Tag: brand safety-nsf sensitive

Oklahoma City Bombing Fast Facts | CNN

[ad_1]

CNN
—

Here is some background information about the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995.

The blast killed 168 people, including 19 children, and injured several hundred more.

Timothy J. McVeigh and Terry L. Nichols were convicted of the attack.

The federal building was later razed and a park and memorial were built on the site.

The Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum has 168 stone and glass chairs placed in rows on a lawn, one for each victim.

Both McVeigh and Nichols were former US Army soldiers and were associated with the extreme right-wing and militant Patriot movement.

The Patriot movement rejects the legitimacy of the federal government and law enforcement.

April 19 marked two anniversaries. Patriots’ Day is the anniversary of the American rebellion against British authority at Lexington, Massachusetts, in 1775. It is also the date that federal agents raided the compound of a religious sect in Waco, Texas, after a 51-day standoff in 1993. At least 75 members of the Branch Davidian sect died in a fire that began during the raid.

McVeigh claimed he targeted the building in Oklahoma City to avenge the raid on Waco.

April 19, 1995 – At 9:02 a.m. CT, a rental truck filled with explosives is detonated outside the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.

April 19, 1995 – Near Perry, Oklahoma, Army veteran McVeigh is arrested during a traffic stop for driving a vehicle without a license plate.

April 21, 1995 – McVeigh’s alleged co-conspirator Nichols turns himself in.

May 23, 1995 – The remaining parts of the Murrah federal building are imploded.

August 11, 1995 – McVeigh and Nichols are indicted on murder and conspiracy charges.

April 24, 1997 – McVeigh’s trial begins in Denver.

June 2, 1997 – McVeigh is convicted on 11 counts of murder, conspiracy and using a weapon of mass destruction. He is later sentenced to death.

November 2, 1997 – Nichols’ trial begins in McAlester, Oklahoma.

December 23, 1997 – Nichols is convicted on federal charges of conspiracy and eight counts of involuntary manslaughter. He is later sentenced to life in prison. He is serving his sentence at USP Florence ADMAX federal prison, nicknamed “Supermax,” in Florence, Colorado.

June 11, 2001 – McVeigh is executed by lethal injection. He is the first person executed for a federal crime in the United States since 1963.

May 26, 2004 – Nichols is found guilty in Oklahoma state court on 161 counts of murder. The jury spends five hours deliberating before announcing the verdict.

August 9, 2004 – District Judge Steven Taylor sentences Nichols to 161 consecutive life terms, without the possibility of parole.

[ad_2]

Source link

April 3, 2024
OPEC Fast Facts | CNN

[ad_1]

CNN
—

Here’s a look at the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, headquartered in Vienna, Austria.

The purpose of OPEC is to “coordinate and unify the petroleum policies of its Member Countries and ensure the stabilization of oil markets in order to secure an efficient, economic and regular supply of petroleum to consumers, a steady income to producers and a fair return on capital for those investing in the petroleum industry.”

OPEC members collectively supply about 28.89% of the world’s crude oil production.

Together, OPEC members control about 79.49% of the world’s total proven crude reserves.

OPEC member countries monitor the market and decide collectively to raise or lower oil production in order to maintain stable prices and supply.

A unanimous vote is required on raising or lowering oil production.

Each member country controls the oil production of its country, but OPEC aims to coordinate the production policies of member countries.

Oil and energy ministers from OPEC member countries usually meet twice a year to determine OPEC’s output level. They also meet in extraordinary sessions whenever required.

Read More: Oil and Gasoline Fast Facts

Algeria – 1969-present
Congo – 2018-present
Equatorial Guinea – 2017-present
Gabon – 1975-1995; 2016-present
Iran – 1960-present
Iraq – 1960-present
Kuwait – 1960-present
Libya – 1962-present
Nigeria – 1971-present
Saudi Arabia – 1960-present
United Arab Emirates – 1967-present
Venezuela – 1960-present

Angola – 2007-2024
Ecuador – 1973-1992; 2007-2020
Indonesia – 1962-2009; 2016
Qatar – 1961-2019

September 14, 1960 – OPEC is formed in Baghdad, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.

November 6, 1962 – OPEC is registered with the United Nations Secretariat (UN Resolution No. 6363).

1973-1974 – Due to United States support of Israel in the Arab-Israeli conflict, the members of OPEC decide to raise the cost of oil from $3/barrel to around $12/barrel.

October 1973 – OPEC issues an embargo against the United States, halting oil exports. Customers in the United States experience long lines at gas stations and shortages.

March 18, 1974 – At an OPEC meeting, seven members lift the ban on exports to the United States: Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Egypt and Abu Dhabi. Libya and Syria refuse to drop the ban, and Iraq boycotts the talks.

December 31, 1974 – Libya lifts its oil embargo against the United States.

November 2007 – Ecuador rejoins OPEC after a 15-year absence.

May 2008 – Indonesia announces that it will leave OPEC in 2009.

January 1, 2009 – Indonesia suspends its membership in OPEC.

January 1, 2016-November 30, 2016 – Indonesia rejoins OPEC, but suspends its membership after 11 months.

July 2016 – Gabon rejoins OPEC.

May 25, 2017 – Equatorial Guinea joins OPEC.

June 22, 2018 – OPEC announces that the Republic of the Congo has joined the organization.

December 3, 2018 – Qatar’s state oil company, Qatar Petroleum, announces that the country will leave OPEC on January 1, 2019. One of OPEC’s oldest members, Qatar says it plans to focus on natural gas production.

January 1, 2020 – Ecuador leaves OPEC.

March 2020 – To offset the collapse in demand caused by the coronavirus pandemic, OPEC unveils a plan to reduce output among its members by 1 million barrels per day, and says it will seek an additional 500,000 barrels per day in cuts from longstanding allies, including Russia.

April 1, 2021 – OPEC and allied producers announce that they have agreed to gradually increase their output over the next three months. The move follows a sharp increase in oil prices, and a call from the United States to keep energy affordable.

October 5, 2022 – OPEC and its allies, known as OPEC+, announce they will cut oil production by 2 million barrels per day, the biggest cut since the start of the pandemic.

January 1, 2024 – Angola leaves OPEC. Oil minister Diamantino Azevedo said earlier that membership was not serving Angola’s interests.

[ad_2]

Source link

April 3, 2024
Columbine High School Shootings Fast Facts | CNN

[ad_1]

CNN
—

Here is some background information about the deaths of 13 people at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, on April 20, 1999.

Twelve students and one teacher were killed by students Dylan Klebold, 17, and Eric Harris, 18.

The pair made home videos prior to the attack making references to what they were going to do and apologizing to their parents for it.

Harris and Klebold killed themselves with gunshot wounds to the head in the school’s library at approximately 12:08 p.m. on the day of the shootings.

SWAT teams entered the school 47 minutes after the shootings started. Five hours passed before law enforcement declared the school under control.

Cassie Bernall, 17
Steven Curnow, 14
Corey DePooter, 17
Kelly Fleming, 16
Matthew Kechter, 16
Daniel Mauser, 15
Daniel Rohrbough, 15
William “Dave” Sanders, 47
Rachel Scott, 17
Isaiah Shoels, 18
John Tomlin, 16
Lauren Townsend, 18
Kyle Velasquez, 16

January 1998 – Klebold and Harris are arrested after stealing items from a van. After pleading guilty, they are sent to a juvenile diversion program.

March 1998 – Randy and Judy Brown, parents of student Brooks Brown, file a report with the sheriff’s office stating that Harris had threatened to kill Brooks and had written on the internet that he would like to kill people.

April 20, 1999 – At approximately 11:19 a.m., two students, Klebold, 17, and Harris, 18, carrying guns and bombs, open fire inside Columbine High School, killing 13 and wounding 23 others before killing themselves.

November 12, 1999 – Mark Manes is sentenced to six years in prison for selling a gun used in the murders to minors Harris and Klebold.

April 2001 – Close to three dozen families of Columbine victims settle suits with the parents of the suspects and gun suppliers. The settlement totals close to $2.5 million. The Harris’ and Klebold’s homeowners insurance will pay a large part and the rest will come from insurance company payments on behalf of the gun suppliers. The family of victim Isaiah Shoels does not accept the settlement.

August 20, 2002 – The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office settles with the daughter of teacher Dave Sanders for $1.5 million.

June 2003 – Judge Robert Blackburn orders the family of Shoels to accept a $366,000 settlement in the lawsuit against the gunmen’s families.

August 12, 2003 – The families of victims Daniel Rohrbough, Kelly Fleming, Matt Kechter, Lauren Townsend, and Kyle Velasquez settle a wrongful death lawsuit against parents Susan and Thomas Klebold and Wayne and Katherine Harris, in which the victims’ families claim that the suspects’ parents should have known what their sons were up to before the shootings. The terms of the settlement have not been released.

October 22, 2003 – Home video of the two suspects is released by authorities. In the video, made six weeks before the murders, the suspects are seen in a forested area shooting at bowling pins.

February 26, 2004 – Colorado Attorney General Ken Salazar releases an investigative report about the attack. Authorities also release thousands of pages of documents and physical evidence.

September 21, 2007 – The Columbine Memorial, adjacent to Columbine High School, is dedicated and opened to the public.

February 12, 2016 – In her first television interview, Susan Klebold speaks to Diane Sawyer. Klebold states that “If I had recognized that Dylan was experiencing some real mental distress, he would not have been there,” she says. “He would’ve gotten help. I don’t ever, for a moment, mean to imply that I’m not conscious of the fact that he was a killer, because I am.”

[ad_2]

Source link

April 3, 2024
North Korea Nuclear Timeline Fast Facts | CNN

[ad_1]

CNN
—

Here is a look at North Korea’s nuclear capabilities and the history of its weapons program.

North Korea signs the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) demands that inspectors be given access to two nuclear waste storage sites. In response, North Korea threatens to quit the NPT but eventually opts to continue participating in the treaty.

North Korea and the United States sign an agreement. North Korea pledges to freeze and eventually dismantle its old, graphite-moderated nuclear reactors in exchange for international aid to build two new light-water nuclear reactors.

January 29 – US President George W. Bush labels North Korea, Iran and Iraq an “axis of evil” in his State of the Union address. “By seeking weapons of mass destruction, these regimes pose a grave and growing danger,” he says.

October – The Bush Administration reveals that North Korea has admitted operating a secret nuclear weapons program in violation of the 1994 agreement.

January 10 – North Korea withdraws from the NPT.

February – The United States confirms North Korea has reactivated a five-megawatt nuclear reactor at its Yongbyon facility, capable of producing plutonium for weapons.

April – Declares it has nuclear weapons.

North Korea tentatively agrees to give up its entire nuclear program, including weapons. In exchange, the United States, China, Japan, Russia and South Korea say they will provide energy assistance to North Korea, as well as promote economic cooperation.

July – After North Korea test fires long range missiles, the UN Security Council passes a resolution demanding that North Korea suspend the program.

October – North Korea claims to have successfully tested its first nuclear weapon. The test prompts the UN Security Council to impose a broad array of sanctions.

February 13 – North Korea agrees to close its main nuclear reactor in exchange for an aid package worth $400 million.

September 30 – At six-party talks in Beijing, North Korea signs an agreement stating it will begin disabling its nuclear weapons facilities.

December 31 – North Korea misses the deadline to disable its weapons facilities.

June 27 – North Korea destroys a water cooling tower at the Yongbyon nuclear facility.

December – Six-party talks are held in Beijing. The talks break down over North Korea’s refusal to allow international inspectors unfettered access to suspected nuclear sites.

May 25 – North Korea announces it has conducted its second nuclear test.

June 12 – The UN Security Council condemns the nuclear test and imposes new sanctions.

November 20 – A Stanford University professor publishes a report that North Korea has a new nuclear enrichment facility.

October 24-25 – US officials meet with a North Korean delegation in Geneva, Switzerland, in an effort to restart the six-party nuclear arms talks that broke down in 2008.

February 29 – The State Department announces that North Korea has agreed to a moratorium on long-range missile launches and nuclear activity at the nation’s major nuclear facility in exchange for food aid.

January 24 – North Korea’s National Defense Commission says it will continue nuclear testing and long-range rocket launches in defiance of the United States. The tests and launches will feed into an “upcoming all-out action” targeting the United States, “the sworn enemy of the Korean people,” the commission says.

February 12 – Conducts third nuclear test. This is the first nuclear test carried out under Kim Jong Un. Three weeks later, the United Nations orders additional sanctions in protest.

March 30-31 – North Korea warns that it is prepping another nuclear test. The following day, the hostility escalates when the country fires hundreds of shells across the sea border with South Korea. In response, South Korea fires about 300 shells into North Korean waters and sends fighter jets to the border.

May 6 – In an exclusive interview with CNN, the deputy director of a North Korean think tank says the country has the missile capability to strike mainland United States and would do so if the United States “forced their hand.”

May 20 – North Korea says that it has the ability to miniaturize nuclear weapons, a key step toward building nuclear missiles. A US National Security Council spokesman responds that the United States does not think the North Koreans have that capability.

December 12 – North Korea state media says the country has added the hydrogen bomb to its arsenal.

January 6-7 – North Korea says it has successfully conducted a hydrogen bomb test. A day after the alleged test, White House spokesman Josh Earnest says that the United States has not verified that the test was successful.

March 9 – North Korea announces that it has miniature nuclear warheads that can fit on ballistic missiles.

September 9 – North Korea claims to have detonated a nuclear warhead. According to South Korea’s Meteorological Administration, the blast is estimated to have the explosive power of 10 kilotons.

January 1 – In a televised address, Kim claims that North Korea could soon test an intercontinental ballistic missile.

January 8 – During an interview on “Meet the Press,” Defense Secretary Ash Carter says that the military will shoot down any North Korean missile fired at the United States or any of its allies.

January 12 – A US defense official tells CNN that the military has deployed sea-based radar equipment to track long-range missile launches by North Korea.

July 4 – North Korea claims it has conducted its first successful test of an intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM, that can “reach anywhere in the world.”

July 25 – North Korea threatens a nuclear strike on “the heart of the US” if it attempts to remove Kim as Supreme Leader, according to Pyongyang’s state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

August 7 – North Korea accuses the United States of “trying to drive the situation of the Korean peninsula to the brink of nuclear war” after the UN Security Council unanimously adopts new sanctions in response to Pyongyang’s long-range ballistic missile tests last month.

August 9 – North Korea’s military is “examining the operational plan” to strike areas around the US territory of Guam with medium-to-long-range strategic ballistic missiles, state-run news agency KCNA says. The North Korea comments are published one day after President Donald Trump warns Pyongyang that if it continues to threaten the United States, it would face “fire and fury like the world has never seen.”

September 3 – North Korea carries out its sixth test of a nuclear weapon, causing a 6.3 magnitude seismic event, as measured by the United States Geological Survey. Pyongyang claims the device is a hydrogen bomb that could be mounted on an intercontinental missile. A nuclear weapon monitoring group describes the weapon as up to eight times stronger than the bomb dropped in Hiroshima in 1945. In response to the test, Trump tweets that North Korea continues to be “very hostile and dangerous to the United States.” He goes on to criticize South Korea, claiming that the country is engaging in “talk of appeasement” with its neighbor to the north. He also says that North Korea is “an embarrassment to China,” claiming Beijing is having little success reining in the Kim regime.

November 1 – A US official tells CNN that North Korea is working on an advanced version of its intercontinental ballistic missile that could potentially reach the United States.

November 28 – A South Korean minister says that North Korea may develop the capability to launch a nuclear weapon on a long-range ballistic missile at some point in 2018.

January 2 – Trump ridicules Kim in a tweet. The president says that he has a larger and more functional nuclear button than the North Korean leader in a post on Twitter, responding to Kim’s claim that he has a nuclear button on his desk.

January 10 – The White House releases a statement indicating that the Trump administration may be willing to hold talks with North Korea.

March 6 – South Korea’s national security chief Chung Eui-yong says that North Korea has agreed to refrain from nuclear and missile testing while engaging in peace talks. North Korea has also expressed an openness to talk to the United States about abandoning its nuclear program, according to Chung.

March 8 – Chung, standing outside the White House, announces that Trump has accepted an invitation to meet Kim.

June 12 – The final outcome of a landmark summit, and nearly five hours of talks between Trump and Kim in Singapore, culminates with declarations of a new friendship but only vague pledges of nuclear disarmament.

December 5 – New satellite images obtained exclusively by CNN reveal North Korea has significantly expanded a key long-range missile base, offering a reminder that Kim is still pursuing his promise to mass produce and deploy the existing types of nuclear warheads in his arsenal.

January 18 – Trump meets with Kim Yong Chol, North Korea’s lead negotiator on nuclear talks, and they discuss denuclearization and the second summit scheduled for February.

February 27-28 – A second round of US-North Korean nuclear diplomacy talks ends abruptly with no joint agreement after Kim insists all US sanctions be lifted on his country. Trump states that Kim offered to take some steps toward dismantling his nuclear arsenal, but not enough to warrant ending sanctions imposed on the country.

March 8 – Analysts say that satellite images indicate possible activity at a launch facility, suggesting that the country may be preparing to shoot a missile or a rocket.

March 15 – North Korea’s foreign minister tells reporters that the country has no intention to “yield to the US demands.” In the wake of the comment, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo insists that negotiations will continue.

May 4 – South Korea’s Defense Ministry states that North Korea test-fired 240 mm and 300 mm multiple rocket launchers, including a new model of a tactical guide weapon on May 3. According to the defense ministry’s assessment, the launchers’ range is about 70 to 240 kilometers (43 to 149 miles). The test is understood to be the first missile launch from North Korea since late 2017 – and the first since Trump began meeting with Kim.

October 2 – North Korea says it test fired a new type of a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), a day after Pyongyang and Washington agreed to resume nuclear talks. The launch marks a departure from the tests of shorter range missiles North Korea has carried out in recent months.

December 3 – In a statement, Ri Thae Song, a first vice minister at the North Korean Foreign Ministry working on US affairs, warns the United States to prepare for a “Christmas gift,” which some interpret as the resumption of long-distance missile testing. December 25 passes without a “gift” from the North Korean regime, but US officials remain watchful.

October 10 – North Korea unveils what analysts believe to be one of the world’s largest ballistic missiles at a military parade celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Workers’ Party broadcast on state-run television.

August 27 – In an annual report on Pyongyang’s nuclear program, the IAEA says North Korea appears to have restarted operations at a power plant capable of producing plutonium for nuclear weapons. The IAEA says that clues, such as the discharge of cooling water, observed in early July, indicated the plant is active. No such evidence had been observed since December 2018.

September 13 – North Korea claims it successfully test-fired new long-range cruise missiles on September 11 and 12, according to the country’s state-run KCNA. According to KCNA, the missiles traveled for 7,580 seconds along oval and figure-eight flight orbits in the air above the territorial land and waters of North Korea and hit targets 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) away. The US and neighboring South Korea are looking into the launch claims, officials in both countries tell CNN.

October 14 – An academic study finds that North Korea can get all the uranium it needs for nuclear weapons through its existing Pyongsan mill, and, based on satellite imagery, may be able to increase production above its current rate.

January 12 – The United States announces sanctions on eight North Korean and Russian individuals and entities for supporting North Korea’s ballistic missile programs.

January 20 – North Korea says it will reconsider its moratorium on nuclear and long-range missile tests, according to state media.

March 24 – North Korea fires what is believed to be its first intercontinental ballistic missile since 2017. Analysts say the test could be the longest-range missile yet fired by North Korea, possibly representing a new type of ICBM.

September 9 – North Korean state media reports that North Korea has passed a new law declaring itself a nuclear weapons state. Leader Kim Jong Un vows the country will “never give up” its nuclear weapons and says there will be no negotiations on denuclearization.

October 4 – North Korea fires a ballistic missile without warning over Japan for the first time in five years, a highly provocative and reckless act that marks a significant escalation in its weapons testing program.

October 10 – North Korea performs a series of seven practice drills, intended to demonstrate its readiness to fire tactical nuclear warheads at potential targets in South Korea. Quoting leader Kim Jong Un, who oversaw the drills, KCNA says the tests, which coincided with nearby military drills between the United States, South Korea and Japan, showed Pyongyang was ready to respond to regional tensions by involving its “huge armed forces.”

January 1 – Pyongyang’s state media reports that Kim Jong Un is calling for an “exponential increase” in his country’s nuclear weapons arsenal in response to what he claims are threats from South Korea and the United States.

July 18 – South Korea’s Defense Ministry announces the presence of a nuclear capable US Navy ballistic missile submarine in the South Korean port city of Busan. The arrival of the submarine follows a period of heightened tensions on the peninsula, during which North Korea has both tested what it said was an advanced long range missile and threatened to shoot down US military reconnaissance aircraft.

September 28 – The state-run Korean Central News Agency reports North Korea has amended its constitution to bolster and expand its nuclear force, with leader Kim Jong Un pointing to the growing cooperation between the United States, South Korea and Japan. The law added into North Korea’s constitution reinforces North Korea’s view that it is a forever nuclear power and that the idea of denuclearizing or giving up its weapons is not up for discussion.

[ad_2]

Source link

March 29, 2024
Vatican Fast Facts | CNN

[ad_1]

CNN
—

Here’s a look at the Vatican, also known as the Holy See, the spiritual and governing center of the Roman Catholic Church.

The full name of the country is State of Vatican City.

It stands on Vatican Hill in northwestern Rome, Italy west of the Tiber River. It is comprised of roughly 100 acres.

Tall stone walls surround most of Vatican City.

Historical documentation says that St. Peter was crucified at or near the Neronian Gardens on Vatican hill and buried at the foot of the hill directly under where the main altar of St. Peter’s Basilica now stands. Excavations at the basilica between 1940 and 1957 located the tomb believed to be St. Peter’s.

Vatican City has its own pharmacy, post office, telephone system and media outlets. The population is 1,000 (2022 est.)

The Vatican is an absolute monarchy. Full legislative, judicial and executive authority resides with the pope.

The world’s second-largest Christian church after the Yamoussoukro Basilica in Cote d’Ivoire. St. Peter’s is not a cathedral, which is a bishop’s principal church. The pope is the bishop of Rome, and his cathedral church is in Rome.

Built on the foundation of the first St. Peter’s, the new basilica took 120 years to complete. Masonry, sculpture, painting and mosaic work continued for nearly 200 years.

The dome of the basilica was designed by Michelangelo.

The church is shaped like a cross and is almost 650 feet long.

In the grottoes, beneath the basilica, is a papal burial chamber.

The Vatican Palaces consist of several connected buildings with over 1,000 rooms. Within the palaces there are apartments, chapels, museums, meeting rooms and government offices.

The Palace of Sixtus V is the pope’s residence.

The Vatican museums, archive, library, gardens and other offices make up the remainder of the palaces.

A separate structure from the basilica, designed for the papal court, was commissioned by Pope Sixtus IV della Rovere.

It is the site of the papal conclave and where elections for the new pope are held.

It is one of the world’s most famous galleries of biblical art with the ceiling by Michelangelo, tapestries by Raphael and Rosselli’s Last Supper.

320s – Construction begins on the first St. Peter’s, by order of Constantine the Great.

1473-1481 – The Sistine Chapel is constructed.

April 18, 1506 – Pope Nicholas V begins rebuilding and expanding St. Peter’s Basilica.

1508-1512 – Michelangelo paints the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

February 11, 1929 – The signing of the Lateran Pacts between the Holy See and Italy establishes Vatican City State, the smallest independent nation in the world, covering only 109 acres.

June 7, 1929 – The Treaty of the Lateran is ratified. Pope Pius XI gives up all claims to the Papal States, and Italy agrees to the establishment of the independent State of Vatican City.

October 11, 1962-November 21, 1964 – The 21st Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church, known as Vatican II, is held under orders of Pope John XXIII. The council included 2,700 clergymen from all walks of Christiandom looking to improve relations with the Catholic Church. By the end of the council there is a new pope, Paul VI, a new constitution for the Church and new reforms.

June 2011 – Pope Benedict XVI sends the first Vatican tweet announcing the opening of a news site, “Dear Friends, I just launched News.va Praised be our Lord Jesus Christ! With my prayers and blessings, Benedictus XVI.”

October 6, 2012 – The pope’s former butler Paolo Gabriele is convicted of aggravated theft for leaking confidential papal documents and sentenced to 18 months in prison. In December 2012, Gabriele is pardoned by the pope and released to his family.

November 10, 2012 – Claudio Sciarpelletti, a computer technician, receives a two-month suspended sentence for leaking Vatican secrets to the media.

May 2013 – Missio, a smartphone app, is launched by Pope Francis. The app provides Catholic news from the Vatican and around the world.

November 24, 2013 – The Vatican exhibits the bones of a man long believed to be St. Peter, one of the founding fathers of the Christian church, for the first time.

January 10, 2019 – The Holy See launches its official athletics team after receiving the blessing of the Italian Olympic Committee. Among the first members of the Vatican Athletics track team are nuns, priests, Swiss Guards, museum workers, carpenters and maintenance workers.

March 2, 2020 – The Vatican opens its secret archives containing World War II-era documents from the controversial papacy of Pope Pius XII.

December 24, 2020 – Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the pope holds a sparsely attended Christmas Eve mass with only 200 people in attendance, including 30 cardinals. The Christmas Eve mass, which usually attracts up to 10,000 people, is a landmark event in Vatican City.

July 3, 2021 – The Vatican releases a statement saying that it has indicted 10 people, including an Italian cardinal, for several alleged financial crimes including extortion, corruption, fraud, forgery, embezzlement and abuse of power. The investigation, which started in July 2019, was carried out by the Vatican in cooperation with Italian authorities and revealed “a vast network of ties between financial market operators who generated substantial losses for the Vatican finances.” In December 2023, Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu is sentenced to five and a half years in prison for his role in financial crimes. Others indicted are convicted on some counts and acquitted on others. One, Monsignor Mauro Carlino, former secretary to Becciu, is acquitted on all counts.

June 22, 2023 – The Vatican announces it will hand over evidence in the disappearance of a 15-year-old daughter of one of its employees 40 years ago to the Rome city prosecutor. Emanuela Orlandi, who was the daughter of a prominent Vatican employee and lived within the walls of the holy city, disappeared in the summer of 1983 while on her way home from a music lesson in central Rome. The Vatican – which has come under scrutiny over the years for its handling of the case – announced in January that it had opened a fresh investigation.

November 16, 2023 – The Vatican announces that, as part of a move to reduce its carbon emissions, it will gradually electrify its fleet of vehicles. The Holy See also pledges to build a charging network within Vatican City and in other areas it controls. The city state plans to ensure that electricity for its charging network comes from renewable sources.

[ad_2]

Source link

March 28, 2024
Jacob Zuma Fast Facts | CNN

[ad_1]

Here’s a look at the life of Jacob Zuma, former president of South Africa. Zuma survived at least half a dozen no-confidence votes during his presidency.

Birth date: April 12, 1942

Birth place: Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa

Birth name: Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma

Father: Gcinamazwi Zuma, police officer

Mother: Nobhekisisa Bessie, domestic worker

Marriages: Bongi Ngema (2012-present); Thobeka Stacy Mabhija (2010-present); Nompumelelo Ntuli (2008-present); Nkosazana Clarice Dlamini (1982-1998, divorced); Kate Mantsho Zuma (1976-2000, her death); Gertrude Sizakele Khumalo Zuma (1973-present)

Children: Reportedly has more than 20 children

ANC Work and Exile

1958 – Joins the African National Congress (ANC).

1962 – Becomes a member of the Umkhonto we Sizwe (Spear of the Nation), the military arm of the ANC.

1963 – Arrested with other Spear of the Nation members and convicted of conspiring to overthrow the South African government. Zuma spends 10 years in prison on Robben Island.

1975 – Flees South Africa and lives in exile for 15 years in Swaziland, Mozambique, Zambia and several other African countries, while continuing his work with the ANC.

February 1990 – President F. W. de Klerk lifts the ban on the ANC and other opposition groups. Zuma returns to South Africa.

ANC Leadership and Corruption Charges

1990 – At the ANC’s first Regional Congress in KwaZulu-Natal province, Zuma is elected chairperson of the Southern Natal region and takes a leading role in fighting violence in the region. This results in peace accords between the ANC and the Inkatha Freedom Party.

December 1994 – Is elected as the national chairperson of the ANC.

1997-2007 – Deputy president of the ANC.

October 1998 – Receives the Nelson Mandela Award for Outstanding Leadership.

1999-2005 – Deputy president of South Africa.

June 2, 2005 – A South African court finds businessman Schabir Shaik guilty of bribing Zuma between 1995 and 2002.

June 14, 2005 – President Thabo Mbeki fires Zuma over his alleged involvement in the Shaik bribery scandal.

December 6, 2005 – Charged with raping a young female family friend; he claims the sex was consensual. He is acquitted on May 8, 2006.

September 5, 2006 – Brought to trial and charged with corruption for allegedly accepting bribes from French arms company Thint Holdings. On September 20, the charges are dismissed by the court after numerous extensions by prosecutors to build the state’s case.

2007-2017 – President of the ANC.

December 28, 2007 – New corruption charges are brought against Zuma, along with counts of racketeering and money laundering. The corruption charges are tossed by the court in September 2008.

May 1, 2008 – Named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People.

January 12, 2009 – The Supreme Court of Appeal overturns the lower court ruling that threw out corruption charges against Zuma, stating that the ruling was riddled with errors. This new ruling means that the National Prosecuting Authority can press new charges against Zuma.

April 6, 2009 – Prosecutors drop all corruption charges against Zuma.

Presidency and Resignation

April 26, 2009 – The ANC wins a majority of votes in South African elections, ensuring that Zuma will be the country’s next president.

May 9, 2009 – Inaugurated as president.

February 2010 – Zuma admits to fathering a child out of wedlock with the daughter of the head of South Africa’s World Cup organizing committee.

December 2010 – Zuma files a $700,000 defamation lawsuit over a 2008 political cartoon which portrays him raping a female figure symbolizing justice.

March 20, 2012 – The Supreme Court of Appeal rules that the Democratic Alliance (an opposition party) can challenge a previous court’s decision to drop corruption charges against Zuma.

May 7, 2014 – Zuma secures a second term as president, with the ANC winning a majority of votes.

March 31, 2016 – The South African Constitutional Court rules that Zuma defied the constitution when he used 246 million rand ($15 million) in state funds to upgrade his private home. The court says Zuma must repay money spent on renovations unrelated to security.

April 29, 2016 – A South African court rules that prosecutors acted “irrationally” when they decided to drop more than 700 corruption and fraud charges against Zuma in 2009. The court says the decision should be set aside and reviewed. It remains up to prosecutors whether to reinstate the charges.

November 2, 2016 – A report containing corruption allegations against Zuma is published. The 355-page “State of Capture” report contains allegations, and in some instances evidence, of cronyism, questionable business deals and ministerial appointments, and other possible large-scale corruption at the very top of government. Zuma denies any wrongdoing.

November 10, 2016 – Zuma avoids a vote of no-confidence in parliament, with 214 votes against the motion, 126 for and 58 abstentions. It’s the third time Zuma has faced such a vote in less than a year. The Democratic Alliance brought the motion of no confidence to parliament in an attempt to remove the president amid charges of corruption.

November 29, 2016 – Members of the ANC say that Zuma will not step down as president, despite calls from people within his own party to resign.

August 8, 2017 – A motion of no-confidence in Zuma is defeated, 198 votes to 177.

October 13, 2017 – South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal upholds an April 2016 ruling by the High Court to reinstate corruption charges against Zuma.

February 13, 2018 – The ANC announces a “recall” of Zuma, demanding that he resign. He resigns the next day.

Charges and Prison Sentence

March 16, 2018 – South Africa’s national prosecuting authority announces that Zuma will be charged with 16 counts of corruption, money laundering and racketeering.

February 4, 2020 – A South African judge issues Zuma an arrest warrant after he fails to appear to face charges in his long-running corruption case.

February 2021 – A South African inquiry into corruption during Zuma’s time in power is seeking the former president’s imprisonment for two years, after he defied a summons and court order to appear and give evidence. In an application in the constitutional court seen by Reuters, the “state capture” inquiry is seeking an order that Zuma is guilty of contempt of court. Zuma has denied wrongdoing and refuses to cooperate with the inquiry.

June 29, 2021 – South Africa’s highest court finds Zuma guilty of contempt of court and sentences him to 15 months in prison. On July 3, the court agrees to hear Zuma’s application for a review of their decision. In the application, Zuma and his lawyers claim that the 15-month prison sentence threatens his life and that the constitutional court’s decision is unfair.

July 4, 2021 – At a press conference at his homestead in Nkandla, Zuma likens his treatment to Apartheid-era detention without trial, saying, “Things like detention without trial should never again see the light of day in South Africa. The struggle for a free South Africa was a struggle for justice that everyone was treated equally before the law.”

July 7, 2021 – Zuma hands himself over to police to begin serving his 15-month prison sentence for contempt of court.

August 6, 2021 – Is admitted to an outside hospital where he undergoes surgeries for an undisclosed ailment, according to prison authorities.

September 5, 2021 – The government’s correctional services department says Zuma has been released from prison on medical parole due to ill health.

December 15, 2021 – The Gauteng High Court in South Africa rules that the decision to place Zuma on medical parole was unlawful and that Zuma needs to be returned into custody to serve the remainder of his sentence. Zuma appeals and remains on parole.

October 7, 2022 – South Africa’s Correctional Services department announces Zuma has been released from the correctional services system.

November 21, 2022 – South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal rules Zuma should return to prison, saying the decision to release Zuma on medical parole was unlawful.

August 11, 2023 – Zuma is returned to prison to comply with a ruling that his release on ill health was unlawful – but is freed after just an hour under a remission process to address overcrowding in jail.

January 29, 2024 – The ANC announces it has suspended Zuma’s membership. In December 2023, Zuma announced his support for a rival political party.

[ad_2]

Source link

March 28, 2024
Tom DeLay Fast Facts | CNN

[ad_1]

CNN
—

Here’s a look at the life of former Texas Congressman Tom DeLay.

Birth date: April 8, 1947

Birth place: Laredo, Texas

Birth name: Thomas Dale DeLay

Father: Charles Ray DeLay

Mother: Maxine (Wimbish) DeLay

Marriage: Christine (Furrh) DeLay (1967-present)

Children: Danielle

Education: Attended Baylor University, 1965-1967; University of Houston, B.S., 1970

Nicknamed “The Hammer.”

Lived in Venezuela as a child.

Owned a pest control company before getting involved in politics.

1979-1984 – Member of the Texas House of Representatives.

1984-2006 – United States Representative for the 22nd District of Texas.

November 13, 2002-September 28, 2005 – House Majority Leader.

September 28, 2005 – Steps down as the House majority leader after a Texas grand jury indicts him on a conspiracy charge stemming from a campaign finance investigation. DeLay is accused of improperly steering corporate donations to Republican candidates for the Texas legislature.

October 3, 2005 – A second indictment is brought against DeLay, charging him with money laundering.

October 19, 2005 – An arrest warrant is issued for DeLay in connection with his indictment for conspiracy and money laundering. He turns himself in the next day.

December 5, 2005 – A judge dismisses the conspiracy charge against DeLay, but upholds the money laundering charges.

January 7, 2006 – Announces he will not try to reclaim the House majority leader post, but he will seek reelection when his term expires in November.

March 7, 2006 – Wins the primary election in his Texas district.

April 4, 2006 – Announces he is dropping his bid for reelection and will resign from Congress in June.

June 8, 2006 – Delivers his farewell address to Congress.

2007 – His memoir, “No Retreat, No Surrender: One American’s Fight,” is published.

2009 – Competes in the ninth season of “Dancing with the Stars” on ABC. He drops out due to stress fractures in both feet.

November 1, 2010 – Money laundering trial begins.

November 24, 2010 – Is convicted of money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

January 10, 2011 – Is sentenced to three years in prison for the conspiracy charge and five years for the money laundering charge. But the judge will allow DeLay to serve 10-years on probation with community service on the laundering charge in lieu of the prison sentence, and the two sentences will be served concurrently. DeLay remains free on bond while he appeals his conviction.

2012 – Founds the First Principles PAC.

July 2012 – Registers as a lobbyist on sex-trafficking issues.

September 19, 2013 – Delay’s conviction on money laundering charges is overturned by a court in Texas. The court opinion says that “the evidence was legally insufficient to sustain DeLay’s convictions.”

March 19, 2014 – The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals agrees to hear the case.

October 1, 2014 – By a vote of 8-1, Texas’s criminal appeals court upholds the lower court’s ruling to throw out DeLay’s 2010 convictions of money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

[ad_2]

Source link

March 27, 2024
Virginia Tech Shootings Fast Facts | CNN

[ad_1]

CNN
—

Here is some background information about the shootings at Virginia Tech in April 2007, one of the deadliest mass shootings in US history.

Twenty-three-year-old Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 people on the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University campus in Blacksburg, Virginia, before taking his own life.

Cho was a senior at Virginia Tech, majoring in English. He was born in South Korea in 1984 and became a permanent US resident in 1992.

December 13, 2005 – Cho is ordered by a judge to seek outpatient care after making suicidal remarks to his roommates. He is evaluated at Carilion-St. Alban’s mental health facility.

February 9, 2007 – Cho picks up a Walther P-22 pistol he purchased online on February 2 from an out-of-state dealer at JND Pawn shop in Blacksburg, across the street from Virginia Tech.

March 2007 – Cho purchases a 9mm Glock pistol and 50 rounds of ammunition from Roanoke Firearms for $571.

April 16, 2007 – (Events are listed in local ET)
7:15 a.m. – Police are notified in a 911 call that there are at least two shooting victims at West Ambler Johnston Hall, a four-story coed dormitory on campus that houses approximately 895 students.

9:01 a.m. – Cho mails a package containing video, photographs and writings to NBC News in New York. NBC doesn’t receive it until two days later due to an incorrect address on the package.

9:26 a.m. – The school sends out an email statement that a shooting took place at West Ambler Johnston Hall earlier that morning.

9:45 a.m. – 911 calls report a second round of shootings in classrooms at Norris Hall, the engineering science and mechanics building.

9:50 a.m. – “Please stay put.” A second email notifies students that a gunman is loose on campus.

9:55 a.m. – University officials send a third message about the second shooting via email and text messages to students.

10:16 a.m. – Classes are canceled.

10:53 a.m. – Students receive an email about Norris Hall shooting, with the subject line, “Second shooting reported: police have one gunman in custody.”

12:42 p.m. – VT President Charles Steger issues a statement that people are being released from campus buildings and that counseling centers are being set up. He announces that classes are canceled again for the next day.

April 17, 2007 – Virginia Tech Police announce that they “have been able to confirm the identity of the gunman at Norris Hall. That person is Seung-Hui Cho. He was a 23-year-old South Korean here in the US as a resident alien.”

April 18, 2007 – NBC News announces that they have received a package containing pictures and written material which they believe to be from Cho, sent between the two shootings.

August 15, 2007 – It is announced that the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund, funded by private donations, will donate $180,000 to the families of each of the 32 victims. Those injured will receive $40,000 to $90,000, depending on the severity of the injuries, and a waiver of tuition and fees if applicable.

March 24, 2008 – The state proposes a settlement to the families related to the shooting. In it, $100,000 is offered to representatives of each of the 32 people killed and another $800,000 is reserved to those injured, with a $100,000 maximum. Expenses not covered by insurance such as medical, psychological, and psychiatric care for surviving victims and all immediate families are also covered.

April 10, 2008 – Governor Tim Kaine announces that a “substantial majority” of the families related to the shootings have agreed to the $11 million settlement offered by the state. It isn’t clear how many families have not accepted the deal. The settlement will pay survivors’ medical costs for life and compensate families who lost loved ones. By accepting the settlement, the families give up their right to sue the university, state, and local government in the future. Neither the attorneys representing the families nor the governor would discuss the exact terms until final papers are drawn.

June 17, 2008 – A judge approves the $11 million settlement offered by the state to some of the victims and families of those killed in the shooting rampage. Families of 24 of the 32 killed, as well as 18 who were injured are included in the settlement.

April 10, 2009 – Norris Hall reopens. The 4,300-square-foot area will house the Center for Peace Studies and Violence Prevention, which relocated to the building.

December 9, 2010 – The US Department of Education releases a report charging that Virginia Tech failed to notify students in a “timely manner,” as prescribed by the Clery Act.

March 14, 2012 – A jury awards $4 million each to two victims’ families who sued the state for wrongful death. The jury finds Virginia Tech failed to notify students early enough following the discovery of two shooting victims at West Ambler Johnston dormitory. The families of Erin Peterson and Julia Pryde argued that had officials notified students and staff earlier of the shooting, lives might have been spared. The Peterson and Pryde families did not accept a portion of an $11 million settlement between the state and the families of victims, opting instead to sue for wrongful death. The amount is later reduced to $100,000 per family.

October 31, 2013 – The Supreme Court of Virginia overturns the jury verdict in a wrongful death suit filed against the state by the families of two of the victims, that “there was no duty of the Commonwealth to warn students about the potential for criminal acts” by Cho.

January 21, 2014 – The court denies a request by the Pryde and Peterson families to reconsider its ruling.

April 2014 – Virginia Tech pays fines totaling $32,500 to the Dept. of Education for violation of the Clery Act, a law requiring colleges and universities to provide timely notification of campus safety information.

West Ambler Johnston Hall (dorm)
Ryan Clark, 22, Martinez, Georgia
– Senior, English, Biology and Psychology
– Resident Assistant on campus, also in the Marching Virginians college band
– Known as “the Stack” to friends

Emily Jane Hilscher, 19, Woodville, Virginia
– Freshman, Animal and Poultry Sciences

Norris Hall (dept. bldg/classrooms)
Ross Alameddine, 20, Saugus, Massachusetts
– Sophomore, English
– Died in a French class

Dr. Christopher “Jamie” Bishop, 35, Pine Mountain, Georgia
– Instructor, Foreign Languages and Literatures (German)

Brian Bluhm, 25, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
– Graduate Student, Civil Engineering

Austin Cloyd, 18, Blacksburg, Virginia
– Sophomore, International Studies and French

Jocelyn Couture-Nowak, 49, born in Montreal, Canada
– Instructor, French

Daniel Alejandro Perez Cueva, 21, Woodbridge, Virginia, originally from Peru
– Junior, International Studies
– Died in French class

Dr. Kevin Granata, 45, Toledo, Ohio
– Professor, Engineering Science and Mechanics

Matt Gwaltney, 24, Chesterfield, Virginia
– Graduate Student, Civil and Environmental Engineering

Caitlin Hammaren, 19, Westtown, New York
– Sophomore, International Studies and French

Jeremy Herbstritt, 27, Bellefonte, Pennsylvania
– Graduate student, Civil Engineering

Rachael Hill, 18, Richmond, Virginia
– Freshman, Biology

Jarrett Lane, 22, Narrows, Virginia
– Senior, Civil Engineering

Matt La Porte, 20, Dumont, New Jersey
– Sophomore, Political Science

Henry Lee, 20, Roanoke, Virginia
– Sophomore, Computer Engineering

Dr. Liviu Librescu, 76, from Romania
– Professor, Engineering Science and Mechanics
– A Romanian Holocaust survivor

Dr. G V Loganathan, 53, born in Chennai, India
– Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
– Had been at VA Tech since 1981

Partahi Mamora Halomoan Lumbantoruan, 34, Indonesia
– Doctoral student, Civil Engineering

Lauren McCain, 20, Hampton, Virginia
– Freshman, International Studies

Daniel O’Neil, 22, Lafayette, Rhode Island
– Graduate student, Environmental Engineering

Juan Ramon Ortiz-Ortiz, 26, San Juan, Puerto Rico
– Graduate student, Civil Engineering

Minal Panchal, 26, Mumbai, India
– Graduate student, Architecture

Erin Peterson, 18, Centreville, Virginia
– Freshman, International Studies
– Died in a French class

Michael Pohle, 23, Flemington, New Jersey
– Senior, Biological Sciences

Julia Pryde, 23, Middletown, New Jersey
– Graduate Student, Biological Systems Engineering

Mary Karen Read, 19, Annandale, Virginia
– Freshman, Interdisciplinary Studies

Reema Joseph Samaha, 18, Centreville, Virginia
– Freshman, University Studies
– Went to the same high school as Cho

Waleed Mohammed Shaalan, 32, Zagazig, Egypt
– Doctoral student, Civil Engineering

Leslie G. Sherman, 20, Springfield, Virginia
– Junior, History and International Relations

Maxine Turner, 22, Vienna, Virginia
– Senior, Chemical Engineering

Nicole Regina White, 20, Smithfield, Virginia
– Sophomore, International Studies

[ad_2]

Source link

March 27, 2024
Hillsborough Stadium Disaster Fast Facts | CNN

[ad_1]

CNN
—

Here is a look at the Hillsborough Disaster, a 1989 tragedy at a British soccer stadium. Overcrowding in the stands led to the deaths of 97 fans in a crush. Another 162 were hospitalized with injuries. It was the worst sports disaster in British history, according to the BBC.

On April 15, 1989, more than 50,000 people gathered at the Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, England, for the FA Cup Semi-Final football (soccer) match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. In order to relieve a bottleneck of Liverpool fans trying to enter the venue before kickoff, police opened an exit gate and people rushed to get inside. More than 3,000 fans were funneled into a standing-room-only area with a safe capacity of just 1,600. The obvious crush in the stands prompted organizers to stop the game after six minutes.

Police initially concluded the crush was an attempt by rowdy fans to surge onto the field, according to the Taylor Interim Report, a 1989 government investigation led by Justice Peter Taylor. As officers approached the stands, it became apparent people were suffocating and trying to escape by climbing the fence.

The Taylor Interim Report describes the scene: “The dead, the dying and the desperate became interwoven in the sump at the front of the pens, especially by the gates. Those with strength left clambered over others submerged in the human heap and tried to climb out over the fence…The victims were blue…incontinent; their mouths open, vomiting; their eyes staring. A pile of dead bodies lay and grew outside gate 3.”

The emergency response was slow, according to the Hillsborough Independent Panel, a 2012 follow-up investigation. The problems were rooted in poor communication between police and ambulance dispatchers, according to the panel.

Fans tried to help each other by tearing up pieces of advertising hoardings, creating improvised stretchers and carrying injured spectators away from the throngs, according to the Taylor Interim Report. People who had no first aid training attempted to revive the fallen. From the report: “Mouth to mouth respiration and cardiac massage were applied by the skilled and the unskilled but usually in vain. Those capable of survival mostly came round of their own accord. The rest were mostly doomed before they could be brought out and treated.” It took nearly 30 minutes for organizers to call for doctors and nurses via the public address system.

South Yorkshire Police Supervisor David Duckenfield was in charge of public safety at the event. He was promoted to match commander weeks before the game and was unfamiliar with the venue, according to his testimony at a hearing in 2015. He acknowledged that he did not initiate the police department’s major incident plan for mass casualty disasters, even as the situation spiraled out of control. Duckenfield had originally blamed Liverpool fans for forcing the exit gate open, a crucial detail that he later admitted was a lie. He retired in 1990, conceding he was probably “not the best man for the job on the day.”

August 1989 – The Taylor Interim Report is released, offering a detailed overview of how the tragedy unfolded. The report is named for Justice Peter Taylor, who is leading the investigation.

January 1990 – The Taylor Final Report is published, proposing a number of reforms for soccer venues. Among the recommendations: football stadiums should replace standing room terraces with seated areas to prevent overcrowding.

August 1990 – Although the Taylor Interim Report faulted police for poor planning and an inadequate response, the Director of Public Prosecutions announces that no officers will face criminal charges.

1991 – The deaths of the fans are ruled accidental by a jury during an inquest. The members of the jury could have returned a verdict of unlawful killing, faulting the police for acting recklessly and compromising the safety of fans. Their other option was an open verdict, an inconclusive ruling.

August 1998 – A group of victims’ families files civil manslaughter charges against South Yorkshire Police supervisors Duckenfield and Bernard Murray.

2000 – The case goes to trial. The jury deadlocks on Duckenfield and finds Murray not guilty of manslaughter. Murray dies of cancer in 2006.

April 2009 – As England observes the 20th anniversary of the tragedy, a new investigation is launched by a group called the Hillsborough Independent Panel.

September 2012 – The panel releases its findings, detailing the numerous failings of authorities on the day of the tragedy and a subsequent cover up that shifted the blame from police to fans. The panel also proclaims that 41 of 96 victims could have been saved if police responded to the crisis more rapidly. The findings prompt Prime Minister David Cameron to issue an apology to the victims’ families.

December 2012 – The High Court quashes the accidental death ruling for the victims, setting the stage for a new investigation and possible criminal charges.

March 31, 2014 – A new round of inquests begins in a courtroom in Warrington, England, built specifically for the case. There are nine members of the jury. They will consider a number of issues relating to the incident, including whether Duckenfield was responsible for manslaughter by gross negligence.

April 2016 – After hearing testimony from more than 800 witnesses, the jury retires to deliberate.

April 26, 2016 – The verdict is delivered, in what is called the longest case heard by a jury in British legal history. The jury finds, by a 7-2 vote, 96 fans were unlawfully killed due to crushing, following the admission of a large number of fans through an exit gate. It is decided Duckenfield’s actions amounted to “gross negligence,” and both the police and the ambulance service caused or contributed to the loss of life by error or omission after the crush began. Criminal charges will now be considered.

June 28, 2017 – Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service announces that it has charged six people, including Duckenfield, with criminal offenses related to the disaster.

March 14, 2018 – The BBC and other British media report that police officers would not be charged who were alleged to have submitted a misleading or incomplete report on the disaster to prosecutors in 1990.

September 10, 2018 – Duckenfield pleads not guilty to the charges of manslaughter by gross negligence.

January 14, 2019 – Duckenfield’s trial begins. Graham Mackrell, a safety officer at the time of the disaster, also stands trial.

March 13, 2019 – The BBC and other media report that Duckenfield will not be called to present evidence during his trial.

November 28, 2019 – Duckenfield is found not guilty of gross negligence manslaughter.

July 27, 2021 – Andrew Devine, a fan injured in the Hillsborough disaster, dies. A coroner confirms Devine as the 97th victim of the disaster and rules he was unlawfully killed.

January 31, 2023 – Britain’s National Police Chiefs Council and College of Policing apologize to families of the victims of the Hillsborough disaster. They also publish a response to a report published in 2017 that detailed the experiences of the Hillsborough families.

December 6, 2023 – UK Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden announces that the UK government has signed the Hillsborough Charter, acknowledging “multiple injustices” and vowing that no families will suffer the same fates as the relatives of the victims.

[ad_2]

Source link

March 27, 2024
David Letterman Fast Facts | CNN

[ad_1]

CNN
—

Here is a look at the life of former late-night talk show host David Letterman.

Birth date: April 12, 1947

Birth place: Indianapolis, Indiana

Birth name: David Michael Letterman

Father: Harry Letterman, florist

Mother: Dorothy (Hofert) Letterman Mengering

Marriages: Regina Lasko (March 19, 2009-present); Michelle Cook (divorced)

Children: with Regina Lasko: Harry Joseph

Education: Ball State University, B.A., 1969

Letterman is the founder of the production company Worldwide Pants, which produced “Late Show with David Letterman.”

Is a co-owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.

Letterman has been nominated for 50 Emmy Awards and won five.

“Late Night with David Letterman” was nominated for 25 Emmy Awards and won three.

“Late Show with David Letterman” was nominated for 76 Emmy Awards and won nine.

“My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman” has been nominated for four Emmy Awards.

1969 – Begins working as an announcer and weekend weatherman at WLWI (now WTHR), an ABC affiliate in Indianapolis, Indiana.

1975 – Moves to Los Angeles and begins performing stand-up at the Comedy Store. Later he is hired by Jimmie Walker, star of the CBS sitcom “Good Times,” as a writer.

1978 – Appears on Mary Tyler Moore’s variety show, “Mary.”

November 1978 – Makes the first of 22 appearances on “The Tonight Show” hosted by Johnny Carson. Letterman also serves as a guest host on “The Tonight Show” several times.

June 23, 1980-October 24, 1980 – Hosts “The David Letterman Show,” a daytime talk show on NBC.

February 1, 1982-June 25, 1993 – Hosts “Late Night with David Letterman” on NBC.

September 23, 1984 – Wins the Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program.

September 18, 1985 – Premiere of the “Top Ten” list.

September 22, 1985 – Wins the Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program.

September 21, 1986 – Wins the Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program.

September 20, 1987 – Wins the Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program.

May 1992 – Carson announces his retirement and speculation begins that Letterman will replace him.

January 1993 – After it is announced that Jay Leno will take Carson’s place, Letterman announces he will be leaving NBC for CBS, and expresses anger over what he regards as NBC’s poor treatment of him.

August 30, 1993-May 20, 2015 – Host of “Late Show with David Letterman.”

September 11, 1994 – Wins the Emmy for Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series.

March 27, 1995 – Hosts the Academy Awards.

January 14, 2000 – Letterman undergoes quintuple bypass surgery.

September 17, 2001 – Is the first late-night talk show host to return to air after the September 11 terrorist attacks. Instead of starting the show with a humorous monologue, Letterman mourns those lost and praises the city’s firefighters and police officers. His first guest, CBS anchor Dan Rather, breaks down in tears during the broadcast.

March 31, 2003 – Letterman returns to his show after being out for nearly a month due to shingles.

March 17, 2005 – Kelly Frank, a house painter who worked on Letterman’s Montana ranch, is charged with plotting to kidnap Letterman’s son for ransom. In September, Frank pleads guilty to a lesser charge and is sentenced to 10 years in prison. In 2007, he escapes, but is later recaptured.

October 1, 2009 – Letterman admits on air that he has had sexual relationships with female staff members and that someone has been attempting to blackmail him over the affairs.

October 5, 2009 – Letterman apologizes to his wife and female staffers in front of a live studio audience.

March 9, 2010 – Robert “Joe” Halderman, a former CBS News producer accused of trying to blackmail Letterman, pleads guilty to attempted second-degree grand larceny and is sentenced to six months in jail, five years’ probation and 1,000 hours of community service. In September, Halderman is released after serving four months of his six-month prison sentence.

April 2012 – Extends his contract with CBS through 2014.

December 2, 2012 – Is honored at the Kennedy Center Honors gala along with Buddy Guy, Dustin Hoffman, Natalia Makarova and the musical group Led Zeppelin.

October 4, 2013 – Extends his contract with CBS through 2015.

April 3, 2014 – During a taping of “The Late Show,” Letterman announces that he will be retiring in 2015.

May 20, 2015 – Tapes his final show. Counting his work on both NBC and CBS, this is show number 6,028 for Letterman.

October 30, 2016 – Letterman’s segment on climate change for the “Years of Living Dangerously” series airs on the National Geographic Channel. The episode follows Letterman as he travels around India discussing India’s zealous renewable energy plan.

October 22, 2017 – Is awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

January 12, 2018 – In the debut of his new Netflix series “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction,” Letterman interviews former US President Barack Obama. Guests scheduled for the rest of Letterman’s shows include George Clooney, Malala Yousafzai, Jay-Z, Tina Fey and Howard Stern.

February 1, 2022 – “Late Night” host Seth Meyers welcomes Letterman to help celebrate the show’s 40th anniversary.

December 12, 2022 – Letterman’s interview with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction” debuts on Netflix. Letterman traveled to Kyiv for the wartime interview, which took place in an underground subway station.

‘Late Show with David Letterman’: Our top 10 moments

November 20, 2023 – Returns to his former studio for the first time as a guest on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”

[ad_2]

Source link

March 27, 2024
Tulsi Gabbard Fast Facts | CNN Politics

[ad_1]

CNN
—

Here’s a look at the life of former US Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who represented Hawaii’s 2nd District and was a 2020 presidential candidate.

Birth date: April 12, 1981

Birth place: Leloaloa, American Samoa

Birth name: Tulsi Gabbard

Father: Mike Gabbard, Hawaii state senator

Mother: Carol (Porter) Gabbard, former Hawaii Board of Education member

Marriages: Abraham Williams (2015-present); Eduardo Tamayo (2002-2006, divorced)

Education: Hawaii Pacific University, B.S.B.A., 2009

Military service: Hawaii Army National Guard, 2003-2020, Major; US Army Reserve, 2020-present, Lieutenant Colonel

Religion: Hinduism

As a teenager, co-founded Healthy Hawai’i Coalition, an environmental non-profit.

She is the first American Samoan congresswoman and first practicing Hindu member of the US Congress.

She is an avid surfer.

2002 – At age 21, is elected to the Hawaii State House to represent West Oahu, making her the youngest woman ever elected to the state legislature.

2003 – Enlists in the Hawaii Army National Guard. She completes her basic training between legislative sessions.

2004-2005 – Gabbard’s unit is activated, and she voluntarily deploys, serving with a field medical unit in Iraq.

2006-2009 – Legislative aide to Senator Daniel Akaka of Hawaii.

2007 – Graduates from the Accelerated Officer Candidate School at the Alabama Military Academy. This makes Gabbard the first woman in the Academy’s 50-year history to earn the title of the distinguished honor graduate.

2008-2009 – Gabbard deploys to Kuwait, training counterterrorism units.

November 2, 2010 – Is elected to the Honolulu City Council.

2011 – Founds the film production company, Kanu Productions.

November 6, 2012 – Defeats David “Kawika” Crowley in the 2nd Congressional District of Hawaii for the US House of Representatives.

January 22, 2013 – Elected vice chair of the Democratic National Committee.

August 28, 2013 – Aniruddha Sherbow is apprehended in Tijuana, Mexico, after making threats against Gabbard that the FBI and US Capitol Police “deemed credible.” Sherbow is later sentenced to 33 months in prison.

October 12, 2015 – On CNN’s “The Situation Room,” Gabbard says she was disinvited from a Democratic presidential debate after voicing a call for more of them.

October 12, 2015 – Is promoted by the Hawaii Army National Guard from captain to major at a ceremony in Hawaii.

November 20, 2015 – Calls for the United States to let Syrian President Bashar al-Assad remain in power.

February 28, 2016 – On NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Gabbard announces her decision to step down as DNC vice chair to endorse Bernie Sanders’ presidential bid.

November 21, 2016 – Meets with President-elect Donald Trump. “President-elect Trump asked me to meet with him about our current policies regarding Syria, our fight against terrorist groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS, as well as other foreign policy challenges we face,” Gabbard says in a statement.

January 25, 2017 – Gabbard tells CNN’s Jake Tapper that she met with Assad during an unannounced, four-day trip to Syria. “When the opportunity arose to meet with him, I did so because I felt that it’s important that if we profess to truly care about the Syrian people, about their suffering, then we’ve got to be able to meet with anyone that we need to if there is a possibility that we can achieve peace,” Gabbard says.

January 31, 2017 – Facing criticism, Gabbard issues a statement saying that she will personally pay for her trip to Syria.

April 7, 2017 – Gabbard claims she’s “skeptical” that Assad’s regime was behind a chemical weapons attack that killed dozens in Syria though the President, secretary of state and Pentagon officials found that Assad’s regime was responsible for the attack.

November 21, 2018 – Gabbard refers to Trump as “Saudi Arabia’s bitch” in a tweet after he issues a statement backing Saudi Arabia in the wake of the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

January 11, 2019 – Gabbard tells CNN’s Van Jones she will run for president in 2020, during an interview slated to air on January 12. “There are a lot of reasons for me to make this decision. There are a lot of challenges that are facing the American people that I’m concerned about and that I want to help solve,” she says.

January 17, 2019 – Gabbard issues an apology for her past comments and actions against the LGBTQ community following CNN reporting that she supported her father’s anti-gay organization, The Alliance for Traditional Marriage. Gabbard had previously apologized in 2012 while running for Congress.

January 20, 2019 – Gabbard says that she does not regret meeting with Assad in 2017, adding that American leaders must meet with foreign leaders “if we are serious about the pursuit of peace and securing our country.”

February 2, 2019 – Gabbard officially launches her 2020 presidential campaign at an event in Hawaii.

October 17, 2019 – In a podcast interview, former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton suggests that the Russians are “grooming” a current Democratic presidential candidate to run as a third-party and champion their interests. The comment appears to be directed at Gabbard, who has previously been accused of being boosted by Russia. In her response, Gabbard calls Clinton “the queen of warmongers,” and concludes, “It’s now clear that this primary is between you and me. Don’t cowardly hide behind your proxies. Join the race directly.”

October 24, 2019 – Gabbard releases a campaign video announcing that she won’t run for reelection to Congress in 2020.

December 18, 2019 – Votes “present” on both articles of impeachment against Trump.

January 22, 2020 – Gabbard files a defamation lawsuit against Clinton, alleging the former secretary of state and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee “lied” about Gabbard’s ties to Russia. She drops the defamation lawsuit in May.

March 19, 2020 – Ends her 2020 presidential campaign and endorses former Vice President Joe Biden.

October 11, 2022 – Gabbard announces that she is leaving the Democratic Party. She does not indicate which party she will be affiliated with moving forward but calls on “independent-minded Democrats” to join her in leaving.

January 9, 2024 – Social media platform X announces a content partnership with Gabbard.

[ad_2]

Source link

March 27, 2024
How a medication abortion, also known as an ‘abortion pill,’ works | CNN

[ad_1]

CNN
—

While the fate of mifepristone, one of two drugs used for medication abortions, is in the hands of the US Supreme Court, the drug continues to be available in states where abortion is legal.

“While many women obtain medication abortion from a clinic or their OB-GYN, others obtain the pills on their own to self-induce or self-manage their abortion,” said Dr. Daniel Grossman, a professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at the University of California, San Francisco.

“A growing body of research indicates that self-managed abortion is safe and effective,” he said.

Mifepristone blocks the hormone progesterone, which is needed for a pregnancy to continue. The drug is approved to end a pregnancy through 10 weeks’ gestation, which is “70 days or less since the first day of the last menstrual period,” according to the FDA.

In a medication abortion, a second drug, misoprostol, is taken within the next 24 to 48 hours. Misoprostol causes the uterus to contract, creating cramping and bleeding. Approved for use in other conditions, such as preventing stomach ulcers, the drug has been available at pharmacies for decades.

Together, the two drugs are commonly known as the “abortion pill,” which is now used in more than half of the abortions in the United States, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights.

“Some people do this because they cannot access a clinic — particularly in states with legal restrictions on abortion — or because they have a preference for self-care,” said Grossman, who is also the director of Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health, a research group that evaluates the pros and cons of reproductive health policies and publishes studies on how abortion affects a woman’s health.

READ MORE: With US Supreme Court abortion drug hearing looming, study shows how self-managed abortion became more common post-Dobbs

What happens during a medication abortion? To find out, CNN spoke with Grossman. This conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.

CNN: What is the difference between a first-trimester medication abortion and a vacuum aspiration in terms of what a woman experiences?

Dr. Daniel Grossman: A vacuum aspiration is most commonly performed under a combination of local anesthetic and oral pain medications or local anesthetic together with intravenous sedation, or what is called conscious sedation.

An injection of local anesthetic is given to the area around the cervix, and the cervix is gently dilated or opened up. Once the cervix is opened, a small straw-like tube is inserted into the uterus, and a gentle vacuum is used to remove the pregnancy tissue. Contrary to what some say, if the procedure is done before nine weeks or so, there’s nothing in the tissue that would be recognizable as a part of an embryo.

The aspiration procedure takes just a couple of minutes. Then the person is observed for one to two hours until any sedation has worn off. We also monitor each patient for very rare complications, such as heavy bleeding.

A medication abortion is a more prolonged process. After taking the pills, bleeding and cramping can occur over a period of days. Bleeding is typically heaviest when the actual pregnancy is expelled, but that bleeding usually eases within a few hours. On average people continue to have some mild bleeding for about two weeks or so, which is a bit longer than after a vacuum aspiration.

Nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, diarrhea and headache can occur after using the abortion pill, and everyone who has a successful medication abortion usually reports some pain.

In fact, the pain of medication abortion can be quite intense. In the studies that have looked at it, the average maximum level of pain that people report is about a seven to eight out of 10, with 10 being the highest. However, people also say that the pain can be brief, peaking just as the pregnancy is being expelled.

The level of cramping and pain can depend on the length of the pregnancy as well as whether or not someone has given birth before. For example, a medical abortion at six weeks or less gestation typically has less pain and cramping than one performed at nine weeks. People who have given birth generally have less pain.

CNN: What can be done to help with the pain of a medication abortion?

Grossman: There are definitely things that can be used to help with the pain. Research has shown that ibuprofen is better than acetaminophen for treating the pain of medication abortion. We typically advise people to take 600 milligrams every six hours or so as needed.

Some people take tramadol, a narcotic analgesic, or Vicodin, which is a combination of acetaminophen and hydrocodone. Recent research I was involved in found medications like tramadol can be helpful if taken prophylactically before the pain starts.

Another successful regimen that we studied combined ibuprofen with a nausea medicine called metoclopramide that also helped with pain. Other than ibuprofen, these medications require a prescription.

Another study found that a TENS device, which stands for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator, helps with the pain of medication abortion. It works through pads put on the abdomen that stimulate the nerves through mild electrical shocks, thus interfering with the pain signals. That’s something people could get without a prescription.

Pain can be an overlooked issue with medication abortion because, quite honestly, as clinicians, we’re not there with patients when they are in their homes going through this. But as we’ve been doing more research on people’s experiences with medication abortion, it’s become quite clear that pain control is really important. I think we need to do a better job of treating the pain and making these options available to patients.

CNN: Are there health conditions that make the use of a medication abortion unwise?

Grossman: Undergoing a medication abortion can be dangerous if the pregnancy is ectopic, meaning the embryo is developing outside of the uterus. It’s rare, happening in about two out of every 100 pregnancies — and it appears to be even rarer among people seeking medication abortion.

People who have undergone previous pelvic, fallopian tube or abdominal surgery are at higher risk of an ectopic pregnancy, as are those with a history of pelvic inflammatory disease. Certain sexually transmitted infections can raise risk, as does smoking, a history of infertility and use of infertility treatments such as in vitro fertilization (IVF).

If a person is on anticoagulant or blood thinning drugs or has a bleeding disorder, a medication abortion is not advised. The long-term use of steroids is another contraindication for using the abortion pill.

Anyone using an intrauterine device, or IUD, must have it removed before taking mifepristone because it may be partially expelled during the process, which can be painful.

People with chronic adrenal failure or who have inherited a rare disorder called porphyria are not good candidates.

CNN: Are there any signs of trouble a woman should watch for after undergoing a medication abortion?

Grossman: It can be common to have a low-grade fever in the first few hours after taking misoprostol, the second drug in a medication abortion. If someone has a low-grade fever — 100.4 degrees to 101 degrees Fahrenheit — that lasts more than four hours, or has a high fever of over 101 degrees Fahrenheit after taking the medications, they do need to be evaluated by a health care provider.

Heavy bleeding, which would be soaking two or more thick full-size pads an hour for two consecutive hours, or a foul-smelling vaginal discharge should be evaluated as well.

One of the warning signs of an ectopic pregnancy is severe pelvic pain, particularly on one side of the abdomen. The pain can also radiate to the back. Another sign is getting dizzy or fainting, which could indicate internal bleeding. These are all very rare complications, but it’s wise to be on the lookout.

We usually recommend that someone having a medication abortion have someone with them during the first 24 hours after taking misoprostol or until the pregnancy has passed. Many people specifically choose to have a medication abortion because they can be surrounded by a partner, family or friends.

Most people know that the abortion is complete because they stop feeling pregnant, and symptoms such as nausea and breast tenderness disappear, usually within a week of passing the pregnancy. A home urine pregnancy test may remain positive even four to five weeks after a successful medication abortion, just because it takes that long for the pregnancy hormone to disappear from the bloodstream.

If someone still feels pregnant, isn’t sure if the pregnancy fully passed or has a positive pregnancy test five weeks after taking mifepristone, they need to be evaluated by a clinician.

People should know that they can ovulate as soon as two weeks after a medication abortion. Most birth control options can be started immediately after a medication abortion.

[ad_2]

Source link

March 25, 2024
Al Gore Fast Facts | CNN Politics

[ad_1]

CNN
—

Here is a look at the life of Al Gore, 45th vice president of the United States and environmental activist.

Birth date: March 31, 1948

Birth place: Washington, DC

Birth name: Albert Arnold Gore Jr.

Father: Albert Gore Sr., former US senator from Tennessee

Mother: Pauline (La Fon) Gore

Marriage: Mary Elizabeth “Tipper” (Aitcheson) Gore (May 19, 1970-present, separated June 2010)

Children: Albert III, Sarah, Kristin, Karenna

Education: Harvard University, B.A., 1969; Vanderbilt University, Graduate School of Religion 1971-1972; Vanderbilt University, J.D., 1976

Military service: US Army, 1969-1971, served in Vietnam as a reporter with the 20th Engineering Battalion.

Religion: Baptist

Wrote his 1969 Harvard thesis on how television would impact the conduct of the American presidency.

In 2009, former President Bill Clinton flew to North Korea to negotiate the release of two journalists working for Gore’s Current TV.

1971-1976 – Is an investigative reporter and editorial writer for the Nashville Tennessean.

1977-1985 – US Representative in the 95th-98th Congresses, representing first the 4th and then the 6th District of Tennessee. Elected to the House in 1976, 1978, 1980 and 1982.

1985-1992 – US Senator from Tennessee.

1988 – Runs for the Democratic Party nomination for president in the 1988 election. Later drops out of the race.

July 9, 1992 – Bill Clinton chooses Gore to be his running mate in the 1992 presidential election.

1992 – Publishes “Earth in the Balance: Ecology and the Human Spirit.”

January 20, 1993 – Inaugurated as vice president.

January 20, 1997 – Second term as vice president begins.

March 9, 1999 – Gore states in an interview on CNN with Wolf Blitzer, “During my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in creating the Internet. I took the initiative in moving forward a whole range of initiatives that have proven to be important to our country’s economic growth and environmental protection, improvements in our educational system.” This quote creates a large amount of rhetoric with his opponents.

June 16, 1999 – Announces his intention to run for president in the 2000 election.

August 16, 2000 – Wins the Democratic Party nomination.

November 7, 2000 – Election Day.

November 8, 2000 – Concedes in the early morning to George W. Bush but later retracts his concession. Florida is too close to call for either Bush or Gore.

November 9, 2000 – Requests a recount in Florida.

December 13, 2000 – Concedes the election to Bush after the US Supreme Court rules that another recount in Florida would be unconstitutional, 36 days after the election.

2002 – “Joined at the Heart: The Transformation of the American Family,” co-written with Tipper Gore, is published.

March 19, 2003 – Joins the board of directors for Apple Computers Inc.

May 4, 2004 – Announces intention to purchase Newsworld International from Vivendi Universal SA for an undisclosed price and plans to transform it into a network aimed at viewers ages 18-35.

August 1, 2005 – Gore’s cable television channel, Current TV, debuts.

2006 – His crusade against global warming is featured in the book “An Inconvenient Truth: The Planetary Emergency of Global Warming and What We Can Do about It “ and documentary “An Inconvenient Truth.”

May 2007 – His book, “The Assault on Reason,” is published.

February 9, 2007 – Joins Sir Richard Branson at a press conference announcing the $25 million Virgin Earth Challenge, a prize for a design to safely remove man-made greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. Gore and Branson are among the judges.

February 15, 2007 – Announces a series of concerts called Live Earth to be held on all seven continents on July 7, 2007. The 24-hour music event is the kickoff of a campaign to “Save Our Selves (SOS).”

February 25, 2007 – “An Inconvenient Truth” wins an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.

March 21, 2007 – Testifies at separate House and Senate events, urging legislation to curb climate change.

October 12, 2007 – Is co-winner of the Nobel Peace Prize for work on global warming. The prize is shared with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

October 26, 2007 – Receives the Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation.

November 12, 2007 – Announces he is joining the venture capital firm of Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield and Byers. He will help the company invest in start-up “green” companies. Gore will also donate his salary to the Alliance for Climate Protection.

November 2007 – Receives the International Emmy Founders Award at the 35th International Emmy Awards.

December 10, 2007 – Accepts the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway.

February 12, 2009 – Receives the NAACP Chairman’s Award during the annual Image Award ceremony. The honor is given in recognition of special achievement and distinguished public service. This year’s award is shared with Dr. Wangari Muta Maathai.

June 1, 2010 – Gore and wife Tipper, announce they are to separate after 40 years of marriage.

January 2, 2013 – Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera purchases Current TV for a reported $500 million, personally netting Gore an estimated $70 million.

December 5, 2016 – Meets with President-elect Donald Trump to speak about climate change issues.

January 19, 2017 – “An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power,” premieres at the Sundance Film Festival. Paramount Pictures releases the film worldwide in July.

2017 – Publishes “The Assault on Reason: 2017 Edition” with a new preface and conclusion: “Post-Truth: On Donald Trump and the 2016 Election.”

November 4, 2019 – Releases a statement expressing his disappointment over failing to persuade Trump to keep the US in the Paris climate agreement. “I thought that he would come to his senses on it, but he didn’t,” Gore said.

[ad_2]

Source link

March 22, 2024
Today’s news in 10 minutes | CNN

[ad_1]

Story highlights

This page includes the show Transcript

The Weekly News quiz tests your knowledge of events in the news

March 22, 2024

Today on CNN 10, we answer your questions with top tips ahead of the total solar eclipse that’s expected to darken skies across the US. Then, in the final stretches of Women’s History Month, we profile two women – a courageous climber and a prominent publisher – who moved mountains as ‘first females’ to accomplish extraordinary feats. Finally, our Coy Wire meets Louis Rees-Zammit, a 23-year-old rugby rockstar who’s leaving it all behind to chase his dream of playing an entirely different sport…American football. All that and more on this episode of CNN 10.

WEEKLY NEWS QUIZ

1. Which country in Southeast Asia is dealing with major air pollution concerns?

2. We profiled a private boarding school in Massachusetts that banned which device for students?

3. What caused a lengthy delay at an Indian Wells’ quarterfinal tennis match?

4. Which country had another volcanic eruption that led to evacuations of popular tourist destination Blue Lagoon?

5. Which state had one of its counties deal with a financial fallout caused by conspiracy theories regarding their paper ballots?

6. Which contagious disease is seeing a rise in the US?

7. On Wednesday, which was the International Day of Happiness, we explained how doing this may lead to more happiness?

8. In Texas, a federal appeals court decided to put this immigration law back on hold?

9. Which country has the fourth largest economy in the world and recently raised interest rates for the first time in 17 years?

10. What jersey number does the fly-half typically wear on a rugby pitch?

Click here to access the printable version of today’s CNN 10 transcript

CNN 10 serves a growing audience interested in compact on-demand news broadcasts ideal for explanation seekers on the go or in the classroom. The show’s priority is to identify stories of international significance and then clearly describe why they’re making news, who is affected, and how the events fit into a complex, international society.

Thank you for using CNN 10

[ad_2]

Source link

March 21, 2024
Easter & Holy Week Fast Facts | CNN

[ad_1]

CNN
—

Here’s a look at Easter and Holy Week.

On Easter Sunday, Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day after his crucifixion. It also marks the end of the 40-day period of penance called Lent. Easter is considered to be the most important season of the Christian year.

March 31, 2024 – Easter Sunday
It is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the first day of spring.

In some countries, Easter is called “Pascha,” which comes from the Hebrew word for Passover.

The Jewish holiday of Passover took place just before Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection.

The Eastern Orthodox Church uses other factors to determine the date and will celebrate on May 5, 2024.

Christianity is one of the world’s largest religions, with approximately two billion followers around the world.

March 24, 2024 – Palm Sunday
For Christians, Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem prior to his crucifixion, where palm leaves and clothing were laid in his path.

Palm Sunday is often celebrated with a procession and distribution of palm leaves.

In some churches, the palms are saved and burnt into ashes to be used on Ash Wednesday of the next year.

Palm Sunday is also called Passion Sunday.

It is the last Sunday of Lent and first day of Holy Week.

March 28, 2024 – Maundy Thursday (also called Holy Thursday)
The observance commemorates the Last Supper, before Jesus’ crucifixion.

Some churches hold a special communion service.

March 29, 2024 – Good Friday
For Christians, it is a day of mourning and penance. Good Friday marks the day Jesus died on the cross.

Good Friday is celebrated the Friday before Easter Sunday.

Many observe the day by fasting and attending church services.

Celebrated since 100 AD as a day of fasting, Good Friday acquired significance as a Christian holy day in the late fourth century.

Symbols & Customs

Eggs have long been a symbol of life and rebirth.

Painting and dying eggs pre-dates Christianity.

Polish folklore has the Virgin Mary offering eggs to the soldiers guarding Christ on the cross, as she begged them to be merciful, her tears left stains on the eggs.

1885 – The Czar of Russia commissions the jeweler Faberge to design an enameled egg each Easter.

The first Faberge egg contained a diamond miniature of the crown and a tiny ruby egg.

Of the 50 Imperial Easter Eggs made, most are now in museums.

Origins of the Easter Bunny are unclear, but he appears in early German writings.

The first edible Easter bunnies appeared in Germany in the 1800s and were made from sugar and pastry.

Jelly beans first became part of Easter celebrations in the 1930s.

According to the National Retail Federation (as of March 2024):

About 81% of adults in the United States plan to celebrate Easter in 2024.

Those who celebrate will spend an average of $177.06 per person for clothing, candy, decorations and more. And about half of those not celebrating will still spend an average of $20.52 on Easter-related sales.

Planned activities include: cooking a holiday meal (57%), visiting family and friends (53%), and going to church (43%). Half (51%) of households with children plan to have an Easter egg hunt.

According to the National Confectioners Association, 92% of Americans who create Easter baskets include chocolate and candy.

Outlandish fashion celebrated during New York’s Easter Parade

[ad_2]

Source link

March 20, 2024
Mike Pence Fast Facts | CNN Politics

[ad_1]

CNN
—

Here’s a look at the life of Mike Pence, the 48th vice president of the United States.

Birth date: June 7, 1959

Birth place: Columbus, Indiana

Birth name: Michael Richard Pence

Father: Edward Pence, gas station owner

Mother: Nancy Pence-Fritsch

Marriage: Karen Pence (1985-present)

Children: Michael, Charlotte and Audrey

Education: Hanover College (Indiana), B.A., 1981; Indiana University School of Law, J.D., 1986

Religion: Evangelical Christian

After two early unsuccessful runs for Congress, Pence wrote an essay, “Confessions of a Negative Campaigner.” In the 1991 piece, he pledged not to use insulting language or air ads disparaging opponents.

During the 2010 Value Voter Summit, Pence took the stage and said, “I’m a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order.”

Pence was a Democrat as a teen. He has said that he voted for Jimmy Carter, not Ronald Reagan, in the 1980 election.

Pence’s Irish grandfather immigrated through Ellis Island in 1923.

1991-1993 – President of the conservative think tank, Indiana Policy Review Foundation.

1992-1999 – Hosts a talk radio show, “The Mike Pence Show.” The show is syndicated on 18 stations in Indiana.

2000 – Is elected to the US House of Representatives for the 2nd District of Indiana.

2002 – Is elected to the US House of Representatives for the 6th District of Indiana. The district was renumbered in 2002. He is reelected in 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010.

2009-2011 – Is the Republican Conference chair.

2012 – Is elected governor of Indiana. His campaign includes a grassroots trek across the state called the “Big Red Truck Tour.”

January 2015 – Announces, then scraps plans to launch a state-run news outlet called “Just IN.”

January 27, 2015 – Gains federal approval for a state plan for Medicaid expansion, “Healthy Indiana Plan 2.0.”

March 26, 2015 – Pence signs the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), banning local governments from intervening when businesses turn away customers for religious reasons. The law sparks concern about discrimination, particularly within the LGBTQ community. After the law is passed, a wave of boycotts and petitions roil the state, with companies like Apple and organizations like the NCAA criticizing the bill and threatening to reconsider future business opportunities in Indiana.

April 2, 2015 – Pence signs a new version of the RFRA that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

July 15, 2016 – GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump tweets that he has chosen Pence to be his running mate. The formal announcement takes place July 16.

November 8, 2016 – Is elected vice president of the United States.

January 20, 2017 – Sworn in as vice president of the United States.

January 27, 2017 – Pence speaks at the March for Life, an anti-abortion rally in Washington. He is the first sitting vice president to make a speech at the annual event.

February 7, 2017 – Casts a tie-breaking vote to confirm Betsy DeVos as the next education secretary. This is the first time a vice president has needed to cast the deciding vote on a cabinet nomination.

February 18, 2017 – Pence delivers a speech at the Munich Security Conference, declaring that the United States will hold Russia accountable for acts of aggression even as the Trump administration makes an effort to cultivate stronger ties with Moscow. The vice president also says that the United States “strongly supports NATO and will be unwavering in our commitment to our transatlantic alliance.” Pence adds a caveat, saying that NATO member nations should boost their defense spending.

March 2, 2017 – The Indianapolis Star reports that while governor of Indiana, Pence used a private email account to conduct some state business and that it was hacked. Indiana’s Code of Ethics does not address officials’ use of personal emails. Pence also had a state-provided email address. Pence says, “there’s no comparison” between his situation and that of Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server.

August 9, 2018 – In a speech to US military and civilian personnel, Pence calls for the establishment of a Space Force by 2020. Pence also announces immediate steps the Department of Defense would take to reform how the military approaches space.

January 16, 2019 – At the Global Chiefs of Mission conference, Pence declares that “the caliphate has crumbled, and ISIS has been defeated.” Hours before, the US-led coalition confirmed that American troops had been killed in an explosion in Manbij, an attack that ISIS claimed responsibility for.

May 30, 2019 – During talks with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Canada, Pence says he is “very proud to be part of a pro-life administration” and that he is troubled by what he calls “the Democratic party in our country, and leaders around the country, supporting late-term abortion, even infanticide.”

February 26, 2020 – Trump places Pence in charge of the US government response to the novel coronavirus, amid growing criticism of the White House’s handling of the outbreak.

April 28, 2020 – Pence visits the Mayo Clinic without a face mask, ignoring the facility’s current policy requiring protective masks be worn at all times. Later, Pence says he should have worn a mask during his visit.

November 7, 2020 – Days after the presidential election on November 3, CNN projects Trump and Pence have lost to former Vice President Joe Biden and his running mate Sen. Kamala Harris.

April 7, 2021 – Pence announces the launch of a new political advocacy group, “Advancing American Freedom.” The group’s stated goal is to “promote the pro-freedom policies of the last four years that created unprecedented prosperity at home and restored respect for America abroad, to defend those policies from liberal attacks and media distortions, and to prevent the radical Left from enacting its policy agenda that would threaten America’s freedoms,” according to a statement from the group. On the same day, publisher Simon & Schuster announces it will publish Pence’s autobiography.

April 14, 2021 – Pence undergoes surgery to have a pacemaker implanted to help combat a slow heart rate.

November 14, 2022 – During a interview with ABC’s David Muir, Pence says he thinks “America will have better choices in the future” than Trump as president in 2024, and admits he’s considering running himself.

November 15, 2022 – Pence’s new memoir, “So Help Me God,” is published. The book includes Pence’s recollections of his experience during the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.

April 27, 2023 – Pence testifies to a federal grand jury investigating the aftermath of the 2020 election and the actions of Trump and others, sources familiar with the matter told CNN. The testimony marks the first time in modern history a vice president has been compelled to testify about the president he served beside.

June 6, 2023 – Pence announces that he’s running for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination in a launch video. On October 28, he suspends his campaign for president.

March 15, 2024 – Says he “cannot in good conscience” endorse presumptive GOP nominee Trump, a stunning repudiation of his former running mate and the president he served with.

[ad_2]

Source link

March 20, 2024
Terry Nichols Fast Facts | CNN

[ad_1]

CNN
—

Here is a look at the life of convicted Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Terry Nichols.

Birth date: April 1, 1955

Birth place: Lapeer County, Michigan

Birth name: Terry Lynn Nichols

Father: Robert Nichols, farmer

Mother: Joyce Nichols

Marriages: Marife (Torres) Nichols (1990-2003, divorced); Lana (Osentoski) Nichols (1981-1989, divorced)

Children: with Marife Nichols: Christian and Nicole; with Lana Nichols: Joshua

Education: Attended Central Michigan University

Military service: US Army, 1988-1989

The FBI accused Nichols of helping build the bomb and arrange a getaway car for Timothy McVeigh after the bombing.

Nichols’ defense attorneys painted Nichols as a family man who had little to do with the bombing.

Nichols was not in Oklahoma City on the day of the bombing but was at home in Kansas. Prosecutors said Nichols helped McVeigh make the bomb the day before.

Nichols and McVeigh shared a fondness for guns, interest in survivalist training and a distrust of the US government.

Nichols learned how to mix fuel and fertilizer to make bombs while growing up on a farm. His father, a farmer, used such bombs to blow up tree stumps.

Nichols’ wife Marife complained at Nichols’ trial of being jealous of her husband’s close relationship with McVeigh.

May 24, 1988 – Enlists in the Army at the age of 33.

1988 – Meets McVeigh while in basic training at Fort Benning.

May 1989 – Is given a hardship discharge so he can go home to take care of his son Joshua.

Fall 1993 – McVeigh lives with the Nichols brothers, Terry and James, in their farmhouse.

March 1994 – Takes a job as a farmhand in Kansas.

Fall 1994 – Quits his job as a farmhand to go into business with McVeigh, selling guns and military surplus.

October 1994 – Along with McVeigh, steals blasting caps and other explosives materials from a quarry in Kansas.

November 5, 1994 – Reportedly robs Arkansas gun dealer Roger Moore to finance the purchase of bomb materials.

November 1994-January 1995 – Makes a trip to the Philippines where his wife Marife and daughter Nicole are living. Before leaving on the trip, Nichols gives his ex-wife Lana letters and instructions for McVeigh, which are to be read if he doesn’t return from the Philippines.

April 19, 1995 – A bomb explodes at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, killing 168 people.

April 21, 1995 – Nichols surrenders to Kansas police when he hears they are looking for him.

December 23, 1997 – Is found guilty on federal charges of conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction and on eight counts of involuntary manslaughter.

June 4, 1998 – Federal Judge Richard Matsch sentences Nichols to life in prison without parole after the federal jury is unable to decide on the death penalty or a life sentence.

September 13, 1999 – A federal judge rejects Nichols’ request for a new federal trial.

September 5, 2001 – The Oklahoma County District Attorney announces that Nichols will face a state trial for his role in the bombing. District Attorney C. Wesley Lane says he is going forward with the trial because he is concerned the federal conviction will be overturned.

March 22, 2004 – Nichols’ state trial opens.

April 20, 2004 – Michael Fortier testifies that McVeigh asked him to help build the bomb because “Terry was backing out.” Fortier was sentenced to 12 years in prison as part of a plea deal for testifying against McVeigh and Nichols.

May 26, 2004 – Nichols is found guilty in Oklahoma state court on 161 counts of murder. The jury spent five hours deliberating before announcing the verdict.

June 11, 2004 – The jury in Nichols’ state trial says it is deadlocked over a sentence of life in prison or death by lethal injection.

August 9, 2004 – District Judge Steven Taylor sentences Nichols to 161 consecutive life terms, without the possibility of parole.

April 1, 2005 – The FBI finds residual bomb making material in Nichols’ former residence, not detected in previous searches.

May 4, 2005 – In a letter written from his Colorado prison cell, Nichols names Arkansas gun dealer Roger Moore as the man who supplied him and McVeigh with bomb components. Moore denies any involvement.

March 16, 2009 – Files a 39-page handwritten lawsuit against the Colorado prison where he is staying for violating his religious and dietary needs. In the lawsuit Nichols requests 100% whole-grain foods, fresh raw vegetables and fruit, a wheat bran supplement and digestive bacteria and enzymes.

February 2010 – Goes on a fast, protesting the processed foods he is being served in prison.

August 12, 2010 – US District Judge Christine M. Arguello dismisses Nichols’ lawsuit over prison food.

November 28, 2011 – Jannie Coverdale, grandmother of two victims of the Oklahoma City bombing, reveals she has been corresponding with Nichols for several years and that he apologized and asked for her forgiveness, which he received. In copies of the letters published in The Oklahoman, Nichols admits he knew there was to be a bombing but didn’t know the federal building was the target and that the building would be occupied.

July 13, 2015 – Nichols files a motion asking the court to force the FBI to turn over approximately 10 firearms, belonging to him, that were seized after the bombings. Nichols suggests in the motion that the FBI turn the guns over to his family so the firearms can be sold to help provide financial support for his children.

April 15, 2016 – Judge Matsch orders the government to destroy the firearms belonging to Nichols, and that the fair market value of $6,922 be applied to his court ordered restitution of $14.5 million.

March 9, 2017 – Evidence from Nichols’ state trial is transferred to the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum.

[ad_2]

Source link

March 15, 2024
Taliban Fast Facts | CNN

[ad_1]

CNN
—

Here’s a look at the Taliban, a Sunni Islamist organization operating primarily in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The group’s aim is to impose its interpretation of Islamic law on Afghanistan and remove foreign influence from the country.

Taliban, in Pashto, is the plural of Talib, which means student.

Most members are Pashtun, the largest ethnic group in Afghanistan.

Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada has been the Taliban’s supreme leader since 2016.

Reclusive leader Mullah Mohammed Omar led the Taliban from the mid-1990s until his death in 2013.

The exact number of Taliban forces is unknown.

1979-1989 – The Soviet Union invades and occupies Afghanistan. Afghan resistance fighters, known collectively as mujahedeen, fight back.

1989-1993 – After the Soviet Union withdraws, fighting among the mujahedeen erupts.

1994 – The Taliban forms, comprised mostly of students and led by Mullah Mohammed Omar.

November 1994 – The Taliban take control of the city of Kandahar.

September 1996 – The capital, Kabul, falls to the Taliban.

1996-2001 – The group imposes strict Islamic laws on the Afghan people. Women must wear head-to-toe coverings, are not allowed to attend school or work outside the home and are forbidden to travel alone. Television, music and non-Islamic holidays are banned.

1997 – The Taliban issue an edict renaming Afghanistan the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. The country is only officially recognized by three countries: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

1997- Omar forges a relationship with Osama bin Laden, the leader of al Qaeda, who then moves his base of operations to Kandahar.

August 1998 – The Taliban capture the city of Mazar-e-Sharif, gaining control of about 90% of Afghanistan.

October 7, 2001 – Less than a month after terrorists linked to al Qaeda carry out the 9/11 attacks, American and allied forces begin an invasion of Afghanistan called Operation Enduring Freedom.

December 2001 – The Taliban lose its last major stronghold as Kandahar falls. Hamid Karzai is chosen as interim leader of Afghanistan.

November 3, 2004 – Karzai is officially elected president of Afghanistan.

December 2006 – Senior Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Osmani is killed in an airstrike by the United States.

December 11, 2007 – Allied commanders report that Afghan troops backed by NATO have recaptured the provincial town of Musa Qala from Taliban control.

October 21, 2008 – Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal confirms that Saudi Arabia hosted talks between Afghan officials and the Taliban in September. It is reported that no agreements were made.

April 25, 2011 – Hundreds of prisoners escape from a prison in Kandahar by crawling through a tunnel. The Taliban take responsibility for the escape and claim that 541 prisoners escaped, while the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force says the number is 470.

September 10, 2011 – Two Afghan civilians are killed, and 77 US troops are wounded in a truck bombing at the entrance of Combat Outpost Sayed Abad, an ISAF base in Afghanistan’s Wardak province. The Taliban claim responsibility.

September 13, 2011 – Taliban militants open fire on the US embassy and ISAF headquarters in central Kabul. Three police officers and one civilian are killed.

February 27, 2012 – The Taliban claim responsibility for a suicide bombing near the front gate of the ISAF base at the Jalalabad airport in Afghanistan. At least nine people are killed and 12 are wounded in the explosion. The Taliban say the bombing is in retaliation for the burning of Qurans by NATO troops.

June 18, 2013 – An official political office of the Taliban opens in Doha, Qatar’s capital city. The Taliban claim they hope to improve relations with other countries and head toward a peaceful solution in Afghanistan.

September 21, 2013 – A Pakistani official announces that Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, one of the founding members of the Taliban, has been released from prison. Baradar had been captured in Karachi, Pakistan, in 2010.

May 31, 2014 – The United States transfer five Guantánamo Bay detainees to Qatar in exchange for the release of US Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl. It is believed Bergdahl was being held by the Taliban and the al Qaeda-aligned Haqqani network in Pakistan. The detainees released are Khair Ulla Said Wali Khairkhwa, Mullah Mohammad Fazl, Mullah Norullah Nori, Abdul Haq Wasiq and Mohammad Nabi Omari.

July 29, 2015 – An Afghan government spokesman says in a news release that Taliban leader Omar died in April 2013 in Pakistan, citing “credible information.” A spokesman for Afghanistan’s intelligence service tells CNN that Omar died in a hospital in Karachi at that time.

September 28, 2015 – Taliban insurgents seize the main roundabout in the Afghan provincial capital of Kunduz, then free more than 500 inmates at the prison.

December 21, 2015 – A police official says Taliban forces have taken almost complete control over Sangin, a strategically important city in Afghanistan’s Helmand province.

May 21, 2016 – Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour is killed in an airstrike in Pakistan.

May 25, 2016 – The Taliban name Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada as their new leader. He is a senior religious cleric from the Taliban’s founding generation.

January 25, 2017 – The Taliban release an open letter to newly elected US President Donald Trump. The letter calls on Trump to withdraw US forces from Afghanistan.

April 21, 2017 – The Taliban attack a northern army base in Afghanistan, killing or wounding more than 100 people.

July 25, 2017 – CNN reports it has exclusive videos that suggest the Taliban have received improved weaponry in Afghanistan that appears to have been supplied by the Russian government. Moscow categorically denies arming the Taliban.

August 3, 2017 – Taliban and ISIS forces launch a joint attack on a village in northern Afghanistan, killing 50 people, including women and children, local officials say.

January 27, 2018 – An attacker driving an ambulance packed with explosives detonates them in Kabul, killing 95 people and injuring 191 others, Afghan officials say. The Taliban claim responsibility.

February 28, 2018 – Afghan President Ashraf Ghani says the government is willing to recognize the Taliban as a legitimate political party as part of a potential ceasefire agreement.

April 12, 2018 – At least 14 people, including a district governor, are killed and at least five are injured in a Taliban attack in Afghanistan’s southeastern Ghazni province.

June 7, 2018 – In a video message, Ghani announces that Afghan forces have agreed to a ceasefire with the Taliban between June 12 and June 21. The proposed truce coincides with the holiday of Eid al-Fitr, the period during which Muslims celebrate the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting.

June 15-17, 2018 – The three-day-old ceasefire between the Taliban, Afghan forces and the NATO-led coalition is marred by two deadly attacks. ISIS, which did not participate in the truce, claims responsibility for a suicide bombing in the Nangarhar province that kills at least 25 people, including Taliban members and civilians. A second suicide bombing is carried out near the Nangarhar governor’s compound, killing at least 18 people and injuring at least 49. There is no immediate claim of responsibility for the second attack.

August 10, 2018 – The Taliban launch an attack on the strategic Afghan city of Ghazni, south of the capital Kabul, seizing key buildings and trading fire with security forces. At least 16 people are killed and 40 are injured, most are Afghan security forces.

October 13, 2018 – The Taliban issues a statement announcing that the group met with the US envoy for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, to discuss the conflict in Afghanistan. The United States does not confirm that the meeting occurred.

November 9, 2018 – In Moscow, Taliban representatives participate in talks with diplomats from Russia, Pakistan, India and other countries, as well as officials from the Afghan government. The United States sends a diplomat from its embassy in Moscow as an observer.

January 22, 2019 – Authorities say at least 12 members of the Afghan military were killed and another 28 injured when the Taliban carried out a suicide attack on a military base in the central province of Maidan Wardak.

January 28, 2019 – Officials from the United States and the Taliban announce they have agreed to a framework that could end the war in Afghanistan. The framework for peace would see the Taliban vow to prevent the country from being used as a hub for terrorism in return for a US military withdrawal. An Afghan source close to the negotiations tells CNN that while a ceasefire and US withdrawal were both discussed, neither side came to final conclusions.

January 30, 2019 – In its quarterly report to the US Congress, the Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction declares the Taliban expanded its control of territory in 2018 while the Afghan government lost control of territory. In October 2018, the Afghan government controlled just 53.8% of districts in the country, according to the report. The insurgency made gains to control 12.3% of districts while 33.9% of districts were contested.

February 5-6, 2019 – Talks are held in Moscow between Taliban leaders and politicians from the government of Afghanistan.

March 12, 2019 – Peace talks between representatives from the United States and the Taliban end without a finalized agreement. Khalilzad, the main American negotiator, says that progress has been made and the talks yielded two draft proposals.

September 7-8, 2019 – Trump announces that Taliban leaders were to travel to the Unites States for secret peace talks over the weekend but that the meeting has been canceled and he has called off peace talks with the militant group entirely. Trump tweets that he scrapped the meeting after the Taliban took credit for an attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, that killed a dozen people, including an American soldier.

November 28, 2019 – On a surprise trip to Afghanistan for a Thanksgiving visit with US troops, Trump announces that peace talks with the Taliban have restarted.

February 29, 2020 – The United States and the Taliban sign a historic agreement which sets into motion the potential of a full withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan. The “Agreement for Bringing Peace to Afghanistan” outlines a series of commitments from the United States and the Taliban related to troop levels, counterterrorism and the intra-Afghan dialogue aimed at bringing about “a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire.”

August 9, 2020 – Afghanistan’s grand assembly of elders, the consultative Loya Jirga, passes a resolution calling for the release of the last group of some 5,000 Taliban prisoners, paving the way for direct peace talks with the insurgent group. The release of the 400 prisoners is part of the agreement signed by the US and the Taliban in February.

April 14, 2021 – US President Joe Biden formally announces his decision to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan before September 11, 2021, deeming the prolonged and intractable conflict in Afghanistan no longer aligns with American priorities.

August 15, 2021 – After the Taliban seize control of every major city across Afghanistan, in just two weeks, they take control of the presidential palace in Kabul. A senior Afghan official and a senior diplomatic source tell CNN that Ghani has left the country.

August 30, 2021 – The last US military planes leave Afghanistan.

September 7, 2021 – The Taliban announce the formation of a hardline interim government for Afghanistan. Four men receiving senior positions in the government had previously been detained by the United States at Guantánamo Bay, and were released as part of a prisoner swap for Bergdahl in 2014.

November 30, 2021 – New research released by Human Rights Watch (HRW) details “the summary execution or enforced disappearance” of 47 former members of the Afghan National Security Forces who had surrendered or were apprehended by Taliban forces between August 15 and October 31. A Taliban deputy spokesman rejects the HRW report, saying that the Taliban established a general amnesty on their first day of power in Afghanistan.

December 27, 2021 – The Taliban says it has dissolved Afghanistan’s election commission as well as its ministries for peace and parliamentary affairs, further eroding state institutions set up by the country’s previous Western-backed governments.

February 11, 2022 – Biden signs an executive order allowing $7 billion in frozen assets from Afghanistan’s central bank to eventually be distributed inside the country and to potentially fund litigation brought by families of victims of the September 11 terror attacks. The Taliban has claimed rights to the funds, which include assets like currency and gold, but the United States has declined access to them after Afghanistan’s democratic government fell. The United States has not recognized the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan.

March 23, 2022 – The Taliban prevents girls above the 6th grade in Afghanistan from making their much-anticipated return to school. They are told to stay at home until a school uniform appropriate to Sharia and Afghan customs and culture can be designed, the Taliban-run Bakhtar News Agency reported. The Taliban originally said that schools would open for all students – including girls – after the Afghan new year, which is celebrated on March 21, on the condition that boys and girls were separated either in different schools or by different learning hours.

November 13, 2022 – The Taliban orders judges in Afghanistan to fully impose their interpretation of Sharia Law, including potential public executions, amputations and flogging, a move experts fear will lead to a further deterioration of human rights in the impoverished country.

December 20, 2022 – The Taliban government suspends university education for all female students in Afghanistan.

December 24, 2022 – The Taliban administration orders all local and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to stop their female employees from coming to work, according to a letter by the Ministry of Economy sent to all licensed NGOs.

June 15, 2023 – The United Nations releases a report saying that since re-taking control of the country,the Taliban has committed “egregious systematic violations of women’s rights,” by restricting their access to education and employment and their ability to move freely in society.

[ad_2]

Source link

March 15, 2024
Rex Tillerson Fast Facts | CNN

[ad_1]

CNN
—

Here is a look at the life of former US Secretary of State and ExxonMobil CEO, Rex Tillerson.

Birth date: March 23, 1952

Birth place: Wichita Falls, Texas

Birth name: Rex Wayne Tillerson

Father: Bob Tillerson, Boy Scouts of America executive

Mother: Patty (Patton) Tillerson

Marriage: Renda (St. Clair) Tillerson

Children: Four children

Education: University of Texas at Austin, B.S., 1975

Tillerson and his wife, Renda, operate a Texas horse ranch called Bar RR Ranches.

An Eagle Scout, Tillerson served as president of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) in 2010 and 2011. As a member of the BSA executive board, he helped advocate for the inclusion of gay youth in the Scouts. The organization reversed its ban on gay Scouts in 2013 and four years later, the BSA opened up membership to transgender youth. While Tillerson has a reputation as a BSA reformer, he has been criticized by gay rights groups because, under his leadership, Exxon continued to resist calls to implement policies protecting LGBTQ employees from harassment. In 2015, the company added sexual orientation and gender identity to its equal opportunity policy.

1975 – Joins Exxon as a production engineer.

1987-1989 – Business development manager of Exxon’s domestic natural gas department.

1989-1992 – General manager for regional oil and gas production.

1992 – Production adviser for Exxon Corporation.

1992-1995 – Coordinator of affiliate gas sales for Exxon Company, International.

1995 – Becomes president of Exxon Yemen and other overseas subsidiaries.

1998 – President of Exxon Ventures and Exxon Neftegas in Russia.

1999 – Becomes the executive vice president of Exxon Development Company.

1999 – Exxon Corp and Mobil Corp complete their merger.

2001-2003 – Senior vice president of ExxonMobil.

2004 – Becomes president of ExxonMobil and a member of the company’s board of directors.

2006 – Is named chairman and CEO of ExxonMobil.

2013 – Receives the Order of Friendship award from Russian President Vladimir Putin. During Tillerson’s tenure as ExxonMobil CEO, the company invests in oil production in Siberia, the Arctic Circle and the Black Sea.

December 13, 2016 – President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team announces that Tillerson has been nominated for secretary of state. Tillerson was recommended for the role by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. Their consulting firm, RiceHadleyGates LLC has a contract with ExxonMobil.

December 14, 2016 – Tillerson announces that he will retire from ExxonMobil at the end of December.

January 11, 2017 – During his confirmation hearing, Tillerson is questioned about his ties to Russia and asked about what he will do to promote human rights abroad. In response to a query on global warming, Tillerson says he believes climate change is a serious issue.

February 1, 2017 – Tillerson is confirmed by the Senate by a 56-43 vote. All of the Republicans voted for him while most of the Democrats voted against him. Later in the evening, Tillerson is sworn in as secretary of state.

February 15, 2017 – Tillerson arrives in Germany on his first overseas trip. He represents the United States at the G20 summit in Bonn.

February 22-23, 2017 – Tillerson visits Mexico with Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly. They make the trip to meet with Mexican diplomats amid tensions over border issues and new immigration policies. Enrique Peña Nieto, the president of Mexico, canceled a planned January trip to Washington to meet President Trump due to a dispute about a proposed border wall and Trump’s campaign pledge that Mexico would pay for the structure.

February 24, 2017 – The State Department announces that it will resume holding regular press briefings on March 6. Under previous administrations, the department took questions from reporters on a daily basis but the briefings were suspended after Trump took office on January 20.

March 14-19, 2017 – Tillerson makes his first trip to Asia, stopping in China, Japan and South Korea. During the visit, Tillerson declares that a new approach is needed to counter provocations by North Korea.

March 20, 2017 – Officials tell Reuters that Tillerson will not attend a NATO meeting in April, skipping the event so he can participate in talks with Trump and President Xi Jinping of China at Trump’s Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago. Officials also say the secretary of state is planning a trip to Russia later in April.

October 2017 – NBC reports that Tillerson called Trump a “moron” during a Pentagon meeting. Tillerson refuses to confirm or deny the allegation.

March 13, 2018 – Is fired by Trump.

December 7, 2018 – Tillerson calls Trump “undisciplined” during an interview with former CBS News’ Bob Schieffer. “When the President would say, ‘Here’s what I want to do and here’s how I want to do it.’ And I’d have to say to him, ‘Well Mr. President, I understand what you want to do, but you can’t do it that way. It violates the law. It violates treaty,’” Tillerson says.

May 21, 2019 – Tillerson meets with Democratic chair Rep. Eliot Engel and ranking Republican Rep. Michael McCaul from the House Foreign Affairs Committee and their senior staff for an interview that focuses primarily on his time in the Trump administration.

January 11, 2021 – In a lengthy interview published in Foreign Policy, Tillerson paints a scathing picture of Trump as someone who made uninformed decisions that were not based in reality. “His understanding of global events, his understanding of global history, his understanding of US history was really limited. It’s really hard to have a conversation with someone who doesn’t even understand the concept for why we’re talking about this,” Tillerson said in the interview conducted just prior to the US Capitol insurrection.

[ad_2]

Source link

March 14, 2024
2008 Georgia Russia Conflict Fast Facts | CNN

[ad_1]

CNN
—

Here’s a look at the 2008 military conflict between Russia and Georgia.

The conflict centered on South Ossetia and Abkhazia, two “breakaway provinces” in Georgia. They are officially part of Georgia, but have separate governments unrecognized by most countries.

Abkhazia and South Ossetia are supported by Russia.

During the five-day conflict, 170 servicemen, 14 policemen, and 228 civilians from Georgia were killed and 1,747 wounded. Sixty-seven Russian servicemen were killed and 283 were wounded, and 365 South Ossetian servicemen and civilians (combined) were killed, according to an official EU fact-finding report about the conflict.

1918-1921- Georgia is briefly an independent state after separating from the Russian Empire.

1921 – After the Red Army invasion, Georgia and Abkhazia are declared Soviet Socialist republics.

1922 – The South Ossetia Autonomous Oblast is created within Georgia.

1931 – Abkhazia’s status is reduced to an autonomous republic within Georgia.

1990 – South Ossetia declares its independence from Georgia.

April 9, 1991 – Georgia declares independence.

1991-1992 – Civil war breaks out in Georgia. Zviad Gamsakhurdia is deposed as president.

1992 – Abkhazia declares its independence from Georgia, leading to armed conflict.

October 1992 – Eduard Shevardnadze is elected to lead Georgia. He is reelected in 1995 and 2000.

September 1993 – Abkhazian separatist forces defeat the Georgian military.

October 1993 – Georgia joins the Commonwealth of Independent States.

May 1994 – A ceasefire is agreed upon and signed between the Georgian government and Abkhaz separatists. Russian peacekeeping forces are deployed to the area.

October 2001 – Fighting resumes between Abkhaz troops and Georgian paramilitaries. Russia states that it believes Georgia is harboring Chechen rebels, a claim denied by Georgia.

September 2002 – Russian President Vladimir Putin sends a letter to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, UN Security Council members, and members of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe stating that Georgia must respond to accusations they are harboring Chechen militants or face military action from Russia.

October 2002 – Tensions with Russia are defused after Shevardnadze promises to work with Russia to fight Chechen rebels.

November 2003 – Shevardnadze is forced to leave office in the “Rose Revolution.”

July 2005 – Under terms of a deal reached in May, Russia starts to withdraw its troops from two Soviet-era military bases.

May-June 2006 – Tensions between Georgia and Russia rise again when Georgia demands that Russian peacekeepers in South Ossetia have visas.

November 12, 2006 – A referendum is voted upon in which South Ossetians overwhelmingly demand independence.

November 2007 – Russia announces that it has withdrawn its Georgia-based troops. It retains a peacekeeping presence in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

April 3, 2008 – NATO members at a summit in Bucharest, Romania, defer the decision on Georgia and Ukraine’s admittance until December 2008.

April 21, 2008 – Georgia accuses Russia of shooting down an unmanned drone over Abkhazia on April 20. Russia denies the claim.

April 29, 2008 – Russia sends more troops to Abkhazia to counter what it says are Georgia’s plans for an attack.

May 26, 2008 – A UN investigation concludes that the drone shot down on April 21 was struck by a missile from a Russian fighter jet.

May 30-31, 2008 – Russia sends several hundred unarmed troops to Abkhazia, saying they are needed for railway repairs. Georgia accuses Russia of planning a military intervention.

August 7-8, 2008 – Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili sends troops into South Ossetia. Russia responds by moving its troops to the border, flying aircraft over Georgia, and beginning air strikes in South Ossetia.

August 8, 2008 – The United States, United Kingdom and NATO call for a cease fire of military hostilities by both Russia and Georgia.

August 9, 2008 – A delegation of EU and US diplomats head to Georgia to resolve escalating tensions.

August 10, 2008 – Russia moves tanks and soldiers through South Ossetia and into Georgia proper, advancing towards the city of Gori.

August 12, 2008 – Russia calls a halt to its military incursion into Georgia and agrees to a six-point diplomatic push for peace. The plan is announced by French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

August 13, 2008 – US President George W. Bush announces humanitarian aid is to be sent to Georgia. It is also announced that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will be sent to France and Georgia for a diplomatic mission.

August 15, 2008 – Saakashvili signs a cease fire agreement with Russia. The deal is brokered by Sarkozy.

August 16, 2008 – Medvedev signs the cease fire agreement.

August 22, 2008 – Russia partially withdraws its troops from Georgia, as part of the cease fire agreement. Russia maintains soldiers at checkpoints near the disputed territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

August 26, 2008 – Medvedev signs an order recognizing the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. In response, President Bush releases a statement saying, in part, “The United States condemns the decision by the Russian president to recognize as independent states the Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia…The territorial integrity and borders of Georgia must be respected, just as those of Russia or any other country.”

July 2009 – UN observers leave Georgia after nearly 16 years. The mission was not extended due to a Russian veto.

September 2009 – A report from an EU fact-finding mission determines that historical tensions and overreaction on the part of both Russia and Georgia contributed to the five-day conflict. Georgia’s attack on the South Ossetian capital of Tskhinvali on the night of August 7 is seen as the start of the armed conflict, however the report notes that the attack was the culmination of years of increasing tensions, provocations and incidents.

January 27, 2016 – The Hague-based International Criminal Court authorizes a probe into possible war crimes committed by Russian, Georgian and South Ossetian forces during the conflict.

[ad_2]

Source link

March 13, 2024