Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

US announces diplomatic boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics

01:50

US announces diplomatic boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics

The US has announced a diplomatic boycott of the upcoming 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing after much speculation that it was poised to do so.

China has responded by calling the move an “outright political provocation”, with foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian saying: “Without being invited, American politicians keep hyping the so-called diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics.”

White House press secretary Jen Psaki cited “crimes against humanity in Xinjiang, and other human rights abuses” when she announced the move.

Sign up to our US evening newsletter here

Up next

Sarina Wiegman admits she ‘felt tension’ before England’s Euro win

00:56

Sarina Wiegman admits she ‘felt tension’ before England’s Euro win

Brundle reveals what Horner said to him after Red Bull sacking

00:26

Brundle reveals what Horner said to him after Red Bull sacking

Dimitrov’s ‘unfortunate’ injury draws sympathy from Sinner

00:48

Dimitrov’s ‘unfortunate’ injury draws sympathy from Sinner

Ricky Hatton, 46, makes shock return to boxing in Dubai announcement

00:46

Ricky Hatton, 46, makes shock return to boxing in Dubai announcement

Editor’s Picks

Jurassic World Rebirth stars: ‘Dinosaurs were tennis balls on sticks’

06:32

Jurassic World Rebirth stars: ‘Dinosaurs were tennis balls on sticks’

Sam Ryder on heartbreak and the healing power of music

12:25

Sam Ryder on heartbreak and the healing power of music

Death Sentence: The real cost of Trump’s aid cuts on HIV

17:05

Death Sentence: The real cost of Trump’s aid cuts on HIV

A ‘Longevity Doctor’ tells me how old I REALLY am

03:25

A ‘Longevity Doctor’ tells me how old I REALLY am

More Editor’s Picks

ACFC

Why Matheus Cunha is Man United’s best signing in years

14:11

Why Matheus Cunha is Man United’s best signing in years

The real reason Liverpool signed Jeremie Frimpong

12:18

The real reason Liverpool signed Jeremie Frimpong

Making a Premier League team of the season that actually works

30:24

Making a Premier League team of the season that actually works

The Newcastle tactics that proved Eddie Howe is an elite manager

16:08

The Newcastle tactics that proved Eddie Howe is an elite manager

Travel Smart

How to escape the crowds on an Italy holiday

05:35

How to escape the crowds on an Italy holiday

The Mediterranean escape with something for all the family

08:02

The Mediterranean escape with something for all the family

The first-timer’s guide to South America

06:42

The first-timer’s guide to South America

How to have a luxury holiday for less with TravelSmart

05:23

How to have a luxury holiday for less with TravelSmart

More Travel Smart

Drive Smart

Citroen e-C3 Aircross review

07:03

Citroen e-C3 Aircross review

Renault 5 Turbo 3E: An all-electric ‘mini supercar’

12:39

Renault 5 Turbo 3E: An all-electric ‘mini supercar’

Music Box

Watch Sam Ryder’s brilliant pared-back performance of single ‘OH OK’

07:30

Watch Sam Ryder’s brilliant pared-back performance of single ‘OH OK’

Watch rising star Annie DiRusso’s electrifying pared-back session

07:54

Watch rising star Annie DiRusso’s electrifying pared-back session

Watch singer-songwriter Clara Mann’s stunning Music Box performance

05:23

Watch singer-songwriter Clara Mann’s stunning Music Box performance

Konyikeh performs gorgeous pared-back Music Box session

05:35

Konyikeh performs gorgeous pared-back Music Box session

Decomplicated

Why Is The UK So Bad At Eurovision?

08:03

Why Is The UK So Bad At Eurovision?

Can Meghan Sussex Ever Win?

11:54

Can Meghan Sussex Ever Win?

Trump tore apart global aid - here’s how the world will suffer

08:21

Trump tore apart global aid - here’s how the world will suffer

Is the party over? How Gen Z is killing big booze

06:38

Is the party over? How Gen Z is killing big booze

More Decomplicated

On The Ground

Death Sentence: The real cost of Trump’s aid cuts on HIV

17:05

Death Sentence: The real cost of Trump’s aid cuts on HIV

Searching for the ‘Whitby Woman’

03:51

Searching for the ‘Whitby Woman’

On the campaign trail with Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg

04:18

On the campaign trail with Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg

Life at 50C: Delhi’s streets struggling to cope with heatwave

06:26

Life at 50C: Delhi’s streets struggling to cope with heatwave

More On The Ground

That Dress

How Melania and Donald Trump’s awkward kiss got everyone speculating

02:03

How Melania and Donald Trump’s awkward kiss got everyone speculating

The Brookside kiss that made a lesbian storyline mainstream

03:22

The Brookside kiss that made a lesbian storyline mainstream

The Spider-Man kiss was an ordeal for both actors but it was worth it

02:15

The Spider-Man kiss was an ordeal for both actors but it was worth it

The green dress Keira Knightley wore everyone wanted

02:22

The green dress Keira Knightley wore everyone wanted

More That Dress

Binge Watch

Sinners star Jack O’Connell on his secret Irish dancing past

10:44

Sinners star Jack O’Connell on his secret Irish dancing past

Penn Badgley is glad ‘You’ is over

03:44

Penn Badgley is glad ‘You’ is over

The kid from Jojo Rabbit is all grown up

07:42

The kid from Jojo Rabbit is all grown up

Gangs of London cast reveal behind-the-scenes secrets

09:22

Gangs of London cast reveal behind-the-scenes secrets

More Binge Watch

Behind The Headlines

What would a President Trump 2.0 look like?

10:42

What would a President Trump 2.0 look like?

When will the Cost of Living Crisis end?

06:27

When will the Cost of Living Crisis end?

How airlines greenwash the skies

07:23

How airlines greenwash the skies

Is it time to panic over AI? | Behind The Headlines

06:35

Is it time to panic over AI? | Behind The Headlines

More Behind The Headlines

News

Guardiola belts out Oasis hit as he enjoys Heaton Park concert

00:25

Guardiola belts out Oasis hit as he enjoys Heaton Park concert

Animals impacted by deadly Texas floods get private flight to safety

01:03

Animals impacted by deadly Texas floods get private flight to safety

Putin has played Trump ‘like a violin’, ex MI6 boss says

00:40

Putin has played Trump ‘like a violin’, ex MI6 boss says

Hegseth stumbles his way through awkward drone video

01:50

Hegseth stumbles his way through awkward drone video

Climate

Surfers ride powerful 13ft waves amid weather warning

00:49

Surfers ride powerful 13ft waves amid weather warning

Floodwaters rage across Yelville as residents evacuated from homes

00:33

Floodwaters rage across Yelville as residents evacuated from homes

Greece shuts down Acropolis as temperatures hit almost 40 degrees

01:00

Greece shuts down Acropolis as temperatures hit almost 40 degrees

Eerie tornado sirens ring through downtown Chicago

00:31

Eerie tornado sirens ring through downtown Chicago

Culture

Miriam Margolyes hits out at reports she is at ‘death’s door’

00:58

Miriam Margolyes hits out at reports she is at ‘death’s door’

Gallagher brothers walk hand-in-hand to kick off Heaton Park concert

00:22

Gallagher brothers walk hand-in-hand to kick off Heaton Park concert

Guardiola belts out Oasis hit as he enjoys Heaton Park concert

00:25

Guardiola belts out Oasis hit as he enjoys Heaton Park concert

Oasis drone show lights up Heaton Park ahead of homecoming show

00:28

Oasis drone show lights up Heaton Park ahead of homecoming show

Lifestyle

Love Island contestant says fans called ICE on her family

00:56

Love Island contestant says fans called ICE on her family

Fiona Phillips’ husband’s sad admission about Alzheimer’s diagnosis

01:05

Fiona Phillips’ husband’s sad admission about Alzheimer’s diagnosis

Why are women affected more by heatwaves? A doctor explains

00:22

Why are women affected more by heatwaves? A doctor explains

Warning issued over viral TikTok suncream trend

00:33

Warning issued over viral TikTok suncream trend

Will Bayley's Electric Road Trip

Paralympian Will Bayley puts his “Range Anxiety” to the test

03:29

Paralympian Will Bayley puts his “Range Anxiety” to the test

The feel-good perks of living the Electric Vehicle lifestyle

03:07

The feel-good perks of living the Electric Vehicle lifestyle

Paralympian Will Bayley checks the performance of electric vehicles

03:07

Paralympian Will Bayley checks the performance of electric vehicles

To EV or not to EV? Paralympian Will Bayley considers electric cars

03:24

To EV or not to EV? Paralympian Will Bayley considers electric cars

Saudi Cup

Saudi Cup: ‘A true display of horsemanship’, says Prince Bandar

01:36

Saudi Cup: ‘A true display of horsemanship’, says Prince Bandar

Princess Nourah praises young fashion designers on show at Saudi Cup

00:42

Princess Nourah praises young fashion designers on show at Saudi Cup

Andrew Strauss says Saudi is an eye opener

01:26

Andrew Strauss says Saudi is an eye opener

Saudi Arabia is ‘pushing limits’ of fashion creativity

00:32

Saudi Arabia is ‘pushing limits’ of fashion creativity

Galaxy The Ripple Effect

Ebony Rainford-Brent MBE on the imposter syndrome epidemic

04:23

Ebony Rainford-Brent MBE on the imposter syndrome epidemic

Finance coach Ellie Austin-Williams on the psychology of money

04:26

Finance coach Ellie Austin-Williams on the psychology of money

Ebony Rainford-Brent MBE on how to tackle imposter syndrome

01:01

Ebony Rainford-Brent MBE on how to tackle imposter syndrome

Simple ways to boost your money situation with Ellie Austin-Williams

01:07

Simple ways to boost your money situation with Ellie Austin-Williams

Big In America

Can Willsow’s children’s books pique the interest of the US market?

15:55

Can Willsow’s children’s books pique the interest of the US market?

Will the founders of Spice Kitchen be able to find US retailers?

16:33

Will the founders of Spice Kitchen be able to find US retailers?

Co-founders of See.Sense bring their cycle safe tech to New York City

16:06

Co-founders of See.Sense bring their cycle safe tech to New York City

Collctiv fintech founder Amy Whitell tries to crack the US tech market

15:01

Collctiv fintech founder Amy Whitell tries to crack the US tech market

More Big In America

Saudi Green Initiative

Saudi government doesn’t ‘pay lip service’ on climate action

01:16

Saudi government doesn’t ‘pay lip service’ on climate action

SGI ‘seems like a nest of harmony’, journalist says

00:36

SGI ‘seems like a nest of harmony’, journalist says

SGI ambitions are ‘extremely high’, says Saudi climate envoy

00:48

SGI ambitions are ‘extremely high’, says Saudi climate envoy

Saudi Green Initiative aims to ‘not just preserve, but create’

01:08

Saudi Green Initiative aims to ‘not just preserve, but create’

More Saudi Green Initiative