Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A father who organised a support group for other parents whose children were made ill in one of China's worst food-safety scandals was convicted and sentenced yesterday to two-and-a-half years in prison for inciting social disorder.
Zhao Lianhai had pushed for greater official accountability and compensation for victims and their families after the scandal in 2008. His sentence appeared particularly severe because the case related to a public-safety incident that the embarrassed leadership had pledged to tackle to restore consumer confidence. "We had expected it to be much less than that. It is such a harsh sentence," said his lawyer Li Fangping.
Mr Zhao, from Beijing, whose son was among the nearly 300,000 children sickened by melamine-tainted milk, vowed to appeal and began a hunger strike over the verdict, Mr Li said.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments