Swing voters and independents in battleground states are coming to the Republican Party ‘in droves,’ says Pennsylvania Congressman Guy Reschenthaler, Republican member of the House Judiciary Committee.
Father’s Day, which started in 1910, takes place on the third Sunday of June every year.
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Father’s Day, which started in 1910, takes place on the third Sunday of June every year.
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When does a joke become a dad joke? That’s easy. When it becomes apparent.
Wait, don’t click away.
Are dad jokes tired? Probably. They’ve been walking all day to get here to this very post. But now that I’ve got your (perhaps somewhat annoyed) attention, consider this your reminder that it’s Father’s Day — or depending on the day you’re reading this, Oops, you missed Father’s Day.
It’s a day to honor dads everywhere, whether they be young or old, single or partnered, new to the job or seasoned like a favorite cast iron skillet. They could be a stay-at-home dad or the primary breadwinner. They could be your own dad, your kid’s dad, a dad who has passed away or anyone in your life who plays that role for you.
It’s a day to do, well, whatever feels right to you and your family. But before you go celebrate, here are a few fun numbers that describe the holiday. Take them with you to the barbecue, brunch or whatever it is your version of dad does best.
1910
Father’s Day, it seems, has a mother. The idea for a day honoring dads is generally attributed to Sonora Dodd, a woman raised by her father after her mother died in childbirth, according to the Library of Congress. In 1910, Dodd was apparently listening to a church service on Mother’s Day, which itself had only existed for a few years and was still unofficial, and she began to think about everything her father had done for her growing up. The first Father’s Day celebration took place where Dodd lived, in Spokane, Wash., in June.
1966
But it took a few more decades to really become official. In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson proclaimed that the third Sunday in June would be officially known as Father’s Day, saying that we look to fathers to “provide the strength and stability which characterize the successful family.” In 1972, President Nixon made the day a national holiday.
In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson, a father of two daughters, proclaimed that the third Sunday in June would be known as Father’s Day.
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In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson, a father of two daughters, proclaimed that the third Sunday in June would be known as Father’s Day.
Bettmann Archive
75 million
There are 121 million men over the age of 15 in the United States, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Among them, 75 million are fathers to biological, step or adopted children. That’s about six in 10 men. Most of them, around 61%, became dads in their 20s. Another 20% became dads between the ages of 30 and 34.
72 million
Father’s Day is the fourth largest holiday for sending cards in the U.S., behind Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day and Christmas, according to Hallmark. According to the greeting card company, 72 million Father’s Day cards are purchased each year. About a quarter of them are considered “humor” cards, which is a nice segue into another dad joke: Two guys walked into a bar. The third guy ducked. You’re welcome.
75 percent
This is the amount of Americans recently surveyed by the National Retail Federation who said they plan to celebrate the father figures in their life this weekend. About half of the survey’s respondents said they were planning on buying a gift for their own dad — and those gifts are getting more expensive. On average, people surveyed said they’re planning on spending $174 on Father’s Day gifts, nearly double what people were spending more than 10 years ago.
Fifty-nine percent of Americans surveyed by the National Retail Federation were planning to buy cards for Father’s Day. The survey also shows that 49 percent plan on giving clothing and 45 percent will give gift cards.
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Fifty-nine percent of Americans surveyed by the National Retail Federation were planning to buy cards for Father’s Day. The survey also shows that 49 percent plan on giving clothing and 45 percent will give gift cards.
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7 percent
The percent of fathers who are stay-at-home dads is slowly rising. In 1989, about 4% of fathers were at home. By 2016, that number had risen to 7%, according to the Pew Research Center. In that same time frame, the share of mothers at home has remained relatively stable, at around 27%. In general, dads are more involved in childcare now than they were 50 years ago. In 1965, fathers reported that they spent about 2.5 hours per week caring for children. In 2016, that number had jumped to eight hours.
1.7 million
Of the 35 million fathers with children under 18, 1.7 million of them are single dads, in that they are living with a child with no spouse or partner present, according to the Census. In total, 46% of dads have children under 18, the rest have adult children, and about one in four are grandfathers.
1
Because you’ve read this far, this is how many dads it usually takes to screw in a lightbulb. You didn’t think I’d put a question in the headline and not answer it, did you?
63 percent
In a survey by the Pew Research Center, most dads said being a parent is rewarding and central to their identity. But 63 percent said they spent “too little” time with their children. So, if you have a dad in your life who’s still around, make sure to call him soon.
Or, as my own dad would say, don’t call him soon, call him dad.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — City officials say a tiger mauled a zookeeper at the Topeka Zoo in northeastern Kansas.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the incident happened around 9:30 a.m. Saturday, when a Sumatran tiger named Sanjiv attacked the worker in a secured, indoor space.
Topeka Zoo director Brendan Wiley says the zookeeper was awake and alert when she was taken by ambulance to a hospital. Wiley said he did not know the extent of her injuries. The zookeeper’s name has not been released.
RELATED: Zookeeper killed by tiger at Hamerton zoo
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City spokeswoman Molly Hadfield says the zoo was open at the time of the attack and was witnessed by some people.
The zoo reopened about 45 minutes after the attack.
Sanjiv came to the Topeka Zoo in August 2017 from a zoo in Akron, Ohio.
Information from: The Topeka (Kan.) Capital-Journal, http://www.cjonline.com
Los comentarios publicados son de exclusiva responsabilidad de sus autores y las consecuencias derivadas de ellos pueden ser pasibles de sanciones legales. Aquel usuario que incluya en sus mensajes algun comentario violatorio del reglamento sera eliminado e inhabilitado para volver a comentar. Enviar un comentario implica la aceptacion del Reglamento.
Three new wildfires ignited in California on Sunday as the state reported progress in containing the Caldor fire.
The Aruba fire, sparked in San Diego County, has burned across the southeast portion of the community of Rainbow, according to Cal Fire.
Cal Fire’s protection district in San Diego County said on Twitter that the forward rate of the spread has stopped, and the fire was at 15 percent contained.
The Bridge fire, sparked in Placer, has burned 250 acres under the Foresthill Bridge in Auburn. That fire is zero percent contained as of Sunday, and evacuations are in progress.
The Lawrence fire, the smallest of the three, started at 10:40 a.m. Sunday. It has thus far burned 40 acres. As of Sunday evening, the Lawrence fire is 30 percent contained.
California has been hit hard by wildfires this season. This year, the Golden State has reported 7,099 fires burning more than 1.9 million acres, according to statistics reported by Cal Fire.
Cal Fire reported progress containing the Caldor fire, which is currently the second-largest active fire. The fire, which started Aug. 14, has burned 215,400 acres in El Dorado and Amador counties.
As of Sunday evening, the fire was 44 percent contained and is expected to be fully contained by Sept. 27. No deaths have been reported
Cal Fire said evacuation orders for South Lake Tahoe were downgraded to evacuation warnings, but warned that potential dangers still existed.
Authorities are working to contain the Dixie fire, which is the largest active wildfire in the state and the second-largest in the state’s history. The fire, which broke out on July 14, has burned 898,951 acres and is 56 percent contained.
Across the country, 80 large fires are active and have burned 2.8 million acres, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Most of the fires are in Idaho and Montana, with both states battling 19 fires.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday that California will review the safety of all COVID-19 vaccines that receive federal approval before distributing them to the public, adding an extra safeguard amid concerns that the White House could rush the process.
The governor announced the creation of a new group of physicians and scientists working with the California Department of Public Health that will “independently review” all federal Food and Drug Administration-approved vaccines, he said.
“Of course, we don’t take anyone’s word for it,” Newsom said at a news conference on Monday. “We will do our own independently reviewed process with our world-class experts that just happen to live here in the state of California.”
Vaccines, like many other aspects of the nation’s response to the pandemic, have become increasingly politicized. President Trump for months pushed for the speedy development of a vaccine, leading to clashes with public health officials who disagreed with his timeline. Now Newsom is insisting on a state review at a time when polls show declining confidence in future COVID-19 vaccines.
The governor’s decision mirrors a September announcement from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who said he would create a task force of health experts to review the federal government’s COVID-19 vaccine approvals.
Newsom’s announcement added to the uncertainty about COVID-19 vaccines just days after Dr. Anthony Fauci said he felt “strong confidence” in the safety of those approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told “CBS Evening News” that he expects to know in November or December if some potential COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective.
He said that if all six vaccine candidates currently undergoing clinical trials are proven to be safe and effective, they could be widely available by April.
But the governor on Monday said mid-2021 is a realistic projection for when a vaccine would be distributed to the public. Newsom acknowledged the “political polarization” around vaccines and said the state needs to monitor the safety, distribution and health effects.
“So, no matter who the next president is, we’re going to maintain our vigilance,” Newsom said. “We are going to do what California is well known to do and that is to make sure that we have a redundancy and that we maintain our vigilance to have a second set of eyes on the things that are being asserted and the information that’s being provided.”
LaVonna B. Lewis, a professor of public policy with an emphasis on healthcare at the USC Sol Price School, said it’s too early to tell if Newsom’s announcement will instill more faith in COVID-19 vaccines, or add legitimacy to the concerns.
“To assume that people will just automatically shake off all of the misinformation that has been part of this process and all the viciousness that has been part of this process and just stand in line and take the vaccine, I think is unrealistic,” Lewis said. “And, so, trying to find ways to again restore some confidence in the process is necessary.”
To those who are opposed to all vaccines, the governor’s call for another layer of scrutiny may reaffirm their belief that vaccines are dangerous. But to other Californians, who may typically have confidence in vaccines but do not trust the federal government under Trump, the state’s seal of approval could encourage them to get vaccinated, Lewis said.
“Trusted agents make a difference,” Lewis said. “If I don’t trust the messenger, then it’s very difficult for me to believe the message.”
Newsom initially raised concerns about a 2019 bill that tightened immunization rules for California schoolchildren. His office negotiated changes that narrowed the focus of the legislation and the governor told reporters that he would sign the bill.
Then shortly after the Assembly approved the bill and his changes, the governor backtracked on his support and asked for more changes. The back-and-forth energized anti-vaccine activists at the Capitol, giving them hope that Newsom might veto the legislation.
In the end, Newsom signed SB 276 and a second bill the Legislature approved with the extra amendments the governor wanted. The governor said repeatedly that his signature on the bills proved his support for vaccines, but his handling of the legislation created a feeling of distrust among lawmakers.
Sen. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento), who introduced the 2019 legislation, said this time Newsom’s intervention will require the state to review the data the FDA used to approve the vaccines as a means to build more confidence in the science.
“If they don’t provide the data, California is not the only one who’s going to be raising a lot of questions,” Pan said. “He’s calling for scientists to review data so that people have confidence in the vaccine because unfortunately the president has politicized this and therefore has created a level of distrust.”
Though the governor’s announcement raised questions about whether the review would delay the distribution of the vaccine in California, Pan argued that it’s more important for people to trust the vaccine and want to take it.
State public health officials last spring started having early discussions about how vaccines and therapeutic medicines to treat people with the coronavirus would be distributed in California once developed and approved.
Among the priorities would be to provide the vaccines to people considered most at risk from the virus, along with ensuring equitable distribution to people across the state, regardless of income or geography. In May, a top Newsom administration official said that this sort of planning is done whenever a new vaccine or medicine in great need to protect the public health is developed.
Those efforts came together in an 84-page draft proposal of a plan to distribute and administer vaccines that the California Department of Public Health submitted last week to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The broad outline, dated Friday, includes goals to prioritize vaccines while doses are limited for healthcare personnel at risk of contracting the virus, those at risk of severe illness or death from COVID-19, and essential workers. When vaccines become more widely available, the population of eligible recipients will grow to nonessential workers and the general public.
As states begin formalizing plans for vaccine distribution, governors are also calling for the federal government to provide more detailed guidelines and oversight.
The association, which includes Republican and Democratic governors, asked the federal government about federal funding, insurance coverage, prioritization, monitoring health effects and other critical issues related to the distribution and implementation of future vaccines.
Times staff writer Phil Willon contributed to this report.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., prompted a fiery exchange when she objected to the appearance of HUD official Lynne Patton in the audience earlier Wednesday.
“Just to make a note, Mr. Chairman, just because someone has a person of color, a black person working for them, doesn’t mean they aren’t racist. And it is insensitive that some would even say — the fact that someone would actually use a prop, a black woman, in this chamber, in this committee, is alone racist in itself,” Tlaib said.
Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., who had invited Patton to stand as he defended Trump against Cohen’s charge that the president is a racist, erupted in anger, asking for the statement to be stricken from the record.
“I am not calling the gentleman, Mr. Meadows, a racist for doing so. I’m saying that in itself, it is a racist act,” Tlaib responded.
Meadows asked Chairman Elijah Cummings to vouch for him as not being racist. The pair noted that they have a close relationship.
Tlaib ultimately apologized to Meadows, saying that she did not intend for him to feel that she was attacking him personally as a racist.
Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., also referred to Meadows’ bringing Patton out to rebut allegations of racism against Trump.
Five people were killed when a hot-air balloon crashed into a power line in Albuquerque, N.M. Saturday morning — including the parents of a police officer, according to a report.
“This is tragedy that’s uniquely felt in Albuquerque,” Mayor Tim Keller said in a news conference Saturday afternoon.
The city boasts a vibrant ballooning culture and hosts the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta each year.
Martin Martinez, 59, and Mary Martinez, 62, the parents of an Albuquerque Police Department prison transport officer, were among the victims, officials said. Martin Martinez also is a former APD officer.
The passenger basket detached from the balloon and plummeted to the ground, Albuquerque police said.
Albuquerque Fire Rescue crews work on victims of the fatal balloon crash.Adolphe Pierre-Louis/The Albuquerque Journal via APThe parents of an Albuquerque Police Department prison transport officer were killed in the tragedy. Adolphe Pierre-Louis/The Albuquerque Journal via APPilot Ursula Richards, left, comforts fellow pilot Buzz Biernacki at the scene of the fatal hot-air balloon crash.dolphe Pierre-Louis/The Albuquerque Journal via AP
The names of the other victims were not released.
“To see a balloon go down like this, it’s heart-breaking,” witness Joshua Perez told KOB 4 TV.
Other witnesses reported on social media watching the deflated balloon fall to the ground. It crashed into the yard of a local home.
The Federal Aviation Administration has taken over the investigation, and said the basket fell about 100 feet before crashing onto a street and catching fire.
Albuquerque mayor Tim Keller, second from left, is briefed by officials.Andres Leighton/APThe basket attached to the ballon came off and fell toward the ground.Gelacio Ramirez via ReutersThe FAA said the basket fell about 100 feet and then caught on fire.Andres Leighton/AP
“We know from experience here in Albuquerque that sometimes winds kick up or things happen that make it difficult for balloons to navigate,” police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos told reporters. “We’re not sure the cause of this at this point. Obviously, the FAA will look into this and determine what the cause was.”
About 13,000 customers lost power because of the crash, according to electricity provider PNM, but power was restored by Saturday afternoon.
Reports in the international media that Israel had entered Gaza to battle militants are being viewed by some as the result of a ploy to lure the fighters into defensive positions that made them targets for Israeli airpower.
On Thursday, news that Israel Defense Forces troops were massing at Israel’s border with Gaza was widely reported. Then, early Friday in Israel, an IDF statement prompted news outlets to widely report that an invasion had begun. However, it gradually became evident that an attack did take place but did not involve Israeli troops entering Gaza.
Nir Dvori, a military reporter for N12, one of Israel’s leading news networks, described the original IDF statement as disinformation meant to prompt Gaza’s fighters to enter the tunnel system, known by the IDF as “the metro,” to prepare for street battles in the enclave.
“The IDF makes Hamas think that a ground operation is beginning, which causes the organization to bring in all its fighters, including the Nahba, the special force of Hamas, to go down into the tunnels and prepare for combat,” Dvori wrote.
“Then for 35 minutes, 160 planes hover over Gaza and drop 450 bombs, which are over 80 tons of explosives, on the entire Gaza ‘metro.'”
In London, Michael Stephens, a Middle East specialist at the Royal United Services Institute, echoed that conclusion. He told BBC Radio 4’s World at One news segment that it was “a very smart tactic to make Hamas move into the tunnels and get all their preparation ready so that the Israeli military could target them.”
The move marks a major escalation amid this week’s violence between Israel and Palestinian militants. The region is facing its worst violence since the 50-day war in 2014. The Israeli military has bombarded Gaza with airstrikes, and Hamas — the group that controls Gaza — and other militant groups have fired more than a thousand rockets toward Israel.
The Israeli media has noted the possibility of a disinformation strategy in the Friday-morning attack, with The Jerusalem Post publishing an article with the headline “Did IDF deception lead to massive aerial assault on Hamas’s ‘Metro’?” and the Israeli newspaper Haaretz publishing another titled “Israeli Army tells foreign media it has ground forces in Gaza — then apologizes for misleading them.”
Foreign correspondents and reporters had received a WhatsApp message at 12:17 a.m. that seemed to inform them that Israeli ground troops were in Gaza. But then, two hours later, the IDF started to disassemble the message.
Felicity Schwartz, a Wall Street Journal correspondent covering Israel and the Palestinian territories, wrote:
The IDF has blamed the confusion on a translation error, but Dvori was among those skeptical of that account, describing it as “not a mistake, but a planned ploy whose role is to help eliminate Hamas.”
Dvori noted that Israeli security officials had previously threatened that the tunnel system used by militants in Gaza would one day become their “mass cemeteries.”
A frustrated Daniel Estrin, NPR.’s correspondent in Jerusalem, expressed frustration, told the New York Times: “If they used us, it’s unacceptable. And if not, then what’s the story — and why is the Israeli media widely reporting that we were duped?”
Insider has approached the Israeli Embassy in London for comment.
Palestinians riding a donkey-drawn cart while fleeing their homes during Israeli air and artillery strikes in the northern Gaza Strip on Friday.
REUTERS/Mohammed Salem
Instead of the ground invasion, Israel relentlessly bombarded targets in northern Gaza from the air and with artillery, forcing families to flee, some still dressed in their celebratory outfits to mark Eid al-Fitr, the festival marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
At least 122 Palestinians have been killed this week by Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, including 31 children, according to local health officials. The attacks have come in response to rockets indiscriminately fired by militants with Hamas, which controls the Palestinian territory, which is home to more than two million people.
Israel has reported seven people have died, including a 6-year-old boy and a soldier.
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Se calcula que hay más de 8 millones de miembros de los Testigos de Jehová en todo el mundo.
“Retirar a los malvados”
Ir a la policía e involucrar a quienes no pertenecen a la religión es extensamente desalentado por los Testigos de Jehová, afirma.
Y asegura que los ancianos dentro de la fe se rehusaron a castigar la conducta de su expareja.
Cuando sus colegas de trabajo notaron los moretones y la convencieron de que no soportara más abuso, decidió huir de la relación.
Sarah afirma que fue “desasociada” de la religión y que sus amigos y familiares cortaron todos los vínculos con ella.
Esto se debe a que los Testigos de Jehová creen que quienes no pertenecen a la religión pueden perjudicar su fe.
“Apartado o desasociado”
En una declaración, el grupo religioso le dijo a la BBC: “Si un Testigo bautizado tiene la práctica de violar el código moral de la Biblia y no muestra evidencia de dejar esa práctica, él o ella serán apartados o desasociados”.
“En lo que se refiere a apartarlos, los Testigos se instruyen en la Biblia y sobre este tema la Biblia establece claramente: ‘Retiren al hombre malvado de entre nosotros'”.
La noche que Sarah fue desasociada dice que su madre se negó a hablarle. Su padre despertó a las 7 de la mañana para expulsarla de la casa.
Al responder a los alegatos de Sarah, los Testigos de Jehová indican que aunque no pueden comentar sobre casos individuales, “la violencia, ya sea física o emocional, es fuertemente condenada en la Biblia y no tiene lugar en una familia cristiana”.
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Sarah y John (al frente) le dijeron a Victoria Derbyshire que habían sido apartadas por su familiares y amigos.
John (no es su verdadero nombre), se convirtió en Testigo de Jehová cuando era niño cuando sus padres decidieron unirse al grupo religioso.
Pero hace dos años, fue desasociado después de no asistir a un homenaje conmemorativo de los Testigos de Jehová, considerado dentro del grupo como un evento importante.
También había comenzado a tener dudas, en privado, sobre algunas de las enseñanzas de la religión. Cuestionaba la afirmación del grupo de que el fin del mundo es inminente y que sólo 144.000 seres humanos irán al cielo.
Su opinión sobre la religión también quedó manchada después de que uno de sus amigos murió porque no se le dio una transfusión de sangre, que están prohibidas por la fe, que lo habría salvado.
“Fue la pérdida de una vida”, afirma.
John asegura que después descubrió que su esposa había testificado en su contra durante el proceso que llevó a su desasociación, el cual, cree, colocó una enorme presión en su relación.
Dejó la casa familiar y comenzó a vivir temporalmente en tiendas de campaña y caravanas.
“Fue una época de aislamiento. No tenía a nadie. Me sentía suicida”, dice.
Ahora ha perdido contacto con sus dos hijos adultos y hermanos.
“A veces les envío un mensaje diciendo: ‘los quiero, sigo pensando en ustedes’. Pero a menudo no tengo respuesta”, afirma.
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Terri O’Sullivan fue expulsada de su casa por su madre.
Según los Testigos de Jehová, el grupo tiene más de 138.000 miembros en Reino Unido y más de 8 millones en todo el mundo.
Terri O’ Sullivan dejó la religión hace 17 años, cuando tenía 21 años y su madre la expulsó de su casa.
Ahora dirige una red de apoyo para quienes han dejado o han sido excluidos de la religión.
Dice que no ha encontrado a ningún antiguo Testigo de Jehová que no haya experimentado depresión, alcoholismo o sentimientos suicidas.
Y aunque no todos atraviesan un proceso formal de desasociación cuando dejan la religión, sus relaciones casi siempre se ven afectadas.
“Con algunos ex Testigos”, dice, “algunas de sus familias siguen hablándoles, pero la relación siempre se ve afectada”.
Qué son los Testigos de Jehová
Derechos de autor de la imagen Getty Images
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En Londres hubo una ola de reclutamiento para el movimiento en 1966.
Grupo fundado en Estados Unidos a fines del siglo XIX, bajo el liderazgo de Charles Taze Russell. La sede del movimiento está en Nueva York.
Aunque está basado en el cristianismo, el grupo cree que las iglesias cristianas tradicionales se han desviado de las verdaderas enseñanzas de la Biblia, y no trabajan en total armonía con Dios.
No es considerada una denominación tradicional porque rechaza la doctrina cristiana de la Trinidad.
Los Testigos de Jehová creen que la humanidad está ahora en “sus últimos días” y que la batalla final entre el bien y el mal ocurrirá pronto.
Sarah afirma que la pérdida de sus lazos familiares más cercanos ha sido “muy, muy difícil”.
Está comprometida y sabe que “tiene que planear una boda a la que sus padres no asistirán”.
“Me clasifico como huérfana y eso es bastante triste”, afirma.
Su red de apoyo está con sus amigos del trabajo. Cuando dejó la fe, dice, ellos “se reunieron para ayudarla”, lo cual es algo que no esperaba.
“(La religión) me había dicho que estas personas eran horribles, que eran vínculos malos, y que Dios los iba a destruir en el Armagedón”.
“Y sin embargo, estas personas me abrieron sus hogares”.
Últimos recuerdos
Sarah, sin embargo, todavía se muestra halagadora sobre la mayoría de las personas dentro de su antigua fe.
“Hay buenas personas en la región que creen que están salvando la vida de la gente (predicando el mensaje de la fe)”, afirma.
“Tengo algunos recuerdos felices, porque son los últimos recuerdos que tengo de mi familia y hermanos”.
“Pero también miro al pasado y siento mucha tristeza porque nunca volveré a sentarme con ellos en una comida dominical”,
“Cuando se mueran, probablemente tampoco me invitarán al funeral”.
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En Brasil se considera prácticamente un hecho que el Senado suspenderá por hasta 180 días a Rousseff.
La presidenta brasileña, Dilma Rousseff, enfrenta un pedido de la fiscalía al Supremo para investigarla por presunta obstrucción de la causa de sobornos en la petrolera estatal Petrobras, informan varios medios locales.
La noticia surge justo cuando en Brasil se considera prácticamente un hecho que el Senado suspenderá por hasta 180 días a Rousseff la semana próxima, para someterla a un juicio político.
La solicitud de abrir una averiguación judicial a la mandataria fue enviada por la procuraduría general al Supremo de forma reservada y, según los reportes, incluye un pedido para investigar al expresidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Para que el procedimiento sea abierto requiere de la autorización de Teori Zavascki, el ministro (juez) del Supremo relator de los procesos sobre el gigantesco esquema de corrupción en Petrobras.
Las sospechas
El pedido de la fiscalía se basa en sospechas de que Rousseff intentó nombrar a Lula ministro de su gobierno para darle un estatus judicial especial que le evitase un eventual arresto por el escándalo Petrobras, señalan los medios.
El juez de la causa, Sérgio Moro, divulgó en marzo la grabación de una charla telefónica donde Rousseff avisaba a Lula de que le enviaría el acta de su designación para usar “en caso de necesidad”.
La presidenta ha negado que esas palabras tuvieran relación alguna con el caso Petrobras y señaló que envió el documento porque no sabía si Lula podía asistir al acto de su designación.
Tanto Rousseff como Lula han criticado la divulgación del diálogo telefónico entre ambos por parte del juez Moro, que según la defensa de la presidenta pudo poner en riesgo la seguridad nacional.
Image copyright Getty
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Sérgio Moro divulgó una conversación telefónica entre Rousseff y el expresidente Lula.
El Instituto Lula emitió un comunicado este martes negando que haya alguna palabra en ese diálogo “que denote ilegalidad u obstrucción de la justicia”.
“Sólo existe un crimen evidente en este episodio: la grabación clandestina y la divulgación ilegal de una llamada de la presidenta de la República”, indicó el instituto del expresidente.
El juez Moro ha señalado que la grabación a la presidenta fue casual, ya que los investigadores no monitoreaban las conversaciones telefónicas de Rousseff sino de Lula, ante sospechas de que recibió beneficios ocultos de empresas.
La solicitud de la fiscalía general para investigar a Rousseff y Lula también cita, según se reporta, un testimonio del senador Delcídio do Amaral, que fue líder del gobierno en la Cámara Alta hasta ser arrestado en el marco del caso Petrobras.
Amaral acusó a la presidenta de intentar afectar la investigación de Petrobras mediante la nominación de un juez de alto rango y a Lula de buscar comprar el silencio de un empresario condenado.
Image copyright AFP
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La presidenta brasileña tiene seguidores y detractores.
El abogado general del Estado brasileño, José Eduardo Cardozo, un exministro a quien la fiscalía también pide investigar, calificó las acusaciones de Amaral como “absolutamente livianas y mentirosas”.
Cardozo es el principal defensor de Rousseff en el Congreso ante el pedido de juicio político a la presidenta por presunto maquillaje del déficit gubernamental, usando ilegalmente recursos de bancos públicos.
En caso de que Rousseff sea suspendida, la reemplazaría el vicepresidente Michel Temer, a quien la fiscalía descartó por ahora abrirle una investigación pese a haber sido citado por testigos del escándalo en Petrobras.
Rousseff ha acusado a Temer y al presidente de la cámara de Diputados, Eduardo Cunha, de conspirar para derrocarla mediante un golpe.
Cunha, que dirigió la sesión de Diputados que el mes pasado autorizó por amplio margen el juicio político a Rousseff, también figura en la lista de pedidos de investigación de la fiscalía, al igual que el senador opositor y excandidato presidencial Aécio Neves y otros políticos.
INFOnews hace un breve repaso en cuatro noticias que son la síntesis de lo que sucedió durante el día. Hechos que tuvieron repercusión y que dejaron sus huellas en el mundo de las noticias.
La fiscal Fein no revelará qué día y hora citará a declarar al ex espía Stiuso
La fiscal que sigue el caso de la muerte de Nisman no revelará a qué día y a qué hora citará a declarar al ex espía Antonio “Jaime” Stiuso. Así lo confirmaron en exclusiva a INFOnews fuentes allegadas a la fiscalía Nº45.
Pese a que desde el Gobierno ya se le levantó el secreto de Estado al ex agente de la SIDE, como confirmó ayer el secretario de Inteligencia Oscar Parrilli, Viviana Fein decidió no revelar cuándo prestará testimonio Stiuso. Desde la fiscalía aseguraron a este portal que “la fiscal resguardará esa información”.
El juez Casanello citó a indagatoria a Lázaro Báez
El empresario Lázaro Báez fue citado a declarar por el juez federal Sebastián Casanello en una causa por presunto lavado de dinero. Báez deberá comparecer ante el magistrado el próximo 13 de marzo.
En la misma causa también están procesados el ex marido de Karina Jelinek, Leonardo Fariña, y el empresario Federico Elaskar. Casanello también citó a declarar al abogado Daniel Pérez Gadín, a Fabián Rossi, esposo de Ileana Calabró, y al escribano Martín Rosta.
Nuevo cruce mediático entre Aníbal Fernández y Elisa Carrió
La diputada nacional, Elisa Carrió, anunció que presentará una denuncia contra la presidenta Cristina Fernández Kirchner, y el Secretario General de la Presidencia, Aníbal Fernández por “encubrimiento” de la muerte de Nisman.
“Hay que tomar en chiste la denuncia. Carrió está sucia como una papa porque es la amiga de (el ex agente Antonio) Stiuso”, respondió Aníbal Fernández.
En tanto, la diputada nacional no tardó en salir a responderle y negar sus supuestos vínculos con el ex jefe de Operaciones de la Secretaría de Inteligencia, Antonio “Jaime” Stiuso. “No lo conozco; no tengo nada que ver con él”, aseguró en declaraciones radiales.
La AFIP clausuró Keops, el boliche top de Villa Carlos Paz
En el marco del Operativo Verano 2015, la AFIP clausuró el boliche Keops, el más importante de Villa Carlos Paz (CBA) luego de comprobar que sus verdaderos dueños utilizaron a testaferros de bajos recursos económicos para evadir el pago de impuestos.
Además el organismo suspendió preventivamente la CUIT de los dueños y los denunció penalmente por ocultamiento de la identidad mediante la utilización de personas físicas o jurídicas interpuestas. La denuncia se presentó en el Juzgado Federal N° 3 a cargo del magistrado Miguel Vaca Narvaja.
São Paulo – Lebanese citizens no longer need to request a visa in each trip to Brazil. They will be entitled to three-year visas, for tourism and business trips, and may use them whenever they visit the country within that period. The measure was announced by the Brazilian minister of External Relations, Luiz Alberto Figueiredo Machado, in Brasília, in a meeting with the Lebanese minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, Gebran Bassil, who is in Brazil. The multiple-entry visa may be used for 90-day stays in Brazil, and is renewable for another 90-day period within a year.
VPR
Bassil (R) and Temer (L): Lebanon wants Brazilian help in Middle East
The two countries have also signed an agreement exempting diplomatic passport bearers, officers and professionals on special mission or on duty from visa requirement. By the agreement, citizens during such trips, from any of the two countries, may stay in the other nation for a period of up to 90 days without a visa. The period may be extended on request during the professional’s mission in Lebanon or Brazil.
Bassil arrived in the country on Wednesday (9th) and this Thursday (10th), he had meetings with several Brazilian authorities in Brasília. He also signed with Machado a memorandum that provides for bilateral consultations between Lebanon and Brazil, so opinions can be exchanged on local and international issues of common interest. According to the text released by the minister of Foreign Affairs, the goal is to strengthen “traditional bilateral and cooperation relations.”
The Lebanese minister was also welcomed by Brazilian vice president, Michel Temer (affiliated with political party PMDB), in Brasília. He asked the Brazilian vice leader for Brazil’s intermediation to help solve conflicts in Middle East, according to information released by the website of the vice presidency. “Brazil encourages dialogue, pacification and more dialogue in that region, especially via the UN. The conflict must be ended because Lebanon is often the stage for neighboring conflicts, especially from Syria today,” said Temer. According to the vice president, the minister asked for the Brazilian Army’s help. The Brazilian Navy is already active in Lebanon as part of the United Nations Peace Mission.
Temer promised to discuss the subjects brought up by Bassil with the Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff (affiliated with PT, the Worker’s Party). At the meeting with Temer, Bassil also manifested interest in intensifying trade relations and investments between the two countries. “We want Brazilian companies to invest in Lebanon. We are also interested in direct commercial flights connecting both countries,” said the Lebanese chancellor. The agreements signed with The Brazilian Ministry of External Relations (also known as Itamaraty) should boost trade and diplomatic relations. Both the visa agreement and the memorandum of understanding should enter into force as soon as each country complies with their own internal procedures for such.
This Friday (11th) Lebanon’s foreign minister will be in the city of São Paulo, where he will have a series of meetings with local authorities. The plans include meetings with governor Geraldo Alckmin (PSDB), mayor Fernando Haddad (PT) and ex-president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Bassil will also be welcomed for a luncheon by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce president Marcelo Sallum.
FILE: Scott Pelley attending the CBS Upfront in New York. (Invision/AP)
Former “CBS Evening News” vet Scott Pelley claimed in an interview Sunday that he was ousted from the anchor chair back in 2017 because he “wouldn’t stop complaining” about the news vision’s “hostile work environment.”
“Four or five years ago, I went to the president of the news division and explained to him that this hostile work environment couldn’t go on, for women and men,” Pelley added, referring to then-president David Rhodes. “And he told me if I kept agitating about that internally then I’d lose my job.”
The longtime Evening News anchor, who now works just as a correspondent for “60 Minutes,” said he went higher up the CBS totem pole — all the way to former CBS CEO Les Moonves, who left the network last year after getting hit with accusations of sexual misconduct — but he kept getting the same answer.
“I went to [Moonves], who told me he didn’t share my concerns,” Pelley said. “And so, having exhausted the possibilities in the news division, I went to the chairman of the CBS corporation who listened to me very concerned for an hour, asked me some penetrating questions about what was going on. I didn’t hear back from him but in the next opportunity in my contact, I was let go from the Evening News.”
Pelley called the last several years “a dark period” of “incompetent management” and hostile work environments within the news division. He said things have changed, though, and offered praise for his new higher-ups at CBS News — including president Susan Zirinsky and “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens.
Ms. Meng, who appeared by videoconference for Friday’s hearing, pleaded not guilty to the charges against her.
The Canadian authorities arrested Ms. Meng, 49, the technology giant’s chief financial officer, in December 2018 at Vancouver International Airport, at the request of the United States. Ms. Meng, the daughter of Huawei’s founder and chief executive, Ren Zhengfei, instantly became one of the world’s most famous detainees.
In January 2019, the Justice Department indicted Ms. Meng and Huawei, the telecom company founded by her father, Ren Zhengfei. It accused the firm and its chief financial officer of a decade-long effort to steal trade secrets, obstruct a criminal investigation and evade economic sanctions on Iran.
The charges underscored efforts by the Trump administration to directly link Huawei with the Chinese government, after long suspecting that the company worked to advance Beijing’s economic and political ambitions and undermine American interests.
Long Island GOP Rep. Pete King on Wednesday ripped Mitch McConnell as the “Marie Antoinette of the Senate” after the majority leader suggested struggling states go bankrupt amid the coronavirus crisis.
King was reacting to McConnell’s comments on a radio talk show earlier in the day in which the senator dismissed the idea of more federal aid to states, claiming governors “would love to have free money.”
“McConnell’s dismissive remark that States devastated by Coronavirus should go bankrupt rather than get the federal assistance they need and deserve is shameful and indefensible,” King wrote on Twitter.
“To say that it is ‘free money’ to provide funds for cops, firefighters and healthcare workers makes McConnell the Marie Antoinette of the Senate.”
Marie Antoinette, the queen of France during the French Revolution, allegedly responded derisively to the news that peasants were starving, saying, “Let them eat cake.”
Long Island GOP Rep. Pete King (left) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellDennis A. Clark / AFP via Getty Images
During the appearance on “The Hugh Hewitt Show,” McConnell recommended that the federal government hit the “pause button” before doling out more cash to state and local governments.
“We all have governors regardless of party who would love to have free money,” McConnell said on the broadcast.
McConnell instead said that the states bore some responsibility for their debt due to “pension programs” and said bankruptcy should be the first option.
“I would certainly be in favor of allowing states to use the bankruptcy route,” he said. “It’s saved some cities, and there’s no good reason for it not to be available.”
But McConnell lamented the fact that the nation’s governors would insist on receiving more aid during a pandemic that has killed nearly 48,000 people nationwide.
“My guess is their first choice would be for the federal government to borrow money from future generations to send it down to them now so they don’t have to do that,” he said. “That’s not something I’m going to be in favor of.”
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