World news and comment from the Guardian | guardian.co.uk |
- China hits back at US over South China Sea 'takeover' claims
- Organisms created with synthetic DNA pave way for entirely new life forms
- Roman Polanski drops out of French awards ceremony
- Colombia considers ban on bullfighting days after protesters clash with police
- Netherlands PM says those who don't respect customs should leave
- US military is 'not coordinating airstrikes with Russia in Syria', Pentagon says
- EU escalates its campaign against Russian propaganda
- China cracks down on VPNs, making it harder to circumvent Great Firewall
- 'Global gag rule' reinstated by Trump, curbing NGO abortion services abroad
- Fossils of wolf-sized otter unearthed in China
- 'Things should go well': top Trump aide reassures Canada about US trade ties
- Corbyn comparison seen as praise and insult in French Socialist race
- Syria peace talks: rebels appear to rule out ceasefire role for Iran
- Star Wars: Episode VIII has an official title: The Last Jedi
- Italian avalanche: hope for survivors after three puppies found alive in rubble
- Ottoman tombstone among ancient treasures recovered by Europol
- Razzies 2017: Zoolander 2 leads losers with nine nominations
- Three men arrested in Sweden after Facebook Live 'gang-rape'
- Supreme court rules parliament must have vote to trigger article 50
- Russian pipe workshop in Rostov-on-Don - in pictures
- Julian Assange: 'Chelsea Manning clemency was bid to make life hard for me'
- What if we gave universal income to people in biodiversity hotpots?
- Travel and pollution warnings as UK's cold, foggy weather continues
- Brexit: supreme court rules government cannot trigger article 50 without act of parliament – live updates
- Thousands of refugee children sleeping rough in sub-zero Serbia, says UN
- Uganda's sprawling haven for 270,000 of South Sudan's refugees
- Trump's 'day of patriotic devotion' has echoes of North Korea
- Police hope car seat covers hold clue to Brisbane man's suspicious death
- Nato has our 'unshakeable commitment', Pentagon chief vows
- Georgia eases draconian law on cannabis use in landmark ruling
- Bangladeshi man pleads for mercy killing of terminally ill sons, grandson
- Timor-Leste drops espionage claims against Australia in maritime border dispute
- Smoky bacon: Russian firefighters rescue pigs from burning farm – video
- China abandoning rule of law, human rights lawyers say
- Gender pay gap starts early with 20% disparity in pocket money – study
- Is punching Richard Spencer inciting violence or 'American as apple pie'?
- China must respect lawyers’ human rights | Letters
- Why Ukrainians don’t like the the | Brief letters
- ‘Millions have done something together’ – why the Women’s March will spark the resistance
- ‘Keep campaigning and stay plugged in’ – what next after the Women’s March
- Spain concerned over missing White House Spanish website: 'not a good idea'
- Tunisian shooting inquests: stories of beach terror revealed in court
- Tiny hands, huge protests: size of Trump inauguration turnout v women's marches
- Snow in the Sahara – in pictures
- Financial firms in talks with Amsterdam over relocation from London
- Moving US embassy to Jerusalem may be slipping down Trump's agenda
- Three puppies found alive in rubble of Italy avalanche hotel – video
- Tamil Nadu passes order to lift bull-taming ban after angry protests
- What Hispanic people think of Trump: US Latinos give a wide range of answers
- Tinder for cities: how tech is making urban planning more inclusive
- 'How will we survive?': Syrian refugees trapped in poverty in Thailand
- UK accused of failing to defend rights of Yemeni children against daily violations
- Trump inauguration was 'most watched ever’ Spicer claims again – video
- Sean Spicer holds first Trump administration press briefing – video highlights
- President signs executive order withdrawing US from Trans-Pacific Partnership – video
- 924 Bel Air Road: A look inside the most expensive house in the US – video
- Business leaders meet Trump in Washington: ‘I’m talking about no tax’ – video
- The changing story of Donald Trump’s tax returns – video
| China hits back at US over South China Sea 'takeover' claims Posted: 24 Jan 2017 01:13 AM PST Beijing warns White House to tread carefully after after Rex Tillerson likens island-building to Russia's taking of Crimea China has warned the US to "speak and act cautiously" after the White House said it would act to foil Chinese attempts to "take over" the South China Sea, amid growing hints that Donald Trump's administration intends to challenge Beijing over the strategic waterway. At a press conference in Beijing on Tuesday, the foreign ministry spokesperson, Hua Chunying, urged Washington to tread carefully "to avoid harming the peace and stability of the South China Sea". Continue reading... |
| Organisms created with synthetic DNA pave way for entirely new life forms Posted: 23 Jan 2017 11:01 PM PST E coli microbes have been modified to carry an expanded genetic code which researchers say will ultimately allow them to be programmed From the moment life gained a foothold on Earth its story has been written in a DNA code of four letters. With G, T, C and A - the molecules that pair up in the DNA helix - the lines between humans and all life on Earth are spelled out. Now, the first living organisms to thrive with an expanded genetic code have been made by researchers in work that paves the way for the creation and exploitation of entirely new life forms. Continue reading... |
| Roman Polanski drops out of French awards ceremony Posted: 24 Jan 2017 01:58 AM PST Director's role presiding over the Césars, the French equivalent of the Oscars, had sparked an outcry from women's groups Roman Polanski has stepped down from presiding over next month's César awards, France's equivalent of the Oscars, after his nomination to the prestigious role sparked outrage, a 61,000-signature petition and calls to boycott the event. The Franco-Polish film director, 83, is wanted in the US on charges of raping a a 13-year-old in Los Angeles in 1977. Continue reading... |
| Colombia considers ban on bullfighting days after protesters clash with police Posted: 24 Jan 2017 12:30 AM PST Highest court to debate if practice violates laws against mistreatment of animals after police tried to disrupt first bullfight in Colombia's capital city in four years Colombia's highest court is to consider a national ban on bullfighting just days after protesters battled with riot police as they tried to disrupt the first bullfight in the country's capital city in four years. Officers used pepper spray and tear gas against the demonstrators on Sunday as they shouted "murderers" and "torturers" at bullfighting enthusiasts on their way to Bogota's iconic redbrick bull ring. Continue reading... |
| Netherlands PM says those who don't respect customs should leave Posted: 23 Jan 2017 09:59 AM PST Mark Rutte publishes open letter saying Dutch citizens should defend country's values, in apparent bid to woo PVV voters The Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, has published an open letter to the country's citizens ahead of elections in March, telling anyone who cannot respect its customs to leave. Related: UK will pay huge price for prioritising migration curbs, says Dutch PM Continue reading... |
| US military is 'not coordinating airstrikes with Russia in Syria', Pentagon says Posted: 23 Jan 2017 11:19 AM PST Defense department denied Russian government claim that US-led coalition planes aided Isis mission, but Trump administration open to future joint strikes The Pentagon has flatly denied a Russian government claim that both nations' warplanes conducted a joint combat mission in Syria. Related: Suspected US drone strikes kill three al-Qaida suspects in Yemen, officials say Continue reading... |
| EU escalates its campaign against Russian propaganda Posted: 23 Jan 2017 10:32 AM PST Fears that Vladimir Putin will try to influence German, French and Dutch elections have led to cash injection The EU is to escalate its efforts to counter Russia's hybrid warfare campaign in the wake of Donald Trump's election, as fears grow that Vladimir Putin will seek to influence elections across Europe. With national elections happening in Germany, France and the Netherlands in the coming months, extra funds of about €800,000 (£690,000) have been made available to the EU's East Stratcom taskforce, which is seeking to collate and counter Russian attempts to influence votes through misinformation and propaganda. Continue reading... |
| China cracks down on VPNs, making it harder to circumvent Great Firewall Posted: 23 Jan 2017 01:38 PM PST A 14-month government 'cleanup' of internet access services will make it harder for users to access websites that are usually censored or restricted China has begun a crackdown on the use of virtual private networks, or VPNs, making it harder for internet users to circumvent the Great Firewall. The nation's ministry of industry and information technology announced a 14-month "cleanup" of internet access services, including making it illegal to operate a local VPN service without government approval. Continue reading... |
| 'Global gag rule' reinstated by Trump, curbing NGO abortion services abroad Posted: 23 Jan 2017 11:23 AM PST Reagan-era rule bans international NGOs with US funding from providing abortions or offering information, 'ignoring decades of research' says Democrat In one of a number of sharp reversals from the Obama era, Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order banning international NGOs from providing abortion services or offering information about abortions if they receive US funding. Related: Trump withdraws from Trans-Pacific Partnership amid flurry of orders Continue reading... |
| Fossils of wolf-sized otter unearthed in China Posted: 23 Jan 2017 04:53 PM PST Siamogale melilutra, which grew up to 2 metres long, frolicked in the country's south-western wetlands about 6.2m years ago Scientists have unearthed fossils of an otter as big as a wolf that frolicked in rivers and lakes in a lush, warm and humid wetlands region in south-western China about 6.2m years ago. The outsized otter, called Siamogale melilutra, weighed about 50kg (110lb) and measured up to 2 metres (6.5ft) long, making it bigger than any of its cousins alive today, the researchers said on Monday. Continue reading... |
| 'Things should go well': top Trump aide reassures Canada about US trade ties Posted: 23 Jan 2017 03:07 PM PST Stephen Schwarzman, who is expected to head the US president's business advisory council, addresses Canadian concerns after meeting Trudeau in Calgary A senior business adviser to Donald Trump has told Justin Trudeau and his Liberal government that Canada has little reason to worry about the president's push to renegotiate Nafta, as Canada prepares for what could be a tumultuous overhaul of its relationship with the US. On Monday, Trump's senior business adviser said Canada had little cause for concern. "Canada finds itself, frankly, in a really very special status," said Stephen Schwarzman, the chief executive officer of investment firm Blackstone Group LP. "Things should go well for Canada in terms of any discussions with the United States." Continue reading... |
| Corbyn comparison seen as praise and insult in French Socialist race Posted: 23 Jan 2017 10:17 AM PST Benoît Hamon's favourable mention of UK Labour leader after winning first round of primary outrages rival Manuel Valls As the divided French Socialist party this week chooses between a radical leftwing outsider and a centre-left former prime minister trying to defend the status quo, it hasn't taken long for a C-word to be bandied around both as praise and insult: Corbyn. Benoît Hamon, the dark horse leftist who wants to introduce a universal wage, tax robots and legalise cannabis, is seen as having a chance of winning the final round of the primary race to become the Socialist party's presidential candidate on Sunday. When he topped the first round with 36%, he was quick to namecheck the UK Labour party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, as an example of how voters, particularly young ones, want a return to a new form of solidarity politics and the spiritual fundamentals of the left. Continue reading... |
| Syria peace talks: rebels appear to rule out ceasefire role for Iran Posted: 23 Jan 2017 10:27 AM PST Regime representative in Astana expresses anger as opposition calls for Assad militias to leave Syria so political process can begin Rebel fighters meeting the Syrian government for the first time in the country's bloody six-year civil war appear to have rejected a plan for Iran to play a role in monitoring the ceasefire. The negotiations sponsored by Russia, Iran and Turkey in the Kazakh capital, Astana, are the latest attempt to end the war and seen as a test of Moscow's influence in the Middle East. Continue reading... |
| Star Wars: Episode VIII has an official title: The Last Jedi Posted: 23 Jan 2017 08:24 AM PST The follow-up to The Force Awakens, directed by Rian Johnson, has news of its title tweeted direct to fans Could The Last Jedi's title bode well for Star Wars' spirit of invention? The official title of Star Wars: Episode VIII has been announced: The Last Jedi. The news was announced in a tweet from the official Star Wars account, which read: "It's official. STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI is the next chapter of the Skywalker saga. This December.#TheLastJedi" Continue reading... |
| Italian avalanche: hope for survivors after three puppies found alive in rubble Posted: 23 Jan 2017 07:20 AM PST Discovery of sheepdog pups raises hopes that some of the 22 people still missing after five days could be found alive Rescuers have recovered three puppies from under the rubble of an Italian mountain hotel that was hit by an avalanche five days ago, raising fresh hopes that some of the 22 people still missing could be found alive. Firefighter Fabio Jerman said the discovery of the three shaggy white Abruzzo sheepdog pups meant there were still air pockets in the collapsed building – "an important sign of life, which gives us hope," he said. Continue reading... |
| Ottoman tombstone among ancient treasures recovered by Europol Posted: 23 Jan 2017 10:35 AM PST Collaboration between police from 18 countries leads to recovery of 3,561 stolen ancient artefacts and 75 arrests Police from 18 countries have recovered more than 3,500 stolen works of art and ancient artefacts of "great cultural importance" in an operation last year, according to the European police agency. The haul included a marble Ottoman tombstone, a post-Byzantine icon depicting Saint George and hundreds of coins, Europol said. Continue reading... |
| Razzies 2017: Zoolander 2 leads losers with nine nominations Posted: 23 Jan 2017 07:54 AM PST Batman v Superman is a close contender in the Golden Raspberry awards, as the longlist of last year's 'crop of cinematic crap' is released It's shaping up to be one of the great movie face-offs of the year: Batman v Superman v Zoolander. The nominees for the Golden Raspberry awards, AKA the Razzies, have been announced, and it looks like it will be a titanic battle to the death between the superhero smackdown movie and the cameo-bedecked fashion-industry satire. In fact, Zoolander 2 leads the nomination list with nine, including worst actor and supporting actor for Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson, as well as one for the pair as a "screen combo". (Stiller gets another personal nom as worst director.) Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is just behind on eight, with Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill duelling for worst actor, and hitherto acclaimed performer Jesse Eisenberg in the worst supporting list. Continue reading... |
| Three men arrested in Sweden after Facebook Live 'gang-rape' Posted: 23 Jan 2017 08:13 AM PST Several viewers of live broadcast of alleged attack on young woman in Uppsala reported incident to police Three men have been arrested in Sweden on suspicion of raping a woman in an assault that was broadcast live on Facebook, police have said. The apparent gang-rape on Sunday took place in Uppsala, about an hour north of the capital, Stockholm, and has shocked the country. Continue reading... |
| Supreme court rules parliament must have vote to trigger article 50 Posted: 24 Jan 2017 02:12 AM PST Justices rule by eight to three against government over EU exit, but ministers do not need devolved assemblies' consent
Parliament's approval is needed before the government can trigger article 50 and formally initiate the UK's departure from the European Union, the supreme court has ruled. The government's executive powers, inherited through the royal prerogative, were not sufficient to uproot citizens' rights gained through parliamentary legislation such as the 1972 European Communities Act, the justices declared. Continue reading... |
| Russian pipe workshop in Rostov-on-Don - in pictures Posted: 24 Jan 2017 01:15 AM PST Vladimir Yershov, from Rostov-on Don, is a craftsman who specialises in making traditional Cossack and Turkish clay tobacco pipes by an old method. The unique pipes are sold to private collections worldwide, as well as museums in Russia, the Czech Republic and Japan Continue reading... |
| Julian Assange: 'Chelsea Manning clemency was bid to make life hard for me' Posted: 24 Jan 2017 01:09 AM PST WikiLeaks founder qualifies his pledge to accept extradition to the US in interview with Australian current affairs programme The Project Julian Assange has said Barack Obama's decision to grant whistleblower Chelsea Manning clemency was a bid to "make life hard" for him. In an interview with the Australian current affairs programme The Project, the WikiLeaks founder also qualified his pledge to accept extradition to the US if Manning was granted clemency. Continue reading... |
| What if we gave universal income to people in biodiversity hotpots? Posted: 24 Jan 2017 12:55 AM PST Writer and professor, Ashley Dawson, argues in his new book that capitalism is behind our current mass extinction crisis. But installing universal guaranteed income in biodiversity hotspots may be one remedy. Human nature isn't driving mass extinction – as some have argued – but our acceptance of capitalism is, according to English Professor Ashley Dawson with the City University of New York. In his recent, slim, eye-opening book, Extinction: A Radical History, Dawson lays out the case that our current global economic system is pushing the Earth ever closer to a mass extinction event – one not seen since a rogue comet ended the reign of the dinosaurs. But he also argues there are potential solutions, including giving a universal guaranteed income to populations living in or near biodiversity hotspots to counter poaching, deforestation, and other harmful activities. Continue reading... |
| Travel and pollution warnings as UK's cold, foggy weather continues Posted: 24 Jan 2017 12:59 AM PST Motorists told to take extra care, flights are disrupted across south and air quality plunges in cities from London to Belfast The continuing cold, still weather is expected to see pollution levels soaring in London with freezing fog bringing more disruption at airports and on the roads across the south of England. Related: How have you been affected by fog and frost in the UK? Continue reading... |
| Posted: 24 Jan 2017 02:24 AM PST Rolling coverage of the supreme court Brexit article 50 judgment, with reaction and analysis
And this is what David Greene, the lawyer for Miller's co-claimant Deir Dos Santos, said outside the supreme court after the judgement was given. [Deir Dos Santos] always said his motivation in bringing this claim was a lawful process applied to triggering art 50 and today's decision vindicates his decision to shine a spotlight on a legal process as well as a role the law plays in ensuring a lawful political process. We can speculate that she may not have done so had not the cases of my client and that of Gina Miller been brought. Is Mrs May's recent concession sufficient? The answer is no. Having served the article 50 notification the UK will withdraw from the union on the second anniversary whether a deal is done or not. Parliament may then be left with a choice, vote yes or no deal at all. The time for a vote is now, on the withdrawal and the inevitable withdrawal of citizens' rights here and UK citizens in the EU. Judges are not the enemies of the people, they are for the people to stop arbitrary action by a government. The government and the lord chancellor should affirm today their unquestioning support for the claimants in this case and respect for the court's decision, this is a victory for parliamentary democracy and the rule of law and whatever changes we are about to face as a result of Brexit, it is reassuring that these sacred principles have been reaffirmed.
Alex Salmond, the Scottish National party's foreign affairs spokesman, says the SNP will table 50 "serious and substantive" amendments to the UK government's article 50 bill including a demand that Theresa May gets agreement from all three devolved governments before she triggers article 50. Salmond, the former Scottish first minister and SNP leader, said May should also publish a full white paper on Brexit alongside the article 50 bill as demanded by the cross-party Commons select committee on exiting the EU. Continue reading... |
| Thousands of refugee children sleeping rough in sub-zero Serbia, says UN Posted: 23 Jan 2017 04:33 PM PST Refugee facilities in Belgrade, where it is -15C, have been described as 'worse than the jungle in Calais' by aid workers Hundreds of new refugees and migrants, many of them children, are arriving in Serbia every day despite the prospect of sleeping rough in sub-zero temperatures and reports of violent treatment, Save the Children has said, as it calls on the EU to do more to help. Related: Influx of refugees leaves Belgrade at risk of becoming 'new Calais' Continue reading... |
| Uganda's sprawling haven for 270,000 of South Sudan's refugees Posted: 23 Jan 2017 11:00 PM PST Bidi Bidi camp was opened six months ago but already hosts a fifth of all the South Sudanese fleeing violence and hunger in their home country Moses Roba still has the scar on his face from when the glass shattered. It runs around the outside of his right eye, starting at the tip of his eyebrow and curving down to the top of his cheekbone. He got it, he says, when rebels opposed to South Sudan's President Salva Kiir attacked his car near his home in the small border town of Nimule. The rebels wanted to steal the vehicle, he claims. But he said no. "I refused, so they shoot me, they shoot the vehicle," he says. A piece of glass sliced through the side of his face, missing his eye by a centimetre. His car was torched. |
| Trump's 'day of patriotic devotion' has echoes of North Korea Posted: 24 Jan 2017 12:49 AM PST US president's inauguration day proclamation uses language uttered by Kim Jong-un in speeches to military and in the secretive state's propaganda Donald Trump has echoed North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-un, after declaring that the day of his inauguration should be a "national day of patriotic devotion" – a rallying cry that would not be out of place in the secretive state's propaganda. Trump's proclamation, which was made official on Monday, has been uttered by Kim in speeches to his 1.2 million-strong military and members of the ruling Korean Workers' party in recent years. Continue reading... |
| Police hope car seat covers hold clue to Brisbane man's suspicious death Posted: 23 Jan 2017 11:51 PM PST Wayne Youngkin's remains were discovered with the distinctive covers in a septic tank 30 years after he disappeared Investigators hope that car seat covers found with the remains of a Brisbane man discovered at his former home 30 years after he disappeared hold clues that unlock the mystery of his death. Police released images of the seat covers found with the bones of Wayne Youngkin in an old septic tank at a property in Brighton, in the city's north, in November along with an appeal for public information. Continue reading... |
| Nato has our 'unshakeable commitment', Pentagon chief vows Posted: 24 Jan 2017 12:26 AM PST US defence secretary James Mattis tells UK counterpart Michael Fallon that defence ties were the 'bedrock of our security' James Mattis, the new US defence secretary, has reassured his British counterpart that Washington has an "unshakeable commitment" to Nato, despite Donald Trump previously casting the military alliance as obsolete. During a phone call with Michael Fallon on his first full day in office, Mattis "emphasized the United States' unshakeable commitment to Nato", Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis said in a statement. Continue reading... |
| Georgia eases draconian law on cannabis use in landmark ruling Posted: 23 Jan 2017 11:00 PM PST Campaigners welcome relaxation of rules on possession but face stiff opposition on efforts to overhaul country's drugs policy Until recently anyone caught with cannabis twice in 12 months in Georgia faced up to 14 years behind bars. Today you can carry enough for over 200 joints, after the constitutional court in effect decriminalised possession of the drug. The landmark ruling follows the case of 27-year-old Beka Tsikarishvili who was arrested in 2013 with 65 grams of cannabis, which he said was for his own use. Facing a long sentence, he argued imprisonment was unlawful because it infringed his human dignity. |
| Bangladeshi man pleads for mercy killing of terminally ill sons, grandson Posted: 23 Jan 2017 09:04 PM PST Tofazzal Hossain makes headlines in the conservative Muslim country by saying he wants to help end the suffering of trio struck by rare disease An impoverished Bangladeshi father has begged permission to kill three terminally ill members of his family, sparking a rare debate about euthanasia in a deeply conservative society. Tofazzal Hossain described his years-long struggle to cope with the costs of looking after his two sons and grandson, a way of life he "can't bear any longer". Continue reading... |
| Timor-Leste drops espionage claims against Australia in maritime border dispute Posted: 23 Jan 2017 07:57 PM PST Timor-Leste withdraws from Certain Maritime Arrangements in the Timor Sea (Cmats), which divides oil and gas revenue Timor-Leste has withdrawn its Australian espionage claims in the permanent court of arbitration as a "confidence-building measure", as the two countries continue to negotiate over their maritime border. In 2013 it was revealed the Australian government had bugged the Dili cabinet room of the Timor-Leste government in 2004 – under the guise of Australian aid-sponsored renovations. |
| Smoky bacon: Russian firefighters rescue pigs from burning farm – video Posted: 23 Jan 2017 07:57 PM PST The Russian emergency ministry has released footage showing firefighters saving pigs and piglets from a blaze at a farm in the Siberian region of Tomsk. According to the ministry, when the fire started up to 200 pigs were in the farm. Most of them were saved by firefighters, who carried them in pairs, one under each arm, out of the burning building as they squealed loudly. Continue reading... |
| China abandoning rule of law, human rights lawyers say Posted: 23 Jan 2017 07:16 PM PST Group of leading lawyers and judges expresses 'grave concern' over the detention of legal professionals Top human rights lawyers say Xi Jinping's China is moving farther and farther away from the rule of law amid new claims about torture of Chinese attorneys Writing in the Guardian on Tuesday, a group of leading lawyers and judges from the US, Europe and Australia expressed "grave concern" over the detention and treatment of legal professionals. Continue reading... |
| Gender pay gap starts early with 20% disparity in pocket money – study Posted: 23 Jan 2017 04:01 PM PST Girls aged five to 16 receive £2.20 less per week than boys and are allowed less financial independence, report shows The gender pay gap by which women earn significantly less than men during their careers begins early in childhood with boys receiving 20% more pocket money than girls, according to a report. Not only do girls receive less money, they are allowed less financial independence; they are less likely to receive regular payments than boys, and are more dependent on others to buy items for them and manage their money on their behalf. Continue reading... |
| Is punching Richard Spencer inciting violence or 'American as apple pie'? Posted: 23 Jan 2017 12:05 PM PST The attack on the prominent 'alt-right' figure was turned into a meme and sparked debate over the use of violence in political discourse Richard Spencer, a prominent figure in the "alt-right" movement, was punched in the face while giving an interview in Washington on Friday. The punch spawned debate and a number of memes. In a video widely circulated online, Spencer spoke on camera amid protests against Donald Trump's inauguration. Voices off camera asked him questions such as "Are you a neo-Nazi?" Spencer – who at a post-election conference in Washington famously led shouts of "Hail Trump" while audience members gave straight-arm salutes – replied that he is not. Continue reading... |
| China must respect lawyers’ human rights | Letters Posted: 23 Jan 2017 11:24 AM PST On 18 January 2016, senior lawyers, judges and jurists from many countries and international organisations wrote a letter to the Guardian to express our deep concern about the unprecedented crackdown on criminal defence and human rights lawyers that began on the night of 9 July 2015 with the enforced disappearance of lawyers Wang Yu and Bao Longjun, and their 16-year-old son, and has most recently included the emergence of lawyer Li Chunfu from over 500 days of incommunicado detention with signs of serious mental illness, as well as physical suffering. From 9 July 2015 to the present, hundreds of lawyers, law firm staff, and family members have been subject to intimidation, interrogation, detention as criminal suspects, wrongful criminal convictions and forced disappearance. Continue reading... |
| Why Ukrainians don’t like the the | Brief letters Posted: 23 Jan 2017 11:24 AM PST The Ukraine | Toast and relative risks | So many 'so's | And anyway | Weetabix in 1950s Malta Tony Burson (Letters, 21 January) asks why some countries are (or were) preceded by the definite article. In the case of Ukraine, it was in the past known as "the Ukraine". However, the name is an Old Slavic word for "borderlands", implying that the (now independent) country is merely an outlying part of Russia. Ukrainian nationalists were, understandably, not happy to be minimised in this way, so the definite article is only now used by the unwise. • As I dropped my bread into the toaster this morning I contemplated the relative risk of toast, meandering Trident missiles, the Trump presidency and the busy road junction outside my house. I ate the toast and sent a further contribution to CND. Can't do anything about the rest (Roast potatoes and toast that's a bit too brown may cause cancer, say authorities, 23 January). |
| ‘Millions have done something together’ – why the Women’s March will spark the resistance Posted: 23 Jan 2017 11:15 AM PST The weekend's Women's Marches were historic events that showed the world the depth and passion of the anti-Trump movement. But we have to keep it going On Saturday night, for Donald Trump's inauguration ball, police turned an entire grid square of Washington DC into a maze of fences, checkpoints and deserted roads, just to protect the partygoers. But even the cleverest maze has to have an entrance – and it took just a couple of hundred peaceful but courageous protesters to block it. As a result, thousands of rich people had to thread their way across a square mile of wire and concrete in their tuxedos and taffeta. I know it annoyed them because I walked with them. In the absolute silence, I could hear they were angry and afraid. They looked, collectively, like a George Grosz painting of the Weimar elite come to life. Continue reading... |
| ‘Keep campaigning and stay plugged in’ – what next after the Women’s March Posted: 23 Jan 2017 10:24 AM PST Five practical ways to keep the protest going Marching is the spontaneous-ish expression of energy, among other things; it seems, in the moment, obvious that it can be harnessed and transformed into something more concrete. A day or two later, that seems just as vital, but less self-evident. The momentum of the crowd dissipates and it's hard to maintain the energy on your own. Nevertheless, you must – stifled solidarity leaves you more than disappointed, it leaves you gripped by an arid fatalism that, if memory serves, ends in thinking Blur v Oasis is more important than people v profit. These are some practical acts, not exhaustive, not all of them exactly acts, and not including direct action. Related: 'Millions have done something together' – why the Women's March will spark the resistance Continue reading... |
| Spain concerned over missing White House Spanish website: 'not a good idea' Posted: 23 Jan 2017 10:16 AM PST Spain's foreign minister spoke out against Trump administration's decision to remove Spanish-language content in a country of 57 million Hispanic people Spain has expressed concern over the disappearance of the US White House's Spanish-language website since Donald Trump came to power, saying it was "not a good idea" in a country with millions of Hispanics. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said on Monday that the website was being updated. Continue reading... |
| Tunisian shooting inquests: stories of beach terror revealed in court Posted: 23 Jan 2017 10:15 AM PST Royal Courts of Justice begins to hear details of how each of the 30 British victims died during terrorist shooting in Sousse An elderly couple who loved travelling together "did not stand a chance" when a terrorist opened fire on them as they sunbathed on a Tunisian beach, an inquest has heard. John and Janet Stocker, aged 74 and 63, were among the 38 tourists killed when gunman Seifeddine Rezgui went on the rampage at the five-star Riu Imperial Marhaba hotel in Sousse. Continue reading... |
| Tiny hands, huge protests: size of Trump inauguration turnout v women's marches Posted: 23 Jan 2017 09:48 AM PST Just how big was the Women's March compared with the crowd which made it to DC for Donald Trump's inauguration? And how many people joined the protests worldwide? Mona Chalabi offers some answers The women's march organizers estimated that 4,797,500 people took part in 673 marches around the world, including Malawi, Iceland and Chile, all the way to Thailand. Trump's inauguration had an estimated 160,000 attendees, according to the New York Times. Continue reading... |
| Snow in the Sahara – in pictures Posted: 23 Jan 2017 09:34 AM PST Red dunes turn white as record snowfall blankets desert near town of Aïn Séfra in Algeria Continue reading... |
| Financial firms in talks with Amsterdam over relocation from London Posted: 23 Jan 2017 09:34 AM PST Dutch capital confirms negotiations in wake of Brexit vote but country's strict cap on bankers' bonuses remains an obstacle Amsterdam is in talks with major financial institutions based in the city of London about their imminent relocation to the Dutch capital, but its deputy mayor has warned the national government that the country's strict cap on bankers' bonuses could put it at a disadvantage in the Europe-wide scramble to capture Britain's financial sector. The Amsterdam mayor's office has been in negotiations with American and Japanese banks, along with fintech firms and other specialist finance firms, about moving staff and operations from London as a consequence of the UK's vote to leave the European Union, the city's deputy mayor told the Guardian. Continue reading... |
| Moving US embassy to Jerusalem may be slipping down Trump's agenda Posted: 23 Jan 2017 09:09 AM PST Israeli officials say the issue was barely discussed during a 30-minute call between the US president and Netanyahu and it faces major practical difficulties During the presidential campaign, Donald Trump's team spoke often about moving the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. But since taking office, the contentious issue has become more nuanced and may already be moving to the back burner. In a statement before a first post-inauguration phone call between Trump and the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, on Sunday, the White House press secretary, Sean Spicer, appeared to lower expectations of an imminent announcement of a move that could anger the Arab world. Continue reading... |
| Three puppies found alive in rubble of Italy avalanche hotel – video Posted: 23 Jan 2017 08:37 AM PST Rescuers take three puppies to safety on Monday after they were found in the rubble of the Italian hotel that was hit by an avalanche. Officials say the discovery of three shaggy white Abruzzo sheepdog pups meant there were still air pockets in the collapsed building, raising hopes that some of the people still missing could be found alive Continue reading... |
| Tamil Nadu passes order to lift bull-taming ban after angry protests Posted: 23 Jan 2017 08:06 AM PST Emergency order will allow deadly jallikattu festivals to continue in Indian state after ban provoked demonstrations Politicians in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu have passed an emergency order allowing bull-taming festivals to resume after a ban led to widespread protests that saw a police station set alight in Chennai. The city was brought to a standstill after the week-long protests involving thousands of people against the ban on "jallikattu", a traditional bull-taming ritual in which men compete to hold the hump of an agitated bull for a particular distance or time. Continue reading... |
| What Hispanic people think of Trump: US Latinos give a wide range of answers Posted: 23 Jan 2017 05:00 AM PST The views of Hispanic people in the US are as varied as the people themselves, from Cuban-born Trump voters in Florida to young Colombians in New York We are Venezuelans, Cuban refugees, or Americans born to Salvadorian parents. We are Texans and Peruvians. We split our lives between Argentina and North America. We are men and women, black and white, religious and atheist, and everything in between. We speak English or Spanish – or neither, or both. We are US citizens or undocumented. We don't all care about immigration and, our new president's thoughts aside, we aren't all Mexican. We are Latinos and Hispanics and deserve to speak for ourselves. Not one of us can speak for the 56.6 million of us, but we might at least try to let a few speak. Continue reading... |
| Tinder for cities: how tech is making urban planning more inclusive Posted: 23 Jan 2017 11:00 PM PST Having a say in what your city or neighbourhood should be like is often complicated, time-consuming and full of confusing jargon. A new wave of digital tools are trying to make the process transparent and interactive Imagine if next time you saw a plan for an oversized monster tower block proposed for your street, you could get out your smartphone and swipe left to oppose it? Or see a carefully designed scheme for a new neighbourhood library and swipe right to support it? Tinder for urban planning might sound far-fetched, but it is already being trialled in the sun-kissed Californian city of Santa Monica. City authorities are trying to gauge public opinion on everything from street furniture and parking, to murals and market stalls for their forthcoming urban plan, using a digital tool modelled on a dating app. Continue reading... |
| 'How will we survive?': Syrian refugees trapped in poverty in Thailand Posted: 23 Jan 2017 04:52 AM PST The status of refugees is not recognised in Thailand, leaving the few hundred Syrians there unable to work or go to school, at constant risk of deportation After prayers, Nassr, 58, lights one of the 60 cigarettes he will smoke that day. "It's the stress," he shrugs apologetically. "The tension of being an illegal refugee in Thailand." As the minaret's call fades, the noise from Bangkok's khlong boats intensifies as they carry commuters along the waterways. Together with two Iraqi friends Nassr, a Palestinian Syrian, watches the bustle, wishing he could get a job. Continue reading... |
| UK accused of failing to defend rights of Yemeni children against daily violations Posted: 23 Jan 2017 04:00 AM PST Head of Save the Children urges British government to increase pressure on Saudi Arabia to protect children in Yemen facing extreme deprivation The British government should increase diplomatic efforts with Saudi Arabia to defend children facing a desperate situation in Yemen, the head of Save the Children has said. Speaking on his return from Yemen, where civil war and a sea blockade has pushed the country to the brink of famine, Kevin Watkins said there had been a "singular failure to deploy British soft power to defend children's rights that are being violated on a daily basis". |
| Trump inauguration was 'most watched ever’ Spicer claims again – video Posted: 23 Jan 2017 03:55 PM PST White House press secretary Sean Spicer addressed the ongoing controversy over his claims about the attendance numbers for Donald Trump's inauguration ceremony at length during his first official briefing on Monday, saying 'sometimes we can disagree with facts'. Spicer said he intended to always be honest in his post before criticizing the media for its 'demoralizing' coverage of the new president Continue reading... |
| Sean Spicer holds first Trump administration press briefing – video highlights Posted: 23 Jan 2017 03:43 PM PST Sean Spicer, the press secretary for the Trump administration, appeared before the world's media on Monday to hold his first White House briefing, and spent more than an hour answering questions from journalists. The topics varied widely, ranging from President Trump's priorities in dealing with immigration to the decision to reimplement an executive order banning federal funding for international organizations that provide abortions. Spicer also hinted that the US would defend international waters to stop China from "taking over" the South China Sea Continue reading... |
| President signs executive order withdrawing US from Trans-Pacific Partnership – video Posted: 23 Jan 2017 11:27 AM PST In a spate of executive orders signed in his first few days as president, Donald Trump withdrew the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP, beginning his efforts to dismantle Barack Obama's legacy. Trump also approved a hiring freeze on non-military federal workers and a ban on funding for international groups that provide abortions Continue reading... |
| 924 Bel Air Road: A look inside the most expensive house in the US – video Posted: 23 Jan 2017 10:33 AM PST Real estate developer Bruce Makowsky has unveiled a $250m mansion that he describes as the 'eighth wonder of the world'. Located on Los Angeles's 924 Bel Air Road, the 38,000 sq ft property has 12 bedrooms, 21 bathrooms, five bars, a fleet of luxury vehicles, an 85-foot Italian glass infinity pool, a James Bond-themed indoor cinema and a bowling alley Continue reading... |
| Business leaders meet Trump in Washington: ‘I’m talking about no tax’ – video Posted: 23 Jan 2017 09:48 AM PST President Trump held a meeting with the CEOs of several major US companies on Monday and told them they can expect 'such great service' from his administration if they agree to manufacture more of their products domestically. Pledging to massively cut business taxes, Trump also promised to expedite any planning requests for new factories over environmental regulations which often 'make it impossible to get anything built' Continue reading... |
| The changing story of Donald Trump’s tax returns – video Posted: 23 Jan 2017 08:04 AM PST President Donald Trump will not publish his tax returns, senior adviser Kellyanne Conway has told ABC's This Week. This means Trump will break a 40-year tradition and not show Americans the extent of his financial interests and obligations. And it contradicts Trump's repeated claims before the election that he would release them Continue reading... |
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