AUSTIN — Gov. Greg Abbott’s four medical advisers were not all on board with his move to end the state’s coronavirus restrictions — or even included in the decision.
“I don’t think this is the right time,” said advisor Mark McClellan, former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, adding he was not consulted before the decision.
“Texas has been making some real progress but it’s too soon for full reopening and to stop masking around others,” McClellan said in an email.
From the start of the pandemic, Abbott said he would rely on data and doctors to guide state policy. But conflicting opinions from his medical advisers about one of the biggest shifts in state pandemic policy raise questions about how the choice — which has been widely panned by public health experts — was made.
State health commissioner Dr. John Hellerstedt on Wednesday didn’t explicitly answer whether he endorsed the plan ahead of time to end the mask mandate and let businesses fully reopen on March 10. Pressed by state lawmakers, Hellerstedt said he “did not have a personal conversation” with Abbott before the decision, but that his agency is in regular contact with the governor’s staff.
A third advisor, Dr. Parker Hudson of Dell Medical School in Austin, has said he was “not involved in this decision.”
And a fourth said he agreed with the decision, explaining it was initiated by Abbott and rested on the governor’s general comfort level with the pace of vaccinations, other medical improvements, and the notion that Texans know to wear masks and will continue to even without a mandate — an idea refuted by public health research.
“He brought it to us, he talked to us about it, he talked through it,” said Dr. John Zerwas, a vice chancellor with the University of Texas System. “And he said, ‘okay, this is when I feel like it’d be a good time to do it’.”
The nation’s top infectious disease experts and President Joe Biden criticized Abbott’s decision to end restrictions next Wednesday, saying it’s premature and warning the move could lead to a new surge in the outbreak that has already killed more than 43,000 Texans.
Former U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Tom Frieden said the reversal of the mask mandate was particularly dangerous and could lead to a decline in their use.
“A mask mandate is about you not inadvertently killing someone,” said Frieden, who served during the Obama administration. “There is no argument for not having a mask mandate.”
When asked Wednesday about defying some medical advisers, Abbott said he spoke with Zerwas and Hellerstedt.
“They both agree that because of all the metrics and numbers… now is a very safe time to open,” Abbott said Wednesday during a television interview on KFDX-TV in Wichita Falls. “Texans know how to keep themselves safe and they don’t need government mandates to tell them anymore.”
Abbott’s decision
In making his announcement Tuesday, Abbott offered no one specific reason for the timing of the roll backs; rather he focused in general on increased access to vaccinations, and a recent decline in the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19.
Abbott intended to unveil his plan even earlier, on Feb. 22, but was forced to postpone when the winter storm delayed vaccine shipments to Texas, he told a radio host Tuesday.
“All of our decision-making processes hinged to the distribution of those vaccines,” Abbott, a Republican in his second term as governor, said in the interview on KYFO.
Texas is one of several states to lift mask requirements within the last few weeks.
Discussions about the rollback had been ongoing over the last week and a half, said Zerwas, who is a former Republican state representative and an anesthesiologist.
Masks came up as a point of discussion.
Abbott “pushed on it and said ‘Do you really think that a state mandate for masking is the thing that is really driving people to comply’,” Zerwas recalled. “And I said personally, ‘No, I don’t and the people that I’m around on a regular basis don’t even mention that.’”
Zerwas said that Abbott’s statewide order for face coverings last year helped get the message across, and now, citizens of Texas are doing it because they are familiar with the benefits.
Abbott concluded, Zerwas said, that “the heavy hand of the state doesn’t need to be doing this.”
Asked what evidence Abbott’s administration had for that, Zerwas didn’t cite any specific examples.
“I can only speak for myself,” Zerwas said. “I think I’m your regular person out there that is as much tuned into this pandemic as anybody else.”
Freiden, however, said the data shows the opposite. Mask mandates are effective, as are mandates for other safety measures. For example, states have not repealed seatbelt laws because people know the benefits of wearing one, he said.
“Every piece of data we have from public health strongly indicates that ending a mask mandate prematurely will decrease mask use,” Frieden said. “I think that’s a political decision that will result in the loss of lives.”
Enforcement left to businesses
Abbott’s new order leaves it up to businesses to make the public health decision on whether their employees and customers must wear masks.
Some businesses are now only “urging” customers to do so. Others are maintaining a mandate, although without a statewide policy, enforcing it may be more difficult.
“The advantage of a consistent expectation from the state was that it set that expectation for everyone,” said Dr. James McDeavitt, senior vice president and dean of clinical affairs at Baylor College of Medicine. “We will certainly see people peel off that now.”
As for the timing of the decision, Zerwas said there was no medical threshold or trigger the state had been working toward.
“It’s always been a conversation in progress,” he said. “And where could all of us, when we talk about this, get comfortable with where we were going, what we were accomplishing.”
Late Wednesday, Abbott told KXAS-TV (NBC5) in Dallas that the timing of the rollback was tied to vaccination rates among Texas seniors. People aged 65 and older make up a majority of COVID-19 deaths in Texas and in the nation.
“We wanted to achieve this 50% mark in vaccinations for seniors,” Abbott said. “Once we got the extra doses this past week, and once we saw the vaccination rates among seniors increase, we knew that we would be able to have more than half of seniors vaccinated by the time we opened back up.”
Frieden said many public health experts advocate rolling back restrictions when new daily cases drop to about 1 per 100,000 population. Texas is currently above 25, he said.
Just this week, federal public health experts cautioned states to keep their guard up against the virus. While the pace of vaccinations is expected to pick up over the coming weeks, only about 2.2 million Texans are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in a state of 29 million. Others are likely to have some natural immunity if they’ve been infected, but many Texans still have none.
Zerwas said he didn’t specifically recall whether Abbott discussed waiting a few weeks, or months, longer to make the change. But Zerwas recalled mulling over the issue himself.
He remembers asking himself “what are you going to get if you wait, what are you going to get in 30 days?”
“I said ‘yeah, you’re going to put a million more vaccines into people’s arms in a week’,” he said. “That’s a good thing. And in two more weeks after that, you’ll put a couple million more in there.’”
In the end, Zerwas said, the decision was Abbott’s.
“You could make an argument to do it later,” Zerwas said. “But I don’t know that it’s a good argument.”
Masking message
Hellerstedt, who leads the Texas Department of State Health Services that oversees that state’s pandemic response and vaccination efforts, did not appear alongside Abbott at the Tuesday announcement, which was held at a crowded restaurant in Lubbock.
On Wednesday, Hellerstedt stressed the importance of still wearing masks, and said Abbott also believes wearing masks is valuable. Asked by The Dallas Morning News whether Hellerstedt supported Abbott’s decision to repeal the restrictions at this time, a spokesman for the department did not answer directly.
“Dr. Hellerstedt agrees with what the governor said yesterday that COVID-19 is still with us, and people should continue to take public health precautions to slow its spread as more and more people are vaccinated,” Chris Van Deusen said in a statement.
Zerwas said he told Abbott that if he was going to rescind the mask mandate, he needed to emphasize that it was still a good idea.
Although Abbott’s executive order urges Texans to wear masks, the governor didn’t stress it when he announced the changes Tuesday. And Abbott’s social media posts Tuesday emphasized the rolling back of the mandate, not the need to keep wearing them.
Siempre pretende estar un paso adelante. Y muchas veces lo está. Pero esta vez Facebook parece haber errado el camino. Al menos por ahora. Es que su decisión de colocar un robot para editar contenidos de diferentes medios no dio el resultado esperado apenas horas de haber implementado el revolucionario cambio.
El viernes, Facebook anunció que eliminaba a sus editores “humanos” y que la descripción de los trendig topics de esa red social ya no serían más escritas por personas. Prefirió continuar con sus algoritmos que permiten anticipar lo que la gente aparenta querer, buscar y hasta “necesitar”, y ahora escribir. Sin embargo, el lunes cometió su primer error. Uno grotesco
El “robot” intentó describir por qué la famosa conductora Megyn Kelly se había convertido en tendencia, y la explicación que dio no fue sólo incorrecta, sino que provocó que un “humano” tuviera que borrar el insólito post.
“The talks between [Biden] and Manchin have been going very poorly. They are far apart,” the source said.
Though Manchin and Biden developed a warm rapport this year and collaborated on several prominent pieces of legislation, the plodding pace of the talks between the two Joes threatens is straining their friendly relationship. Frustration among White House aides with Manchin is high and growing. And while Biden likes Manchin personally, he too has grown tired of the elongated talks and will soon push him to make a decision and support the legislation, according to two White House sources.
Deputy White House press secretary Andrew Bates disputed that assertion, writing in an email that “anyone seeking to represent the President like that or speculate about his contacts with members does not know what they’re talking about.”
Neither Biden nor Manchin view the likelihood that this bill won’t pass until 2022 as damaging to either their relationship or fatal to the legislation itself. Manchin’s friends in the Senate also say that he’s not looking to tank Biden’s agenda, even if his opinion on when the package should pass differs from Biden and other Democrats.
“They may have very different views about timing. It’s less about whether, than about when and how much,” said Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), who is mostly focused on lobbying Manchin to change the Senate rules to pass elections reform.
Biden spent most of the fall trying to win Manchin’s support, including hosting him in Delaware. Manchin has never explicitly said he supports the bill focused on childcare, climate action, pre-K and tax reform, though he has endorsed individual components. He’s also raised fundamental concerns on how the bill is structured, questioning its 10-year financing when lawmakers are authorizing programs on shorter time spans.
“Sen. Manchin is not telling President Biden what to include or not include. He has always been supportive of the” child tax credit, said a source familiar with Manchin’s thinking. “He has also made it clear the cost should not be greater than $1.75 trillion.”
The tax credit is one of the most costly parts of the bill on an annual basis, though the current bill includes only a one-year extension. Over 10 years the credit would cost about $1.4 trillion.
Manchin’s never been the sort of senator to cast a deciding vote against a Democratic president’s signature legislation. But there’s no wiggle room this time; with a 50-50 Senate and no Republicans supporting the bill, Manchin will take down the filibuster-proof legislation unless he gets on board.
That reality and Manchin’s brand of Democratic conservatism has placed him at the center of Biden’s climate and social spending bill, as well as the stalled push to enact elections reform legislation.
“Joe Biden, to his credit, has never given up. He always tries to put himself in the shoes of other people, particularly with whom he’s negotiating. He’s always trying to meet the other person halfway, he’s sincere,” said Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), who’s been working to address some of Manchin’s concerns on climate-related provisions. “We tried to narrow what the president has to focus on in his conversations with the senator from West Virginia.”
Biden had a lengthy phone call with Manchin on Monday and again spoke to him on Tuesday. Asked how often he’s talking to Biden, Manchin said on Tuesday: “I’m just waiting. I’m not in charge.”
It’s not just Biden, of course, who is pushing Manchin on a regular basis. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is coordinating with both, speaking to the president and the senator regularly. Individual rank-and-file senators are also frequently talking to Manchin. Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) was one of several Democrats who spoke to Manchin on the Senate floor for several minutes on Wednesday, although it did not appear to be a particularly upbeat conversation.
Meanwhile, the West Wing has treated the Manchin relationship with the utmost care — wary of doing anything that could potentially alienate him.
“It’s our longstanding rule not to discuss the specifics of private discussions with lawmakers, but president and Sen. Manchin have had productive and friendly conversations,” Bates said. “The President wants to pass Build Back Better as soon as possible.”
Biden counselor Steve Ricchetti, one of Biden’s most trusted and affable lieutenants, has taken the lead role in dealing with Manchin, according to a source familiar with the dynamics. The White House said that Manchin has also had calls with other senior aides including National Economic Council Director Brian Deese and Lousia Terrell, head of the Office of Legislative Affairs (OLA).
The White House’s regional media team was also told long ago to stay away from West Virginia until after a deal had been struck. Chad Metzler, the White House’s senate legislative affairs liaison, is technically the Manchin lead in the OLA. Butanything that touches West Virginia or Manchin will often prompt much of that office to get involved. The White House downplayed that was particular to Manchin and said the 50-50 Senate required the OLA to approach senators as a team.
Asked about the relationship, one White House official said: “This is the ultimate area where I just wanna keep my mouth shut and hope everything works out.”
The impasse has the entire Senate schedule in flux and Democratic senators unsure of what will come next. In interview after interview, Democrats said they didn’t know whether Manchin and Biden were anywhere close to a deal. And that meant Democrats don’t know when their bill to expand the social safety net, known as Build Back Better, will see the president’s desk, either.
“We will pass Build Back Better,” said Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.), the No. 3 House Democrat. “We’re just not gonna pass it on the time frame that some people would like to see.”
El presidente de Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, dijo hoy viernes que la paciencia con Corea del Norte “se acabó”, luego de su reunión con Moon Jae-In, el presidente de Corea del Sur.
“La paciencia estratégica con el régimen de Corea del Norte fracasó. Ha fracasado por muchos años. Francamente, la paciencia se acabó”, dijo Trump durante una ceremonia conjunta con Moon en los jardines de la Casa Blanca.
El mandatario estadounidense destacó la necesidad de una “respuesta decidida” al “brutal” régimen norcoreano, pero no aclaró si busca ampliar las sanciones a Pyongyang.
“Estados Unidos llama a otros poderes regionales a unirse a nosotros en la implementación de las sanciones (ya existentes) y en exigir que Corea del Norte elija un camino diferente y lo haga rápidamente”, dijo Trump a la prensa después de reunirse con Moon.
Moon, previo a que se desarrollara la reunión, dijo que en la cena que mantuvo ayer jueves con Trump en la Casa Blanca, ambos hablaron sobre “el tema nuclear de Corea del Norte y otros asuntos de interés mutuo”.
“También fue una oportunidad de confirmar que Estados Unidos y Corea del Sur están avanzando juntos en el mismo camino hacia una gran alianza. En esta cumbre de hoy, confío en que nuestra relación pueda desarrollarse más para ser más significativa y fructífera”
Moon fue electo presidente de Corea del Sur en mayo de este año. Durante su campaña electoral, el centroizquierdista, veterano de la lucha por los derechos humanos, se mostró favorable a un acercamiento con Corea del Norte.
São Paulo –Brazil needs around R$ 44 billion (US$ 19,7 bilhões) in private investments for the next ten years to expand and modernize the current port terminals and also to build new ones. Meanwhile, the bureaucratic obstacles and lack of infrastructure create losses of over US$ 5 billion per year to the country in goods export and import.
Aurea Santos/ANBA
Event brought together members of the Arab Brazilian Chamber
The information is provided by Wilen Manteli, president of the Brazilian Association of Port Terminals (ABTP, in the Portuguese acronym), who delivered the workshop “The new regulatory framework of the Brazilian ports”, this Wednesday (16th), at the head office of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, in São Paulo. At the event, he was welcomed by the organization’s CEO, Michel Alaby.
Manteli recalled that, currently, Brazil only has 34 public ports and 129 private terminals, and the latter moved almost 70% of the cargo in the country. In 2013, Brazil moved 931 million tonnes of goods via ports.
“For 2014, we are projecting to reach 960 million tonnes and, in 2015, we should reach one billion tonnes”, he pointed out. “There is a sense of urgency in creating new terminals”, he said.
For the president of ABTP, however, it is also important to focus on building new terminals in regions such as North and Northeast. “There are 50 tonnes of soy and maize that come from the country’s central region and they should be transported via Pará, Maranhão, which are closer, rather than by truck to Santos, Paranaguá and Rio Grande”, he said.
He also criticized the excessive paperwork required for the construction of new terminals in the country. “There is an excess of public bodies that interfere in the port activity. There are many bodies and not one that is definitive. One of our proposals is to unify these sectors. If we had the Secretariat for Ports, which handles the public policies of the ports, and the National Water Transport Agency (Antaq) to oversee and regulate, it would be enough”, he said.
According to the executive, the port situation could only be improved by the privative initiative “To develop (the port system), the option is always private terminals, public ones suffer too much intervention”, he pointed out.
Manteli also stressed the need for the businessmen to mobilize so that improvements will be made in the sector’s regulatory framework, as, according to him, the businessmen kept away during the passing of law 12.815/2013, which introduced new rules for the ports and their operations. “We are starting a process of regrouping the business entities. We want to introduce changes to perfect the regulatory framework.”
President Trump said Sunday that special counsel Robert Mueller should not testify before Congress — reversing his position from days ago, when he said he’d defer to Attorney General William Barr. Across two tweets, Mr. Trump wrote, “why would the Democrats in Congress now need Robert Mueller…to testify. Are they looking for a redo because they hated seeing the strong NO COLLUSION conclusion?”
Mr. Trump added, “Bob Mueller should not testify. No redos for the Dems!”
Mr. Trump’s tweet came soon after Democratic Rep. David Cicilline, who sits on the House Judiciary Committee, announced that he is working on arranging Mueller’s testimony. The Rhode Island congressman said he is hoping to bring Mueller in on May 15, but a date hasn’t been confirmed.
Mr. Trump said last week that he would let Barr decide on Mueller’s testimony. During Barr’s own testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee last Wednesday, the attorney general said he had “no objection” to letting Mueller testify.
The Justice Department didn’t immediately comment on Mr. Trump’s tweets.
Some House Democrats pushed back against the president, saying Mueller will end up testifying one way or another.
“Today, Trump announced he is opposed to Mueller testifying before Congress. Before the American people,” Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff of California, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said on Twitter. Schiff pointed out that Mr. Trump has also opposed letting former White House counsel Don McGahn testify.
“They will testify. The American people deserve the truth,” Schiff said.
Today, Trump announced he is opposed to Mueller testifying before Congress. Before the American people.
He also opposes letting McGahn appear.
Barr’s testimony alone — designed to protect Trump — isn’t going to cut it.
They will testify. The American people deserve the truth.
Mueller’s testimony would mark his first public comments since giving the Justice Department his report on Russian election interference and President Trump’s potential obstruction of justice. Since the release of the redacted report, there have been open conflicts between Mueller’s team and Barr about the investigation’s conclusions. Mueller did not make a judgment on whether Mr. Trump obstructed justice, but Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein cleared the president.
More conflicts erupted last week during Barr’s Senate testimony. Democrats on the committee accused Barr of minimizing actions described in the report that Mueller said could be counted as obstruction. In one instance, the report said McGahn defied an order from the president to remove Mueller from the investigation.
A letter leaked the day before Barr’s testimony showed that Mueller objected to Barr’s initial four-page summary of the report. Mueller said Barr’s letter “did not fully capture the context, nature, and substance” of the findings.
Barr had previously said in congressional testimony that he was not aware of Mueller’s reaction. After his Senate testimony, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Barr committed a crime by lying to Congress.
Wentworth Miller, el actor de la serie estadounidense “Prison Break”, escribió una carta como respuesta a un meme en el que se le hace burla por aumentar de peso.
El meme publicado por el sitio web The LAD Bible compara dos fotografías del actor: en una está con el torso descubierto mostrándose esbelto y musculoso; en la otra está desaliñado, lleva una camiseta roja y aparece subido de peso.
The LAD Bible -que se describe como un sitio web “sólo para hombres” y que en ocasiones ha sido acusado de sexista- publicó el meme con la leyenda: “Cuando sales de la cárcel y descubres que hay un monopolio de McDonald’s”.
En su página de Facebook el actor de 43 años, que nació en Inglaterra hijo de padres estadounidenses, respondió a la burla y explicó el contexto de las fotografías.
“Hoy me encontré siendo el tema de un meme en internet. No es la primera vez”, escribe Miller. “Este, sin embargo, sobresale del resto”.
Y explica que en 2010, cuando fue tomada la fotografía, estaba “semirretirado” de la actuación y “por varias razones, mantenía un perfil bajo”.
“Primero que nada, pensaba en suicidarme”, expresa. “Desde entonces, he escrito sobre este asunto, he hablado sobre él y lo he compartido”.
“Pero en esa época estaba sufriendo en silencio. Igual que muchos lo hacen. Muy, pero muy pocos conocían la profundidad de mi lucha”.
“Avergonzado y sufriendo, me consideraba un objeto defectuoso. Y las voces en mi cabeza me urgían a tomar el camino de la autodestrucción. No era la primera vez”.
Miller, que se hizo conocido por su personaje de Michael Scofield en “Prison Break”, cuenta que ha luchado con la depresión desde la infancia y que la batalla le ha costado “tiempo, oportunidades, relaciones y miles de noches sin dormir”.
“En 2010, cuando estaba tocando fondo siendo adulto, buscaba por todos lados un alivio/consuelo/distracción. Y recurrí a la comida”.
“Pudo haber sido cualquier cosa. Drogas. Alcohol. Sexo. Pero comer se convirtió en lo único que deseaba”.
“Y subí de peso. ¡Qué gran cosa!”.
Image caption
The LAD Bible publicó una disculpa por el meme de Miller.
“Persistí”
Miller, quien fue nominado en 2005 para un Golden Globe por su papel en Prison Break, explica que el día que fue tomada la fotografía con la camiseta roja, estaba caminando con un amigo y no se dio cuenta de que “había paparazzi alrededor”
“En 2010, luchando con mi salud mental, eso era lo último que necesitaba”.
“Para hacer el cuento corto, sobreviví. Y también sobrevivieron esas fotografías. Me alegro”.
“Ahora cuando veo esa imagen con mi camiseta roja, con una extraña sonrisa en mi cara, recuerdo esa batalla. Mi resistencia y mi perseverancia enfrentando todo tipo de demonios. Algunos internos. Algunos externos”.
“… Persistí”, afirma.
Image copyright g
Image caption
Se espera una nueva serie de Prison Break con al menos 10 episodios.
El actor y guionista, que desde 2014 ha aparecido en las series de televisión The Flash y su derivada Leyendas del Mañana, relata en su carta lo que sintió cuando vio el meme por primera vez: “Tengo que admitirlo, me dolía respirar”.
“Pero como ocurre con todo en la vida, logré encontrar el sentido. Y el sentido que encontré en esto/mi imagen es Fortaleza. Reconciliación. Perdón”.
“Hay ayuda”
En 2013 Miller anunció que era gay cuando en una carta rechazó una invitación para asistir al Festival Internacional de Cine de San Petersburgo, porque se sentía “profundamente afligido” del tratamiento del gobierno ruso a sus ciudadanos gay.
“No puedo participar en una ocasión festiva celebrada por un país donde a la gente como yo se le niega sistemáticamente su derecho básico a vivir y amar abiertamente“, dijo entonces.
Ese mismo año Miller dio a conocer que siendo adolescente había intentado varias veces suicidarse, antes de declararse gay.
Y desde entonces ha hablado abiertamente de su lucha en Hollywood como actor que ocultaba su sexualidad.
Miller finaliza su carta con un mensaje para sus lectores: “Si tú o alguien que tú conoces está sufriendo, hay ayuda disponible. Búscala. Manda un texto. Envía un email… A alguien le importa. Están esperando escucharte”.
Image copyright Facebook
Image caption
Miller publica una lista de organizaciones de ayuda contra el suicidio.
Y publica una lista de organizaciones para prevención del suicidio.
Este martes, The LAD Bible publicó en su página de Facebook una disculpa al actor.
“Queremos decir que actuamos muy, muy mal. La salud mental no es una broma ni un asunto de burlas”, dice.
“Ciertamente no queríamos causarte dolor recordándote una época en la que tocaste fondo en tu vida”.
Y agrega que “causar aflicción y malestar a una persona inocente o vulnerable simplemente no es aceptable”.
PARIS — With its iconic cathedral scorched but still standing, France on Tuesday launched an investigation into what triggered the Notre Dame inferno and how a fire that had probably started by accident could gut the symbol of a nation.
As the smoke cleared from the sky Tuesday, it was almost possible to look head-on at the church — to see its carved statues and two rectangular bell towers — and imagine that all was intact. Much of the valued art and relics had been saved. Even the exquisite stained glass windows remained in place, seemingly immune to the previous day’s flames.
But that belied the somber accounting of all that had been lost, and how the religious and architectural landmark at Paris’s center had been altered. The church’s trademark steeple, part of the Parisian skyline since the mid-1800s, had been swallowed in the flames. Char and smoke marks licked portions of the walls. And the roof — constructed with centuries-old wood — had been destroyed like tinder, leaving gaping holes that let sunlight shine into the cathedral Tuesday.
Officials warned that Notre Dame may still have gravely dangerous vulnerabilities, especially in the soaring vault. But a few government officials ventured inside, and camera footage showed charred rubble in front of the still-intact pews.
In an evening address to the nation, French President Emmanuel Macron described the firefighters as heroic, and said he hoped the country would reconstruct Notre Dame within five years — a more rapid timetable than that put forward by experts.
“We now have to get things done,” Macron said. “We will act, and we will succeed.”
He said the rebuilt cathedral would be “even more beautiful.”
Debris are seen inside Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, after a 12-hour battle to extinguish an inferno that engulfed the monument. (Christophe Petit Tesson/AP)
The area near Notre Dame is still closed to the public as rescue efforts are underway at the partly destroyed monument. (Cyril Zannettacci/Agence VU for The Washington Post)
From around the world, more than $700 million in private donations poured in for reconstruction, while both Parisians and tourists lined the Seine, bearing witness at bridges where police cut off access to the site.
France’s interior minister said more than 500 firefighters had been mobilized Monday to help extinguish flames that had cloaked the sky in smoke. But questions remained about whether any warning signs had been missed.
Paris Prosecutor Rémy Heitz laid out a timeline in which a first alarm went off at 6:20 p.m., but no evidence of fire was found. Only when a second alarm went off — 23 minutes later — was fire detected.
“In the meantime, the church was evacuated because a Mass just started a bit earlier,” Heitz said.
A spokesman for the Paris prosecutor later clarified that it was church staffers, not fire fighters, who looked into the initial alarm.
Patrick Chauvet, the Notre Dame rector, told French radio that the cathedral’s “fire watchers” were on constant lookout and three times each day made “assessments” in the vulnerable area under the wooden roof.
“In terms of security, I doubt we could have done more,” Chauvet said.
People gather near Notre Dame de Paris, the day after the massive fire destroyed parts of the Cathedral. (Cyril Zannettacci / Agence VU for The Washington Post)
A woman takes a photo of Notre Dame. (Cyril Zannettacci / Agence VU for The Washington Post)
Buildings like Notre Dame — full of hidden nooks and passages, composed of timber and old materials — are seen by fire prevention experts as particularly risky, especially when they are under renovation. Stewart Kidd, a consultant on so-called heritage buildings in Britain, said that in old structures, by the time flames become visible, “they may have been burning for an hour” in unseen spaces.
And when there is construction, Kidd said, “the building is exposed to all sorts of dangerous activity.”
French officials said they do not suspect foul play. Heitz said were no indications that the blaze was started deliberately. Investigators plan to interview people from the five companies that were doing renovation work at the site. Before the fire, part of the Gothic structure had been encased in scaffolding.
The Notre Dame cathedral was built over centuries, starting in 1163. It was partially consumed in just hours Monday, as thousands of Parisians stood sentinel, singing “Ave Maria” and weeping at the sight.
“Parisians lose their lady,” read one French headline. In Strasbourg, the city’s great cathedral tolled its bell for 15 minutes Tuesday morning in solidarity.
There were no deaths in the fire, but two police officers and one firefighter were injured, officials said.
Culture Minister Franck Riester said on French radio early Tuesday that much of the cathedral’s art and artifacts had been saved. The 8,000-pipe grand organ survived the flames — though whether it had suffered water damage was still to be determined. Riester also confirmed that firefighters had rescued the church’s two most hallowed relics: the crown of thorns said to have been worn by Jesus and a tunic of Saint Louis, a 13th-century French king.
The objects would be transferred from Paris City Hall to the Louvre, Riester said.
“It was necessary to bring them out through the smoke,” Paris Fire Commander Jean-Claude Gallet told BFMTV. He said firefighters rushed into the chamber of the cathedral at the height of the fire to make the rescue.
The cathedral’s stained-glass rose windows, an ensemble that dates to the 12th and 13th centuries, are also likely intact, said André Finot, a cathedral spokesman.
“It’s a bit of a miracle. We’re very relieved,” he told BFMTV.
Vittorio Sgarbi, a Rome-based art historian, said that Notre Dame, even before the fire, had been an architectural mish-mash — some parts original, but many parts added or replaced.
“This is going to be a fateful event in the story of a non-authentic building, a sort of laboratory,” Sgarbi said.
A catholic nun prays near the Cathedral. (Cyril Zannettacci / Agence VU for The Washington Post)
A woman looks at Notre Dame de Paris, the day after the massive fire destroyed parts of the Cathedral. (Cyril Zannettacci / Agence VU for The Washington Post)
Even as the fire still burned, France was making plans to rebuild the church. Experts predicted that reconstruction could take a decade or more — in contrast to Macron’s goal of five years.
The effort was supported by Pope Francis, who on Tuesday called the fire a “catastrophe” and described on Twitter a desire that the damage would be “transformed into hope with reconstruction.”
On Tuesday morning, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo floated the idea of an “international donor’s conference” that would unite philanthropists and restoration experts in Paris to raise money for targeted purposes in rebuilding Notre Dame.
Many philanthropists needed little prompting. French luxury magnate François-Henri Pinault declared that his family would dedicate about $113 million to the effort. The family of Bernard Arnault, chief executive of the LVMH conglomerate and the richest man in Europe, pledged $226 million. The Bettencourt Meyers family behind L’Oreal matched that offer. Companies including Apple and the French oil giant Total made pledges of their own.
“I am not religious myself; I’m an atheist,” said Charles Gosse, 23, a business school student who launched an online funding campaign and quickly raised $27,000. “But this is beyond religion. It is a national monument like the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe.”
A man looks at the remains of Notre-Dame. (Cyril Zannettacci / Agence VU for The Washington Post)
People look at the rescue efforts still underway at Notre-Dame near a store named “The Gifts of Notre-Dame” in the center of Paris. (Cyril Zannettacci / Agence VU for The Washington Post)
In their account of the fire and rescue effort, firefighters told local media that after the first call came in, they had to get through rush-hour traffic clogging the banks of the Seine.
The flames quickly spread from the top level of the nave, eating up one beam, then another, in a portion of the roof called “the forest,” because each massive support was carved from an entire tree. The 750-ton spire, which was originally constructed in the 13th century and rebuilt in the 19th out of oak covered with lead, toppled shortly before 8 p.m.
At the height of the effort to combat the blaze, which raged for about nine hours, firefighters trained 18 hoses on the church, according to local media accounts. They pumped water straight from the Seine, the grand river that traverses Paris and closely abuts Notre Dame.
A number of the people who came to see the remnants on Tuesday said they were prompted by their faith. France, though officially secular, remains predominantly Catholic, and even many non-believers are still baptized and married in churches.
“I’ve been a Parisian for 62 years,” said city-native Alix Constant, a medical secretary. “When I saw the images of the fire, I had the need to see it with my own eyes. And even more so because I’m a practicing Catholic.”
Longtime Paris residents said they had a hard time comprehending the destruction.
“I’m a believer,” said Carine Mazzoni, 48, a lawyer who said her son was confirmed at Notre Dame. “It’s Easter week. It’s a symbol of Paris and a Catholic symbol. It’s the history of the world that’s united in this building.”
Roses are left near Notre Dame de Paris, the day after the massive fire destroyed parts of the Cathedral. (Cyril Zannettacci / Agence VU for The Washington Post)
Birnbaum reported from Brussels. Griff Witte and Quentin Ariès in Paris and Stefano Pitrelli in Rome contributed to this report.
La balacera se produjo cuando los rateros intentaban hurtar un cajero automático en el distrito de Pimentel.
Hemos iniciado todos los operativos para capturar a estos sujetos
Coronel Wilman Carrasco
Un policía falleció y otro quedó gravemente herido luego de una balacera protagonizada entre los agentes del orden y un grupo de delincuentes que intentaron robar un cajero automático en el distrito chiclayano de Pimentel.
Se trata del SO2 PNP Fermin Ruiz Vásques(22) quien falleció camino al hospital Luis Heysen, mientras que su colega SOT2 PNP Luis Piscoya Jimenez resultó gravemente herido y trasladado de emergencia primero al Hospital de la Sanidad y luego al Hospital de Clínicas.
El jefe de la Dirección Terrritorial, coronel Wilman Carrasco Becerra, indicó a RPP Noticias que los agentes trataron de repeler el ataque, pero fueron abatidos ferozmente; sin embargo dos delincuentes al parecer quedaron heridos.
“Hemos iniciado todos los operativos para capturar a estos sujetos, Divincri y la División de Homicidios con la Fiscalía ya han tomado el caso”, indicó.
El hecho ocurrió al promediar las 4:30 a.m. en un grifo ubicado al ingreso del distrito de Pimentel ubicado a 10 kilómetros de la ciudad de Chiclayo.
Google ha rediseñado su sitio Google Noticias — también conocido como Google News. La empresa ha dado a conocer a través de su blog que la nueva apariencia tiene el objetivo de resaltar la atención en las cosas que importan al momento de acceder a una historia desde este servicio.
“Para hacer las noticias más accesibles y fáciles de navegar, hemos rediseñado nuestro sitio para computadoras con el foco puesto en los hechos, las diversas perspectivas y más control para los usuarios”, explicó la empresa.
El nuevo Google Noticias permitirá ver de un solo vistazo las historias más importantes, las etiquetas de los temas más buscados y los temas relacionados.
Este diseño hace uso de las populares tarjetas de Android para mostrar de forma más sencilla los contenidos relacionados y otras noticias que podrían tener algún interés con la que estabas leyendo en ese momento.
Algo que también es nuevo e interesante es que en la parte superior podrás ver una especie de menú que te mostraría diferentes apartados: Titulares, Local y Para Ti, así como un selector de edición para que cambies de país con facilidad.
A la izquierda se mantienen las secciones de interés como si de un periódico se trata, y que van desde “Top Stories” hasta Salud, Ciencia o Tecnología.
Keylor Navas, Guillermo Ochoa, Sergio Romero y David Ospina, los héroes del Mundial de Brasil, están a la sombra cuatro meses después de la competición
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La ONU pidió que el caso se investigue y se sancione a los responsables.
Un activista comunitario que denunció la contaminación de un río del norte de Guatemala fue asesinado este viernes en la localidad de Sayaxché, ubicada a unos 500 kilómetros de la capital.
Rigoberto Lima Choc, de 28 años de edad, había encabezado una campaña en contra de una empresa procesadora de aceite de palma, a la que responsabilizaba de cometer un ecocidio en el río La Pasión.
A Lima Choc lo mataron a balazos dos hombres que se desplazaban en una motocicleta.
La víctima se encontraba en las afueras de un tribunal que justo el día anterior había ordenado el cese de operaciones durante seis meses de la planta de aceite de palma.
El tribunal busca determinar si los pesticidas usados en la producción del aceite de palma habían provocado la muerte en junio de miles de peces en el río La Pasión.
El suceso, que afectó a miles de personas, fue calificado como “desastre ecológico” por la ONU.
La Oficina del Alto Comisionado de la ONU para los derechos humanos en Guatemala emitió un comunicado condenando la muerte de Lima Choc y pidió que se investigue, procese y sancione a los responsables.
Lima Choc era maestro y recientemente había sido electo concejal por el partido socialdemócrata Unidad Nacional de la Esperanza.
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El domingo en la noche, Maduro celebró la realización de la elección de la ANC.
El Departamento del Tesoro de Estados Unidos anunció este lunes la imposición de sanciones en contra del presidente de Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, a quien además calificó de “dictador” tras las elecciones a la Asamblea Nacional Constituyente (ANC).
El comunicado del Tesoro asegura que la ANC “aspira a usurpar de forma ilegítima el rol de la Asamblea Nacional electa democráticamente, reescribir la Constitución e imponer un régimen autoritario sobre el pueblo de Venezuela”.
Así decretó que todos los bienes que Maduro tenga en territorios bajo jurisdicción estadounidense serán congelados y que quede prohibido a personas e instituciones de ese país realizar transacciones con el presidente venezolano.
La medida fue anunciada un día después de la celebración de las elecciones para la ANC que debe reformar la Constitución venezolana y que no ha sido reconocida por la oposición y una parte importante de la comunidad internacional.
Derechos de autor de la imagen Getty Images
Image caption
El gobierno de Trump considera que el Ejecutivo de Maduro ha hecho un mal manejo de la economía y ha generado una corrupción sistemática.
La semana pasada, EE.UU. ya había anunciado una nueva ronda de sanciones contra 13 altos funcionarios de Venezuelapor su papel en la organización de la elección a la Asamblea Constituyente, la represión de las protestas y el manejo de áreas clave de la economía.
En su momento, Maduro reaccionó a la noticia de las sanciones acusando a Estados Unidos de usar las amenazas para intentar quebrar la democracia en Venezuela.
“Las sanciones para nosotros representan una victoria del Estado venezolano rumbo a la Asamblea Nacional Constituyente“, dijo el mandatario.
Las autoridades estadounidenses afirman que la creación de la Constituyente se produce tras años de esfuerzos de parte de Maduro para debilitar la democracia y el estado de derecho.
Para el gobierno de Estados Unidos, la ANC “representa una ruptura del orden democrático y constitucional de Venezuela“.
“El gobierno de Maduro siguió adelante con la ANC a pesar de que los venezolanos y gobiernos democráticos de todo el mundo se habían opuesto mayoritariamente a ello por ser un ataque fundamental sobre las libertades del pueblo de Venezuela”, señaló en un comunicado el Departamento del Tesoro.
“Las elecciones ilegítimas de ayer confirman que Maduro es un dictador que desprecia la voluntad de los venezolanos. Al sancionarlo, Estados Unidos deja clara su oposición a las políticas de su régimen y su apoyo a los ciudadanos de Venezuela que buscan que su país retorne a una completa y próspera democracia”, dijo el secretario del Tesoro, Steven T. Mnuchin.
Advirtió que cualquiera que participe en la ANC podría ser objeto en el futuro de sanciones de parte de Estados Unidos, por su papel en el debilitamiento de las instituciones y de la democracia en Venezuela.
Según el gobierno de Estados Unidos, durante la presidencia de Maduro, el gobierno de Venezuela ha violado de forma deliberada y repetida los derechos de los ciudadanos a través de la violencia, la represión y la criminalización de las protestas.
Derechos de autor de la imagen EPA
Image caption
La jornada de elección se convirtió en el día con más muertes, al menos 10, desde que iniciaron las protestas en abril.
“Bajo su dirección, las fuerzas de seguridad han reprimido sistemáticamente y criminalizado a los partidos de oposición a través de detenciones arbitrarias, el enjuiciamiento de civiles en tribunales militares y el uso excesivo de la fuerza en contra de los manifestantes”, señaló el Departamento del Tesoro en una declaración de prensa.
“Cualquier miembro de la oposición o crítico del régimen corres el riesgo de ser detenido, encarcelado, atacado, torturado o asesinado“, agregó.
El gobierno estadounidense también considera que el Ejecutivo de Maduro ha hecho un mal manejo de la economía y ha generado una corrupción sistemática.
Destacan que pese a ser uno de los países del mundo con las mayores reservas de petróleo, millones de venezolanos pasan hambre “porque el gobierno se niega a importar suficiente alimento para la gente, participa de una corrupción desenfrenada en torno a la moneda y el régimen cambiario; y rechaza los ofrecimientos de ayuda humanitaria”.
¿Paz o poder?
Venezuela vive una ola de protestas antigubernamentales que se inició en abril luego que el Tribunal Supremo de Justicia (TSJ) emitió dos polémicas sentencias en las que asumía temporalmente todas las competencias correspondientes a la Asamblea Nacional (AN), que está en manos de la oposición y a la que el propio TSJ considera en desacato.
Derechos de autor de la imagen Getty Images
Image caption
El gobierno de Maduro ha responsabilizado a Julio Borges, presidente de la Asamblea Nacional, en numerosas ocasiones por la ola de protestas en Venezuela.
Aunque días después el TSJ suprimió varias partes de los fallos, las manifestaciones continuaron en todo el territorio nacional con un saldo hasta la fecha de, al menos, 110 fallecidos.
A comienzos de mayo, Maduro convocó a elegir una Asamblea Nacional Constituyente con el argumento de que se trata de un mecanismo para recuperar la paz en el país.
La oposición rechazó la propuesta por no haber sido consultada con la población en un referendo previo y porque considera que se trata de una argucia del mandatario para aferrarse al poder.
La Constitución venezolana otorga amplios poderes a la ANC, al punto de establecer que “los poderes constituidos no podrán en forma alguna impedir las decisiones de la Asamblea Constituyente”.
El domingo en la noche, tras conocerse los resultados de la elección calificada de fraudulenta por la oposición, Maduro anunció que la ANC “levantará la inmunidad parlamentaria a quien haya que levantarla” y se hará con el mando de la Fiscalía “para que haya justicia”.
Se trata de dos acciones que afectarían a dos instituciones críticas con el gobierno: el Parlamento, controlado por la oposición; y la Fiscalía, cuya titular, Luisa Ortega Díaz, denunció la ruptura del orden constitucional en el país.
El gobierno, por su parte, atribuye la grave crisis que vive el país -donde escasean bienes básicos y se registra una inflación de tres cifras- a una “guerra económica” fomentada por la oposición y Estados Unidos.
USC President Carol L. Folt confirmed Wednesday that police investigators are looking into drug overdoses as a potential cause of death among some of the nine students who have died this semester.
While Folt would not elaborate on the scope of the inquiries or circumstances of the individual deaths, citing federal student privacy laws, she said USC is working with the Los Angles Police Department on the cases and “doubling down” on education and outreach over drug abuse.
Three of the nine deaths have been ruled suicides, but the cause or causes in the remaining cases have not been officially determined.
Investigators are trying to determine whether any student deaths are connected with tainted drugs, said sources who spoke to The Times on the condition on anonymity because they were not authorized to comment. The sources stressed that no links to tainted drugs have yet been confirmed. Autopsies and toxicology tests are still pending in a number of the deaths.
“We’re doubling down on educating [students] about the harm and serious risks associated with all types of drug abuse and substance abuse,” Folt said Wednesday. “And in particular, we’ve been also talking about the real risks of mixing opioids and prescription drugs and alcohol because we are concerned about that.”
In a letter sent to staff and students just after 10 p.m. Tuesday, top USC officials warned against the dangers of drug use — specifically opioids — and the sometimes lethal mixture of drugs and alcohol. The statement further warns about the increase of contaminated drugs.
“We all know that people that get drugs on the street have no idea what is in those drugs,” Fold said.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, deaths from drug overdoses have increased dramatically across all age groups over the last decade, with opioids and synthetic opioids — such as fentanyl — the main cause.
Fentanyl is a painkiller often prescribed as a skin patch for cancer patients and is considered 50 times stronger than heroin. Illicit fentanyl, manufactured as a white powder, has infiltrated the drug supply and can be lethal even in small amounts.
Last year, 2,311 people in California died of an opioid overdose, according to the state Department of Public Health. Young people are more likely to die from heroin and fentanyl overdoses than older drug users, who more commonly overdose on prescription opioids, state data show.
In 2017, 4,094 people nationwide ages 15-24 died of an opioid overdose, according to the CDC. That same year, the age group with the highest opioid overdose deaths was 25- to 34-year-olds.
USC Police Chief John Thomas said the university decided to relay the new information to students for their safety. Officials wanted to warn them about the dangers of narcotics and improperly used prescription medications in light of the deaths.
“You [students] may feel invincible, but you are not,” Thomas said. “Please look out for yourself and your fellow students.”
The threat and danger of tainted drugs on college campuses is widespread, according to Dr. Caleb Alexander, co-director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Drug Safety and Effectiveness.
Counterfeit pills often contain fentanyl, which is added to the drugs to give them a stronger high.
In recent years, public health officials have become concerned about what they see as the latest phase of the opioid epidemic: non-opioids, such as cocaine or ecstasy, that contain deadly fentanyl.
While the West Coast has been somewhat spared from the worst of the opioid epidemic, many worry that fentanyl-laced drugs could become a major problem in California because the state’s drug market is dominated by stimulants that could increasingly contain fentanyl.
“The presence of fentanyl in cocaine and other non-opoid drugs represents an extremely difficult and serious problem for public health authorities and for drug users alike,” Alexander said.
Putting fentanyl in a drug like cocaine greatly increases the risk of death, experts say. Last year, three men in Los Angeles died after snorting cocaine that contained fentanyl. And in September 2018, rapper Mac Miller died of an alcohol and drug overdose of cocaine and oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl.
“There are a tremendous number of unanswered questions regarding why and how this is taking place,” Alexander said. “The prospect for fentanyl to further penetrate the non-opioid drug supply is incredibly serious.”
Though little is known about the specific deaths, risk factors for suicides and overdose deaths can be similar, with both often driven by an ambivalence about life, said Dr. Paul Nestadt, a Johns Hopkins psychiatry professor. And suicides and overdoses have been increasing among young people in recent years, he said.
“They’re both kind of going up at the same time, almost twin epidemics,” he said.
Between 2006 and 2016, the rate of drug overdose deaths among people ages 15 to 24 increased more than 50%, according to CDC data. Still, the rate of drug overdose deaths for this age group was lower than all others, except those under 15 and over 65.
And drug use can be further exacerbated by alcohol abuse. Alcohol and opioids are both sedatives, and mixing them can be a dangerous combination, said Alexander. Both substances depress the body’s central nervous system, which can halt breathing and be fatal, he said.
It’s not uncommon to find alcohol in the bloodstream of someone who has died of an opioid overdose, Alexander said.
“The deaths are very alarming. There’s no corner of the U.S. that’s been spared from the opioid epidemic, and college students are clearly vulnerable.”
Among the USC student deaths, all are men. Rates of drug overdose — as well as suicides — are higher among men than women, although experts are not sure why.
USC administrators have been engaged in a delicate balancing act as they notify students about the deaths without overburdening them with information in an attempt to quell rumors, offer mental health resources and also try to avoid triggering anyone who may be in the midst of a mental health crisis.
In the letter sent Tuesday night to USC students, Vice President for Student Affairs Winston Crisp and Chief Health Officer for Student Health Sarah Van Orman addressed the ongoing need for mental health services and noted the university’s plans to increase resources on campus with the addition Monday of a Department of Psychiatry practice at the student health center.
“We will continue to ensure that services are in place for your safety and well-being.”
Brittney Weissman, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness Los Angeles County Council, said that emphasizing social connectedness will be essential for the USC community.
In general, support systems are vital because college is a transitional period and people may feel a lot of pressure to succeed, she said. And now, as students are dealing with the trauma of the recent deaths, those bonds are more important than ever.
“I cannot imagine losing nine friends or classmates in the span of months,” she said. “It’s devastating.”
Weissman said that students should pay attention to their anxiety levels and use self-care strategies and that officials should ensure mental health resources are available to students, with no barriers.
Folt said USC has increased the number of mental health professionals by nearly 50% since she arrived on campus in July.
“No death is something we want to live with and no unhappy student that cannot get their work done is what we want,” she said. “So constant, constant attention is needed. “
Officials said additional resources from faculty and counselors at Keck Medicine School and other schools across the university are offering assistance, as the community continues to grapple with the deaths.
Weissman said students who are struggling may become withdrawn or engage in risky behaviors. People may stop their daily routines, such as going to class, showing up to sports practices or brushing their teeth.
Half of a person’s mental health challenges show up by their 14th birthday, Weissman noted, and 75% by age 24. So college can be the perfect time to start seeking help, she said.
“Early intervention is key to a more positive trajectory for your life,” she said. “The earlier, the better.”
Como escribía un lector hace varios días, las noticias sobre accidentes de tránsito son “el pan de cada día” en el Ecuador. Prácticamente no hay semana que no se reporte al menos un suceso de esta naturaleza que ocurre ya sea en las calles de las ciudades o en las reconstruidas carreteras del país.
Lamentablemente los accidentes se han convertido en un hecho tan cotidiano que la mayoría de medios, incluido HOY, los registran como notas secundarias y se olvidan de los casos hasta volver a informar sobre el siguiente, desde luego con los datos de rigor: número de heridos y de fallecidos, el lugar donde se produce, las posibles causas, las placas de los vehículos involucrados, la actuación de los organismos de socorro y algún otro dato adicional. Pero en raras ocasiones estas noticias tienen seguimiento.
Al igual que en los casos de crímenes violentos, daría la impresión que los seguimientos en este tipo de informaciones depende del número de fallecidos o de su “importancia”. El domingo anterior, en la página de Actualidad se publicó la nota “Pujilí: 4 muertos en un accidente de tránsito”, la cual daba cuenta del volcamiento de un bus que habría rodado unos 400 metros en el sector de Guangaje (Cotopaxi), con un saldo de cuatro fallecidos y 29 heridos.
El texto incluía la versión de testigos, datos sobre el traslado de los heridos y el número de víctimas mortales, entre otros proporcionados por el ECU-911 de Quito, y una reacción del presidente Rafael Correa quien indicó que las autoridades investigaban las causas para sancionar a los responsables del fatal accidente.
Ahí acabó todo. Al día siguiente no se volvió a saber del suceso. No se informó sobre el estado de los heridos, no hubo ninguna noticia del conductor, no se supo si el bus había sido remolcado, no se indicó el nombre de la cooperativa, peor aún si tenía vigente la matrícula o el SOAT. Nada. El caso recibió un tratamiento similar a tantos otros que involucran directamente a personas que pierden seres queridos o pasajeros que quedan lesionados de por vida.
A propósito de una balacera ocurrida hace dos semanas al norte de Quito en la que falleció un policía, un supuesto asaltante y el empleado de un restaurante, un lector escribió que los medios (así, en general) resaltaban la muerte del uniformado pero que las referencias sobre el trabajador eran mínimas. Probablemente esto se debe a que las instancias oficiales influyen de mejor forma para lograr que se reproduzca su información y a una reportería deficiente que solo vio de pasada el otro lado de la noticia, en este caso específico las otras víctimas y las consecuencias para sus familiares.
No porque los accidentes y crímenes sucedan a diario, podemos verlos como hechos corrientes. Hace falta darles seguimiento, alguna vez llegar a “las últimas consecuencias”.
In California, travelers from abroad have introduced measles into the state at least 10 times this year, but there have only been three outbreaks. The biggest, in Northern California, has infected 15 people so far, which pales in comparison to the 390 cases confirmed in Brooklyn and Queens in an ongoing New York City outbreak.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (WGHP) — A school shooting shut down a Winston-Salem high school on Wednesday afternoon.
Mount Tabor High School is on lockdown after one student was injured, according to Winston-Salem police. That student has been taken to the hospital. There is no word on their condition.
Other schools in the area were locked down as well out of an abundance of caution.
Students inside Mount Tabor High School waiting, courtesy of Ben Kirkland
Officers are actively looking for the suspect.
Winston-Salem police have a hazardous devices unit on scene. The Greensboro Police Department is assisting Winston-Salem and Forsyth County agencies.
Parents of Mount Tabor students are asked to go to the Harris Teeter on Peacehaven Road and are advised that busses might be delayed in the afternoon.
Parents were directed by law enforcement to a separate location to pick up their children. FOX8 is not reporting that location at the request of law enforcement.
Dismissals are delayed at other schools in Winston-Salem right now.
A couple at the scene says their daughter was at the school at the time of the shooting. They were able to get in touch with their daughter and confirmed that she is OK.
“Your heart stops for a few minutes until you finally get in touch with them,” the father said.
“For the second time this week, we have seen a shooting in a North Carolina school. Our prayers are with the victims, their families and all the students of Mt. Tabor High School in Winston-Salem. I have been briefed by law enforcement and the Department of Public Safety is ready to provide any support necessary. We must work to ensure the safety of students and educators, quickly apprehend the shooter and keep guns off school grounds.”
FOX8 has crews on the scene and this story will be updated as details emerge.
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1. Huracán Irma se convierte en categoría 3
El huracán Irma ganó fuerza y se convirtió en categoría 3 en el Atlántico, sólo unos días después de que el primer huracán importante de la temporada, Harvey, dejara graves inundaciones en el sur de Estados Unidos, informaron meteorólogos.
Expertos anuncian que es posible que su fortaleza fluctúe, en un sentido o en el otro, pero se espera que Irma siga siendo un poderoso huracán durante varios días.
Huracán Irma se convierte en categoría 3. Ver nota.
2. OCDE pide a México abrir el mercado de Televisa y TV para Telmex
La OCDE puso en la mira los resultados de los primeros cuatro años de la reforma mexicana de telecomunicaciones y encontró que el sector de la radiodifusión se mantiene estático, que poco se ha abierto al cambio y a la competencia.
Esa es una industria dominada por Grupo Televisa y TV Azteca como los dos grandes grupos en televisión y por otros cinco titanes en la radio análoga que vuelven “lento” el despegue del conjunto de misiones que integran la reforma estructural que por ahora mejor deja parado al gobierno de Enrique Peña Nieto, muy cuestionado por débiles resultados hasta la fecha conseguidos por otras reformas en energía, salud, educación o trabajo.
OCDE pide a México abrir el mercado de Televisa y TV para Telmex. Ver nota.
3. México alberga el round 2 del TLCAN en medio de las amenazas de Trump
Desde este viernes, México acoge la segunda ronda de renegociación del Tratado de Libre Comercio de América del Norte (TLCAN) en medio de las amenazas del presidente estadounidense Donald Trump de retirarse del acuerdo.
Representantes de México, Estados Unidos y Canadá se reunirán en la capital mexicana del 1 al 5 de septiembre tras una primera ronda que se llevó a cabo en Washington del 16 al 20 de agosto, en la que los tres países plantearon más de dos docenas de temas que se comprometieron a discutir rápidamente.
México alberga el round 2 del TLCAN en medio de las amenazas de Trump. Ver nota.
4. ¿Cuál es la diferencia entre el billón en inglés y el billón en español?
Los números son el lenguaje más utilizado por los economistas y financieros, seguida, seguramente, por el inglés. A los números no mienten, expresión usada regularmente en la estadística para ponderar la veracidad de los datos expresados en cifras, hay que añadir el corolario los números no requieren traducción; y es que una cifra expresada numéricamente es reconocible por cualquiera, independientemente de su lengua materna.
En los medios escritos, y más aún en los especializados en economía y finanzas, es común para los redactores de textos expresar cifras con palabras escritas. Esto implica que debe existir cierto consenso previo para entender, por ejemplo, que un millón equivale a la cifra expresada numéricamente de la siguiente forma: 1,000,000, la unidad numérica seguida de seis ceros. Hasta aquí, todo es comprensible. La complejidad para un redactor adviene con un mundo globalizado en el que se recurre a información generada en otros países en otras lenguas.
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre el billón en inglés y el billón en español?. Ver nota.
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