The Internet giant Google says it's making uncensored access to its search engine available to users in China despite opposition from the authorities. Google has been resisting official limitations on use of its site in China where the government accuses it of seeking to impose American values. Now Chinese users have been redirected to a Google site in Hong Kong with full search facilities. Maggie Shiels is in San Francisco.
Google says it had stopped censoring its search services on Google China as it had said it would back in January following the cyber attacks on the Gmail accounts of dozens of human rights activists connected with China. The search giant said attempts over the last year to further limit free speech on the web in China had led Google to conclude that it could no longer continue censoring results as required by Chinese law. In a blog post(n.) today, the company's chief legal officer David Drummond pointed out that the Chinese government had been crystal clear throughout discussions that self-censorship is a non-negotiable legal requirement.
The former American presidents Bill Clinton and George W Bush are in Haiti as part of efforts to raise funds for the earthquake-stricken nation. Mr Bush and Mr Clinton toured streets of the shattered capital Port-au-Prince and visited ten cities where tens of thousands of homeless survivors are living.
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The French President Nicolas Sarkozy has reshuffled his cabinet following a humiliating defeat in regional elections. Mr Sarkozy sacked his Labour Minister Xavier Darcos and introduced some key right-wing figures into the government. The BBC's Paris correspondent says it's an attempt to appease the old conservative guard which has felt overlooked.