Page 32 - TheWord#16

32 February 2017. WORLD NEWS www.thewordmedia.org.uk

FLINT, MICHINGAN, U.S. (CNN) — A govern- QUEBEC, CANADA (Reuters) — Eight people flee U.S. WASHINGTON D.C., U.S. (Independent) — Donald
ment-appointed civil rights commission in Michi- border patrol to seek asylum in Canada. Eight asylum-seek- Trump’s family’s trips have cost taxpayers nearly
gan says systemic racism helped to cause the Flint ers, including four children, barely made it across the Ca- as much in a month as Barack Obama’s cost in an
water crisis, according to a report released Friday. nadian border just in time... the latest in refugees pouring entire year. The US President’s three visits to his
The 129-page report does not claim there were over the border as the U.S. looks to tighten its immigration Mar-a-Lago club in Florida since his presidential
any specific violations of state civil rights laws, but and refugee policy. A Reuters photographer capturing inauguration, combined with his sons’ business
says “historical, structural and systemic racism images of the group jumping a snowy gully on Friday, fol- trips, reportedly cost $11.3m (£9.1m). Conservative
combined with implicit bias” played a role in the lowed closely by a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officer. watchdog Judicial Watch estimated Mr Obama’s
problems, which still linger in the city’s drinking The four adults and four children - said to be from Sudan travel expenses totalled an average $12.1m in each
water almost three years later. “The presence of - had arrived at the border in Champlain, New York in a taxi. of his eight years in the White House. “This is an ex-
racial bias in the Flint water crisis isn’t much of The border patrol officer had seized their passports and pensive way to conduct business, and the President
a surprise to those of us who live here, but the was questioning a man in the taxi when the eight fled. The should recognise that,” said Judicial Watch presi-
Michigan Civil Rights Commission’s affirmation officer managed to catch up to one of the men fleeing. That dent Tom Fitton, speaking to the Washington Post.
that the emergency manager law disproportion- man then appeared to grab their passports and cross into
ately hurts communities of colour is an important Canada. All eight were helped through the snow and taken
reminder of just how bad the policy is,” state Sen. into custody by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, as the
Jim Ananich, a Democrat from Flint, said. U.S. officer watched from south of the border.
LONDON, UK (Open Rights)
— Journalists and whistleblow-
ers could be sent to prison for
PALM BEACH, U.S. (NPR/Telegraph) — United 14 years for exposing corrup-
States President Donald Trump is spending week- tion and government wrong-
ends in Florida at Mar-a-Lago. It seems Trump doing. The Government want a
enjoys spending time at the club he owns in Palm new Espionage Act to increase
Beach, but since the election, his stays there have penalties, and allow journalists
raised issues not seen when he was a private handling secret documents to
citizen. They involve security and the impact his be treated like spies. Their pro-
visits are having on people and businesses. At posals would stop investigative
Palm Beach County Park Airport, the situation is journalism and public-interest
dire. For the fifth weekend since December, the whistle blowing concerning the
airport has shut down. Whenever Trump is in Mar- secret state. Whistleblowers
a-Lago, Federal Aviation Administration restric- and journalists wouldn’t be
tions ban all flights out of the airport. Along with able to use a public interest
losing money at its airports, Palm Beach County defence to protect themselves
is worried about the police overtime it’s racking if they were prosecuted under
up while Trump is here: $1.5 million so far. Fighter the proposed Espionage Act.
jets were scrambled to intercept an unresponsive Journalists would have to turn
aircraft near to Trump’s retreat on Friday. The down requests to investigate
incident took place at around 7pm. It took place and report—or risk jail. Jour-
a matter of hours after two objects, including a nalists and whistleblowers
rock, were thrown at Mr Trump’s motorcade on wouldn’t have to give the
his way to his retreat from the airport. The alert documents to foreign powers,
ended when the F-15 fighter jets were able to cause harm or even publish the
establish contact with the aircraft. documents to be jailed for 14
years.

CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO (Telegraph) — Life forms sealed inside
crystals for up to 60,000 years have been revived by NASA, rais-
ing hopes that alien organisms could be found on other planets. BANJUL, GAMBIA (Belfast Tele-
Penelope Boston, director of NASA’s Astrobiology Institute, and graph) —Gambia’s new president
her team have spent years exploring Mexico’s Naica Mine, which promised greater freedom and an
contain caves as large as cathedrals. “Much to my surprise we got improved economy as thousands
things to grow,” said Dr Boston. “It was laborious. We lost some of attended a ceremony marking his
them - that’s just the game. They’ve got needs we can’t fulfil. That inauguration after a tense polit-
part of it was really like zoo keeping.” Around 100 different bugs, ical stand-off with the country’s
which were mostly bacteria, were found inside crystals, where former leader. “This is a victory
they had been trapped for between 10,000 and 60,000 years. 90 for democracy. It is a victory for all
per cent had never been seen before. Gambians,” President Adama Bar-
row said to a packed stadium near
the capital that included dignitaries
and several African heads of state.
CAUCA, COLOMBIA (BBC) — The last 300 members
of Colombia’s largest rebel group, the Farc, have ar-
rived in their transition zone to disarm. Farc negotia-
tors signed a revised peace deal with the Colombian PORTO NOVO, BENIN (Reuters) — Four
government on 24 November to end more than five Christian priests from a Benin anti-voodoo
decades of armed conflict. Under the accord, the cult were arrested and charged on Thursday
rebels agreed to move into 26 transition zones. Most for their suspected role in five deaths during
of the 6,900 rebel members arrived on foot, by bus prayers held last month in anticipation of
and boat travelling long distances from jungle camps. the end of the world. The followers of the
The rebels have been complaining that the transition “Very Holy Church of Jesus Christ of Ban-
zones have not been finished yet and in some cases ame” died after they were instructed to seal
the fighters had to set up camps themselves. off their prayer rooms, burn incense and
ANCONCAGUA, ARGENTINA (BBC) charcoal and wait for the world to end, res-
— At least 19 people were killed when a idents and a survivor told Reuters. Others
coach overturned on a remote road in the were treated in hospital for severe breath-
Argentinian Andes, near the border with ing problems. The four priests were charged
QUITO, ECUADOR (Science Daily) — University of British Columbia mi- Chile, officials say. A survivor who was not with manslaughter in the capital Porto
crobiologists have found a yeast in the gut of new babies in Ecuador that identified said that the coach had been Novo and were sent to prison pending trial.
appears to be a strong predictor that they will develop asthma in childhood. travelling too fast, despite the concerns of The group’s young woman leader, Vicentia
The new research furthers our understanding of the role microscopic passengers. The crash happened near Ac- Chanvoukini, known as “Lady Perfect” and
organisms play in our overall health. “Children with this type of yeast called oncagua, the highest mountain outside of considered a god by her followers, was not
Pichia were much more at risk of asthma,” said Brett Finlay, a microbiologist Asia. The Chilean company that operated charged. “Those who died are not really
at UBC. “This is the first time anyone has shown any kind of association the vehicle says it is striving to ascertain members of the church, they are people
between yeast and asthma.” the identities of the dead. who came to test us,” she told local radio.