Month: March 2017

Trump University $25 million settlement approved
“Thousands of former Trump University students will get most of their money back, with a judge on Friday approving a $25 million settlement…” (CNN)

Trump backers on CNN: We aren’t worried about Russia
“…That’s what first met CNN’s Alisyn Camerota when she asked a group of loyal President Donald Trump supporters if they were bothered by allegations of connections between his associates and Russia…” (CNN)

Iran and Turkey at odds over refugee crisis
“Exactly 38 years ago — on April 1, 1979 — Iran officially became an Islamic republic. The change of the system in the country — which marked the creation of the world’s first Islamic Republic — upset all the balances in the Middle East…” (Arab News)

Balance of power in Syria is changing once again
“Two coordinated surprise offensives by Syrian rebels last week have rattled the Damascus regime and threatened to derail the start of the fifth round of political talks in Geneva…” (Arab News)

South Sudanese rebel group frees three foreign oil workers
“South Sudanese rebels said on Thursday they had freed three oil workers from Pakistan and India that their fighters had seized earlier this month…” (Africa News)

Kenya arrests most wanted Islamic State militant who trafficked recruits
“Kenya has arrested a suspected Islamic State militant on the country’s “most wanted” list who allegedly helped send recruits to Libya and Somalia, police said on Thursday.

Police seized Ali Hussein Ali, who is nicknamed “Trusted One”, and two accomplices in the coastal town of Malindi on Monday…” (Africa News)

Mysterious disease blamed on Kogi deaths in Colombia’s Sierra Nevada
“A mysterious disease affecting the indigenous Kogi people, who inhabit the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, has resulted in eleven fatalities raising serious concerns among health authorities in the departments of Magdalena and César…” (The City Paper Bogotá)

Colombia’s IDEAM issues “red alert” for floods after unseasonable heavy rains
“Colombia’s meteorological agency IDEAM has issued its highest alert for flooding after heavy rainfall and persistent storms are affecting large areas of the country…”
(The City Paper Bogotá)

‘Trump declares war on the Vespa’: Alarm in Italy over US trade plans
“Italy on Friday voiced alarm over Donald Trump’s plans to target imports responsible for the US trade deficit, amid fears products like Vespa scooters could be hit by punitive duties…” (The Local)

Rare happy ending in Mediterranean migrant drama
“Most members of a group of 146 migrants reported missing, feared dead, this week in the Mediterranean were rescued and safely brought to Italy, it emerged on Thursday…”
(The Local)

NASA’s Juno Probe Just Sent Back Breathtaking New Images of Jupiter
“A probe the size of a basketball court has taken unprecedented new images of Jupiter. NASA’s US$1 billion Juno spacecraft, launched in August 2011, took five years to reach and settle into orbit around the gas giant, which is more than 415 million miles (670 kilometres) from Earth…” (Science Alert)

Scientists Have Discovered a Brand New Tyrannosaur With a Super-Sensitive Face
“Scientists have discovered a new tyrannosaur species that lived 75 million years ago on the plains of what is now Montana, and it’s given us a brand new perspective on what the faces of tyrannosaurs looked like, including the iconic Tyrannosaurus rex…”
(Science Alert)

 

Photo: By Wikipietime (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Senate hearing: Russian meddling did not stop at the election
“The Senate intelligence committee opened its first public hearing on Russian meddling in the US election Thursday with calls for nonpartisanship, citing ongoing foreign interference that threatens “the heart of our democracy…” (CNN)

Federal judge in Hawaii extends ruling halting travel ban indefinitely
“A federal judge in Hawaii granted the state’s request for a longer-term halt of the revised travel ban executive order Wednesday…” (CNN)

Coyne: Micro-terrorism emerges as new threat in wake of Ottawa, Quebec attacks
“Since Sept. 11, 2001, authorities across the West have been bracing themselves for the second act, the big kill, the spectacular slaughter of hundreds or even thousands at a time. And though many attempts have been made, they have by and large been successfully intercepted. The worst terrorist attack on western soil since then was the London Transport bombings of 2005, which killed 56…” (Canada.com)

Ryerson University president apologizes for student film that portrays Niagara Falls as a slum
“NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. — The president of Ryerson University in Toronto has apologized to Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati for a student film depicting the city in a harsh light.

The four-minute documentary As Niagara Falls is listed as a “Ryerson University Production” on the Facebook page of its student filmmakers, known collectively as Mayday Pictures…” (Canada.com)

Rio de Janeiro Registers Spike in Violence in February 2017
“RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Data released by Rio de Janeiro’s Instituto de Segurança Publica – ISP (Public Security Institute) shows that February of 2017 was one of the most violent months in the state’s history, with violent death rates increasing by 28.1 percent and vehicle thefts by 40.3 percent in relation to February of 2016..” (The Rio Times)

Death Toll has Reached 162 from Yellow Fever in Brazil
“SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL – Health officials in Brazil continue to monitor closely the current outbreak of yellow fever in several states in the country. The latest data from the Ministry of Health shows over 2,000 suspected cases and at least 162 reported deaths. The outbreak is already considered the largest in Brazil since 1980, when the Ministry began gathering data…” (The Rio Times)

First Tehran marathon: ‘Let’s build bridges, not walls’
“Over a thousand runners from more than 50 countries including the US, UK expected to join 42km April 7 race in Iran…” (Al Jazeera)

Egypt ‘one of the biggest prisons for journalists’
“One hundred days after the arrest of Mahmoud Hussein, Egyptian authorities continue to crackdown on the media…” (Al Jazeera)

Arab Summit: ‘Arabs lost confidence in their leaders’
“Arab leaders are convening near the Jordanian Dead Sea for the 28th annual summit of the Arab League, as the region faces distressing turmoil and political challenges…”
(Al Jazeera)

BBC urged to stand firm against accusations of Brexit bias
“More than 80 senior politicians have written to the BBC urging it to stand firm against allegations of bias over its Brexit coverage…” (The Guardian)

Poorest UK families struggle to put food on the table, survey finds
“One in four low-income households struggles to eat regularly or healthily because of a lack of money, according to the first substantial survey into the scale of food insecurity in the UK…” (The Guardian)

The World’s Largest Solar Geoengineering Study Is About to Be Launching in the US
“Scientists are ready to send aerosol injections 20 kilometres (12.4 miles) up into the stratosphere to assess the technique’s feasibility as a technical fix for global warming…” (Science Alert)

This Palaeontologist Says We Might Have Been Wrong About Dinosaur Sexes
“When it comes to identifying which dinosaur remains come from a male or a female, palaeontologists often rely on the size and shape of the bones.

But one palaeontologist thinks researchers might have been a little hasty in their assessments, claiming that a lack of evidence supporting sex differences in many previously studied dinosaurs could mean we have it all wrong…” (Science Alert)

 

 

Photo: By en.wiki: Aivazovskycommons: Aivazovskybased on this map (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

The House just voted to wipe away the FCC’s landmark Internet privacy protections
“Congress sent proposed legislation to President Trump on Tuesday that wipes away landmark online privacy protections, the first salvo in what is likely to become a significant reworking of the rules governing Internet access in an era of Republican dominance…” (The Washington Post)

House panel’s Russia probe effectively put on hold
“The House Intelligence Committee’s probe of alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 elections, including potential ties between the Trump team and the Kremlin, is effectively on hold, after its chairman said the panel would not interview more witnesses until two intelligence chiefs return to Capitol Hill for a still-unscheduled private briefing…”
(The Washington Post)

AKIM REPORT SHOWS ISRAELIS ACCEPTING BUT NOT INCLUSIVE OF INTELLECTUALLY DISABLED
“While there is an improvement in how Israeli society perceives people with cognitive disabilities, there is still a prominent belief that this group should live their lives within frameworks separate from the rest of the population, according to AKIM, the National Organization for Habilitation of Children and Adults with Intellectual Disabilities…”
(The Jerusalem Post)

GLICK FILES SUPREME COURT PETITION TO ALLOW MK VISITS TO TEMPLE MOUNT
“Mk Yehudah Glick (Likud) submitted a petition to the High Court of Justice on Tuesday asking it to permit Knesset members to visit the Temple Mount…” (The Jerusalem Post)

Updated-The Syrian Arab Republic delegation meets Gatilov and Iran’s UN Representative
“Geneva , SANA_ The Syrian Arab Republic delegation headed by Dr. Bashar al-Jaafari met Tuesday with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov and Director of the Middle East and North Africa Department at the Russian Foreign Ministry Sergey Vershinin and the accompanying delegation…” (Syrian Arab News Agency)

Army establishes control over mountains in Palmyra, kills scores of terrorists in Deir Ezzor and Hama
“Provinces, SANA – Army and Armed Forces units established control over a number of mountains in Palmyra area in the eastern countryside of Homs province after eliminating the last ISIS gatherings in the area, according to a military source…”
(Syrian Arab News Agency)

Ex-governor declared fugitive from justice
“The ex-governor Chihuahua is now considered a fugitive from justice, his successor said this afternoon.

César Duarte has fled to El Paso, Texas, to avoid possible corruption charges, said Governor Javier Corral, telling a press conference that procedures have begun to have Duarte arrested and extradited to Mexico…” (Mexico News Daily)

Costume on Amazon ‘racist, anti-Latino’
“A costume bearing the inscription “Mexico will pay!” has been described as racist by the man who helped develop the “Make Mexico America Again!” baseball hats.

And Jerónimo Saldaña wants Amazon to stop selling it…” (Mexico News Daily)

 

Photo: By Martin Falbisoner (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Hosni Mubarak walks free after six-year detention
“Six years after his ouster, Egypt’s ex-President Hosni Mubarak has been released from detention after being cleared of inciting the killings of hundreds of protesters in 2011…” (Al Jazeera)

Jordanians in Karak find unity in wake of tragedy
“New initiatives aim to strengthen the town’s sense of community, after a December ISIL attack that killed 10 people…” (Al Jazeera)

Israel shuts down Arab primary school in East Jerusalem
“Israeli occupation authorities shut down the private school a month ago, alleging an affiliation with Hamas…” (Al Jazeera)

PALESTINIANS, JORDANIANS AND ISRAELIS TEAM UP TO COMBAT EARTHQUAKE RISK
“The area along the Israel-Jordan border is highly susceptible to earthquakes. Israelis, Jordanians and Palestinians joined forces to provide the best possible response in case such a disaster strikes…” (Jerusalem Post)

PARTING SHOT: LOSING THE RATIONAL ISRAELI
“…Along with a contingent of Jerusalem Post editors and reporters, I was in the Palestinian city to meet with PA strongman Jibril Rajoub, who has been part of the Israeli-Palestinian landscape since the beginning of the Oslo Accords over two decades ago….”
(Jerusalem Post)

Trump’s art of no deal: Find someone to blame
“…Speaking soon after accepting defeat, Trump didn’t shoulder the responsibility himself, nor did he pin the blame on House GOP leadership or any of the warring Republican factions’ whose competing demands ultimately sunk any chance of a consensus bill.
Instead, he blamed Democrats and vowed to let Obamacare “explode.”…” (CNN)

Missing black girls in DC spark outrage, prompt calls for federal help
“Two months ago, the Washington Metropolitan Police Department’s new commander, Chanel Dickerson, made a pledge: Let’s find our missing girls.

Now, as the department posts profiles of missing black and Latina girls in the nation’s capital on its Twitter feed almost daily, members of the Congressional Black Caucus are calling for a federal investigation…” (CNN)

Westminster attack: police scramble to piece together past of London killer
“Counter-terrorism investigators have been investigating Khalid Masood’s life and associations across Britain as they raced to discover what led him to kill four people and injure more than 50 in Wednesday’s murderous attack in Westminster…” (The Guardian)

Woman photographed in hijab on Westminster Bridge responds to online abuse
“A woman whose image became an Islamophobic meme after the Westminster terror attack has told of her horror and distress at the incident and the abuse she suffered afterwards…” (The Guardian)

Vancouver is the 39th most expensive city in the world, according to The Economist
“ancouver, the city of unaffordable homes and disappearing millennials, ranks as the 39th most expensive major city in the world, according to The Economist’s Worldwide Cost of Living Report 2017…” (Canada.com)

Canadian-developed Ebola vaccine licensed to Merck
“The small U.S. company that holds the rights to a Canadian-developed Ebola vaccine has agreed to licence it to vaccine giant Merck, which should speed the development of the product that scientists hope will eventually end the outbreak in West Africa…” (Canada.com)

It’s Happening: Scientists Can Now Reverse DNA Ageing in Mice
“Researchers have identified a cellular mechanism that allows them to reverse ageing in mouse DNA and protect it from future damage.

They’ve shown that by giving a particular compound to older mice, they can activate the DNA repair process and not only protect against future damage, but repair the existing effects of ageing. And they’re ready to start testing in humans within six months…” (Science Alert)

Two-Thirds of Cancer Mutations Are Random and Unavoidable, Scientists Claim
“Almost two-thirds of cancer mutations are caused by random DNA-copying errors during cell division and are impossible for us to avoid, regardless of lifestyle and the genes we inherit from our parents, according to new research…” (Science Alert)

 

 

Photo: This image is a work of an employee of the Executive Office of the President of the United States, taken or made as part of that person’s official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain.