Month: September 2018

Kavanaugh Accuser ‘100 Percent’ Certain Who Sexually Assaulted Her

Posted on by SeeUS

The first woman who accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her decades ago provided detailed and emotional testimony Thursday before a Senate panel, saying she is “100 percent” certain of her attacker’s identity and that she feared Kavanaugh was “going to accidentally kill” her during the alleged ordeal.

 

WATCH: Christine Blasey Ford Congressional Testimony

The alleged attack

Christine Blasey Ford recalled a 1982 house party that she attended along with Kavanaugh, his friend Mark Judge and others. She alleged that Kavanaugh and Judge locked her in a bedroom and that Kavanaugh forced himself on top of her.

 

“He began running his hands over my body and grinding into me. I yelled, hoping that someone downstairs might hear me and I tried to get away from him but his weight was heavy,” she told the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Ford said Kavanaugh tried to unclothe her but “had a hard time because he was very inebriated” and because she was wearing a bathing suit under her clothes.

 

“I tried to yell for help,” Ford testified. “When I did, Brett put his hand over my mouth to stop me from yelling. This is what has terrified me the most,” she said.

 

She alleged Kavanaugh and Judge were “drunkenly laughing during the attack,” which she maintained “has drastically altered” her life.

Kavanaugh has denied all allegations of sexual misconduct and was expected to testify after Ford.

A prosecutor, Rachel Mitchell, is asking questions at the hearing on behalf of Senate Republicans, asking Ford about timelines and peripheral issues but not challenging her basic account of sexual assault.

Opening remarks

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley opened the hearing by defending the Supreme Court nominee and blaming Democrats for not disclosing the accusations earlier.

 

“As part of Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination to the supreme court, the FBI conducted its sixth full field background investigation if Judge Kavanaugh since 1993 25 years ago. Nowhere in any of these six FBI reports … was there a whiff of any issue, any issue at all related to anyway inappropriate sexual behavior.”

 

Grassley also blamed the committee’s ranking Democrat, Dianne Feinstein, for not revealing accusations she received from Christine Blasey Ford in July.

 

Feinstein defended her handling of what was originally an anonymous allegation by Ford, and said the FBI should have investigated the matter.

Kavanaugh denies accusation

In an advanced text of his opening statement, Kavanaugh vehemently denied Ford’s account as well as accusations by others, characterizing them as last-minute smears. He said such character assassinations — if allowed to succeed — will dissuade competent and good people of all political persuasions from serving the nation, and added that he would not be intimidated into withdrawing from the judicial selection process.

 

President Donald Trump selected Judge Kavanaugh to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy, who was a “swing” vote on the Supreme Court and sometimes sided with liberal justices on key cases. Kavanaugh’s confirmation could solidify a conservative majority on the court for a generation.

 

On Wednesday, President Trump accused Democrats of drumming up sexual-misconduct charges against Kavanaugh.

 

“They are actually con artists because they know how quality this man is and they have destroyed a man’s reputation and they want to destroy it even more, and I think people are going to see that in the midterms, what they have done to this family, what they have done to these children, these beautiful children of his and what they have done to his wife. They know it is a big fat con job,” Trump said.

Other accusers

Other women have come forward in the past few days with detailed complaints about Kavanaugh. He has denied all the allegations.

 

Trump said he would watch Thursday’s potentially explosive Senate hearing and that he could still change his mind about his nominee once he hears what Ford has to say.
…

your ad here

Kavanaugh Accuser ‘100 Percent’ Certain Who Sexually Assaulted Her

Posted on by SeeUS

The first woman who accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her decades ago provided detailed and emotional testimony Thursday before a Senate panel, saying she is “100 percent” certain of her attacker’s identity and that she feared Kavanaugh was “going to accidentally kill” her during the alleged ordeal.

 

WATCH: Christine Blasey Ford Congressional Testimony

The alleged attack

Christine Blasey Ford recalled a 1982 house party that she attended along with Kavanaugh, his friend Mark Judge and others. She alleged that Kavanaugh and Judge locked her in a bedroom and that Kavanaugh forced himself on top of her.

 

“He began running his hands over my body and grinding into me. I yelled, hoping that someone downstairs might hear me and I tried to get away from him but his weight was heavy,” she told the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Ford said Kavanaugh tried to unclothe her but “had a hard time because he was very inebriated” and because she was wearing a bathing suit under her clothes.

 

“I tried to yell for help,” Ford testified. “When I did, Brett put his hand over my mouth to stop me from yelling. This is what has terrified me the most,” she said.

 

She alleged Kavanaugh and Judge were “drunkenly laughing during the attack,” which she maintained “has drastically altered” her life.

Kavanaugh has denied all allegations of sexual misconduct and was expected to testify after Ford.

A prosecutor, Rachel Mitchell, is asking questions at the hearing on behalf of Senate Republicans, asking Ford about timelines and peripheral issues but not challenging her basic account of sexual assault.

Opening remarks

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley opened the hearing by defending the Supreme Court nominee and blaming Democrats for not disclosing the accusations earlier.

 

“As part of Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination to the supreme court, the FBI conducted its sixth full field background investigation if Judge Kavanaugh since 1993 25 years ago. Nowhere in any of these six FBI reports … was there a whiff of any issue, any issue at all related to anyway inappropriate sexual behavior.”

 

Grassley also blamed the committee’s ranking Democrat, Dianne Feinstein, for not revealing accusations she received from Christine Blasey Ford in July.

 

Feinstein defended her handling of what was originally an anonymous allegation by Ford, and said the FBI should have investigated the matter.

Kavanaugh denies accusation

In an advanced text of his opening statement, Kavanaugh vehemently denied Ford’s account as well as accusations by others, characterizing them as last-minute smears. He said such character assassinations — if allowed to succeed — will dissuade competent and good people of all political persuasions from serving the nation, and added that he would not be intimidated into withdrawing from the judicial selection process.

 

President Donald Trump selected Judge Kavanaugh to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy, who was a “swing” vote on the Supreme Court and sometimes sided with liberal justices on key cases. Kavanaugh’s confirmation could solidify a conservative majority on the court for a generation.

 

On Wednesday, President Trump accused Democrats of drumming up sexual-misconduct charges against Kavanaugh.

 

“They are actually con artists because they know how quality this man is and they have destroyed a man’s reputation and they want to destroy it even more, and I think people are going to see that in the midterms, what they have done to this family, what they have done to these children, these beautiful children of his and what they have done to his wife. They know it is a big fat con job,” Trump said.

Other accusers

Other women have come forward in the past few days with detailed complaints about Kavanaugh. He has denied all the allegations.

 

Trump said he would watch Thursday’s potentially explosive Senate hearing and that he could still change his mind about his nominee once he hears what Ford has to say.
…

your ad here

Amid Growing Repression, Turkey’s Women Graffiti Artists Shine

Posted on by SeeEA

Istanbul is seeing an explosion of creative graffiti, with women artists largely behind the blast of color that is sweeping Turkey’s main city in the face of what critics say have been mounting restrictions on expression.

“More and more, the new generation are very into painting on the streets, but for me it is still very much at the beginning,” said Gamze Yalcin, who has been putting her art on the city’s public places.

“As we are having more and more limits for our street life from what we used to have,” she said, “people want to see colors, they want to see art. Whatever you do on the street is a gift for everyone.”

Yalcin speaks to VOA as she applies the finishing touches to her latest work, on the wall of a derelict building in Istanbul’s trendy Tophane district.

The latest work spanning 10 meters is a myriad of images and symbols in pastel colors with an abstract depiction of a woman at the center, encompassing a range of themes found throughout Yalcin’s work.

“We have very limited parks, so green areas is always a subject I like to include with symbols of plants and greens,” she said explaining her work, a myriad of surreal colors.

For Yalcin, featuring women as a central theme represents female empowerment, she says, and “a symbol, for all the women, that they could do whatever they want. They can do their dreams, they can make it true.”

Painting Istanbul’s walls for the past six years, Yalcin – a classically trained artist – is a veteran of Istanbul’s fledgling graffiti world. She is also one of a growing number of women graffiti artists, a trend she is busy building on.

“I organize workshops, [which] women, girls are very much into, and they always come and attend to learn,” she said.

“I feel very lucky that as a female artist painting on the street wherever I go, that brings so much power and so much inspiration,” she adds. “Whatever you do on the street is a gift for everyone, so they [people] are really taking as a gift, and they feel connected.”

While graffiti in many parts of the world is generally seen as vandalism and a nuisance, here, for this genre of it, there is appreciation.

People regularly stop, to offer Yalcin encouragement as she paints, while others take photos of her work.

“These are not ordinary doodling, but something that makes the places more beautiful,” said Ulas a local restaurant manager, “coloring the walls and shop fronts is beautiful rather than having shutters down or derelict walls bare. This is much more colorful. When you wake up in the morning streets, look much different. I think this is super.”

Despite a heavy police presence in central Istanbul as part of an ongoing crackdown on political dissent, the graffiti wave sweeping parts of the city has met little resistance from authorities.

“I didn’t have trouble yet, and I hope it goes like this,” Yalcin said. “Sometimes they [police] see me, they say actually it is forbidden, but that is fine. And they say ‘thank you, thank you for creating art for our places,’” she adds, laughing.

Observers say such police tolerance can in part be explained by the fact that most graffiti artists stay away from overt political themes. Although the recent jailing of Ezel, a Turkish rap star, on charges of encouraging drug use, saw some graffiti artists pushing back with images of support.

On the Asian side of Istanbul, the Kadikoy municipality invites local and international graffiti artists to decorate neighborhood.

Walking around Kadikoy, a traditional center of opposition to the government, one is regularly struck by huge murals adorning the sides of the buildings. The images range from psychedelic colored tigers or huge robots to abstract pictures of utopian worlds.

Graffiti art is becoming an integral part of the city’s popular culture. At an art and cartoon festival in Istanbul this month, the graffiti section made up of women artists is among the most popular.

 

Graffiti artist Fulya Fu creates a surreal image of a woman whose hair is decorated with eyes; many watching Fu are young teenagers.

“[A] majority [of graffiti artists] are youngsters who started at a very early age, around 12-13,” said Fu, and they start from the street, inside the street culture, perhaps going out at night. They start from scratch and pursue graffiti. Also, there are also lots of people coming from the art scene, fine arts. Many artists try this once in a while,” she said.

Fu is among a growing number of artists making a living from graffiti. Decorating cafes and doing corporate work for companies seeking to catch the halo effect of the coolness of street art, is becoming increasingly lucrative. None of the artists interviewed was willing to say how much each of their works fetches.

Despite the commercialization of graffiti it still retains a cutting edge as one of few remaining outlets for public expression.

“The art is constantly evolving with what we are experiencing,” said Fu.

“Since the space of freedom we experienced 10 years ago has become more restricted,” she continued, “and graffiti is already seen as an illegal, so what people express, tell, even scream with their work will likely be a reaction and reflection of these changes.”

“In the past, we perhaps saw more simple writings ideas,’ but now it’s evolving. People are trying to form new sentences, new ideas, to express more,” she said.
…

your ad here

Amid Growing Repression, Turkey’s Women Graffiti Artists Shine

Posted on by SeeEA

Istanbul is seeing an explosion of creative graffiti, with women artists largely behind the blast of color that is sweeping Turkey’s main city in the face of what critics say have been mounting restrictions on expression.

“More and more, the new generation are very into painting on the streets, but for me it is still very much at the beginning,” said Gamze Yalcin, who has been putting her art on the city’s public places.

“As we are having more and more limits for our street life from what we used to have,” she said, “people want to see colors, they want to see art. Whatever you do on the street is a gift for everyone.”

Yalcin speaks to VOA as she applies the finishing touches to her latest work, on the wall of a derelict building in Istanbul’s trendy Tophane district.

The latest work spanning 10 meters is a myriad of images and symbols in pastel colors with an abstract depiction of a woman at the center, encompassing a range of themes found throughout Yalcin’s work.

“We have very limited parks, so green areas is always a subject I like to include with symbols of plants and greens,” she said explaining her work, a myriad of surreal colors.

For Yalcin, featuring women as a central theme represents female empowerment, she says, and “a symbol, for all the women, that they could do whatever they want. They can do their dreams, they can make it true.”

Painting Istanbul’s walls for the past six years, Yalcin – a classically trained artist – is a veteran of Istanbul’s fledgling graffiti world. She is also one of a growing number of women graffiti artists, a trend she is busy building on.

“I organize workshops, [which] women, girls are very much into, and they always come and attend to learn,” she said.

“I feel very lucky that as a female artist painting on the street wherever I go, that brings so much power and so much inspiration,” she adds. “Whatever you do on the street is a gift for everyone, so they [people] are really taking as a gift, and they feel connected.”

While graffiti in many parts of the world is generally seen as vandalism and a nuisance, here, for this genre of it, there is appreciation.

People regularly stop, to offer Yalcin encouragement as she paints, while others take photos of her work.

“These are not ordinary doodling, but something that makes the places more beautiful,” said Ulas a local restaurant manager, “coloring the walls and shop fronts is beautiful rather than having shutters down or derelict walls bare. This is much more colorful. When you wake up in the morning streets, look much different. I think this is super.”

Despite a heavy police presence in central Istanbul as part of an ongoing crackdown on political dissent, the graffiti wave sweeping parts of the city has met little resistance from authorities.

“I didn’t have trouble yet, and I hope it goes like this,” Yalcin said. “Sometimes they [police] see me, they say actually it is forbidden, but that is fine. And they say ‘thank you, thank you for creating art for our places,’” she adds, laughing.

Observers say such police tolerance can in part be explained by the fact that most graffiti artists stay away from overt political themes. Although the recent jailing of Ezel, a Turkish rap star, on charges of encouraging drug use, saw some graffiti artists pushing back with images of support.

On the Asian side of Istanbul, the Kadikoy municipality invites local and international graffiti artists to decorate neighborhood.

Walking around Kadikoy, a traditional center of opposition to the government, one is regularly struck by huge murals adorning the sides of the buildings. The images range from psychedelic colored tigers or huge robots to abstract pictures of utopian worlds.

Graffiti art is becoming an integral part of the city’s popular culture. At an art and cartoon festival in Istanbul this month, the graffiti section made up of women artists is among the most popular.

 

Graffiti artist Fulya Fu creates a surreal image of a woman whose hair is decorated with eyes; many watching Fu are young teenagers.

“[A] majority [of graffiti artists] are youngsters who started at a very early age, around 12-13,” said Fu, and they start from the street, inside the street culture, perhaps going out at night. They start from scratch and pursue graffiti. Also, there are also lots of people coming from the art scene, fine arts. Many artists try this once in a while,” she said.

Fu is among a growing number of artists making a living from graffiti. Decorating cafes and doing corporate work for companies seeking to catch the halo effect of the coolness of street art, is becoming increasingly lucrative. None of the artists interviewed was willing to say how much each of their works fetches.

Despite the commercialization of graffiti it still retains a cutting edge as one of few remaining outlets for public expression.

“The art is constantly evolving with what we are experiencing,” said Fu.

“Since the space of freedom we experienced 10 years ago has become more restricted,” she continued, “and graffiti is already seen as an illegal, so what people express, tell, even scream with their work will likely be a reaction and reflection of these changes.”

“In the past, we perhaps saw more simple writings ideas,’ but now it’s evolving. People are trying to form new sentences, new ideas, to express more,” she said.
…

your ad here

South Sudanese Women Want Political Quota Respected

Posted on by SeeAF

South Sudanese women leaders are calling on the president to give 35 percent of executive appointments to women, as agreed to in the recently revitalized peace deal.

On Tuesday, President Salva Kiir appointed 10 people to a committee tasked with starting the process to create South Sudan’s envisioned transitional government. Only one of the 10 are women.

Mary Ayen Majok, a member of the transition legislative assembly, told VOA Wednesday that she is unhappy the women’s quota wasn’t met.

 

“The 35 [percent] affirmative action is not implemented,” Majok said. ‘’For us, honestly we feel bad about it because it means that the parties are not faithful to what they agreed upon.’’

 

Regina Joseph Kaba represents a faction of the Former Sudan People’s Liberation Movement Political Detainees (FDS), one of the parties that signed the peace deal in Addis Ababa. She says gender balance is a continuous battle and added that the composition the NPTC committee has not followed the terms of the Addis deal.

 

‘’They violated the women percentage. We are supposed to have at least two women on the [NPTC] committee,’’ Kaba said.

 

The deal in Addis not only set aside 35 percent of executive appointments for women, it also includes a broad commitment by parties to give due consideration to ethnic diversity, gender and regional representation.

 

Emily Koiti represented the young South Sudanese at the just concluded peace negotiations. She said the parties to the deal can address the root cause of the conflict in South Sudan if they are honest in its implementation.

 

‘’We want to ensure that there are regional, ethnic and generational representation in all the bodies that will be established [to implement the deal].’’ Koiti stressed.

 

Cease-fire violations

 

Chris Trott, Britain’s special representative for Sudan and South Sudan told VOA last week that the parties involved in the conflict in South Sudan have a chance to show their commitment to peace by implementing the revitalized agreement signed on September 12.

 

Just days after the signing of the agreement, reports of fighting have surfaced in several parts of South Sudan, according to Jean-Pierre Lacroix, U.N. undersecretary-general for peacekeeping operations.

 

Angelina Teny, a senior member of the rebels of the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO), blamed government forces to allegedly attacking rebel strongholds in Central Equatoria and the former Unity state.

 

‘’We have have raised this with the guarantors [of the peace deal]… we have raised it with the president.’’ said Teny. She said the government is fighting to install county commissioners in areas that are under rebel control.

 

Lam Tungwar, state minister of information in Liech state, formerly part of Unity State, said fighters belonging to the main rebel SPLM-IO force loyal to former vice president Riek Machar had attacked government positions in a small village in Koch County this week.

 

The Cease-Fire Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring Mechanism (CTSAMM), a body monitoring cease-fire violations told VOA in an email message that it is “currently investigating alleged breaches of the ceasefire in the Yei area. As this investigation is ongoing it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.’’
…

your ad here

South Sudanese Women Want Political Quota Respected

Posted on by SeeAF

South Sudanese women leaders are calling on the president to give 35 percent of executive appointments to women, as agreed to in the recently revitalized peace deal.

On Tuesday, President Salva Kiir appointed 10 people to a committee tasked with starting the process to create South Sudan’s envisioned transitional government. Only one of the 10 are women.

Mary Ayen Majok, a member of the transition legislative assembly, told VOA Wednesday that she is unhappy the women’s quota wasn’t met.

 

“The 35 [percent] affirmative action is not implemented,” Majok said. ‘’For us, honestly we feel bad about it because it means that the parties are not faithful to what they agreed upon.’’

 

Regina Joseph Kaba represents a faction of the Former Sudan People’s Liberation Movement Political Detainees (FDS), one of the parties that signed the peace deal in Addis Ababa. She says gender balance is a continuous battle and added that the composition the NPTC committee has not followed the terms of the Addis deal.

 

‘’They violated the women percentage. We are supposed to have at least two women on the [NPTC] committee,’’ Kaba said.

 

The deal in Addis not only set aside 35 percent of executive appointments for women, it also includes a broad commitment by parties to give due consideration to ethnic diversity, gender and regional representation.

 

Emily Koiti represented the young South Sudanese at the just concluded peace negotiations. She said the parties to the deal can address the root cause of the conflict in South Sudan if they are honest in its implementation.

 

‘’We want to ensure that there are regional, ethnic and generational representation in all the bodies that will be established [to implement the deal].’’ Koiti stressed.

 

Cease-fire violations

 

Chris Trott, Britain’s special representative for Sudan and South Sudan told VOA last week that the parties involved in the conflict in South Sudan have a chance to show their commitment to peace by implementing the revitalized agreement signed on September 12.

 

Just days after the signing of the agreement, reports of fighting have surfaced in several parts of South Sudan, according to Jean-Pierre Lacroix, U.N. undersecretary-general for peacekeeping operations.

 

Angelina Teny, a senior member of the rebels of the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO), blamed government forces to allegedly attacking rebel strongholds in Central Equatoria and the former Unity state.

 

‘’We have have raised this with the guarantors [of the peace deal]… we have raised it with the president.’’ said Teny. She said the government is fighting to install county commissioners in areas that are under rebel control.

 

Lam Tungwar, state minister of information in Liech state, formerly part of Unity State, said fighters belonging to the main rebel SPLM-IO force loyal to former vice president Riek Machar had attacked government positions in a small village in Koch County this week.

 

The Cease-Fire Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring Mechanism (CTSAMM), a body monitoring cease-fire violations told VOA in an email message that it is “currently investigating alleged breaches of the ceasefire in the Yei area. As this investigation is ongoing it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.’’
…

your ad here

Trump: New Sanctions Will Force Iran Back to Nuclear Talks

Posted on by SeeEA

U.S. President Donald Trump said “Iran has to come back and they have to talk” if it wants to avoid a new round of economic sanctions.

Speaking to reporters in New York Wednesday, the president defended his decision to withdraw from the 2015 six-nation agreement for Tehran to give up its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of crippling economic sanctions.

“Here’s the thing: they have rampant inflation,” Trump said. “They have rampant inflation, their money is worthless. Everything is going wrong.

“At some point I think they are going to want to come back and say can we do something. Very simple, I just don’t want them to have nuclear weapons,” he added.

​Taking on Iran, nuclear deal

Taking the gavel of the United Nations Security Council earlier in the day, Trump used most of his remarks on the theme of nuclear nonproliferation to criticize Iran, labeling the government the “world’s leading sponsor of terrorism.”

He claimed that “Iran’s aggression only increased” after the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Agreement (JCPOA) was signed. The Trump administration withdrew from the deal earlier this year.

Trump repeated his frequent assertion that the JCPOA, which was signed by his predecessor, Barack Obama, was a “horrible, one-sided” deal benefiting Iran.

“They needed cash,” Trump said. “We gave it to them.”

Trump added that Iran, “a regime with this track record, must never be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon,” and warned that Washington will pursue even tougher sanctions against Tehran.

Speaking immediately after Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron said there needs to be a long-term strategy to manage the Iran issue and it cannot be done with just sanctions and containment.

Macron added that all countries share the same objective of preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

​Rouhani reacts

Speaking at a news conference shortly after the Security Council session, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the meeting, which he did not attend, showed how isolated the United States is in its decision to withdraw from the nuclear deal.

“And today in the U.N. Security Council it became clear that America is alone,” Rouhani told reporters. “All the countries that spoke in the U.N. Security Council supported the JCPOA, either directly or indirectly, and referred to the American action as an incorrect action.”

Rouhani dismissed additional sanctions President Trump said would go into effect in early November, saying there was “not much left” for the U.S. to do. He urged nations to “trample upon” the sanctions and ignore them, because they are “illegal” and contradict the U.N. Security Council resolution that endorsed the nuclear deal as international law.

“The most important substance of the discussion is that nearly all other council members reiterated their commitment to preserving the Joint Comprehensive Program of Action, despite U.S. opposition, while several members (notably UK, France, Netherlands, Sweden) expressed their strong concern about Iran’s other destabilizing activities,” said Thomas Countryman, former assistant secretary of state for international security and nonproliferation and now chairman of the board for the Arms Control Association.

In addition to controlling the spread of nuclear weapons, Trump, in his remarks on the stated theme of the council’s meeting, said, “We must never forget the risk posed by biological and chemical weapons.”

The U.S. president noted action he has taken to respond to Syria’s use of chemical weapons against civilians during that country’s protracted civil war and said, “The Syrian regime’s butchery is enabled by Russia and Iran.”

But Trump expressed gratitude to Iran, Russia and Syria for slowing attacks in Idlib, saying, “Get the terrorists, but I hope the restraint continues.”

​US, North Korea

Trump told the Security Council that “many things are happening behind the scenes” between the United States and North Korea as they pursue denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

Trump predicted that very good news will be coming out of North Korea “in coming days and years.”

Earlier Wednesday, Trump said his administration is planning a second summit with Kim and details will be announced soon.

“I’ll be meeting with Chairman Kim,” Trump told reporters arriving at the United Nation’s General Assembly. He said a date and location would be announced soon.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he is planning the summit and that it may take place after October. The State Department announced Pompeo will visit Pyongyang next month.

“We’re working diligently to make sure we get the conditions right so that we can accomplish as much as possible during the summit. But we hope it will be soon,” Pompeo told the program CBS This Morning. “It may happen in October, but more likely sometime after that.”

Pompeo’s remarks came one day after Trump touted his relationship with North Korea, telling the United Nations General Assembly it has helped ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

“The missiles and rockets are no longer flying in every direction, nuclear testing has stopped; some military facilities are already being dismantled,” Trump said.

Trump added that “much work remains to be done” with North Korea and said, “The sanctions will stay in place until denuclearization occurs.”

His comments about North Korea were in sharp contrast from those he delivered at the assembly last year, when he threatened to “totally destroy” the country and ridiculed North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as “Rocket Man” who was on a “suicide mission.”

South Korea’s president, Moon Jae-in, personally relayed a message to Trump on Monday, telling him that Kim wants to meet him again soon to make progress on denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

Wednesday’s Security Council meeting, with a U.S. president taking the gavel for only the third time (Trump’s predecessor Barack Obama did it twice), comes one day after Trump called on world leaders during his address before the U.N. General Assembly to “isolate Iran’s regime as long as its aggression continues.”

VOA United Nations correspondent Margaret Besheer, Wayne Lee and Richard Green​ contributed to this report.
…

your ad here

Trump: New Sanctions Will Force Iran Back to Nuclear Talks

Posted on by SeeEA

U.S. President Donald Trump said “Iran has to come back and they have to talk” if it wants to avoid a new round of economic sanctions.

Speaking to reporters in New York Wednesday, the president defended his decision to withdraw from the 2015 six-nation agreement for Tehran to give up its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of crippling economic sanctions.

“Here’s the thing: they have rampant inflation,” Trump said. “They have rampant inflation, their money is worthless. Everything is going wrong.

“At some point I think they are going to want to come back and say can we do something. Very simple, I just don’t want them to have nuclear weapons,” he added.

​Taking on Iran, nuclear deal

Taking the gavel of the United Nations Security Council earlier in the day, Trump used most of his remarks on the theme of nuclear nonproliferation to criticize Iran, labeling the government the “world’s leading sponsor of terrorism.”

He claimed that “Iran’s aggression only increased” after the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Agreement (JCPOA) was signed. The Trump administration withdrew from the deal earlier this year.

Trump repeated his frequent assertion that the JCPOA, which was signed by his predecessor, Barack Obama, was a “horrible, one-sided” deal benefiting Iran.

“They needed cash,” Trump said. “We gave it to them.”

Trump added that Iran, “a regime with this track record, must never be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon,” and warned that Washington will pursue even tougher sanctions against Tehran.

Speaking immediately after Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron said there needs to be a long-term strategy to manage the Iran issue and it cannot be done with just sanctions and containment.

Macron added that all countries share the same objective of preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

​Rouhani reacts

Speaking at a news conference shortly after the Security Council session, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the meeting, which he did not attend, showed how isolated the United States is in its decision to withdraw from the nuclear deal.

“And today in the U.N. Security Council it became clear that America is alone,” Rouhani told reporters. “All the countries that spoke in the U.N. Security Council supported the JCPOA, either directly or indirectly, and referred to the American action as an incorrect action.”

Rouhani dismissed additional sanctions President Trump said would go into effect in early November, saying there was “not much left” for the U.S. to do. He urged nations to “trample upon” the sanctions and ignore them, because they are “illegal” and contradict the U.N. Security Council resolution that endorsed the nuclear deal as international law.

“The most important substance of the discussion is that nearly all other council members reiterated their commitment to preserving the Joint Comprehensive Program of Action, despite U.S. opposition, while several members (notably UK, France, Netherlands, Sweden) expressed their strong concern about Iran’s other destabilizing activities,” said Thomas Countryman, former assistant secretary of state for international security and nonproliferation and now chairman of the board for the Arms Control Association.

In addition to controlling the spread of nuclear weapons, Trump, in his remarks on the stated theme of the council’s meeting, said, “We must never forget the risk posed by biological and chemical weapons.”

The U.S. president noted action he has taken to respond to Syria’s use of chemical weapons against civilians during that country’s protracted civil war and said, “The Syrian regime’s butchery is enabled by Russia and Iran.”

But Trump expressed gratitude to Iran, Russia and Syria for slowing attacks in Idlib, saying, “Get the terrorists, but I hope the restraint continues.”

​US, North Korea

Trump told the Security Council that “many things are happening behind the scenes” between the United States and North Korea as they pursue denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

Trump predicted that very good news will be coming out of North Korea “in coming days and years.”

Earlier Wednesday, Trump said his administration is planning a second summit with Kim and details will be announced soon.

“I’ll be meeting with Chairman Kim,” Trump told reporters arriving at the United Nation’s General Assembly. He said a date and location would be announced soon.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he is planning the summit and that it may take place after October. The State Department announced Pompeo will visit Pyongyang next month.

“We’re working diligently to make sure we get the conditions right so that we can accomplish as much as possible during the summit. But we hope it will be soon,” Pompeo told the program CBS This Morning. “It may happen in October, but more likely sometime after that.”

Pompeo’s remarks came one day after Trump touted his relationship with North Korea, telling the United Nations General Assembly it has helped ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

“The missiles and rockets are no longer flying in every direction, nuclear testing has stopped; some military facilities are already being dismantled,” Trump said.

Trump added that “much work remains to be done” with North Korea and said, “The sanctions will stay in place until denuclearization occurs.”

His comments about North Korea were in sharp contrast from those he delivered at the assembly last year, when he threatened to “totally destroy” the country and ridiculed North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as “Rocket Man” who was on a “suicide mission.”

South Korea’s president, Moon Jae-in, personally relayed a message to Trump on Monday, telling him that Kim wants to meet him again soon to make progress on denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

Wednesday’s Security Council meeting, with a U.S. president taking the gavel for only the third time (Trump’s predecessor Barack Obama did it twice), comes one day after Trump called on world leaders during his address before the U.N. General Assembly to “isolate Iran’s regime as long as its aggression continues.”

VOA United Nations correspondent Margaret Besheer, Wayne Lee and Richard Green​ contributed to this report.
…

your ad here

Ban on Kenyan Lesbian Film Lifted for One Week

Posted on by SeeAF

After a months-long ban because of its lesbian love theme, the Kenyan film “Rafiki,” which means “friend” in Swahili, premiered for the first time in Nairobi following a Kenyan high court decision to allow the screening of the controversial film. VOA correspondent Mariama Diallo reports.
…

your ad here

Ban on Kenyan Lesbian Film Lifted for One Week

Posted on by SeeAF

After a months-long ban because of its lesbian love theme, the Kenyan film “Rafiki,” which means “friend” in Swahili, premiered for the first time in Nairobi following a Kenyan high court decision to allow the screening of the controversial film. VOA correspondent Mariama Diallo reports.
…

your ad here

Iranian Truckers Launch Another Strike to Protest Rising Costs

Posted on by SeeEA

Iranian truck drivers have begun another prolonged nationwide strike to protest rising costs, three months after an earlier lengthy strike drew international support and caused shortages at gas stations.

Video clips posted online by striking Iranian truck drivers and verified by VOA Persian showed trucks being idled Wednesday in at least six regions: Ahvaz, Ardabil, Borujerd, Qazvin, Shahreza and Urmia. It was the fourth consecutive day that VOA Persian has verified reports of widespread strike action by truckers in Iran.

Iranian truckers say they are protesting wage levels that they see as unfairly low, given a prolonged period of rising costs for parts and supplies such as tires.

In one of several videos sent to VOA Persian, a striking driver filmed idled trucks in the northern province of Qazvin.

Truckers on strike in Qazvin, Iran, Sept. 26, 2018

Another video narrated by an Iranian trucker speaking Arabic showed trucks idled in the southwestern province of Ahvaz, home of many minority Iranian Arabs.

Trucks idled by strike in Ahvaz, Iran, Sept. 26, 2018

A third video showed idled trucks at a cargo terminal in the central Iranian city of Shahreza in Isfahan province.

Idled trucks at cargo terminal in Shahreza, Iran, Sept. 26, 2018

The recent sharp depreciation of the Iranian rial versus the U.S. dollar has contributed to the rising prices of parts and supplies for truckers. The rial hit a record low of 190,000 to the dollar in unofficial trade Wednesday, according to Bonbast.com, a website that tracks Iran’s unofficial exchange rates. It was the third straight day of record lows for the rial.

In a report published Wednesday, Iranian state news agency Mehr quoted some truck drivers as saying the price for a particular type of tire should be about $450, based on the official Iranian exchange rate of 42,000 rials to the dollar. But the drivers said dealers have been charging them as much as $1,300 for such tires.

Similar grievances about rising costs and stagnant wages prompted Iranian truckers to launch a strike May 22 in several parts of the country.

The strike, which continued for several weeks, won statements of support from the London-based International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), which represents 19 million workers in 140 countries, and from the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which represents American and Canadian transportation and supply chain workers.

The participation of gasoline tanker drivers in the strike caused shortages at Iranian gas stations in some Iranian cities.

Iran has seen frequent nationwide protests this year, involving Iranians angered by local and national officials and business leaders whom they accuse of mismanagement, corruption and oppression.

This article originated in VOA’s Persian service.
…

your ad here

Iranian Truckers Launch Another Strike to Protest Rising Costs

Posted on by SeeEA

Iranian truck drivers have begun another prolonged nationwide strike to protest rising costs, three months after an earlier lengthy strike drew international support and caused shortages at gas stations.

Video clips posted online by striking Iranian truck drivers and verified by VOA Persian showed trucks being idled Wednesday in at least six regions: Ahvaz, Ardabil, Borujerd, Qazvin, Shahreza and Urmia. It was the fourth consecutive day that VOA Persian has verified reports of widespread strike action by truckers in Iran.

Iranian truckers say they are protesting wage levels that they see as unfairly low, given a prolonged period of rising costs for parts and supplies such as tires.

In one of several videos sent to VOA Persian, a striking driver filmed idled trucks in the northern province of Qazvin.

Truckers on strike in Qazvin, Iran, Sept. 26, 2018

Another video narrated by an Iranian trucker speaking Arabic showed trucks idled in the southwestern province of Ahvaz, home of many minority Iranian Arabs.

Trucks idled by strike in Ahvaz, Iran, Sept. 26, 2018

A third video showed idled trucks at a cargo terminal in the central Iranian city of Shahreza in Isfahan province.

Idled trucks at cargo terminal in Shahreza, Iran, Sept. 26, 2018

The recent sharp depreciation of the Iranian rial versus the U.S. dollar has contributed to the rising prices of parts and supplies for truckers. The rial hit a record low of 190,000 to the dollar in unofficial trade Wednesday, according to Bonbast.com, a website that tracks Iran’s unofficial exchange rates. It was the third straight day of record lows for the rial.

In a report published Wednesday, Iranian state news agency Mehr quoted some truck drivers as saying the price for a particular type of tire should be about $450, based on the official Iranian exchange rate of 42,000 rials to the dollar. But the drivers said dealers have been charging them as much as $1,300 for such tires.

Similar grievances about rising costs and stagnant wages prompted Iranian truckers to launch a strike May 22 in several parts of the country.

The strike, which continued for several weeks, won statements of support from the London-based International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), which represents 19 million workers in 140 countries, and from the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which represents American and Canadian transportation and supply chain workers.

The participation of gasoline tanker drivers in the strike caused shortages at Iranian gas stations in some Iranian cities.

Iran has seen frequent nationwide protests this year, involving Iranians angered by local and national officials and business leaders whom they accuse of mismanagement, corruption and oppression.

This article originated in VOA’s Persian service.
…

your ad here

Congress Approves, Sends to Trump Bill to Avert Shutdown

Posted on by SeeUS

Congress has approved a bill keeping the government open through Dec. 7, as lawmakers move to avert a government shutdown looming next week.

The $854 billion bill also funds the military and a host of civilian agencies for the next year.

The House approved the bill, 361-61, on Wednesday, a week after the Senate approved it, 93-7.

The measure now goes to President Donald Trump, who said he will sign it. Trump’s signature would avert a partial government shutdown set to begin Monday, weeks ahead of the Nov. 6 elections that will determine control of Congress.

$675 billion for military

The spending bill includes $675 billion for the Defense Department and boosts military pay by 2.6 percent, the largest pay raise in nine years. It also increases spending for Health and Human Services, Education, Labor and other agencies, including a 5 percent boost for the National Institutes of Health.

Trump said Wednesday he will sign the bill, telling reporters at the United Nations, “We’re going to keep the government open.”

Trump made the pledge despite his frustration that the bill does not pay for his long-promised wall along the U.S.-Mexico border — a fact Trump called “ridiculous.”

The wall was a centerpiece of Trump’s 2016 Republican presidential campaign, when he repeatedly promised that Mexico would pay for it.

Now, as president, Trump says it is “ridiculous” that Congress has yet to fully fund the project.

“Where is the money for border security and the wall in this ridiculous spending bill?” Trump tweeted last week, adding that Republicans “must finally get tough” against Democrats he said are obstructing law enforcement and border security.

No money for the wall

Many conservatives shared Trump’s frustration that money was included for Planned Parenthood but not the wall, but the spending bill still won easy approval in the House. Leaders from both parties supported it.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., hailed the bill.

“This funds our military, this funds opioids, this does a lot of the things that we all want to accomplish together,” Ryan said before the vote.

Rep. Nita Lowey of New York, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations panel, also praised the bill, saying it “provides ample resources for our armed services and strengthens military readiness,” while upholding commitments to service members and their families.

Lawmakers also “resoundingly rejected” Trump’s proposed budget, Lowey said. The bill restores $10 billion in proposed cuts that she said would have hurt working families.

“Instead, we have secured increased funding for biomedical research at the National Institutes of Health, expanded opioid abuse treatment and prevention programs and (funded) new initiatives for maternal and child health,” Lowey said.

Most of spending approved 

Together with a spending bill signed by Trump last week, Congress has approved bills accounting for more than 70 percent of discretionary spending for the next budget year. Lawmakers had hoped to approve a third bill that would pay for the Interior, Agriculture, Transportation and other departments, but they could not reach agreement. Those agencies will be funded at current levels under the stopgap bill approved Wednesday.

Texas Rep. Kay Granger, who chairs a defense appropriations subcommittee, said before Wednesday’s vote that she had “a great big smile on my face” anticipating the bill’s approval.

“There’s really nothing more important than securing our nation and making sure our people in the military have the equipment and the training they need,” Granger, a Republican, told reporters.

The bill “shows really major investments in our air superiority, our shipbuilding, our ground forces: the things that (military leaders and troops) need and the things they deserve,” she said.

The bill includes the largest pay raise for the military in nine years, a fact Granger said was about more than money. “It’s to say that we’re with you and we support you,” she said, referring to U.S. troops at home and abroad.

Bills being considered in the House and Senate would provide funding for the border wall. GOP leaders have said they prefer to resolve the issue after the midterm elections.
…

your ad here

Congress Approves, Sends to Trump Bill to Avert Shutdown

Posted on by SeeUS

Congress has approved a bill keeping the government open through Dec. 7, as lawmakers move to avert a government shutdown looming next week.

The $854 billion bill also funds the military and a host of civilian agencies for the next year.

The House approved the bill, 361-61, on Wednesday, a week after the Senate approved it, 93-7.

The measure now goes to President Donald Trump, who said he will sign it. Trump’s signature would avert a partial government shutdown set to begin Monday, weeks ahead of the Nov. 6 elections that will determine control of Congress.

$675 billion for military

The spending bill includes $675 billion for the Defense Department and boosts military pay by 2.6 percent, the largest pay raise in nine years. It also increases spending for Health and Human Services, Education, Labor and other agencies, including a 5 percent boost for the National Institutes of Health.

Trump said Wednesday he will sign the bill, telling reporters at the United Nations, “We’re going to keep the government open.”

Trump made the pledge despite his frustration that the bill does not pay for his long-promised wall along the U.S.-Mexico border — a fact Trump called “ridiculous.”

The wall was a centerpiece of Trump’s 2016 Republican presidential campaign, when he repeatedly promised that Mexico would pay for it.

Now, as president, Trump says it is “ridiculous” that Congress has yet to fully fund the project.

“Where is the money for border security and the wall in this ridiculous spending bill?” Trump tweeted last week, adding that Republicans “must finally get tough” against Democrats he said are obstructing law enforcement and border security.

No money for the wall

Many conservatives shared Trump’s frustration that money was included for Planned Parenthood but not the wall, but the spending bill still won easy approval in the House. Leaders from both parties supported it.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., hailed the bill.

“This funds our military, this funds opioids, this does a lot of the things that we all want to accomplish together,” Ryan said before the vote.

Rep. Nita Lowey of New York, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations panel, also praised the bill, saying it “provides ample resources for our armed services and strengthens military readiness,” while upholding commitments to service members and their families.

Lawmakers also “resoundingly rejected” Trump’s proposed budget, Lowey said. The bill restores $10 billion in proposed cuts that she said would have hurt working families.

“Instead, we have secured increased funding for biomedical research at the National Institutes of Health, expanded opioid abuse treatment and prevention programs and (funded) new initiatives for maternal and child health,” Lowey said.

Most of spending approved 

Together with a spending bill signed by Trump last week, Congress has approved bills accounting for more than 70 percent of discretionary spending for the next budget year. Lawmakers had hoped to approve a third bill that would pay for the Interior, Agriculture, Transportation and other departments, but they could not reach agreement. Those agencies will be funded at current levels under the stopgap bill approved Wednesday.

Texas Rep. Kay Granger, who chairs a defense appropriations subcommittee, said before Wednesday’s vote that she had “a great big smile on my face” anticipating the bill’s approval.

“There’s really nothing more important than securing our nation and making sure our people in the military have the equipment and the training they need,” Granger, a Republican, told reporters.

The bill “shows really major investments in our air superiority, our shipbuilding, our ground forces: the things that (military leaders and troops) need and the things they deserve,” she said.

The bill includes the largest pay raise for the military in nine years, a fact Granger said was about more than money. “It’s to say that we’re with you and we support you,” she said, referring to U.S. troops at home and abroad.

Bills being considered in the House and Senate would provide funding for the border wall. GOP leaders have said they prefer to resolve the issue after the midterm elections.
…

your ad here

US, Japan Working Toward Free-trade Agreement

Posted on by SeeUS

The United States and Japan have agreed to begin negotiations on a bilateral free-trade agreement, reducing the prospect that Washington might impose tariffs against another trading partner.

“We’ve agreed today to start trade negotiations between the United States and Japan,” U.S. President Donald Trump said at a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in New York on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly.

“This was something that for various reasons over the years Japan was unwilling to do and now they are willing to do. So we’re very happy about that, and I’m sure that we will come to a satisfactory conclusion, and if we don’t, ohhhhhh,” Trump added.

Fast-track authority

The White House released a statement after the meeting, stating the two countries would enter into talks after completing necessary domestic procedures for a bilateral trade agreement on goods and other key areas, including services.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer called it a “very important step” in expanding U.S.-Japan relations. He told reporters that the U.S. and Japan were aiming to approve a full free-trade agreement soon. Lighthizer said he would talk to Congress on Thursday about seeking authority for the president to negotiate the agreement, under the “fast track” trade authority law.

Lighthizer said he expected the negotiations to include the goal of reaching an “early harvest” on reducing tariffs and other trade barriers.

Tokyo’s reticence

Tokyo had been reluctant to commit to a bilateral free-trade pact and had hoped that Washington would consider returning to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a broader regional trade agreement championed by the Obama administration that Trump pulled out of in January 2017.

Trump has complained about Japan’s $69 billion trade surplus with the U.S. and has been pressuring Abe to agree to a two-way agreement to address it, including during Abe’s visit to Trump’s Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago, in April.

Japanese officials have expressed concern Trump might pressure Tokyo to open up its politically sensitive farm market. They also are wary Trump might demand a reduction in Japanese auto imports or impose high tariffs on autos and auto parts, which would be detrimental to Japan’s export-reliant economy.

Trump is expressing confidence the two sides will reach an agreement.

“We’re going to have a really great relationship, better than ever before on trade,” he said. “It can only be better for the United States because it couldn’t get any worse because of what’s happened over the years.”
…

your ad here

US, Japan Working Toward Free-trade Agreement

Posted on by SeeUS

The United States and Japan have agreed to begin negotiations on a bilateral free-trade agreement, reducing the prospect that Washington might impose tariffs against another trading partner.

“We’ve agreed today to start trade negotiations between the United States and Japan,” U.S. President Donald Trump said at a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in New York on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly.

“This was something that for various reasons over the years Japan was unwilling to do and now they are willing to do. So we’re very happy about that, and I’m sure that we will come to a satisfactory conclusion, and if we don’t, ohhhhhh,” Trump added.

Fast-track authority

The White House released a statement after the meeting, stating the two countries would enter into talks after completing necessary domestic procedures for a bilateral trade agreement on goods and other key areas, including services.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer called it a “very important step” in expanding U.S.-Japan relations. He told reporters that the U.S. and Japan were aiming to approve a full free-trade agreement soon. Lighthizer said he would talk to Congress on Thursday about seeking authority for the president to negotiate the agreement, under the “fast track” trade authority law.

Lighthizer said he expected the negotiations to include the goal of reaching an “early harvest” on reducing tariffs and other trade barriers.

Tokyo’s reticence

Tokyo had been reluctant to commit to a bilateral free-trade pact and had hoped that Washington would consider returning to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a broader regional trade agreement championed by the Obama administration that Trump pulled out of in January 2017.

Trump has complained about Japan’s $69 billion trade surplus with the U.S. and has been pressuring Abe to agree to a two-way agreement to address it, including during Abe’s visit to Trump’s Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago, in April.

Japanese officials have expressed concern Trump might pressure Tokyo to open up its politically sensitive farm market. They also are wary Trump might demand a reduction in Japanese auto imports or impose high tariffs on autos and auto parts, which would be detrimental to Japan’s export-reliant economy.

Trump is expressing confidence the two sides will reach an agreement.

“We’re going to have a really great relationship, better than ever before on trade,” he said. “It can only be better for the United States because it couldn’t get any worse because of what’s happened over the years.”
…

your ad here

Ginsburg Voices Support for #MeToo on Eve of Kavanaugh Hearing

Posted on by SeeUS

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg voiced support for the #MeToo movement Wednesday in a striking statement on the eve of a high-stakes U.S. Senate hearing into allegations of sexual misconduct by President Donald Trump’s nominee to the court, Brett Kavanaugh.

During a question-and-answer period after an address to first-year law students at Georgetown University in Washington, Ginsburg was asked if there was anything she was excited or disappointed about regarding the current women’s movement.

After discussing the problem of “unconscious bias” that leads to gender discrimination, she said she was “cheered on” by the #MeToo movement, a national reckoning with sexual assault and harassment that has brought down dozens of rich and powerful men.

“Every woman of my vintage has not just one story but many stories, but we thought there was nothing you could do about it — boys will be boys — so just find a way to get out of it,” said Ginsburg, 85.

Ginsburg said that the #MeToo movement showed women coming together in numbers.

“So it was one complaint and then one after another the complaints mounted. So women nowadays are not silent about bad behavior,” she said.

Ginsburg did not mention Kavanaugh or the women who have accused him of sexual misconduct.

During a Senate hearing Thursday, one accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, will testify about an alleged 1982 incident in which she said Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when both of them were in high school.

Two other women have come forward with allegations.

Kavanaugh, who was named by Trump to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy, who retired in July, has denied the allegations. The Supreme Court’s 2018 term officially begins on Oct. 1.
…

your ad here

Ginsburg Voices Support for #MeToo on Eve of Kavanaugh Hearing

Posted on by SeeUS

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg voiced support for the #MeToo movement Wednesday in a striking statement on the eve of a high-stakes U.S. Senate hearing into allegations of sexual misconduct by President Donald Trump’s nominee to the court, Brett Kavanaugh.

During a question-and-answer period after an address to first-year law students at Georgetown University in Washington, Ginsburg was asked if there was anything she was excited or disappointed about regarding the current women’s movement.

After discussing the problem of “unconscious bias” that leads to gender discrimination, she said she was “cheered on” by the #MeToo movement, a national reckoning with sexual assault and harassment that has brought down dozens of rich and powerful men.

“Every woman of my vintage has not just one story but many stories, but we thought there was nothing you could do about it — boys will be boys — so just find a way to get out of it,” said Ginsburg, 85.

Ginsburg said that the #MeToo movement showed women coming together in numbers.

“So it was one complaint and then one after another the complaints mounted. So women nowadays are not silent about bad behavior,” she said.

Ginsburg did not mention Kavanaugh or the women who have accused him of sexual misconduct.

During a Senate hearing Thursday, one accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, will testify about an alleged 1982 incident in which she said Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when both of them were in high school.

Two other women have come forward with allegations.

Kavanaugh, who was named by Trump to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy, who retired in July, has denied the allegations. The Supreme Court’s 2018 term officially begins on Oct. 1.
…

your ad here

Trump Slams Canada Over NAFTA, Says Rejected Trudeau Meeting

Posted on by SeeUS

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday blasted Canada over the slow pace of talks over NAFTA, saying he was so unhappy that he had rejected Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s request for a one-on-one meeting.

The remarks by Trump, who repeated a threat to impose tariffs on Canadian autos, knocked the Canadian dollar down to a one-week low against the U.S. greenback.

The comments also mark a new low in relations between the two leaders. Trudeau spokeswoman Chantal Gagnon said: “No meeting was requested. We don’t have any comment beyond that.”

The attack cast further doubt on the future of the three-nation North American Free Trade Agreement, which underpins $1.2 trillion in annual trade between Canada, Mexico and the United States. Markets and business groups are openly fretting about the damage that a collapse could provoke.

Trump, who wants major changes to the 1994 treaty, has already concluded a text with Mexico and is threatening to leave out Canada unless it signs up by this Sunday.

Trump told reporters he had rebuffed a Trudeau request for a meeting “because his tariffs are too high and he doesn’t seem to want to move and I told him ‘forget about it.’ And frankly we’re thinking about just taxing cars coming in from Canada.”

Earlier on Wednesday, Trudeau shrugged off U.S. pressure to quickly agree to a deal and indicated it was possible the three member nations might fail to conclude a new pact.

The two sides are still far apart on major issues such as how to settle disputes and U.S. demands for more access to Canada’s protected dairy market.

“We’re very unhappy with the negotiations and the negotiating style of Canada. We don’t like their representative very much,” Trump said in an apparent reference to Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland.

Relations between the Canadian and U.S. leaders have been chilly since June, when Trump left a Group of Seven summit in Canada and then accused Trudeau of being dishonest and weak.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer — Freeland’s counterpart at the talks — on Tuesday had complained Canada was not making enough concessions and said time was running out.

Canadian officials said they do not believe Trump can rework NAFTA into a bilateral deal without the approval of Congress.

“We will keep working as long as it takes to get to the right deal for Canada,” Trudeau earlier told reporters at the United Nations. He has repeatedly said he is ready to walk away from the talks rather than sign a document he thinks is bad.

Asked about the challenge that autos tariffs would pose, Trudeau said Canada would need to feel confident “about the path forward as we move forward — if we do — on a NAFTA 2.0.”

The three nations’ auto industries are highly integrated and tariffs on Canadian cars would be hugely disruptive.

Speaking separately, Canada’s ambassador to Washington said that on a scale of 1 to 10, the chances of an agreement by the Sept. 30 deadline were 5.

“If it doesn’t happen by the end of the week, we’ll just keep working away and trying to get the best deal for Canada,” David MacNaughton told a Toronto event arranged by Politico Canada.

A Trump administration official said the text of the agreement with Mexico was set to be published on Friday.

The official declined to be named because the matter has not yet been made public. A spokesman for the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office declined to comment.

Trudeau said existing U.S. tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum in late May would have to be scrapped before Canada felt comfortable signing a new NAFTA.

The Trump administration has said the text of an agreement between the three nations is needed by Sunday to allow the current Mexican government to sign it before it leaves office at the end of November. 
…

your ad here

Trump Slams Canada Over NAFTA, Says Rejected Trudeau Meeting

Posted on by SeeUS

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday blasted Canada over the slow pace of talks over NAFTA, saying he was so unhappy that he had rejected Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s request for a one-on-one meeting.

The remarks by Trump, who repeated a threat to impose tariffs on Canadian autos, knocked the Canadian dollar down to a one-week low against the U.S. greenback.

The comments also mark a new low in relations between the two leaders. Trudeau spokeswoman Chantal Gagnon said: “No meeting was requested. We don’t have any comment beyond that.”

The attack cast further doubt on the future of the three-nation North American Free Trade Agreement, which underpins $1.2 trillion in annual trade between Canada, Mexico and the United States. Markets and business groups are openly fretting about the damage that a collapse could provoke.

Trump, who wants major changes to the 1994 treaty, has already concluded a text with Mexico and is threatening to leave out Canada unless it signs up by this Sunday.

Trump told reporters he had rebuffed a Trudeau request for a meeting “because his tariffs are too high and he doesn’t seem to want to move and I told him ‘forget about it.’ And frankly we’re thinking about just taxing cars coming in from Canada.”

Earlier on Wednesday, Trudeau shrugged off U.S. pressure to quickly agree to a deal and indicated it was possible the three member nations might fail to conclude a new pact.

The two sides are still far apart on major issues such as how to settle disputes and U.S. demands for more access to Canada’s protected dairy market.

“We’re very unhappy with the negotiations and the negotiating style of Canada. We don’t like their representative very much,” Trump said in an apparent reference to Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland.

Relations between the Canadian and U.S. leaders have been chilly since June, when Trump left a Group of Seven summit in Canada and then accused Trudeau of being dishonest and weak.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer — Freeland’s counterpart at the talks — on Tuesday had complained Canada was not making enough concessions and said time was running out.

Canadian officials said they do not believe Trump can rework NAFTA into a bilateral deal without the approval of Congress.

“We will keep working as long as it takes to get to the right deal for Canada,” Trudeau earlier told reporters at the United Nations. He has repeatedly said he is ready to walk away from the talks rather than sign a document he thinks is bad.

Asked about the challenge that autos tariffs would pose, Trudeau said Canada would need to feel confident “about the path forward as we move forward — if we do — on a NAFTA 2.0.”

The three nations’ auto industries are highly integrated and tariffs on Canadian cars would be hugely disruptive.

Speaking separately, Canada’s ambassador to Washington said that on a scale of 1 to 10, the chances of an agreement by the Sept. 30 deadline were 5.

“If it doesn’t happen by the end of the week, we’ll just keep working away and trying to get the best deal for Canada,” David MacNaughton told a Toronto event arranged by Politico Canada.

A Trump administration official said the text of the agreement with Mexico was set to be published on Friday.

The official declined to be named because the matter has not yet been made public. A spokesman for the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office declined to comment.

Trudeau said existing U.S. tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum in late May would have to be scrapped before Canada felt comfortable signing a new NAFTA.

The Trump administration has said the text of an agreement between the three nations is needed by Sunday to allow the current Mexican government to sign it before it leaves office at the end of November. 
…

your ad here

UN Chief Blasts Lack of ‘Strong Leadership’ on Climate

Posted on by SeeUS

The head of the United Nations blamed lack of leadership Wednesday for the world’s failure to make tough decisions needed to stop global warming, warning that a key goal of the Paris climate accord is at risk.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres bluntly told leaders gathered in New York that unless current emission trends for greenhouse gases are reversed by 2020, it will be impossible to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit). The target was set in the 2015 Paris agreement, but the U.N. says government commitments so far only achieve a third of the emissions cuts needed.

“Why is climate change faster than we are?” he asked. “The only possible answer is that we still lack strong leadership to take the bold decisions needed to put our economies and societies on the path of low-carbon growth and climate-resilience.”

Guterres’ comments echo those of climate researchers, who say the world could miss even the less ambitious goal of the Paris accord of keeping temperature increases below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) by the end of the century compared with pre-industrial times.

End fossil fuel subsidies

The U.N. chief challenged governments to end fossil fuel subsidies, help shift toward renewable energy and back a price for carbon emissions that reflects their actual cost. A recently published report by the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development found the cost of taxes and permits for carbon emissions among dozens of leading economies is more than 76 percent below the estimated actual cost of 30 euros ($35.21) per metric ton.

Guterres said climate-related disasters cost the world $320 billion last year, a figure likely to grow with increased warming.

He singled out the world’s 20 leading and emerging economies, known as the G-20, saying they account for about 80 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Green economy

As Guterres spoke at the United Nations, across town corporate leaders and government officials announced a range of programs intended to pump billions of dollars in public and private funds into what’s often referred to as the “green economy,” which aims to reduce the environmental impact of business.

Among them, the World Bank announced it would invest $1 billion in battery storage systems for developing and emerging economies. World Bank president Jim Yong Kim said the Washington-based institution expected to raise an additional $4 billion for the venture to triple battery storage capacity in developing countries by 2025.

French President Emmanuel Macron cautioned against governments and companies “greenwashing” unacceptably high carbon emissions with big-figure promises, citing the pledge by rich countries to mobilize $100 billion a year by 2020 to help poor nations tackle global warming.

That target is unlikely to be met, especially if the United States, which under President Donald Trump announced its withdrawal from the Paris accord, doesn’t contribute its share.

No opting out

Jacinda Ardern, the prime minister of New Zealand, told the meeting of her recent visit to small Pacific island nations that are already suffering the effects of climate change.

“None of us can opt out of severe weather events or rising sea levels, so nor should we have the ability to opt out of action either,” she said.

New Zealand is one of several countries considering enshrining in law a goal of ending all greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

The coming months will see a flurry of negotiations over the rules that countries will have to follow as part of their commitment to the Paris accord. Signatories have set themselves a deadline of agreeing to rules by the time leaders Katowice, Poland, in December.
…

your ad here

UN Chief Blasts Lack of ‘Strong Leadership’ on Climate

Posted on by SeeUS

The head of the United Nations blamed lack of leadership Wednesday for the world’s failure to make tough decisions needed to stop global warming, warning that a key goal of the Paris climate accord is at risk.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres bluntly told leaders gathered in New York that unless current emission trends for greenhouse gases are reversed by 2020, it will be impossible to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit). The target was set in the 2015 Paris agreement, but the U.N. says government commitments so far only achieve a third of the emissions cuts needed.

“Why is climate change faster than we are?” he asked. “The only possible answer is that we still lack strong leadership to take the bold decisions needed to put our economies and societies on the path of low-carbon growth and climate-resilience.”

Guterres’ comments echo those of climate researchers, who say the world could miss even the less ambitious goal of the Paris accord of keeping temperature increases below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) by the end of the century compared with pre-industrial times.

End fossil fuel subsidies

The U.N. chief challenged governments to end fossil fuel subsidies, help shift toward renewable energy and back a price for carbon emissions that reflects their actual cost. A recently published report by the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development found the cost of taxes and permits for carbon emissions among dozens of leading economies is more than 76 percent below the estimated actual cost of 30 euros ($35.21) per metric ton.

Guterres said climate-related disasters cost the world $320 billion last year, a figure likely to grow with increased warming.

He singled out the world’s 20 leading and emerging economies, known as the G-20, saying they account for about 80 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Green economy

As Guterres spoke at the United Nations, across town corporate leaders and government officials announced a range of programs intended to pump billions of dollars in public and private funds into what’s often referred to as the “green economy,” which aims to reduce the environmental impact of business.

Among them, the World Bank announced it would invest $1 billion in battery storage systems for developing and emerging economies. World Bank president Jim Yong Kim said the Washington-based institution expected to raise an additional $4 billion for the venture to triple battery storage capacity in developing countries by 2025.

French President Emmanuel Macron cautioned against governments and companies “greenwashing” unacceptably high carbon emissions with big-figure promises, citing the pledge by rich countries to mobilize $100 billion a year by 2020 to help poor nations tackle global warming.

That target is unlikely to be met, especially if the United States, which under President Donald Trump announced its withdrawal from the Paris accord, doesn’t contribute its share.

No opting out

Jacinda Ardern, the prime minister of New Zealand, told the meeting of her recent visit to small Pacific island nations that are already suffering the effects of climate change.

“None of us can opt out of severe weather events or rising sea levels, so nor should we have the ability to opt out of action either,” she said.

New Zealand is one of several countries considering enshrining in law a goal of ending all greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

The coming months will see a flurry of negotiations over the rules that countries will have to follow as part of their commitment to the Paris accord. Signatories have set themselves a deadline of agreeing to rules by the time leaders Katowice, Poland, in December.
…

your ad here

Questions Remain About Who Was Behind Attack on Iran Parade

Posted on by SeeEA

Four days after a bloody attack on a military parade in Iran’s mostly Arab “Ahvaz” region, also known as Khuzestan, and conflicting claims of responsibility, questions remain over who was actually behind the attack.

More questions were raised than were answered Tuesday after Iranian media showed video of a group of over 20 people arrested for alleged involvement in Saturday’s attack.

The Fars news agency named five alleged perpetrators, several of whom were killed, claiming that three of the men were brothers.

The country’s Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alawi vowed a stern response to the attack and insisted that all of the country’s security forces were trying to uncover information on the attack.

Alawvi said the military and security forces, along with the Revolutionary Guard and police, will work until they identify all the culprits behind the attack and then punish them, delivering a message to the world that it will react in the face of what he called  crimes against humanity.

The country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with several Revolutionary Guard commanders, accused Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, along with the United States.

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis called the allegations “ludicrous,” while Secretary of State Mike Pompeo denied the U.S. had any role in the attack. Pompeo told Fox News that it is an “enormous mistake” to “blame others when you have a security incident at home.”

Former Iranian President Abolhassan Bani Sadr tells VOA that terrorism is increasingly an international phenomenon, so while it is unclear who was behind the Ahvaz attack, he doubts it could have happened without outside help.

Bani Sadr said that unless nation states or foreign powers support acts of violence, no independent organization, whatever it be called, can use violence for a long period of time.”

Bani Sadr goes on to say that “everything has become internationalized, today.” It has become very easy to send people to commit acts of terrorism anywhere in the world, including Iran or the U.S. He thinks that some international group “seeks to create instability” in order to “prevent any possible rapprochement between Iran and the West.”

Khattar Abou Diab, who teaches political science at the University of Paris, calls the Ahvaz attack an “enigma,” arguing that both internal or external forces could have been behind it.

He said that it is possible that a new separatist group is on the rise inside Iran and could be responsible for the attack, and that accusations against the UAE and Saudi Arabia are not new.

“The Iranian regime,” he said, “is currently facing serious problems, given U.S. (economic sanctions), so it is not unlikely that [Supreme Leader] Ayatollah Khamenei would try to divert attention by making accusations against the U.S., Saudi Arabia and the UAE.”

“Iran,” Diab said, “is in a position now, where it needs to look like a victim.”

Bani Sadr, however, thinks that the “Iranian people have reacted to the attack by rejecting violence.”

“All Iranian political factions,” he argues, “are opposed to any kind of violence, including any ‘retaliation’ by [Ayatollah] Khamenei.”

 

 

 
…

your ad here

Questions Remain About Who Was Behind Attack on Iran Parade

Posted on by SeeEA

Four days after a bloody attack on a military parade in Iran’s mostly Arab “Ahvaz” region, also known as Khuzestan, and conflicting claims of responsibility, questions remain over who was actually behind the attack.

More questions were raised than were answered Tuesday after Iranian media showed video of a group of over 20 people arrested for alleged involvement in Saturday’s attack.

The Fars news agency named five alleged perpetrators, several of whom were killed, claiming that three of the men were brothers.

The country’s Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alawi vowed a stern response to the attack and insisted that all of the country’s security forces were trying to uncover information on the attack.

Alawvi said the military and security forces, along with the Revolutionary Guard and police, will work until they identify all the culprits behind the attack and then punish them, delivering a message to the world that it will react in the face of what he called  crimes against humanity.

The country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with several Revolutionary Guard commanders, accused Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, along with the United States.

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis called the allegations “ludicrous,” while Secretary of State Mike Pompeo denied the U.S. had any role in the attack. Pompeo told Fox News that it is an “enormous mistake” to “blame others when you have a security incident at home.”

Former Iranian President Abolhassan Bani Sadr tells VOA that terrorism is increasingly an international phenomenon, so while it is unclear who was behind the Ahvaz attack, he doubts it could have happened without outside help.

Bani Sadr said that unless nation states or foreign powers support acts of violence, no independent organization, whatever it be called, can use violence for a long period of time.”

Bani Sadr goes on to say that “everything has become internationalized, today.” It has become very easy to send people to commit acts of terrorism anywhere in the world, including Iran or the U.S. He thinks that some international group “seeks to create instability” in order to “prevent any possible rapprochement between Iran and the West.”

Khattar Abou Diab, who teaches political science at the University of Paris, calls the Ahvaz attack an “enigma,” arguing that both internal or external forces could have been behind it.

He said that it is possible that a new separatist group is on the rise inside Iran and could be responsible for the attack, and that accusations against the UAE and Saudi Arabia are not new.

“The Iranian regime,” he said, “is currently facing serious problems, given U.S. (economic sanctions), so it is not unlikely that [Supreme Leader] Ayatollah Khamenei would try to divert attention by making accusations against the U.S., Saudi Arabia and the UAE.”

“Iran,” Diab said, “is in a position now, where it needs to look like a victim.”

Bani Sadr, however, thinks that the “Iranian people have reacted to the attack by rejecting violence.”

“All Iranian political factions,” he argues, “are opposed to any kind of violence, including any ‘retaliation’ by [Ayatollah] Khamenei.”

 

 

 
…

your ad here