Communications shutdown aims to silence anti-Assad protests amid more gunfire and arrests in Homs, Banias and Damascus Syria’s regime intensified its chokehold on protesters calling for the resignation of President Bashar al-Assad on Monday, combining brutal force with a communications clampdown that some activists said threatened to snuff out the revolt that has spread throughout the country. Hundreds more were arrested in Homs and Banias and gunfire and troops were reported in suburbs of Damascus. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 400 people had been rounded up in the coastal town of Banias since Saturday, adding to an estimated 7,000 already in detention across the country. A human rights campaigner in Homs said snipers were deployed in several residential neighbourhoods. “Hundreds have fled from three villages just to the southwest of Homs where tanks had deployed,” the campaigner told Reuters. One man, with a brother in Homs, said the city was terrified by the tanks rolling in and the wave of arrests. “By punishing the whole city, they want people to turn against the protesters,” he said. But activists were equally worried about the silence from other parts of the country, including the southern town of Deraa, epicentre of the seven-week revolt that has left more than 800 dead. The government has gradually succeeded in shutting down some of the communications networks, including the 3G telephone network and some satellite phones, that have enabled activists to spread news and videos around the country. Diplomats say it has been following advice from Tehran, which used a mix of force and telecommunications savvy to face down its own opposition protest movement two years ago. Some observers in Damascus have started to fear that the widespread clampdown will quash the protests. “News is so slow to trickle out and now they have taken down a lot of 3G internet and satellite phones, making it impossible for activists to work,” said one activist in the capital who did not wish to be named. Wissam Tarif, executive director of the human rights group Insan, said: “People are not afraid of the operations themselves, but they are afraid of being paralysed logistically. They can’t gather, they can’t talk to each other – it makes it an uneven game.” Tarif, who is monitoring events from The Hague, added: “The wave of detention since Friday has continued without stop. The number of people disappearing is getting higher. People are being picked out of cars at checkpoints.” As the intimidation campaign continues, Tarif says it was a struggle to keep going. But he added: “On the other side the question is how long can the regime keep this up? And in how many places? They can’t occupy the country forever.” saving insulin. It appealedon its website to the Syrian government to allow urgent medical supplies and other services to be delivered. Syria had promised to let a UN team into Deraa, but did not grant it accesson Monday . Katherine Marsh is a pseudonym for a journalist who lives in Damascus Syria Bashar Al-Assad Arab and Middle East unrest Middle East Internet Human rights Katherine Marsh guardian.co.uk
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US forces were given permission to conduct unilateral raid inside Pakistan if they knew where Bin Laden was hiding, officials say The US and Pakistan struck a secret deal almost a decade ago permitting a US operation against Osama bin Laden on Pakistani soil similar to last week’s raid that killed the al-Qaida leader, the Guardian has learned. The deal was struck between the military leader General Pervez Musharraf and President George Bush after Bin Laden escaped US forces in the mountains of Tora Bora in late 2001, according to serving and retired Pakistani and US officials. Under its terms, Pakistan would allow US forces to conduct a unilateral raid inside Pakistan in search of Bin Laden, his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, and the al-Qaida No3. Afterwards, both sides agreed, Pakistan would vociferously protest the incursion. “There was an agreement between Bush and Musharraf that if we knew where Osama was, we were going to come and get him,” said a former senior US official with knowledge of counterterrorism operations. “The Pakistanis would put up a hue and cry, but they wouldn’t stop us.” The deal puts a new complexion on the political storm triggered by Bin Laden’s death in Abbottabad, 35 miles north of Islamabad, where a team of US navy Seals assaulted his safe house in the early hours of 2 May. Pakistani officials have insisted they knew nothing of the raid, with military and civilian leaders issuing a strong rebuke to the US. If the US conducts another such assault, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani warned parliament on Monday, “Pakistan reserves the right to retaliate with full force.” Days earlier, Musharraf, now running an opposition party from exile in London, emerged as one of the most vocal critics of the raid, terming it a “violation of the sovereignty of Pakistan”. But under the terms of the secret deal, while Pakistanis may not have been informed of the assault, they had agreed to it in principle. A senior Pakistani official said it had been struck under Musharraf and renewed by the army during the “transition to democracy” – a six-month period from February 2008 when Musharraf was still president but a civilian government had been elected. Referring to the assault on Bin Laden’s Abbottabad compound, the official added: “As far as our American friends are concerned, they have just implemented the agreement.” The former US official said the Pakistani protests of the past week were the “public face” of the deal. “We knew they would deny this stuff.” The agreement is consistent with Pakistan’s unspoken policy towards CIA drone strikes in the tribal belt, which was revealed by the WikiLeaks US embassy cables last November . In August 2008, Gilani reportedly told a US official: “I don’t care if they do it, as long as they get the right people. We’ll protest in the National Assembly and then ignore it.” As drone strikes have escalated in the tribal belt over the past year, senior civilian and military officials issued pro forma denunciations even as it became clear the Pakistani military was co-operating with the covert programme. The former US official said that impetus for the co-operation, much like the Bin Laden deal, was driven by the US. “It didn’t come from Musharraf’s desire. On the Predators, we made it very clear to them that if they weren’t going to prosecute these targets, we were, and there was nothing they could do to stop us taking unilateral action. “We told them, over and again: ‘We’ll stop the Predators if you take these targets out yourselves.’” Despite several attempts to contact his London office, the Guardian has been unable to obtain comment from Musharraf. Since Bin Laden’s death, Pakistan has come under intense US scrutiny, including accusations that elements within Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence helped hide the al-Qaida leader. On Sunday, President Barack Obama said Bin Laden must have had “some sort of support network” inside Pakistan. “We don’t know whether there might have been some people inside of government, outside of government, and that’s something we have to investigate,” Obama said. Gilani has stood firmly by the ISI, describing it as a “national asset”, and said claims that Pakistan was “in cahoots” with al-Qaida were “disingenuous”. “Allegations of complicity or incompetence are absurd,” he said. “We didn’t invite Osama bin Laden to Pakistan.” Gilani said the army had launched an investigation into how Bin Laden managed to hide inside Pakistan. Senior generals will give a briefing on the furore to parliament next Friday. Gilani paid lip-service to the alliance with America and welcomed a forthcoming visit from the US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, but pointedly paid tribute to help from China, whom he described as “a source of inspiration for the people of Pakistan”. Osama bin Laden Pakistan United States Pervez Musharraf George Bush Global terrorism Declan Walsh guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …An extensive, five-year study in South Korea suggests as many as 1 in 38 children have traits of autism, a much higher number than was previously thought. The US has estimated in the past that 1 in 100 children have autism characteristics, but that estimate was based only on education…
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Paris fashion label says the Birmingham-born former Pringle designer will replace fellow Briton Hannah MacGibbon in June The Paris fashion label Chloé, whose previous designers have included Karl Lagerfeld and Stella McCartney, has announced that Clare Waight Keller, who was responsible for updating the Pringle of Scotland brand, will take over as creative director. She will replace fellow Briton Hannah MacGibbon, who has worked at the fashion house for ten years and has been creative director since 2008. Chloé, which is owned by Compagnie Financière Richemont, said MacGibbon was leaving to pursue “new projects”. Born in Birmingham, Waight Keller was appointed creative director of Pringle in 2005 and charged with turning it from a heritage label into a modern luxury brand. She resigned in March after a successful six-year run with the label, where she oversaw the menswear and womenswear collections and worked on collaborations with the likes of Tilda Swinton. She has established herself as a talent able to combine craft with modern shapes. With an MA in fashion knitwear from the Royal College of Art, she has worked at Gucci under Tom Ford, Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein and begins work at Chloé on 1 June. Despite mixed reviews, MacGibbon had begun to turn Chloé’s image around with a mix of 1970s-influenced sportswear and minimalism, including wide trousers and silk blouses. In March 2010 MacGibbon, along with her former Chloé boss Phoebe Philo (currently head of design at Céline) and McCartney, were widely celebrated for pioneering an influential new look: feminine minimalism. MacGibbon’s tenure was seen as a marked improvement on the seasons by the Swedish designer Paulo Melim Andersson, who left after Philo in 2006. But the label, despite a recent successful fragrance launch, has failed to replicate the success of the Philo years, which included stellar sales and hits such as 2002′s Paddington bag. Chloé’s chief executive, Geoffroy de La Bourdonnaye, said MacGibbon’s “considerable talents will be missed”. In a short statement MacGibbon added: “I will always have a deep affection for Chloé and am very grateful to the company for having given me this opportunity.” During the Paris autumn/winter womenswear shows in March, rumours circulated that the label was not planning to renew the designer’s contract, and had even interviewed replacement designers. As yet no one has claimed the top job at Christian Dior after John Galliano was fired over his alleged racist and antisemitic outbursts. Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen, the designer of Kate Middleton’s wedding dress, is the latest designer thought to be in the frame. Balmain has also recently replaced its head designer. Fashion Fashion designers France Europe Simon Chilvers guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Paris fashion label says the Birmingham-born former Pringle designer will replace fellow Briton Hannah MacGibbon in June The Paris fashion label Chloé, whose previous designers have included Karl Lagerfeld and Stella McCartney, has announced that Clare Waight Keller, who was responsible for updating the Pringle of Scotland brand, will take over as creative director. She will replace fellow Briton Hannah MacGibbon, who has worked at the fashion house for ten years and has been creative director since 2008. Chloé, which is owned by Compagnie Financière Richemont, said MacGibbon was leaving to pursue “new projects”. Born in Birmingham, Waight Keller was appointed creative director of Pringle in 2005 and charged with turning it from a heritage label into a modern luxury brand. She resigned in March after a successful six-year run with the label, where she oversaw the menswear and womenswear collections and worked on collaborations with the likes of Tilda Swinton. She has established herself as a talent able to combine craft with modern shapes. With an MA in fashion knitwear from the Royal College of Art, she has worked at Gucci under Tom Ford, Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein and begins work at Chloé on 1 June. Despite mixed reviews, MacGibbon had begun to turn Chloé’s image around with a mix of 1970s-influenced sportswear and minimalism, including wide trousers and silk blouses. In March 2010 MacGibbon, along with her former Chloé boss Phoebe Philo (currently head of design at Céline) and McCartney, were widely celebrated for pioneering an influential new look: feminine minimalism. MacGibbon’s tenure was seen as a marked improvement on the seasons by the Swedish designer Paulo Melim Andersson, who left after Philo in 2006. But the label, despite a recent successful fragrance launch, has failed to replicate the success of the Philo years, which included stellar sales and hits such as 2002′s Paddington bag. Chloé’s chief executive, Geoffroy de La Bourdonnaye, said MacGibbon’s “considerable talents will be missed”. In a short statement MacGibbon added: “I will always have a deep affection for Chloé and am very grateful to the company for having given me this opportunity.” During the Paris autumn/winter womenswear shows in March, rumours circulated that the label was not planning to renew the designer’s contract, and had even interviewed replacement designers. As yet no one has claimed the top job at Christian Dior after John Galliano was fired over his alleged racist and antisemitic outbursts. Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen, the designer of Kate Middleton’s wedding dress, is the latest designer thought to be in the frame. Balmain has also recently replaced its head designer. Fashion Fashion designers France Europe Simon Chilvers guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Paris fashion label says the Birmingham-born former Pringle designer will replace fellow Briton Hannah MacGibbon in June The Paris fashion label Chloé, whose previous designers have included Karl Lagerfeld and Stella McCartney, has announced that Clare Waight Keller, who was responsible for updating the Pringle of Scotland brand, will take over as creative director. She will replace fellow Briton Hannah MacGibbon, who has worked at the fashion house for ten years and has been creative director since 2008. Chloé, which is owned by Compagnie Financière Richemont, said MacGibbon was leaving to pursue “new projects”. Born in Birmingham, Waight Keller was appointed creative director of Pringle in 2005 and charged with turning it from a heritage label into a modern luxury brand. She resigned in March after a successful six-year run with the label, where she oversaw the menswear and womenswear collections and worked on collaborations with the likes of Tilda Swinton. She has established herself as a talent able to combine craft with modern shapes. With an MA in fashion knitwear from the Royal College of Art, she has worked at Gucci under Tom Ford, Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein and begins work at Chloé on 1 June. Despite mixed reviews, MacGibbon had begun to turn Chloé’s image around with a mix of 1970s-influenced sportswear and minimalism, including wide trousers and silk blouses. In March 2010 MacGibbon, along with her former Chloé boss Phoebe Philo (currently head of design at Céline) and McCartney, were widely celebrated for pioneering an influential new look: feminine minimalism. MacGibbon’s tenure was seen as a marked improvement on the seasons by the Swedish designer Paulo Melim Andersson, who left after Philo in 2006. But the label, despite a recent successful fragrance launch, has failed to replicate the success of the Philo years, which included stellar sales and hits such as 2002′s Paddington bag. Chloé’s chief executive, Geoffroy de La Bourdonnaye, said MacGibbon’s “considerable talents will be missed”. In a short statement MacGibbon added: “I will always have a deep affection for Chloé and am very grateful to the company for having given me this opportunity.” During the Paris autumn/winter womenswear shows in March, rumours circulated that the label was not planning to renew the designer’s contract, and had even interviewed replacement designers. As yet no one has claimed the top job at Christian Dior after John Galliano was fired over his alleged racist and antisemitic outbursts. Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen, the designer of Kate Middleton’s wedding dress, is the latest designer thought to be in the frame. Balmain has also recently replaced its head designer. Fashion Fashion designers France Europe Simon Chilvers guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Paris fashion label says the Birmingham-born former Pringle designer will replace fellow Briton Hannah MacGibbon in June The Paris fashion label Chloé, whose previous designers have included Karl Lagerfeld and Stella McCartney, has announced that Clare Waight Keller, who was responsible for updating the Pringle of Scotland brand, will take over as creative director. She will replace fellow Briton Hannah MacGibbon, who has worked at the fashion house for ten years and has been creative director since 2008. Chloé, which is owned by Compagnie Financière Richemont, said MacGibbon was leaving to pursue “new projects”. Born in Birmingham, Waight Keller was appointed creative director of Pringle in 2005 and charged with turning it from a heritage label into a modern luxury brand. She resigned in March after a successful six-year run with the label, where she oversaw the menswear and womenswear collections and worked on collaborations with the likes of Tilda Swinton. She has established herself as a talent able to combine craft with modern shapes. With an MA in fashion knitwear from the Royal College of Art, she has worked at Gucci under Tom Ford, Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein and begins work at Chloé on 1 June. Despite mixed reviews, MacGibbon had begun to turn Chloé’s image around with a mix of 1970s-influenced sportswear and minimalism, including wide trousers and silk blouses. In March 2010 MacGibbon, along with her former Chloé boss Phoebe Philo (currently head of design at Céline) and McCartney, were widely celebrated for pioneering an influential new look: feminine minimalism. MacGibbon’s tenure was seen as a marked improvement on the seasons by the Swedish designer Paulo Melim Andersson, who left after Philo in 2006. But the label, despite a recent successful fragrance launch, has failed to replicate the success of the Philo years, which included stellar sales and hits such as 2002′s Paddington bag. Chloé’s chief executive, Geoffroy de La Bourdonnaye, said MacGibbon’s “considerable talents will be missed”. In a short statement MacGibbon added: “I will always have a deep affection for Chloé and am very grateful to the company for having given me this opportunity.” During the Paris autumn/winter womenswear shows in March, rumours circulated that the label was not planning to renew the designer’s contract, and had even interviewed replacement designers. As yet no one has claimed the top job at Christian Dior after John Galliano was fired over his alleged racist and antisemitic outbursts. Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen, the designer of Kate Middleton’s wedding dress, is the latest designer thought to be in the frame. Balmain has also recently replaced its head designer. Fashion Fashion designers France Europe Simon Chilvers guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Paris fashion label says the Birmingham-born former Pringle designer will replace fellow Briton Hannah MacGibbon in June The Paris fashion label Chloé, whose previous designers have included Karl Lagerfeld and Stella McCartney, has announced that Clare Waight Keller, who was responsible for updating the Pringle of Scotland brand, will take over as creative director. She will replace fellow Briton Hannah MacGibbon, who has worked at the fashion house for ten years and has been creative director since 2008. Chloé, which is owned by Compagnie Financière Richemont, said MacGibbon was leaving to pursue “new projects”. Born in Birmingham, Waight Keller was appointed creative director of Pringle in 2005 and charged with turning it from a heritage label into a modern luxury brand. She resigned in March after a successful six-year run with the label, where she oversaw the menswear and womenswear collections and worked on collaborations with the likes of Tilda Swinton. She has established herself as a talent able to combine craft with modern shapes. With an MA in fashion knitwear from the Royal College of Art, she has worked at Gucci under Tom Ford, Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein and begins work at Chloé on 1 June. Despite mixed reviews, MacGibbon had begun to turn Chloé’s image around with a mix of 1970s-influenced sportswear and minimalism, including wide trousers and silk blouses. In March 2010 MacGibbon, along with her former Chloé boss Phoebe Philo (currently head of design at Céline) and McCartney, were widely celebrated for pioneering an influential new look: feminine minimalism. MacGibbon’s tenure was seen as a marked improvement on the seasons by the Swedish designer Paulo Melim Andersson, who left after Philo in 2006. But the label, despite a recent successful fragrance launch, has failed to replicate the success of the Philo years, which included stellar sales and hits such as 2002′s Paddington bag. Chloé’s chief executive, Geoffroy de La Bourdonnaye, said MacGibbon’s “considerable talents will be missed”. In a short statement MacGibbon added: “I will always have a deep affection for Chloé and am very grateful to the company for having given me this opportunity.” During the Paris autumn/winter womenswear shows in March, rumours circulated that the label was not planning to renew the designer’s contract, and had even interviewed replacement designers. As yet no one has claimed the top job at Christian Dior after John Galliano was fired over his alleged racist and antisemitic outbursts. Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen, the designer of Kate Middleton’s wedding dress, is the latest designer thought to be in the frame. Balmain has also recently replaced its head designer. Fashion Fashion designers France Europe Simon Chilvers guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Paris fashion label says the Birmingham-born former Pringle designer will replace fellow Briton Hannah MacGibbon in June The Paris fashion label Chloé, whose previous designers have included Karl Lagerfeld and Stella McCartney, has announced that Clare Waight Keller, who was responsible for updating the Pringle of Scotland brand, will take over as creative director. She will replace fellow Briton Hannah MacGibbon, who has worked at the fashion house for ten years and has been creative director since 2008. Chloé, which is owned by Compagnie Financière Richemont, said MacGibbon was leaving to pursue “new projects”. Born in Birmingham, Waight Keller was appointed creative director of Pringle in 2005 and charged with turning it from a heritage label into a modern luxury brand. She resigned in March after a successful six-year run with the label, where she oversaw the menswear and womenswear collections and worked on collaborations with the likes of Tilda Swinton. She has established herself as a talent able to combine craft with modern shapes. With an MA in fashion knitwear from the Royal College of Art, she has worked at Gucci under Tom Ford, Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein and begins work at Chloé on 1 June. Despite mixed reviews, MacGibbon had begun to turn Chloé’s image around with a mix of 1970s-influenced sportswear and minimalism, including wide trousers and silk blouses. In March 2010 MacGibbon, along with her former Chloé boss Phoebe Philo (currently head of design at Céline) and McCartney, were widely celebrated for pioneering an influential new look: feminine minimalism. MacGibbon’s tenure was seen as a marked improvement on the seasons by the Swedish designer Paulo Melim Andersson, who left after Philo in 2006. But the label, despite a recent successful fragrance launch, has failed to replicate the success of the Philo years, which included stellar sales and hits such as 2002′s Paddington bag. Chloé’s chief executive, Geoffroy de La Bourdonnaye, said MacGibbon’s “considerable talents will be missed”. In a short statement MacGibbon added: “I will always have a deep affection for Chloé and am very grateful to the company for having given me this opportunity.” During the Paris autumn/winter womenswear shows in March, rumours circulated that the label was not planning to renew the designer’s contract, and had even interviewed replacement designers. As yet no one has claimed the top job at Christian Dior after John Galliano was fired over his alleged racist and antisemitic outbursts. Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen, the designer of Kate Middleton’s wedding dress, is the latest designer thought to be in the frame. Balmain has also recently replaced its head designer. Fashion Fashion designers France Europe Simon Chilvers guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Paris fashion label says the Birmingham-born former Pringle designer will replace fellow Briton Hannah MacGibbon in June The Paris fashion label Chloé, whose previous designers have included Karl Lagerfeld and Stella McCartney, has announced that Clare Waight Keller, who was responsible for updating the Pringle of Scotland brand, will take over as creative director. She will replace fellow Briton Hannah MacGibbon, who has worked at the fashion house for ten years and has been creative director since 2008. Chloé, which is owned by Compagnie Financière Richemont, said MacGibbon was leaving to pursue “new projects”. Born in Birmingham, Waight Keller was appointed creative director of Pringle in 2005 and charged with turning it from a heritage label into a modern luxury brand. She resigned in March after a successful six-year run with the label, where she oversaw the menswear and womenswear collections and worked on collaborations with the likes of Tilda Swinton. She has established herself as a talent able to combine craft with modern shapes. With an MA in fashion knitwear from the Royal College of Art, she has worked at Gucci under Tom Ford, Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein and begins work at Chloé on 1 June. Despite mixed reviews, MacGibbon had begun to turn Chloé’s image around with a mix of 1970s-influenced sportswear and minimalism, including wide trousers and silk blouses. In March 2010 MacGibbon, along with her former Chloé boss Phoebe Philo (currently head of design at Céline) and McCartney, were widely celebrated for pioneering an influential new look: feminine minimalism. MacGibbon’s tenure was seen as a marked improvement on the seasons by the Swedish designer Paulo Melim Andersson, who left after Philo in 2006. But the label, despite a recent successful fragrance launch, has failed to replicate the success of the Philo years, which included stellar sales and hits such as 2002′s Paddington bag. Chloé’s chief executive, Geoffroy de La Bourdonnaye, said MacGibbon’s “considerable talents will be missed”. In a short statement MacGibbon added: “I will always have a deep affection for Chloé and am very grateful to the company for having given me this opportunity.” During the Paris autumn/winter womenswear shows in March, rumours circulated that the label was not planning to renew the designer’s contract, and had even interviewed replacement designers. As yet no one has claimed the top job at Christian Dior after John Galliano was fired over his alleged racist and antisemitic outbursts. Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen, the designer of Kate Middleton’s wedding dress, is the latest designer thought to be in the frame. Balmain has also recently replaced its head designer. Fashion Fashion designers France Europe Simon Chilvers guardian.co.uk
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