Sunday 31 December 2017

Court refuses to release elephants from zoo after campaigners say they are 'persons entitled to liberty'

Court refuses to release elephants from zoo after campaigners say they are 'persons entitled to liberty'

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Court refuses to release elephants from zoo after campaigners say they are 'persons entitled to liberty'A Connecticut court has refused to free three elephants from a zoo after an animal rights group asked it to do so. The court ruled that Minnie, Beulah, and Karen do not qualify as “persons entitled to liberty and equality” under state law. Judge James Bentivegna wrote in the decision that “the petition is wholly frivolous on its face” because it relied on applying “human rights of freedom and equality” to the animals.




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Some countries reverse free expression, seeing it as threat

Some countries reverse free expression, seeing it as threat

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Some countries reverse free expression, seeing it as threatWARSAW, Poland (AP) — Two Turkish journalists face possible life sentences on charges they sent "subliminal messages" on television encouraging a government coup. In Hungary, oligarchs loyal to the prime minister have gained control of much of the media after the leading independent newspaper was shut down. And in Poland, a reporter is being threatened with a military trial for writing a book critical of the defense minister.




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Clashes over US recognition of Jerusalem as Israeli capital claim 13th victim

Clashes over US recognition of Jerusalem as Israeli capital claim 13th victim

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Clashes over US recognition of Jerusalem as Israeli capital claim 13th victimA Gazan died on Saturday after being wounded by Israeli fire during a protest on the border over US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, a Palestinian health official said. Jamal Muslih, 20, of Al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, had been seriously wounded by live fire on Friday, health ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said. He was buried on Saturday afternoon. Muslih’s death brings to 13 the number of Palestinians killed since US President Donald Trump announced on December 6 that he would recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and move the US embassy there from Tel Aviv. Mourners at the funeral of Jamal Muslih, who died after being wounded by Israeli fire Credit: Mahmud Hams/AFP Eleven protesters died after clashes with Israeli troops, and two others were killed in an Israeli air strike on Gaza earlier in the month. More than 50 Palestinians were wounded in the Friday clashes on the Gaza-Israel border as part of a "day of rage" over the US declaration, called for by both Gaza rulers Hamas and fellow militant group Islamic Jihad. In the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said at least 16 people were wounded when Israeli troops fired live rounds during demonstrations, while others were hit with rubber-coated bullets. Earlier on Friday, militants in Gaza fired three rockets at southern Israel, two of which were intercepted by the Iron Dome aerial defence system, with the third hitting a village near the border, causing damage but no casualties. Israeli aircraft and tanks targeted two Hamas positions near the border on Friday afternoon in response, again causing damage but no casualties. UN vote to condemn Trump recognising Jerusalem as capital of Israel Late Saturday, the Israeli army carried out a second attack, with fighter jets "targeted an observation post belonging to the Hamas terror organisation in the southern Gaza Strip," a statement read. According to the army, the Friday projectile attack on Israel proved that "Iran, through radical and rogue terror organisations, is operating to deteriorate the situation," risking lives in Gaza and threatening to cause "an escalation". The Israeli defence ministry has in recent weeks been increasingly highlighting the ties between Hamas and Iran, most notably in a series of Facebook posts by COGAT, the unit responsible for activities in the Palestinian territories. Speaking on Channel 2 television Saturday night, Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman claimed that the projectiles fired from Gaza at Israel on Friday were made and supplied by Iran. Rockets from Gaza are often fired by fringe Islamist groups but Israel holds Hamas responsible for all attacks from the territory.    




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Best photo stories of 2017

Best photo stories of 2017

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We collected our favorite stories from the past year -- from yearbook photos of NBA players to creating the Final Four floor to the bodies of some of the world's most impressive athletes.

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Matthew Berry's Love/Hate for Week 17

Matthew Berry's Love/Hate for Week 17

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For those of you playing for the championship, we've got your usual intel to navigate a tricky Week 17. For those already looking to next year, we've got you covered with way-too-early, but fun nonetheless, rankings for 2018.

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Some countries reverse free expression, seeing it as threat

Some countries reverse free expression, seeing it as threat

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Some countries reverse free expression, seeing it as threatWARSAW, Poland (AP) — Two Turkish journalists face possible life sentences on charges they sent "subliminal messages" on television encouraging a government coup. In Hungary, oligarchs loyal to the prime minister have gained control of much of the media after the leading independent newspaper was shut down. And in Poland, a reporter is being threatened with a military trial for writing a book critical of the defense minister.




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Putin urges 'pragmatic cooperation' with US

Putin urges 'pragmatic cooperation' with US

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Russian President Vladimir Putin called for Russia and the US to engage in "pragmatic cooperation" in his Christmas and New Year greetings to US President Donald Trump, the Kremlin said on Saturday.

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California set for New Year's buzz with recreational marijuana sales

California set for New Year's buzz with recreational marijuana sales

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California set for New Year's buzz with recreational marijuana salesCalifornia adults not content to ring in the New Year with the traditional fizz of champagne can look forward to celebrating with the buzz of marijuana, purchased for the first time from state-licensed retailers of recreational pot. Dozens of newly authorized marijuana stores are due to open for business across California on Jan. 1, launching yet another chapter in America's drug culture and the largest regulated commercial market for cannabis in the United States - one valued at several billion dollars. Newly permitted retailers will rely on a hodge-podge of marijuana producers in the state's illicit "gray market" to stock their shelves for the next six months, until state-licensed growers can harvest their first crops.




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Where deadly Bronx fire raged, an eerie, icy calm

Where deadly Bronx fire raged, an eerie, icy calm

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Where deadly Bronx fire raged, an eerie, icy calmThere are barely any traces of fire on the apartment building's facade, no puddles of water on the ground, and only a handful of onlookers. On Friday, only two fire trucks, their lights still flashing, hinted at the drama that had unfolded the evening before in the Bronx.




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US eyes increased pumping from biggest federal water project

US eyes increased pumping from biggest federal water project

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US eyes increased pumping from biggest federal water projectSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Trump administration said Friday it will look at revving up water deliveries to farmers from California's Central Valley Project, the largest federal water project in the United States, in what environmental groups called a threat to protections for struggling native salmon and other endangered species.




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Mattis sees larger U.S. civilian presence in Syria

Mattis sees larger U.S. civilian presence in Syria

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Mattis sees larger U.S. civilian presence in SyriaBy Idrees Ali WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Friday that he expected to see a larger U.S. civilian presence in Syria, including contractors and diplomats, as the fight against Islamic State militants nears its end and the focus turns toward rebuilding and ensuring the militants do not return. The United States has about 2,000 troops in Syria fighting Islamic State. Mattis' comments are likely to anger Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who has previously called U.S. troops "illegal invader" forces.




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Nepal bans solo climbers from Everest

Nepal bans solo climbers from Everest

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Nepal bans solo climbers from EverestNepal has banned solo climbers from scaling its mountains, including Mount Everest, in a bid to reduce accidents, an official said Saturday. The cabinet late Thursday endorsed a revision to the Himalayan nation's mountaineering regulations, banning solo climbers from its mountains -- one of a string of measures being flagged ahead of the 2018 spring climbing season. "The changes have barred solo expeditions, which were allowed before," Maheshwor Neupane, secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, told AFP.




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Iran and Saudi Arabia race to pass gender reforms as Tehran relaxes headscarf arrests 

Iran and Saudi Arabia race to pass gender reforms as Tehran relaxes headscarf arrests 

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Iran and Saudi Arabia race to pass gender reforms as Tehran relaxes headscarf arrests Women in the Iranian capital will no longer be arrested for failing to wear a headscarf, Tehran police have said, in a move which follows an unexpected raft of gender reforms in Saudi Arabia. Morality police will no longer automatically detain women seen without the proper hijab head-covering in public, a strict Islamic dress code in place since the 1979 revolution. For nearly 40 years, women in Iran have been forced to cover their hair and wear long, loose garments. Younger and more liberal-minded women have long pushed the boundaries of the official dress code, wearing loose headscarves that do not fully cover their hair and painting their nails, drawing the ire of conservatives. The announcement signalled an easing of punishments for violating the country's conservative dress code, as called for by the reform-minded Iranians who helped re-elect President Hassan Rouhani, a relative moderate, earlier this year. But hard-liners opposed to easing such rules still dominate Iran's security forces and judiciary, so it was unclear whether the change would be fully implemented. Younger and more liberal-minded women have long pushed the boundaries of the official dress code, wearing loose headscarves that do not fully cover their hair Credit: Getty "Those who do not observe the Islamic dress code will no longer be taken to detention centers, nor will judicial cases be filed against them," General Hossein Rahimi, Tehran police chief, was quoted as saying by the reformist daily newspaper Al Sharq. The semi-official Tasnim news agency said violators will instead be made to attend classes given by police. It said repeat offenders could still be subject to legal action, and the dress code remains in place outside the capital. Iran's morality police - similar to Saudi Arabia's religious police - typically detain violators and escort them to a police van. Their families are then called to bring the detainee a change of clothes. The violator is then required to sign a form that they will not commit the offence again. Iran's arch foe Saudi Arabia, under similar internal pressure to liberalise, announced in September that it would finally allow women to drive. Saudis watch composer Yanni perform at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Credit: Reuters Activists had been arrested for driving since 1990, when the first driving campaign was launched by women who drove cars in the capital, Riyadh. Shocking the kingdom, one of the most repressive countries for women in the world, the young Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced a tranche of liberalising changes. In 2018, women will also be allowed to attend sporting matches in national stadiums, where they were previously banned. Designated "family sections" will ensure women are separate from male-only quarters of the stadiums. The crown prince tested public reaction to the move when he allowed women and families into the capital's main stadium for National Day celebrations this year. And Saudi authorities this week allowed female contestants at an international chess tournament to play without the abaya, a long robe-like dress The ambitious 32-year-old heir to the throne upended decades of royal family protocol, social norms and traditional ways of doing business. He bet instead on a young generation of Saudis hungry for change and a Saudi public fed up with corruption and government bureaucracy.




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Turkey detains 75 Islamic State suspects: police, media

Turkey detains 75 Islamic State suspects: police, media

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Turkey detains 75 Islamic State suspects: police, mediaTurkish police detained 75 suspected Islamic State members in two operations on Friday, state media and police said, after arresting about 120 such suspects across Turkey a day earlier, tightening security ahead of the New Year. Some 500 police officers took part in simultaneous raids across Ankara, and many of those detained were foreign nationals, state-run Anadolu news agency reported. Materials seized in the raids indicated some of the suspects had made preparations for an attack over New Year, it added.




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North Korean nuclear scientist deported by China 'commits suicide in prison hours before interrogation' 

North Korean nuclear scientist deported by China 'commits suicide in prison hours before interrogation' 

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North Korean nuclear scientist deported by China 'commits suicide in prison hours before interrogation' A North Korean nuclear scientist deported back to his home country after defecting to China has reportedly committed suicide in his prison cell hours before he was due to be interrogated. The defector, who is in his 50s, was a lead researcher in the physics centre of the State Academy of Sciences in Pyongyang. He was identified by Radio Free Asia as Hyun Cheol-huh, although it is not known if this was his real name. A source in North Hamgyong province told RFA that he was forced back on November 17 and placed in solitary confinement at the state security department in Sinuiju city, where he consumed poison. “He died before he could be questioned about the reasons for his escape, who had helped him and what his route had been,” he said. Mr Hyun is said to have taken leave from his job “because he was showing signs of anxiety over his research projects,” added the source. “Suddenly, he visited relatives near the border without letting his family know and without carrying valid documents for travel. And when he learned that the authorities were looking for him, he simply disappeared.” Reports have suggested that Mr Hyun had attempted to join up with other defectors and that the Chinese were unaware of his true identity when they were tipped off by North Korean intelligence. Despite building evidence of human rights atrocities, there has been a reported surge in deportations back to the North from China, the most common escape route for defectors. On Friday the Daily NK reported that North Korean border forces have been ordered shoot defectors trying to escape, even if they have already entered Chinese territory, or face the firing squad themselves. The crackdown followed the high profile defection of Oh Chong-song, a young soldier whose daring dash for freedom was caught on camera and broadcast around the world. The orders state that “the entire border region should now be considered the front-line of defence” and be turned into an “impenetrable fortress.” The draconian measures come at great human cost. Last month North Korean defector, Taewon Lee, 29, made a heartbroken plea for international help to save his wife and young child from being deported back after they were caught by the Chinese en route to join him in Seoul. Despite desperately lobbying South Korea’s foreign ministry for help, he discovered late last month that they had been forced back to the North. Little is known of their fate, but in an earlier interview with the Telegraph, Mr Lee was clear about his fears for their wellbeing if they were returned. “They will definitely be sent to a prison camp. In the worst case, they will be killed,” he said.




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Serbia launches probe after toxic waste dumped near Belgrade

Serbia launches probe after toxic waste dumped near Belgrade

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Serbia launches probe after toxic waste dumped near BelgradeThe mayor of a Belgrade suburb said Saturday that a large-scale investigation will be launched following the discovery of 25 tonnes of toxic waste found dumped in a private field. "This is just the beginning of a major operation that will take place on our territory and in Serbia," Obrenovac mayor Miroslav Cuckovic told state television (RTS). The environment ministry announced Friday the dumped waste had been found, and analysis is under way to determine if the surrounding soil has been polluted.




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Ukraine kidnappers free bitcoin analyst after $1 mln ransom paid

Ukraine kidnappers free bitcoin analyst after $1 mln ransom paid

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Ukraine kidnappers free bitcoin analyst after $1 mln ransom paidBy Pavel Polityuk KIEV (Reuters) - Kidnappers in Ukraine have released an employee at a United Kingdom-registered cryptocurrency exchange after getting more than $1 million in bitcoins as ransom, an adviser to the Ukrainian interior minister told Reuters on Friday. Pavel Lerner, a leading analyst and blockchain expert, was abducted by unknown masked people on Dec. 26, according to a statement by his company, EXMO Finance, on its website. "This is the first such case in Ukraine linked to bitcoins," Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, said in a phone text message.




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Saturday 30 December 2017

India's 'moonwalking' traffic cop turns heads

India's 'moonwalking' traffic cop turns heads

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India's 'moonwalking' traffic cop turns heads"I have been a Michael Jackson fan for years and copied his moonwalk step to halt traffic 12 years ago," Singh told AFP. "It's a tiring task maintaining traffic amid noise pollution and reckless motorists but moonwalking amuses commuters and drivers," Singh added, after another tiring day seemingly gliding backwards across the street. Singh claims the number of traffic violations at the high court intersection where he spends most days has fallen over the years.




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Couple and two young children found dead in New York basement with throats slashed in 'possible quadruple homicide'

Couple and two young children found dead in New York basement with throats slashed in 'possible quadruple homicide'

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Couple and two young children found dead in New York basement with throats slashed in 'possible quadruple homicide'A couple and two young children have been found dead in a basement in Troy, New York State with their throats slashed. The victims, a same-sex couple aged 36 and 22 were found in a basement alongside the older woman’s 11-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter on 27 December in the Lansingburgh neighbourhood of the city. Police have described the case as a "possible quadruple homicide" and say the family were targeted.




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New York fire: What we know so far about Bronx apartment block blaze

New York fire: What we know so far about Bronx apartment block blaze

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New York fire: What we know so far about Bronx apartment block blazeAt least 12 people have died and several more critically injured in fire at an apartment block in the Bronx in New York City. Four children were among the dead, in "the worst fire tragedy in at least a quarter of a century", the city's mayor Bill de Blasio wrote on Twitter. New York City Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro described the tragedy as “historic in its magnitude”.




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Brazil's top court suspends parts of President Temer's Christmas pardons

Brazil's top court suspends parts of President Temer's Christmas pardons

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Brazil's top court suspends parts of President Temer's Christmas pardonsBy Ricardo Brito and Jake Spring BRASILIA (Reuters) - The head of Brazil's Supreme Court suspended parts of a Christmas decree from President Michel Temer granting pardons to convicted criminals on Thursday, saying Temer's actions needed further examination by the court. Cármen Lúcia ruled largely in favor of a legal challenge by Brazil's top prosecutor, Raquel Dodge, who said on Wednesday that the pardons were unconstitutional and threatened a probe into the country's largest-ever corruption scandal.




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India's 'moonwalking' traffic cop turns heads

India's 'moonwalking' traffic cop turns heads

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India's 'moonwalking' traffic cop turns heads"I have been a Michael Jackson fan for years and copied his moonwalk step to halt traffic 12 years ago," Singh told AFP. "It's a tiring task maintaining traffic amid noise pollution and reckless motorists but moonwalking amuses commuters and drivers," Singh added, after another tiring day seemingly gliding backwards across the street. Singh claims the number of traffic violations at the high court intersection where he spends most days has fallen over the years.




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