International | Westminster World

Dec122016 by <a href="http://www.eyeartcollective.com/category/no-mans-land/">Manisha Ganguly</a>No Comments

Chelsea Manning’s release petition hits White House threshold with 100,000 signatures

DontUse, Explainers, International, News, ReportingWeek2

A petition to commute whistleblower Chelsea Manning’s 37-year prison sentence has received over 100,000 signatures, hitting the target needed to prompt a response from the White House. Manning, a former United States Army soldier whose leak of classified files lead to the exposure of human rights abuses by the US Army, including the death of two Reuters reporters, is in her eighth year of incarceration. By surpassing the 100, 000 signature threshold, the petition, created on November 14, could expect a response from the White House within 60 days. Manning, who has spent more time in imprisonment than any whistleblower in US history, tweeted: "We did it! Thank you so much for your love and support. =)”. The petition mentioned that Manning had been incarcerated in "unlawful, unusuall

Dec122016 by Marc FarràsNo Comments

Monuments Men 2.0

Art, Culture, DontUse, International, News, Politics, ReportingWeek2

Good ideas never die. The cultural heritage in the Middle East is under such a serious risk of destruction by the Islamic State that the British Government has returned to life the 'Monuments Men', the elite group who saved thousands of art masterpieces from the Nazi flames. For the national-socialist regime, the massive murder of Jewish, Communists, homosexuals and other enemy communities was not enough. Their cultural and art traces had to be erased too. The Nazis stole thousands of pieces from both museums and private collections and planned to destroy them. The Allied countries gathered a group of experts including scientists, museum curators and art historians to find them before the Germans could destroy the pieces. They were called 'The Monuments Men' and were responsible for the p

Dec62016 by Mohammed HelmyNo Comments

The Iranian president: No one can cancel the nuclear deal

Blogs, International, Politics, ReportingWeek1

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday his country will not allow the US president-elect Donald Trump to cancel the nuclear deal. Rouhani warned from unspecified “repercussions” if Washington stepped back its agreement. Speaking in front of Tehran’s University students, the Iranian president asked the students: "Do you think the United States can cancel the comprehensive joint action plan of the nuclear deal?” He added.” Trump wants to do a lot of things, but we will not be affected by any of his actions.” The US president-elect is expected to drive the US foreign policy in a very different direction supported by the Republicans majority inside the US congress. Trump announced already during his presidential campaign that he would cancel the Iranian nuclear ag

Dec62016 by Arifa KhanNo Comments

UK urged to decide faster Brexit negotiations.

Business, International, News, Politics, ReportingWeek1

“Time will be short, " states the EU chief negotiator of Brexit Michel Barnier on Tuesday urging the UK needs to decide faster. In October, Michel Barnier was selected to the position of chief Brexit negotiator by the European Commission President Jean- Clause Juncker who states he “wanted an experienced politician for this difficult job”. At the moment UK courts are deciding who is entitled to make the final decision on Brexit. Although the final decision has not been taken yet, the referendum has led to disturbances. The Home Office reports that hate crime has been on the rise. Reports by the police in England and Wales state racist or religious abuse has increased 41% in the month post the UK voted to leave the EU. This July the recorded crimes have increased to 5,468 which is 1,582

Dec52016 by Bria WoodsNo Comments

Win for Native American Tribe after US denies key permit for Dakota Access Pipeline

Blogs, DontUse, Environment, International, Media, News, Politics, ReportingWeek1, Social media, Student

To the delight of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and many environmental activists, the Army Corps of Engineers will not grant a permit for the Dakota Access Pipeline to drill under the Missouri River. The Army has announced its plan to “explore alternate routes.” This is a long-awaited victory for Standing Rock Sioux tribe after months of camping out and protesting against the Pipeline. "People have said that this is a make it or a break it, and I guess we made it," Chief Arvol Looking Horse, Keeper of the White Buffalo Calf Pipe, announced to a cheering crowd of protesters. Jo-Ellen Darcy, the Army Assistant secretary for civil works, said on Sunday that, “The best way to complete the work responsibly and expeditiously is to explore alternate routes for the pipeli

Dec52016 by Fan WangNo Comments

Russia’s Defense Ministry blames US, UK and France for Russian hospital attack in Aleppo

International, News, ReportingWeek1

A Russian military officer has blamed the three powers for killing and injuring Russian medical personnel in Syria. Report says two medics were killed and one doctor was seriously wounded in a shelling of the government-held part of Aleppo. The bombs hit the medical centre of a Russian mobile military hospital, and an unspecified number of local residents who were at the hospital were also wounded. Russia’s Defense Ministry spokesman Major-General Igor Konashenkov told journalists about the shelling in Moscow on Monday. The militants who shelled the hospital had been aware of its location, he said. "No doubt, the opposition’s gunmen carried out the shelling. We understand where the militants got the precise data and coordinates of the reception of the Russian hospital at the

China lodges complaints over Trump tweets

International, Politics, ReportingWeek1, Social media

China has launched a formal protest against Donald Trump. It targets his latest criticism of China’s currency manipulation. The complaint also includes Trump’s comments on China’s militarization in the South China sea. Did China ask us if it was OK to devalue their currency (making it hard for our companies to compete), heavily tax our products going into.. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 4, 2016 their country (the U.S. doesn't tax them) or to build a massive military complex in the middle of the South China Sea? I don't think so! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 4, 2016 In a press conference today, foreign ministry spokesperson Lu Kang says, “Mr. Trump is creating troubles for China-U.S. relationship and the U.S itself.” Meanwhile

Bana Alabed- Has a peaceful voice been silent?

International, Media, ReportingWeek1

Bana Alabed, the Syrian girl in Aleppo who has become world famous for her twitter messages has suddenly gone silent. As not only has she stopped tweeting but her account has also abruptly been deleted. Bana, seven, one the many vulnerable children in Aleppo but still unique for her well known connections through social media has disappeared. Her small messages were very simple and short that often included images of her everyday life in Aleppo and how she felt to the problems they were facing. The photos included Bana with her brothers and mother and also videos where she is praying to God for help. Those simple messages moved thousands of hearts around the world, that even British author J K Rowling decided to gift her Harry Potter books. Living in Aleppo amid the bombings an

Italy’s President says the result of the referendum is a reflection of a “solid democracy”

Blogs, Data Journalism, DontUse, International, ReportingWeek1

The President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, has spoken for the first time since the resignation of his Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi. In a tweet released this morning by Quirinal Palace, Mr Mattarella’s residence, the leader of the Republic said that the large number of voters in the Referendum was a “testimony of a solid democracy from a passionate country, capable of an active participation”. He also called for “serenity and reciprocal respect” to face the new political situation and the “actual problems” in the country. His intervention is an attempt to calm the voices who are calling for populism. #Quirinale, Il Presidente della Repubblica, Sergio #Mattarella, ha rilasciato la seguente dichiarazione: pic.twitter.com/k0BeO5rR13 — Quirinale Uff Stampa (@Quirinale) 5 de diciembre

Shinzo Abe to be the first Japanese leader to visit Pearl Harbour

Blogs, Culture, DontUse, International, News, Politics, ReportingWeek1

Prime minister Shinzo Abe is to visit Pearl Harbor, becoming the first Japanese leader to go to the site since the Japanese attack on US soil in 1941. Mr. Abe will visit on 27 December with US President Barack Obama to the US naval base in Hawaii where Japanese forces launched an attack and killed 2,300 US servicemen. The announcement was declared 2 days before the 75th anniversary of the attack, following the visit by President Obama in May to Hiroshima where 150,000 people are believed to have been killed in 1945 by a US atomic bomb. Mr. Abe said in a statement: “I’d like to make it [meeting with Obama] an opportunity to send a message to the world that we will further strengthen and maintain our alliance towards the future,” He added: “At the same time, I would l