July 2018 Issue
Vol.1 Issue. 1
El Reportero Las Vegas English Edition
Table of Contents Singapore creates 'special zone' for Trump-Kim talks
Bus Boy who held Robert Kennedy dying - 6 China Threatens Retaliation over tariffs - 8 School Shooters may soon see veterans armed 11 Supreme Court backs up Christian Baker 13 Bayer to drop the Monsanto name in take over - 17 Could Agricultural Robots replace glyphosate? - 18
8 Still a long way to eliminate Plastic from the Ocean - 23
Trump commutes terms Sentencing of Alice Johnson 26 Harvey Weinstein, plea not guilty on charges of rape and seduction. Mr Weinstein, 66, has previously insisted via his lawyer that he has never had non-consensual sex.
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Ecuador's foreign minister elected U.N. General Assembly President - 28 FIFA files criminal complaint against Viagogo - 29 Iran first team arrive in Russia for World Cup 30 Bye Bye to the bikinis in the Miss America Beauty Competition - 31
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Busboy who held dying RFK reveals senator's last words Roughly 50 years after the death of Robert F. Kennedy, the busboy who held the dying senator detailed his last words in a Friday report. Juan Romero, who was 17 during the 1968 incident, was working on that early June night when the presidential hopeful made remarks at the Ambassador Hotel, he recalled during an interview with Story Corps, according to NPR. After Kennedy spoke, he was reportedly ushered through the hotel’s kitchen, where he paused to greet employees, including Romero.
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"I remember extending my hand as far as I could, and then I remember him shaking my hand," Romero reportedly said during the interview. "And as he let go, somebody shot him."
Romero also detailed his first interaction with the New York senator, which he said took place a day before he was shot. Kennedy was reportedly making a phone call when the busboy and another employee arrived with room service.
Romero, now 67, recalled Kennedy's final words. “Is everybody OK?” he asked, to which Romero said he replied, “Yes” before cushioning the senator’s head with his hands. "I could feel a steady stream of blood coming through my fingers," Romero reportedly said. "I remember I had a rosary in my shirt pocket and I took it out, thinking that he would need it a lot more than me. I wrapped it around his right hand and then they wheeled him away." The following day, Romero recalled sitting on a bus near a woman who recognized him from a photo in the newspaper, the report said. After which, he reportedly remembered “looking at my hands and there was dried blood in between my nails.”
"He put down the phone and says, 'Come on in, boys,'" Romero said, according to the report. "You could tell when he was looking at you that he's not looking through you — he's taking you into account. And I remember walking out of there like I was 10 feet tall." That feeling reportedly stuck with Romero as the years passed. During the interview, he recalled purchasing a new suit and going to Kennedy's burial site to offer his respects in 2010. "When I wore the suit and I stood in front of his grave, I felt a little bit like that first day that I met him,” Romero reportedly said. “I felt important. I felt American. And I felt good."
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China Threatens Retaliation if Trump Pushes Ahead With Tariff Decision By Ryan Pickrell Western Journal
China will not yield any ground or make any concessions on trade if the U.S. decides to implement President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs, a Chinese statement carried by state media suggested Sunday. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross arrived in Beijing Saturday for trade negotiations amid rising tensions between the U.S. and China. The Chinese delegation issued a statement that signaled little progress was made. The two trade teams “made positive and concrete progress while relevant details are yet to be confirmed by both sides,” the statement carried by the Xinhua News Agency read.
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The sticking point in talks appears to be Trump’s proposed trade tariffs. “All economic and trade outcomes of the talks will not take effect if the U.S. side imposes any trade sanctions including raising tariffs,” the statement read, suggesting that Beijing will void all previous and future agreements with the Trump administration should it decide to impose punitive tariffs on China. Following productive bilateral trade talks in Washington in midMay, the Chinese agreed to “substantially reduce the United States trade deficit in goods with China,” according to the relevant joint statement.
Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin then announced the U.S. and China had reached a ceasefire agreement in the trade war, a tense conflict first triggered by U.S. tariffs on foreign-made steel and aluminum and significantly escalated by the threat of billions of dollars in punitive tariffs meant to punish China for intellectual property theft. Catching Beijing off guard, the Trump administration revealed Thursday that it intends to push forward with plans to impose steep tariffs on Chinese technology exports, theoretically costing China around $50 billion annually. In addition to tariffs, the U.S. will also target investment restrictions, enhance export control regimes and challenge China in the World Trade Organization, an organization the administration argues China should have never been allowed to join. White House trade adviser Peter Navarro described Mnuchin’s earlier comments as an “unfortunate sound bite.” “What we’re having with China is a trade dispute — plain and simple,” Navarro said. “We want to reiterate that we don’t want a trade war, but we aren’t afraid of fighting one,” the Chinese foreign ministry said in response. “If the U.S. insists on acting arbitrarily and recklessly, China will take firm and powerful measures to safeguard its own legitimate rights.”
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School Shooters May Soon Come Face-to-Face with Armed Vet By Jack Davis Western Journal
strategies that can be used before the next school year begins to keep our students safe when they return to school. This plan will make our schools safer and our communities safer.”
They have protected America at home and overseas. Now Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the time has come to enlist America’s veterans to help protect Texas schools. The Republican governor unveiled his School and Firearm Safety Action Plan last week, which represents his official response to the Santa Fe High School attack. The plan’s many recommendations include tapping retired law enforcement members and veterans to serve as armed guards, Breitbart reported. “This plan is a starting point, not an ending place,” Abbott said in a statement on his website. “It provides
Abbott said those with the most training in keeping Americans safe can be a great resource for Texas schools. “Texas retired and off-duty peace officers already have extensive firearms and emergency response training — and many would be willing and able to protect Texas campuses,” Abbott’s plan said. “Texas should authorize schools to prioritize recruitment and hiring of such personnel to protect their campuses and their student bodies, faculty, employees and guests. Hiring should prioritize individuals with the most applicable skill sets (i.e., former police, sheriffs and constables).”
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Abbott called for the creation of a school marshal program that would allow veterans to serve the children and teachers of Texas. “In addition, the state should create a pathway for our veterans — many of whom have extensive firearm training — to help protect our schools through a modified school marshal program that ensures they have the appropriate training to transition their expertise into the campus environment,” Abbott wrote in his plan. “Veterans who complete tailored training and background checks should have the ability to once again serve their communities in times of need.” Getting tough will also be accompanied by increased vigilance of social media, where many threats begin brewing, the Texas Tribune reported. The plan calls for the Texas Department of Public Safety to launch an app called “iWatch Texas,” to serve as a statewide repository of concerns, to minimize cases that fall through the cracks between multiple reporting systems. “For example, a student may report strange behavior and statements made by another student,” the plan said. “Later that day, a citizen reports that the same student was attempting to purchase ammunition at a sporting goods
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store and became belligerent when refused. The iWatch system would link these separate incidents, and all future reports involving this student on or off campus would be monitored by law enforcement.” That would then connect with increased monitoring of social media. “Several recent perpetrators of mass shootings had left clues as to their potential homicidal or suicidal intent on publicly accessible social media sites in the months before committing their crimes,” the plan said. Abbott said his recommendations were developed, in part, by hearing from shooting victims and their families. “No one provided a more powerful voice for those strategies than the victims themselves,” Abbott said. “We all share a common bond. We want action to prevent another shooting like what happened at Santa Fe High School,” he said, according to WFAA.
Supreme Court backs Christian baker who spurned gay couple By Lawrence Hurley
2015 decision legalizing gay marriage nationwide. "The commission's hostility was inconsistent with the First Amendment's guarantee that our laws be applied in a manner that is neutral toward religion," Kennedy wrote. But Kennedy also stressed the importance of gay rights while noting that litigation on similar issues is likely to continue in lower courts. "Our society has come to the recognition that gay persons and gay couples cannot WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday handed a victory on narrow grounds to a Colorado Christian baker who refused for religious reasons to make a wedding cake for a gay couple, stopping short of setting a major precedent allowing people to claim exemptions from anti-discrimination laws based on religious beliefs. The justices, in a 7-2 decision, said the Colorado Civil Rights Commission showed an impermissible hostility toward religion when it found that baker Jack Phillips violated the state's anti-discrimination law by rebuffing gay couple David Mullins and Charlie Craig in 2012. The state law bars businesses from refusing service based on race, sex, marital status or sexual orientation. The ruling concluded that the commission violated Phillips' religious rights under the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment.
But the justices did not issue a definitive ruling on the circumstances under which people can seek exemptions from a n t i discrimination laws based on their religious views. The decision also did not address important claims raised in the case including whether baking a cake is a kind of expressive act protected by the Constitution's free speech guarantee. Two of the court's four liberals, Stephen Breyer and Elena Kagan, joined the five conservative justices in the ruling authored by Justice Anthony Kennedy, who also was the author of the landmark
be treated as social outcasts or as inferior in dignity and worth," Kennedy wrote. "The outcome of cases like this in other circumstances must await further elaboration in the courts, all in the context of recognizing that these disputes must be resolved with tolerance, without undue disrespect to sincere religious beliefs, and without subjecting gay
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persons to indignities when they seek goods and services in an "Government hostility toward people of faith has no place in our society, yet the state of Colorado was openly antagonistic toward open market," Kennedy added. The case marked a test for Kennedy, who has authored Jack's religious beliefs about marriage. The court was right to significant rulings that advanced gay rights but also is a strong condemn that," said lawyer Kristen Waggoner of the conservative Christian group Alliance Defending Freedom, which advocate for free speech rights and religious freedom. Of the 50 states, 21 including Colorado have anti-discrimination represents Phillips. Waggoner said the decision "makes clear that the government laws protecting gay people. must respect Jack's The case pitted gay beliefs about marriage." rights against American Civil Liberties religious liberty. Union lawyer Louise President Donald Melling, who represents T r u m p ' s Mullins and Craig, said administration the high court made it intervened in the clear that businesses case in support of open to the public must Phillips. serve everyone. Mullins and Craig "The court reversed the were planning their Masterpiece Cakeshop wedding in decision based on Massachusetts in concerns unique to the 2012 and wanted case but reaffirmed its the cake for a longstanding rule that reception in states can prevent the Colorado, where gay David Mullins and Charlie Craig of Denver are the gay who took the case to the supreme harms of discrimination marriage was not yet court. in the marketplace, legal. During a brief encounter at Phillips' Masterpiece Cakeshop in the Denver including against LGBT people," Melling added. suburb of Lakewood, the baker politely but firmly refused, The case became a cultural flashpoint in the United States, underscoring the tensions between gay rights proponents and leaving the couple distraught. They filed a successful complaint with the state commission, the conservative Christians. first step in the six-year-old legal battle. State courts sided with Mullins and Craig said Phillips was using his Christian faith as the couple, prompting Phillips to appeal to the top U.S. court. pretext for unlawful discrimination based on sexual orientation. Phillips has said a backlash against his business has left him Phillips' lawyers said his cakes are an art form - a "temporary sculpture" - and being forced to create one to commemorate a struggling to keep the shop afloat. The case's outcome hinged on the actions of the Colorado gay wedding would violate his constitutional rights to free speech commission. In one exchange at a 2014 hearing cited by and expression and free exercise of religion. Kennedy, former commissioner Diann Rice said that "freedom The litigation, along with similar cases around the country, is part of religion, and religion, has been used to justify all kinds of of a conservative Christian backlash to the Supreme Court's gay discrimination throughout history, whether it be slavery, marriage ruling. Phillips and others like him who believe that gay marriage is not consistent with their Christian beliefs have said whether it be the Holocaust." they should not be required to effectively endorse the practice. 'OPENLY ANTAGONISTIC' Kennedy noted that the commission had ruled the opposite way Gay rights advocates said the case is just one part of a bigger in three cases brought against bakers in which the business struggle seeking greater legal protections for gay, bisexual and owners refused to bake cakes containing messages that transgender people, including in the workplace, even as they fight efforts by conservatives to undermine gains secured in demeaned gay people or same-sex marriage. recent years.
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Germany's Bayer to drop Monsanto name in takeover Bayer's takeover of US seed giant Monsanto will be completed on Thursday, the company has said. Although Bayer will acquire all of the weed-killer and seedmaker's products, the Monsanto name will be left behind. German agrochemical and pharmaceutical giant Bayer will complete its purchase of US seed company Monsanto on Thursday, the company announced on Monday. The $63 billion (₏53.9 billion) deal — the largest-ever foreign takeover by a German company — will go ahead after Bayer received approval from European and US anti-monopoly authorities. As both companies have global operations, the deal had to be approved by 30 countries around the world. The additional conditions set out by the countries bumped up the costs for Leverkusen-based Bayer.
Under conditions set out by EU and US regulators, Bayer can only begin integrating Monsanto once it has sold off parts of its agrochemical and cropseeds business to another German chemical giant, BASF. The company expects the sale to take around two months to complete. Leaving Monsanto name behind Although Bayer will become Monsanto's sole shareholder on Thursday, the US company's name will no longer be used going forward, the German firm said. "Monsanto will no longer be a company name," the company said, adding: "The acquired products will retain their brand names and become part of the Bayer portfolio." Monsanto has been heavily criticized, among other things, for its weed-killing products containing glyphosate. Some scientific studies and class-action
lawsuits claim that glyphosate is carcinogenic. Environmentalists are also concerned that the tie-up will place too much power in the hands of the two large producers of genetically modified crops and glyphosate herbicides. Bayer CEO Werner Baumann emphasized that the company intends to listen to critics and is aware of its responsibility as a leading firm in the agricultural sector. "We will apply the same rigor to achieving our sustainability targets as we do to our financial targets," said Baumann. Bayer announced its intention to take over Monsanto in May 2016.
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Could agricultural robots replace glyphosate?
Professor Simon Blackmore, head of robotic This picture shows a prototype agriculture at the UK's National Centre for experimental 'Hyperweeder' attached to Glyphosate is a Precision Farming at Harper Adams the back of a tractor. Blackmore's goal is to herbicide that's used University in England, says that increasingly eventually reconfigure the system as a to kill undesired sensitive and precise sensors and lightweight autonomous robot, without plants. Pulling up instruments are being developed that can tractors or tractor drivers measure the "complex nature of the plants, or "weeding," growing environment" on every square Weed zapper does the same thing meter of farmland — the soil and water without chemicals, but conditions; the presence of pests and Blackmore's prototype "Hyperweeder" it’s very labordiseases; the location of weeds, and the size robot uses machine vision and pattern intensive. What if of crop plants. recognition software to recognize up to 26 In addition to measuring the state of a crop, weed species. It assesses the plant's shape tireless robots could robots will be able to actively improve to identify where the plant's meristem is — weed fields cheaply? growing conditions, not least by getting rid that's the part of the plant where its new of weeds. growth occurs. Then the robot zaps the "We're developing a whole range of smart meristem with its miniature laser cannon machines now that potentially might be able to replace the (see illustration at top, which shows an artist's conception of tractor and the combine harvester," Blackmore said. "And a future commercial version of the Hyperweeder; it is not a we're coming up with systems that will allow us to replace photograph). herbicides... One project I'm developing is called laser Here's how the Hyperweeder is described in the research weeding." group's FAQ: Hyperweeder (Prof. Simon Blackmore, Harper Adams "A field-ready device is being developed equipped with University, England, 2018) cameras and a computer running software to detect weeds
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Size matters At present, we do not yet have appropriate technology for optimizing the yield and quality from small farm fields. Big modern tractors can achieve economies of scale, but they need big fields to work in - yet the average size of farm fields in Asia is only one acre. Moreover, big, heavy machines like today's tractors are hard on the soil. They compact and damage it. This makes it necessary to plough every year, before the next planting season, to loosen the soil up again. "Tillage, ploughing, harrowing - we do that every year," Blackmore says, adding The prototype Hyperweeder system shown close up. There are lasers firing away at tiny weeds, somewhere that "up to 90 percent of the energy" put under there into cultivation of farm fields is driven by growing amongst crops. A gimbal is controlled by the computer the need to repair the damage done by large machines in previous to rotate a spray gun or high-power laser to focus on the weeds years. It's environmentally and financially costly, involving massive and eradicate them without affecting the crop or soil." energy inputs and many billable hours for tractor drivers. Spray gun? Yes. There are two versions of the Hyperweeder robot. One version zaps weeds with a laser beam, stopping their growth A precise touch is a lighter touch by heating their growing tips up to 95 degrees C. The other squirts an herbicide, for example, glyphosate, directly where it's needed. Lighter machines are less hard on the soil, and so are forms of Professor Simon Blackmore agriculture that minimize or eliminate ploughing altogether. If (Prof. Simon Blackmore, Harper robot-assisted precision agriculture systems can make ploughing Adams University, England, 2018) unnecessary, and if those robots are cheap enough to lease and Robots could apply herbicides run, farmers could achieve net cost savings. directly onto the leaves of weed By going to a more information-intensive agriculture that treats plants in precisely targeted every square meter of farmland individually, and increasingly locations and dosages, using robots, total food production can be increased costBlackmore says. This could avoid effectively, the professor says. overspray completely, and could "We can't farm by averages anymore," according to Blackmore. potentially reduce the volume of We need to move away from one-size-fits-all, brute-force farming, herbicide sprayed by over 99 and move to flexible agriculture that takes into account local soil percent, meaning much less conditions, weather, microclimates, pests, and other factors. environmental impact and much It will take quite a few years for mass-produced agricultural robots less herbicide residue left on to become available and widely deployed in agriculture. And it's Hyperweeder (Prof. Simon Blackmore, harvested food. not yet clear whether such robots will eventually make herbicides Harper Adams University, England, Precision spraying is also a win on like glyphosate completely unnecessary. Perhaps not entirely 2018) But if Blackmore is right, robots could, at a minimum, vastly reduce costs: Since herbicide is sold by the liter, 99 percent less overspray the total amount of poison farmers need to apply in order to grow implies a similarly dramatic decline in farmers' total annual thriving crops in weed-free fields spending on herbicides. Blackmore is committed to what he calls "precision agriculture." He says we don't practice it yet, and that when we eventually do so, it will save us money, improve yields, and cause less environmental harm compared to today's farming methods. Given a growing global population, with many new mouths to feed and a limited area of available farmland, Blackmore advocates "sustainable intensification" — information-intensive farming methods for growing more food on a given amount of land, with less energy or herbicide inputs.
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Opinion:
Still a long way till 'peak plastic'
2018 is shaping up to be a breakthrough year in terms of awareness around the plastic pollution problem. But we're nowhere near solving it yet, says DW's environment team leader. People seem to finally be waking up to the global issue of plastic pollution – it was the focus of this year's Earth Day, and also World Environment Day in 2018 has the theme beating plastic pollution. The unfortunate recent end of a whale in Thailand provides a timely illustration of the problem. It died with 80 plastic bags in its stomach, which prevented it from getting enough nutrition to survive. That whale, like innumerable other marine animals, died a slow and painful death as a result of our consumption habits. But the plastics problem, and its accompanying disturbing images, are not new at all.
Already in 2016, scientists warned that if current trends continue, plastic will outweigh fish in our oceans by 2050. Despite bans on plastic bags in some African countries, and a planned ban on other single-use plastic items in the European Union, the sad truth is that the world is probably still pretty far from "peak plastic." If current trends continue, there will be around 12 billion tons of plastic waste – twice as much as the current 6 billion tons – in our environment by 2050. So what needs to be done? Awareness, public pressure, policy changes Change around plastic pollution will only happen the way environmental change has ever happened: Through concerted public pressure. June Edition 2018 - EL Reportero Las Vegas Magazine - 23
RIVERS OF PLASTIC: The Yangtze is Asia's longest river and the third-longest river in the world. It also tops the list of river systems through which the most plastic waste flows into the oceans, according to a recent study. The Yangtze flows into the East China Sea near Shanghai and is crucial to China's economy and ecology. The river basin is home to 480 million people — one-third of the country's population.
Decades ago, use of highly poisonous pesticides like DDT was only stopped after the public became aware of the risks and pushed for a ban. Likewise, the massive environmental problem of air pollution is being addressed through governments prioritizing public health and controlling dangerous pollutants. In terms of environmental problems, plastic has the advantage of being a physical, tangible thing – this very visibility is among the reasons the plastic problem is finally entering the mainstream. David Attenborough's Planet Earth II is among the media products lending publicity to the issue. You could even say concern about plastic pollution has become a trend. But can the growing momentum around the topic be harnessed to transform this trend into real change? Well, that depends on you. Awareness is a positive and necessary first step. But next comes action.
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Not only do consumers need to change their behavior, to reduce their single-use plastics – consumers also need to send the signal that they care about the issue, and want the system to change. Also, businesses will need to do their part, coming up with alternative products and models to allow a low-plastic society to flourish and continue to enjoy modern conveniences. Indeed, many businesses are ready to embrace a bioeconomy. But ultimately, it's up to governments to create frameworks that make change possible. And it's up to us to demand that. Are you ready to change your own habits, and call on your government to make that a system change? Until then, we'll continue to drown in our own waste. Sonya Diehn is the Environment Team Leader for DW.
Singapore creates 'special zone' for Trump-Kim talks
There has been no formal confirmation about where exactly the Kim-Trump talks will take place but a smaller area in the center of the island has been mentioned as a possible venue for the meeting.
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ingapore has designated Sentosa Island a "special zone" for a highly-anticipated meeting between US President Trump and North Korean leader Kim. The government is taking strict measures to secure the
island.
Preparations for a planned June 12 summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un are in full swing in Singapore. On Tuesday, the wealthy city-state announced that the historic meeting would be held on the southern resort island of Sentosa, home to several high-end hotels, a casino, golf courses and a Universal Studios theme park. The Singaporean government declared Sentosa a "special zone" under the Public Order Act. In its online gazette, authorities said the summit zone included Sentosa and a 1-kilometer sea area off Singapore's southern shore.
Strict checks Under the Public Order Act, Singaporean police have been given additional powers to search personal belongings and venues. Loud speakers, banners and flags will not permitted in the area, nor will drones be allowed to be flown. After canceling the meeting last month, US President Donald Trump said Friday that a summit between North Korea and the US will in fact be held on June 12 as originally planned. The announcement came after Kim Yong Chol, North Korea's former intelligence chief, hand delivered a personal letter from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to Trump. Although definitions over the term differ, Trump said he believed Kim wanted to "denuclearize" and that a relationship between North Korea and the US would start on June 12, adding: "The relationships are building and that's a positive thing."
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Trump commutes term of Kardashianchampioned drug offender “BEST NEWS EVER!!!!� was the Twitter response from Kardashian West. Referring to Trump pardon of Alice Johnson 26
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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump commuted the sentence Wednesday of a woman serving a life sentence for drug offenses whose cause was championed by reality TV star Kim Kardashian West in a recent visit to the White House. “BEST NEWS EVER!!!!” was the Twitter response from Kardashian West. Alice Marie Johnson, 63, has spent more than two decades behind bars and was not eligible for parole. Trump’s decision comes amid a recent flurry of pardons issued by the president, who has seemed drawn to causes advocated by conservatives, celebrities or those who once appeared on his former reality show, “The Apprentice.” This use of executive power is taking place against the backdrop of the Russia investigation that hangs over his presidency. The White House said Johnson “has accepted responsibility for her past behavior” and has been a model prisoner, working hard to rehabilitate herself and serve as a mentor to fellow inmates. It said that Johnson’s warden, case manager, and vocational training instructor had written letters in support of her clemency. “While this Administration will always be very tough on crime, it believes that those who have paid their debt to society and worked hard to better themselves while in prison deserve a second chance,” according to a statement from the office of White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Kardashian West expressed gratitude “to everyone who has showed compassion & contributed countless hours to this important moment. ... Her commutation is inspirational & gives hope to so many others who are also deserving of a second chance.” The commutation puts a renewed focus on the Trump administration’s push for prison and sentencing changes, an effort that sometimes has clashed with the president’s law-andorder approach, especially at the Justice Department. Trump has called for getting tougher on drug dealers, including suggesting some should receive the death penalty. Johnson was convicted in 1996 on eight criminal counts related to a Memphis-based cocaine trafficking operation involving more than a dozen people. The 1994 indictment describes dozens of deliveries and drug transactions, many involving Johnson. She was sentenced to life in prison in 1997. Appeals court judges and the Supreme Court rejected her appeals. Court records show she has a motion pending for a reduction in her sentence, but federal prosecutors are opposed, saying in a court filing that the sentence is in accord with federal guidelines, based on the large quantity of drugs involved. The U.S. attorney’s office in Memphis did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday. A criminal justice advocacy site, CAN-DO, and one of Johnson’s lawyers said a request for clemency was rejected when Barack Obama was president. The reasons are unclear. A 1997 Associated Press story on Johnson’s sentencing said she headed up a multimillion-dollar drug ring. But Memphis lawyer Michael Scholl, who filed the latest court documents in her request for a sentence reduction, said she was not a leader in the cocaine operation.
“What is the purpose of putting a lady with no prior criminal record, on a nonviolent drug offense, in jail for her entire life?” he said in a telephone interview. “She’s a model inmate.” Scholl said Johnson has admitted her wrongdoing, which is borne out in letters she has written to U.S. District Judge Samuel H. Mays, who now oversees her case. “Judge Mays I’m writing to you to express my deep remorse for the crime that I committed over 20 years ago. I made some bad choices which have not only affected my life, but have impacted my entire family,” she said in a February 2017 letter in the court record. In a hand-scrawled letter last June she wrote: “I’m a broken woman. More time in prison cannot accomplish more justice.” Kardashian West visited the White House in May to meet with
Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser, who is overseeing the administration’s push to overhaul the nation’s prison system. She also met with Trump in the Oval Office, a photograph of which the president released on Twitter. In an interview with Mic, a digital news company, released this year, Kardashian West said she was moved by Johnson’s story after seeing a video by that outlet on Twitter. “I think that she really deserves a second chance at life,” Kardashian told Mic. “I’ll do whatever it takes to get her out.” Trump recently pardoned conservative commentator Dinesh D’Souza, who was convicted of a campaign finance violation. He also granted a posthumous pardon to boxing’s first black heavyweight champion, clearing Jack Johnson’s name more than 100 years after what many saw as a racially charged conviction. The boxer’s pardon had been championed by actor Sylvester Stallone, who Trump said had brought the story to his attention in a phone call. Trump has also pardoned former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, a staunch campaign supporter; Scooter Libby, who served as chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney; and a U.S. Navy sailor convicted of taking photos of classified portions of a sub. He has suggested he was considering acting to commute the sentence of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who is serving 14 years in prison for corruption, and celebrity homemaker Martha Stewart, convicted of insider trading. The federal prosecutor who oversaw Stewart’s case in New York was James Comey, one of Trump’s principal antagonists who was fired by the president last year as FBI director. The prosecutor who led the case against Blagojevich in Chicago was Patrick Fitzgerald, a Comey friend who is also his lawyer. Fitzgerald was also the special counsel leading the case against Libby.
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Ecuador's foreign minister elected U.N. General Assembly president
Ecuador's Foreign Minister Maria Fernanda Espinosa, elected president of the 73rd United Nations General Assembly
by Rodrigo Campos Reuters News Agency
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Ecuadorean Foreign Minister Maria Fernanda Espinosa on Tuesday was elected president of the 73rd United Nations General Assembly, a mainly ceremonial title that nonetheless carries a high profile and important procedural functions. Espinosa defeated Ambassador Mary Elizabeth Flores Flake of Honduras by 128 votes to 62, with two abstentions. Espinosa will become the fourth woman to hold the UNGA presidency and the first since Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa, from Bahrain, in 2006-07. It was the first time that two women competed for the post.
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Espinosa will assume the position in September at the start of the 73rd UN General Assembly, taking over from Slovakian Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajcak. It is rare to have a contested election for the position, which is normally filled by consensus without a vote. It was the turn of Latin America and the Caribbean to nominate the assembly president based on a preset geographical rotation. Espinosa dedicated her victory to women in politics world wide, especially those who face gender discrimination.
FIFA WORLD CUP 2018
FIFA files criminal complaint against viagogo
A
s part of its efforts to protect the fans and prevent unauthorised ticket resales for the 2018 FIFA World Cup™ in Russia, FIFA filed a criminal complaint on 4 June 2018 based on a breach of the law on unfair competition against viagogo AG with the public prosecutor’s office in Geneva. Over the past months, FIFA has received numerous complaints from individuals, consumer protection bodies and other market players over the opaque and deceptive business conduct of viagogo AG. FIFA took action after aligning with other stakeholders that have already filed criminal complaints against viagogo in Switzerland due to the company’s unfair business practices. FIFA’s ultimate objective in the fight against the secondary ticket market is to prioritise the safety and security of fans and enforce a fair 2018 FIFA World Cup ticketing pricing scheme. Recently, FIFA has held fruitful talks with UEFA in order to coordinate action against unauthorised platforms and established cooperation with
the Fédération romande des consommateurs (FRC), the consumer protection association for French-speaking Switzerland, which is a strong advocate against ticket sales conducted through unauthorised sources. FIFA regards the illicit sale and distribution of tickets as a serious issue and views the security implications of the unauthorised transfer and/or resale of tickets as being of paramount importance. In light of the above, we encourage fans not to purchase tickets from unauthorised platforms/sellers. Tickets purchased via unauthorised distribution channels, including all tickets purchased through viagogo AG, will be cancelled once identified. FIFA reserves the right to refuse entry to the stadium to any holder of such tickets. During the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™, FIFA and local authorities will conduct strict admission checks.
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FIFA WORLD CUP 2018
IR Iran first team to arrive in Russia
Nine days ahead of the Opening Match of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™, IR Iran became the first team to arrive in Russia as they touched down today at 20:26 local time at Moscow’s Vnukovo airport. "Being in Russia is a dream come true for Iranian football. We have achieved this dream through lots of hard work and sacrifices, which only heightens how honoured and privileged we feel to be here. The Iranian national team will relish rubbing shoulders with the best teams in the world and being part of this fantastic World Cup 30
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family. We arrive raring to keep this dream going for as long as possible and we look forward to playing our part in making this the best World Cup ever. We would like to send our greetings to all the other teams and their fans, particularly the people of Russia, who will be hosting the competition. We wish you all a great World Cup," said Carlos Queiroz. IR Iran’s base for the tournament will be the Lokomotiv Bakovka Training Center in the Moscow region, and they will play their first match on 15 June against
Morocco at Saint Petersburg Stadium. IR Iran were the first Asian team to book their place at Russia 2018. This is the fifth time the Iranians have qualified for the world finals. Their previous appearances at football’s showpiece event came in 1978, 1998, 2006 and 2014. Photos of the team arrivals for media use will be available in the 2018 FIFA World Cup™ section of the FIFA Media Channel.
Entertainments
Miss America waves bye bye to bikinis The Miss America beauty pageant is scrapping its swimwear segment and will no longer judge competitors on physical appearance. The evening gown section is also being axed, with contestants asked to wear something that makes them feel good and expresses their personal style instead. Former winner Gretchen Carlson broke the news on ABC's Good Morning America. "We will no longer judge our candidates on their outwards, physical appearance. That's huge," she said. "We are no longer a pageant," said Carlson, the first former Miss America to be named chair of the board of trustees of the Miss America organisation. "We are a competition." Instead of the swimming costume segment, there will be interviews with the contenders, who will be asked about their passion, intelligence and understanding of the Miss America role. Carlson explained: "We've heard from a lot of young women who say, 'we'd love to be a part of your programme but we don't want to be out there in high heels and a swimsuit'. So guess what, you don't have to do that anymore. "Who doesn't want to be empowered, learn leadership skills and pay for college and be able to show the world who you are as a person, from the inside of your soul?"
She added: "That's what we're judging them on now." Miss America's former executive director Sam Gretchen Carlson was crowned Miss America in Haskell, president Josh 1989 Randle, and other board members resigned over a scandal last year over vulgar emails disparaging contestants. In the emails, published by the Huffington Post, pageant officials made degrading remarks about past winners' appearance, intellect, and sex lives. Following the revelations, Carlson became part of an all-female leadership team at Miss America. She was crowned Miss America in 1989. Recently, Carlson has been an advocate for victims of sexual harassment and a champion of the #MeToo movement. In 2016, she settled a lawsuit against former Fox News chairman and CEO Roger Ailes, who stepped down from his role after mounting pressure from several employees with similar accusations. Ailes died last year. The 2019 Miss America Competition airs live on ABC on 9 September.
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Entertainments
Harvey Weinstein pleads not guilty to rape charge in court BBC World News
Weinstein could face up to 25 years in prison if convicted on either charge
Hollywood film producer Harvey Weinstein has formally pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault charges. His appearance in New York Supreme Court on Tuesday came after he was indicted last week by a grand jury.
Wearing a black suit and tie, Mr Weinstein and his lawyer Benjamin Brafman walked past a crowd of reporters and photographers as they arrived at the courthouse in Manhattan.
Mr Weinstein, 66, has previously insisted via his lawyer that he has never had non-consensual sex.
Mr Weinstein left without speaking to reporters.
He could face up to 25 years in prison if convicted of either offence, which relate to two women. The identity of one of the women whose accusations prompted the charges has been confirmed by her lawyer. Lucia Evans, a former actress, had already publicly accused Mr Weinstein of carrying out a sexual assault in 2004. The former film producer has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than 70 women. He faces additional investigations in Los Angeles, London, and by the US federal government.
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His lawyer said: "We are going to file a series of legal motions that will get us more information and may impact the process, and if we are successful there may not be a trial - and if there is a trial we will proceed expeditiously and vigorously to try and clear Mr Weinstein's name." Mr Brafman has previously argued that unfair political pressure was placed on prosecutors to secure a conviction because of the high-profile nature of the case and the rise of the #MeToo movement highlighting sexual harassment. Mr Weinstein is currently free on $1m (ÂŁ751,000) bail. He has agreed to wear a GPS tracker and to surrender his passport.