News World 212: CNN

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Saturday, July 9, 2016

Ex-Rep. Joe Walsh defends tweet threatening "war" on Obama

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Walsh, a former tea party congressman from Illinois and now a conservative talk radio host, tweeted in the wake of the Dallas shootings, "3 Dallas Cops killed, 7 wounded. This is now war. Watch out Obama. Watch out black lives matter punks. Real America is coming after you."

Walsh later explained on Twitter that he wasn"t calling for violence against Obama or Black Lives Matter activists. But he told CNN"s Don Lemon Friday night that he stands by his words and that Twitter "shut me down."

"Twitter said the only way you"ll open your account is if we get rid of that tweet," Walsh claimed.

Twitter would not comment on Walsh"s claims, citing privacy and security reasons. But spokesman Nu Wexler noted a Twitter policy that says users "may not make threats of violence or promote violence, including threatening or promoting terrorism."

Lemon asked Walsh if he stood by his words on Twitter.

"Yeah. Oh, absolutely, because I stand by what I meant, Don," Walsh said. "I didn"t intend to say everybody go threaten Barack Obama or incite violence against Barack Obama. I don"t know of a sane person that would do that. That"s not what I meant, Don."

He told Lemon he made that remark because he"s "p****d off" and "there really is a war on our cops."

"The last couple of years, Barack Obama has done nothing but hate on cops. Accusing cops of being bad and racist," Walsh said, citing Obama"s comments in the wake of Philando Castile"s shooting death in Minnesota. The President had said minorities are more likely to be pulled over, searched or shot at by police.

"But that"s not accusing cops of being racist," Lemon countered. "He"s actually pointing out a fact there is systemic racism in this country and there are police departments that need to be reformed."

"He said cops were racist," Walsh replied. "Think about this. He said cops were racist after he found out that a young black man in Ferguson, Missouri, attacked a cop. Instead of going after the young black man who attacked a cop, he criticized the cop and Don, ever since then, ever since we"ve had one of these incidents, his impulse, his reflex, is always to go after the cop. Always."

Walsh added, "When he said there"s systemic racism in the police department after the Minneapolis shooting, he"s telling people on the streets that police officers are racist. Now, maybe you and I can make that distinction, but when people on the street hear the President of the United States time after time say that there is racism in police departments all over the country, man, that kind of hating leads to what you got in Dallas."

Five Dallas law enforcement officers were shot and killed by a sniper at a protest over police violence in the deadliest attack on law enforcement since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The protest was part of a national wave spurred by back-to-back police shooting deaths of two African-American men.

Walsh"s tweet Thursday night went viral after New York Times reporter Matthew Rosenberg spotted the deletion early Friday morning and urged people to retweet it.

"Joe Walsh decided to delete this tweet. So let"s all retweet it," Rosenberg tweeted. By 8 a.m. ET Friday morning, it had been retweeted more than 20,000 times.

Walsh later explained on Twitter, early Friday morning, that, "I wasn"t calling for violence, against Obama or anyone. Obama"s words & BLM"s deeds have gotten cops killed. Time for us to defend our cops."

Friday afternoon, Iowa Republican Rep. Steve King also criticized Obama over the shootings, tweeting that the Dallas incident "has roots in first of anti-white/cop events illuminated by Obama...Officer Crowley. There were others."

King was apparently referring to Cambridge, Massachusetts, police Sgt. James Crowley, who arrested prominent black Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. in 2009 following a report of a break-in at Gates" home. Obama attracted controversy at the time when he said police "acted stupidly" during the episode.

CNN"s Ashley Killough and Daniella Diaz contributed to this report.

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/08/politics/joe-walsh-obama-war-tweet/

Monday, June 13, 2016

Second Canadian likely killed in Philippines by Abu Sayyaf militants

Donald Trump"s official CNN interview as presumptive nominee (Part 1)
Robert Hall was one of four people kidnapped by the group last September in the southern Philippines. His likely execution follows that of fellow Canadian hostage John Ridsdel on April 25 when the militants did not received the requested ransom.

"It is with deep sadness that I have reason to believe that a Canadian citizen, Robert Hall, held hostage in the Philippines since September 21, 2015, has been killed by his captors," Trudeau said in a statement, adding that officials were working to officially confirm the death.

"The vicious and brutal actions of the hostage-takers have led to a needless death. Canada holds the terrorist group who took him hostage fully responsible for this cold-blooded and senseless murder," he said.

The militant group originally asked for 300 million Philippine pesos ($6.5 million) in ransom per hostage to be paid by April 25.

The two Canadian men -- along with Hall"s Filipina partner, Marites Flor, and Norwegian national Kjartan Sekkingstad -- were taken in a raid on the Oceanview Resort on Samal Island, which lies off the coast of the southern island of Mindanao.

Hall, Ridsdel and Flor were visiting the resort"s marina on their yacht, while Sekkingstad was the manager of the property.

The apparent execution comes after Abu Sayyaf released a "final" video of the three hostages pleading with Filipino President-elect Rodrigo Duterte and their embassies for assistance.

The video showed Flor wearing a headscarf, Hall and Sekkingstad addressing Duterte in a local dialect, according to jihadist monitoring group SITE Intelligence.

The hostage situation is seen as a test of Duterte"s pledge to crack down on militant activity.

Even though he has not yet been inaugurated, Duterte apologized to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over Ridsdel"s execution, vowing to crack down on militancy in his country.

"You can rest assured that when the time comes, we will be able to apprehend the criminals and exact justice," he promised Trudeau.

Some members of Abu Sayyaf pledged allegiance to ISIS in 2014, though the connection between the groups remain tenuous.

In the video, however, the male hostages were pictured wearing orange T-shirts, mirroring ISIS videos in which hostages are forced to wear orange jumpsuits in a grim reference to prisoners at Guantanamo, the U.S." controversial military prison in Cuba.

Trudeau said that today "marks yet another difficult day for Canada and for Canadians as we grieve as a nation for the loss of both John Ridsdel, who was killed on April 25, and Robert Hall."

"With the tragic loss of two Canadians, I want to reiterate that terrorist hostage-takings only fuel more violence and instability. Canada will not give into their fear-mongering tactics and despicable attitude toward the suffering of others," Trudeau said.

"On behalf of the Government of Canada and all Canadians, I would like to express my heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Hall. They have suffered a terrible loss, and this is a devastating moment for them."

CNN"s Kathy Qiano reported from Jakarta, CNN"s Zahara Ullah reported from Hong Kong and journalist Angela Dewan wrote from London.

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/13/asia/philippines-canada-abu-sayyaf/index.html

Oscar Pistorius: Final act?

CNN Student News - 06/01/16

The hearing may be the final chapter of his widely watched trial over the fatal 2013 Valentine"s Day shooting. Pistorius faces up to 15 years in prison.

Lawyers for the double-amputee sprinter, nicknamed "Blade Runner" for his prosthetic legs, argued that Pistorius was too mentally unwell to serve more jail time.

The only witness called Monday was Jonathan Scholtz, a clinical psychologist, who repeatedly described the athlete as "a broken" man." He explained Pistorius was not able to testify in his own defense due to anxiety and depression following his dramatic fall from grace.

In 2012, Pistorius became the first amputee to compete in the Olympics. But this glory was short lived as he fatally shot Steenkamp through a bathroom door at their Pretoria home, saying he had mistaken her for an intruder.

Scholtz said in his testimony that Pistorius was still on medication for post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. If Pistorius were a regular patient, he would recommend hospitalization, Scholtz said.

But state prosecutor Gerrie Nel questioned why Pistorius had agreed to a television interview in 10 days" time if he was so mentally unfit. He also questioned the psychologist"s claim that Pistorius truly felt remorse, saying that the athlete likely just felt sorry for himself.

A court had initially convicted Pistorius of culpable homicide, but the Supreme Court in December overturned the conviction and handed him the more serious verdict of murder. Pistorius appeared shaken throughout the trial, looking gaunt and dazed and throwing his head into his hands at times.

Scholtz said that Pistorius "takes some comfort" in the knowledge that Steenkamp is with G*d, and that the athlete, a known gun collector, had sold all his weapons and had sworn off firearms.

Pistorius arrived in the Pretoria court in a dark suit and tie flanked by a large police escort. His relatives sat on one side of the courtroom while the family of Steenkamp sat on the other.

There was some debate about the victim"s mother, June Steenkamp, and her statement that she had forgiven Pistorius. Scholz and prosecutor Gerrie Nel agreed that she had done that for her own sake, not for the man who killed her daughter.

Pistorius will learn his fate by Friday.

Here"s what else you need to know:

But hasn"t he been sentenced already?

Yes, after a nearly 50-day trial stretched over seven months, Pistorius was convicted of culpable homicide (much like manslaughter) in September 2014. Judge Thokozile Masipa ruled the sprinter had acted negligently when he shot Steenkamp four times through a locked bathroom door, but that he didn"t do it intentionally. The Supreme Court of Appeal later changed that conviction to murder.

Why did they change the verdict?

The appeals court ruled that the identity of whoever was behind the bathroom door was irrelevant. Pistorius should have foreseen that his action would kill that person, but he went ahead anyway. The key legal principle is known as dolus eventualis.

Is he in prison?

No, Pistorius is at his uncle"s mansion under house arrest. Pistorius spent about a year in a private cell in the hospital wing of a maximum-security prison. He should have gotten out after 10 months, or a sixth of his sentence, but a South African minister intervened. Pistorius could be going straight back to the cell after the sentencing hearing.

What to look out for at this sentencing

It will be the first time the public gets a good look at Pistorius since the first sentencing hearing. The defense has tried to paint a picture of a "broken man" and will likely focus on the media coverage and public treatment of Pistorius as one of their arguments. On the prosecution side, we may see a family member or close friend of Steenkamp brought as a witness to offer emotional testimony.

What sort of time will Pistorius do?

The sentence for murder in South Africa is 15 years, but the defense will argue the judge has some discretion to reduce the jail time and include time already served. Nel, the prosecutor, is unlikely to go for the lower end of the sentencing spectrum. Trial judge Masipa will be handing down the sentence.

CNN"s David McKenzie reported from Pretoria. Journalist Angela Dewan wrote from London

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/13/world/oscar-pistorius-sentencing-hearing/

Sunday, June 12, 2016

Dutch woman jailed in Qatar after reporting rape may face charges

CNN Student News - 06/01/16

The 22-year-old woman, whom CNN has identified only as Laura, was at a hotel bar having drinks with a friend, but then had a drink that made her feel "very unwell," according to Brian Lokollo, a lawyer who was hired by the woman"s family.

She reportedly woke up in an unfamiliar location and realized "to her great horror" that she had been raped after her drink was spiked, Lokollo said.

When she reported the rape to the police, she herself was imprisoned.

"I don"t know what the charges are. To my knowledge she is being held in custody because she reported that she was raped," Lokollo told CNN Sunday.

Charges unknown

According to Lokollo, she is due to appear before a judge in the Qatari capital Monday where the official charges will be heard for the first time.

The Dutch government and its embassy in Doha are in close contact with the defendant and her family in the Netherlands, according to a statement from the embassy.

"We have provided assistance to her since the first day of detention. For the sake of the defendant"s case we will not make further comments at this point," the statement added.

The Qatari authorities could not immediately be reached for comment.

Adultery a crime

"Adultery," or "fornication outside of marriage," is a crime in Qatar as well as other countries in the conservative Muslim Gulf regardless of the marital status of those involved.

According to Qatar"s Penal Code 2004 (Law No. 11), "anyone who copulates with a female above sixteen without compulsion, duress or ruse is convicted to no more than seven years in prison. The same penalty is also imposed on the female for her consent."

In the nearby United Arab Emirates in 2013, a Norwegian woman who reported being raped by a colleague was sentenced to 16 months in jail, charged for having unlawful s*x, making a false statement and the illegal consumption of alcohol.

Marte Deborah Dalelv was later pardoned by Dubai"s ruler.

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/12/middleeast/qatar-dutch-woman-rape-report-held/index.html

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Protesters in Hong Kong brace for more police action

Hong Kong unrest

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STORY HIGHLIGHTS

NEW: Protesters are bracing for more police action Wednesday
Hong Kong police: 86 arrested Tuesday in police scuffles
It developed after bailiffs initiated a court-ordered clearance of a street
Police fire "tear water" to push crowds; hold signs warning they'll use force

Hong Kong (CNN) -- Hundreds of protesters were holding a sit-in along four city blocks in Hong Kong on Wednesday morning, bracing for another day of clashes with police who plan on clearing more of the pro-democracy protest site in the bustling Mong Kok district.

On Tuesday, 86 protesters were arrested in scuffles with police.

Pro-democracy activist and lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung, commonly known as "Long Hair," was among those arrested, his office confirmed.

Hundreds of police were in attendance to support bailiffs' efforts to remove barriers from Mong Kok's Argyle Street between Tung Choi and Portland streets.

The bailiffs were enforcing a court order obtained by a local bus company, following complaints by residents and businesses that the protests have disrupted life in parts of the city for nearly two months. Police warned that anyone obstructing the bailiffs in their work would face contempt of court charges.

Numbers at the protest site swelled dramatically during the day, prompting police to issue a "final warning" to disperse at about 2:45 p.m. Scuffles then broke out, and a number of protesters could be seen being taken away by police.

Arrests, injuries, 'tear water'

Eighty-six people were arrested, Hong Kong's Police Public Relations Branch said at 8 p.m., a few hours after reporting 32 arrests. Some of those were charged with assaulting police officers, others with not obeying court orders.

Three police officers were injured in the clashes. The Hong Kong Information Services Department earlier said that two people were injured at the site; it was not immediately clear whether police were among that number.

And it's not over. After the arrests and clashes, police began spraying liquid -- referred to by a resident and local media as "tear water" -- toward the remaining crowds, slowly pushing them back.

Dressed in riot gear, some of the police held banners that read, "Stop charging, or we use force."

Activists had messages of their own, as seen in the Hong Kong Federation of Students' official Twitter account: "More support urgently needed in Mong Kok! Bring helmets, (goggles), shields, umbrellas, towels and be careful!"

Who's who in the Hong Kong protests?

Plans to relocate?

Earlier in the day, some protesters had said they planned to relocate peacefully to other protest sites in the city, while others said they respected the injunction but would remain at the site as long as possible.

Protesters calling for universal suffrage remain camped at a main protest site outside government buildings in Admiralty on Hong Kong Island and at a separate site in Mong Kok, a busy commercial district in Kowloon.

As bailiffs announced their intention to clear the site, protesters joined in chants calling for universal suffrage and demanding the resignation of Hong Kong's chief executive, C.Y. Leung.

Prior to leaving on a trip to South Korea on Tuesday, Leung said he had confidence in police to handle the situation in Mong Kok and said the government remained willing to engage in dialogue on political reform.

Universal suffrage

The protesters want to be able to nominate candidates for the election of the city's chief executive in 2017. Instead, China's National People's Congress has said they'll be able to vote only for canidates from a short list approved by a pro-Beijing committee.

Currently, the chief executive is elected by a specially appointed 1,200-member election committee.

At the peak of the protests in early October, tens of thousands of people were on the streets at three locations. But numbers have dwindled as the protests have continued, and local polling suggests support has dipped.

In a random survey of 513 people conducted by the University of Hong Kong, 83% said pro-democracy protesters should cease their eight-week occupation of major roads in Hong Kong, while just 13% said the protests should continue.

CNN's Elizabeth Joseph, Vivian Kam, Felicia Wong and Greg Botelho contributed to this report.

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/25/world/asia/hong-kong-protests-mong-kok-clearance/