Un portal de noticias sobre América Latina bautizado como Ansur (Agencias de Noticias del Sur) fue presentado como parte de los acuerdos alcanzados entre las agencias públicas de noticias de la región nucleadas en la Unión Latinoaericana de Agencias de Noticias (Ulan).
El nuevo sitio, desarrollado por la Agencia de Noticias Télam y cuya url es www.ansur.am, se nutre de las principales informaciones que diariamente producen las distintas agencias de noticias de la región (América Latina y el Caribe) en cada uno de sus paises.
Si bien desde Télam se realiza el soporte técnico, la carga de noticias y el desarrollo de la web, los contenidos periodísticos son estrictamente respetados con el respectivo crédito a cada una de las agencias autoras de las informaciones que se reproducen.
Ansur nuclea a las empresas informativas públicas y las áreas de comunicación en aquéllos países que no han desarrollado aún la suya, entre los miembros del Mercosur (Mercado Común del Sur) , la Unasur (Unión de Naciones Suramericanas) y la Celac (Comunidad de Estados Latinoamericanos y Caribeños) conjunto que cuenta con una población estimada en casi 590 millones de habitantes.
Esa pluralidad de culturas, voces, historias y también de intereses económicos y políticos necesitaban ser reflejadas desde el relato de la noticia en todos los soportes y modalidades, gestados desde una visión propia.
Entre uno de los postulados de la Unión Latinoamericana de Noticias (Ulan), se establece “la necesidad de profundizar en las relaciones de cooperación y colaboración con el fin de fortalecer su condición de ser un espacio plural y democrático desde una visión propia latinoamericana y caribeña en función de romper con la hegemonía impuesta por transnacionales de la comunicación”, tal y como reza en sus estatutos.
Esa decisión fue refrendada en la declaración emitida en la II Asamblea de la Ulan, celebrada en La Habana (Cuba) en abril de 2014 y que registra antecedentes en un encuentro realizado en Brasilia en abril 2013 y con posteriores presentaciones del portal en el último Congreso Mundial de Agencias de Noticas en Ryad (Arabia Saudita) en octubre 2013.
“Ansur es una nueva herramienta, en este caso periodística, para sumar al proceso de integración de nuestra región desde la comunicación y nace como parte de los acuerdos establecidos entre las agencias de noticias socias en la Ulan”, señaló Alberto Hugo Emaldi, coordinador periodístico del sitio e integrante del directorio de la agencia Télam.
El periodista agregó que “Ansur reproduce en un solo sitio web las principales noticias generadas por la agencias noticiosas de nuestra región facilitando una comunicación más veloz” y subrayó que “no se trata de competir con otras empresas de noticias internacionales, sino de potenciar las noticias surgidas desde nuestra agencias”.
Las producciones de las agencias nacionales de noticias comprenden textos noticiosos, videos, fotografías, audios, infografías y contenidos para internet, en un volumen creciente y cada vez con mayor identidad propia.
Las agencias públicas y áreas de comunicación que aportan sus informaciones al portal de Ansur son las de Argentina, Bélice, Bolivia, Brasil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Guyana Francesa, Haití, Honduras, Jamaica, México, Nicaragua, Panamá, Paraguay, Perú, Puerto Rico, República Dominicana, Surinam, Uruguay y Venezuela.
El desarrollo inicial de Ansur esta a cargo de la Agencia Nacional de Noticias Télam S.E. fundada en 1945 y pionera en el continente.
Autoridades en sesión permanente por huracán María
PUERTO PLATA. – Las autoridades y organismos de socorro que integran el comité de Prevención Mitigación y Respuesta (PMR) en esta provincia se mantiene en vigilia ante la cercanía del huracán María.
De acuerdo a los pronósticos, de continuar con su actual trayectoria, el fenómeno provocará efectos dañinos en nuestro territorio, causando mayores daños en las provincias del este, noreste y norte.
En tal virtud, el gobernador Iván Rivera se reunió con el director de la Defensa Civil, Whascar García, quienes exhortaron a todos los alcaldes de los municipios y encargados de juntas distritales a que deben de estar atentos a las informaciones que está emitiendo el Comité de Operaciones de Emergencias (COE).
Culmina con éxito Feria Ganadera y Comercial El Cupey
Con éxito rotundo culminó la tradicional Feria Ganadera y Comercial El Cupey 2017, la cual llevó como lema “Sembrando, florece el futuro” y estuvo dedicada al ministro de Obras Públicas, Gonzalo Castillo y al destacado ganadero Radhamés Hilario.
La actividad fue organizada por la Asociación de Ganaderos Puerto Plata Central (AGPPC), que preside Milton Núñez Redondo y fueron realizadas exposiciones, exhibición de ganado, ventas de productos lácteos, operativos médicos y atracciones artísticas.
Se llevó a cabo en la urbanización Redondo en la sección El Cupey.
Entre las atracciones artísticas se destaca al José de la Bachata, Ray Junior y orquesta, Robert Liriano, Krisspy y su Bombazo Típico, así como Pedrito Reynoso.
Apresan hombre con supermercado ambulante de drogas
Un hombre fue apresado por una patrulla de la Policía, en el municipio turístico de Sosúa, el cual transportaba en un bulto y una mochila una especie de supermercado de drogas ambulante con varias porciones y pastillas de sustancias controladas.
Walmer Antonio Bautista Veras, de 36 años, quien reside en la calle Los Robles del residencial Buena Vista Norte en La Romana, se le encontraron 49 pastillas de estaxis, jachis,marihuana, cocaína y semillas de marihuana.
Además al detenido también se le ocupó una pipa eléctrica de metal, una cadena de plata, un teléfono celular marca IPhone de color blanco, un paquete de fundas plásticas transparentes para embalaje, una tijera de color azul y la suma de 160 pesos en efectivo.
El mes de junio representó un gran salto hacia la consulta de noticias desde móvil. Hasta el primer trimestre del 2015, el 86% de los usuarios de internet consultaron noticias desde un dispositivo Android y el 14% desde un iOS.
UnoTV.com continúa en la primera posición del ranking. En junio aumentó su tráfico móvil 86% gracias a su continuo envío de noticias a través de los móviles. En segundo lugar se encuentra El Deforma, sitio de parodias periodísticas, que aumentó 144% las visitas de usuarios desde smartphones. En tercer lugar se encuentra SDP Noticias, su tráfico incrementó 107 por ciento. En el cuarto lugar está Aristegui Noticias, sitio de la periodista Carmen Aristegui, que aumentó 91% las visitas en su web, porcentaje más alto del 2015. En la quinta posición se colocó Sin Embargo, con un crecimiento de 120% en comparación con el mes de mayo.
El número de visitas de los primeros lugares, en la mayoría de los casos, aumentó más del doble que el mes previo, debido a noticias como: las elecciones 2015, el polémico caso de Uber en México, el triunfo del candidato independiente Jaime Rodríguez Calderón, alias El Bronco, y la crisis en Grecia. Temas que fueron los más comentados en la web además de ser tendencias en redes sociales.
Medio Tiempo y Juan Futbol ocuparon el sitio seis y siete, respectivamente, en el Ranking de Medios Nativos Digitales. Medio Tiempo, aumentó las visitas en 69%; mientras que Juan Futbol 70 por ciento.
Además de las noticias deportivas, Juan Futbol siguió las tendencias en su logotipo, ejemplo de ellos fue que después de la aprobación del matrimonio homosexual en México y Estados Unidos, modificó su logotipo añadiendo los colores de la bandera del arcoíris.
El sitio de noticias deportivas Futbol Total, salió del Ranking de Medios Nativos Digitales ya que de acuerdo con la metodología utilizada cada mes, nació como una publicación impresa en lugar de ser nativa digital, a diferencia de los otros medios.
De acuerdo con el ranking, los 10 primeros lugares en junio desde escritorio lo ocuparon: SDP Noticias (1.4 millones), Aristegui Noticias (1.3 millones), El Deforma (1.2 millones), Medio Tiempo (1 millón), Sin Embargo (876,000), Juan Futbol (603,000), Animal Político (585,000), De 10 (528,000), Sopitas (521,000) y Red Política (356,000).
En smartphones, el ranking sigue encabezado por Uno Noticias (9.1 millones), El Deforma (8.2 millones), SDP Noticias (8 millones), Aristegui Noticias (6.3 millones), Sin Embargo (4.4 millones), Medio Tiempo (2.8 millones), Juan Futbol (2 millones), López-Dóriga (1.5 millones), De 10 (1.3 millones) y Cultura Colectiva (1.3 millones).
En el caso de las tabletas, el mes de junio hubo también un incremento importante. Los 10 primeros medios que aparecen son: SDP Noticias (695,000), Aristegui Noticias (685,000), El Deforma (549,000), Sin Embargo (362,000), Medio Tiempo (295,000), López-Dóriga (224,000), Animal Político (182,000), De 10 (177,000), Kiwilimón (160,000) y Cultura Colectiva (140,000).
São Paulo – Five Arab nations are in the list of countries with very high Human Development Index (HDI) of the United Nations Development Programme (Undp). In the list of 49 countries which comprise the ranking, Qatar is the 31st and the first among Arabs. Also listed are Saudi Arabia, at 34th, the Emirates, at 40th, Bahrain, at 44th, and Kuwait, at the 46th position. Norway, Australia and Swiss are at the top of the list, in ascending order.
The HDI shows quality of life and economic development of a country, evaluating areas such as health, education and income. The index ranges from zero to one. The closer to one, the better qualified is the country. Norway, the first in the ranking of the study disclosed this Thursday (24th), which concerns last year, had a 0.944 HDI. Qatar has 0.851, Saudi Arabia 0.836, Emirates 0.827, Bahrain 0.815 and Kuwait 0.814.
The United Nations classify the countries in four levels of HDI: very high, high, medium and low. Brazil is part of the group of nations with high level, at 0.744. It is placed 79th in the general ranking. Among the Arabs, high HDI nations include Libya, Oman, Lebanon, Jordan and Algeria. Out of those, only Algeria is behind Brazil, at the 93rd position, with 0.717.
Arabs classified with medium human development are Palestine, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, and Morocco. The list of countries with low HDI includes the Arabs Yemen, Comoro Islands, Mauritania, Sudan and Djibouti. Two of the Arab nations, Tunisia and Somalia, are not classified. The average score of very high HDI nations is 0.890, while high HDI average is 0.735. Medium indexes are 0.614 and low are 0.493.The Arab nation’s average HDI is 0.682.
In the Arab World, Comoro Islands moved down one position in the ranking in relation to 2012’s survey, Egypt dropped two positions, Kuwait has also dropped two positions, Libya moved down five, Mauritania moved down two and Syria moved down four positions. Morocco was the only country which moved up, two positions. The other nations remained in the same position in the ranking.
The report points out that most countries improved their human development in relation to the situation they were in 1990. In this group there are over 40 developing countries, which accommodate most of the world population. The Undp stresses, though, that the growth rate of the HDI slowed down in all groups: very high, high, medium and low.
According to the Undp, 2.2 million people are in poor or almost poor condition. Around 842 million people, or 12% of the population, are chronically hungry. And almost half of the workers in the world, over 1.5 billion people have informal or unstable employment. The report stressed that the gains, in health and nutrition areas, may be quickly reverted by natural disasters or economic recessions.
Tras salir de la Asamblea Nacional, el ahora exmandatario de Ecuador, Rafael Correa, recibió atención en el hospital de Instituto Ecuatoriano de Seguridad Social (IESS) Carlos Andrade Marín.
El exmandatario Correa está “bien” a pesar de una neumonía por la que fue internado en el hospital de Quito, informó el partido Alianza PAIS (AP) mediante su secretaria ejecutiva.
“Después de revisión médica, se confirma @MashiRafael (Correa) está en HCAM (Hospital Carlos Andrade Marín) con neumonía”, escribió en su cuenta de Twitter la secretaria de AP y legisladora Gabriela Rivadeneira.
Después de revisión médica, se confirma @MashiRafael está en HCAM con neumonía. Estará interno hasta confirmación de mejoría.
La dirigente agregó que Correa estará internado “hasta confirmación de mejoría”.
El pasado lunes, durante la inauguración de la Plataforma Financiera, Rafael Correa, se quejó de que tenía 39 grados de fiebre.
La extitular de la Asamblea Nacional aseguró que “debido a las demandantes actividades de estos últimos días, agotamiento y cambios bruscos del clima, (Correa) se realizó un chequeo médico de rutina del que ha salido sin mayores novedades”.
Macri con soroche
El presidente argentino Mauricio Macri se sintió mal durante la ceremonia en la Asamblea Nacional. Varios medios de comunicación locales hablan de que sufrió una descompensación debido a la altura de Quito. Luego de tomar un té de coca superó el mal de altura. (I)
Image caption
La empresa encargada del sistema de voto electrónico de Venezuela denunció en Londres la manipulación de la cifra de participación. En la foto, Antonio Mugica, director ejecutivo de Smartmatic.
Smartmatic, la empresa a cargo del sistema de voto electrónico empleado en las elecciones a la Asamblea Constituyente de Venezuela, denunció este miércoles que “hubo manipulación del dato de participación”.
El director ejecutivo de la compañía, Antonio Mugica, afirmó que Smarmatic estimaba “la diferencia entre la cantidad anunciada y la que arroja el sistema es de al menos un millón de electores“.
En una conferencia de prensa convocada en Londres, Mugica aclaró que por el momento no podían precisar el número exacto.
“Una auditoría permitiría conocer la cantidad exacta de participación”, aseguró Mugica, quien sin embargo no quiso comentar sobre el impacto de esa supuesta discrepancia para la validez de la elección.
La presidenta del Consejo Nacional Electoral (CNE), Tibisay Lucena, tachó la denuncia de Mugica de “irresponsable” y “sin fundamento”, al tiempo que defendió la cifra reportada el domingo: un 41,53% de participación con 8 millones de venezolanos en las urnas.
Ante el boicot de la oposición, el conteo del nivel de participación se convirtió en el número clave con el que medir el apoyo con el que contaba la Constituyente impulsada por el gobierno de Nicolás Maduro.
La oposición había celebrado un referendo informal dos semanas antes en las que aseguró haber contado con más de 7,6 millones de votos en rechazo de la iniciativa de Maduro.
Derechos de autor de la imagen AFP
Image caption
La oposición alegó que debía llamarse a un referendo antes de la votación para elegir los delegados de la ANC.
Smartmatic, una multinacional de origen venezolano, ha sido el proveedor de la plataforma tecnológica de votación y servicios para las elecciones en Venezuela desde 2004, incluyendo la elección del domingo para la Asamblea Constituyente.
Sin embargo, en el caso de la última votación no hubo presencia de auditores de la oposición, fundamentales como testigos del proceso, explica la firma, que tenía entre sus responsabilidades la totalización de los votos.
En el comunicado leído por Mugica en Londres se sugiere que las autoridades electorales de Venezuela simplemente decidieron ignorar el reporte de totalización de votos generado por el sistema de Smartmatic.
“Nuestro sistema automatizado está diseñado para evidenciar cualquier manipulación, pero deben existir personas observando el sistema y esperando por esas evidencias: los auditores”, explicó Mugica.
“En esta elección no hubo auditores de la oposición porque ésta no participó”, agregó.
Derechos de autor de la imagen EPA
Image caption
En el caso de la última votación no hubo presencia de auditores de la oposición.
Antes del anuncio de Smartmatic, varios países ya habían dicho que no van a reconocer el resultado de los comicios del domingo, que fueron boicoteados por la oposición venezolana.
La oposición ya había estimado la participación en los comicios en únicamente el 12,4% del padrón electoral, es decir, unos 2,4 millones de electores.
Después del anuncio, el presidente de la Asamblea Nacional y líder opositor Julio Borges señaló que lo dicho por la compañía confirma las denuncias opositoras.
Derechos de autor de la imagen EPA
Image caption
Borges claificó la revelación de Smarmatic de un “terremoto a nivel mundial”.
“Es un terremoto a nivel mundial, porque lo que se venía diciendo a gritos viene a tener confirmación completa. Smartmatic ha declarado que tiene la data dura incontrovertible según la cual las elecciones de la Constituyente no fueron sólo un fraude por la convocatoria, sino que todos los resultados que leyó el CNE esa noche son absolutamente fraudulentos”.
“Sin lugar a dudas los rectores del CNE son sujetos de un delito que es adulterar el resultado electoral”, afirmó Borges.
El parlamentario anunció que un grupo de diputados se dirigirá al Ministerio Público a pedir que se abran “investigaciones penales porque lo que ha ocurrido es un delito que comienza por la misma cabeza del órgano electoral”.
“Esto constituye una razón más para seguir luchando”, dijo Borges, que pidió más ayuda a la comunidad internacional.
Derechos de autor de la imagen AFP
Image caption
En el pasado, la empresa había sido acusada de vínculos con Hugo Chávez.
La presidenta del CNE descalificó la declaración del jefe de Smartmatic por considerar que se trataba de una “opinión sin precedentes”.
“Es una aseveración irresponsable con base en estimaciones sin fundamento en la data que maneja exclusivamente el Poder Electoral”, afirmó Lucena en una declaración a medios.
“No es una empresa privada radicada fuera del país la que garantiza la transparencia y credibilidad del sistema electoral venezolano”, sentenció.
“Su único rol es la de proveer ciertos servicios y soporte técnico que no son determinantes en sus resultados”.
“No les iba a gustar”
El gobierno de Venezuela, sin embargo, ha defendido la legitimidad de la nueva asamblea, que tiene como misión redactar una nueva Constitución y se espera ordene la disolución del actual parlamento, controlado por la oposición.
BBC Mundo le preguntó director de la firma, el venezolano Antonio Mugica, si había discutido sus hallazgos con el gobierno de Venezuela y las autoridades electorales, y -después de una larga pausa- el ejecutivo respondió negativamente.
“Pasamos los dos últimos días asegurándonos de que esto que estamos diciendo es verdad, que es preciso”, dijo.
“No sentimos que alertar a las autoridades del CNE antes de hacer esta declaración fuera lo correcto”, explicó.
Luego elaboró: “Pensamos que a las autoridades no les iba a gustar lo que teníamos para decir“.
Y según el periódico venezolano El Nacional, una veintena de técnicos de Smartmatic abandonaron Venezuela poco antes de la conferencia de Mugica.
Derechos de autor de la imagen AFP
Image caption
El gobierno venezolano aseguró que la elección tuvo un 41,53% de participación con 8 millones de venezolanos en las urnas.
Interrogado sobre la credibilidad de sus señalamientos, Mugica dijo que los números estaban ahí para quien quiera analizarlos.
“Lo que nosotros podemos asegurar, sin ninguna duda, es que las cifras oficiales y las que arrojó el sistema no concuerdan“, insistió Mugica.
Las controversias de Smartmatic
Entre 2004 y 2015 Smartmatic ha participado en 14 elecciones, estableció más de medio millón de máquinas para votar y procesó más de 377 millones de votos en Venezuela, según información provista por la empresa.
Pero la empresa, que afirma haber ayudado a millones de votantes a depositar más de 3.700 millones de votos en elecciones en todo el mundo, no es ajena a las controversias.
Derechos de autor de la imagen EPA
Image caption
El gobierno de Venezuela ha defendido la legitimidad de la nueva asamblea.
En la propia Venezuela, la oposición en su momento denunció que el sistema no había evitado irregularidades durante el referendo revocatorio de 2004, pero el proceso fue validado por observadores electorales de la Unión Europea, el Centro Carter y la Organización de Estados Americanos (OEA).
Y candidatos perdedores también denunciaron fraude en comicios manejados por Smartmatic en Filipinas.
Esta, sin embargo, es la primera vez que la compañía entra en contradicción con las autoridades electorales de un país.
Nacida en Venezuela, pero ahora con sede en Londres, Smartmatic fue acusada en sus orígenes de tener vínculos demasiado estrechos con el ahora fallecido presidente venezolano Hugo Chávez.
Pero dada su cada vez mayor presencia internacional, la empresa puede haber decidido que su credibilidad es mucho más importante que cualquier vínculo que haya podido tener con la Revolución Bolivariana.
La cadena de televisión mostró un mensaje de “Un momento, por favor” mientras duró la interrupción.
Agencias de noticias holandesas reportaron este jueves que un hombre armado con una pistola irrumpió en las oficinas del canal de televisión de noticias nacional (NOS) y pidió entrar en directo.
El hombre, que iba bien vestido, fue detenido al poco tiempo de iniciarse el incidente, informó Reuters.
Por el momento se desconoce si hay heridos.
La agencia RTL reportó que los estudios de la cadena, en la ciudad de Hilversum, fueron evacuados.
El canal interrumpió su transmisión.
Al parecer, el trabajador de seguridad que acompañó al hombre armado lo condujo a un estudio que no está en uso, en lugar de llevarlo al estudio desde el que se emite el noticiero de las 8 de la noche, como había exigido el hombre.
São Paulo – Arab-themed films will be shown during Rio Festival, set to begin next Wednesday (24th) in Rio de Janeiro, featuring 350 productions from 60 countries. At least six films will be shown that were produced or co-produced in Arab countries, apart from another five shot in other countries, including Brazil, but which address Arab-related issues.
Press Release
Fishing Without Nets: pirates in Somalia
Palestinian filmmaker Najwa Najjar, the director of Eyes of a Thief, will make an appearance at the festival, according to the organizers. Najjar has award-winning films under her belt, including her debut, Pomegranates and Myrrh, from 2008, which won the Cinema in Motion Prize at the San Sebastián Film Festival. Eyes of a Thief is her second feature film.
The movie tells the story of the mysterious Tareq, who gets wounded and arrested by Israeli soldiers during the Palestinian uprisings of 2002. Ten years later, he returns to his city to search for his daughter and the place is changed. Little by little, Tareq’s past begins to resurface. The film is inspired in a true story. The director will present her production on September 27th, 5 pm at Estação Rio 2. Najjar will be in Brazil from September 24th to October 1st.
Another Arab film to be featured is Silvered Water, Syria Self-Portrait, a 90-minute Syrian-French co-production directed by Ossama Mohammed and Wiam Simav Bedirxan. An exile in Paris since 2011, Mohammed collected thousands of online videos depicting the daily atrocities of civil war in his country.
Another Arab film in the program is Iraqi Odyssey, a 162 minute co-production from Iraq, Switzerland, Germany and the United Arab Emirates. The film’s director and scriptwriter, Samir, tells stories of his relatives, of departures and lost roots, showing how the Iraqi dream of building an equitable, modern society has gone astray. Samir was born in Baghdad, but has lived in Switzerland since his childhood, and has family all over the world.
The festival will feature yet another production about Iraq: Whispers of the Cities, a 62 minute documentary co-produced by Iraq and the United Kingdom and directed by Kasim Abid. The movie features footage taken by Abid of the windows of his former houses in three different cities: Erbil, in Kurdistan, Ramallah, in Palestine, and Baghdad, the Iraqi capital. The footage is a ballet of men and machines, a testimony to the Arab people’s ability to resist.
In Fishing Without Nets, a co-production between the USA, Kenya and Somalia – the latter is an Arab country –, young Abdi becomes a pirate to provide for his family. As he sets sail to capture a French oil tanker, his son and wife await him in Yemen. The film is directed by the USA’s Cutter Hodierne.
A French-Moroccan co-production will also be shown: Travelling at Night With Jim Jarmusch. The 50-minute documentary is an intimate portrait of the American filmmaker Jarmusch as he worked on his feature film Only Lovers Left Alive, in which a vampire couple journeys across several cities, from Detroit to Tangier, Morocco.
The Arab world is also the subject of the documentary First to Fall, a British-American co-production about two Libyans living in Canada who leave the country to go to war in Libya; of The Revolution of the Year, a Brazilian-made documentary about the Arab Spring; Las Hijack, another documentary about a Somali pirate who must decide whether to start a new life with his fiancée; and Les terrasses, a French fiction film telling five life stories from five Algiers rooftops.
The films will be featured in different thematic sections and contests within the festival. During the festival, industry fair RioMarket Film Show will also be held, featuring panels, seminars, workshops and matchmaking. This year, RioMarket will be divided into two sections: television and film. The former will run from September 24th to 26th and the second, from September 29th to October 3rd. The festival ends on October 9th.
The films will be shown at different theaters across Rio, but the main venue is Armazém 6, aka Armazém da Utopia, on the port zone, where RioMarket will take place. The festival is sponsored by the group Cinema do Rio and by Centro de Cultura, Informação e Meio Ambiente (Cima – Centre for Culture, Information and Environment), with backing from government and private organizations.
Service:
2014 Rio Festival
September 24th to October 9th
At several venues across the city – Rio de Janeiro – Rio de Janeiro
Program: www.festivaldorio.com.br/en/
Presales: www.ingresso.com
Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., speaks to reporters Friday after her election as House Republican Conference chair. Stefanik called former President Donald Trump “a critical part of our Republican team.”
Alex Wong/Getty Images
hide caption
toggle caption
Alex Wong/Getty Images
Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., speaks to reporters Friday after her election as House Republican Conference chair. Stefanik called former President Donald Trump “a critical part of our Republican team.”
Alex Wong/Getty Images
GOP lawmakers have chosen Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York as the No. 3 Republican in the House, anointing a Trump loyalist to a leadership position charged with delivering party messaging.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., announced her election in a tweet.
In a statement posted to Twitter, Stefanik said she was “honored and humbled to earn the support of my colleagues.” Speaking to reporters later, she thanked former President Donald Trump whom she called “a critical part of our Republican team.”
“I believe that voters determine the leader of the Republican Party and President Trump is the leader that they look to,” she said when asked about Trump’s leadership role within the party.
Stefanik’s swift installment by secret ballot comes two days after House Republicans removed Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming from the role following her steadfast criticism of Trump over the last few months.
Stefanik’s name was quickly floated as a replacement for Cheney, who had successfully warded off an attempt on her leadership position in February. Stefanik garnered the public support of McCarthy, House Minority Whip Steve Scalise and Trump.
While she appeared in some ways to be a foregone conclusion as the new conference chair, Stefanik faced some opposition from conservatives such as Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, who sent a memo to colleagues this week criticizing her record as being too moderate.
Roy maintained the conference shouldn’t “rush this process just for the sake of doing it,” telling Capitol Hill reporters Thursday evening he would run for the position himself.
In Friday’s press conference, McCarthy thanked Roy, saying, “We had a healthy debate and a good election.”
Stefanik sent a letter to colleagues Wednesday detailing her vision to “unify” the conference.
READ: Why I’m running for House Republican Conference Chair
A letter to my colleagues on my vision to unify our GOP Conference, win the Majority, and fight on behalf of the American people to save our country👇🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/JGE5IqhNJo
“I strongly believe that one of the most important qualities in any leader is the commitment and ability to listen,” she wrote. “This week, I have had hundreds of productive and informative conversations with Members from all corners of our Conference. Today, I humbly ask to earn your vote for House Republican Conference Chair to unify our message as a team and win the Majority in 2022.”
Stefanik entered Congress in 2015, representing an upstate New York district that voted twice for former President Barack Obama. She amassed a moderate voting record and earned a reputation as one of the more bipartisan members on Capitol Hill.
But as her district shifted hard in favor of Trump, so did Stefanik.
She became a star of the MAGA-verse following her passionate defense of the former president during his first impeachment hearings, with her performance earning her personal praise from Trump and record-breaking fundraising for her reelection.
Stefanik replaces Cheney, a woman she previously called a “huge asset in the role” and whom she twice nominated for the leadership position she now assumes.
Cheney is arguably more conservative than Stefanik, who voted against Trump’s 2017 tax cuts. But the pair diverged most notably on Trump and his role in the GOP. Cheney voted for Trump’s impeachment this year following the insurrection on the U.S. Capitol. Stefanik did not.
Cheney voted to certify the electoral results from the 2020 presidential election. Stefanik joined 138 House Republicans in voting to object to the counts in Pennsylvania.
Stefanik has also made her embrace of Trump abundantly clear, which aligns with party leaders such as McCarthy who are relying on the former president’s support in the next election cycle to boost Republicans’ numbers in Congress.
But even after her ousting, Cheney remains firm in her stance.
“I will do everything I can to ensure that the former president never again gets anywhere near the Oval Office,” she told reporters following her removal from leadership.
Stephen Moore speaks during a Bloomberg Television interview in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. He withdrew from consideration for a seat on the Federal Reserve Board, President Trump said.
Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images
hide caption
toggle caption
Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Stephen Moore speaks during a Bloomberg Television interview in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. He withdrew from consideration for a seat on the Federal Reserve Board, President Trump said.
Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Updated at 1:24 p.m. ET
Stephen Moore, a Trump campaign adviser and conservative pundit, has withdrawn his name from consideration to serve on the Federal Reserve Board, President Trump said Thursday.
“Steve Moore, a great pro-growth economist and a truly fine person, has decided to withdraw from the Fed process,” Trump said in a tweet.
Steve Moore, a great pro-growth economist and a truly fine person, has decided to withdraw from the Fed process. Steve won the battle of ideas including Tax Cuts….
Moore came under criticism from lawmakers for past remarks and writings about women. Moore wrote that women should not be allowed to referee men’s NCAA basketball games and that women earning more than men “could be disruptive to family stability.”
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, called Moore’s past writings “ridiculous” and said she was “not enthused” about supporting him.
In an interview Thursday with Bloomberg News, Moore said he will “do what the president wants me to do. If he wants me to keep fighting, I’m going to keep fighting. If he thinks it’s time to throw in the towel, I’ll do that.”
In March, Trump tweeted, “I have known Steve for a long time – and have no doubt he will be an outstanding choice!”
But the idea of putting Moore on the Fed prompted a strong backlash from many economists. “More than possibly any other economist in modern America, he has a track record of getting the big issues wrong,” said Justin Wolfers of the University of Michigan. “Not just occasionally but time after time.”
Opponents said Moore’s partisan bent could hurt the Fed’s reputation for independence.
Moore is the second of Trump’s potential choices for the Fed to be withdrawn. Last month, the president said Herman Cain, a former Republican presidential candidate, had pulled out of contention for a Fed seat. Cain was known for his “9-9-9” tax plan, but dropped out of the 2012 GOP race after allegations that he sexually harassed women and cheated on his wife — allegations Cain denied.
The lone conservative on the show discussed the violent situation with former Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman, noting that Biden’s expressed support for Israel’s right to defend itself sounded like it was “just words.”
“You know better than anyone I’m no fan of President Trump’s, but I did believe that he handled the Middle East very well,” McCain said. “You know of my personal admiration for Joe Biden, but I’m very, very concerned that he’s following in Obama’s footsteps in trying to lead from behind.”
“Hamas, a terrorist organization, has already fired 1,600 rockets at Israeli civilians. I’m glad that President Biden has conveyed his unwavering support for Israel’s right to defend itself, but I’m starting to think these are just words. Do you want to see Biden get more involved?” she asked.
Lieberman responded that he thought the Biden administration had actually handled the crisis “very well.” He then stated that the U.S. has a responsibility to support Israel and its right to defend itself.
He went on to express his concern over the Biden administration’s attempt to re-enter the nuclear agreement with Iran, noting that he was fearful the U.S. wanted the agreement more than Iran. Iran, he said, is finding ways to poke the U.S. and is encouraging Hamas and Palestinian Islamic jihad to commit acts of violence against Israel.
“I hope President Biden and his team are aware of that and are realistic about it and not just hopeful that they can reach an agreement almost at any price,” he said.
Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday reiterating his support for the nation, but has faced criticism from both Democrats and Republicans over his approach to the increasing violence. Some Republicans have demanded Biden strongly condemn Hamas, while many on the far-left, such as “Squad” member Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-MI, have accused the U.S. of “enabling” Israel to “commit human rights violations” with economic aid.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Wednesday that racism and sexism are at the root of negative critiques of Vice President Kamala Harris — and argued that the lack of news conferences by President Biden is a problem for the media rather than the American public.
During a livestreamed event hosted by Politico’s Women Rule Exchange, Politico senior editor Anita Kumar asked Psaki if she felt Harris was receiving more criticism because she is the first woman and first woman of color to serve as vice president.
“Yes,” Psaki answered, before adding: “Criticism from the outside, absolutely.
“I do think that it has been easier, and harsher, from some in the right wing who have gone after her because she is the first woman, the first woman of color,” the press secretary added. “I’m not suggesting anyone will acknowledge that publicly, but I think there’s no question that the type of attacks — the attacks on her that certainly, being the first she is many times over, is part of that.”
Psaki has repeatedly defended the relationship between Biden and Harris after CNN reported earlier this week that the vice president has been increasingly sidelined inside the administration while being tasked with handling politically dangerous issues.
Psaki told Politico’s Anita Kumar, “I do think there has been some attacks that are beyond because of [Vice President Kamala Harris’] identity.”Politico
On Wednesday, Psaki told Kumar that “one of the things I really admire about the vice president [is] she is the first African American woman, woman of color, Indian American woman to serve in this job, [first] woman. I mean, so many firsts, right? It’s a lot to have on your shoulders.
“She is somebody who [is] at a much higher level than the rest of us, but who wants to be seen as the talented, experienced, you know, expert, substantive policy person, partner to the president, that she is,” Psaki added. “But I do think there has been some attacks that are beyond because of her identity.”
Psaki also addressed criticism of Biden for holding a mere handful of formal press conferences 10 months into his term of office, a critique she said was “misunderstood.”
Psaki defended President Biden and Vice President Harris’ relationship following a report that the veep has been increasingly sidelined.Drew Angerer/Getty Images
The press secretary insisted it was inaccurate “to suggest that he [Biden] isn’t accessible or doesn’t answer questions.”
“A lot of people think former President Trump was quite accessible. President Biden has answered questions twice as many times at these events than President Trump did at this point in time,” Psaki claimed. “So that’s how he’s decided to engage and approach and that’s what works for him.”
She added that Biden is more comfortable with informal back-and-forth exchanges with reporters at public events than with holding a formal press conference.
“I think the important thing for people to understand … is that at a press conference, you take maybe 10, maybe 15 questions,” Psaki said, adding that Biden “probably takes” 20 to 30 questions a week.
“I think I have to say I think that’s more an issue related to the White House press corps, as it’s their job to be … than it is a concern to the American public. They see the president answer questions multiple times a week, they see him speaking and providing updates,” the press secretary claimed.
“I think it would be hard for anyone to argue that we are not providing information to the public,” Psaki added.
According to the nonprofit American Presidency Project, Donald Trump held one formal press conference during his first year in office, but took questions from reporters at events 20 times.
So far in his presidency, Biden has held six solo press conferences, but taken reporter questions at just three additional events.
North Carolina sheriff’s deputies were “justified” in their fatal shooting of a Black man in April because the man ignored their commands and drove his car directly at one of them before they fired any shots, a prosecutor said Tuesday. District Attorney Andrew Womble said none of the deputies involved would be criminally charged in the fatal shooting of Andrew Brown Jr.
“The officers’ actions were consistent with their training and fully supported under the law in protecting their lives and this community,” Womble said during a press conference.
The district attorney said that Brown used his car as a “deadly weapon,” causing Pasquotank County deputies to believe it was necessary to use deadly force. Womble acknowledged Brown wasn’t armed with guns or other weapons as deputies were trying to take him into custody while serving drug-related warrants at his house in Elizabeth City on April 21.
In a statement, the Brown family’s attorneys said Womble was making an “attempt to whitewash this unjustified killing.”
“The bottom line is that Andrew was killed by a shot to the back of the head,” the attorneys said. “Interestingly, none of these issues were appropriately addressed in today’s press conference.”
The prosecutor said he would not release bodycam video of the confrontation between Brown and the law enforcement officers, but he played portions of the video during the news conference. The video came from four body cameras worn by deputies during the shooting.
An image capture from police body camera video shows Pasquotank County sheriff’s deputies during the fatal shooting of Andrew Brown Jr. in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, April 21, 2021.
In the footage played to reporters, the deputies are seen jumping out of the back of a sheriff’s office pickup truck as it pulls up to Brown’s house. The deputies then rush toward Brown, who was in his car.
As the deputies surround the car, one of them, who Womble identified as Deputy Joel Lunsford, tried to open the driver’s side door.
Womble said Brown was holding his phone when the deputies approached the vehicle and that Brown threw the phone down and began to rapidly back the car away from the deputies. As the car backed away, the door handle came out of Lunsford’s hand, Womble said.
Brown then drove the car forward and to the left between two deputies as he was told to stop the vehicle. As the car was moving, Lunsford appeared to briefly brace his left hand against the passenger side of the hood.
“It was at this moment that the first shot is fired,” Womble said. He said the first shot fired at Brown’s car went through the front windshield, not the back as was previously reported.
As Brown drove away, the deputies opened fire with bullets entering the car through the passenger side of the car, the rear windshield and the trunk, according to Womble. He said the incident lasted a total of 44 seconds.
The three deputies involved in the shooting — Investigator Daniel Meads, Deputy Robert Morgan and Corporal Aaron Lewellyn — have been on leave since it happened. The sheriff’s office said Morgan is Black while Meads and Lewellyn are White.
Four others who were at the scene were reinstated after the sheriff said they didn’t fire their weapons.
“Clearly they did not feel that their lives were endangered,” the Brown family’s attorneys said of the four deputies who didn’t shoot.
An independent autopsy released by the family found that Brown was hit by bullets five times, including once in the back of the head. Lawyers for Brown’s family who watched body camera footage say that it shows Brown was not armed and that he didn’t drive toward deputies or pose a threat to them. Womble has previously disagreed in court, saying that Brown struck deputies twice with his car before any shots were fired.
The sheriff has said his deputies weren’t injured.
The Brown family’s attorneys called for the release of the full bodycam video and the State Bureau of Investigation’s report on the shooting. The attorneys also called for the U.S. Department of Justice to “intervene immediately.”
The shooting sparked protests over multiple weeks by demonstrators calling for the public release of the footage. While authorities have shown footage to Brown’s family, a judge refused to release the video publicly pending the state investigation.
Image caption
El enfrentamiento en Granja Penal Canadá comenzó después de las horas de visita del domingo.
Las autoridades de Guatemala confirmaron el balance de 17 muertos, tres de ellos decapitados, en una pelea entre internos en la Granja Penal Canadá.
El viceministro del interior de Guatemala, Elmer Sosa, aseguró que las fuerzas del orden ya retomaron el control del penal, algo que no habían intentado antes para evitar un enfrentamiento entre reos y policías.
Según Sosa, uno de los fallecidos fue por arma de fuego y el resto por arma blanca.
Por su parte, Rudy Esquivel, vocero del Sistema Penitenciario, descartó que entre las víctimas haya guardias.
Image copyright European Photopress Agency
Image caption
Las autoridades de Guatemala dicen que la violencia pudo deberse a un enfrentamiento entre bandas.
“La causa fue una riña entre ellos aunque se sigue investigando”, señaló Esquivel, descartando el intento de fuga como habían reportado algunos medios.
El enfrentamiento comenzó después de las horas de visita del domingo.
Image copyright European Photopress Agency
Image caption
La sobrepoblación es alarmante en Granja Penal Canadá.
La Granja Penal Canadá, que no es de máxima seguridad, está ubicada a 60 kilómetros al sur de la capital, Ciudad de Guatemala.
La cárcel de Escuintla, donde ocurrió el enfrentamiento, está sobrepoblada. Fue construida para 600 prisioneros, pero actualmente alberga a más de 3.000.
Con este incidente, ya son 39 los presos fallecidos en lo que va de año en Guatemala.
Esa cifra supera el récord de 2005, cuando fallecieron 30 por varios motines.
SEATTLE, Wash. – UPDATE: The Seattle Fire Department has confirmed that four people are dead and three injured after a construction crane fell into traffic Saturday afternoon.
The incident at Fairview Ave N and involved a crane that fell into traffic. 5 cars were crushed. There are a total of 4 fatalities, and 3 injured patients that have been transferred to the hospital. pic.twitter.com/HM3PBZ5Udt
The Seattle Fire Department responded to a fallen crane on Mercer St and Fairview Saturday afternoon, where it was reported that several people were killed.
A tweet released by the department initially confirmed that the crane fell on multiple cars.
PIO is responding to Boren and Mercer for a fallen crane on multiple cars. ETA 15 minutes.
KOMO News and the Department of Transportation reported footage from the scene, where reporters with KOMO said that several people were killed.
A crane fell on several cars on Mercer St and Fairview near I-5. Many police and fire personnel on scene. Reports that several people were killed. #komonewshttps://t.co/a0BWAGo9rW
Catch up on the day’s news and look ahead to tomorrow by signing up for the Daily Local email newsletter from KXLY4. Headlines, events, and staff picks every weeknight at 8 p.m. Sign up HERE to get your news on the D.L.
En las redes hay una nueva moda: el juego #CharlieCharlieChallenge, una versión moderna del juego de la copa pero con lápices.
Hay dos versiones de cómo se realiza. Una, la más difundida, indica que en una hoja de papel se escribe “Si” y “No” y se ponen dos lápices en cruz. Luego se pregunta “Charlie, Charlie ¿estás ahí?” y, según muchas versiones en Internet, el lápiz se mueve solo.
Si la respuesta es sí, (si el lápiz se mueve hacia el cuadrante que dice “si”) Charlie permite que se le siga haciendo preguntas, que siempre tienen como respuesta un sí o un no como se ve en este video:
El origen por ahora se desconoce, aunque se habla de que pudo surgir en México.
Uno de los primeros en compartir en Twitter el hashtag #CharlieCharlieChallenge fue el usuario @_kluh. Posterioremente personajes famosos en redes sociales también se sumaron a esta moda con videos de YouTube.
Una segunda versión de cómo se juega indica que se colocan seis lápices formando una estructura rectangular, tres sostenidos en la mano por una persona y tres por otra.
Cuando se realiza una pregunta, si los lápices “se mueven” hacia afuera significa “si” y si los lápices se mueven hacia adentro significa “no”. Así lo muestra este video:
This is a widget area - If you go to "Appearance" in your WP-Admin you can change the content of this box in "Widgets", or you can remove this box completely under "Theme Options"
