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- Flynn plea deal increases exposure of senior Trump transition team members
- Security clampdown at The Hague amid fears of further suicides
- Trump says opposing tax cuts will cost Democrats 'very big' in midterms
- Honduras troops shoot dead teenage girl amid election crisis protests
- Guns and phones deal 'maximum' carnage to Papua New Guinea's warring tribes
- Bali's Mount Agung: flights cancelled as ash cloud strands thousands of Australians
- Geoffrey Rush quits industry post over 'inappropriate behaviour' claim
- Vaquita porpoise facing extinction after £3m rescue plan abandoned
- Drugs firms join fight against painkiller deaths epidemic
- Charlottesville report criticises police response and blocking of investigation
- Texas prisons ban The Color Purple and Monty Python – but Mein Kampf is fine
- Vermont woman held for 'testing ricin on fellow care home residents'
- Fake news and botnets: how Russia weaponised the web
- All trains from London Euston station cancelled due to damaged wires
- Brexit puts special rights for Irish citizens in UK ‘at risk’
- Yemen's rebel alliance disintegrates as rivals fight for control of Sana'a
- This week in 1966 | From the Observer archive
- Was Michael Flynn asked to wear a wire in Mueller hunt for evidence on Russia?
- Evo for ever? Bolivia scraps term limits as critics blast 'coup' to keep Morales in power
- Risk of war with North Korea grows every day, says Trump's security adviser
- George Christensen outs himself as anonymous MP as Bolt accuses him of behaving 'badly'
- German police and protesters clash as far-right AfD elects leader
- The opinion poll guru, the Caribbean islands and the $10m consultancy deal
- Tax havens wait to hear if they’ve fallen foul of EU
- Argentine submarine hopes dashed after blurry image confirmed as sunken trawler
- Mueller investigation takes a big step closer to Donald Trump
- Ultra-Orthodox rabbis call for boycott of Jewish arts centre over LGBT support
- Inside Britain First: ex-member tells of petty rivalries, racism and violent anti-Muslim plots
- The #metoo moment is hitting home, and it hurts. But it's our chance for change | Yael Stone
- ‘This is the world’s cheapest place to scrap ships’ – but in Chittagong, it’s people who pay the price
- Theresa May is standing foursquare behind Britain’s tax dependencies
- What will feature in the final version of the Republican tax plan?
- The week in patriarchy: more powerful men are falling | Jessica Valenti
- Trump calls Tillerson exit reports 'fake news' – but was it a misfired plot?
- ‘No collusion’ between presidential campaign and Russia, says Trump – video
- US Senate votes 51-49 to pass tax overhaul bill – video
| Flynn plea deal increases exposure of senior Trump transition team members Posted: 02 Dec 2017 09:19 AM PST
By agreeing to cooperate with federal prosecutors in a deal announced on Friday, former national security adviser Michael Flynn won for himself protection from further prosecution. That protection could conceivably extend to his son, Michael Flynn Jr, who once worked for his father. Related: 'Guilty, your honor': Michael Flynn, who led the 'lock her up' chants, enters his plea Continue reading... |
| Security clampdown at The Hague amid fears of further suicides Posted: 02 Dec 2017 12:00 PM PST Dutch police open investigation after death of Bosnian Croat general Slobodan Praljak in the dock Investigators at the UN's war crimes court in The Hague are scrambling to seal security breaches amid fears other inmates will "do a Praljak", copying the Bosnian Croat warlord who dramatically killed himself with cyanide last week. Slobodan Praljak's suicide, carried out in the dock and televised around the world, threatens to make a mockery of the court's vaunted security procedures. Continue reading... |
| Trump says opposing tax cuts will cost Democrats 'very big' in midterms Posted: 02 Dec 2017 10:45 AM PST
President Trump on Saturday hailed the passage of a sweeping tax reform bill through the Senate in the early hours of the morning, calling it "one of the big nights" and predicting Democratic opposition would "cost them very big" in midterm elections next year. Related: Flynn plea deal increases exposure of senior Trump transition team members Continue reading... |
| Honduras troops shoot dead teenage girl amid election crisis protests Posted: 02 Dec 2017 01:14 PM PST
A teenage girl was killed as troops opened fire on unarmed protesters in the Honduran capital on Saturday, after the government declared a 10-day curfew and suspended constitutional rights in an attempt to contain an escalating political crisis fuelled by evidence of electoral fraud. Related: Honduras suspends rights as violence spreads over delayed vote count Continue reading... |
| Guns and phones deal 'maximum' carnage to Papua New Guinea's warring tribes Posted: 02 Dec 2017 01:20 PM PST Traditional codes of conflict are being torn up as automatic weapons replace bows and arrows, with women and children – future enemies – targeted "It was in the night, we didn't see them coming. There was a guy who came in the house, and everybody without disabilities they decided to run off, leaving the place, [but] I couldn't run." Twenty-year-old Cathy Mek speaks in barely more than a whisper. She's sitting on a thin bamboo bench in a quiet, private clearing above her village of Wapena, in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. Continue reading... |
| Bali's Mount Agung: flights cancelled as ash cloud strands thousands of Australians Posted: 02 Dec 2017 04:23 PM PST More than 2,000 forced to stay on Bali and all Virgin, Qantas and Jetstar flights to the island from Australia cancelled A lingering volcanic ash cloud has forced the cancellation of several flights from Bali, keeping thousands of Australians stranded, and all flights to the island from Australia have been cancelled by Virgin, Qantas and Jetstar. The airlines apologised to passengers who were heading to Bali on Sunday. Continue reading... |
| Geoffrey Rush quits industry post over 'inappropriate behaviour' claim Posted: 01 Dec 2017 09:52 PM PST Oscar winner steps down as Aacta president over allegation dating to his performance for the Sydney Theatre Company two years ago Oscar-winning actor Geoffrey Rush has stepped down as president of Australia's screen industry academy, days after a theatre company revealed it had received a complaint against him of "inappropriate behaviour". Rush has denied any inappropriate behaviour at the Sydney Theatre Company. Media reports this week said the allegation dated from Rush's starring role in the leading Australian company's staging of William Shakespeare's King Lear two years ago. Continue reading... |
| Vaquita porpoise facing extinction after £3m rescue plan abandoned Posted: 02 Dec 2017 04:00 PM PST Only hope for world's most endangered marine mammal now rests with bid to stop illegal fishing A last-ditch attempt to save the world's most endangered marine mammal, the vaquita, by taking them into human care has been abandoned. The chances that this rare species of porpoise will become extinct are now extremely high, researchers have warned. They had hoped to catch a few of the planet's last 30 vaquitas – which are only found in one small area of the Gulf of California – and protect them in a sanctuary where they could breed safely. But last month, the $4m (£3m) rescue plan by an international team of more than 60 scientists and divers ran into trouble after only a few days, when the first vaquita they caught had to be released when it began to display dangerous signs of stress. Continue reading... |
| Drugs firms join fight against painkiller deaths epidemic Posted: 02 Dec 2017 07:59 AM PST New treatments for opioid addiction from industry finally trying to tackle problem it helped to create The numbers in the US alone are astonishing: more than 53,000 people over 12 months; an average of 146 a day. This is the death toll from opioid overdoses last year, many of them from widely prescribed painkillers, such as tramadol, codeine and oxycodone. Donald Trump has declared America's opioid problem a "public health emergency" as it spiralled into the deadliest drug epidemic in US history. Now the pharmaceutical industry, which has been heavily criticised for its role in the crisis, is seeking to address a disaster it helped create. Two companies are offering new monthly treatments for those hooked on powerful painkillers, with one approved by the US regulator last week. Continue reading... |
| Charlottesville report criticises police response and blocking of investigation Posted: 02 Dec 2017 06:10 AM PST
An independent report that found serious police and government failures in responding to violence at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville this summer also accuses police agencies of putting up roadblocks to the investigation. Related: Charlottesville: United Nations warns US over 'alarming' racism Continue reading... |
| Texas prisons ban The Color Purple and Monty Python – but Mein Kampf is fine Posted: 02 Dec 2017 02:35 PM PST Prisoners cannot read more than 10,000 titles but Hitler's autobiography and two titles by former KKK wizard David Duke are not among them Books including The Color Purple, Freakonomics and Monty Python's Big Red Book are banned in Texas state prisons – but Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf and two books by former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard David Duke are not. The Dallas Morning News reported the choices made by the Texas department of criminal justice (TDCJ) on behalf of thousands of inmates. Continue reading... |
| Vermont woman held for 'testing ricin on fellow care home residents' Posted: 02 Dec 2017 06:11 AM PST
A resident of a retirement community made the deadly toxin ricin and tested it on her neighbours by putting it on their food or in drinks, investigators said. Betty Miller told an FBI agent she wanted to "injure herself" and was testing the effectiveness of the poison on other residents at the Wake Robin senior living facility, according to a criminal complaint. Continue reading... |
| Fake news and botnets: how Russia weaponised the web Posted: 02 Dec 2017 10:00 AM PST The digital attack that brought Estonia to a standstill 10 years ago was the first shot in a cyberwar that has been raging between Moscow and the west ever since It began at exactly 10pm on 26 April, 2007, when a Russian-speaking mob began rioting in the streets of Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia, killing one person and wounding dozens of others. That incident resonates powerfully in some of the recent conflicts in the US. In 2007, the Estonian government had announced that a bronze statue of a heroic second world war Soviet soldier was to be removed from a central city square. For ethnic Estonians, the statue had less to do with the war than with the Soviet occupation that followed it, which lasted until independence in 1991. For the country's Russian-speaking minority – 25% of Estonia's 1.3 million people – the removal of the memorial was another sign of ethnic discrimination. Russia's government warned that the statue's removal would be "disastrous" for Estonia. That evening, Jaan Priisalu – a former risk manager for Estonia's largest bank, Hansabank, who was working closely with the government on its cybersecurity infrastructure – was at home in Tallinn with his girlfriend when his phone rang. On the line was Hillar Aarelaid, the chief of Estonia's cybercrime police. Continue reading... |
| All trains from London Euston station cancelled due to damaged wires Posted: 03 Dec 2017 01:16 AM PST Major rail disruption expected as all services to and from London hub halted until at least midday to allow repairs A day of major disruption on the railways is expected, as people were warned not to try and travel to and from London Euston station because all lines were closed. Network Rail said there would be no services to or from the station on Sunday morning until at least midday due to emergency repairs on downed overhead wires. Continue reading... |
| Brexit puts special rights for Irish citizens in UK ‘at risk’ Posted: 03 Dec 2017 01:44 AM PST 'Patchwork' laws threaten ability to live and work in Britain, says report Irish citizens in Britain could lose their right to live, work and get NHS services in the country after Brexit, according to a new report that warns that the special status enjoyed by thousands of Irish in the UK is far from secure. Laws governing their status are a "patchwork" that could fall apart under post-Brexit political and practical pressures, says the report, which comes before Monday's launch of a campaign urging the UK government to pass legislation that would guarantee the longstanding rights of Irish citizens. Continue reading... |
| Yemen's rebel alliance disintegrates as rivals fight for control of Sana'a Posted: 02 Dec 2017 10:44 AM PST Iran-backed Houthi rebels battle forces loyal to former president as UN calls for end to Saudi-led coalition's blockade Violent clashes between rival factions in Yemen's rebel-held capital have continued for the fourth straight day as forces loyal to a former president and Iran-backed Houthi rebels faced off in the streets of Sana'a, signalling disintegration in the rebel alliance that has been at war with a Saudi-led coalition for nearly three years. Fighting intensified on Saturday, according to accounts of local residents who said loud explosions were heard overnight across the city and into the morning. Mediation efforts by tribal elders and officials over the past few days have come to no avail. Continue reading... |
| This week in 1966 | From the Observer archive Posted: 02 Dec 2017 04:05 PM PST British and Rhodesian prime ministers Harold Wilson and Ian Smith meet to discuss Smith's declaration of independence It used to be argued in Britain in the last century that we could not afford to abolish slavery; it would ruin the country's economy. The same argument is heard today: we cannot afford to abolish political slavery in Rhodesia. Whatever has happened in the talks between Mr Wilson and Mr Smith on board HMS Tiger, the basic issue in Rhodesia is plain and inescapable. It is whether 95 per cent of the people of Rhodesia are to be forced to accept a detestable racialist dictatorship, or whether the remaining 5 per cent will agree to a peaceful transition to government by consent. Continue reading... |
| Was Michael Flynn asked to wear a wire in Mueller hunt for evidence on Russia? Posted: 02 Dec 2017 11:00 PM PST Plea agreement includes clause showing Flynn consented to participate in 'covert law enforcement activities" if required The least-noticed sentence in Michael Flynn's plea agreement with special counsel Robert Mueller may also be the most important one. Section eight of the deal reached by Donald Trump's former national security adviser in the inquiry into Russian meddling in the US election is entitled "cooperation". It specifies that as well as answering questions and submitting to government-administered polygraph tests, Flynn's cooperation "may include … participating in covert law enforcement activities". Continue reading... |
| Evo for ever? Bolivia scraps term limits as critics blast 'coup' to keep Morales in power Posted: 03 Dec 2017 01:00 AM PST Bolivia's he country's highest court has overruled the constitution, meaning Morales can now run for a fourth term in 2019 – and for every election thereafter Orinoca, a tiny, poor village in south-west Bolivia, is an unlikely home for the monolithic Museum of the Democratic and Cultural Revolution. But this is is the birthplace of Evo Morales, the country's president since 2006, and he remains the star of the show. Related: Che Guevara's legacy still contentious 50 years after his death in Bolivia Continue reading... |
| Risk of war with North Korea grows every day, says Trump's security adviser Posted: 02 Dec 2017 09:06 PM PST HR McMaster tells defence forum that Kim Jong-un's regime is the 'greatest immediate threat to US' The potential of a US war with North Korea is growing each day, Donald Trump's national security adviser said on Saturday. Speaking at the Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley, California, HR McMaster said North Korea is "the greatest immediate threat to the United States". Continue reading... |
| George Christensen outs himself as anonymous MP as Bolt accuses him of behaving 'badly' Posted: 02 Dec 2017 09:49 PM PST Renegade Coalition backbencher admits to being unnamed MP who threatened to quit the government The Coalition MP George Christensen has admitted to being the anonymous Turnbull government backbencher who threatened to quit the government last week, saying Malcolm Turnbull's decision to open a royal commission into the banking industry changed his mind. His decision to stay with the government has angered the News Corp columnist Andrew Bolt, who claims Christensen encouraged him and Sky News commentator Peta Credlin to "spread the word" last week that an unnamed Coalition MP – a veiled reference to Christensen – was about to quit the government if Turnbull did not step down as leader. Continue reading... |
| German police and protesters clash as far-right AfD elects leader Posted: 03 Dec 2017 01:39 AM PST Several officers and a protester injured as Alexander Gauland chosen as co-leader of anti-immigration party A rightwing nationalist has been elected as co-leader of the anti-immigration party Alternative für Deutschland at a convention overshadowed by protests. Several people were reportedly hurt in clashes between protesters and police in the German city of Hanover on Saturday as the AfD congress chose Alexander Gauland to return to the post he had held until 2015. Gauland once defended an AfD member who said history should be rewritten to focus on German victims of the second world war. Continue reading... |
| The opinion poll guru, the Caribbean islands and the $10m consultancy deal Posted: 03 Dec 2017 12:00 AM PST Mori founder Robert Worcester says that revelations of his Caribbean firm's deal with Trinidad and Tobago government are politically motivated As the proud owner of a majestic castle in Kent and a luxurious villa in Mustique, the founder of Mori, Sir Robert Worcester, is a man who has clearly done well out of the opinion poll business. Not only have his skills earned him a fortune, it has also seen him feted by politicians around the world. Continue reading... |
| Tax havens wait to hear if they’ve fallen foul of EU Posted: 02 Dec 2017 10:59 PM PST Europe's list of jurisdictions failing on tax transparency is out this week – but the wrangling over who's in and who's out is not over yet Which jurisdictions will be on the EU blacklist of tax havens? This week the composition of the list will be revealed, but the final number is not yet clear. Finance ministers will decide on Tuesday about the initiative, which was begun earlier this year following multiple disclosures of offshore tax avoidance schemes by companies and wealthy individuals. Related: From paradise to blacklist: EU's net starts to close on tax havens Continue reading... |
| Argentine submarine hopes dashed after blurry image confirmed as sunken trawler Posted: 02 Dec 2017 06:25 PM PST An underwater camera captured a 60-metre long image, briefly raising hope of recovering missing San Juan vessel A blurry image taken by an unmanned Russian submersible raised hopes that it could be the Argentine submarine that went missing on 15 November with 44 crew members aboard. The image was given "priority" for review on Saturday because it showed an object about 60m long located at 477m (1,565 feet) below sea level. The ARA San Juan is 66m long. Continue reading... |
| Mueller investigation takes a big step closer to Donald Trump Posted: 02 Dec 2017 04:05 PM PST Michael Flynn, the former national security adviser, is co-operating with the investigation into Russian influence in the White House First came the lie. Then came the cover-up. It's a classic Washington two-step. And the news that Michael Flynn, a former White House national security adviser, has pleaded guilty to perjury means Donald Trump may soon be dancing to the tune of the special counsel investigating the accelerating Russian influence-peddling scandal. Flynn's guilty plea rained a cold shower on Trump's victory parade celebrating a rare success in Congress. After 10 months watching his healthcare plan and other ill-conceived policies being shot down in flames, Trump finally managed to get his tax cuts bill through the Senate late on Friday night. Continue reading... |
| Ultra-Orthodox rabbis call for boycott of Jewish arts centre over LGBT support Posted: 02 Dec 2017 04:05 PM PST Synagogues receive letter saying community events at JW3 promote a way of life contradictory to the Torah and Jewish law A group of ultra-Orthodox rabbis have called on their congregations to boycott a Jewish cultural centre in London because it held a gay-themed week of events and provides a meeting space for gay Jewish parents. A notice signed by 25 rabbis has been circulated to synagogues in north-west London saying certain activities at JW3 "promote a way of life which is in total contradiction to Orthodox Judaism and halacha [Jewish law]". Continue reading... |
| Inside Britain First: ex-member tells of petty rivalries, racism and violent anti-Muslim plots Posted: 02 Dec 2017 04:04 PM PST The deputy leader's former boyfriend speaks of intimidation and why he left Britain First may have been thrust into the epicentre of global politics by Donald Trump, but those familiar with the inner workings of the far-right political group portray a factionalised rabble, riven by jealously and petty infighting. People who have mixed with the group's senior echelons also describe mammoth drinking sessions, threats of violence and boasts of inciting conflict with Britain's Muslim community. Speaking publicly for the first time, Graham Morris, a former boyfriend of Britain First's deputy leader, Jayda Fransen – whose anti-Muslim videos were retweeted by Trump last week – said he had left the group because it "was out of control" and some members advocated violence. Continue reading... |
| The #metoo moment is hitting home, and it hurts. But it's our chance for change | Yael Stone Posted: 02 Dec 2017 02:17 PM PST As harassment and assault allegations in the entertainment industry sweep through Australia, actor Yael Stone calls for decisive change led by those in charge Last month I went to the Glamour awards, where a forward-thinking women's magazine honored women smashing the barriers of yesterday. During this inspiring evening, four women stood on stage and bravely shared their stories of sexual assault at the hands of people who held power over them. They were introduced by the two reporters who broke the Weinstein story, which effectively set the stage for what has become a watershed moment. The women went on to detail the steps they had taken to find some justice, which invariably meant a great deal of uncomfortable personal exposure. Continue reading... |
| Posted: 02 Dec 2017 01:00 PM PST Thousands of workers have been killed or maimed dismantling the world's ships in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan Mohamed Edris's life as he knew it in the Bangladeshi ship recycling yards ended at 11.30am on Saturday 11 April 2015. The 38-year-old metal cutter had been working with 100 others on the 19,600-tonne container ship Eurus London at the Ferdous Steel Corporation shipyard in Chittagong when catastrophe struck. His task had been to cut away the huge 40-tonne propeller with a blow torch. Alarm bells rang, he said, when he saw that a large metal platform had been placed below the propeller to stop it falling into the mud on the beach. Continue reading... |
| Theresa May is standing foursquare behind Britain’s tax dependencies Posted: 02 Dec 2017 08:00 AM PST The PM is fighting tooth and nail to protect the jurisdictions that conceal the secrets of multinationals and the super-rich Shortly before triggering article 50, Theresa May and Philip Hammond invoked the tax-haven threat. Should Britain not get its way in the negotiations for a post-Brexit trading relationship with Europe, the chancellor explained that Britain could be forced to abandon its "European-style taxation". A spokesman confirmed that the prime minister stood ready to do so. Continue reading... |
| What will feature in the final version of the Republican tax plan? Posted: 02 Dec 2017 07:53 AM PST The House and Senate drafts, which help corporations and the rich and could leave millions without health insurance, must be reconciled into a single bill All Republicans want for Christmas is tax reform – and they are poised to get it. Related: Senate Republicans pass sweeping overhaul of US tax code Continue reading... |
| The week in patriarchy: more powerful men are falling | Jessica Valenti Posted: 02 Dec 2017 07:18 AM PST Finding out something terrible about someone you love is difficult, but we must focus on victims first, writes Jessica Valenti So far, one week hasn't gone by without a powerful man being accused of horrific harassment and abuse. This week, we got several: Matt Lauer, Garrison Keillor and Israel Horovitz. It's a lot. But one thing gave me a bit of hope; the response of Horovitz's son, Adam (also known as Ad Rock of the Beastie Boys). His response was simple and refreshing: "I believe the allegations against my father are true, and I stand behind the women that made them." Continue reading... |
| Trump calls Tillerson exit reports 'fake news' – but was it a misfired plot? Posted: 02 Dec 2017 03:58 AM PST Multiple reports said the secretary of state would be replaced. Were those sources wrong or did a move against Tillerson fall victim to the Mike Flynn drama? Donald Trump insisted on Friday that Rex Tillerson was "not leaving" the US state department, denouncing as "fake news" multiple reports quoting White House officials as saying the secretary of state was about to be ousted. Earlier in the day, Tillerson also rejected the reports of his "imminent departure" as laughable. Continue reading... |
| ‘No collusion’ between presidential campaign and Russia, says Trump – video Posted: 02 Dec 2017 08:01 AM PST US president Donald Trump tells reporters there was 'absolutely no collusion' between his presidential campaign and Russia, just hours after his former national security adviser Michael Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to federal investigators about his contacts with the Kremlin. Trump also told reporters that it had been a 'fantastic evening' on Friday, which saw the US Senate pass the 'largest tax cuts in the history of our country' |
| US Senate votes 51-49 to pass tax overhaul bill – video Posted: 02 Dec 2017 05:08 AM PST Republicans in the US Senate have voted to pass a bill that will implement sweeping changes to the country's tax code, despite independent projections which found the plan could add $1tn to the federal deficit over the next 10 years. Chuck Schumer, the Senate's ranking Democrat, denounced the bill as having been hastily rewritten in the hours before the vote while Senator Bernie Sanders said the poorest in society would have to pay for the changes Continue reading... |
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