World news and comment from the Guardian | guardian.co.uk |
- Evacuation preparations begin after new Aleppo ceasefire deal
- China should plan to take Taiwan by force after Trump call, state media says
- Only swift action can avert South Sudan genocide, says UN human rights chief
- Greece on collision course with lenders as ESM freezes debt relief
- Images show 'significant' Chinese weapons systems in South China Sea
- Splits form among Colombia's Farc rebels after commanders expelled
- Yahoo hack: 1bn accounts compromised by largest data breach in history
- Thai fishing industry: abuses continue in unpoliced waters, Greenpeace claims
- Vladimir Putin seeks formal end to second world war hostilities with Japan
- Calais child refugees on partial hunger strike after transfers to UK stop
- UK criticised for failure to tell Afghan warlord's victims of his release
- Chile judge questions Pinochet's widow over embezzlement allegations
- Russia blocks United Nations tribute to Ban Ki-moon for promoting LGBT rights
- Top Democrat's emails hacked by Russia after aide made typo, investigation finds
- Cross-party MPs urge Boris Johnson to call for Bahrain activist's release
- Crimean gold artefacts must go back to Ukraine, Dutch court rules
- Peru airs news in Quechua, indigenous language of Inca empire, for first time
- 'Eat mutton': Indian newspaper's 'scientific' tips for conceiving boys
- Aleppo evacuation underway – live updates
- Syria: ambulances on the move as Aleppo evacuation operation begins
- Brexit plan will not be published before February, says David Davis
- Vladimir Putin 'personally involved' in US hack, report claims
- The Faliraki challenge and other Life in the EU tests for post-Brexit Britons | Marina Prentoulis
- Major fire at Fleet services leads to partial M3 closure
- EU politicians believe trade deal could take decade, No 10 is warned
- Visiting my bebe - my grandmother - in rural Tanzania inspired me to volunteer
- Donald Trump risks damaging intelligence agencies, warns former CIA chief
- Searching for our missing children: ‘It’s been six years. It feels like yesterday’ – video
- Philippine senators call for Duterte to be impeached over killing confession
- Frydenberg approves controversial Port Melville development on Tiwi Islands
- Casino operators ready to stake money on Japan as ban is lifted
- The neo-Nazi murder trial revealing Germany's darkest secrets | Thomas Meaney and Saskia Schäfer
- Judge sentences Eddie Obeid to jail for misconduct – video
- The rise to power and tumbling fall of Eddie Obeid
- Eddie Obeid sentenced to five years in jail for misconduct
- Campaign begins to counter 'all white' Christmas
- Poland restricts public meetings
- 'Save us': Aleppo civilians plead for help as airstrikes resume
- Iran hails victory in Aleppo as Shia militias boost Syria's Bashar al-Assad
- New Italian PM faces criticism over 'puppetmaster' Renzi
- Guardian readers raise over £350,000 so far for child refugees
- 'I'm moving to Canada': the cops, pop stars and athletes who made good on the threat
- Vladimir Putin tops Forbes 2016 list of most influential people
- Isis video claims to show abandoned Russian base in Palmyra
- Spain politicising courts to block referendum, says Catalan minister
- Esma Redžepova obituary
- Sex doll gift blows up into Twitter storm as Chile's president is not amused
- The fear of Marine Le Pen – will the next political earthquake happen in France?
- Intro episode: Project podcast
- 'It's not just shopping, right?': life in the shadow of North America's biggest mall
- 'Kangaroo care' makes premature babies healthier and wealthier, study finds
- Why Donald Trump's potential conflicts of interest are so important
- How to prepare for a Trump presidency – Politics for humans podcast
| Evacuation preparations begin after new Aleppo ceasefire deal Posted: 14 Dec 2016 11:52 PM PST Ceasefire went into effect at 2.30am local time but International Committee of the Red Cross rejects claims evacuation is already underway Preparations are under way for an evacuation of civilians and rebel fighters from east Aleppo after a new ceasefire deal was reached late on Wednesday following a day of violent bombardment and intense shuttle diplomacy. Civilians and the wounded in the eastern part of the city were expected to begin leaving the city at 6am but four hours later sources on the ground said evacuation teams had not yet crossed into the opposition enclave and there were reports of gunfire. Continue reading... |
| China should plan to take Taiwan by force after Trump call, state media says Posted: 14 Dec 2016 10:12 PM PST Global Times says Beijing should 'punish militarily' any moves to undermine One China policy – which US president-elect has said he might not uphold China should plan to take Taiwan by force and make swift preparations for a military incursion, a Communist party-controlled newspaper has said, after US president-elect Donald Trump broke decades of diplomatic protocol in the region. Before he even assumes the presidency, Trump has called into question the longstanding US foreign policy of maintaining formal relations with Beijing instead of Taiwan, which China considers a breakaway province. He also spoke directly with Taiwan's president, the first such contact since 1979. Both moves have infuriated China. Continue reading... |
| Only swift action can avert South Sudan genocide, says UN human rights chief Posted: 14 Dec 2016 03:37 AM PST Targeted sanctions and peacekeeping force among measures urged at special session of UN human rights council as violence compared with Rwanda Conditions in South Sudan were repeatedly likened to those in Rwanda on the eve of its genocide at a special session of the UN human rights council held on Wednesday, with a top official warning that escalating ethnic violence has left the country teetering on the brink of disaster. On the third anniversary of the civil war in the world's youngest country, members states heard that swift action was required to prevent a genocide, including targeted sanctions and the deployment of a 4,000-strong protection force to separate the warring parties. Continue reading... |
| Greece on collision course with lenders as ESM freezes debt relief Posted: 14 Dec 2016 11:41 AM PST European financing body says it will not honour accord after Greek PM announced pre-Christmas bonus for pensioners The dispute between Greece and its creditors has turned more ugly after the European body financing the country's €86bn (£72bn) bailout programme decided to freezea debt relief deal. The prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, was taken by surprise on Wednesday when the European Stability Mechanism announced it would not honour an accord to ease the burden of Greece's debt pile. The decision, taken in direct retribution for a series of surprise social welfare measures unveiled by the leader, is likely to put Athens on a war footing with lenders amid mounting signs of the Greek crisis flaring again. Continue reading... |
| Images show 'significant' Chinese weapons systems in South China Sea Posted: 14 Dec 2016 08:03 PM PST Washington-based thinktank says Beijing has installed anti-aircraft and anti-missile systems and guns on artificial reefs China appears to have positioned "significant" weapons systems, including anti-aircraft and anti-missile systems, on all seven of the artificial islands it has built in the South China Sea, despite vowing it had no intention of militarising the archipelago, a US thinktank has claimed. During a state visit to the United States last year President Xi Jinping publicly stated that China did "not intend to pursue militarisation" of the strategic and resource-rich trade route through which about $4.5tn (£3.4tn) in trade passes each year. Continue reading... |
| Splits form among Colombia's Farc rebels after commanders expelled Posted: 14 Dec 2016 10:22 AM PST Five mid-level commanders pushed out of group for failure to join peace deal as statement calls on their apparent followers 'to distance themselves' Fissures have begun to show in the ranks of Colombia's Farc rebels after five mid-level commanders were summarily expelled from the group for refusing to demobilize and join a peace deal to end their 52-year war. The Farc leadership said in a statement that the five commanders, who were all part of guerrilla units located in far eastern Guaviare province, were pushed out of the group for failing to follow orders. Continue reading... |
| Yahoo hack: 1bn accounts compromised by largest data breach in history Posted: 15 Dec 2016 01:43 AM PST The latest incident to emerge – which happened in 2013 – is probably distinct from the breach of 500m user accounts in 2014 Yahoo said on Wednesday it had discovered another major cyber attack, saying data from more than 1bn user accounts was compromised in August 2013, making it the largest such breach in history. The number of affected accounts was double the number implicated in a 2014 breach that the internet company disclosed in September and blamed on hackers working on behalf of a government. Continue reading... |
| Thai fishing industry: abuses continue in unpoliced waters, Greenpeace claims Posted: 14 Dec 2016 04:01 PM PST Report alleges exposure of human rights abuses including trafficking and labour exploitation has simply prompted move to more remote waters An international crackdown on human rights abuses in the Thai fishing industry has resulted in vessels travelling thousands of miles further into remote and lawless waters, where trafficked men continue to be beaten and sold at sea, a 12-month Greenpeace investigation alleges. According to the report, published on Thursday, seafood caught by such vessels is largely illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) and has entered the supply chains of multiple companies producing food for global export, including to the UK, in clear violation of international labour, supply and fishing codes. Continue reading... |
| Vladimir Putin seeks formal end to second world war hostilities with Japan Posted: 14 Dec 2016 04:43 PM PST Russian president says he wants to tackle 'anachronism' of Kuril islands territorial dispute in summit with prime minister Shinzo Abe Russia and Japan kick off a summit on Thursday aimed at reaching a deal over a group of small islands that have prevented the countries from formally ending their second world war hostilities. Related: Kuril islands missiles should not spoil Putin's visit, Russia tells Japan Continue reading... |
| Calais child refugees on partial hunger strike after transfers to UK stop Posted: 14 Dec 2016 09:04 AM PST Volunteer says teenagers who were taken from camp in October were led to believe they would be considered for asylum A group of 12 teenagers cleared from the Calais migrant camp have gone on partial hunger strike over the Home Office's apparent decision to end transfers to the UK. The unaccompanied minors from Syria, Eritrea and Sudan were interviewed by the Home Office four weeks ago and have decided to stage the protest after they read in British and French newspapers that the process of reuniting refugee children with family members in the UK had ended. Continue reading... |
| UK criticised for failure to tell Afghan warlord's victims of his release Posted: 14 Dec 2016 11:14 AM PST Faryadi Sarwar Zardad deported after 11 years in prison and could now seek revenge against trial witnesses Afghan torture victims who helped jail a notorious warlord in a landmark UK trial may be at risk after British authorities released him from jail and returned him to Afghanistan on Wednesday, without warning some witnesses or offering protection. Faryadi Sarwar Zardad was known for keeping a "human dog" at a checkpoint on a key highway, who savaged victims on his command. He was convicted in 2005 of orchestrating a "cruel and merciless" campaign of torture and hostage-taking. |
| Chile judge questions Pinochet's widow over embezzlement allegations Posted: 14 Dec 2016 12:06 PM PST Lucia Hiriart accused of using public funds for not-for-profit women's group to fund dictator's battle against extradition from Britain A Chilean judge has questioned the 94-year-old widow of the late dictator Augusto Pinochet over allegations she embezzled public funds through a not-for-profit women's group she ran. Lucía Hiriart is accused of using money from the foundation to fund Pinochet's battle against extradition from Britain in the 1990s. Continue reading... |
| Russia blocks United Nations tribute to Ban Ki-moon for promoting LGBT rights Posted: 14 Dec 2016 10:54 AM PST UN security council wanted to thank outgoing secretary general, under whom 'the LGBT community have been heard and assisted' but Russia objected Russia has prevented the United Nations security council from thanking outgoing secretary general Ban Ki-moon specifically for promoting gay rights during his decade in office, diplomats said. The 15-member council met to pay tribute to Ban, who will step down later this month. Being gay is a crime in at least 73 countries, the UN has said, and the issue of gay rights consistently sparks heated debate at the United Nations. Continue reading... |
| Top Democrat's emails hacked by Russia after aide made typo, investigation finds Posted: 14 Dec 2016 05:07 AM PST In the run-up to the US election, aide to John Podesta spotted phishing email but flagged it as 'legitimate' instead of 'illegitimate' Russian hackers were able to access thousands of emails from a top-ranking Democrat after an aide typed the word "legitimate" instead of "illegitimate" by mistake, an investigation by the New York Times has found. The revelation gives further credence to the CIA's finding last week that the Kremlin deliberately intervened in the US presidential election to help Donald Trump. The president-elect has angrily denied the CIA's assessment, calling it "ridiculous". Continue reading... |
| Cross-party MPs urge Boris Johnson to call for Bahrain activist's release Posted: 14 Dec 2016 11:22 AM PST US has already called for Bahrain to free Nabeel Rajab who faces up to 15 years in jail after criticising the war in Yemen More than 20 MPs from seven parties in the UK parliament have urged the British foreign secretary to echo US government calls for the release of the Bahraini human rights activist Nabeel Rajab, whose trial begins on Friday. Rajab, who faces up to 15 years in jail for comments made on Twitter criticising the war in Yemen, has been held in pre-trial detention since June. He is also accused of "defaming the state" by publishing "false news .. and malicious rumours that undermine the prestige of the kingdom" in an opinion piece in the New York Times. Continue reading... |
| Crimean gold artefacts must go back to Ukraine, Dutch court rules Posted: 14 Dec 2016 04:21 AM PST Kiev argued for return of treasures, which were on loan to Amsterdam museum when Russia seized the peninsula in 2014 A priceless collection of gold artefacts from Crimea that was on loan to a Dutch museum when Russia seized the peninsula must be returned to Ukraine and not Crimea, a Dutch court has ruled, in a judgment likely to anger Moscow. Kiev and the four museums have been wrangling over the fate of the archaeological treasures – including gems, helmets and scabbards – which were on loan to the Allard Pierson Museum in Amsterdam when Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in March 2014. |
| Peru airs news in Quechua, indigenous language of Inca empire, for first time Posted: 14 Dec 2016 03:30 AM PST Broadcast targeted speakers of language still spoken by 4 million Peruvians, symbolically ending centuries of marginalisation For the first time in Peru's history, a national news broadcast has been aired entirely in Quechua, the indigenous language of the Inca empire, which is still spoken by 4 million Peruvians. Called Ñuqanchik – which means "all of us" in Quechua – the daily news programme that launched this week targets speakers of the language some historians trace back to Peru's earliest civilizations 5,000 years ago. Continue reading... |
| 'Eat mutton': Indian newspaper's 'scientific' tips for conceiving boys Posted: 14 Dec 2016 05:20 AM PST Advice in Keralan paper Mangalam includes sleeping while facing to the left and never skipping breakfast A south Indian newspaper has offered its readers "scientifically proven" advice on how to conceive a boy, including eating plenty of mutton, never skipping breakfast and always sleeping with your face turned leftwards. The advice, which ran on Tuesday in the Kerala newspaper Mangalam, highlights the deep-rooted and often deadly preference for male children that persists in Indian culture. Continue reading... |
| Aleppo evacuation underway – live updates Posted: 15 Dec 2016 02:04 AM PST
Ambulances have begun moving towards east Aleppo, the first step in a long awaited evacuation of the wounded in the besieged districts of the city, Kareem Shaheen reports. Related: Syria: ambulances on the move as Aleppo evacuation operation begins
The Guardian's Kareem Shaheen is also hearing that the evacuation is underway. Aleppo evacuation operation is beginning! Ambulances moving towards east Aleppo Continue reading... |
| Syria: ambulances on the move as Aleppo evacuation operation begins Posted: 15 Dec 2016 01:59 AM PST International Committee of the Red Cross confirms start of operation to transfer wounded from besieged districts Ambulances have begun moving towards east Aleppo, the first step in a long awaited evacuation of the wounded in the besieged districts of the city. "Operation is starting, ambulances are moving," a spokesperson for the international committee of the Red Cross told the Guardian. Continue reading... |
| Brexit plan will not be published before February, says David Davis Posted: 14 Dec 2016 11:45 PM PST Brexit secretary indicates government's demands will include a refusal to allow the EU any control over UK immigration policy Britain will not have a Brexit plan until February but should be able to complete talks within 18 months and then go through a transitional phase of leaving the EU if necessary, David Davis has said. The Brexit secretary gave the clearest indications so far of the government's thinking on how to leave the bloc, including that it will refuse to allow the EU any control over the UK's immigration policy, as he appeared before the House of Commons committee on exiting the European Union. Continue reading... |
| Vladimir Putin 'personally involved' in US hack, report claims Posted: 14 Dec 2016 11:36 PM PST Russian president made key decisions in operation seen as revenge for past criticisms by Hillary Clinton, says NBC US intelligence officials believe that Vladimir Putin was personally involved in hacking during the American election campaign as part of a vendetta against Hillary Clinton, NBC News has claimed. The Russian president personally instructed how material hacked from US Democrats was leaked and otherwise used, the US television network said, quoting two senior officials with access to this information. Continue reading... |
| The Faliraki challenge and other Life in the EU tests for post-Brexit Britons | Marina Prentoulis Posted: 14 Dec 2016 12:34 PM PST European citizens in the UK face the notoriously tough Life in the United Kingdom test when Britain leaves the EU. But what if the roles were reversed? From time immemorial, any foreigner wishing to enter a city state had to prove they had earned the right to do so. Even Oedipus had to solve the riddle of the Sphinx before entering his – unbeknown to him – birthplace, Thebes. This has been a reality that most migrants have accepted too. Related: EU citizens should collect proof of living in UK, says Helena Kennedy Continue reading... |
| Major fire at Fleet services leads to partial M3 closure Posted: 15 Dec 2016 01:59 AM PST More than 50 firefighters tackled blaze at service station while police closed southbound carriageway of motorway The M3 is partially closed at Fleet in Hampshire after a major fire at a service station on Wednesday night. Fifty firefighters from Hampshire and Surrey battled the flames, which reportedly broke out in a restaurant at the southbound services at 10.30pm. Nobody was injured. Continue reading... |
| EU politicians believe trade deal could take decade, No 10 is warned Posted: 15 Dec 2016 12:19 AM PST UK's ambassador to EU is reported to have told PM of view that deal would not be finalised until early to mid-2020s Europe's politicians believe a trade deal with the UK could take up to a decade or more and could still fail in the final stages, Downing Street has been warned by the UK's ambassador to the EU. Sir Ivan Rogers, who conducted David Cameron's renegotiation with the EU prior to the referendum, is reported to have told Theresa May that European politicians expected that a deal would not be finalised until the early to mid-2020s, according to the BBC. That deal could still be rejected by any of the 27 national parliaments during the ratification process. Continue reading... |
| Visiting my bebe - my grandmother - in rural Tanzania inspired me to volunteer Posted: 14 Dec 2016 10:36 PM PST My grandmother's diet of bananas and a lack of anywhere to wash her hands made me want to help lift people out of poverty When I was 21 I went to visit my bebe – my grandmother – for a month during the school holidays. I was excited about experiencing rural village life in Tanzania; it was strange and different for me after growing up in the city of Mwanza. I enjoyed it, but somehow it made me sad. It was the first time I'd seen my bebe since I was small. My father grew up in the village but came to the city when he was young to find a job. We didn't have enough time or money to go and see her. Continue reading... |
| Donald Trump risks damaging intelligence agencies, warns former CIA chief Posted: 14 Dec 2016 11:37 PM PST Michael Hayden says disparaging comments about US spies could hurt the moral authority of their leaders Donald Trump's public disparagement of US intelligence agencies would have a discouraging effort on the country's spies and undermine the moral authority of their leaders to send them "into harm's way", a former CIA director said on Wednesday Michael Hayden, who served as both director of the CIA and NSA in the George W Bush administration, entered the growing controversy over the president-elect's attitude towards the US intelligence community, questioning its conclusion that Russia had hacked the Democratic National Committee and the CIA's finding that Moscow had meddled in the presidential election in Trump's favour. Continue reading... |
| Searching for our missing children: ‘It’s been six years. It feels like yesterday’ – video Posted: 14 Dec 2016 11:00 PM PST Almost a thousand people enter Mexico daily, heading for the US. Some never make it – they are kidnapped, imprisoned or killed along the way. Each year, in a bid to find their lost loved ones, a group of women from Central America travel together across Mexico, raising their voices in protest, publicising photographs of the missing and sharing each other's pain. This is their story Continue reading... |
| Philippine senators call for Duterte to be impeached over killing confession Posted: 14 Dec 2016 11:03 PM PST Senator Leila de Lima says 'mass murder' is grounds for ousting, but justice minister defends president's admission of extrajudicial executions Two Philippine senators have said President Rodrigo Duterte's admission that he used to personally kill suspected criminals when mayor of Davao city is grounds for impeachment. Senator Leila de Lima, Duterte's foremost domestic critic, and Senator Richard Gordon, who heads the senate justice committee, said the president's comments provided a legal avenue for his ousting. Continue reading... |
| Frydenberg approves controversial Port Melville development on Tiwi Islands Posted: 15 Dec 2016 12:42 AM PST Minister's decision appears to apply even less stringent conditions than were set after review earlier this year The federal environment minister, Josh Frydenberg, has granted full approval to the controversial Port Melville development on the Tiwi Islands. The decision, revealed on Thursday afternoon, appears to apply even less stringent conditions than were set by the commonwealth following its review into the development earlier this year. Continue reading... |
| Casino operators ready to stake money on Japan as ban is lifted Posted: 14 Dec 2016 10:56 PM PST Potentially lucrative market opens up as parliament approves 'integrated resorts' that include gambling houses – but Japanese public have mixed feelings Global casino operators are vying to move into Japan's potentially lucrative market after a ban was lifted by lawmakers in Tokyo, despite warnings over gambling addiction and the involvement of organised crime. Japan's parliament approved legislation in the early hours of Thursday allowing the construction of "integrated resorts" that will include casinos alongside hotels and entertainment facilities. Continue reading... |
| The neo-Nazi murder trial revealing Germany's darkest secrets | Thomas Meaney and Saskia Schäfer Posted: 14 Dec 2016 09:59 PM PST The only known survivor of a far-right group accused of a series of racist killings is now on trial. But the case has put the nation itself in the dock In the beginning, they were known as die Dönermorde – the kebab murders. The victims had little in common, apart from immigrant backgrounds and the modest businesses they ran. The first to die was Enver Şimşek, a 38-year-old Turkish-German man who ran a flower-import company in the southern German town of Nuremberg. On 9 September 2000, he was shot inside his van by two gunmen, and died in hospital two days later. The following June, in the same city, 49-year-old Abdurrahim Özüdoğru was killed by two bullets while helping out after hours in a tailor's shop. Two weeks later, in Hamburg, 500km north, Süleyman Taşköprü, 31, was shot three times and died in his greengrocer's shop. Two months later, in August 2001, greengrocer Habil Kılıç, 38, was shot twice in his shop in the Munich suburbs. Continue reading... |
| Judge sentences Eddie Obeid to jail for misconduct – video Posted: 14 Dec 2016 06:22 PM PST Former New South Wales minister Eddie Obeid is sentenced to a minimum of three years in jail for misconduct in public office. The 73-year-old former Labor powerbroker was found guilty in July of lobbying a senior public servant about lucrative leases without revealing his family's stake in the outlets. Justice Robert Beech-Jones sentences him to a non-parole period of three years Continue reading... |
| The rise to power and tumbling fall of Eddie Obeid Posted: 14 Dec 2016 04:53 PM PST As a backbencher, he 'ran the New South Wales Labor party'. A jury took less than a day to find the former minister guilty of wilful misconduct in public office When Eddie Obeid delivered his maiden speech to the New South Wales parliament 25 years ago, he recounted what now seems a prescient passage from Lebanon's famed poet, Khalil Gibran. "Are you a politician asking what your country can do for you, or a zealous one asking what you can do for your country?" Obeid asked, translating Gibran's question to the chamber. Continue reading... |
| Eddie Obeid sentenced to five years in jail for misconduct Posted: 14 Dec 2016 04:43 PM PST Former NSW Labor minister jailed for a maximum of five years, with a three-year non-parole period • The rise to power and tumbling fall of Eddie Obeid Former Labor powerbroker Eddie Obeid has been jailed for improperly lobbying a senior bureaucrat to secretly further his family's business interests. Obeid looked shocked as he was sentenced to five years with a non-parole period of three years for wilful misconduct in public office. Continue reading... |
| Campaign begins to counter 'all white' Christmas Posted: 14 Dec 2016 04:04 PM PST Woman hopes to increase number of images of black and ethnic minority families enjoying Christmas after noticing white families predominated A new campaign that aims to counter images of an "all white" Christmas is to be launched on Thursday to increase the number of black and ethnic minority families portrayed enjoying the festive period. A series of images of black and ethnic minority families doing things such as wrapping Christmas presents or decorating a tree will be made available on social media platforms under the hashtag #ChristmasSoWhite in a bid to increase the diversity of holiday images. Continue reading... |
| Poland restricts public meetings Posted: 14 Dec 2016 01:09 PM PST Opposition and EU politicians condemn attack on right to freedom of assembly Poland's conservative parliament has passed a law restricting public meetings, which that has been slammed by the opposition as anti-democratic. The legislation, passed late on Tuesday, introduces the concept of "periodic meetings" for rallies organised repeatedly in the same place and on the same date, giving such gatherings priority over other meetings. Under the new law, unrelated meetings must take place at least 100 metres (yards) away from any meeting designated "periodic". Continue reading... |
| 'Save us': Aleppo civilians plead for help as airstrikes resume Posted: 14 Dec 2016 11:09 AM PST Call for international community to put a stop to fighting as evacuation of civilians from stricken city blocked by militias Desperate residents in eastern Aleppo spent another day under intense bombardment on Wednesday and their elation at a possible rescue deal was replaced with horror as attacks on rebel territory resumed and an evacuation deal appeared to unravel in the face of Iranian opposition. Tens of thousands of civilians trapped without food, water or medicine under a hail of artillery and airstrikes found themselves once again pawns in a geopolitical struggle, with Iranian-backed militia who had spearheaded the ground assault on eastern Aleppo defying a ceasefire agreement brokered by Russia and Turkey to allow residents and opposition fighters under siege to leave the city. Continue reading... |
| Iran hails victory in Aleppo as Shia militias boost Syria's Bashar al-Assad Posted: 14 Dec 2016 10:16 AM PST
Iranian leaders have claimed a military victory in Aleppo, with the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's chief military aide boasting that Syrian president Bashar al-Assad's forces would have been unable to retake the besieged city without support from Tehran. "Aleppo was liberated thanks to a coalition between Iran, Syria, Russia and Lebanon's Hizbollah," said Seyed Yahya Rahim-Safavi. "Iran is on one side of this coalition which is approaching victory and this has shown our strength. The new American president should take heed of the powers of Iran." Continue reading... |
| New Italian PM faces criticism over 'puppetmaster' Renzi Posted: 14 Dec 2016 10:01 AM PST Paolo Gentiloni has won senate backing for his government, but opponents say it is still controlled by his predecessor, Matteo Renzi Paolo Gentiloni, the new prime minister of Italy, has won a vote of confidence in Italy's senate, in a move that will allow his government to formally take office amid relentless political attacks. The 62-year-old former foreign minister was backed by the upper house of the Italian parliament on Wednesday in a 169-99 vote. But, ever since he was chosen to take on the role of prime minister on Sunday, Gentiloni has faced criticism from opponents determined to ensure that he does not enjoy a political honeymoon. He was appointed by Sergio Mattarella, Italy's head of state, following the resignation of Matteo Renzi, the centre-left prime minister who suffered a humiliating defeat in a high-stakes constitutional referendum earlier this month. Now facing a tough populist and rightwing backlash, the new prime minister – who comes from an ancient Italian noble family – has had a shaky start. Continue reading... |
| Guardian readers raise over £350,000 so far for child refugees Posted: 14 Dec 2016 09:40 AM PST Readers explain why they're supporting charities determined to help child refugees • Click here to donate to our appeal Support for this year's Guardian and Observer charity appeal to assist child refugees in the UK and continental Europe has already been extraordinary, and we are grateful for your generosity. Katharine Viner, the Guardian's editor-in-chief, said the plight of refugees was "the great humanitarian crisis of our times" and more than 4,300 readers have already responded by donating money. Continue reading... |
| 'I'm moving to Canada': the cops, pop stars and athletes who made good on the threat Posted: 14 Dec 2016 09:23 AM PST From the female squash champion fleeing the Taliban, to the gay popstar who became a hit back in macho Brazil, it's often Canada's newcomers who can tell its most dramatic stories The cliched threat to move to Canada because of political unpleasantness in your own country – entirely hypothetical unpleasantness, of course (cough trumpfaragelepen) – often seems empty. It's like a stroppy kid saying he's going to run away from home, to which the standard parental response is: "Be my guest." For the British loyalists who fled the US revolution, however, or the tens of thousands of black slaves who travelled via the Underground Railroad, or the roughly same number of conscientious objectors to the Vietnam War in the 1960s and 70s, Canada has long been a place of refuge. Continue reading... |
| Vladimir Putin tops Forbes 2016 list of most influential people Posted: 14 Dec 2016 09:06 AM PST Donald Trump is in second place on annual list, with Theresa May 13th and Barack Obama 48th Vladimir Putin has beaten Donald Trump to top Forbes magazine's annual list of the world's most powerful people, taking the number one spot for the third consecutive year. The Forbes list, now in its eighth year, identifies 74 people – one for every 100 million on the planet – whose actions have the most impact across the world. Factors taken into consideration include the amount of people a person has power over, the financial resources they control, whether they have influence in more than one sphere, and how actively they wield their power to change the world. Continue reading... |
| Isis video claims to show abandoned Russian base in Palmyra Posted: 14 Dec 2016 08:59 AM PST Isis recaptured Syrian city over the weekend and released a video showing abandoned base with significant weaponry left behind A video released by Islamic State's news agency, Amaq, appears to show a hasty Russian retreat from a forward base near the Syrian city of Palmyra, recaptured by Isis over the weekend, with half-eaten bowls of soup, bank cards and a significant amount of weaponry left behind. Palmyra's recapture came seven months after a Russian orchestra held a symbolic concert in its amphitheatre to celebrate its liberation from the terrorist group. |
| Spain politicising courts to block referendum, says Catalan minister Posted: 14 Dec 2016 08:41 AM PST Raul Romeva says there is 'really worrying' lack of separation of powers between politicians and judiciary The Spanish judiciary is being systematically politicised in an attempt to suppress the Catalan government's plan to hold a binding referendum next year on independence, the Catalan foreign minister, Raül Romeva, has said. On Wednesday Spain's constitutional court suspended two resolutions passed by the Catalan parliament in October that were intended to pave the way for a vote on independence in September 2017. Continue reading... |
| Posted: 14 Dec 2016 08:15 AM PST Singer known as 'Queen of the Gypsies' who spoke out on issues affecting Europe's Roma people Esma Redžepova, the Macedonian singer and humanitarian, who has died aged 73, bore the title "Queen of the Gypsies" proudly. She rose from poverty to be feted by world leaders, as an eloquent spokesperson for Europe's Roma people, a confidante of the Yugoslav president Josip Broz Tito and a cultural ambassador for the Republic of Macedonia. Redžepova released hundreds of records and performed thousands of concerts, her music spanning generations – even taking her to the Eurovision song contest in 2013. She was born at the height of the second world war, in Skopje's old town, to Ibrahim Redžepova, a shoeshine man, and his wife, Canija, a seamstress. After the war, Esma and her five siblings took advantage of the free education and cultural organisations the socialist government of Yugoslavia offered. Young Esma, a precocious performer, entered and won a school talent competition in 1957. Continue reading... |
| Sex doll gift blows up into Twitter storm as Chile's president is not amused Posted: 14 Dec 2016 08:13 AM PST
A prominent Chilean business leader presented the country's economy minister with an inflatable doll on stage at an event late on Tuesday, sparking a social media storm and criticism by President Michelle Bachelet. Exporters' association Asexma traditionally gives humorous gifts to VIPs attending its annual dinner, but the inflated sex toy – which was handed to the economy minister, Luis Céspedes, with the comment that it could be used to "stimulate the economy" – backfired. Continue reading... |
| The fear of Marine Le Pen – will the next political earthquake happen in France? Posted: 14 Dec 2016 08:00 AM PST Donald Trump's victory in the US has given the far-right outsider hope of causing a shock in May's election. But key differences between the two – and their electoral systems – stand in her way On the wall in the new presidential campaign offices of France's Front National leader Marine Le Pen hangs a portrait of Hollywood tough guy Clint Eastwood. He might seem an odd choice of pinup for Europe's biggest far-right, nationalist, anti-immigration party, but Le Pen admires Eastwood's "bravery" in voting for Donald Trump in the US election last month. Dirty Harry, like Trump himself, has become something of a feel-good mascot for the French far-right's battle for the leadership of the country. Instead of a gun, the ageing but still snarling Eastwood is pointing a blue rose, Le Pen's new campaign symbol. Trump's US victory blew apart any notion of foregone electoral conclusions, leading Paris's mainstream politicians to warn that the world's next political earthquake could happen in France. Le Pen winning the French presidential election in five months' time – something that had always been seen as impossible – would be the greatest shock in postwar European politics. Continue reading... |
| Intro episode: Project podcast Posted: 14 Dec 2016 07:51 AM PST Welcome to Project, our podcast examining the future of the world. That's a pretty big topic but together with host Gabrielle Jackson we'll talk to Guardian correspondents from every continent to discuss the hot topics effecting everyone around the planet Continue reading... |
| 'It's not just shopping, right?': life in the shadow of North America's biggest mall Posted: 14 Dec 2016 04:29 AM PST Since it opened in 1981, West Edmonton Mall has been one of the defining features of Alberta's capital. With its giant water park, ice rink and 800 shops promoting a culture of consumerism, is the mall more than just 'space'? I should have known we couldn't handle the wave. Far from the beach, my four-year-old daughter and I clung to each other in water up to my chest. Swimmers around us screamed in anticipation. I backed up and stumbled as we braced ourselves to meet the wall of water that was now a whitecap above our heads. "Look away!" I shouted at the moment of peak pointlessness. The water shot into our nostrils, scouring sinuses with a chlorine burn. We gasped and rubbed our faces before staggering to the vinyl-clad shoreline, laughing like the fools we clearly were for having paid roughly £55 to (almost) drown in the world's largest indoor wave pool. Continue reading... |
| 'Kangaroo care' makes premature babies healthier and wealthier, study finds Posted: 14 Dec 2016 06:58 AM PST Research suggests method involving skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding gives premature and low birth-weight infants better chance of thriving in later life Premature babies who were breastfed exclusively and kept warm through continuous skin-to-skin contact have become young adults with larger brains, higher salaries and less stressful lives than babies who received conventional incubator care, according to a study published this week. The research (pdf), in the journal Pediatrics, compared 18- to 20-year-olds who, as premature and low birth-weight infants, were randomised at birth in Colombia to receive either traditional incubator care or kangaroo mother care (KMC) – a technique whereby parents or caregivers become a baby's incubator and its main source of food and stimulation – until they could maintain their own body temperature. Continue reading...This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Why Donald Trump's potential conflicts of interest are so important Posted: 14 Dec 2016 03:00 AM PST Trump's cancelled news conference heightens concerns over possible consequences of blurred boundaries between presidency and business dealings Donald Trump's cancellation of a news conference about potential conflicts of interest between his presidency and his business dealings has only sharpened concerns. With roughly one month to go until the inauguration, a sense of urgency is building around Trump's need to clarify his plans for his business. The perceived hazard is not only potential self-dealing by Trump – who could conceivably use the presidency to boost his real estate developments at home or abroad, guide justice department activity, or renegotiate debts or leases – but also potential blackmail or bribery of Trump or his family members or associates based on their significant debts or other liabilities around the world. Continue reading... |
| How to prepare for a Trump presidency – Politics for humans podcast Posted: 14 Dec 2016 03:00 AM PST On this week's episode, host Sabrina Siddiqui looks at how Americans can prepare for one of the most divisive President-elects in modern history After an election that sent shock waves across the world and plunged America into an uncertain future, host Sabrina Siddiqui explores what Americans can do in response. From grassroots organizations to the halls of Congress, she asks guests what Americans can expect, and how to prepare for and fight back when one of the most divisive President-elects in modern history takes office. Political historian David Szakonyi of George Washington University notes that Donald Trump's leadership represents a government shakeup that many voters are hungry for, but history offers some warnings. "It's almost tragic how little success business people have had compared to the expectations that people have placed on them," says Szakonyi. Continue reading... |
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