uphir2017-blog

[uphir2017-blog]

Rebuilding Sri Lanka – Church and Children on One Week After the Terror

By Christ Daniel

The Surveyor walked inside the St. Sebastian Church, which the suicide bombing took place. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

(AP, Reuters, BBC) A week ago, there were one of the most devastating Easter for Sri Lanka Christians. Church bombings and raid that occurred and murdered 250 people, have left not just death and mourn. The bombing left some scars on the mental of the Sri Lankan. Many lives were devastated as their lives, culture, and life support were damaged after the conflict. Never thought before in life that coming to worship with families and members of the same common faith, would turn into such catastrophe. Churches and children were those that suffer most from the conflict.

Church was being rebuilt as the community struggles to move on. The bloodstained were still seen on the walls and destroyed furniture and church ornament of the St. Sebastian Church in Negombo. he statues of Jesus and the saints are still speckled with fragments of shrapnel. The smell of death is everywhere, though the bodies are long gone. Somehow, there's a beauty to St. Sebastian Cathedral, where a man calmly walked in during Easter services with a heavy backpack and blew himself up. For more than 50 years, St. Sebastian's had been the scene of weddings and baptisms, of Christmas celebrations and countless Masses. This somehow caused the church stepped into one of its dark history.

Children, however become the world and nation’s concern as they are part of the attack and not just loss of lives, but also their bad memory that was constructed out the chaotic attack. Dozens of children were the victims of the attack. Currently, seen some students went houses and schools to send prayers and lit candles to their friends that have departed. One of these victims was Sneha Savindri Fernando, that went to Easter Sunday Mass at St Sebastian's church in Negombo, with her mind was on something else entirely: her 13th birthday - which that day tragically would never come. Sneha was among many children who died when a suicide bombing occurred at the church. 

The tragic scene had to be witness by these, so-called innocent generation of Sri Lanka. Having almost never in contact with gun, violence and war, that occurred on thirty years of civil war, ten years ago, these children were the new innocent generation. These children were supposed to be part of a peaceful memory of a new Sri Lanka.   

One of the kid lit on the candle on the funeral of the deceased children. (Reuters/Getty Images)

As candles are lit across monuments, memorials, churches and houses of lost, a hope seemed to light back on Colombo. The series of spark of hope that never parish to the morning land. Lessons are learned, and the generations are getting tougher. Hateful that occurred may have been their dark history that they have to bear as their nations move forward. Time to stand for new hope that begins to rise at the horizon by the Tibetan mountains on each morning.  

Sources:

AP: https://apimagesblog.com/blog/2019/4/26/amid-horror-sri-lanka-church-still-shows-beauty

Reuters:https://ca.reuters.com/article/topNews/idCAKCN1S402P-OCATP

BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-48048856

[uphir2017-blog]

Deadly shooting at California Synagogue: Suspect believed to have acted alone

By Dhea Pramita Edi

(AP,Reuters,CNN) An attack in California synagogue happened on Saturday morning, the gunman, who expressed white-supremacist and anti-Semitic views in a manifesto published before the attack, fled but was quickly apprehended. The attack happened approximately six months to the day after 11 people were killed in an attack on the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. 

The Attack

Just before 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, a 19-year-old gunman armed with an AR-15-style assault rifle walked into the Chabad of Poway synagogue in Poway, California, and began firing on those inside. About 100 people had assembled at the synagogue for a celebration of the last day of Passover. The shooter, dressed in a green military vest, fatally wounded 60-year-old Lori Gilbert-Kaye, who jumped between him and Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, 57, who was delivering the sermon at the time of the attack and was subsequently injured in the hands. An 8-year-old girl, Noya Dahan, was struck in the face and leg with shrapnel, and 34-year-old Almog Peretz took shrapnel in the leg while trying to shield and evacuate children from danger. Some witnesses say the lone gunman shouted obscenities as he fired. His rifle apparently jammed, which appears to have limited the carnage. He then fled.

Police believed that the shooter, have acted alone in his actions, without help from any organised group, the local authorities stated. 

John T. Earnest, 19, surrendered to police after bursting into the synagogue and opening fire as about 100 people were worshipping inside.Earnest, who had no previous contact with law enforcement, may face a hate crime charge in addition to homicide charges when he’s arraigned later this week, San Diego County Sheriff William Gore said. He was being held without bail, and it was unclear if he had an attorney. Police searched Earnest’s house and said he was also being investigated in connection with an arson attack on a mosque in nearby Escondido, California, on March 24.

“We believe he acted alone and without outside support in carrying out the attack,” San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said in a statement.

The suspect, who is also under investigation for a mosque arson, has been booked into custody on one count of murder in the first degree and three counts of attempted murder in the first degree, Gore said.

In the minutes after the gunman fled the scene of a shooting that killed a woman inside a Southern California synagogue, a wounded Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein wrapped his bloodied hand in a prayer shawl, stood on a chair and addressed the panicked congregation, vowing to stay strong in the face of the deadly attack targeting his community.

“We are a Jewish nation that will stand tall. We will not let anyone take us down. Terrorism like this will not take us down,” Goldstein recalled telling his congregants after the gunfire erupted Saturday at Chabad of Poway.

Congregant Lori Kaye, 60, was killed in the shooting, which injured Goldstein, 8-year-old Noya Dahan and her 34-year-old uncle, Almog Peretz, authorities said. Hours after the three wounded were released from hospitals, Goldstein described the onslaught at a news conference Sunday outside the synagogue north of San Diego.

Goldstein said he was preparing for a service on the last day of Passover, a holiday celebrating freedom, and heard a loud sound. He turned around, and a saw a young man wearing sunglasses standing in front of him with a rifle.

“I couldn’t see his eyes. I couldn’t see his soul,” Goldstein said. He raised his hands and lost one of his fingers in the shooting.

Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, right, is hugged as he leaves a news conference at the Chabad of Poway synagogue, Sunday, April 28, 2019, in Poway, Calif. A man opened fire Saturday inside the synagogue near San Diego as worshippers celebrated the last day of a major Jewish holiday. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

The shooter was identified as a nursing school student, he posted an anti-Jewish screed an hour before the attack and praised the suspects accused of carrying out deadly attacks on mosques in New Zealand last month that killed 50 and at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue on Oct. 27, in which 11 people were killed.“It was a hate crime, no doubt about it,” national security adviser John Bolton said on “Fox News Sunday.” He said investigators have not seen any connection between the suspect and other extremist groups.

Poway residents bring flowers and cards to a memorial outside of the Chabad of Poway synagogue.(AP Photo/Denis Poroy) 

California State University, San Marcos, confirmed that Earnest was a student who was on the dean’s list and said the school was “dismayed and disheartened” that he was suspected in “this despicable act.”″

Sources:

1.AP - https://www.apnews.com/14d2196c6d584b1287bc862a0e53c00a

2.Reuters -https://www.reuters.com/article/us-california-shooting/synagogue-shooting-suspect-believed-to-have-acted-alone-san-diego-sheriff-says-idUSKCN1S406S

3.CNN - https://edition.cnn.com/us/live-news/california-synagogue-shooting-live-updates/index.html

[uphir2017-blog]

Sri Lanka emergency law bans face coverings today

By: Jean Audrey -01043170021

A relative of Easter Sunday bomb blast victim lights a candle on the wall of St. Sebastian's Church in Negombo, north of Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, April 28, 2019. Sri Lanka's Catholics celebrated Sunday Mass in their homes by a televised broadcast as churches across the island nation shut over fears of militant attacks, a week after the Islamic State-claimed Easter suicide bombings killed over 250 people. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

(AP,Reuters,The independent) Sri Lankans woke to emergency law on Tuesday as authorities searched for those behind suicide bomb attacks on churches and luxury hotels that killed 290 people at the weekend, with the focus turning to militants with links to foreign groups, one of this emergency law is to ban face veils wore usually by Muslim women.

On April 21th right on Easter Day, three Christian churches across Sri Lanka and three luxury hotels in the commercial capital Colombo were targeted in a series of coordinated terrorist suicide bombings, many were killed and heavily wounded in the attack. 

A few days after it happened, the government of Sri Lanka stated that muslim women will no longer be able to veil their faces under the emergency law ordered by President Maithripala Sirisena that bans all kinds of face coverings that may conceal people’s identities.

Muslim women in Sri Lanka will no longer be able to veil their faces under an emergency law ordered by President Maithripala Sirisena that bans all kinds of face coverings that may conceal people’s identities. The decision came after the Cabinet had proposed laws on face veils at a recent meeting. It had deferred the matter until talks with Islamic clerics could be held, on the advice of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Indonesian Muslim student shows solidarity with victims of Sri Lankan bombings ( AFP/Getty Images )

A week after the attack on Easter Sunday, the country's Catholic churches remained closed because of security fears. 

“This is a time our hearts are tested by the great destruction that took place last Sunday,” Mr Ranjith told those watching across the nation. “This is a time questions such as, does God truly love us, does he have compassion towards us, can arise in human hearts.” Authorities have banned NTJ over its ties to Mohammed Zahran, the alleged mastermind of the attacks which also left hundreds wounded. Zahran and others wearing masks, had pledged their loyalty to Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi before carrying out the attacks.Later, an officer dispersed journalists waiting outside, saying authorities were conducting a “cordon and search operation.”Police then left, locking up the mosque just before afternoon prayers were to start.

sources: 

1.AP - https://www.apnews.com/46ca1b3a0a0f4239b90dc29088b8868e

2. The independent - https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/sri-lanka-attacks-latest-burqa-ban-face-veil-muslim-women-emergency-law-easter-sunday-bombings-a8890541.html

3.Reuters -https://www.reuters.com/article/sri-lanka-blasts/sri-lanka-wakes-to-emergency-law-after-easter-bombing-attacks-idUSL3N2250PQ

[uphir2017-blog]

DANGER OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: UNEMPLOYMENT AND MISUSE ISSUES

By Euen Seok Lee - 01043170055

(The New York Times / Isaac Lawrence—Getty Images) [AP News,Reuters,The New York Times,BBC News] - WE ARE IN DANGER. Is this what experts and researchers out there wanted to say? I believe everyone must have heard about the term Artificial intelligence. But is it truly helping us or it has some critical issues that affect our human being?

First of all, what actually is Artificial Intelligence? Artificial Intelligence which also being called as AI is an area of computer science that emphasize the creation of intelligent machines that work and behave like a human being. It is true that by the invention and application of AI (Artificial Intelligence), our life has gained a huge innovation and helped us to take a huge step forward in terms of technology. Now the application of AI has been done in many different fields including our smartphones, smart cars and drones, social media feeds, music and media streaming services, video games, online ads network, navigation and travel, banking and finance, smart home devices as well as security and surveillance. 

However, does it only raise a positive implication throughout our lives? The experts and researchers answer a ‘NO’ and the reason can largely be categorized as two which are unemployment issues and misuse issues.  

(BBC News - Getty Image)

By the implication and application of AI in our daily bases, it actually taking our jobs aways leading to many working fields been taken away by machines. And this issue is much more concerning in developing countries which in needs of the traditional growth path. Even many optimists say that by such implication of AI in many fields will rapidly boost up productivity, many more are still being concerned that AI will, in fact, will hold the traditional growth path by replacing the conventional jobs with robots. 

According to research at Oxford, around 40% of the jobs in Europe, almost 50% of the jobs in USA, and for sure the greater amount in developing countries will be in danger of being replaced by AI over the coming decades. A threat of AI always been a concern from the beginning of its creation leading human being make a law of robotics, based on these three agreements. A robot may not injure a human being, a robot must obey the orders given by human being except when the orders conflicting with the previous law, and a robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the previous laws. 

(Wired - Louise Matsakis)

Another concern raised by the application of AI in our daily lives is a fact that it would pose a risk of being misused by hackers. We all know that artificial intelligence has been implied in many fields including autonomous cars, drones and many more. As the usage of AI is significantly been increased, this rapid development in AI is raising various risks including hacking issues. Possibly hacking attacks that would cause autonomous car crashes or even turn commercial drones into weapons against people are being a huge concern for many experts which also being a reason why there are the three rules of robotics. 

Sources:

AP News 

https://apnews.com/6034c9ce1af347ec8da996e39b29c51b

Reuters

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cyber-tech/artificial-intelligence-poses-risks-of-misuse-by-hackers-researchers-say-idUSKCN1G503V

BBC News

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-47852589

The New York Times

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/01/opinion/artificial-intelligence-regulations-rules.html?searchResultPosition=3

[uphir2017-blog]

‘Avengers: Endgame’ Smashes the World Film

By: Yi Hyun Jun - 01043170125

Source of image: https://www.google.com/search?safe=strict&biw=1920&bih=967&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=JLHCXPjQKbjXz7sPtOa2mA0&q=avengers+endgame+china&oq=avengers+endgame+china&gs_l=img.3..0l9.75529.76695..76836...0.0..0.91.433.6......1....1..gws-wiz-img.......0i67.uUYbBNJBRyU#imgrc=9NpLjxcZ3Dh1dM:

[AP, Reuters, BBC] Who hasn’t watch Avengers: Endgame? Who hasn’t seen any superhero films? Who hasn’t had a superhero that you like? On April 24th, 2019, the best superhero film Avengers: Endgame hit the world film records. Anyone interested in background news? Here is some news that related to Avengers.

              Many staffs who are working as a ‘superhero’ staffs gathered all together in order to make one the huge movie called ‘Avengers’. Anthony and Joe Russo, main directors of the Avengers gathered around whenever they had a moment, even in between takes of “Captain America: Civil War”.  Whoever watched ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ knows they weren’t kidding around with the superhero films.  Then, what precisely that implies for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is something of a state mystery. Feige said that this will be "conclusive," however. “People can debate and discuss what that means before they see the movie,” Feige said. “But for us that means concluding the first three phases, the first 22 films in the MCU, so that everything thereafter is a new start. The films of Avengers were one of the hottest films between 2012-2019.                           Whenever the new films regarding Avengers out, they got one of the top records in every country due to perfect age targeting. Almost all age level of people loves these films because young people will love some fantasy stories and enjoying talking about that. Also, as an old people, these films are their childhood memory. The most important factors that films should take care before they release are the targeting ages and the timing. We can see that this Avengers: Endgame was released in very perfect time where people are waiting so bad.        

    Source of image: https://www.google.com/search?q=avengers+endgame&safe=strict&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjU_cyanO3hAhVX4nMBHX1oB-wQ_AUIDigB&biw=1920&bih=967#imgrc=ZrxVUXAQFmFUnM:

  Marvel superhero movie “Avengers: Endgame” set an opening-day record in China with an estimated $107.2 million in ticket sales, distributor Walt Disney Co said. The movie, the last part of a story told crosswise over 22 Marvel movies including mainstream characters, for example, Iron Man, Thor and Black Widow, crushed numerous records to turn into China's most astounding earning remote motion picture on first day when it was discharged on Wednesday, two days before its U.S. screening. The movie, additionally the quickest to hit the 500-million-yuan mark in ticket deals, overwhelmed films crosswise over China on Wednesday, totaling in excess of 80 percent all things considered. Some debut tickets were coveted to the point that they were being sold on the dark market for in excess of 500 yuan ($74.14), versus a normal of 60 yuan crosswise over films across the nation.      

           "The achievement can be inferable from the almost 20 Marvel movies in the course of recent years. From that, the Marvel establishment has developed and held a great deal of Chinese fans." Financier Great Wall Securities said in an examination note that the last ticketing offers of "Avengers: Endgame" could be as high as 4.8 billion yuan, which would make it the second best-performing movie in China after Wolf Warrior 2.  It would likewise be twofold of what its last continuation, "Avengers: Infinity War", made in the nation - 2.4 billion yuan in 2018.  Furthermore, the film could be a lift to China's movies showcase during Chinese shoppers' melting away enthusiasm for going to films this year, examiners said.      

          As this film called Avengers: Endgame hit the world records and be one of the most famous film in the world, we are gladly looking forward to see new Avenger films if possible.

Source:

AP News: https://www.apnews.com/335d230fb20b4111a1b70c3f462bbebb

Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-walt-disney-avengers-china/disneys-avengers-endgame-smashes-china-opening-day-record-idUSKCN1S021W

BBC News: https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-47623536

[uphir2017-blog]

South Korea Sex Scandal: The End of The Korean Wave?

by Maria Stevany Buntaran/ 01043170010

AP News/ Ahn Young-joon

[AP News, Reuters, CNN] – Super Junior, Big Bang, Got7, who is not familiar with those names? Those who are not fans of K-pop will still have surely heard of these names. Yes, they are the names of boybands from South Korea, the new mecca of pop culture.

Over the past decade, Korean dramas, Korean songs, and Korean brands, and even Korean tourism have become very popular. Their fans do not come only from Asia, but also all over the world. The Korean Wave (K-Wave), as many called this phenomenon, seemed to be everlasting. In fact, the more popular Korea gets, the more careful it becomes in maintaining this image. The government is eager in advertising its tourism destinations. The entertainment industry is pushed to the limit to constantly introduce new concept of music and film. The talents are strictly protected and managed. Consequently, the K-Wave spreads stronger and faster. This virus is however seemed to have found its antidote, as dirty scandal has aroused from its a-list celebrities.

South Korean entertainment industry has always been striving to ensure that their talents are perceived as perfect by the fans. Their familial and romantic matters are undisclosed, avoiding possible comments from the fans. Often times, idols are required to sign contract where they are not permitted to have romantic relationship for several years after the debut. This is used by the agency to create an available and accessible image of the idols, encouraging the fantasy of the fans who want to date them. After the ‘probation period’ has ended, though, fans already have too much power in the popularity of the idols. Many cases happened where these idols’ dates are bullied.

Adding to the stress, the industry is notable in setting a high bar for their talents to meet. Many of their idols are recruited from a very young age, even school-agers. They are expected to be multitalented, intensively trained for all kinds of entertainment branch, music, dancing, and acting. Their appearance is equally important to their performance, pressuring them to go through strict diet and fitness. Many of this long and precarious journeys do not end in convenient and glammed-up future, as not all trainees become mega idols and mega idols eventually get sick from the paparazzi and the headlines.

These over the top demands push idols to seek refuge and refreshment on their own. Unfortunately, this time, they look for it in motel rooms, involving 1,600 women, all non-consensually forced to engage in sexual intercourses. This does not stop. The tapes are widely distributed through Kakao Talk group chats and other online platforms for subscribing viewers. The crimes apparently involved 2 Korean superstars Big Bang Seungri for being one of the members of the groups, and Jung Joon-young for distributing, being a group member, and one of the men in the sex tapes.

On March 14th 2019, Seoul Police finally arrested the stars for the alleged voyeurism. Following the scandal, the two stars have bowed and apologised in front of press and announced their retirement from the industry. They also stated themselves that they will cooperate with Seoul Metropolitan Police for the investigation, a sincerity confirmed by the police.

AP News/ Ahn Young-joon

Seungri, whose real name is Lee Seung-hyun is arrested not only for the sex tapes, as he has also been providing illegal sexual services for his foreign investors. These services are used by Lee to attract foreign businessmen to invest in his multiple business ventures. Seung-hyun, who is nicknamed as Korean Great Gatsby is famous for his extravagantly luxurious lifestyle. All is funded from his share as a member of 44-million-dollar-worth music band, Big Bang and his Music and Ramen franchises. The sexual bribery claim has however been denied by the 28-year-old idol.

Since the scandal broke out, home of Big Bang boyband, YG Entertainment’s stock price has dramatically plummeted by more than 17 percent in only two days. While the number is slightly rebounded on Wednesday after firing Seungri, YG has already suffered a value loss of $159 million compared to January.

Jung Joon-young has also been fired by his agency, MAKEUS Entertainment. This is not Joon-young first sex allegations, as he had been similarly charged in 2016. The case was eventually closed due to insufficient evidence and did not affect even a bit of Jung’s popularity, as he could make his way back right after the charges.

This scandal has given opportunity for woman associations to protest. Hashtag #MeToo again becomes virally used to support women who have been used for the videos. These women criticised the VIPs and also Korean socio-culture who has always overvalued men, a culture commonly found particularly in East Asia. As a consequence, the rape culture has always highlighted men and their toxic masculinity, compromising their immoral ways of using sex for fame and wealth. Women in the country are commonly seen merely as objects by the men, explaining why many of the perpetrators do not feel guilty of committing sexual crimes. These threats are not limited to women of lower rank. Women idols and trainees have been used to provide illegal sexual services to VIP men. The hashtag #MeToo is not the only pro-women movement in South Korea. Not long ago, a street protest, using tagline “My Life is Not Your Porn,” filled the country after 20,000 spy cameras are found in the nation-wide public toilets to take naked and upskirt photography. All these cases, especially those who include stars and VIPs are never really been solved, even with all the street movements.

The South Korea sex scandal visualises the dark side of South Korea and its entertainment industry, displaying flaw of its K-Wave. The flaw is located right at its heart, the talents and surrounding culture, proving that the K-Wave might not be as everlasting after all.

Sources:

AP News

https://www.apnews.com/6f8bb8a3ca204d54b93c28c6514283dc/gallery/media:cfcbed31b64545129f35d7297e28aa6d

Reuters

https://www.apnews.com/6f8bb8a3ca204d54b93c28c6514283dc/gallery/media:cfcbed31b64545129f35d7297e28aa6d

CNN

https://edition.cnn.com/2019/03/21/asia/kpop-korea-sex-scandal-intl/index.html

[uphir2017-blog]

Global Tragedy of Negligence Act: Bringing Justice for Ethiopian Airlines’ Victims

Wreckage is piled at the crash scene. (AP Photo/Mulugeta Ayene, File)

By Jovan Nathanael – 01043170085

Reuters, AP News, CNN – When the world is still mourning after the tragedy of Lion Air airplane crash in Indonesia, another plane disaster occurred in the other part of the globe. This time, the tragedy brought with it several lives of world’s activists and stellar individuals that had been working to change the world to become a better place. Did their deaths could have been avoided if some parties did not ignore the first sign of product error? Did the mistake have to be repeated twice, with more victims to die in vain, for the parties to finally put high priority on the issue?

A month had passed since Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 crashed shortly after taking off on Sunday, March 10 2019, just 5 months after Lion Air Indonesia crashed into the Java Sea. The plane was scheduled to bring all 157 passengers to Nairobi, Kenya from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia but several minutes after taking off the airline reported technical problems and had requested permission to turn back before it hit the ground near Bishoftu, southeast of Addis Ababa. The cause of the crash was reported due to a system malfunction of a certain aircraft type made by The Boeing Company, the 737 Max 8. It was the same plane malfunction that occurred on Lion Air Indonesia. With investigations ongoing, multiple countries have suspended the use of Boeing’s 737 Max 8 aircraft to avoid the same misfortune being repeated.

Nadia Mileron speaks behalf of the family of Samya Stumo regarding the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 in lawsuit process. (Reuters/Kamil Krzaczynski)

 This catastrophe left no one alive. Among 157 passengers of 35 nationalities, American woman with the name of Samya Stumo was one of them. She was travelling for her job with ThinkWell, Washington-based organization that focuses on health systems development. Her family is very devastated of her sudden death and demanding justice to be enforced and hold those who might cause this accountable. On April 4, the family went further by filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Chicago Federal Court against Boeing Company, which manufactured the aircraft, Ethiopian Airlines itself, and Rosemount Aerospace Inc., alleged to have manufactured a defective part of the plane. A separate claim was also filed against the Federal Aviation Administration for certifying the 737 MAX. The complaint contains nine counts brought against those companies and Ethiopian Airlines, including negligence, breach of warranty, failure to wan and civil conspiracy. This is the first suit on behalf of an American, said the family’s attorneys, and hopefully, the start of many others.

Furthermore, the lawsuit blamed Boeing for ‘putting profit over safety’ and accuses the company to rush the sales of 737 Max 8 to compete with rival company Airbus and that company’s A320 aircraft. The lawsuit also takes aim at Boeing’s Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, otherwise known as MCAS. The system is meant to automatically lower the nose of the plane when a sensor indicates that the aircraft is at risk of stalling. The lawsuit says Rosemount manufactured the sensor. Investigators in both the Ethiopian Airlines and the Lion Air crash who have focused on MCAS and its possible role in both crashes supported this claim. The Stumo’s family’s lawsuit points to Boeing’s claim the 737 Max 8 was so similar to past 737 models that pilots would not need to be retrained, hoping more airlines would then purchase the plane. Ultimately, the lawsuit says, that meant pilots weren’t aware of the MCAS system, since it was meant to operate automatically. Pilots who did receive training reported the MCAS system was not mentioned, the lawsuit claims. According to a preliminary report by the Ethiopian Transport Ministry, the pilots on Flight 302 repeatedly performed all of Boeing’s procedures but were unable to regain control of the aircraft before it crashed.

 At a press conference on Thursday, April 4, tears flowed heavily as the Stumo’s family explained that if their daughter did not die at such young age of 24 she would have change the world. The family saw her as a resourceful and compassionate woman and had great passion in global health. Her brother, Adnaan, said that as she grew up, Samya taught him about self-awareness, sensitivity to others, and joyfulness. Her uncle, former presidential candidate Ralph Nader, also described her as someone that ‘had compassion and intellectual rigor written all over her and would drop anything to help everybody’. A boycott of the 737 MAX must be implemented, he added. The victim’s mother said through tears that the Ethiopian disaster could have been prevented following the Lion Air crash and family cannot even properly bury her as there were no survivors and they wouldn’t be able to bring home fragments of her body from Ethiopia. All that left for the family to mourn on is the fond memories and strong legacies that she left behind.

Unfortunately, Boeing kept their mouth shut with Rosemount also declined to comment. They claimed that they are currently trying to fix the system but isn’t a little too late when hundreds of lives had been lost? The families still have a long journey ahead of them to enforce the justice the victims deserve. Law experts expressed that they would face obstacles and high hurdle since government officials and agencies are generally immune from civil lawsuits.

(AP News) = https://www.apnews.com/fd2ec5543b464084b8642cac82fd6f88

(Reuters) = https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ethiopia-airplane-lawsuit/family-of-american-woman-sues-boeing-ethiopian-airlines-over-737-max-crash-idUSKCN1RG27G

(CNN) = https://edition.cnn.com/2019/04/04/world/ethiopian-airlines-crash-preliminary-report-intl/index.html

[uphir2017-blog]

Yemen Wars and Stolen Humanitarian Aid

(AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty)

By Muhammad Alfizar 01043170087

[AP, Reuters, BBC] The devastating Yemen war that spearheaded by Saudi Arabia since 2015 is not only affected within the conflict parties of Houties rebels and Yemenis government but also civilian causalities due to the war or instabilities that resulting famine around Yemen. 

As Geert Cappelaere, Middle East director for UNICEF, the U.N.’s emergency fund for children, said authorities on “all sides” of the conflict are impeding aid groups — and increasing the risk that the country will descend into widespread famine. “This has nothing to do with nature,” Cappelaere told the AP. “There is no drought here in Yemen. All of this is man-made. All of this has to do with poor political leadership which doesn’t put the people’s interest at the core of their actions.”

(BBC, The houthi rebel movement took full control of the capital Sanaa in 2015) 

To elevate this suffering many humanitarian organization form UN and WFP to send food aid to food shortage. However, since 2018 WFP as the supplier of the food aid determined that there is foul play on the food distribution by the rebel Houthis. The founding focuses on the distribution of the food that being sell in the black market controlled by the rebels and stop the access of the food distribution to the starving population in the rebel control cities. As the director of David Beasley, executive director of the U.N.’s food program, said “certain elements of the Houthis” are denying the agency access to some parts of rebel territory — and appear to be diverting food aid. The food aid was repackaging and sold by the merchant, the ineffectiveness of the security to diverse the food and ensure the law enforcement is almost nill. The Problem further compounded with raiding the food storage by military and people who already starving. 

(Source)

https://apnews.com/bcf4e7595b554029bcd372cb129c49ab

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security-food/wfp-says-yemen-food-aid-being-stolen-in-houthi-run-areas-idUSKCN1OU0P1

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-46722502

[uphir2017-blog]

The Battle of Art: Ai Weiwei Draw a Bead on Mexico’s State Violence

By: Jacqueline Tandela Chien Thung 01043170071

Standing in the middle, the renowned dissident Chinese artist, Ai Weiwei poses with portraits of 43 college students who went missing in 2014 in an apparent massacre (REUTERS/Edgard Garrido).

MEXICO CITY [AP, REUTERS, THE GUARDIANS, BBC] — What exactly is art? Art has been part of the human civilization, the existence of it could inspire us, bring us happiness, sadness, angriness, sympathy, and all overwhelming feelings that we could comprehend from the tips of our toes to the top of our head. I have always seen art as a medium of expression. There are many forms of art. When we can’t decipher our ideas to people, we often use drawings, graphs, or maps to deliver our piece of mind.  So when they see it, they could be on the same page as me. I think that’s what the renowned artist Ai Weiwei is trying to do. To deliver his thought to the world. To make them see, and remember in the easiest way that’s possible.

Everything started when Ai was detained by China’s communist government back in 2011. He was known for his criticism for their policies, and it’s stifling of free expression. His last project before he was detained and moved to Berlin, was specifically inspired by the refusal of the Chinese government to explain its errors following the massive 2008 earthquakes that happened in Sichuan that caused thousands of students died in government-built schools. Sadly, a similar case also happened on another continent.

With entitled “Reestablishing Memories”, Ai unveiled a new installation in Mexico’s National Autonomous University (UNAM) that tells a story of 43 (forty-three) students that’s likely massacred five years ago in a case that exposed government stonewalling and complicity in abuses. The exhibition proudly presented in large portraits of the students made from million multi-colored Legos that hover above a commodious exhibit space. Below,  there is also a timeline of 2014 abduction of the trainee-teachers from all-boys Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers College in southern Mexico and the government’s widely belittle investigation regarding the case.

Journalists were seen taking pictures of the 43 missing Ayotzinapa College Raul Isidro Burgos students during a press preview of the exhibition “Reestablishing Memorias” (REUTERS/Edgard Garrido).

The primary Mexican government investigation found that the Ayotzinapa students were abducted by corrupt police who eventually handed them over to a local drug gang. Later, the students were killed by the gang, burnt their bodies in a trash dump, get rid of the ashes into a nearby river, all was entailed with unclear and enigmatic reasons.

In addition, the report was tainted by allegations of torture and also possible involvement of soldiers. Until the present time, only one student has been identified. When Ai was asked, “Why do we have to do it? Because every crime creates a vacuum and it poisons society,” as he told the reporters at the news conference on Thursday. I would like to describe Ai Weiwei as an ‘art warrior’, his interest in human rights that led him into exile did not stop him to what he thinks is right. He also makes documentaries and received permission from the 43 missing students’ families to do a film on the case. But still, the most powerful thing is the students’ portraits. Those portraits are based on the images that the parents of the missing youth carry on signs during the protest marches and at news conferences — stirring a strong familiarity and messages for those who see it, young faces looking straight ahead with their names below.

Each part of the portraits is represented by a Lego brick, the famous brick toy that we could see often as a child. When its assembled, it creates a three-dimensional and multi-colored art that consists of the color of green, white, and red. Representing the colors of Mexico’s national flag. A shout to the government, a symbolism of the event, and a symbolism to the attack against the student community.

Sources: 

AP News — https://apnews.com/e8fbaf827f814f70a30b03eca75f8dc3

Reuters — https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mexico-art-aiweiwei/artist-ai-weiwei-takes-aim-at-state-violence-in-mexico-with-legos-idUSKCN1RP01V

The Guardian—https://www.theguardian.pe.ca/news/world/artist-ai-weiwei-takes-aim-at-state-violence-in-mexico-with-legos-301447/

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/sep/17/ai-weiwei-without-the-prison-the-beatings-what-would-i-be

BBC — https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-47907840

Hurriyet Daily News — http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/basliksizartist-ai-weiwei-takes-aim-at-state-violence-in-mexico-with-legos-142650

[uphir2017-blog]

Early Counts Say Joko Widodo As the Winner of Election

By Monica Cristie - 01043170037

Jakarta, Indonesia (AP) - Indonesian President Joko Widodo has won a second five-year term, over the nationalistic rhetoric of his rival, Prabowo Subianto. Vote counts from five independent survey groups showed Widodo with a clear lead over Subianto. The so-called “quick counts” are from reputable survey organizations that have been reliable in the past elections since 2004. This five survey organizations showed Widodo winning 54-56% of the vote which means ahead of his politcal rival by almost 9 percentage points.

“We have seen everything from the exit poll and quick count indications, but we must be patient and wait for calculations from the KPU officially,” the president said on Wednesday. “Let us reunite as brothers and sisters of the country after this election, establish our harmony and brotherhood.”

Litbang Kompas, a survey institute,based on a sample of almost 75% of votes, placed the president, better known as Jokowi and his mate, Ma’ruf Amin, on 54.19%, while Prabowo and his mate, Sandiaga Uno on 45.81%. Also, the polling booths were decorated in red and white cloth as indication of the colors of the Indonesian flag. Ayu Dyah Widarti, a volunteer for Jokowi, spent her morning cycling around various polling stations in south Jakarta to check on the voting process. “People are enthusiastic, smiling, and it’s been smooth,” she said. Ayu said she strongly supported the president because he “has a vision, is sincere and works hard”.

“I’ve voted for Jokowi because five years in office was not enough for him to complete his brilliant programs for infrastructure, health and education,” said Eko Cahya Pratama, 43, after voting in Tangerang on the outskirts of Jakarta.

However, his political rival, Prabowo Subianto, confessed that based on internal exit polls and his own a quick-count survey institute showed that his vote was in 52-54 percent rage. Furthermore, he also confessed that he had won but urged his supporters not to cause chaos and let his victory be snatched away.

After voting, Subianto also said, “ I promised that we will work for the good of the country. If it’s chaos or not, it’s not coming from us. But I guarantee that we don’t want to be cheated anymore, that Indonesian people don’t want to be cheater anymore”

In 2014, Prabowo had also claimed victory on election day, before the election commission announced the official results that Widodo won. He also said, “We have noted several incidents that have harmed the supporters of this ticket,” he said, without giving detail. “The truth will win.”

Subianto ran a fear-based campaign, highlighting what he sees as Indonesia’s weakness and the risk of exploitation by foreign powers or disintegration, while Widodo’s campaign highlighted his progress in poverty reduction and improving Indonesia’s infrastructure with new ports, toll roads, airports and mass rapid transit. Furthermore, Widodo said the results indicated he had regained the presidency of the world’s fourth-most-populous nation, but urged supporters to wait for the election commission to announce official results. The official election results will not be published until May.

Sources :

Reuters - https://www.reuters.com/article/us-indonesia-election/indonesias-widodo-looks-set-for-election-victory-challenger-says-no-idUSKCN1RS2CX

AP News - https://www.apnews.com/bac297fe66c646529f1602c4efd4b8cf

The Guardian - https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/17/indonesia-elections-president-joko-widodo-set-comfortable-win

[uphir2017-blog]

Julian Assange Arrested: The Hero or The Criminal of Journalism?

By: Stephanie Fenuela - 01043170012

[AP, Reuters, BBC]  When I was a kid, I remember the moment in the residential park with two neighbors and we play ‘Truth or Dare’. Even when I knew the risk of playing it is to either do something challenging or either telling them my secrets, whenever I got ‘truth’, I will make sure that they can be trusted. Secret or privacy is something sensitive and can be considered as our deepest interest. Especially in politics, state’s interest is something that is veiled and unpredictable.  The famous American whistle blower, Edward Snowden, succeed to leaked highly confidential United States government’s information to the public on 2013. Snowden received asylum protection from Russia and build Freedom of Press Foundation to protect journalist from government supervision.

Source: Reuters.com  In this democratic-media era, journalist become more daring to report news and criticize government actions. Julian Assange is another version of Snowden. Assange was born in Australia on 1971 and grow as a smart researcher who loves internet and excellent at mathematics and physics. But his mastery in internet been used for hacking purposes together with his friend and he got accused because of it. He did not imprison because he did not reoffend, so he just fulfill his fined obligations. After that, he works with Suelette Dreyfus who focused on internet research, writing books about computers skills. Even as a researcher, Assange still concerned about government policies, justice, and how to dig deeper powerful parties’ interest. On 2006, Assange with his friends build Wikileaks. It does not have any relation with Wikimedia like Wikipedia, but Wiki simply means any website that allows creating and editing of a webpage through browser. Like its name, Wikileaks publish leaked controversial and confidential state’s or public figure’s information in a form of raw data from anonymous sources. Wikileaks have published Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin private emails, excavate ‘Panama Papers’ issue, and the most significant one that bring Assange being caught is the documents and cables about US war in Iraq and Afghanistan. When he was about received extradition, he seeks for asylum protection from Ecuadorean embassy in London. For seven years he lives there until April 11th 2019, he arrested by London Metropolitan Police and will be extradited to United States.  The Ecuador president, Lenin Moreno stop granting his asylum protection because even inside the embassy, Assange still intervene other state’s internal affair which he published in Wikileaks. 

Source: wikileaks.org

Many people especially from journalist and radical liberalist condemn this capture as a violation of freedom of speech. But state’s leaders and policy makers think that this is the right action because Assange already violates states’ privacy and stole the information illegally. Theresa May, Britain Prime Minister think that this is the proof that the law enforcement is just, that no one is treated differently above the law. It is still debatable, whether Wikileaks is relevant to be called as journalism or more than that. In journalism, freedom of speech and the public right to receive information is absolute, but Wikileaks is just the more extreme version that requires illegal data-leaking. Wikileaks supported by accountable data that have significant impact, but it can also be a weapon to endanger other’s reputation and life. For example, the ‘Panama Papers’ case, Wikileaks can resulted a better awareness and government policy about the taxes, but when Wikileaks published private information from one’s emails, it can also violate one’s human right to have privacy and to express their interest. So, is Wikileaks worth to be called the next level of journalism or does it instead hinder others to have freedom of speech in prevention of privacy-violation? Is Julian Assange leaking hobby can be considered as a journalism crime? You decide! Source: AP News: https://www.apnews.com/4174e69477be4d8aaf8e14e0a728eaa8 Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ecuador-assange-factbox/factbox-reaction-to-arrest-of-julian-assange-in-london-idUSKCN1RN1I5 BBC News: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-11047811 https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-47891737

[uphir2017-blog]

Fire Engulfs Paris’ Notre Dame Cathedral

Fire quickly consumes the structure of Notre Dame Cathedral on Monday evening (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

By Agnes Monica Haryanto / 01043170060

(AP, BBC, Reuters, The Guardian) A fire broke out in Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris on Monday,15th April as passer-by and tourists looked up in shock. When the fire broke out, it quickly engulfed the currently renovated historical site especially on the ongoing restoration side which is the spire and the roof of the cathedral, the fire quickly spread as both parts was made from wood, differing themselves than the rest of the cathedral which was made from stones, fortunately due to the material of the building, the main structure including the two bell towers have been saved. It was believed that the cause of the fire was because of the construction work that’s currently taking place; however, the police are yet to find the official cause of the fire once the building have been cleared from the dangerous debris.

The fire which had broken out in the evening, continued to burn for 8 hours as 400 firefighters were able to put it off, in addition to that, they were able to rescue religious relics and artworks. However, one firefighter was seriously injured during the attempt.

Since then the French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that the fire was to be treated as a national emergency, he rushed to the site as soon as he heard the news. “The worst has been avoided” French President Emmanuel Macron stated at the scene of fire.

Laurent Nuñes, a junior interior minister also said that since the fire has been put out, they also need to asses the amount of damage from the heat from the fire that reached more than 800C and the water that the firefighters had poured into the building. Nuñes also said that a meeting of experts is going to be conducted on Tuesday morning to assess the damage and deem whether the building is safe enough for the firefighters to be able to set up inside and continue their work.

Passer-by and tourists watched in shock as the spire of Notre Dame collapsed (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Since the fire, two of France’s richest have pledged hundreds of million euros, with François Pinault, the head of Kering, which owns brands such as Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen and Gucci pledging €100m from his family’s fortune. Following Pinault’s footsteps, Bernald Arnault, the owner of the group Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy then later declared that he would be donating €200m. Additional support also comes from the French cosmetics brand L’Oreal and the founding Bettencourt family which promised to pledge €200m, followed by the French oil company, Total who pledged €100m for the reconstruction effort.  The French government have also planned to gather funds from across the world, with Russian president rallying to the effort of restoration, stating that he is ‘happy to send experts to help restoring the cathedral’ also the British and Spanish government are looking into what they can do to help.

Notre Dame Cathedral is the most famous Gothic cathedral and one of the most beloved structures in the world, people regularly visit the Cathedral to pray and pay respect. It is situated on the Ile de la Cite, an island in the Seine river.

 Sources

Fire guts Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris; Macron pledges to rebuild  (Reuters)

Massive fire engulfs beloved Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris (AP News)

Why the Notre Dame fire was so hard to put out  (CNN)

Notre Dame fire extinguished as investigators seek cause of blaze (The Guardian)

Notre-Dame: Massive fire ravages Paris cathedral  (BBC)

Notre-Dame fire: Millions pledged to rebuild cathedral  (BBC)

[uphir2017-blog]

The Future of North Korea - United State Summit

By: Nafisha Merry Laraswaty / 01043170117

A photo released by North Korean state media, said to be of Kim Jong-un leading a meeting on Thursday of the ruling Workers’ Party in Pyongyang, the capital.CreditCreditKcna, via Kns/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

(AP, Reuters, The New York Times, Al JAZEERA) - According to the North’s state-run media, North Korea’s Leader Kim Jong Un was ready for third summit meeting with United State under several conditions. During a session of North Korea’s rubber stamp parliament, Kim made speech that stated he was willing to open another talk with United State president Donald Trump if the United State modify its standpoint for acceptable terms of high stakes nuclear agreement until the end of this year.

           This comment was delivered a day following Mr. Trump announcement of his plan to encounter Mr. Kim again since the collapsed of the Hanoi meeting in Vietnam on the late February. The Hanoi meeting which was the second round of talks for United State and North Korea abruptly closed without a nuclear demilitarization deal.

           Korean Central News Agency or KCNA reported Kim accused United State as the people behind the collapse of the Hanoi Summit in February. Mr. Kim stated that unilateral demand of United State was the reason for the collapse of the Hanoi Summit. Because this unilateral demand led him to question if Washington really wanted to improve their relations. However, the United Stated claimed that the summit in Vietnam failed due to North Korea’s request for sanction exemption in exchange for dismantlement of the North’s nuclear program.

In the perspective of Kim Jong Un, within the meeting in Hanoi the United State only provide solution that were completely unattainable. If United State still adopted this kind of thinking Kim Jong Un hesitated that DPRK would move even knuckle or interested for third meeting. Mr. Kim said he would wait until the end of this year for United State to discover better solution for both countries. Although the diplomatic relation between North Korea and Washington in danger, Kim Jong Un confirmed that his personal relationship with Donald Trump was fine and that they could exchange letters of greeting anytime they want.

At the North Korea’s rubber stamp parliament assembly on Friday, 12 April 2019, Mr. Kim emphasizes that he would not be bow under United State just because the summit could reassurance North Korea from the sanction. Mr. Kim believed North Korea would find a way to prosper their economic without the helped of hostile forces such as United State. On Wednesday at the meeting of Central Committee of the Worker’s party, Mr. Kim encouraged his people to construct “self-supporting national economy” to prove that sanction would not make DPRK down on their knees.

           The meeting which happened on Friday not only criticized the United State but also criticized the role of South Korea in being the mediator for Washington and Pyongyang relation. Kim Jong Un claimed that South Korea should remember that they are the member of the Korean nation and should speak up in the behalf of the interest of nation rather than behave as an “overstepping mediator” or “facilitator”. In regard to that comment, South Korea’s presidential office said Seoul tries their best to maintain the atmosphere of dialogue alive and assisting negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang restart at an early date.

           Some experts said that the appointment of Kim as chairman of the State Affairs Commission may be the indication of Kim’s wish in maintaining recent month of nuclear diplomacy live rather than came back to the year of 2017 where it identified as year with threats and weapons test. But the absence of considerable demilitarization commitment from the North had open the possibility for the Kim to not voluntarily give up his weapons. The concept of North Korea denuclearization also became the contribution why it is hard for the complete denuclearization happened in Korean Peninsula. America does not see denuclearization as the act of detaching its armed forces and the nuclear umbrella which protecting South Korea and Japan.

The New York Times - https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/12/world/asia/kim-jong-un-north-korea.html

Reuters - https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-usa/north-koreas-kim-jong-un-gives-us-to-year-end-to-become-more-flexible-idUSKCN1RO2PI

AP News - https://www.apnews.com/e7462797b895453894306751a0430370

AL JAZEERA - https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/04/north-korea-kim-sets-deadline-summit-190413060954553.html

[uphir2017-blog]

When The Victim Is White

(AP News, abc News, Reuters, ABC)  There’s the typical police brutality that you would hear, a policeman of white race encounters a man or teen in which is from a black race. Having the civilian unarmed, without any legitimate proof whatsoever, the encounter then turns violent and the civilian is killed. With no clear reason why the man was shot, it usually runs along the lines where the man simply did not listen, he had a criminal record, he was defending himself and so on and so forth.

This case however is different for unfortunate 44-year-old Justine Ruszczyk Damond. What first started as an innocent cry for help to 911, turned out to be the last thing she could ask for. Damond was an Australian-American who was living with her fiancé, Don Damond, and his son. They were just weeks away from their wedding when one night when Justine was home alone, Don being away for a business trip and Don’s son also away, she heard what she thought was a sexual assault in the laneway behind her house. Being it already late at night, she contemplated to call the police and called Don asking for advice what to do. She came to the decision to dial 911.

On the other side was officer Matthew Harrity and officer Mohamed Noor who came to laneway. As they drove by they noticed that is was particularly silent until they heard a thump in which surprised them. As a defense they assumed that it was an ambush resulting in Mohamed Noor, a Muslim Somali-American, to fire his gun. Unfortunately, the reason as to why Justine was shot is still questionable because besides from the words of the 2 policemen, there is no other evidence. Neither of the policemen had their body camera’s on which the lawsuit field I U.S District court says, “Had they done so, there would be video and audio recording of the fatal shooting of Justine, and Harrity and Noor would not be free to concoct a story in a vain attempt to insulate Noor from civil and criminal liability,”

Frankly, Damond instantly became the innocent victim in a police shooting. Meanwhile there are plenty of innocent victims of police shootings besides Damon. For instance, 7-year-old Aiyana Jones who was killed in her sleep when stormed in her home while looking for her uncle. The difference in this case was that Aiyana was poor and black. In other words, this case was treated differently because the shooter and the victim are not the common stereotypes. Although no two victims are the same, the bottom line is that Justine is seen as the innocent villain meanwhile, black people are seen as the villains.

Nekina Levy Armstrong, a civil rights attorney and former president of the Minneapolis NAACP said that, "Race and affluence has played a role in terms of how this case is being handled". After this incident, many activists came out but not advocating for leniency for Noor, but instead for equity. "We want black and Latino and native victims of police violence to be treated like her," said Shaun King, a Black Lives Matter activist and writer.

 Sources:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-20/justine-damond-ruszczyks-family-seeking-justice-over-shooting/9131074

https://apnews.com/3a70aec6397b4ae886eb0ae6cd6f4610

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-minnesota-police-idUSKCN1RL13A

https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/activists-cops-shooting-white-woman-treated-differently-62377028

[uphir2017-blog]

2 children dead, many homes damaged as storms pummel South.

By, Christianthy Putri Anance Matitaputty

[AP News, Reuters, Times Union News]

On Saturday, April 13, 2019. Terrible storms occurred across the South Dallas. This storm is called a Tornado, destroying many homes and killed two children in Texas.

The Angelina County Sheriff's Office said that these two children were in their car, and they were 8 years old and 3 years old. They died when the strong winds toppled a tree and hit the back of his family's car while moving. Strangely, the parents were in the front seat but they were not injured. Unfortunately, both of their children were killed.

According to the news, Lufkin is about 115 miles (185 kilometers) northeast of Houston. However, additional information was not immediately available.

But, in addition, the tornado also hit the small town of Franklin in the South of Dallas. Investigate, District Sheriff Robertson Gerald Yezak told The Associated Press, the tornado overturning a mobile home and damaged nearby homes. The city of Franklin is located about 125 miles (200 kilometers).

According to research, The National Weather Service said preliminary information showed an EF-3 tornado touched down with winds of 140 mph (225.3 kph). So, hopefully crews will continue to survey the damage over the next few days.

The victims of this event are increasing because the location of this event is getting wider over the occurrence of this tornado storm. The victims had increased around two people were hospitalized because injuries that were not considered life threatening, while others were treated at the scene due to minor injuries, Yezak said. Some people have to be escape from their homes cause we still do not know if the storm will be continuing or not.

It said in the news that the weather service meteorologist, Monique Sellers said they have received reports of downed trees, as well as damage to buildings and a transmission tower.

The storms like this have become things that can happen in the southern United States, from starting to damaging various types of buildings, trees, and cause flash floods. So, the Weather services say, the system is expected to shift to the Ohio Valley and the Southeast on Sunday. More than 140,000 customers remained without electricity in Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas late Saturday. Therefore, the citizens should be more careful on this disaster.

In fact, Meteorologist John Moore said a possible twister touched down Saturday in the Vicksburg, Mississippi, area. But there is no injuries have been reported, but officials said several businesses and vehicles were damaged. Also, trees were down throughout the hilly city on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi. Additional, there was heavy rains and storms continued to rake the Magnolia State into the night, with Mississippi State University's 21,000 students huddling in basements and hallways as a tornado came near the school's campus in Starkville.

According to the University spokesman Sid Salter said some debris, possibly carried by the tornado, was found on campus, but no injuries were reported and no buildings were damaged. Trees were down and at least some minor structural damage was reported in residential areas east of the campus too. The winds of up to 60 mph (96.56 kph) were reported in Cherokee County, Texas, damaging two homes in Alto but not injuring anyone. Alto is situated about 140 miles (225 kilometers) north of Houston. I hope there is no more recurrence of events like this so that no one takes casualties.

Sources;

https://m.timesunion.com/news/texas/article/Southern-storm-system-drenches-Dallas-threatens-13765440.php

https://www.apnews.com/86aa356bf457467daaba111b5d249d5f

http://live.reuters.com/Event/Oklahoma_Tornado/mobile&Theme=39&Whitelabel=True

[uphir2017-blog]

AVENGERS: END GAME. Need we say more?

punya john, jan diambil ya :D

[uphir2017-blog]

Benjamin Netanyahu’s fifth terms for Israel

By: Kezia Aristi 01043170028

(AP, Reuters, The Guardian, The New York Times) - To be a leader is not an easy way in and not an easy way out. To be leader is to be an example, and to remain in the eyes of many. To be a leader is to serve people, to change people, to encourage and motivate people to be the best version of themselves. As human we must reflect on ourselves, often question will be “am I a good leader?” “am I thinking for the best of my people or myself?”. A leader is the person who is trusted by people, to lead them for the better. 

Image source: https://en.businesstimes.cn/articles/110543/20190410/israels-prime-minister-netanyahu-wins-re-election.htm

News broke this Wednesday, 9th April 2019, Benjamin Netanyahu won election for the fifth times since his first term as Prime Minister from 1996 to 1999. With 97.4% of the vote counted, Netanyahu’s Likud and the rival Blue and White were only projected 35 seats apiece in the 120-seat parliament. But Likud and its traditional political allies were in lead of a 65-55 majority in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament. Another of small parties were still swaying on the electoral threshold and still fighting for the survival. When it comes to the final tally, it was President Reuven Rivlin turn to choose the party leader he believes has the best chance of assembling a parliamentary majority. But Mr. Netanyahu’s Likud party had a strong numerical advantage in being able to form a governing coalition.

His rival from Blue and White party, led by former military chief of staff Benny Gantz and Yair Lapid, a former Netanyahu Cabinet minister, got about 26% of the vote, less than Netanyahu’s Likud party. Blue and White party is believed to be a real alternative in decision making with the Prime Minister. Lapid, the party’s No. 2 leader, said Blue and White would “show the people of Israel what a real alternative looks like.” Moreover, Benny Gantz and his Blue and White party stated that he respected the decision of the people in a television statement on Wednesday Evening and remained committed to serve the people of Israel and will serve them from any position that they will be in the future.

To be a leader for the nation there must be a check and balances, and performance check and planning, especially this is for the sake of the people. Netanyahu has been accused of having three corruption allegations. But the Prime Minister said that he had began a security deal or broker deals with religious and far-right parties to form Israel’s next government. Benjamin is on track of becoming Israel’s longest-ever serving leader this summer.

One of the requirements to be an independent country is a by a recognition by other country. In this case of Netanyahu, due to modern era and social media used by people, he has a twitter of his own and tweeted on Wednesday that Trump had called him to congratulate him on his re-election for a fifth term. “The two leaders agreed to continue working in the coming years in the closest way for Israel and the United States,” said Netanyahu in his twitter account. 

source: https://nypost.com/2018/09/26/trump-to-present-middle-east-peace-plan-in-coming-months/

On the unhappy side of the election, Lapid, one of his rivals, vowed that Blue and White would “embitter the lives” of Netanyahu and his allies from the opposition, and push for investigations into other allegations of corruption. Gantz had declare himself as clean, centrist alternatives to Netanyahu but the people vote to “King Bibi”. With the ongoing war between Palestine and Israel, it seems like Palestine has no hope. Additionally, Netanyahu was promoting unity but it was contrasted with his campaign theme in which he accused Gantz of conspiring with Arab parties to turn him down. Arab leaders accused Netanyahu of demonizing the country’s Arab community, which is about 20% of the population. In Addition, his attacks on the Arab sectors has made him a turn off by the Arab voters. Speaking of the Israel-Palestine on-going and never-ending dispute, Netanyahu has pledge for the first time on the final stretch to annex parts of the occupied West Bank, to run his right-wing base. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that he will seek for the international community help to stop such plans conducted by King Bibi. Some insider stated that though not legally required to resign from his position, Netanyahu could lose allies if he is proven guilty. But Israeli media also stated that his coalition partners could give him immunity.

“This is a clear beginning of Netanyahu’s fifth term, but his fifth term might end up being his shortest one”, says Reuven Hazan, a political scientist from Jerusalem’s Hebrew University. To lead is to look positively or to look negatively. To care or not to care, to reflect or to retaliate, to be wise or to corrupt. choose wisely.

Sources:

AP -  https://apnews.com/1bc4b635516f41e2a18cd4d4f9cb9388 

Reuters - https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-election-netanyahu/netanyahus-winning-strategy-big-power-statecraft-and-social-media-focus-idUSKCN1RM25Z

Reuters - https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-election-challenger/netanyahus-main-election-challenger-concedes-election-defeat-idUSKCN1RM29H

The Guardian - https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/10/israel-election-netanyahu-wins-fifth-term-as-rival-gantz-concedes

The New York Times - https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/10/world/middleeast/israel-election-netanyahu-gantz-winner.html