- Thunder bounce back to down struggling Nets
- Young Chinese turn to AI pets for emotional relief
- Allen outguns Jackson as Bills beat Ravens, Eagles sink Rams
- Champions Cup success perfect Six Nations warm-up - France skipper Dupont
- Yamal symbol of rising Barca aiming for Champions League progress
- Asian markets track Wall St and Europe rally after Trump-Xi talks
- Trial into stabbing spree that sparked UK far-right riots to open
- No sweat, no shake as Svitolina cruises into Melbourne quarters
- Late night tears and hugs for released Palestinian prisoners
- Trump vows to end 'American decline' at inauguration eve rally
- TV host issues on-air apology to Djokovic over 'insulting' comments
- 'No matter the faith': east Ukraine marks Epiphany despite war divide
- Straka shakes off nerves to win US PGA American Express
- New 'oligarchy' under fire as elites descend on Davos
- Barkley dashes through the snow as Eagles beat Rams
- Djokovic condemns 'violence' against protesters in Serbia
- Barkley powers through the snow as Eagles beat Rams
- Trump vows 'speed and strength' at inauguration eve rally
- 'Back on track': Trump supporters brave freezing conditions to attend rally
- On last full day as president, Biden urges Americans to 'keep the faith'
- Marseille slump to Strasbourg draw as title hopes dwindle
- Inter beat Empoli to keep pressure on Serie A leaders Napoli
- India uses AI to stop stampedes at world's biggest gathering
- Sinner, Swiatek eye quarter-finals at Australian Open
- 80 killed, thousands displaced in Colombian guerrilla violence
- 'We want peace' say Colombians displaced by fresh guerrilla violence
- 'Mufasa' claws its way back atop N.America box office
- Dele Alli attempts comeback at Serie A outfit Como
- Swiss police clear hundreds of anti-Davos protesters
- Weary LA firefighters brace for 'last' dangerous winds
- Foden stars as Man City hit Ipswich for six
- 'We are worst team in history of Man Utd': Amorim
- 80 killed in three days of guerrilla violence in north Colombia
- Penaud scores six, Dupont shines as French clubs dominate Champions Cup
- Man Utd, Spurs sink again as Forest maintain Premier League title dream
- Mbappe shines as Real Madrid thrash Las Palmas to claim Liga lead
- First Israeli hostages freed as Gaza truce begins
- 'Our mission': Auschwitz museum staff recount their everyday jobs
- After celebrations, displaced Gazans return home to destruction
- Everton beat sorry Spurs to ease relegation fears
- Trump says will delay TikTok ban, proposes US part-ownership
- Brighton rock woeful Man Utd after Law tributes
- Hamas hands over first Israeli hostages as Gaza truce beings
- McGrath leads Norwegian sweep of Wengen World Cup slalom
- Hatton holds nerve to clinch Dubai title from Hillier
- Lopetegui linked with vacant Belgium job
- Leverkusen's Terrier out for season with Achilles tear
- Olympic champion Axelsen wins record-equalling third India crown
- Djokovic refuses Australian Open interviews over 'insulting comments'
- Djokovic braced for 'big battle' with Alcaraz at Australian Open
Climate demo shuts down Hague motorway during police strike
Hundreds of climate activists blocked a major motorway running through The Hague Saturday, urging an end to billions of euros in Dutch fossil fuel subsidies in their "most disruptive" action yet.
The demonstration organised by the Extinction Rebellion (XR) group coincided with a police strike over pensions.
While some police officers on bikes were overseeing the protests in case of emergencies, they were not intervening to break up the demo.
On a sunny early autumn afternoon, the demonstrations attracted a peaceful crowd, with some pitching tents on the tarmac and sitting on the road playing cards.
They placed banners reading "turn off the fossil fuel money taps", "people and the climate above profits", and "if we can destroy the world, then we can also save it."
Loudspeakers blared out speeches, slogans, and bursts of music, including "The Final Countdown" by Europe.
Demonstrators had daubed XR logos and "end fossil fuel subsidies" on the motorway as an elderly group wearing "grandparents for the climate" shirts handed out flyers.
- 'Raising our voices' -
Isabelle, a 25-year-old labour union employee, who refused to give her last name, told AFP: "I think it's essential that we keep raising our voices because this is a cause that matters so much."
"It's an incredibly good atmosphere. People are having fun. There's singing, there's dancing. We're having a good time fighting for our cause."
Many of the activists had conducted a week-long march from Arnhem in the east of the Netherlands that culminated in the protest on the A12 motorway that serves The Hague.
The XR group said some planned to take advantage of the police absence to camp out overnight in the motorway tunnels.
"We will keep coming back until the subsidies are abolished," said XR spokeswoman Rozemarijn van 't Einde, adding that they amounted to between 39.7 and 46.4 billion euros ($44.0-51.4 billion) per year.
The XR group regularly targets the A12 motorway and police often arrest hundreds of protestors.
"The blockade will be the most disruptive since the first blockade on July 6, 2022," said the group.
"The severity of the climate and ecological crisis justifies the additional nuisance."
Dutch Justice Minister David van Weel said police "always act in emergencies, even during work stoppages" so he was not concerned about public safety.
He said it was a "bit ironic" the activists were urging authorities to ensure their safety given they rail against what they call disproportionate and heavy-handed policing.
S.Caetano--PC