World news in brief
Branson brands Trump ‘vindictive’ and ‘dangerous’
Richard Branson has called Donald Trump is a "dangerous individual" who people need to stand up to. The Virgin empire founder spoke about his first meeting with Mr Trump on CBC's On The Money programme to highlight the need for the would not to be "sycophantic" towards the US President.
Mr Trump had been going through one of his bankruptcies at the time and spent much of the lunch with Mr Branson discussing "five people who he'd asked for help who'd refused to help him — and how he was going to spend the rest of his life destroying those five people", the entrepreneur said. Mr Branson described Mr Trump as "vindictive".
The President has received criticism for what many perceive as anti-immigrant, anti-minority rhetoric on the campaign trail and in the White House. Mr Branson said these showed that Mr Trump's views "are palpably wrong therefore it would be morally wrong to try to kowtow to him".
France: relatives charged in boy’s 1984 death
French authorities have filed preliminary kidnapping charges against relatives of a 4-year-old boy whose 1984 murder has been one of the country's longest-running mysteries. Dijon Prosecutor Jean-Jacques Bosc said yesterday that a great-aunt and great-uncle of Gregory Villemin are accused of kidnapping and illegal confinement followed by death.
The suspects, Marcel and Jacqueline Jacob, deny any involvement. Their lawyers assailed prosecutors for what they called an unjustified, premature move. The prosecutor said new evidence shows a link between the kidnapping and anonymous letters and phone calls around the killing. Handwriting analysis on one letter led investigators to the great-aunt. But the prosecutor acknowledged that he still doesn't know who killed the boy 32 years ago. His body was found in a freezing Burgundy river, bound hand and foot.
Germany: Muslims to march against Islamic extremism
Up to 10 thousands Muslims are set to protest today in a rally against extremism in Cologne. The protest comes in the wake of recent terror attacks in the UK and around the world.
“The attacks by people who justify their acts by invoking Islam, without justification, are becoming more frequent,” protest organisers wrote on a website for the rally called NichtMitUns, or Not With Us. “Our faith is being abused, defiled, insulted and distorted into something unrecognisable by this. Let us put a powerful sign against violence and terror."
Dozens of organisations have backed the protest. However, one of the largest Muslim associations in Germany has refused to take part. The Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs, which represents more than 900 Muslim communities across the country, rejected the event in a statement accusing organisers of “hijacking and exploiting” the anti-terrorist agenda during the holy month of Ramadan.
Cannabis users more successful, study finds
Cannabis consumers are frequently affiliated with lazy, unsuccessful and apathetic labels, but contrary to the popular stereotype new research suggests they are in fact among the most satisfied and successful among us. The study, conducted by market researchers BDS Analytics, surveyed consumers and abstainers across a wide variety of mental, social and financial factors. These included life satisfaction levels, attitudes towards parenting and employment data.
The survey analysed extensive data from two US states that have voted to legalise the sale of cannabis – California and Colorado. Debunking myths of low motivation and under-achievement, in California it was found that 20 percent of consumers had graduated with a master’s degree while the figure was 12 percent for those who wouldn’t consider trying cannabis.