2018年8月27日星期一

Yahoo! News: Brazil

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Yahoo! News: Brazil


Read The Harrowing Tweets Jacksonville Shooting Victim Sent From The Scene

Posted: 27 Aug 2018 02:00 AM PDT

Read The Harrowing Tweets Jacksonville Shooting Victim Sent From The SceneOne of the gamers wounded in Sunday's mass shooting in Jacksonville, Florida


Trump Orders White House Flag Lowered To Half-Staff Again In Honor Of McCain (UPDATE)

Posted: 27 Aug 2018 06:51 AM PDT

Trump Orders White House Flag Lowered To Half-Staff Again In Honor Of McCain (UPDATE)UPDATE: 4:40 p.m. ― President Donald Trump said in a statement Monday


Ex-Vatican official accuses Pope of ignoring abuse claims

Posted: 26 Aug 2018 02:56 AM PDT

Ex-Vatican official accuses Pope of ignoring abuse claimsA former ambassador to the Vatican has accused Pope Francis of ignoring sexual abuse claims against prominent US cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who was forced to resign last month. Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano said that he had told Francis, who is currently visiting Ireland, of the allegations in 2013, but that the pontiff instead lifted sanctions imposed on McCarrick by predecessor Pope Benedict.


JetBlue is raising fees on baggage and ticket changes

Posted: 27 Aug 2018 10:56 AM PDT

JetBlue is raising fees on baggage and ticket changesDALLAS (AP) — JetBlue Airways is raising fees for checking a bag or changing a ticket, a move that could prompt other airlines to raise their fees.


US strike 'kills Islamic State commander in Afghanistan'

Posted: 27 Aug 2018 04:35 AM PDT

US strike 'kills Islamic State commander in Afghanistan' A US strike over the weekend killed a senior Islamic State commander in eastern Afghanistan, Afghan and US officials said Monday. The strike in Nangarhar province killed Abu Sayeed Orakzai, a senior leader in the extremist group, according to Shah Hussain Martazawi, deputy spokesman for the Afghan presidency. He said the operation showed the government's "determination to fight terrorism." Lt Col Martin O'Donnell, a spokesman for US forces in Afghanistan, said American forces launched a counterterrorism strike in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday that targeted a "senior leader of a designated terrorist organization." He did not provide further details. "These efforts target the real enemies of Afghanistan, the same enemies who threaten America," he said. An Isil affiliate that emerged in Afghanistan in 2014 has carried out scores of attacks targeting security forces and the country's Shiite minority. Even with US and NATO support, Afghan security forces have struggled to combat Isil and the more well-established Taliban. 


29 Cornbread Recipes You Won't Be Able To Stop Eating

Posted: 27 Aug 2018 09:08 AM PDT

29 Cornbread Recipes You Won't Be Able To Stop Eating


Chinese authorities say Didi bears 'unshirkable responsibility' for passenger's death

Posted: 26 Aug 2018 08:13 AM PDT

Chinese authorities say Didi bears 'unshirkable responsibility' for passenger's deathChina's police and transport ministry said on Sunday the country's largest ride-hailing firm Didi Chuxing had "unshirkable responsibility" for a ride-sharing passenger being raped and killed by a driver in the eastern city of Wenzhou. The company met with both ministries in Beijing and the nearby port city of Tianjin and ordered to carry out a complete reform of its platform to ensure safety standards, the official Xinhua news agency reported. A Didi representative said the company felt deeply responsible and would complete by Sept 1 a new compliance operation to be inspected by the ministries and the public, according to Xinhua.


Scientists Discover Giant Deep-Sea Coral Reef Off Atlantic Coast

Posted: 25 Aug 2018 06:40 PM PDT

Scientists Discover Giant Deep-Sea Coral Reef Off Atlantic CoastTHE ATLANTIC OCEAN -- As the research vessel Atlantis made its way out to sea


'No one deserves to die over a video game': survivors recall chaos of Florida shooting

Posted: 27 Aug 2018 04:06 AM PDT

'No one deserves to die over a video game': survivors recall chaos of Florida shootingPolice officers attend the incident at the Jacksonville Landing. A gunman who killed two people and wounded nine others before shooting himself dead at a video gamers' tournament in Florida on Sunday was known to fellow players as an aloof and insular character who made little effort to make friends on the competition circuit. Authorities in Jacksonville were on Monday looking into one theory that David Katz, 24, opened fire in anger after losing a match at the Madden NFL 19 tournament, an event themed on the popular American football video game that was taking place in a bar at the back of a pizza restaurant at the Jacksonville Landing shopping complex.


Monterey Car Week: day one auction results

Posted: 26 Aug 2018 03:06 PM PDT

Monterey Car Week: day one auction resultsAlthough down by nearly $2 million compared with Monterey 2017's first day of auctions, sale prices are healthy – and we've only just got started…


Trump says he 'may have to get involved' in FBI corruption investigation

Posted: 25 Aug 2018 06:35 PM PDT

Trump says he 'may have to get involved' in FBI corruption investigationDonald Trump has threatened he "may have to get involved" after launching another attack on the FBI investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Four days after his former campaign manager and former lawyer were convicted of fraud, the US president complained that special counsel Robert Mueller was "having a field day". Mr Trump claimed the FBI should be looking into his former opponent Hillary Clinton instead, tweeting: "I feel sure that we will soon be getting to the bottom of all of this corruption.


Pope Francis, Senior Church Officials Knew About Sex Abuse Scandal, Former Vatican Ambassador Claims

Posted: 26 Aug 2018 07:56 AM PDT

Pope Francis, Senior Church Officials Knew About Sex Abuse Scandal, Former Vatican Ambassador ClaimsA letter accuses Pope Francis of being aware of a Washington cardinal's affairs


Weekend Rewind: John McCain dies at age 81

Posted: 27 Aug 2018 03:38 AM PDT

Weekend Rewind: John McCain dies at age 81Republicans and Democrats alike celebrated the life of John McCain after his passing.


Israel reopens people crossing with Gaza Strip

Posted: 27 Aug 2018 03:17 AM PDT

Israel reopens people crossing with Gaza StripIsrael reopened its only crossing for people with the Gaza Strip on Monday, a week after shutting it over violence along the border with the Palestinian enclave. The reopening, following days of relative calm, comes as Egypt holds talks with Palestinian officials as part of efforts to reach a long-term truce with Israel. A spokeswoman for the Israeli defence ministry unit that oversees the Erez crossing confirmed it had opened as planned on Monday morning.


Melania Trump helps plant baby Eisenhower oak at White House

Posted: 27 Aug 2018 01:58 PM PDT

Melania Trump helps plant baby Eisenhower oak at White HouseWASHINGTON (AP) — Joined by descendants of past presidents, Melania Trump helped plant a sapling from an Eisenhower-era tree on the south grounds of the White House.


Sexually frustrated dolphin named Zafar terrorises tourists on French beach

Posted: 27 Aug 2018 05:23 AM PDT

Sexually frustrated dolphin named Zafar terrorises tourists on French beachA seaside village in Brittany has banned swimming on its beach because a dolphin in heat has been scaring tourists and locals by approaching them and trying to rub up against them. The dolphin has even tried to prevent several swimmers from getting back to the beach at Landévennec, using its nose to push one woman out of the water and up into the air.  The beast, often clearly in a state of sexual arousal, also often tries to rub up against kayaks and other small boats. The three-metre long dolphin, which locals have nicknamed Zafar, has been hanging around the Bay of Brest for months, amusing tourists with its antics as it visited the beaches and shorelines of Plougastel-Daoulas, Logonna-Daoulas and Landevennec. Children in sailing schools were delighted when the dolphin would suddenly turn up and frolic around their boats, and Zafar sometimes let swimmers grip onto his dorsal fin and go for a ride with him. But then a few weeks ago he changed. The dolphin rubs himself up against kayaks and canoes "Swimming and diving are banned on the village shoreline… whenever the presence of the dolphin is confirmed," said a new bylaw issued last week by the mayor of Landévennec, Roger Lars. "Approaching within 50 metres of the dolphin is also forbidden," said the text. Mayor Lars was not available for comment when contacted by the Telegraph, but he told local media that he had issued the new rules "to ensure people's safety" after Zafar's recent bad behaviour. "Several swimmers were frightened. He (Zafar) even lifted up a woman swimmer last Thursday with his nose," he told Ouest-France newspaper. Local media have been awash with tales of the dolphin's less savoury antics, with several going into some detail about aghast tourists being confronted with the animal's sexual arousal. About | Bottlenose dolphins Dolphins do not have a particular time of year when they reproduce and may mate at any time. They appear to have frequent recreational sex and sometimes display sexual behaviour towards other species, including humans. Experts point out that they are very large wild animals and could cause serious injury - even inadvertently with a flipper - if they feel threatened. But attacks or injury to humans by dolphins are so rare that a Breton lawyer says he plans to take legal action to have what he calls the "excessive" swimming ban in Landévennec overturned. "The mayor wants to make dolphins look like almost ferocious beasts, completely unpredictable and likely to drown people," said Erwan Le Cornec in a statement. "If you were to apply these rules across the board, whenever a pedestrian approaches a dog, even if it is on a leash, all the mayors in… France should issue bylaws banning pedestrians in town," he said.


Mercedes EQC electric crossover SUV teased in new videos

Posted: 27 Aug 2018 07:05 AM PDT

Mercedes EQC electric crossover SUV teased in new videosA production prototype of the upcoming Mercedes-Benz EQC electric crossover SUV has taken a peek from under its veil ahead of its official reveal Sept. 4. Mercedes released two short videos of the car. One reveals a quick look at the left headlight that shows some of the car's angular grille and announces the date of the car's full debut.


Florida video game contest shooting reignites gun rights debate

Posted: 27 Aug 2018 02:39 PM PDT

Florida video game contest shooting reignites gun rights debateWith Florida voters scheduled to pick candidates for governor and Congress on Tuesday, some Democratic contenders said the shooting was further evidence of the need for stricter gun legislation while other hopefuls canceled campaign appearances. "We as society have to come together and say enough of this," Democratic U.S. Senator Bill Nelson told reporters in Jacksonville, near the site of the shooting at a Madden 19 online football game tournament. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office identified the shooter, who took his own life, as David Katz, 24, of Baltimore.


New beer hotel with in-room beer taps and shower beer fridges now open

Posted: 27 Aug 2018 04:57 AM PDT

New beer hotel with in-room beer taps and shower beer fridges now openThe world's first crowdsourced beer hotel, located inside a working brewery, is now open for business. 


Emmerson Mnangagwa sworn in as president of Zimbabwe

Posted: 26 Aug 2018 06:24 AM PDT

Emmerson Mnangagwa sworn in as president of ZimbabweEmmerson Mnangagwa was officially sworn in as president of Zimbabwe on Sunday after winning a bitterly-contested election which was the country's first since the ousting of strongman Robert Mugabe. Mnangagwa, whose victory in the July 30 polls was challenged by the main opposition, pledged to "protect and promote the rights of Zimbabweans" at an inauguration ceremony attended by thousands of supporters at a stadium in Harare. "I Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa swear that as president of the republic of Zimbabwe I will be faithful to Zimbabwe (and) will obey uphold and defend the constitution of Zimbabwe," he said to thunderous applause from a crowd that also included several African heads of state.


Former top Vatican official says pope should resign over abuse crisis

Posted: 26 Aug 2018 06:14 PM PDT

Former top Vatican official says pope should resign over abuse crisisFrancis, speaking to reporters on the plane returning from a trip to Dublin, said dismissively that a statement containing the accusations "speaks for itself". In a detailed 11-page bombshell statement given to conservative Roman Catholic media outlets during the pope's visit to Ireland, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano accused a long list of current and past Vatican and U.S. Church officials of covering up the case of Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who resigned last month in disgrace. "Pope Francis has repeatedly asked for total transparency in the Church," wrote Vigano, who has criticized the pope before.


The Latest: Woman saved 'saved a lot of lives' from fire

Posted: 26 Aug 2018 09:25 AM PDT

The Latest: Woman saved 'saved a lot of lives' from fireCHICAGO (AP) — The Latest on a deadly Chicago fire that killed eight (all times local):


Three Teenagers Arrested in Kidnapping, Rape of 70-Year-Old Woman

Posted: 26 Aug 2018 12:00 PM PDT

Three Teenagers Arrested in Kidnapping, Rape of 70-Year-Old WomanThree teenagers are accused of raping a 70-year-old woman and then abducting her from her Memphis home.


40 Cars With The Best Names Ever

Posted: 27 Aug 2018 08:00 AM PDT

40 Cars With The Best Names Ever


Italy's interior minister faces kidnap charges after immigrants held for ten days at sea 

Posted: 26 Aug 2018 07:41 AM PDT

Italy's interior minister faces kidnap charges after immigrants held for ten days at sea  Italy's far-Right interior minister on Sunday dismissed possible kidnapping charges over the illegal detention of more than 100 migrants as a "badge of honour" as he geared up for a clash with the judiciary.  The group of 150 migrants finally left the Italian coast guard ship Diciotti yesterday after spending 10 days stranded at sea when Italy refused permission for them to disembark, following an agreement for Ireland and Albania to take some of them in.  The ship, also carrying 42 Italian crew members, initially rescued 190 migrants off the coast of Libya on 16 August.  The sickest and youngest were allowed to leave earlier. But approximately a dozen of the mostly Eritrean migrants stranded on board were hospitalized after disembarking Sunday, some with symptoms of tuberculosis, pneumonia and scabies.  Italian Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini speaks at a Lega party meeting in Pinzolo, Italy, Saturday Credit:  Daniele Panato/ ANSA All 11 women on board had been victims of sexual violence, port medics said.  The head of Italy's Medical Agency (AIFA) Stefano Vella resigned in protest on Sunday, saying that as a doctor he felt he could "no longer lead a public health body at a time when people are treated this way on our territory."  Mr Salvini and another high-ranking member of the Italian government have been placed under formal investigation by prosecutors for potential "illegal arrest, illegal confinement and abuse of office".  But Mr Salvini,  the head of the far-Right League, which is in coalition with the anti-establishment Five Star Movement, has treated the episode as a boost to his anti-immigration credentials.  "Every inquiry, lie, insult or threat because I defend the security, borders and future of Italians, is a medal for me," said Mr. Salvini in a tweet on Sunday.   A migrant is helped by Red Cross members after disembarking from Italian coast guard vessel "Diciotti"  Credit:  ANTONIO PARRINELLO/ REUTERS Notified of the inquiry on Saturday while meeting with supporters in a northern Dolomite resort town, Mr Salvini taunted prosecutors to arrest him, saying he awaited them with a glass of local mulberry grappa. "They can arrest me, but not the wishes of 60 million Italians," he said. "Its incredible to live in a country where 10 days ago a bridge collapsed killing 43 people and still no one has been placed under inquiry, while they investigate a minister protecting the security of this country."  Former Interior Minister Marco Minniti, Mr Salvini's predecessor, accused the far-Right leader of provoking an "unjustified and unprecedented conflict of state powers" in exchange for short-term political gain. Mr Salvini pointed to 100,000 tweets under the hashtag "No-one Touches Salvini"  on Sunday as proof of his popular support should the fragile government coalition crumble.  As his personal popularity rises, he is reportedly considering calling for fresh elections in the hope of consolidating his power.  On Tuesday, Mr Salvini will holds talks with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, which has caused disquiet within the 5SM, who have asked why the Italian prime minister, a 5SM member, is not meeting with his Hungarian counterpart. 


The 2019 Chevrolet Malibu RS Makes a Virtue of Being Unobtrusive

Posted: 26 Aug 2018 09:01 PM PDT

The 2019 Chevrolet Malibu RS Makes a Virtue of Being UnobtrusiveBehind a facelift and a new RS badge hides GM's new continuously variable automatic transmission.


Daughter testifies in Hong Kong 'yoga ball' murder trial

Posted: 27 Aug 2018 12:18 AM PDT

Daughter testifies in Hong Kong 'yoga ball' murder trialThe daughter of an anaesthetist accused of gassing his wife and another daughter to death using a yoga ball filled with carbon monoxide described her dead sister as her "soulmate" in a Hong Kong court Monday. Prosecutors have accused Khaw Kim-sun of leaving the inflatable ball in the boot of a car where the gas leaked out and killed his wife and 16-year-old daughter Lily. Khaw, 53, was having an affair and his wife would not grant him a divorce, prosecutors said.


Donald Trump announces new Mexico trade agreement while promising to terminate Nafta

Posted: 27 Aug 2018 09:51 AM PDT

Donald Trump announces new Mexico trade agreement while promising to terminate NaftaPresident Donald Trump has announced that the United States and Mexico have reached a preliminary trade agreement that he says will replace the existing North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta), and benefit citizens of both countries. Mr Trump said that he will now begin negotiations with Canada, and said that the existing name for the current trade deal will be terminated entirely. "They used to call it Nafta, we're going to call it the United States-Mexico trade agreement," Mr Trump said, claiming that Nafta has a negative connotation.


Top 10 most expensive cars sold at auction

Posted: 26 Aug 2018 11:39 PM PDT

Top 10 most expensive cars sold at auctionHow many are Ferraris? And take a guess which other makes creep into this list. Following Monterey 2018, even the cheapest here is over $20m...


NASA Map Reveals How This Week’s Natural Disasters Affect Aerosol Velocity

Posted: 27 Aug 2018 03:30 AM PDT

NASA Map Reveals How This Week's Natural Disasters Affect Aerosol VelocityNASA is tracking even the tiniest specks of matter.


Deported mother tells of moment  five-year-old son was taken from her by Japanese officials - 'I still cannot forget his crying voice'

Posted: 26 Aug 2018 10:46 PM PDT

Deported mother tells of moment  five-year-old son was taken from her by Japanese officials - 'I still cannot forget his crying voice'Japanese immigration officials have been accused of forcibly removing a crying five-year-old boy from the lap of his Vietnamese mother before she was deported from the country. The mother was among 46 Vietnamese deported by immigration officials in February for staying illegally in Japan, with members of 12 families reportedly separated as a result. Nguyen Thi Loan Phuong, 46, told Kyodo News agency how her Japanese-born son, aged five, was tearfully removed from her lap in a room at Tokyo Immigration Bureau a week before she was put out on a chartered plane to Hanoi. Speaking in a telephone interview, she said: "My son was crying. I still cannot forget his crying voice." Six months on, her son remains in Japan where he is being looked after by her Vietnamese refugee husband Hoang Van Hiep, 52, who is juggling childcare with night shifts at a noodle-making factory in Gunma Prefecture. Ms Phuong, who was deported from Japan on one previous occasion, reportedly returned to the country eight years ago using her sister's passport, before marrying her husband. Mr Hiep told local media that returning to Vietnam to be with his wife was impossible due to his refugee status while their son only speaks Japanese. "My wife certainly violated the immigration law, but she regrets it," he added. "All I want is just to live with my wife and son." Japan is home to famously strict immigration laws, despite its rapidly ageing population and low birth rate fuelling growing concerns about the nation's shrinking workforce. The recent situation surrounding Vietnamese families has led to accusations of parallels with immigration policies in the United States, where the separation of thousands of children from parents recently led to global condemnation. Motoko Yamagishi, secretary-general of the Solidarity Network with Migrants Japan, told Kyodo News: "On humanitarian grounds, the government should issue a special residence permit to illegal residents who have been living with their families in Japan for a long time."


Five major dates in the life of John McCain

Posted: 25 Aug 2018 06:32 PM PDT

Five major dates in the life of John McCainUS Senator John McCain, who died Saturday at age 81, spent 35 years in politics after a military career interrupted by his Hanoi confinement during the war in Vietnam. August 29, 1936: John Sidney McCain III is born in the Panama Canal Zone. With his father a US Navy submarine commander and his grandfather an admiral, McCain follows their footsteps into a military career.


BMW Mini Cooper (first-generation) Buying Guide

Posted: 27 Aug 2018 03:46 AM PDT

BMW Mini Cooper (first-generation) Buying GuideFirst-gen modern Mini Cooper retains much of what made the original so desirable, but it does have issues. Here's what to look out for, before jumping in


Money and loyalty: A look inside dramatic Trump-Cohen rift

Posted: 25 Aug 2018 07:04 PM PDT

Money and loyalty: A look inside dramatic Trump-Cohen riftNEW YORK (AP) — For Michael Cohen and Donald Trump, it's always been about money and loyalty.


Driven: Ford Fiesta XR2 Mk2

Posted: 27 Aug 2018 04:25 AM PDT

Driven: Ford Fiesta XR2 Mk2The Fiesta XR2 was one of the most popular cars of the 1980s, but how does the rally-inspired hot hatchback perform with the rose-tinted spectacles removed?


19 Spring-Inspired Cakes and Cupcakes

Posted: 27 Aug 2018 03:11 PM PDT

19 Spring-Inspired Cakes and Cupcakes


Trump says trade deal with Mexico could 'happen soon'

Posted: 26 Aug 2018 09:58 AM PDT

Trump says trade deal with Mexico could 'happen soon'As Mexico's incoming trade negotiator said that the United States has softened its contentious demand for a NAFTA "sunset clause," President Donald Trump tweeted that the United States could reach a "big Trade Agreement" with Mexico imminently. Yahaira Jacquez reports.


Grandmother pulls out two pythons hiding in barbecue like it's no big deal

Posted: 27 Aug 2018 05:36 AM PDT

Grandmother pulls out two pythons hiding in barbecue like it's no big dealSnakes. Scary, right? Not so frightened of these creatures was 81-year-old Australian grandmother Faye Morgan, who casually pulled out not one, but two pythons hiding in the barbecue of a Queensland home on Sunday morning. SEE ALSO: At 99 million years old, this baby snake fossil is the first of its kind to be discovered While the rest of us would likely freak out, Morgan didn't flinch one bit as she hauled the snakes from the grill into an awaiting plastic container. "I live for the drama," Morgan says in the video. "Two of them!"  According to 7 News, Morgan had spent her whole life on a farm, and so the reptiles didn't really faze her. She had also pulled one from the same spot 18 months earlier, so it's certainly no one-off.  While snakes aren't so commonly found in the colder months because they're in a state of semi-hibernation, they'll occasionally wander out if the temperature outside is warm enough. WATCH: Turkey hopes to add its underwater 'Sunken City' to the World Heritage List


Cryptominers dreaming of rebound after price crash

Posted: 26 Aug 2018 08:20 AM PDT

Cryptominers dreaming  of rebound after price crashSurrounded by the cryptocurrency mining "rig" that is taking over his bedroom, "Ali" lays bare the risks of his trade, revealing his profits "are a tenth of what they were". Prices of cryptocurrencies have plunged since the heady heights of last year, slashing the profits of miners such as Ali. This investment totalled around 13,000 euros, soon paid off with his initial gains.


UN says Myanmar military chiefs should face Rohingya 'genocide' case

Posted: 27 Aug 2018 01:58 AM PDT

UN says Myanmar military chiefs should face Rohingya 'genocide' caseA searing United Nations report on Monday called for the investigation and prosecution of Burma's top military generals for genocide and accused Aung San Suu Kyi, the country's civilian leader, of failing to use her "moral authority" to prevent violence against the Rohingya minority in Rakhine state. Among the senior military leader who the report by a UN fact-finding mission believes should go on trial is Senior-General Min Aung Hlaing, the commander-in-chief. It calls for the case to be referred to the International Criminal Court in the Hague. Investigators also concluded that the civilian government "through their acts and omissions" have "contributed to the commission of atrocity crimes." The investigation, coinciding with the one year anniversary of a brutal military crackdown that forced at least 700,000 Rohingya to flee rape, mass murder and the torching of their homes, sharply contradicts the Burmese army's claims of merely responding to security challenges in states with minority populations. It is a culmination of over a year's worth of interviews, research and analysis by UN experts led by human rights lawyer Marzuki Darusman, and covers not only the atrocities committed against the Muslim Rohingya but also in Kachin and Shan states, home to Christian minorities. Marzuki Darusman, chairperson of the Independent International Fact-finding Mission on Myanmar Credit: REUTERS/Denis Balibouse "Military necessity would never justify killing indiscriminately, gang raping women, assaulting children, and burning entire villages. The Tatmadaw's tactics are consistently and grossly disproportionate to actual security threats, especially in Rakhine State, but also in northern Myanmar," the report states. "They are shocking for the level of denial, normalcy and impunity that is attached to them. The Tatmadaw's contempt for human life, integrity and freedom, and for international law generally, should be a cause of concern for the entire population." Rohingya Muslims driven from Burma, in pictures The mission investigated the military's actions dating back to 2011 and throughout the period when the West was celebrating Aung San Suu Kyi's election and starting to cautiously allow investment after years of military dictatorship and sanctions. UN investigators found patterns of gross human rights violations and abuses committed in Rakhine, Kachin and Shan States that "undoubtedly amount to the gravest crimes under international law," principally carried out by the military, known as the Tatmadaw, but also by other security agencies. The crimes cited include murder, imprisonment, enforced disappearance, torture, rape, sexual slavery, other forms of sexual violence and enslavement. Rohingya refugees flee Burma The report, the strongest UN condemnation of the violence against Burma's minorities to date, concludes that there is "sufficient information to warrant the investigation and prosecution of senior officials in the Tatmadaw chain of command." The Burmese authorities did not respond to a request for comment. The UN's findings support multiple investigations by human rights organisations including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, who have already called for the trial of Burma's top military officials for crimes against humanity base on their "orchestrated campaign of murder, rape, torture and destruction." Tirana Hassan, director of crisis response at Amnesty, said Monday's report added "to a mountain of evidence of crimes under international law committed by the military, shows the urgent need for independent criminal investigation and is clear that the Myanmar authorities are incapable of bringing to justice those responsible." Failing to ensure justice and accountability would send "a dangerous message that Myanmar's military will not only enjoy impunity but is free to commit such atrocities again," she warned. "The Fact-Finding Mission's powerful report and clear recommendations demonstrate the obvious need for concrete steps to advance criminal justice for atrocious crimes, instead of more hollow condemnations and expressions of concern," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "UN member states should step up efforts that include the urgent creation of an International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to ensure those most responsible for grave crimes do not escape prosecution." Facebook, which has been repeatedly criticised for failing to do enough to counter hate speech against minorities on its website, banned Burma's army chief and removed other pages tied to the country's military in the wake of the UN probe. "We are banning 20 Burmese individuals and organizations from Facebook - including Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, commander-in-chief of the armed forces," the social media giant said in a statement on its site, adding that it wants to prevent them from using the service to "further inflame ethnic and religious tensions".


Iran's Rouhani under attack from all sides

Posted: 27 Aug 2018 03:56 AM PDT

Iran's Rouhani under attack from all sidesIran's President Hassan Rouhani is clinging to power but finds himself under attack from all sides -- conservatives, reformists and the street -- as he prepares for a grilling in parliament on Tuesday. The US withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers and Washington's reimposition of sanctions have already battered the Iranian economy, and critics say it has exposed the failures of Rouhani's five years in power. For the first time, lawmakers have summoned Rouhani to parliament to face questions over the collapsing value of the Iranian currency, over stubbornly high unemployment and corruption.


Bear defending cub attacks boy, 10, hiking with family

Posted: 26 Aug 2018 03:35 PM PDT

Bear defending cub attacks boy, 10, hiking with familyThe child suffered puncture wounds to his back, wounds around his buttocks and an injured wrist.


North Korea newspaper blasts 'double-dealing' U.S. after Pompeo's trip canceled

Posted: 26 Aug 2018 08:46 AM PDT

North Korea newspaper blasts 'double-dealing' U.S. after Pompeo's trip canceled(Reuters) - North Korea's state-controlled newspaper on Sunday accused the United States of "double-dealing" and "hatching a criminal plot" against Pyongyang, after Washington abruptly canceled a visit by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Negotiations have been all but deadlocked since U.S. President Donald Trump's summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore in June. Pompeo has pressed for tangible steps toward North Korea's abandonment of its nuclear arsenal while Pyongyang is demanding that Washington first make concessions of its own.


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