Bloodied brides protest Lebanese rape law

Bloodied brides protest Lebanese rape law

Women dressed as bloodied and bandaged brides protested in front of the Lebanese government headquarters on 6 December. They were calling for the abolition of a law that allows rapists to marry their victims in order to escape sentencing, known as Article 522. The protest is part of large national campaign to raise awareness of the article, as it is currently being discussed by a parliamentary legislative committee. Dec 7, 2016
Theresa May defends trade deals with Gulf leaders

Theresa May defends trade deals with Gulf leaders

UK Prime Minister Theresa May has defended making trade deals with Saudia Arabia and Bahrain, despite them being under fire from human rights groups. Speaking on 6 December on HMS Ocean in Bahrain, she said that if Britain was going to influence Gulf leaders and improve human rights in the area, they needed to be engaging with them. Theresa May is in the Gulf to strengthen trade talks post-Brexit, and to also oversee measures to improve security to help tackle terrorism in the area. Dec 6, 2016
Russia: The blood of our soldiers is on USA, Britain and France

Russia: The blood of our soldiers is on USA, Britain and France

The Russian Ministry of Defence has strongly condemned a deadly attack on a Russian mobile hospital in Aleppo, blaming the USA, the UK and France. On 5 December a Russian mobile hospital was hit by mortar fire, killing a female Russian medical worker and injuring other workers and civilians. In the video statement a ministry spokesman blames the attack on insurgents of the opposition, not al-Nusra militants encircled by the Syrian army in eastern Aleppo. Dec 6, 2016
Keep calm and negotiate: EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier unveils timetable

Keep calm and negotiate: EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier unveils timetable

The EUs chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has said that his team are ready to start negotiations with the UK when Article 50 is triggered. The French politician wants a orderly withdrawal and has so far visited 18 of the 28 EU nations ahead of the talks. He said he expected formal negotiations to last less than 18 months. Dec 6, 2016
Keep calm and negotiate: EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier unveils timetable

Keep calm and negotiate: EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier unveils timetable

The EUs chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has said that his team are ready to start negotiations with the UK when Article 50 is triggered. The French politician wants a orderly withdrawal and has so far visited 18 of the 28 EU nations ahead of the talks. He said he expected formal negotiations to last less than 18 months. Dec 6, 2016
Al Gore calls Donald Trump meeting ‘extremely interesting’

Al Gore calls Donald Trump meeting ‘extremely interesting’

Former US Vice-president Al Gore, a prominent climate activist, met with President-elect Donald Trump on 5 December.Trump has called man-made climate change a hoax while Gore is one of the best known crusaders in the fight against it. During the 2016 US presidential election Gore said Trump’s polices would ‘take us toward a climate catastrophe’. After the meeting, Gore called it ‘extremely interesting’. After the election on 22 November, Trump said that he had an ‘open mind’ on the Paris Agreement on climate change - in stark contrast to what he said on his election campaign. Dec 6, 2016
Tim Farron: Lib Dem leader refuses to rule out going into coalition with Tories

Tim Farron: Lib Dem leader refuses to rule out going into coalition with Tories

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron has refused to rule out taking his party back into a coalition government with the Conservatives. “Any serious politician who rules out going into power isn’t a serious politician,” he told IBTimes UK on Monday (5 December). The comments come just days after Liberal Democrat Sarah Olney beat independent candidate and former Conservative MP in the Richmond Park and North Kingston by-election on 1 December. Dec 6, 2016
Protests staged by Bexit rivals as historic Article 50 appeal begins

Protests staged by Bexit rivals as historic Article 50 appeal begins

Tens of pro-Brexit and Eurosceptic activists staged rival demonstrators outside the Supreme Court in London on 5 December. The protests coincided with the first day of the government appealing a ruling from the High Court in November. The decision meant MPs would have to vote on triggering Article 50, the mechanism to split from the EU. The British government, led by Attorney General Jeremy Wright, had unsuccessfully argued that Theresa May and her ministers had the legal authority – residual prerogative powers – to make such a move. Dec 5, 2016
Donald Trump to meet the leaders of tech world

Donald Trump attacks China in Twitter tirade

US President-elect Donald trump has criticised China over its monetary policy and operations in the South China Sea. Posted on social media platform Twitter, the attacks came after he angered China by speaking to the President of Taiwan Tsai Ing-wen. Taiwan sees itself as an independent state but Beijing considers it as a breakaway province. The US cut off diplomatic relations to Taiwan in 1979, recognising Beijing’s claim. Dec 5, 2016
What is Pizzagate? The fake news scandal explained

What is Pizzagate? The fake news scandal explained

A man claiming to be self investigating the scandal was arrested on 4 December for opening fire at the pizza restaurant in Washington DC, where it was falsely alleged the Clintons run a paedophile ring. But where have these fake accusations originated from? Dec 5, 2016