Saturday, December 3, 2016
Corbyn calls for fight against rise of populist and far right
Jeremy Corbyn has called on socialists to unite to fight the rise of populist and far-right politics.
Mr Corbyn said politics across the world had been shaken by the successes of UKIP, Donald Trump and France's Marine Le Pen.
He admitted that populists have been successfully identifying many of the problems faced by people across the country, but their solution - to attack minorities - was not the answer.
Instead, he said the only solution was to provide an alternative explanation for the problems they face and come up with solutions, like increasing "social justice and inclusion".
He was speaking at a European socialists' conference in Prague at which politicians were discussing reactions to globalisation.
Mr Corbyn said: "It's clear that there is a problem of the alarming rise and acceleration of the populist right all across this continent.
"Be it UKIP in my country, Donald Trump and the language he used in the presidential election in the United States, or what's happening in Hungary with Jobbik or Marine Le Pen in France, with her National Front.
"Politics has been shaken across the world.
"We know why the populist right is gaining ground and it's increasingly hard to get our message heard. It's up to us to give a real political alternative.
"The gap between rich and poor is widening. Living standards are stagnating or falling. People feel left behind by the forces unleashed by globalisation. They feel powerless in the face of deregulated corporate power.
"We have to deal with those issues and we have to deal with them quickly and seriously.
"The populist right do identify many of the problems but their toxic solution is actually a dead end. It's about attacking minorities rather than facing the real issues that many communities face.
"So, unless progressive parties across Europe are prepared to break from the political establishment of the past, which has sought to manage the change of globalisation, then we are going to have problems."
Mr Corbyn went on: "We have to offer a different economic message. It's about convincing the long-term unemployed that the reason there is no work for them is not because of migrants, it's because of an economic programme of deindustrialisation and insecurity.
"We have to make clear that our public services are being run down because of austerity and often very predatory privatisation.
"We cannot and must not abandon socialist principles, because many tell us that is the only way to achieve power.
"We have to put forward a very clear economic message - one of social justice and inclusion."
Mr Corbyn was speaking as far-right Austrian presidential candidate Norbert Hofer was said to be slightly in front in the polls ahead of Sunday's vote.
The Labour leader's European trip was expected to continue on Saturday afternoon with a visit to the site of the former Terezin Nazi concentration camp.
Corporate actors must not facilitate human rights violations through new Chinese rules
Recent efforts by Verisign at the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) in response to China’s new draft Internet Domain Name Management Rules present a serious threat to the right to privacy and freedom of expression online. By facilitating the implementation of real name policies for domain name registration in China, the rules risk seriously encroaching on Internet users’ rights, and Verisign’s technical and policy proposals to comply with them don’t include any consideration of potential human rights impacts. There is a whole constellation of actors involved in making this policy possible, all of whom have a responsibility to respect human rights.
In March 2016, the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology published a draft of its new Internet Domain Name Management Rules, which mandate that all Internet domain names in China must be registered through government-licensed service providers that have established a domestic presence in the country. This regulation would impose stringent regulations on the provision of domain name services. Under the rules, registrars issuing domain names must set up a management system from within Chinese borders, and collect personal information of domain name registrants. This means that all Chinese citizens will have to register their domain names inside China, with a real name verification model.
This type of regulation can cause self-censorship among internet users, due to fears of persecution by the state on the basis of how they express themselves online. The rules encourage the collection of information that can potentially be abused by authorities and become a tool of repression. This policy could also have a serious impact on freedom of association and assembly, as it strengthens the surveillance capabilities of the government.
The UN General Assembly, the UN Human Rights Council, and the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression have recognised the importance of anonymity and the right to privacy, online as well as offline, in guaranteeing the right to freedom of expression.
The Internet increasingly mediates our capacity to exercise our human rights, in particular the right to freedom of expression, and Internet governance bodies and Internet infrastructure providers therefore have an enhanced role and responsibility in protecting human rights online.
It is therefore not just the Chinese government that should be held accountable for the negative impact of this policy on freedom of expression and other human rights. Verisign is the world’s biggest registry, back-end system provider for numerous Top Level Domains (TLDs), in addition to being the Root Zone Maintainer, a function associated with the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). This makes it a very significant player in the domain name infrastructure. Verisign has designed and developed several technologies to service 'Verification Service Providers' and has created the technology to fully comply with this new Chinese law. This technology is vulnerable to abuse and presents a clear risk to human rights, taking into account the draft legislation it is designed to comply with.
Western companies are often happy to develop, build and sell software, hardware and standards to facilitate repressive policies elsewhere. A recent example is the contribution of Cisco to the 'Great Firewall of China', also known as the Golden Shield, which allowed the Chinese government to conduct surveillance of its citizens. Just last week, news surfaced that Facebook had developed (but not implemented) censorship software to allow it to operate in China. Companies are often eager to profit, but unwilling to take responsibility for the human rights implications of their decisions. Justifications based on compliance with domestic law are not sufficient. Corporate actors, especially large and influential ones like Verisign, can and should do more to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression and human rights in general by implementing the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
In addition to the Chinese government and Verisign, Internet Governance bodies such as ICANN, which approved Verisign's proposed practice, and the IETF, which is currently discussing Verisign's proposed standard, should consider the human rights impact of approving these proposals. If neither the Chinese government, nor Internet Governance bodies, nor the companies involved in implementing this domain name policy take their responsibility seriously, all Internet users, and especially those in China, will pay the price for these companies’ profits.
This policy will however have impact beyond China. These types of data localisation efforts threaten the distributed nature of the global Internet, by fragmenting the Internet across national jurisdictions. The cooperation of ICANN, the IETF and Verisign on these draft measures also sets a dangerous political precedent that will threaten the rights of Internet citizens across the globe, as well as the technical resilience of the Internet.
We the undersigned offer the following recommendations:
All companies should do more to consider the impact of their work on human rights, and develop strategies in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. They should not let their search for profits and access to the Chinese market blind them in their decision-making where the human rights of Chinese citizens and Internet users globally are at stake.
ICANN should revoke its approval to Verisign’s proposed services. The ICANN community, particularly the various constituencies within ICANN, must explicitly outline how the Chinese Internet Domain Name Management Rules, in particular Article 37, are in contradiction with existing policies to manage TLDs. Moreover, ICANN should take human rights into account in all of their decision-making processes, including in approving Registry Service Evaluation Processes.
The IETF, and the regext working group specifically, should avoid standardizing Verisign’s proposed Extensible Provisioning Protocol (EPP), which, if implemented, would threaten the rights of Chinese and other Internet users, especially without properly considering the serious potential real world security and privacy implications this might have.
China should reconsider its Internet Domain Name Management Rules based on an assessment of their human rights impacts, especially on the rights to freedom of expression, freedom of association and assembly, and privacy.
In March 2016, the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology published a draft of its new Internet Domain Name Management Rules, which mandate that all Internet domain names in China must be registered through government-licensed service providers that have established a domestic presence in the country. This regulation would impose stringent regulations on the provision of domain name services. Under the rules, registrars issuing domain names must set up a management system from within Chinese borders, and collect personal information of domain name registrants. This means that all Chinese citizens will have to register their domain names inside China, with a real name verification model.
This type of regulation can cause self-censorship among internet users, due to fears of persecution by the state on the basis of how they express themselves online. The rules encourage the collection of information that can potentially be abused by authorities and become a tool of repression. This policy could also have a serious impact on freedom of association and assembly, as it strengthens the surveillance capabilities of the government.
The UN General Assembly, the UN Human Rights Council, and the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression have recognised the importance of anonymity and the right to privacy, online as well as offline, in guaranteeing the right to freedom of expression.
The Internet increasingly mediates our capacity to exercise our human rights, in particular the right to freedom of expression, and Internet governance bodies and Internet infrastructure providers therefore have an enhanced role and responsibility in protecting human rights online.
It is therefore not just the Chinese government that should be held accountable for the negative impact of this policy on freedom of expression and other human rights. Verisign is the world’s biggest registry, back-end system provider for numerous Top Level Domains (TLDs), in addition to being the Root Zone Maintainer, a function associated with the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). This makes it a very significant player in the domain name infrastructure. Verisign has designed and developed several technologies to service 'Verification Service Providers' and has created the technology to fully comply with this new Chinese law. This technology is vulnerable to abuse and presents a clear risk to human rights, taking into account the draft legislation it is designed to comply with.
Western companies are often happy to develop, build and sell software, hardware and standards to facilitate repressive policies elsewhere. A recent example is the contribution of Cisco to the 'Great Firewall of China', also known as the Golden Shield, which allowed the Chinese government to conduct surveillance of its citizens. Just last week, news surfaced that Facebook had developed (but not implemented) censorship software to allow it to operate in China. Companies are often eager to profit, but unwilling to take responsibility for the human rights implications of their decisions. Justifications based on compliance with domestic law are not sufficient. Corporate actors, especially large and influential ones like Verisign, can and should do more to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression and human rights in general by implementing the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
In addition to the Chinese government and Verisign, Internet Governance bodies such as ICANN, which approved Verisign's proposed practice, and the IETF, which is currently discussing Verisign's proposed standard, should consider the human rights impact of approving these proposals. If neither the Chinese government, nor Internet Governance bodies, nor the companies involved in implementing this domain name policy take their responsibility seriously, all Internet users, and especially those in China, will pay the price for these companies’ profits.
This policy will however have impact beyond China. These types of data localisation efforts threaten the distributed nature of the global Internet, by fragmenting the Internet across national jurisdictions. The cooperation of ICANN, the IETF and Verisign on these draft measures also sets a dangerous political precedent that will threaten the rights of Internet citizens across the globe, as well as the technical resilience of the Internet.
We the undersigned offer the following recommendations:
All companies should do more to consider the impact of their work on human rights, and develop strategies in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. They should not let their search for profits and access to the Chinese market blind them in their decision-making where the human rights of Chinese citizens and Internet users globally are at stake.
ICANN should revoke its approval to Verisign’s proposed services. The ICANN community, particularly the various constituencies within ICANN, must explicitly outline how the Chinese Internet Domain Name Management Rules, in particular Article 37, are in contradiction with existing policies to manage TLDs. Moreover, ICANN should take human rights into account in all of their decision-making processes, including in approving Registry Service Evaluation Processes.
The IETF, and the regext working group specifically, should avoid standardizing Verisign’s proposed Extensible Provisioning Protocol (EPP), which, if implemented, would threaten the rights of Chinese and other Internet users, especially without properly considering the serious potential real world security and privacy implications this might have.
China should reconsider its Internet Domain Name Management Rules based on an assessment of their human rights impacts, especially on the rights to freedom of expression, freedom of association and assembly, and privacy.
Friday, December 2, 2016
Donald Trump speaks directly to Taiwan's Tsai Ing-wen
US President-elect Donald Trump has spoken with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, a move that is likely to infuriate China and complicate US relations with Beijing.
During Friday's discussion, Trump and Tsai noted "the close economic, political and security ties" between Taiwan and the United States, according to the president-elect's transition team.
"President-elect Trump also congratulated President Tsai on becoming president of Taiwan earlier this year," it said.
The call was the first such contact with Taiwan by a US president-elect or president since President Jimmy Carter adopted a one-China policy in 1979. As part of its so-called "one China" policy Washington shifted diplomatic recognition of China from the government in Taiwan to the communist government on the mainland.
Under that policy, the US recognises Beijing as representing China but retains unofficial ties with Taiwan. Washington is Taiwan's most important political ally and sole arms supplier, despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties.
During Friday's discussion, Trump and Tsai noted "the close economic, political and security ties" between Taiwan and the United States, according to the president-elect's transition team.
"President-elect Trump also congratulated President Tsai on becoming president of Taiwan earlier this year," it said.
The call was the first such contact with Taiwan by a US president-elect or president since President Jimmy Carter adopted a one-China policy in 1979. As part of its so-called "one China" policy Washington shifted diplomatic recognition of China from the government in Taiwan to the communist government on the mainland.
Under that policy, the US recognises Beijing as representing China but retains unofficial ties with Taiwan. Washington is Taiwan's most important political ally and sole arms supplier, despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties.
Pilot suffers heart attack before take-off at Glasgow airport
An airline pilot suffered a heart attack just minutes before he was about to take off from Glasgow airport.
The Dutch captain of the KLM flight to Amsterdam became unwell as he taxied to the runway.
He was resuscitated by the crew with the help of an on-board passenger.
Firefighters from Glasgow airport helped take the Dutch pilot off the plane.
He was met by ambulance crews and taken to hospital.
The co-pilot of the plane, which had 128 people on board, took the aircraft back to the gate.
The flight was supposed to leave at around 5pm, but because of the emergency it was cancelled. Passengers on board had their flights re-booked.
A spokeswoman for KLM said: "During taxiing to the runway on this KLM flight to Amsterdam the captain became unwell and the staff treated him with the help of a passenger.
"He was taken to hospital where his condition is stable."
The Dutch captain of the KLM flight to Amsterdam became unwell as he taxied to the runway.
He was resuscitated by the crew with the help of an on-board passenger.
Firefighters from Glasgow airport helped take the Dutch pilot off the plane.
He was met by ambulance crews and taken to hospital.
The co-pilot of the plane, which had 128 people on board, took the aircraft back to the gate.
The flight was supposed to leave at around 5pm, but because of the emergency it was cancelled. Passengers on board had their flights re-booked.
A spokeswoman for KLM said: "During taxiing to the runway on this KLM flight to Amsterdam the captain became unwell and the staff treated him with the help of a passenger.
"He was taken to hospital where his condition is stable."
Russia vows to 'neutralise threats' over bank cyber attacks plot
Russia has said it has foiled a series of cyber attacks on its banks planned to have started on 5 December.
Russia's domestic security agency the FSB claimed foreign intelligence agencies were behind the plot and were aiming to destabilise the country's financial system.
It said in a statement: "It was planned that the cyber attack would be accompanied by a mass send-out of SMS messages and publications in social media of a provocative nature regarding a crisis in the Russian banking system, bankruptcies and licence withdrawals.
"The FSB is carrying out the necessary measures to neutralise threats to Russia's economic and information security."
The agency said the computer servers involved were in the Netherlands and belonged to Ukrainian company BlazingFast but did not say which countries' intelligence agencies were involved.
Anton Onoprichuk, director of the Kiev-based firm, said no-one had contacted him and he was waiting for more information so he could investigate.
Asked if his servers could be used to to instigate a cyber attack, he said: "Technically it is possible. It is possible with any hosting company, where you rent a server.
"You can attack whatever (you want) from it and in 99% of cases it will become known only after the event."
Russia has been on high alert since President Obama's government accused Russia of carrying out a series of hacks on the US with the aim of interfering with November's presidential election - Moscow denied the claims.
US Vice President Joe Biden said at the time that his country would mount a "proportional" response to Russia.
Since then, there have been a number of cyber attacks affecting Russian institutions, though it is unclear if they were linked to the row between Moscow and Washington.
Meanwhile, US politicians in Congress have passed a bill calling for a high-level panel to counter Russian political interference around the globe.
President-elect Donald Trump in his campaign promised to improve US relations with Moscow.
Mr Trump has drawn criticism for repeatedly praising Russian President Vladimir Putin's leadership and advocating a closer working relationship with Russia, despite its record of human rights abuses and recent military incursions in Ukraine and Syria.
Russia's domestic security agency the FSB claimed foreign intelligence agencies were behind the plot and were aiming to destabilise the country's financial system.
It said in a statement: "It was planned that the cyber attack would be accompanied by a mass send-out of SMS messages and publications in social media of a provocative nature regarding a crisis in the Russian banking system, bankruptcies and licence withdrawals.
"The FSB is carrying out the necessary measures to neutralise threats to Russia's economic and information security."
The agency said the computer servers involved were in the Netherlands and belonged to Ukrainian company BlazingFast but did not say which countries' intelligence agencies were involved.
Anton Onoprichuk, director of the Kiev-based firm, said no-one had contacted him and he was waiting for more information so he could investigate.
Asked if his servers could be used to to instigate a cyber attack, he said: "Technically it is possible. It is possible with any hosting company, where you rent a server.
"You can attack whatever (you want) from it and in 99% of cases it will become known only after the event."
Russia has been on high alert since President Obama's government accused Russia of carrying out a series of hacks on the US with the aim of interfering with November's presidential election - Moscow denied the claims.
US Vice President Joe Biden said at the time that his country would mount a "proportional" response to Russia.
Since then, there have been a number of cyber attacks affecting Russian institutions, though it is unclear if they were linked to the row between Moscow and Washington.
Meanwhile, US politicians in Congress have passed a bill calling for a high-level panel to counter Russian political interference around the globe.
President-elect Donald Trump in his campaign promised to improve US relations with Moscow.
Mr Trump has drawn criticism for repeatedly praising Russian President Vladimir Putin's leadership and advocating a closer working relationship with Russia, despite its record of human rights abuses and recent military incursions in Ukraine and Syria.
Former Argos security guard elected Gambia president
A former Argos security guard has ended the 22-year rule of the president of Gambia in a shock election victory.
Despite being unknown on the political scene just six months ago, Adama Barrow comfortably defeated longtime leader Yahya Jammeh.
It is understood Mr Jammeh, who had previously vowed to rule for "a billion years", will be releasing a statement to concede leadership of the West African nation.
Declaring Mr Barrow president for the next five years, Alieu Momarr Njai, head of Gambia's electoral commission, called for peace and tolerance following the initial shock.
"There will be celebrations, there will be disappointment, but we all know we are all Gambia," he said.
Mr Barrow won by 263,515 votes - 45% of the total - while Mr Jammeh finished second with 36%.
The father-of-five was thrust into the limelight following the jailing of top officials from the United Democratic Party in July, with eight opposition parties joining forces to put him forward as a unifying figure.
He now owns an estate agency but lived in Britain for three-and-a-half years when he was younger, working as a security guard for Argos in London, where he developed a love for Arsenal Football Club.
Gambians voted for him on Thursday by placing marbles into drums marked for each candidate.
Mr Jammeh had been confident of winning, saying his victory was all but assured by God while predicting "the biggest landslide in the history of the country".
Omar Amadou Jallow, an opposition leader for the People's Progressive Party, said the result will delight Gambians.
He said: "We are happy to be free. We are able to free the Gambian people from the clutches of dictatorship, and we are now going to make sure Gambia becomes a bastion of peace and coalition.
"Our foundation will be based on national reconciliation."
Mr Jammeh came to power in a coup in 1994 and swept elections in 1996, 2001, 2006 and 2011 after a 2002 constitutional amendment removed presidential term limits.
Human rights groups have accused Mr Jammeh of ordering the deaths of countless political opponents as well as targeting journalists and homosexuals.
Despite being unknown on the political scene just six months ago, Adama Barrow comfortably defeated longtime leader Yahya Jammeh.
It is understood Mr Jammeh, who had previously vowed to rule for "a billion years", will be releasing a statement to concede leadership of the West African nation.
Declaring Mr Barrow president for the next five years, Alieu Momarr Njai, head of Gambia's electoral commission, called for peace and tolerance following the initial shock.
"There will be celebrations, there will be disappointment, but we all know we are all Gambia," he said.
Mr Barrow won by 263,515 votes - 45% of the total - while Mr Jammeh finished second with 36%.
The father-of-five was thrust into the limelight following the jailing of top officials from the United Democratic Party in July, with eight opposition parties joining forces to put him forward as a unifying figure.
He now owns an estate agency but lived in Britain for three-and-a-half years when he was younger, working as a security guard for Argos in London, where he developed a love for Arsenal Football Club.
Gambians voted for him on Thursday by placing marbles into drums marked for each candidate.
Mr Jammeh had been confident of winning, saying his victory was all but assured by God while predicting "the biggest landslide in the history of the country".
Omar Amadou Jallow, an opposition leader for the People's Progressive Party, said the result will delight Gambians.
He said: "We are happy to be free. We are able to free the Gambian people from the clutches of dictatorship, and we are now going to make sure Gambia becomes a bastion of peace and coalition.
"Our foundation will be based on national reconciliation."
Mr Jammeh came to power in a coup in 1994 and swept elections in 1996, 2001, 2006 and 2011 after a 2002 constitutional amendment removed presidential term limits.
Human rights groups have accused Mr Jammeh of ordering the deaths of countless political opponents as well as targeting journalists and homosexuals.
IS group to step up attacks on Europe - Europol
Europol has warned that militants from so-called Islamic State (IS) will aim to step up attacks on European targets, as they face defeat in the Middle East.
The European police force says more foreign fighters will try to come back to Europe, and "several dozen" capable of attacks could already be there.
Their tactics could include car bombs, kidnappings and extortion, it said.
But the report plays down the likelihood of attacks on critical infrastructure, such as nuclear sites.
It says that IS militants now prefer soft targets, and there is now a greater emphasis on "lone actors" such as the perpetrator of the lorry attack in Nice in July.
It warns that some Syrian refugees in Europe may be vulnerable to recruitment by extremists who infiltrate refugee camps.
Europe has been shaken by a series of attacks in recent years blamed on IS militants.
How France is wrestling with jihadist terror
Europol terror data found online
'Threat still high'
The report said the EU faced a range of threats and attacks from both organised networks and lone actors, either directed or inspired by IS and involving a range of weapons including bladed weapons and vehicles.
Home-made, commercial and military explosives in improvised devices such as those used in Syria and Iraq had not yet been used in Europe but this was "conceivable... at some stage", it added.
Major recent terror attacks in Europe
It warns that some Syrian refugees in Europe may be vulnerable to recruitment by extremists who infiltrate refugee camps.
Europe has been shaken by a series of attacks in recent years blamed on IS militants.
How France is wrestling with jihadist terror
Europol terror data found online
'Threat still high'
The report said the EU faced a range of threats and attacks from both organised networks and lone actors, either directed or inspired by IS and involving a range of weapons including bladed weapons and vehicles.
Home-made, commercial and military explosives in improvised devices such as those used in Syria and Iraq had not yet been used in Europe but this was "conceivable... at some stage", it added.
Major recent terror attacks in Europe
Europol Director Rob Wainwright told the BBC that improved collaboration between European intelligence agencies had reduced the chances of large-scale attacks.
But he cautioned against complacency regarding potential terrorists: "They're resorting to random attacks by lone actors," he said.
"The threat is diverse and challenging as we have to make sure our intelligence collection and exchange is up to the mark so we can identify who among them pose the greatest danger."
Other key points of the report:
Any EU member states involved in the US-led coalition against IS, not just France and Belgium, could be targeted
Same modus operandi as in previous attacks the most probable scenario
IS expected to start planning and dispatching attacks from Libya
Increase in contact between terrorists and career criminals
As well as IS, al-Qaeda-affiliated and other groups continue to pose a serious threat
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