1 week ago Germany to send ‘clear signal’ of ‘strong, effective government’ under new coalition, says Friedrich Merz – Europe live

Presumed future chancellor says coalition has ‘strong plan’ after negotiations as polling shows popularity of far-right AfDEarlier today I brought you Donald Trump’s comments overnight on “major” tariffs to be announced “very shortly” on pharmaceuticals (9:20).My colleague Lisa O’Carroll looked at the risks such measures could pose for Europe:Pharmaceutical companies in the EU have warned of a “risk of exodus” to the US as stocks in the sector slid around the world on the back of Donald Trump’s renewed threat to impose tariffs on US drugs imports.Drugmakers’ shares across Europe and India, another foreign drugs hub, slipped on Wednesday after Trump indicated further carnage was on the way in addition to the 20% “reciprocal tariffs” on imports that kicked in overnight. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Ireland’s deputy PM to meet US secretary of commerce as EU finalises first part of response to Trump’s tariffs – Europe live

Simon Harris to meet Howard Lutnick as EU member states vote on final list of €21bn of goods facing retaliatory tariffsUS president Donald Trump continues to rewrite the rules of global trade, as his sweeping tariffs take effect.Rates on imports to the United States from dozens of economies rose further from 12.01am (0401 GMT) on Wednesday, with tariffs imposed on Chinese products since Trump returned to the White House reaching a staggering 104%. The new tariffs include rates of 20% on the European Union, 26% on India and 49% on Cambodia. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Academy apologises for ignoring No Other Land director Hamdan Ballal despite Oscar win

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has apologised for its failure to support detained Palestinian Oscar winner Hamdan Ballal

Politics

3 w. ago Academy apologizes for failing to mention No Other Land director Hamdan Ballal in statement

Mark Ruffalo and Olivia Colman were among the 690 Academy members who complained

Events

3 w. ago Academy board to meet as response to No Other Land director’s arrest decried

Meeting follows letter signed by prominent members urging more forceful response on Hamdan Ballal’s arrestThe Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has convened an extraordinary meeting to address a crisis over its tepid response to the arrest and detention of the Oscar-winning director Hamdan Ballal, of the documentary No Other Land, by Israeli authorities.The meeting on Friday morning Pacific time, first reported by Deadline, follows a strongly worded letter signed by many prominent members – including the actors Olivia Colman, Javier Bardem, Joaquin Phoenix, Penélope Cruz and Emma Thompson, directors Ava DuVernay, Alfonso Cuarón, Adam McKay and Jonathan Glazer and writer Tony Kushner – calling for a more forceful response from the Academy’s board of governors than an initial statement that did not refer to Ballal or No Other Land by name and cited the Academy membership’s “many unique viewpoints”. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago ‘This is no isolated event’: attack on Palestinian director brings rising settler violence into focus

Activists fear unprecedented levels of violence, with the apparent backing of Israeli authorities, part of drive to force Palestinians out of the West BankIt was around 6pm, just after its Palestinian residents had finished their daily Ramadan fast, dozens of masked Israeli settlers, armed with batons, knives and assault rifles, entered the West Bank village of Susiya in the rural Masafer Yatta area of the south Hebron hills. Among them were a group of Israeli soldiers who escorted the settlers into the village where Hamdan Ballal, one of the four directors of the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, lives.About three weeks after appearing on stage at the 97th Academy Awards in Los Angeles to accept the Oscar, Ballal has become the victim of the very violence shown in his film. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago From the Oscars to Israeli detention: the attack on No Other Land director Hamdan Ballal – podcast

What does the attack on an Oscar-winning Palestinian director say about the situation in the West Bank today? Adrian Horton and Lorenzo Tondo reportEarlier this month, No Other Land won the Oscar for best documentary feature. The film chronicles the West Bank community of Masafer Yatta as it resists being driven off its land by settler violence and the demolitions of the Israeli military. The film’s two protagonists, Palestinian film-maker Basel Adra and Israeli film-maker Yuval Abraham, gave speeches when they accepted their award.Yuval Abraham: “We live in a regime where I am free under civilian law and Basel is under military laws that destroy his life There is a different path, a political solution without ethnic supremacy, with national rights for both of our people.” Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Academy hit by backlash for statement failing to mention No Other Land director detained by Israeli army

The Academy said they condemned ‘harming or suppressing artists for their work or their viewpoints’ without mentioning the film or director by name

Events

3 w. ago ‘I thought I was going to die’: director Hamdan Ballal recounts attack by settlers in West Bank

Exclusive: Filmmaker who won an Oscar earlier this month says Israeli settlers were aided by IDF soldiers who beat him with their riflesDuring an attack on Oscar-winning Palestinian director Hamdan Ballal on Monday, Israeli settlers were aided by two Israel Defense Forces soldiers who beat him with the butt of their rifles outside his home and threatened to kill him, the film-maker has said.In an interview with the Guardian, Ballal, one of the four directors of the film No Other Land, which documented the destruction of villages in the West Bank and won best documentary at this year’s Academy Awards, recounted how two Israeli soldiers first encircled him while a settler was assaulting him, before violently striking him on the head and threatening to shoot him. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago ‘It was revenge for our movie’: Oscar winner says soldiers helped settlers attack him in West Bank

Hamdan Ballal says Israeli soldiers beat him with their rifle butts and threatened to kill himThe Oscar-winning Palestinian film director Hamdan Ballal has said that during an attack on him Israeli settlers were aided by two Israeli soldiers who beat him with the butt of their rifles outside his home and threatened to kill him.In an interview with the Guardian, Ballal, one of the four directors of the film No Other Land, which documented the destruction of villages in the West Bank and won best documentary at this year’s Academy Awards, recounted how on Monday two Israeli soldiers first encircled him while a settler was assaulting him, before violently striking him on the head and threatening to shoot him. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Why are thousands of people protesting in Turkey after Istanbul mayor’s arrest?

More than 1,100 people have been arrested as tens of thousands have taken to the streets to protest against the arrest of Ekrem Imamoglu on corruption charges decried as politically motivated

Events

4 w. ago No Other Land director freed after being attacked by Israeli settlers and detained

Hamdan Ballal was reportedly attacked by Israeli settlers on Monday before being detained by the military

Politics

4 w. ago ‘Like a punishment’: witnesses describe Israeli settler attack on No Other Land director

Activists from Center for Jewish Nonviolence say Israeli police ‘did not intervene’ in attack on Hamdan BallalIt was shortly after Palestinian residents had finished their daily Ramadan fast that dozens of masked Israeli settlers entered the West Bank village of Susiya, according to witnesses.Some of the settlers were armed with batons, others had knives and one of them was holding an M-16 rifle, the witnesses told the Guardian. Among them were a group of Israeli soldiers who escorted the settlers inside the village. Continue reading...

Politics

4 w. ago Turkey protests: Everything we know about mass demonstrations after Erdogan rival jailed

More than 1,100 people have been arrested as tens of thousands have taken to the streets to protest the arrest of Ekrem İmamoglu on corruption charges decried as politically motivated

Events