Putin's new ghetto has no barbed-wire fence – just surveillance and harassment' Continue reading... |
| IMF's Christine Lagarde 'confident' as trial begins Posted: 12 Dec 2016 02:12 AM PST Former French finance minister accused of negligence leading to misuse of public funds over payout to Bernard Tapie The International Monetary Fund's managing director, Christine Lagarde, is due to stand trial on Monday afternoon over her role in a €400m (£335m) payment to a French businessman when she was France's finance minister in the government of former conservative president Nicolas Sarkozy. Speaking on the eve of her trial, Lagarde said she was confident she had done nothing wrong over state the payout to Bernard Tapie in 2008. Continue reading... |
| Romania's Social Democrats easily win parliamentary elections Posted: 12 Dec 2016 02:07 AM PST Party chairman hails result after Social Democrats win 46% of vote, far ahead of second-placed Liberals on 20% Romania's left-leaning Social Democrats have easily won parliamentary elections a year after a major anti-corruption drive forced the last socialist prime minister from power. Election authorities said that with 99% of the votes from Sunday's ballotcounted, the Social Democratic party had won 46% and the centre-right Liberals were second with around 20%. Continue reading... |
| Paolo Gentiloni to succeed Matteo Renzi as Italian prime minister Posted: 11 Dec 2016 05:19 AM PST Choice signals continuity in policies of centre-left government and almost certainly means early elections next year The Italian foreign minister, Paolo Gentiloni, has been chosen by Italy's president to replace Matteo Renzi as prime minister, a choice that signals continuity in the centre-left government's domestic and foreign policies at a volatile time for the eurozone's third-largest economy. Gentiloni said he had accepted the mandate set for him by Italy's president, Sergio Mattarella, after the leaders of the country's opposition parties had failed to agree to "share responsibilities" and create a coalition government together. Continue reading... |
| Kyrgyzstan votes to increase government's powers – early results Posted: 11 Dec 2016 03:39 PM PST Referendum appears to favour changes to constitution that would boost ruling party of President Almazbek Atambayev Kyrgyzstan voted in favour of constitutional changes boosting the power of its government, its election commission said yesterday, citing preliminary results of a national referendum. The commission said that with most ballots counted, about 80% of voters had supported the package of amendments proposed by allies of President Almazbek Atambayev. Voter turnout was about 42%. Continue reading... |
| World's longest rail tunnel begins regular service in Switzerland Posted: 11 Dec 2016 10:00 AM PST Regular passenger trains start using the 35-mile Gotthard Base tunnel, which took 17 years to build Regular rail service through the world's longest tunnel has begun, carrying passengers deep under the Swiss Alps from Zurich to Lugano. The famed Gotthard Base tunnel (GBT) was given a ceremonial opening in June, attracting European leaders including the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, and the French president, François Hollande, for its first ride. Continue reading... |
| The Gambia: life goes on in Banjul as Yahya Jammeh clings to power Posted: 11 Dec 2016 10:10 AM PST Soldiers patrol streets of capital amid growing calls for peaceful transition after president's rejection of election results Soldiers stood watch on the streets of the Gambia's capital, Banjul, on Sunday as most residents went about daily life despite concerns after the president, Yahya Jammeh, said he would not accept election results that would force him to step down after 22 years in power. International and regional bodies and governments joined together over the weekend to call for a peaceful transition in the west African country of about 1.9 million people. Continue reading... |
| Dinosaur skeleton fetches more than €1m at auction in France Posted: 11 Dec 2016 08:22 AM PST Auction house says bones of allosaurus named Kan, bought by unnamed French buyer, will go on public display A nearly complete dinosaur skeleton has sold for more than €1m at auction in the eastern French city of Lyon. The bones of the allosaurus, a ferocious carnivore named Kan whose species went extinct 135m years ago, fetched €1.1m (£900,000) on Saturday, the Aguttes auction house said. Continue reading... |
| British-Algerian journalist dies after hunger strike Posted: 11 Dec 2016 10:00 AM PST Mohamed Tamalt, who was imprisoned after sharing poem about Algerian president on Facebook, dies in hospital A British-Algerian journalist has died after staging a hunger strike in protest against a two-year jail term for offending Algeria's president in a poem posted online, according to his lawyer. "I can confirm the death of the journalist Mohamed Tamalt in Bab el-Oued hospital after a hunger strike of more than three months and a three-month coma," Amine Sidhoum said on Facebook. Continue reading... |
| Oil price surges as Opec and non-Opec member agree deal to cut output Posted: 12 Dec 2016 02:23 AM PST First deal for 15 years seen as game changer by analysts who forecast oil price to rise further from $57 a barrel with Saudi Arabia pledging even greater cuts Oil prices have surged to a 17-month high after a group of the world's largest producers, including Saudi Arabia and Russia, agreed to reduce output. The weekend deal between Opec and a number of non-Opec members, notably Russia, has pushed Brent crude up 5% to $57.04 a barrel, its highest level since mid-July 2015. Continue reading... |
| Newcomer Kitchen: how Syrian refugees took over a Toronto restaurant – video Posted: 12 Dec 2016 02:12 AM PST When Canada pledged to take 25,000 refugees fleeing war in the Middle East, one restaurateur in Toronto opened his doors, giving a group of Syrian women the opportunity to cook for the community, spread the wealth of their home country's cuisines – and find new purpose in a strange city Continue reading... |
| Dreaming of a frugal Christmas? Meet the people who’ve stopped shopping Posted: 12 Dec 2016 01:52 AM PST There is a growing 'minimalism movement' that puts less emphasis on buying things, and more on people, places and happiness Geoffrey Szuszkiewicz told his family he didn't want anything for Christmas. But when he opened his stocking to find a roll of duct tape, some cling film and tin foil, he relented. "I was ecstatic. I could use everything," he says The 33-year-old dancer from Canada was in the middle of a "buy nothing" year when he opened his present, and had managed to cut out spending on anything except a pre-defined list of basic groceries and necessities for 12 months. Continue reading... |
| The corrosive effect of jailing novelists and journalists in Turkey Posted: 12 Dec 2016 01:51 AM PST In an essay about the silencing of writers, Elif Şafak explores the challenges facing those who have not been imprisoned by the Turkish government Aslı Erdoğan is a prize-winning Turkish writer, a newspaper columnist and human rights activist who has been in jail since August this year. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is a Turkish politician who has been responsible for the jailing of 140 journalists and countless human rights activists. Continue reading... |
| 'Putin's new ghetto has no barbed-wire fence – just surveillance and harassment' Posted: 12 Dec 2016 01:00 AM PST A Crimean Tatar activist says the world is staying silent as his people are persecuted by Russia The Crimean peninsula, annexed by Russia in 2014, has swiftly degenerated into the scene of the greatest repression being conducted anywhere in the entire country. The targets of the Kremlin's crackdown are the Crimean Tatars, the ethnic group that originally formed the Crimean nation on the Black Sea peninsula. Between the 13th and 18th centuries the Tatars enjoyed their own state, and since 2014 they have been campaigning to return their homeland to Ukrainian rule. For this they have become the collective enemy of Russia. Continue reading... |
| Posted: 12 Dec 2016 12:22 AM PST Photographs from the Eyewitness series Continue reading... |
| Crowdfunding medicine via Facebook is a lifesaver for sick children in Sudan Posted: 12 Dec 2016 01:00 AM PST With NGOs seen as a political threat, a volunteer initiative that links doctors and pharmacists with donors is funding much-needed healthcare A tea stall under a tree on one of Khartoum's busiest roads doesn't look like much to pin your hopes on when seeking to cure a sick child. But dozens of anxious parents and unrelated strangers rush to places like this across Sudan every day – the former to press prescriptions and the latter cash into the hands of volunteers managing a crowdfunding operation that saves children's lives. The operation, set up in 2012, received donations of some $220,000 (£176,000) for medicines in 2014, and also collected $533,000 to open children's intensive care units in two hospitals in the capital. Continue reading... |
| New Zealand's new PM Bill English: 'Lead and dig up the diamonds around you' – video Posted: 12 Dec 2016 01:05 AM PST Bill English quotes a poem by Selina Tusitala Marsh at his first press conference as prime minister following last week's resignation of John Key. English, a Catholic former finance minister, says that although he voted against same-sex marriage, he has since changed his mind on the issue |
| Indigenous woman dies in custody in Western Australia Posted: 12 Dec 2016 01:37 AM PST Noongar woman, 44, died after being taken to hospital suffering a heart attack, says minister An Indigenous woman has died in custody in Western Australia after having a heart attack on Saturday night. The 44-year-old Noongar woman was on remand at Bandyup women's prison in Perth. Continue reading... |
| Bermuda is world's worst corporate tax haven, says Oxfam Posted: 12 Dec 2016 02:11 AM PST Four UK territories in list 'undermine Britain's efforts to be responsible member of the international community' Bermuda is the world's worst corporate tax haven, according to a list by Oxfam, which includes three other UK territories among those it names and shames. The charity's list of the "world's worst" 15 tax havens includes the Cayman Islands, Jersey and the British Virgin Islands, which, like Bermuda, are under the sovereignty of the UK. It warned that allowing these territories to act as tax havens "undermines Britain's efforts to be an outward-facing, responsible member of the international community". Continue reading... |
| Air quality in holy city of Varanasi 'most toxic in India' Posted: 12 Dec 2016 01:33 AM PST Levels of airborne pollution across north Indian plains routinely higher than in the capital, Delhi, researchers warn Air quality in the Indian holy city of Varanasi is "the most toxic in the country" according to research that reveals the extent of the pollution crisis across northern India. There has been a growing awareness of the dangers of the smog that envelopes Delhi in the winter months, but a report released on Monday by three environmental groups highlights the extent of the problem across the north Indian plains, where levels of harmful airborne particles are routinely higher than in the capital. Continue reading... |
| The Daily Mail's pathetic pants-shaming stunt on Sam Armytage demeans us all | Brigid Delaney Posted: 11 Dec 2016 11:43 PM PST We have to call this stuff out now, more loudly than ever – even if we're at risk of repeating ourselves or sounding angry or shrill I know plenty of feminists whose guilty pleasure is reading the Daily Mail. Walk up behind them in their lunch break and say "boo!" and they'll be frantically trying to minimise their browser, hiding the sidebar of shame. Yes, they were reading about Karl Stefanovic looking downcast while stepping out with his mum; or about the side boob of some celebrity so far down the alphabet the letters have run out. Continue reading... |
| Jakarta governor Ahok's blasphemy trial – video explainer Posted: 11 Dec 2016 10:32 PM PST Ahok, a Christian of Chinese descent, has angered Indonesia's religious conservatives by referencing a verse from the Islamic holy book on the campaign trail. He is preparing to stand trial for blasphemy in Jakarta. If found guilty, he faces a maximum five-year jail term. Acquittals in blasphemy cases in the Indonesian courts are rare, but Ahok has vowed to continue his campaign and to contest the election. Continue reading... |
| China riot police seal off city centre after smog protesters put masks on statues Posted: 11 Dec 2016 10:26 PM PST Clampdown in Chengdu after protesters place masks on statues in anger at air pollution choking the city An environmental protest in China was aggressively put down at the weekend, with a large police presence continuing for days to prevent further demonstrations in an unusually heavy-handed response. The protests started after the south-western city of Chengdu was shrouded in thick smog, with some residents placing pollution masks on statues. An unknown number were taken away by police, with security forces in riot gear seen in the city's downtown shopping area. Continue reading... |
| Australian cars use more fuel and emit more fumes than advertised, says AAA Posted: 11 Dec 2016 09:56 PM PST Australian Automobile Association says it found fuel consumption is up to 35% higher and emissions up to four times higher than claimed Australian cars are consuming up to 35% more fuel and emitting four times more noxious gas than their manufacturers claim, according to a new study. The Australian Automobile Association has released a report saying 10 popular car models used more fuel in real-world tests than in the lab-controlled results on fuel efficiency labels. Continue reading... |
| Flotsam covered in gooseneck barnacles perplexes New Zealanders Posted: 11 Dec 2016 09:29 PM PST Melissa Doubleday was strolling along Muriwai Beach near Auckland when she came across a rather unusual sight. Continue reading... |
| Half a million South Koreans celebrate impeaching of president Park Geun-hye Posted: 11 Dec 2016 08:04 PM PST Large numbers of protester have taken to the streets marking Friday's suspension of Park's presidential powers with music, chanting and fireworks Angry protests against the South Korean president, Park Geun-hye, have turned into celebrations following her impeachment, with thousands braving freezing temperatures over the weekend to declare a victory for people power. Large numbers of protesters returned to the streets of Seoul on Saturday, marking Friday's suspension of Park's presidential powers with candlelit vigils, music, chanting and impromptu firework displays. Continue reading... |
| Venezuela pulls most common banknote from circulation to 'beat mafia' Posted: 11 Dec 2016 07:07 PM PST President's surprise move, which comes days before authorities release six new notes and three new coins, is likely to worsen a cash crunch Venezuela, mired in an economic crisis and facing the world's highest inflation, will pull its largest bill, worth two US cents on the black market, from circulation this week ahead of introducing new higher-value notes, President Nicolás Maduro said on Sunday. The surprise move, announced by Maduro during an hours-long speech, is likely to worsen a cash crunch in Venezuela. Maduro said the 100-bolivar bill will be taken out of circulation on Wednesday and Venezuelans will have 10 days after that to exchange those notes at the central bank. Continue reading... |
| 'Boring' Bill English spices up first speech as New Zealand's prime minister Posted: 11 Dec 2016 05:46 PM PST Former finance minister and self-confessed bore takes office quoting poetry and saying he is no longer against gay marriage Bill English, a man who led his party to their worst election defeat in history and has described himself as being 'boring', has officially become New Zealand's new prime minister after John Key's resignation last week. Related: Bill English: the Catholic conservative who will be New Zealand's next PM Continue reading... |
| Reindeer shrink as climate change in Arctic puts their food on ice Posted: 11 Dec 2016 04:46 PM PST Warmer summers boost numbers but average weight falls by 7kg because winter snow turns to rain, which then freezes and locks away its food Reindeer are shrinking on an Arctic island near the north pole as a result of climate change that has curbed the amount of winter food available to the animals, scientists said on Monday. The average weight of adult reindeer on Svalbard, a chain of islands north of Norway, fell from 55kg (121lb) to 48kg (106lb) in the 1990s as part of sweeping changes to Arctic life while temperatures rose, they said. Continue reading... |
| Jakarta governor Ahok's blasphemy trial: all you need to know Posted: 11 Dec 2016 04:12 PM PST Ahok, a Christian of Chinese descent, has angered Indonesia's religious conservatives by referencing a verse from the Islamic holy book on the campaign trail Jakarta's governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, better known by his nickname Ahok, will face the first day of his trial on charges of blasphemy on Tuesday. Continue reading... |
| Netanyahu aims to discuss 'various ways' to undo Iran deal with Trump Posted: 11 Dec 2016 01:19 PM PST Israeli prime minister tells CBS he has 'about five' options in mind as he hopes to undo nuclear agreement after president-elect takes office The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has said he means to discuss with Donald Trump "various ways" to undo the Iran nuclear deal, after the president-elect moves into the White House next month. Related: Intelligence figures fear Trump reprisals over assessment of Russia election role Continue reading... |
| Can a change in economic policies cope with anger and alienation? | Letters Posted: 11 Dec 2016 11:33 AM PST Pankaj Mishra's exposé of the poverty of economic man (Welcome to the age of anger, 8 December) is powerful but, among the "more complex drives" he lists, he omits "belonging" – key to understanding "identity politics". Facing danger our instinct, like that of animals who herd, is to cling to the familiar and the group. Incomers may or may not be a realistic threat, but they are easily perceived to be in times of disturbing upheaval. This need not be a counsel of despair; it could be a cause for hope. Globalisation and technical change may not be inevitably destructive: whether they do harm or good depends on the values by which we handle them. If we remain dedicated to the competitive pursuit of material gain and are indifferent to the feelings of shame, humiliation, helplessness and anger of those who are left out – or if, worse still, we continue our persecution of the poor – then recent events are just a foretaste of a future that will be bleak indeed. • Thank you for Pankaj Mishra's stimulating essay. It's worth highlighting two arguments with implications for public policy. First, I would question his representation of the desire for recognition as vanity. Recognition has been identified as a vital human need, associated with the psychological need for respect of one's dignity as a human being. Arguably the lack of recognition of marginalised groups, including people in poverty, has fuelled the rage of which he writes. Second, in challenging the "prevailing image of Homo economicus", Mishra could draw on feminist theorising around an ethic of care, which has long challenged this attenuated representation of human experience. Research has uncovered "gendered moral rationalities" (Duncan and Edwards) in which economic rationality itself can take second place to different forms of rationality, which prioritise caring over economic success. Social policies that recognised the dignity of people living in poverty and the value of care-giving could represent small steps along the path Mishra starts to sketch. |
| Saudi arms money is running out | Letters Posted: 11 Dec 2016 11:33 AM PST Saudi Arabia is certainly fighting proxy wars in the Middle East (Allies rally to Johnson over Saudi gaffe, 9 December), as well as promoting its form of Islam in many countries around the world. But it is not just for their oil and for their lucrative custom, for as long as they can pay, that we court Saudi Arabia. We were friendly with the Shah of Persia and selling him aircraft only weeks before he fled his country. The west found itself needing the stability the Saudi regime provides in the region. But it can now be predicted that all of this will end – perhaps soon – and that things will become catastrophically worse in the region. Saudi Arabia is running out of money and, despite protestations and efforts to prevent it, the momentum towards bankruptcy seems unstoppable. Saudi's cash flow is depleted by low oil prices and by steadily decreasing demand for oil from that area. If the House of Saud suddenly falls, as did the Shah, religious revolutionaries of many shades will clash for power and seize the country's massive stock of armaments. Client states will be left penniless and exposed. |
| France to require 'clean stickers' on vehicles in high pollution areas Posted: 11 Dec 2016 08:26 AM PST Vehicles failing to display Crit'Air stickers will be banned from low-emission zones in Paris and other cities in bid to combat smog French motorists in high pollution areas will be required to display a "clean sticker" on their vehicle from January to combat pollution that has created a cloud of noxious smog in Paris and other cities. The six differently coloured Crit'Air (air criteria) stickers will be large enough for the police to see at a distance and will indicate the age of the vehicle, its engine and cleanliness on a scale of one to six. |
| Iran finalizes $16.8bn deal with Boeing after nuclear agreement, state news says Posted: 11 Dec 2016 06:48 AM PST Iran purchases 80 passenger planes, IRNA news agency says, marking biggest agreement with US company since 1979 revolution Iran said on Sunday it has finalized a $16.8bn deal with Boeing to purchase 80 passenger planes, a deal made possible by last year's landmark nuclear agreement. The state-run IRNA news agency said 50 Boeing 737s and 30 Boeing 777s would be delivered over the next decade, in the biggest agreement to be struck with an American company since the 1979 revolution and US embassy takeover. Continue reading... |
| Aftermath of bomb blast inside Cairo’s Coptic church – video Posted: 11 Dec 2016 05:44 AM PST A bomb blast at Egypt's main Coptic Christian cathedral in Cairo killed at least 25 people and injured dozens more on Sunday. It is one of the deadliest attacks against Egypt's beleaguered Christian minority in recent memory. Copts, who make up about 10% of Egypt's population of 90 million, faced persecution and discrimination during the 30-year rule of Hosni Mubarak Continue reading... |
| Isis regains control of Palmyra, forcing Syrian forces to retreat Posted: 11 Dec 2016 05:30 AM PST Jihadis enter ancient city, where they wreaked destruction last year, after earlier report that airstrikes had repelled them Isis has regained control of the city of Palmyra in Syria, nine months after it was driven out by Russian-backed government forces, opposition activists said on Sunday. Russia earlier said it had repelled militants, forcing them to retreat to the outskirts of the ancient city by launching more than 60 airstrikes. Continue reading... |
| Posted: 11 Dec 2016 04:46 AM PST Photographs from the Eyewitness series Continue reading... |
| Insider's guide to Auckland: a multicultural melting pot by the sea Posted: 11 Dec 2016 04:01 PM PST Surrounded by beaches and volcanoes, with a thriving arts scene in between, local journalist Hannah Spyksma shows us around the diverse cultures that make up this beautiful Polynesian city The South Pacific's melting pot |
| Cash chaos shows India's women need financial system they can bank on | Sarah Gammage Posted: 11 Dec 2016 09:00 PM PST Banning the country's most widely used notes has hit poor women hardest, as they often do not have bank accounts or access to financial services Long queues. Days off work. Loss of assets. Not the effects of an economic crash, but rather what has happened in recent weeks after India's prime minister, Narendra Modi, announced a policy of "demonetisation", which banned with immediate effect the two notes most widely used throughout the Indian economy. Modi said demonetisation was necessary for several reasons, among them: combating corruption and terrorism financing; promoting formal savings; and ensuring transactions could be properly taxed. To comply with this policy, Indians must wait in long queues at banks with strict deposit limits to swap their old notes for new ones. This policy has had a profound effect, as estimates indicate as many as 98% of all transactions throughout the country are handled in cash. Continue reading... |
| Rex Tillerson: an appointment that would confirm Putin's US election win Posted: 11 Dec 2016 08:10 AM PST The president-elect is reportedly favouring the Exxon Mobil CEO but experts say the Senate may bridle over a realpolitik choice that would benefit Russia If Rex Tillerson is nominated as the next secretary of state, it would confirm Vladimir Putin as one of the strategic victors of the US presidential election. Barack Obama has ordered an inquiry into covert Russian intervention in the campaign, which the CIA says was designed to secure a victory for Donald Trump. But whether or not Russian intervention made a significant difference to the outcome, a Tillerson appointment would represent a significant gain for Moscow. Continue reading... |
| Trump: reports that Russia influenced US election are ‘ridiculous’ – video Posted: 11 Dec 2016 08:07 AM PST Donald Trump says the CIA's conclusion that Russia interfered in the presidential election is 'ridiculous' and is being used by Democrats as 'just another excuse' for his defeat of Hillary Clinton. Speaking in an interview with 'Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace', the president-elect questions whether the CIA was behind the reports that indicated Moscow wanted him in the White House Continue reading... |
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