Tuesday, February 2, 2010

China has warned the United States that ties between the two countries will be strained if the US President meets the Dalai Lama. This follows the little progress achieved at “sharply divided” talks between China and the representatives of the Dalai Lama in China. Chinese Communist Party official Zhu Weiqun, speaking at a press conference to discuss the five-day visit by the representatives, said that “corresponding action” would be taken if the White House did not step down. He elaborated, stating that “it will seriously undermine the foundations of Sino-US political relations“, and that China would take “corresponding action to make relevant countries see their mistakes.”

He added, “The Dalai Lama is already 75. We hope he will face up to reality, change his stand and make a correct choice for the remainder of his life.” He went on to say that “We oppose any attempt by foreign forces to interfere in China’s internal affairs using the Dalai Lama as an excuse,” referring to the United States.

The Dalai Lama fled Tibet after an uprising rebelling against China failed in 1959. The talks between the exiled supporters & China follow a conference last month, held by Chinese leaders, to review Tibet policies.

Tibet saw major unrest in March of 2008, and riots and demonstrations are a regular occurrence, although the Chinese Government believes that its policies in Tibet are correct.

This development adds to previous tension between the United States and China, caused by issues over internet censorship and the US-Taiwan arms deal announced last week.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Four officers from London’s Metropolitan Police went on trial today accused of repeatedly beating a Muslim arrested on suspicion of helping “terrorist organisations operating abroad.” The men deny assaulting Babar Ahmad, 36, in his home, in a police van and in a police station.

The assault charges stem from the December 2003 arrest in the city’s south-west. Less than a year earlier a similar operation in Manchester had seen an officer stabbed to death by a suspect now serving life in prison. Jonathan Laidlaw, prosecuting, told the jury in Southwark Crown Court the officers had likely been informed Ahmad had militant training and involvement in overseas fighting. The police team was from the specialist Territorial Support Group.

Whilst acknowledging fears Ahmed, who was released without charge, could pose a threat, Laidlaw rejects this actually being the case upon arrival at his home. Woken from sleeping beside his wife at 05:00 by calls of “police, police”, “[d]ressed only in his pyjamas and barefooted, Mr Ahmad raised his arms above his head to indicate that he was not going to fight or to present any sort of danger or threat to the police,” claims Laidlaw.

Police Constable Roderick James-Bowen, 40, was first into the room and knocked Ahmed back into a window, breaking it. Laidlaw had “no complaint” about this action but when “entirely submissive” Ahmed was handcuffed “[t]he defendants subjected him to a sustained and very violent assault – in effect they gave him a beating or they beat him up.”

The prosecutor contends the four officers – PC James-Bowen alongside PCs Nigel Cowley, 33, and Mark Jones, 43, and Detective Constable John Donohue, 36 – “punched and [beat Ahmed] on the floor”. The accused are said to have called Ahmed a “fucking bastard” and a “fucking cunt“. “On the floor the assault continued as his wife called out for the police to stop,” Laidlaw continued. This was followed, he claims, by a visit to Ahmed’s prayer room, where he was positioned as if praying and asked “Where is your god now?”

As part of the investigation into suspicions Amhed led a group “providing logistical support, financial assistance, recruits and computer expertise” to foreign militant groups, MI5 bugged the house. The jury was played a ten minute recording covering the arrest in which shouts, screams and apparent muffled commands were heard.

There followed a transfer via police van to Charing Cross police station. In the back of the van “[t]he officer sitting nearest to Mr Ahmad’s head asked him where he was born and when he replied London, that officer punched him in the back of the head. The same officer then lifted Mr Ahmad’s upper body and held him in a headlock with both arms. After releasing him [the officer] said: ‘You fucking cunt, you’ll remember this day for the rest of your life.'”

At the police station Ahmed says he was led to an area unviewed by CCTV cameras and punched and kicked. He was presented in “a collapsing state” to the custody sergeant who was told Ahmed had been violent and resisted arrest. However, the custody sergeant was quoted in court as hearing screams at the police station. “I would describe the screaming as what I believed was a man and that he was in prolonged discomfort and pain. It was definitely the sound of pain and not of him shouting out,” Laidlaw quoted the sergeant.

The officers are accused by the prosecution of having “lied” about any resistance offered by Ahmed, who was left with “areas of bruising, reddening and grazes to [his] head and neck, bruising to the chest, areas of bruising to [his] back, extensive bruising and grazing of the arms. In effect, there were injuries all over the victim’s body.”

Ahmed was re-arrested in 2004 and has spent the last seven years in custody facing extradition to the US. The US seeks to try him for fundraising for militancy amid claims he is a member of al-Qaeda; though initially a ruling in favour of extradition was reached an appeal is pending.

Sunday, March 25, 2018

Visual art, fabric art, photography, performance, dance, virtual reality, and music were all the subject of sessions at Furnal Equinox 2018, a conference held from March 16 to 18 at Toronto’s Westin Harbour Castle. Canada’s largest furry convention by attendance, the annual event offers dozens of subculture-specific programs.

The convention’s communications and public relations coordinator for the event, Ronnie, describes furries as “people that enjoy arts and culture centred around animals and animal-themed topics, essentially. Furnal Equinox in particular, we like to celebrate in a very visual and very […] artistic nature, where we have lots of arts and performances and crafts that go on, and people celebrate with lots of socialisation involved.”

Of the attendees, Ronnie told Wikinews “they come from all walks of life. They are people of all ages, sizes, all sorts of backgrounds, and they come together under one mutual interest, which is their love for animal culture.”

“Programming at Furnal Equinox involves[…] a lot of informational panels, so you can find out about topics from art and how to draw, or how to visually incorporate different elements into your artworks. You can also find panels that teach you how to write better, be a better fiction author for example,” explained the event representative.

At one panel Wikinews attended, members of its all-volunteer organising committee spoke of the year-long process of planning the event, and their reasons for committing such a significant amount of their time. Said one panelist, “if you’re happy, we’re happy.”

• Image: Nicholas Moreau.

• Image: Nicholas Moreau.

• Image: Nicholas Moreau.

The largest hub of activity at the convention was a dealer’s room; nicknamed the “Dealer’s Den”, giving it an anthropomorphic twist. Vendors were selling original visual art, wearables like faux fur tails or ears, or things like jewellery or soap with motifs that would interest attendees.

The back area of the room was dedicated to a charity auction, with proceeds benefiting Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary. According to the convention website, the charity is “dedicated to rescuing abused, neglected, and abandoned farmed animals. Their goal is to provide a safe, life-long home for all of their residents, and to educate the public about the true nature of farmed animals through tours, volunteer programs, and community outreach.”

Split into groups, some attendees played “Fursuit Games” in front of an audience, like trying to toss a ball into a garbage can. The activity made harder, of course, by the limited dexterity and vision the most of the costumes entail.

• Image: Nicholas Moreau.

• Image: Nicholas Moreau.

• Berrie Image: Nicholas Moreau.

• Image: Nicholas Moreau.

• Attendees try to catch their own prizes, like t-shirts, after the Games. Image: Nicholas Moreau.

Tuesday, March 21, 2006

Thousands of people around the world took to the streets in a “Global Day of Action” to mark the third anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq. The weekend rallies and demonstrations drew smaller crowds than earlier anti-war demonstrations, when millions gathered in 2003 and 2004. US President George W. Bush, with dwindling public support for the war, marked the occasion with a speech, outlining his commitment to democracy in the region.

Sunday, October 7, 2007

Aaron Parent is running for the Libertarian in the Ontario provincial election, in the Essex riding. Wikinews’ Nick Moreau interviewed him regarding his values, his experience, and his campaign.

Stay tuned for further interviews; every candidate from every party is eligible, and will be contacted. Expect interviews from Liberals, Progressive Conservatives, New Democratic Party members, Ontario Greens, as well as members from the Family Coalition, Freedom, Communist, Libertarian, and Confederation of Regions parties, as well as independents.

Thursday, October 12, 2017

According to the United States Department of Homeland Security on Monday, Puerto Rico’s exemption from the Jones Act, which temporarily lifted the rule requiring that only U.S.-owned ships might carry goods between U.S. ports, was allowed to expire on Sunday rather than being renewed. The island commonwealth had been given a temporary exemption from this law to allow foreign ships to aid the delivery of relief supplies after Hurricane Maria, which struck Puerto Rico last month. Puerto Ricans and lawmakers had asked for an extension of the waiver in light of the island’s current difficulties.

“We believe that extending the waiver is unnecessary to support the humanitarian relief efforts on the island[…] There is an ample supply of Jones Act-qualified vessels to ensure that cargo is able to reach Puerto Rico,” reads a statement from Homeland Security Press Secretary David Lapan.

The Jones Act of 1920 requires that all ships carrying cargo directly from one U.S. port to another must be built, operated and owned by U.S. personnel. Puerto Rico, a U.S. commonwealth, falls under its jurisdiction. President Donald Trump issued a temporary waiver of this requirement for Puerto Rico on September 28 to help the relief effort. However, there were also concerns about supplies sitting idle in ports for lack of organized distribution and truck drivers to take them where they were needed. Some foreign ships may take until October 18 to complete deliveries.

Republicans Marco Rubio and John McCain were among those in the U.S. Congress who had urged President Trump to issue the waiver, though McCain supported making the exemption permanent: “Now that the temporary Jones Act waiver for Puerto Rico has expired, it is more important than ever for Congress to pass my bill to permanently exempt Puerto Rico from this archaic and burdensome law,” he told the Huffington Post. “Until we provide Puerto Rico with long-term relief, the Jones Act will continue to hinder much-needed efforts to help the people of Puerto Rico recover and rebuild from Hurricane Maria.”

In September, Puerto Rico was nicked by the same Hurricane Irma that left Florida in disarray but then pummeled head-on by Hurricane Maria. The crisis displaced thousands of people and led to extraordinary rainfall and flash flood scares after a large crack appeared in the Guajataca Dam. According to Governor Ricardo Rosselló, 85% of residents remain without electricity, and many also still lack access to running water.

Puerto Rico was colonized by Spain and came under U.S. control in the Spanish-American War in 1898, along with Guam and the Philippines. Every person born in Puerto Rico is a United States citizen by birth. Puerto Rican residents do not participate in national elections, hold no seats in the electoral college, and have a non-voting representative in the U.S. congress. Mostly, they are exempt from federal income tax but not other federal taxes.

Every few years, the Puerto Ricans hold a referendum to determine whether they wish to remain a commonwealth, seek U.S. statehood, or seek independence in some form. In June, 97% of voters selected the second option, though turnout was low, and Congress is not legally required to obey their wishes.