
'We refuse to forget history', Taiwan president says on Tiananmen crackdown anniversary
TAIPEI, June 4 (Reuters) - President Lai Ching-te said on Wednesday that Taiwan "refuses to forget history" and the marking of the anniversary of China's June 4, 1989, Tiananmen Square crackdown is to perpetuate its memory.
"Authoritarian governments often choose to silence and forget history, while democratic societies choose to preserve the truth and refuse to forget those who gave their lives - and their dreams - to the idea of human rights," he said in a post on his Facebook page.
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Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
Asylum seekers champion is Starmer's pick as new human rights chief
Sir Keir Starmer's pick to lead Britain's human rights watchdog is a Left-wing economist who championed asylum seekers and called for a wealth tax. On Thursday the Government named Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson as its 'preferred candidate' to lead the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), which enforces equality laws. She has previously taken a series of controversial positions, including support for a national wealth tax and a new system to increase the number of asylum seekers in Britain. As chairman of the Women's Budget Group, Dr Stephenson signed an open letter calling on Rachel Reeves to ensure the rich were 'taxed more on their assets' to fund net zero schemes. The EHRC is an independent body responsible for enforcing the Equality Act 2006, which makes it unlawful to discriminate against people based on sex, race, sexuality, disability or other protected characteristics. It will be responsible for releasing new guidance on how employers and businesses should interpret equality law after the Supreme Court ruling that the Equality Act's reference to 'sex' applied only to biological sex. 'Left-wing ideologue' Dr Stephenson was described on Thursday by Bridget Phillipson, the women and equalities minister, as 'exceptionally suited to leading the EHRC and ensuring it continues to uphold the equalities framework in this country'. But the Conservatives pointed to her history of Left-wing campaigning as a feminist economist. Mims Davies, the shadow equalities minister, said choosing Dr Stephenson to lead the body 'defies common sense'. She said: 'Replacing an esteemed and well-respected Chair, who stood up and fought for women's rights, with a left-wing ideologue who has demanded new taxes and open borders shows how out of touch this Labour government really is. 'The British public deserve a government focused on their priorities not more virtue signalling.' In April, Dr Stephenson wrote to the Treasury to complain about the 'gendered nature' of cuts to disability benefits, which she said would 'force women out of the workforce'. The same month, she signed a letter organised by the charity Together with Refugees, which said Sir Keir should abandon Labour's 'smash the gangs' policy in favour of more legal routes for asylum seekers travelling to the UK. The letter said: 'Rather than the border security summit's focus on expensive new ways to disrupt people smugglers, often making the journey more dangerous for refugees, the government should be looking at safe routes for refugees to get here without risking their lives.' It also called criticism of refugees a relic of 'hostile politics, racist rhetoric and demonising language of the past'. Open letter for wealth tax Dr Stephenson's political views will probably put her on a collision course with the Government, which has pledged to bring down net migration and explicitly ruled out a wealth tax. Last October, she joined campaigners in signing another open letter organised by Greenpeace, which called for Ms Reeves to 'introduce a new tax on assets for the super wealthy and ensure that the wealthiest individuals in our society contribute their fair share'. It said: 'This would reduce the stark inequalities in this country and help raise the vital funds needed to ensure that the transition to a greener, cleaner, more prosperous future is fair for everyone at home and abroad.' Dr Stephenson currently serves as director of the Women's Budget Group, which campaigns against economic policies that it views as anti-feminist. In April, its website published an article calling for the introduction of a four-day week, which the author said would 'promote gender equality'. The group also claimed Britain's public transport system was stacked against women because men took more train journeys. She previously worked as director of the Fawcett Society, the women's campaign group, and the Early Education and Childcare Coalition. Over 30 years experience Dr Stephenson will now face scrutiny by MPs on the women and equalities and human rights committees, and will replace Baroness Falkner as chair of the EHRC in November if she is appointed. Responding to the announcement that she is the Government's preferred candidate, she said: 'I am honoured to be named the Government's preferred candidate to be the new chair for the Equality and Human Rights Commission. 'The EHRC plays an integral role in protecting and advancing equalities and I am deeply committed to furthering this work as chair. 'With over 30 years working on equalities and human rights, I am confident that I will bring a breadth of experience and insight to the role.'


Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
Starmer's Chagos deal reported to UN human rights chiefs
Sir Keir Starmer's Chagos deal has been reported to UN human rights chiefs over claims it ignores native islanders' desire to return to their homeland. Campaigners have asked the UN's human rights committee in Geneva to examine the deal, under which the UK will give up the Chagos Islands to Mauritius and rent back a military base there. If successful, the request could result in a UN ruling in direct contradiction to the body's International Court of Justice, which said in 2019 that the UK should hand over the islands to Mauritius. Bernadette Dugasse and Bertrice Pompe, who are British citizens but native to the islands, launched an eleventh-hour bid to stop the deal last month, resulting in a dramatic injunction from the High Court in the middle of the night. But their legal challenge was rejected the next day, and the deal went ahead, including a commitment for the UK to pay Mauritius up to £30 billion over the next 99 years. Ms Dugasse and Ms Pompe are now taking their fight to the UN by writing to the committee asking for an advisory opinion that the UK should not sign the deal over human rights concerns. They allege the deal breaches five articles of the UN's international covenant on civil and political rights, including the right to self-determination, freedom of movement and right to return, and minority rights. The deal agreed by Sir Keir has been opposed by MPs from the Conservative and Reform parties, and Tory peers have since launched a campaign to block the deal from the House of Lords. But the Government insists that the deal is vital for national security and will allow the military base on the archipelago's biggest island, Diego Garcia, to continue to operate legally. It follows years of negotiations between Britain and Mauritius, which claims it should have been given sovereignty over the islands when it was given independence from the UK in 1968. The population of the islands, between 1,400 and 1,700 people, was removed in the late 60s and early 70s to make way for the military base. The displaced Chagossians claim that they were not consulted before the Starmer deal was signed, and complain that under the terms agreed between the UK and Mauritius, they will not be allowed to return to Diego Garcia. Ms Pompe said: 'The fight is not over. There is nothing in that treaty for Chagossians and we will fight.' The UN does not have the power to block the deal, but the committee could issue an advisory opinion that would inform Downing Street it could be in breach of international human rights obligations if it proceeds. The campaigners told the committee in a letter, seen by The Telegraph, that the deal 'would amount to a definitive and irreversible endorsement of a continuing violation originally initiated by the colonial power'. It goes on: 'By excluding the Chagossian people from the process and de facto accepting their permanent displacement, the agreement entrenches the denial of their right to return and the effective exercise of their cultural, spiritual rights.' Toby Noskwith, who coordinated last month's legal action, said: 'I pity the poor souls in the No10 press office who are being ordered to justify Keir Starmer's betrayal of the Chagossian people. 'We're looking forward to the explanation of why the UN human rights committee doesn't matter. Not pausing the Chagos deal until the Committee rules is indefensible.'


BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Uzbekistan qualify for first World Cup - and who else is through?
Uzbekistan have qualified for their first World Cup after drawing with the United Arab Emirates on become the eighth team to secure their place at the expanded 48-team tournament in United States, Canada and Mexico in three hosts have qualified automatically, while Uzbekistan join Japan, New Zealand, Iran and Argentina to have earned their could be joined later on Thursday by Jordan, also bidding to qualify for the first time, and South 57th in the world and, with a population of 36 million, Uzbekistan played their first match as a sovereign nation in June 1992 after leaving the Soviet Union, and were accepted by world governing body Fifa two years closest Uzbekistan came previously to qualifying was during a controversial campaign in 2006, when they were in a two-legged playoff against Bahrain to determine who would be the Asian Football Confederation's representative to face Concacaf's Trinidad and Tobago. The winner of that match would then qualify for the finals in won the first leg 1-0, but a refereeing error led to Fifa ordering the match be played again, and they ultimately lost out on away Uzbeks, however, have qualified for every Asian Cup finals since 1996 and progressed to the knockout phase in each appearance since 2004, including a run to the semi-finals in 2011 and the quarter-finals last how does World Cup qualifying work? South America Qualifying places: Six, plus one into intercontinental play-offsTeams already through: ArgentinaSouth American qualifying comprises a big group involving all 10 teams - and started in September top six all reach the World Cup, with seventh place going into the intercontinental four out of 18 games left, Argentina - who have already qualified - Ecuador, Uruguay, Brazil, Paraguay and Colombia occupy the top six - with Venezuela seventh. Asia Qualifying places: Eight, plus one into intercontinental play-offsTeams already through: Japan, Iran, UzbekistanAsian qualifying started in October 2023 with the lower-ranked teams in are now in the third round, where the top two teams in three different groups qualify Iran and Uzbekistan have now already sealed their slots, while South Korea, Jordan and Australia currently occupy automatic qualification teams who finish third and fourth in each six-team group go on to a fourth round where they have another chance to qualify. There is even a fifth round. Africa Qualifying places: Nine, plus one into intercontinental play-offsTeams already through: NoneThere are nine African groups of World Cup qualifying, each with six teams, which started in November top team in each group go through automatically. With four games to go, the current leaders are Egypt, DR Congo, South Africa, Cape Verde, Morocco, Ivory Coast, Algeria, Tunisia and best four runners-up go into play-offs... for the chance to compete in the intercontinental play-offs. North, Central American and Caribbean Qualifying places: Six (including three hosts), plus two into intercontinental play-offsTeams already through: None through qualifying - USA, Canada and Mexico automatically as co-hostsThe Concacaf qualifying takes a different look, with three of their biggest hitters not involved as they have qualified as hosts - but still plenty of spots up for Europe, there is still a long way to go with qualifying not possible until the are six five-team groups, with the top two from each advancing to the next third round then has three groups of four teams - with the winners of each group going to the World Cup and the two best-ranked runners-up going into the intercontinental play-offs. Europe Qualifying places: 16Teams already through: NoneThere are 12 groups - with the winners of each group qualifying for the World Cup and the 12 runners-up going into play-offs with the four best-ranked Uefa Nations League group winners that have not already qualified - for four extra is the only continent that does not have a team in the intercontinental only started in March - with some teams not even playing their first qualifiers until September while the Nations League groups end in November, with the play-offs in March 2026. Oceania Qualifying places: One, plus one into intercontinental play-offsTeams already through: New ZealandOceania qualifying has already ended - with New Zealand beating New Caledonia 3-0 in the Zealand go through to the World Cup automatically, as a result of the expanded World Cup. Oceania usually only gets a play-off Caledonia, a French overseas territory, will take place in intercontinental play-offs in March 2026 - featuring teams from Africa, Asia, South America and North America - with two out of six teams going through.