Downing Street hopes to delay any Conservative party leadership contest until October in a move that will hamper the campaigns of established candidates such as Boris Johnson, Jeremy Hunt and Sajid Javid.As Tory contenders began manoeuvres this weekend to replace Theresa May after the third defeat of her Brexit deal, sources confirmed that those close to her will push for a new prime minister to be chosen after the party’s conference at the end of September.While her allies insist this would give May a dignified exit, others point out it would give time to settle on a candidate from a younger generation to come through to take on the established rank of leadership hopefuls.A second tier of contenders has emerged, which includes the Tories’ deputy chair, James Cleverly, who has been urged by colleagues to stand, sources said.Other names being put forward include Tom Tugendhat, the chair of the foreign affairs select committee, and the former army captain Johnny Mercer.They join Johnson, Hunt, Javid, Amber Rudd, Michael Gove, Gavin Williamson, Andrea Leadsom and Matt Hancock, who are considering standing.An informed source said: “They might claim that this is being argued in the party to give May a good sendoff, but it looks like a way of cutting out the current candidates.“It could backfire because pushing the decision back to Tory conference you are hampering any influence that a new PM might have to establish a new EU negotiating team before trade negotiations.”Liz Truss, the chief secretary to the Treasury, the former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab and the former education secretary Justine Greening gave interviews or wrote articles setting out their views on policy issues.Truss, who backed remain in the referendum, told the Sunday Times that cutting taxes for businesses and stamp duty for young home buyers were her key policies for the future.In an article for the Sunday Telegraph, Raab set out plans to tackle knife crime – one of the main domestic issues May has faced during her premiership.His focus on knife crime also takes on Javid, the home secretary, who on Sunday announced new measures in an effort to tackle the problem.The MP for Esher and Walton has also attempted to outflank hostile competition by addressing allegations swirling around Westminster that he used a “gagging order” to silence a former colleague who accused him of bullying.Raab told the Sunday Times the claims were “completely false”, while his allies suggested they were being deployed as part of a smear campaign by opponents.Greening disclosed she might run as leader in an interview, adding that the party needed a leader for the “2020s, not the 1920s”.“It’s 32 years since we had a landslide … Until we have a leadership that understands why that’s happened, we won’t be able to change it,” she told the Sunday Times.Dozens of moderate Tories, including senior cabinet ministers, have signed up to a powerful new party group in an attempt to stop the Conservatives swinging to the right during the leadership race.Rudd has been joined by Damian Green, Nicky Morgan and Sir Nicholas Soames to form the One Nation Group, said to comprise 40 MPs who want to find a candidate committed to blocking a no-deal Brexit.The move comes as MPs, including some in government, warn that they believe entryism by pro-Brexit supporters at local Conservative associations risks delivering a leader willing to back a hard break with the EU.It follows an outcry after Dominic Grieve, the pro-remain former attorney general, lost a confidence vote held by his local party.Sir John Major spoke out on Sunday to say he found it “extraordinarily odd” that some MPs opposed May’s Brexit deal on the basis it would turn the UK into a “vassal state” before supporting it when a chance of them becoming leader emerged.Johnson, the Tory former foreign secretary, and Jacob Rees-Mogg, the chairman of the Tory Brexit-backing European Research Group, have both issued “vassal state” warnings during the Brexit talks but gave their support to the withdrawal agreement last week.Major warned that the Conservative party must be on the centre-right of politics, “not the far right”, if it wished to win elections.Asked about those Tory MPs outlining their leadership ambitions, Major told BBC One’s The Andrew Marr Show that it would not change the difficulties of getting Brexit through parliament.“I think they should concentrate on the decision we should make next week, not who is going to be prime minister at some future stage. Of course, a new leader may, depending upon who it is, have less baggage than a prime minister who’s had to fight for everything from the moment she went into Downing Street. So that would change.“But it doesn’t change the numbers. It doesn’t change the arithmetic. It doesn’t change the instincts and convictions of people both in the remain and in the leave camp.” Topics Conservatives Boris Johnson Sajid Javid Jeremy Hunt Theresa May news

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller on Tuesday stepped up pressure on two former Trump campaign aides to cooperate in his probe into possible collusion with Russia, unsealing a criminal charge against a lawyer for lying to Mueller’s investigators. The attorney, Alex van der Zwaan, the son-in-law of one of Russia’s richest men, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., to a charge of lying to the Special Counsel’s office. A U.S. judge set his sentencing for April 3. The case involves work that van der Zwaan, a 33-year-old Dutch citizen, performed in 2012 about Ukraine for Paul Manafort and Rick Gates, senior officials in Donald Trump’s 2016 election campaign. The two former aides have been charged with conspiracy to launder money and failure to register as foreign agents in connection with work for a pro-Russia Ukrainian party. The charge against van der Zwaan make no reference to Trump’s campaign or the 2016 election. But legal experts said the charge would put more pressure on the former Trump aides to cooperate with Mueller as he looks into whether Russia tried to influence the election in favor of Trump by hacking the emails of leading Democrats and distributing disinformation and propaganda online. Last year, U.S. intelligence agencies found that Russia had meddled in the election and that its goals eventually included aiding Trump who won a surprise victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton. The lawyer’s case appears to underscore the extent of Mueller’s probe and of his interpretation of how far and wide he can investigate. Manafort, who was Trump’s campaign manager for almost five months in 2016, and Gates, who was deputy campaign manager, pleaded not guilty last year to Mueller’s charges. Lawyer van der Zwaan’s father-in law is Russian billionaire German Khan, the founder of the privately-owned Alfa Bank. Even if van der Zwaan “is only cooperating against Paul Manafort, that could be very valuable in the big picture. Prosecutors typically very methodically start with low level offenders and try to work their way up the chain,” said Barbara McQuade, a former U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan. “My guess is he is cooperating.” Alex van der Zwaan leaves after a plea agreement hearing at the D.C. federal courthouse in Washington, U.S., February 20, 2018. REUTERS/Yuri GripasA one-time associate of Mueller described the former Federal Bureau of Investigation director as a “boa constrictor,” whose investigative strategy involves progressively increasing the pressure on his targets. The associate spoke on condition of anonymity. A trial of Manafort and Gates is tentatively expected this fall, though recent media reports have said that Gates is expected to plead guilty in the near future. If Gates agrees to cooperate in the probe, that could put more pressure on Manafort and others who worked in the Trump campaign. Trump has called Mueller’s probe “a witch hunt” and Putin denies that his government conducted an operation to influence the U.S. election. Manafort and Gates worked as political consultants to Ukraine’s former pro-Russia president, Viktor Yanukovych, who was forced from office in 2014. Manafort was close to Ukrainian and Russian political and business figures with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The charging document unsealed on Tuesday concerned a report prepared at Manafort’s behest by attorneys at the prominent U.S. law firm Skadden Arps, Slate, Meagher and Flom. The attorneys included van der Zwaan. Andrew Weissmann, a prosecutor with Mueller’s office, told the court that Manafort and Gates funneled $4 million through offshore accounts to pay the law firm - which he did not identify by name - and Washington-based lobbying firms in connection with the report. Yanukovych’s government used the report to justify to the European Court of Human Rights the pre-trial detention by the Ukrainian government of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, a Yanukovych rival, who was convicted in 2011 of embezzlement and corruption charges and sentenced to seven years in prison. The charging document said that while answering FBI agents’ questions about his work on the report, van der Zwaan lied that he last communicated with Gates in mid-August and another unnamed person, only identified as “Person A,” in 2014. He also told the agents that he did not know why an email between him and Person A was not produced to Mueller’s office. In fact, the document said, Zwaan’s last spoke to Gates and Person A in September 2016 and secretly recorded both calls. Moreover, he “deleted and otherwise did not produce emails sought by Mueller’s office” and an unidentified law firm, the document continued. The description given by prosecutors for Person A appears to match Russian-Ukrainian political operative Konstantin Kilimnik, a long-time employee of Manafort’s political consulting operations. Media reports say that a man referred to in court documents by the special counsel’s office has having ties to Russian intelligence is Kilimnik but he has denied such ties. He could be not be immediately reached for comment on Tuesday. Slideshow (10 Images)“Mueller is sending a signal to witnesses in this investigation that he is going to charge false statements,” said Renato Mariotti,” a former federal prosecutor who is running for Illinois attorney general as a Democrat. The charge against Zwaan and reports that Gates may plead guilty suggest “that Mueller is putting even more pressure against Manafort, which is interesting because Manafort is already buried in an indictment with very serious charges,” Mariotti said. In a statement on Tuesday, a spokeswoman for the firm said it had terminated van der Zwaan’s employment in 2017 and “has been cooperating with authorities in connection with this matter.” Additional reporting by Warren Strobel, Nathan Layne, Doina Chiacu, John Walcott and Mark Hosenball; Editing by Alistair BellOur Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Enlarge this image Afghan Muslims celebrated the start of the Eid al-Fitr holiday on Friday. An attack on Saturday disturbed the peace, leaving dozens of casualties. Noorullah Shirzada/AFP/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Noorullah Shirzada/AFP/Getty Images Afghan Muslims celebrated the start of the Eid al-Fitr holiday on Friday. An attack on Saturday disturbed the peace, leaving dozens of casualties. Noorullah Shirzada/AFP/Getty Images Afghan President Ashraf Ghani announced on Saturday that his government's ceasefire with the Taliban will be extended another day, even as a suicide bombing killed and injured dozens.It was a historic truce. The Afghan government declared the ceasefire in honor of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan. The Taliban announced its own three-day ceasefire – the first one since the United States invaded Afghanistan in 2001, according to media reports. In place of fighting were scenes of Afghan and Taliban forces praying together, hugging and taking selfies. A member of the Taliban posed in a picture with a female official. World Afghan Taliban Begin 3-Day Cease-Fire For Eid Al-Fitr "I am beside myself," one person posted on Twitter. "What an [incredible] magical moment in Afghanistan this #Eid. A Talib hands members of the #ANSDF (Afghan forces) red roses."The explosion occurred in the eastern province of Nangarhar around 5:15 p.m. local time, according to CNN. Civilians, security forces and members of the Taliban were reportedly among the casualties. Enlarge this image Afghan volunteers bring a man injured in the bombing on Saturday to a hospital. Noorullah Shirzada/AFP/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Noorullah Shirzada/AFP/Getty Images Afghan volunteers bring a man injured in the bombing on Saturday to a hospital. Noorullah Shirzada/AFP/Getty Images ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack, targeting "a gathering of Afghan forces." At least 26 people were killed, according to Reuters. It is unclear when Ghani learned about the bombing. He told citizens in a televised address that he ordered security forces to extend the ceasefire. "To respect the public's wishes and to support their demands about peace, I am ordering the security and defense forces to extend the ceasefire from the fourth day of Eid," he tweeted. He also asked the Taliban to extend its ceasefire, saying that his government will provide medical and humanitarian aid to wounded members of the Taliban. He said 46 Taliban prisoners had been released, according to Tolo news service, and that prisoners will be "allowed to contact and see their families." Afghanistan Afghan President Declares Cease-Fire With Taliban — But How Will Taliban Respond? Western leaders embraced his announcement to prolong the ceasefire. In a written statement, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, "The United States stands ready to work with the Afghan government, the Taliban, and all the people of Afghanistan to reach a peace agreement and political settlement that brings a permanent end to this war." He also said that peace talks needed "a discussion of the role of international actors and forces."NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said, "This is a unique opportunity for the Taliban to show they want the peaceful future that the Afghan people demand and deserve."The Taliban's council plans to meet on Sunday to discuss President Ghani's offer, The Guardian reported. A senior council member said the ceasefire could be extended if a date was established for U.S. forces to withdraw from Afghanistan.

Four years since the largest and longest protests since Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule, one of the city’s most politically charged trials is about to begin.Today (Nov. 19), the “Umbrella Nine” will be brought before judges to account for their actions during the 2014 student-led protest movement, known both as Occupy Central and the Umbrella Revolution. The group faces counts of conspiracy to commit public nuisance, incitement to commit public nuisance, and incitement to incite public nuisance, three colonial-era criminal provisions that carry a maximum sentence of six years in prison each.The nine going on trial include the “Occupy Trio”—two professors and a reverend who founded the Occupy Central With Love and Peace movement in 2013 in hopes of achieving meaningful universal suffrage for Hong Kong in time for the city’s leadership elections in 2017. In a manifesto (Chinese and English) unveiled at a church, they called for a peaceful sit-in in Hong Kong’s Central business district if reforms weren’t made. The authorities appear to deem them responsible for the student-led street protests even though the two groups have stressed their independence from each other.Their trial begins in a Hong Kong that has seen increasing levels of political repression and censorship since the 79-day protests, which erupted after Beijing quashed hopes for free and fair elections in the territory by proposing a severe vetting of allowed candidates. Only a tiny number of people are allowed to vote for the chief executive in the territory at present.Several of those who emerged from the Umbrella Revolution determined to pursue a career in politics have been disqualified from taking their seats as elected politicians. In recent years, the government has prosecuted dozens of young protesters on charges related to their participation in the movement, and sentenced them to prison or community service. In some cases, the government appealed the initial sentences for key people in the movement in order to win harsher convictions.Student activist Joshua Wong, 22, for example, considered by many to be the figurehead of the 2014 protests, was at first sentenced in 2017 to community service for unlawful assembly and incitement to assemble unlawfully, which he served. However, the government then appealed that sentence the same year, and Wong was jailed for six months.That today’s trial is happening at all is seen as a sign of just how much more repressive Hong Kong has become. “What we do see is a greater use of the law for political aims, and the desire to put a heavy financial burden, through lengthy court proceedings, on the defendants,” said Edmund W. Cheng, assistant professor in comparative politics at the University of Hong Kong (HKU). The defendants face multiple seldom-used and nearly duplicate charges, noted Cheng.The government could have prosecuted the group for public nuisance under Hong Kong public order laws, which would carry a lesser sentence than turning to British legal precedent—but chose not to do so.Also, for the first time two lawmakers are going to be prosecuted, potentially further emptying the Legislative Council of its quota of democratically elected members, and skewing the body further to the government’s side.The slow and implacable way in which the people who animated the protests of 2014 have been brought in front of the courts “continues to hurt the legitimacy of Hong Kong’s government,” said Cheng.Here’s what you need to know about the people going on trial today.Legal scholar Benny Tai Yiu-ting, 54, is an associate law professor at HKU who drafted the initial manifesto of Occupy Central to ask for greater democratic reforms towards universal suffrage in Hong Kong. Tai has been active on the political scene since his student days. (Pictured above, center)Sociology professor Chan Kin-man, 59, a Yale University PhD graduate. His last university lecture before the trial at the Chinese University of Hong Kong on November 14 drew more than 700 students, many of whom broke into tears as Chu said that he is “ready to go to jail” for his civil disobedience, and has asked for early retirement from the university. He reassured his audience that democracy will eventually come to Hong Kong if they don’t allow themselves be crushed. (Above, left)Retired pastor Reverend Chu Yiu-ming, 74, minister of Chai Wan Baptist Church, was one of the organizers of the Operation Yellow Bird, which brought some of the Tiananmen Square student protesters of 1989 to safety from China. He has always been active in the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong. (Above, right)Tommy Cheung Sau-yin, 24, a student of politics and public administration at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, who has been involved in political activism since 2011 as a member of Scholarism, a group of high school students formed to oppose the introduction of the patriotic Moral and National Education curriculum in local schools. He then became the head of the student union at his university.Eason Chung Yiu-wah, 26, also studied politics and public administration at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and is a former head of the student union. He took part in the failed dialogue between the Occupy student leaders and the Hong Kong government—which ended in a stalemate.Tanya Chan, 47, a barrister and a founding member of the pro-democracy Civic Party who has been repeatedly elected to the local legislature since 2008.Shiu Ka-chun, 48, a philosophy student, social worker and activist, elected in 2016.Lee Wing-tat, 62, a former lawmaker and the third chairman of the Democratic Party, who has been particularly engaged in housing issues.Raphael Wong Ho-ming, 30, a social scientist and vice-chairman of the League of Social Democrats. He was condemned for contempt of court for refusing to leave the protest area in Mong Kok after it was declared illegal, and has already spent four months in jail.The justice department has said that these cases are being prosecuted four years after the protests ended because of the amount of evidence involved, and the complexity of the cases. Human rights groups, however, have condemned the trial as politically motivated, and urged authorities to drop the cases.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Economic nationalists appeared to gain the upper hand in a White House battle over trade with the resignation of Donald Trump’s top economic adviser, Gary Cohn, on Tuesday in a move that could ramp up protectionist measures that risk igniting a global trade war. Cohn did not spell out the reasons for his resignation. He had told Trump that markets would slump on a tariffs threat and was regarded as a bulwark of economic orthodoxy in an administration whose protectionist policies have sparked alarm among U.S. legislators and in governments around the world. Cohn’s resignation came after Trump said he was sticking with plans to impose hefty tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. While the measures on their own are relatively small, the risk is that an emboldened Trump administration will push ahead with a full-scale economic confrontation with China. America’s trade deficit with China hit $375.2 billion in 2017, equivalent to two-thirds of the country’s total trade deficit of $566 billion. Trump has said he will remedy what he terms the jobs- and industry-destroying deficits. “The economic nationalists now certainly have the upper hand and their camp is bigger. I think they are going to be very influential in the administration,” said Monica de Bolle, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, a Washington-based think tank. The Trump administration has launched an investigation into intellectual property abuses by China, which could dwarf any impact of the steel and aluminum proposals and trigger a sharp response from Beijing. Trump has said the fines could be huge. With Cohn’s departure, the profile of Peter Navarro, an anti-China economist who favors protectionist measures, appears to have risen within the White House. Related CoverageIMF's Lagarde says nobody wins a trade warEurope needs appropriate measures against steel tariffs: Tata Steel EuropeNavarro has written extensively of China’s military and economic threat to the United States in a series of books, including “Death by China: Confronting the Dragon — A Global Call to Action.” He has heavily backed the steel and aluminum tariffs in recent days. Despite a rising tide of criticism from Republican lawmakers about the proposed 25 percent tariff on steel imports and 10 percent on aluminum imports, Trump on Tuesday reiterated his plan for the tariffs. Given the size of America’s trade deficit, Trump said the country would not be a loser in any fight. “When we’re behind on every single country, trade wars aren’t so bad,” he said at a news conference at the White House with the Swedish prime minister. House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan, a prominent Republican critic of the tariffs proposal, returned to the attack on Tuesday, saying the proposed duties were too broad. Although the measure is designed to hit China, its main impact will be on U.S. allies like Canada. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) speaks after the Senate Republican weekly policy luncheon on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., March 6, 2018. REUTERS/Joshua RobertsCanada is the largest supplier of both steel and aluminum to the United States. Ryan, whose home state of Wisconsin could be hit by proposed counter-tariffs from the European Union, has called for “more surgical and more targeted measures.” The White House has said the measures will protect industries and jobs from unfair competition and that across-the- board tariffs are needed because countries like China use third countries for shipping steel to the United States, disguising the origin. Opponents charge that the tariffs could destroy more jobs than they create as well as risking alienating U.S. allies, while American consumers will end up paying more for a range of products from cans of beer to cars. “There is a lot of concern among Republican senators that this could sort of metastasize into sort of a larger trade war, and many of our members are discussing with the administration just how broad, how sweeping this might be,” Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said in his first comments on the issue. Even before Trump announced the tariffs, the United States was mired in lengthy talks to renegotiate the North American Free Trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, two of Washington’s closest allies, to win better terms. Six months on, the talks are stalled. The steel and aluminum tariffs risks adding the European Union to the list of disgruntled allies. Slideshow (11 Images)China’s economy has grown too large for the United States to take it on completely alone and trade experts said it would need friends in any fight. China is now deeply integrated into global supply chains and is home to many of the world’s global companies. Prior to Trump’s tariff action, cross-country discussions had produced plans to pressure China over steel, an issue that affects the European Union as well as the United States. China has stayed mum so far over the proposed tariffs, although it has threatened to cut U.S. agricultural imports if it is hit. The risk of a trade war with China - especially if severe sanctions are imposed over intellectual property issues - would escalate sharply. “I think the chances of us having a trade war have now increased significantly,” the Peterson Institute’s de Bolle said. Additional reporting by Jason Lange, Lisa Lambert, Richard Cowan and Lindsay Dunsmuir; Writing by David Chance; Editing by Tom Brown and Leslie AdlerOur Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

距离 2015 年那只篮球场飞起的鲸鱼视频过去三年时间，Magic Leap 的第一款产品 Magic Leap One Creator Edition（创造者版本，以下简称 Magic Leap One）今天（8 月 9 日）终于正式发售，售价 2295 美金（约合人民币 15695 元）起。尽管对于这家 2011 年就正式成立，专注于增强现实技术的公司来说，这个时间点才发售第一款产品可谓姗姗来迟，毕竟同为 MR 头戴设备的微软 HoloLens 和 Meta 公司的 Meta 2 头盔早已相继展示过自家的 MR 技术，但我们总还是对这样一款产品抱有极大的期待。究竟这款正式开始售卖 Magic Leap One 有哪些让人眼前一亮的特性？它又是否符合人们的期待？这些曾经神秘的信息如今终于可以展露出来。采用分体设计的 Magic Leap One 尽管是正式面向市场的第一款产品，却已经是 Magic Leap 这家公司更新到第九代甚至更新一代的产品，这一点，也许很多人并不了解 ... 所以当你看到这个外形稍显朋克的眼镜设备出现在面前时，会以为它和先前的 HoloLens 等产品差异不大，但实际上，二者还是有诸多差异之处

Nike has withdrawn a pair of shoes featuring an early version of the American flag that has been embraced by white nationalists, after former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick reportedly pointed out that the symbol was offensive.Conservatives in the US immediately criticized the move. One Republican senator called the decision to pull the shoes “anti-American”.The “Betsy Ross flag” features 13 white stars in a circle, representing the 13 original colonies, and is one of many early versions of the American flag. It is named after the Philadelphia seamstress who is credited with creating the first American flag featuring stars and stripes in the late 18th century – though most scholars dismiss that story as myth.The flag has since been embraced by white nationalists and the American Nazi party.The shoes had been destined for stores to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday. But Kaepernick – the NFL star turned activist who took the knee during the national anthem in protest against racism and police brutality – said Nike should not sell the shoes with a symbol many consider offensive for its connection to an era of slavery, according the Wall Street Journal.“Nike has chosen not to release the Air Max 1 Quick Strike Fourth of July as it featured the old version of the American flag,” a Nike spokeswoman told the WSJ.In response to the report, Doug Ducey, Arizona’s Republican governor, called Ross a “founding mother” of the US, and tweeted: “Words cannot express my disappointment at this terrible decision. I am embarrassed for Nike.”Ducey said he had asked the state’s commerce authority to withdraw financial incentives for Nike to open a manufacturing plant in Arizona.He tweeted: “Instead of celebrating American history the week of our nation’s independence, Nike has apparently decided that Betsy Ross is unworthy, and has bowed to the current onslaught of political correctness and historical revisionism.”Ted Cruz, the Republican senator, said Nike “only wants to sell sneakers to people who hate the American flag”.Josh Hawley, a fellow Republican senator from Missouri, called Nike “anti-American, pure and simple”.Fox News host Laura Ingraham, who has been accused of racism in the past and recently interviewed Donald Trump on his trip to France for the D-Day commemorations, tweeted: “No more Nike sneakers for our family.”The Journal reported that the shoes had shipped to retailers, but Nike asked them to be returned, without giving further details. Some pairs of the shoes have been appearing on the re-sale website StockX for more than $2,000.The Betsy Ross flag has caused controversy in the past. In 2016, the superintendent of a Michigan school district apologized after students waved the flag during a football game.At the time, Cle Jackson, the president of the local Greater Grand Rapids chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), said the flag had been embraced by “[t]he so-called ‘Patriot movement’ and other militia groups who are responding to America’s increasing diversity with opposition and racial supremacy”.Kaepernick, now 31, has not played in the NFL since 2016, when he began kneeling during the US national anthem to call attention to social injustice and racial inequality. The former 49ers quarterback settled a grievance case earlier this year, which alleged the league had blackballed him and a fellow player for their political views.Nike unveiled an advertising campaign last year that put Kaepernick’s activism front and center, and featured the slogan: “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything. Just do it.”Despite a backlash from some conservatives, Nike said it saw sales increase by 31% following the campaign’s launch. Its share price has risen more than 15% so far this year. Topics US news Nike Republicans The far right Colin Kaepernick news

Nine pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong have pleaded not guilty in a trial seen as a test of judicial independence from Beijing.They have been charged with "public nuisance" over the 2014 "Umbrella" movement that demanded Hong Kong choose its own leader.Three of those accused founded the civil disobedience movement before student groups joined in.At its peak, thousands of protesters paralysed parts of the city for months.The charges carry jail terms of up to seven years.The trial has been described as "politically motivated prosecution" amounting to "an attack on free speech and peaceful assembly" by rights group Amnesty International. The other six accused include lawmakers and students. Beijing's struggle to win Hong Kong's young hearts HK press club hosts independence activist Young and unhappy in Hong Kong Among the nine accused are sociology professor Chan Kin-man, 59, law professor Benny Tai, 54, and Baptist minister Chu Yiu-ming, 74, who founded the "Occupy Central" movement in 2013. It was in reaction to a decision made by China that it would allow direct elections in 2017, but only from a list of candidates pre-approved by Beijing.Many people in Hong Kong believe they should have the right to elect their own leader. A year later, the three activists' call for non-violent civil disobedience joined with student-led protests and snowballed into the massive demonstrations.Hong Kong's courts have already convicted three students of unlawful assembly over the protests. The prosecution in this trial argued these demonstrations caused "common injury done to the public", by locking down parts of the city-centreThe protests became known as the Umbrella movement after people used umbrellas to shield themselves from pepper spray fired by police to disperse the crowd.China and Hong Kong have a "one country, two system" agreement, with freedom of speech and press freedom among the key liberties that set Hong Kong apart from the mainland.The accused were met on their way into court by supporters shouting slogans like "Peaceful resistance! I wanted real universal suffrage!" in support. A verdict is expected in around 20 days. Last week, Professor Chan had given an emotional farewell lecture at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, announcing his early retirement. "So long as we are not crushed by imprisonment and trial and do not become overly frustrated and angry, then we will become stronger and we can inspire many more people," he told the audience.At the heart of the protests is a growing concern in Hong Kong about what is perceived to be China's increasing influence in the city.Beijing is highly sensitive about Hong Kong's status and any calls for more autonomy from China.The former British colony was handed back in 1997 on condition it would retain "a high degree of autonomy, except in foreign and defence affairs" for 50 years.

Some observers of China’s global rise conclude that its influence is limited to military and economic capabilities. For example, it’s set to overtake the US as the world’s largest economy before 2030. There is one area in which China lags behind. That’s the use of “soft power”. It’s a phrase coined by the American political scientist Joseph Nye to describe the intangible resources that help a nation achieve its interests by influencing the preferences of others.Take the popularity of Hollywood films, as a conveyor of American values. They are an unofficial and formidable source of US global influence. But China’s influence could be changing, as suggested by recent developments in media and film, specifically in Africa.It clearly matters in the highest echelons. China’s President Xi Jinping has recently encouraged the media to,tell China’s story well, spread China’s voice well, let the world know a three-dimensional, colorful China…China has since the 1950s assisted African governments with media facilities and organized journalist and technical media exchanges.However, the drive to promote its own narrative originated from the 2008 financial crisis. Its economic resilience and expanding links abroad were put under the spotlight. Coupled with this, was its hosting of the Beijing Olympics in the same year. Yet, at the time its role in places like Darfur and Zimbabwe was criticized by foreign activists and reported by third party news.That sparked China’s drive to directly engage with audiences in strategic regions of the world, by establishing broadcast centres in global capitals such as London, Moscow, Nairobi and Washington.Viewership and readership numbers remain uncertain, as does commercial viability. But these players are adding diverse sources and voices in their reports, including room for African perspectives. There is also increased interaction between Chinese and local African media staff who are working together on a daily basis.These developments have even stirred other news media organisations, who have themselves reported on it.Questions may linger over the true impact of China’s ability to compete and win African hearts and minds. But its role is not static. Chinese media engagement is advancing and includes the provision of telecommunications hardware, to facilitate greater mobile access, as well as affordable pay-TV service providers. These linkages confirm that China’s image is also, to an extent, built open its constructive commercial and infrastructure role on the continent.Film is another area that could benefit China’s soft power. It highlights the country’s deep pockets and potential for wider audience appeal. This is demonstrated by the deepening role of Chinese conglomerates in Hollywood. An example is the Beijing Wanda Group’s acquisition (estimated at $3.5 billion) of the film studio, Legendary Pictures, who together co-produced “The Great Wall”, starring Matt Damon.Similar interest in engaging the South African film market is developing, albeit not yet to the extent of China’s interest in Hollywood. The highest-ranking production (estimated earning $852 million) in China for 2017 was “Wolf Warrior 2” – it was filmed in parts of South Africa, including in Durban, Soweto and Alexandra.The action film centres on a war hero who defends medical aid workers in a fictitious African country. At a local movie reception, Ambassador Lin Songtian of the Chinese embassy in South Africa, described it as,an excellent Chinese film that carries forward patriotic enthusiasm and friendship between China and Africa.China’s role in the local film industry could be increasing in other ways.First is the establishment of shared film festivals, such as the China–Africa International Film Festival launched in 2017. South Africa will be hosting the upcoming third BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Film Festival, which coincides with its hosting of the tenth BRICS Summit in July. This is an added opportunity to share best practices and drive investment and consumption in respective film industries.Second, South African film makers are being awarded scholarships to study in China, for instance at the Beijing Film Academy. This forms part of the surge in Anglophone African students seeking education in China. Last year, China surpassed the US and European Union as the primary destination for these African students.Finally, films are providing platforms to build new China-Africa narratives. A good example is “Golden Lion and the Red Dragon”. This South African-Chinese co-production, which is still in development, is set against the construction of America’s transcontinental railroad during the 1900s, built by Chinese and African slave labour.One of the film’s South African producers, Mayenzeke Baza of AAA Entertainment, emphasized in our discussion the development of China-Africa narratives as a “two-way street”. He added that there is a real hunger for foreign content in China.While there are still quotas on the number of foreign films in the Chinese market, his company stated in another interview that there are gaps for filmmakers targeting China, specifically those with stories of “cultural cohesiveness”.China is slowly but surely becoming a noteworthy player outside of the financial and military spheres. What remains to be seen is whether its engagement in the film and media space can motivate deeper interaction between Chinese and other societies, expanding its soft power.This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article._____________________________________________________________________________

A lawyer who previously worked with Paul Manafort, Trump’s former campaign manager, has pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI, marking another major development in the investigation into possible collusion between the Trump election campaign and the Kremlin.Alex van der Zwaan, who married the daughter of a Russian-Ukrainian oligarch last year, admitted making false statements in connection to work he did in Ukraine, as part of a plea agreement with the special prosecutor on the Russia investigation, Robert Mueller.It is unclear how – if at all – the case against Van der Zwaan is connected to the broader question of whether or not the Trump campaign conspired with the Kremlin. But the indictment shows that one focus of the Mueller investigation is Manafort’s business dealings with pro-Russia figures in Ukraine prior to becoming Trump’s campaign manager in 2016. According to court documents filed in Washington and made public on Tuesday, Van der Zwaan failed to disclose a series of contacts in September 2016 with Rick Gates, a business associate of Manafort, and a person identified only as Person A, with whom Van der Zwaan spoke in Russia and who was described as a “longtime business associate of Manafort and Gates in Ukraine”.That description appeared to match Konstantin Kilimnik, a former Russian army linguist whom federal prosecutors have “assessed to have ties” with Russian intelligence. Kilimnik ran Manafort’s office in Kiev after Manafort left Ukraine in 2014, and continued his work for pro-Russia interests in Ukraine.The court documents allege that the undisclosed contacts in 2016 concerned work performed four years earlier by the US law firm Van der Zwaan worked for in London – Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom – on behalf of the former pro-Russia Ukrainian government of Viktor Yanukovych. Manafort hired Skadden to defend Yanukovych from western condemnation after the 2011 detention of an opposition leader. According to the court documents, Gates told Van der Zwaan to contact Person A in September 2016 to discuss impending criminal charges in Ukraine against Manafort, a former Ukrainian minister of justice and “law firm A”, an apparent reference to Skadden.In particular, Van der Zwaan failed to tell prosecutors or his law firm about an email in Russian, dated 12 September 2016, in which Person A asked Van der Zwaan to use an encrypted method to contact him. Prosecutors said the lawyer deleted that and other emails in an effort to cover up his contacts.Skadden Arps released a statement on Tuesday saying it had fired van der Zwaan last year, but without explaining why, and noting it was cooperating with the authorities.The latest development reflects the special counsel’s determination to prosecute anyone found lying or omitting the truth in the continuing criminal investigation. Two campaign officials – Michael Flynn and George Papadopoulos – have pleaded guilty to lying to investigators and are now cooperating with the investigation.Manafort has pleaded not guilty to previous charges that he laundered money in connection to his Ukraine work. The alleged crimes pre-date his work for the Trump campaign. Gates also pleaded not guilty to money laundering charges but has reportedly decided to change his plea to guilty, and agreed to cooperate, in exchange for leniency.Last year Van der Zwaan married Eva Khan, an art critic and daughter of German Khan, a Russian-Ukrainian billionaire. Khan is one of three people who sued the news website Buzzfeed for publishing a controversial dossier that made unproven claims about the Trump campaign’s alleged ties to Russia. Khan, Mikhail Fridman and Petr Aven filed a defamation suit against the media group as representatives of the financial institution Alfa Bank that the dossier alleged was connected to the unproven Trump/Kremlin conspiracy, but without providing any evidence.There is no evidence however that the criminal charge against Van der Zwaan is related to his family ties. Last November Trump told reporters that he took Vladimir Putin at his word when the Russian leader denied meddling in the election. “Every time he sees me he says, ‘I didn’t do that’, and I really believe that when he tells me that, he means it,” the US president said.But on Tuesday, Sarah Sanders, the White House press secretary, insisted that Trump has never denied Russian interference. She told reporters at the daily briefing: “One of the places where you guys seem to get very confused – and it seems to happen regularly – the president hasn’t said that Russian didn’t meddle. What he’s saying is it didn’t have an impact and it certainly wasn’t with help from the Trump campaign.”She claimed that Trump has been “extremely tough” on Russia, citing his big spending on the US military, export of energy to eastern Europe, upholding of Barack Obama-era sanctions, closure of three Russian diplomatic properties in the US and arming of Ukrainians. “There are a number of places that Obama was too weak and refused to put pressure on Russia where this president has ... He has been tougher on Russia in the first year than Obama has been in eight years combined.”The press secretary added cryptically: “Just last week there an incident that’ll be reported in the coming days and another way that this president was tough on Russia.”Pressed on what Trump is doing about preventing attacks on future elections, Sanders said the homeland security department had been in talks with state and local officials and election vendors.“Everyone wants to blame this on the Trump administration. Let’s not forget this happened under the Obama administration.” Topics Trump-Russia investigation Donald Trump Russia FBI Paul Manafort US politics Ukraine news

The National Museum of Brazil didn’t just capture the country’s history. The building was part of it. When King João VI fled to South America after Napoleon’s invasion of Portugal, he turned Rio de Janeiro into the seat of power for the government of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarve.The official residence was Saint Christopher’s Palace – and that building later became the National Museum. But now, instead of celebrating the 200th birthday of this magnificent institution, Brazil is in tears because it has burned down. If this historic landmark symbolised the beginning of the nation, the fire symbolises a country where a lack of culture and education is the greatest problem.Brazilians travel around the world in their millions, visiting fantastic museums like the Tate in London, the Metropolitan in New York, and the Louvre in Paris, which had more than 8 million visitors last year. Yet it is not overstating things to say that Rio – with its panoramic views of mountains, forests and the sea – is the most beautiful city in the world.So why did the National Museum – the most fantastic museum in South America with its 2m artefacts, its Egyptian collection and the most ancient fossils in Brazilian history – receive only 154,000 visitors a year?We blame the government for neglecting our history. But we, the Brazilian people, neglect it too. Brazil is a fantastic country, a beautiful country, but it is blighted by the lack of education. Poor people in Brazil do not go to school, let alone to museums. Rich people go to museums – but in London, New York or Paris, not in Rio or São Paulo.Ipiranga Museum in São Paulo, built where Brazilian independence was decreed in 1822, has been closed for five years. Now that the National Museum has died in flames, we wonder what can happen with Ipiranga. We wonder what can happen with our souls. Topics Heritage Brazil Paulo Coelho Museums Americas features

An anonymous reader quotes a report from TechCrunch:Daqri, which built enterprise-grade AR headsets, has shuttered its HQ, laid off many of its employees and is selling off assets ahead of a shutdown, former employees and sources close to the company tell TechCrunch. In an email obtained by TechCrunch, the nearly 10-year-old company told its customers that it was pursuing an asset sale and was shutting down its cloud and smart-glasses hardware platforms by the end of September. Daqri faced substantial challenges from competing headset makers, including Magic Leap and Microsoft, which were backed by more expansive war chests and institutional partnerships. While the headset company struggled to compete for enterprise customers, Daqri benefited from investor excitement surrounding the broader space. That is, until the investment climate for AR startups cooled. Daqri was, at one point, speaking with a large private-equity firm about financing ahead of a potential IPO, but as the technical realities facing other AR companies came to light, the firm backed out and the deal crumbled, we are told.The report notes that Osterhout Design Group and Meta, an AR headset startup that raised $73 million from VCs, both sold their assets earlier this year.

Media player Media playback is unsupported on your device Video Kavanaugh and #MeToo: How US teens talk about sexual assault The Kavanaugh hearings and #MeToo movement are shaping conversations high school students are having about sex.As part of the BBC's Ask America project we talked to teenagers involved in Change the Talk, a Los Angeles programme bringing peer-to-peer sexual violence education into high schools. If you have story ideas or questions about the US you want us to explore please let us know. You can email [email protected] or use #BBCAskAmerica.

At least 25 people have been killed in a suicide bombing in eastern Afghanistan as elsewhere across the country jubilant scenes marked the first ceasefire between the Taliban and Afghan government in 17 years.Islamic State, which is not part of the ceasefire, claimed the attack in Nangarhar province, near the city of Jalalabad.Civilians, Taliban members and Afghan soldiers were killed as they mingled together in unprecedented fashion on the second day of the festival of Eid, which marks the conclusion of Ramadan.The Afghan president, Ashraf Ghani, announced on Saturday that the government would extend its week-long ceasefire, which had been due to end on Tuesday, indefinitely.In a rare televised address, Ghani thanked the Taliban for observing the truce and asked the group to extend its own three-day Eid ceasefire, which it announced after the government’s in a promising sign of reciprocity. For many Afghans it has been first glimpse of peace in their lifetime.Unarmed Taliban fighters waving flags entered Kabul and other major cities after the government said it would allow them to visit their families over the holiday.Militants hugged and posed for photographs with soldiers in uniform. Some handed out red roses. In Kabul, others sought directions from locals to the capital’s most famous ice-cream parlour.There were also rare scenes of impromptu diplomacy as the interior minister, Wais Barmak, met Taliban members on the outskirts of the capital and district governors broke bread with their Taliban “shadow” counterparts over lunch. “I’m 40 years old and this is the best Eid I’ve had in my entire life,” one Kandahar resident said on a BBC radio phone-in. “I can see Taliban walking around among ordinary people.”Taliban members were similarly moved. “Tears were in our eyes and we could not speak for weeping,” Baz Muhammad, a 26-year-old commander in the Haqqani branch of the Taliban, said. “We were warmly welcomed in by everyone ... I felt for the first time in the eight years of my jihadist life that I am at least safe.”Others said the ceasefire had shifted their perception of peace. “I offered an Afghan soldier breakfast with me,” said Mullah Hanif Shah, a 30-year-old subcommander in Zabul province. “This was a dramatic development. I hope now that my leader and president Ghani make peace.”Ghani said in his televised speech that he was ready to discuss the removal of foreign forces, which were excluded from the Taliban’s ceasefire and remain a key stumbling block to peace in the eyes of many fighters.A senior member of the Taliban’s council said the group would meet on Sunday to discuss Ghani’s offer and that the ceasefire could be extended if a date was set for the withdrawal of US forces. The UN secretary general’s special representative for Afghanistan, Tadamichi Yamamoto, wrote in the Washington Post: “I truly believe the outlines for a peace deal are now discernible through the haze and dust of war.”The ceasefire followed large peace rallies around the country and came as 80 citizens continued a 600km-long peace march from Lashkar Gah to Kabul.Barnett R Rubin, an Afghanistan at the Center on International cCooperation, said the ceasefire would make it easier for high-level talks to occur as Taliban fighters had strictly obeyed the command of their leaders.“They are all involved and they all have ownership ... It hasn’t been limited to a ceasefire. There has been mass fraternisation,” he said. Topics Afghanistan South and Central Asia Taliban Islamic State news

A congressional committee led by a member of Donald Trump’s presidential transition team has announced that Trump’s 2016 campaign did not collude with Russian operatives and that the committee was nearing the completion of its investigation of the matter.The announcement drew a sharp rebuke from the top Democrat on the committee, Adam Schiff, who declared it a “tragic milestone for this Congress” and accused his Republican colleagues of “yet another capitulation to the executive branch”.“By ending its oversight role in the only authorized investigation in the House, the [Republican] majority has placed the interests of protecting the president over protecting the country, and history will judge its actions harshly,” Schiff said in a statement Monday.In an all-caps tweet Monday evening, Trump touted the development:But parallel investigations in two Senate committees into alleged collusion between Russia and the Trump camp continued apace, as did an inquiry led by the special counsel Robert Mueller. Two weeks ago Mueller secured a guilty plea from a third former Trump campaign aide on charges not directly related to collusion.Schiff sharply dissented with Trump’s characterization of his committee’s work as “in-depth”.“The majority was not willing to pursue the facts wherever they would lead, would prove afraid to compel witnesses like Steve Bannon, Hope Hicks, Jeff Sessions, Donald Trump Jr, Corey Lewandowski and so many others to answer questions relevant to our investigation,” Schiff’s statement said. “It proved unwilling to subpoena documents like phone records, text messages, bank records and other key records so that we might determine the truth about the most significant attack on our democratic institutions in history.”Representative Mike Conaway of Texas, a Republican member of the House intelligence committee, told reporters on Monday that the committee would not interview any more witnesses in its investigation of alleged collusion and that no collusion had happened.“The bottom line: the Russians did commit active measures against our election in ’16, and we think they will do that in the future,” Conaway said. “We disagree with the narrative that they were trying to help Trump.”Last month, in indictments handed down by a grand jury comprised of citizens who had reviewed the evidence, Mueller described how 13 Russian citizens and three Russian organizations had allegedly sought to disrupt the 2016 election. “By early to mid-2016,” the indictment reads, “defendants’ operations included supporting the presidential campaign of then-candidate Donald J Trump (‘Trump campaign’) and disparaging Hillary Clinton.” Conaway did not indicate what evidence the committee had collected that led it to contradict the Mueller indictment, which was built on intercepted emails, witness interviews and other evidence pointing to Russia as a culprit . On a day when the White House press secretary declined to support the British prime minister Theresa May’s conclusion that it is “highly likely” that Russia was responsible for the poisoning of the former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, Conaway argued vehemently against the notion that the Trump campaign had cooperated with Russia to disrupt the presidential election. “We found no evidence of collusion,” Conaway said. “We found perhaps some bad judgment, inappropriate meetings. But only Tom Clancy or Vince Flynn or someone else like that could take these series of inadvertent contacts with each other, meetings, whatever, and weave that into some sort of a fiction and turn it into a page-turner, spy thriller.”Schiff, the committee’s top Democrat, said on Sunday that the committee, which is not widely regarded as being at the spearhead of the investigation into Russia and Trump, had uncovered “circumstantial evidence of collusion”.Evan McMullin, the 2016 independent presidential candidate who some Republicans hoped would lead a backlash against Trump that never materialized, called the Republican conduct “a low point”.“House Republicans failing to perform an honest investigation into Russia’s interference for President Trump marks a low point for Congress and political leadership in America,” McMullin wrote on Twitter. “These congressmen are willing to protect their party and Trump at the expense of our sovereignty.”The House intelligence committee’s investigation of the Russia affair has been vexed by political scandal and partisan sniping from the start. The committee chairman, Devin Nunes, who served on the Trump transition team, initially recused himself from the investigation, only to engineer the release last month of a memo bearing his name that was widely viewed as an attempt to undermine the special counsel investigation and smear the FBI. Democrats on the committee later released a competing memo of their own.Conaway said that committee Republicans would submit a draft report on the matter to their Democratic colleagues on Tuesday, but the Democratic side was expected to reject its findings. Topics Trump-Russia investigation Donald Trump House of Representatives US Congress Russia Trump administration US elections 2016 news

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HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong’s leader, Carrie Lam, said on Tuesday she and her team would begin dialogue sessions with the community next week, while reiterating that violence that has roiled the city over three months of protests must end. Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam attends a news conference in Hong Kong, China September 17, 2019. REUTERS/Jorge SilvaLam, who is under pressure from Beijing to defuse the public anger stirring the protests, said the dialogue sessions would be as open as possible, with members of the public able to sign up to attend. “Hong Kong society has really accumulated a lot of deep-rooted economic, social and even political issues. I hope these different forms of dialogue can provide a platform for us to discuss,” Lam told reporters at a weekly briefing. She said the issues included housing and land shortages in one of the world’s most densely populated cities of 7.4 million. Young people are particularly frustrated by the high cost of finding a place of their own to live. “But I have to stress here, dialogue platform doesn’t mean we don’t have to take resolute enforcement actions. Suppressing the violence in front of us is still the priority,” she said. The former British colony has been roiled by nearly four months of sometimes violent protests. The trigger for the unrest was an extradition bill, now withdrawn, that would have allowed people to be sent from Hong Kong to mainland China for trial. But the demonstrators’ demands have broadened to include universal suffrage and an independent inquiry into their complaints of excessive force by the police. Tanya Chan, a pro-democracy legislator, said in Geneva on Tuesday that Lam’s overture was a “political gesture”. “I don’t see any kind of meaningful reasons to have dialogue with Mrs. Carrie Lam. All our demands are so clear from the very beginning and she knows this very well,” Chan told a news conference. “If she keeps on telling us (there will be) no commission of inquiry, no universal suffrage, then I think that is the end of it. So it’s not fruitful to meet her at all,” she said. Hong Kong returned to China in 1997 under a “one country, two systems” formula that guarantees freedoms not enjoyed on the mainland - including a much-cherished independent legal system. But many residents complain about what they see as creeping interference by Beijing in Hong Kong’s affairs despite the promise of autonomy. Lam, who has been a focus of protesters’ anger, capitulated to one of their main demands on Sept. 4, announcing the full withdrawal of the extradition bill. But some said that was too little, too late, and the protests have continued. Police on Monday said 89 people were arrested over the weekend after “radical protesters” attacked two police officers on Sunday evening, hurling petrol bombs and bricks. Brawls also broke out between anti-government protesters and others who support Beijing. Nearly 1,500 people have been arrested since the protests intensified in June. The turmoil is beginning to hit the economy of the financial hub. Credit rating agency Moody’s changed its outlook on Hong Kong’s rating to negative from stable on Monday, reflecting what it called the rising risk of “an erosion in the strength of Hong Kong’s institutions”. The institutional features that grant Hong Kong greater political and economic autonomy — together with the city’s intrinsic credit strengths — accounted for its higher rating than China, the agency said. Lam said the Moody’s decision disappointing. Slideshow (3 Images)“We do not concur, especially if the justification for that sort of change in outlook is premised on whether we’re still upholding ‘one country, two systems’,” she said. China also says it is committed to “one country, two systems” and it denies meddling in Hong Kong while stressing it is an internal Chinese issue. China has accused foreign powers, particularly the United States and Britain, of fomenting the unrest and told them to mind their own business. Reporting by Donny Kwok and Farah Master; additional reporting by Stephanie Nebehay in Geneva; Writing by James Pomfret; Editing by Shri Navaratnam, Robert Birsel and Lisa ShumakerOur Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

PayPal is canceling the accounts of the far-right group, the Proud Boys, and also banning anti-fascists from the platform, saying it prohibits people who “promote hate” or “violence”.The online payment company’s decision to associate anti-fascist activists with a rightwing “hate group” has sparked intense backlash from leftwing organizers, who say the Silicon Valley firm is pandering to far-right groups linked to white supremacist beliefs and extremist violence.A PayPal spokesperson said on Friday that it was banning the accounts of the Proud Boys and its founder Gavin McInnes, along with Atlanta Antifa, Antifa Sacramento and Anti-Fascist Network. The company also recently canceled the account of the English Defence League founder Tommy Robinson, a far-right figure in the UK, and has previously removed four other antifa groups.“We do not allow PayPal services to be used to promote hate, violence, or other forms of intolerance that is discriminatory,” the company said in a statement. A spokesperson declined to comment on the justifications for each account.“I’m really tired of the equivalence of anti-fascists and fascists,” said Zoé Samudzi, an Oakland writer who has supported anti-fascist protests. She noted McInnes’s history of promoting violence, adding: “You cannot compare that to the anti-fascists who are trying to defend communities from that violence. It’s really cowardly to not attempt to make a distinction between the two.”PayPal, which was co-founded by Peter Thiel, a Donald Trump ally, is instituting its bans at a time when technology companies are facing global scrutiny for their roles in facilitating and amplifying far-right violence. Facebook, YouTube and Twitter in particular have played key roles in helping violent white supremacists and neo-Nazis spread their propaganda, recruit supporters, and organize events.Twitter recently suspended the Proud Boys, the self-described “western chauvinists”, saying the group violated the platform’s policy against “violent extremist groups”. There has been growing recognition that the “de-platforming” of hate groups and racist speech can significantly reduce the reach of provocateurs, the “alt-right” and neo-Nazis.Activists said they welcomed the PayPal ban of McInnes, but were disturbed to see anti-fascists who protest against people like McInnes targeted in the same cancellations. Some compared it to Trump’s infamous remark that there were “very fine people on both sides” of a deadly white supremacist rally.“By removing antifascist & Proud Boys accounts at the same time, Paypal seems to be making a false equivalence & lumping completely different groups together as ‘intolerance’ and ‘hate’,” the Atlanta Antifa group said in a statement.PayPal emailed the group on Friday, saying it was “terminating our relationship”, asking it to “remove all references to PayPal from your website”.“It’s just pandering to the far right,” said one member of the Atlanta group, who requested anonymity. “We are a grassroots group … Paypal helped offset our expenses. Nobody in our group is rich, and most costs come out of our pocket.”Far-right and neo-Nazi groups have repeatedly been linked to violence and murders in America, and the Atlanta group coordinates counter-protests and warns community members about the presence of hate groups, the member said: “To be putting the focus on the people who are day to day opposing these forces and monitoring these forces is just perverse … Everything we do is rooted in community self-defense.”There is also no evidence of equivalent violence by “antifa”, a broad term used to refer to anti-fascists. Members of the Proud Boys were recently arrested in New York after a violent brawl following a speech by McInnes.McInnes has insisted that his group is not white nationalist or “alt-right”. The Proud Boys have a history of misogyny and glorifying violence, and McInnes has a track record of racist remarks. He previously had a friendly relationship with the organizer of the violent Unite the Right rally, but denounced him after the Charlottesville car attack killed a protester.Samudzi noted that anti-fascist groups have used PayPal for fundraising for bail when activists are arrested and to collect donations to support people during crises, such as hurricanes: “There are some real community support projects that are not going to be fundable.”Removing the “alt-right” from mainstream tech platforms can be impactful, said James Anderson, an editor of It’s Going Down, an anti-fascist website. “It’s disruptive, especially for people that are making their living online … It can be very damaging.”Tech platforms can’t claim to be “neutral” when it comes to far-right violence and anti-fascists, he added. “They want to avoid any sort of controversy … They just care about saving their brand.” Topics PayPal The far right Silicon Valley Activism California news

Following a run of programs that were offensive even by the standards of a Fox News host whose views are frequently praised by white nationalists, advertisers have begun disassociating themselves from Tucker Carlson this week.A growing number of companies have said they will stop advertising on Tucker Carlson Tonight or are re-evaluating their ad buys after a segment last week in which he said immigrants make America “poorer and dirtier”, a point that he returned to on Monday.Instead of scientists and other presumably more worthwhile human beings, we’re “getting waves of people with high school educations or less”, Carlson, who says he is a Christian, opined on his show.“Nice people, no one doubts that, but as an economic matter this is insane. It’s indefensible, so no one even tries to defend it. Instead our leaders demand that you shut up and accept this. We have a moral obligation to admit the world’s poor, they tell us, even if it makes our country poorer and dirtier and more divided,” Carlson said.Among the most recent advertiser departures was Nautilus Inc, the company behind Bowflex, who told the Hollywood Reporter it had “requested that Fox News remove our ads from airing in conjunction with Tucker Carlson Tonight in the future”.“Aside from our decision to remove our ads from his show, we have no other association or affiliation with Mr Carlson,” they added.Insurance company Pacific Life released a similar statement saying: “As a company we strongly disagree with Mr Carlson’s statements,” adding that their customer base and workforce “reflect the diversity of our great nation, something we take great pride in”.Other companies who have announced they are removing ads thus far include SmileDirectClub, personal finance website NerdWallet, jobs site Indeed and design marketplace Minted. Mitsubishi and Farmers Insurance have not committed to doing so, saying that their ad buys are unrelated to politics.Staunchly xenophobic and anti-immigrant sentiments are not new for Carlson, who has said previously: “Latin American countries are changing election outcomes here by forcing demographic change on this country at a rate that American voters consistently say they don’t want.”In September Carlson railed against the idea of diversity, questioning how it could be seen as a positive.“How precisely is diversity our strength?” he asked. “Since you’ve made this our new national motto, please be specific as you explain it. Can you think, for example, of other institutions such as, I don’t know, marriage or military units in which the less people have in common, the more cohesive they are? Do you get along better with your neighbors or your co-workers if you can’t understand each other or share no common values?”That same month Media Matters prepared a highlight reel of Carlson’s comments on minorities and immigrants juxtaposing them against the rhetoric of some of the most virulently racist agitators on the white nationalist right such as Richard Spencer, David Duke and Christopher Cantwell.“Tucker Carlson is basically “Daily Stormer: The Show” the site’s leader, Andrew Anglin, has said. “Other than the language used, he is covering all of our talking points.”A statement released by Fox News dismissed the allegations.“It is a shame that leftwing advocacy groups, under the guise of being supposed ‘media watchdogs’ weaponize social media against companies in an effort to stifle free speech,” the company said.On Monday Carlson echoed that sentiment.“You’ve seen it a million times, it happens all the time. The enforcers scream ‘racist’ on Twitter, until everybody gets intimidated,” he said in part.“It’s a tactic, a well-worn one, nobody thinks it’s real, and it won’t work with this show, we are not intimidated. We plan to try to say what’s true until the last day.” Topics Fox News Advertising US immigration TV news US television industry Television industry news

Late-night hosts examined a trio of perils: obstruction of justice, climate change and big pharma’s role in the opioid crisis.Robert Mueller may wrap up his investigation into Russia’s role in the election this week, Stephen Colbert opened on Wednesday’s Late Show. And “speaking of the Russia investigation, Donald Trump would prefer that we not speak of it”, Colbert said. “In fact, he’s tried very hard to make all the investigations of him vanish faster than a cheeseburger at bedtime.”But Colbert was determined that the potential end to Mueller’s investigation not slink quietly into the night, instead injecting a dose of perspective on the ridiculous engine of so many comedic monologues since Trump took office.For starters, Colbert pointed to a list compiled by the New York Times of everything Trump has tried over his two years as president to obstruct investigations against him. “We knew about his flagrant attempts to stop investigations into what Russia did to our election,” Colbert noted. But it has swirled into a resigned malaise because, as the Times put it: “Americans have lost track of how unusual his behavior is.”“Please don’t do that,” Colbert pleaded. “Please don’t lose track. I just want to to remind you that the mildly nauseous feeling you have is because for the last two years, Donald Trump has been spinning you in a tumble dryer full of turd.”As has become more common, Colbert tried to reframe the story beyond the daily news cycle. So much of Trump’s behavior – trusting Putin over his advisers, calling the intelligence community deep state coup plotters, turning against his whole justice department – is “not normal”, he said. “It is strange. It’s like how Jack in the Box sells tacos for some reason? It may not be illegal but it certainly violates something sacred.”Meanwhile, Trump’s legal team defended his two-year tweet war against Mueller’s investigation as a good thing; because he’s been “public about his disdain”, he is “hardly engaged in a conspiracy”, they told the Times.Colbert wasted no time seeing through that deflection. “That’s your legal defense? He’s innocent because he’s not hiding it? Because I’ve definitely seen some dog sitting proudly next to a pile of poop on the floor, but I’m pretty sure I know who’s guilty.”Over at Late Night, Seth Meyers turned his attention to Republican hysteria over the Green New Deal, the ambitious agenda put forth by House Democrats, most prominently Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, to pivot economic and environmental policies towards vigorously combating climate change.The announcement of the Green New Deal a couple weeks ago, followed by Trump’s national emergency declaration, has some conservative commentators worried – what if a Democratic president declared a national emergency for climate change?“That’s what you’re worried about?” Meyers marveled. “That’s like saying: ‘I would give this homeless guy a dollar, but you know he’s just going to use it to print out his resume and get a job.’”“There’s a big difference between the border and climate change,” Meyers explained, because “climate change is an actual emergency”.And while numerous scientists are ringing the alarm that the coming decade may be the planet’s last window to alter Earth’s trajectory toward devastating climate change, Trump has been (erroneously) warning supporters that the Green New Deal will take away your car. “You’re not allowed to own cows anymore,” he falsely mused at one recent rally. “Man, Trump is getting really desperate,” Meyers observed. “In two years, he’s gone from ‘They’re gonna take your guns away’, to ‘They’re gonna take your guns away’.”Rest assured, Meyers concluded. “No one is outlawing cows. You know what we call that? Fake moos.”On The Daily Show, Trevor Noah devoted time to another national emergency: the opioid crisis. Trump may fearmonger by blaming Mexico for drugs, Noah said, but “in reality, the opioid crisis is as American as baseball or student loan debt”. Which means the villains in this story are homegrown, such as the doctors who pushed as many as 60 addictive pills on a single patient in a day.However, “doctors like this are basically low-level henchmen”, Noah said. If you want to find the real villains in this story, “you have to go to the top of the cartel: the pharma companies that make the drugs”.Noah turned to the “Pablo Escobar of opioids”: the Sackler family, the owners of Purdue pharma and makers of the highly addictive OxyContin, which has netted them a profit of $4bn.“That’s right, this one family made $4bn by allegedly lying about how addictive opioids are,” Noah summarized, mincing no words. “That is straight-up evil. If your product is addictive, you have to be upfront about it. I mean, that’s why we always start our show with a disclaimer: do not consume more than three episodes of The Daily Show if you are addicted to Africans with dimples.”In all seriousness, though, the fact that the Sacklers knew their pills were addictive, pushed them on doctors anyway, and then encouraged blaming the addicts for their criminality is, according to Noah, “genuinely pure evil”. Topics Late-night TV roundup TV comedy Stephen Colbert Trevor Noah Comedy US television Television