Trump’s July 4: Patriotic or self-promoting?
Mike Bebernes EditorYahoo News 360•The 360 is a feature designed to show you diverse perspectives on the day’s top stories.
Celebrating America or celebrating Trump?Speed read What’s happening:The Fourth of July is always a major celebration, especially in the nation’s capital. This year, President Trump is planning a bigger event in Washington, D.C., than anything that’s come before. The „Salute to America” will feature a massive fireworks display, military aircraft flyovers, music and an address by the president from the Lincoln Memorial. Trump has said tanks will be part of the proceedings as well.
The National Mall has featured a July 4 concert and fireworks display for decades, but Trump’s planned festivities are expected to be much grander in scale. The president has reportedly been heavily involved in planning the ceremonies.Why there’s debate:Critics argue that Trump is putting himself at the center of the celebration, making the event more about him than Americans as a whole. Others are concerned the celebration will serve as a de facto Trump campaign rally — a major change from what has traditionally been a nonpartisan occasion where previous presidents kept a lower profile. Making politically aimed remarks at the event may even be illegal, some say.Some have made the case that Trump is dishonoring the military by centering himself in an event that’s intended to honor their service. There are also questions about using taxpayer dollars to fund such a massive enterprise, especially when the president may personally make money from it.Trump’s defenders argue that, as president, he is free to mark Independence Day however he wants. They say Trump will only play a small part in what will be a larger celebration of the country and military. Some make the case that Trump has shown an ability to mute the bombastic tone he uses at rallies and speak in a style fitting the occasion, as he did with his remarks last month on the anniversary of D-Day.Perspectives:The event is aimed at celebrating Trump, not America„I think it’s safe to say that President Donald Trump wants this July 4 to be all about him.” — Dean Obeidallah, CNN„Most presidents understand that the theme of the day is ‘we the people,’ not ‘me, me, me.'” — Eugene Robinson, the Washington PostHaving one central spectacle is not the point of the Fourth of July„What makes July 4 great is its very American localism. Each neighborhood has its own fireworks show. Small towns throw parades celebrating our veterans and our soldiers, sailors, Marines, and airmen. People gather with neighbors for barbecues full of hot dogs and pies. The capital city and the federal government aren’t what make the country great.” — Jason Russell, Washington ExaminerThe event can be a success if Trump strikes a tone worthy of the occasion„Trump is the president, and the fact that he is unpopular with many Americans doesn’t mean he should absent himself from ceremonial occasions at which his presence is required. Sometimes he rises to such occasions.” — Editorial, Los Angeles TimesThe celebration risks becoming a Trump 2020 campaign event„He wants to turn the annual Fourth of July celebration in Washington, D.C., into yet another Trump rally. — Editorial, York DispatchThe event will be a celebration fitting Trump’s flair for the grand spectacle„From his now-famous Trump Tower escalator ride to announce his 2016 campaign to last weekend’s historic saunter into North Korea, President Trump has never been one to shy away from a spectacle. And the president, in full executive producer mode, is similarly putting his mark on this week’s Fourth of July festivities in Washington, D.C.” — Andrew O’Reilly, Fox NewsThe Fourth of July event has historically been free of politics„But in hijacking America’s birthday party, Mr. Trump is doing more than merely indulging his petty narcissism. He is trampling a longstanding tradition of keeping these events nonpartisan — apolitical even — and focused on bringing the nation together.” — Michelle Cottle, The New York TimesTrump’s presence will stoke divisions among Americans„If this President’s past rallies are any indication, a national address as part of the Fourth of July celebration — which will be taxpayer-funded — has the potential to divide and polarize and is the very opposite of what our nation should exemplify on the holiday.” — Jeremy Tyler, TimeMilitary vehicles are typically only used in ceremonies run by authoritarian regimes„It seems Pres. Trump wants a militarized Fourth of July celebration more similar to the kinds of events overseen by dictators like his buddy Kim Jong-un. I prefer the Boston Pops, hot dogs, and Uncle Sams on stilts.” Dan Rather, Twitter
Washington, D.C. is the worst-run U.S. city: WalletHub
The United States Capitol building at night in Washington DC, USA.New York, San Francisco, and Detroit were also among the worst. For years, the Big Apple has been riddled by crime and rising rent prices. However, the NYPD recently announced that the city is getting safer, with Additionally, New York City’s real estate has shown signs of cooling. A recent survey found Manhattan’s high-end apartment prices fell in the second-quarter, with resale closings stagnating, and sellers offering their biggest price discounts in nearly a decade.
Detroit, meanwhile, has the highest infant mortality rate among all the measured cities and is tied for the highest violent crime rate. It’s also among the top cities for highest percentage of population in poverty and highest unemployment rate.
For San Francisco, it wasn’t all bad news. The Golden City topped the list for lowest infant mortality rate, and tied for first place for lowest unemployment rate with five other major cities. But real estate prices and homelessness have put it in the national spotlight, with President Donald Trump recently saying he is “seriously” considering tackling the blight of homelessness in major American cities.
5 Stocks to Ride Record-Breaking Independence Day Travel
Tirthankar ChakrabortyZacks•
Busy Summer Air Travel Season
Independence Day travel is poised to be the busiest for holidaymakers, adding to the already lively summer air travel season. The industry trade organization, Airlines for America (A4A), recently announced that a record 257.4 million passengers are anticipated to fly this summer, up 3.4% from 248.8 million commuters last summer, which was a record high.
What’s more, on average, a solid 2.8 million Americans will be flying every day, especially from Jun 1 to Aug 31. And that is almost 93,000 more per day, compared to the same time frame last year. By the way, at the peak of travel period, between Jul 20 and Aug 10, it’s expected that nearly 3 million people will be flying on a daily basis.
This year will in fact mark the 10th successive year of an increase in passenger count during summer. And to handle the higher demand, carriers have added nearly 111,000 seats per day than a year ago. Such high supply is expected due to stuffing more seats in existing planes as well as expanding the capacity of new commercial fleet.
What’s Driving Travel This Independence Day?
Lower gas prices have been a key catalyst. The national average price for a gallon of gas stands at $2.66, which is 19 cents less than this time last year. In fact, AAA gas price expert Jeanette Casselano added that “gas prices are, on average, 17 cents cheaper than Memorial Day weekend.” Lower gas prices, thus, no doubt will be a major contributing factor toward the increase in road travelers this Independence Day.
In addition to lower gas prices, strong economic fundamentals are encouraging more Americans to travel this Independence Day. Consumer outlays are off to a firm start of late. The pickup in consumer spending is mostly due to steady wages gain and unemployment rate remaining at the lowest level in half a century. The average wage paid to American workers went up 6 cents to $27.83 an hour in May. Wage growth over the past 12 months was 3.1%.
The unemployment rate, in the meanwhile, was near a 49-year low of 3.6%. The broader measure of joblessness that includes part-time workers, better known as the U6 rate, slipped to its lowest level in 19 years.
5 Top Travel Picks
Cheaper gasoline prices, an upbeat labor market and uptick in consumer spending are prompting more number of people to plan a holiday this Independence Day. Given the factors, travel and leisure stocks are set to break records this summer. We have, thus, selected five such stocks that flaunt a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy).
JetBlue Airways Corporation JBLU, a passenger carrier company, provides air transportation services. The company has a Zacks Rank #2. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings has risen 4.3% over the past 60 days. The company’s expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 23.9%, higher than the Transportation – Airline industry’s estimated rally of 15.4%.
Hertz Global Holdings, Inc. HTZ provides airport and off-airport vehicle rental and leasing services. The company has a Zacks Rank #2. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings has climbed 56.9% over the past 60 days. The company’s expected earnings growth rate for the current quarter is 152.6% compared with the Transportation – Services industry’s estimated decline of 6.9%.
SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. SEAS operates as a theme park and entertainment company in the United States. The company has a Zacks Rank #1. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings has risen 19.4% over the past 60 days. The company’s expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 184.6%, higher than the Leisure and Recreation Services industry’s expected rally of 15.4%. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Wyndham Destinations, Inc. WYND operates as a vacation ownership and exchange company in the United States. The company has a Zacks Rank #2. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings has risen 1.3% over the past 90 days. The company’s expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 14.9%, slightly higher than the Hotels and Motels industry’s projected rally of 14.6%.
Red Lion Hotels Corporation RLH operates as a hospitality and leisure company the United States. The company has a Zacks Rank #2. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings has moved 1% upover the past 60 days. The company’s expected earnings growth rate for the current quarter is 130% compared with the Hotels and Motels industry’s estimated decline of 2.5%.
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32 pounds of rat meat seized at Chicago airport
Officials say U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport thwarted a man’s attempt to import several pounds of African rat meat. Customs spokesman Steve Bansbach said Tuesday that the man declared the 32 pounds of meat on June 26 when his flight arrived from the Ivory Coast. Bansbach says the man did not face a fine and continued on his journey because he was forthcoming about what he was bringing into the country.Bansbach says the man did not face a fine and continued on his journey because he was forthcoming about what he was bringing into the country. He says customs officials prohibit the entry of African meats to prevent the spread of African swine fever.The Department of Agriculture says the highly contagious and deadly viral disease affects domestic and wild pigs and is not a threat to humans. The department says it has never been found in the U.S.
Xi urged Trump to ease North Korea sanctions in ‘timely’ fashion
Chinese President Xi Jinping urged US President Donald Trump to „show flexibility” towards North Korea, including the „timely” easing of sanctions, at the G20 summit last week, China’s foreign minister said Tuesday.
Xi visited North Korea prior to meeting Trump at the G20 in Japan on Saturday, and analysts had said the Chinese leader could use the trip as leverage in his trade war talks with the US leader.
Trump met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un the next day at the Demilitarized Zone dividing North and South Korea.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told reporters on Tuesday that Xi „pushed for the US to show flexibility and meet the DPRK (North Korea) halfway, including the timely easing of sanctions against the DPRK and finding a solution to each other’s concerns through dialogue.”
China and North Korea have worked to improve relations in the past year after they deteriorated as Beijing backed a series of UN sanctions against its Cold War-era ally over its nuclear activities.
But Beijing has sought to keep Pyongyang within its sphere of influence and Kim met Xi four times in China in the past four years.
A week before the G20 summit in Osaka, Xi became the first Chinese leader to visit North Korea in 14 years in a trip analysts said was meant to showcase China’s influence over the North prior to trade talks with the US.
After his impromptu stop on North Korean soil over the weekend, Trump said he and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un agreed to start working-level talks on a denuclearisation deal, ending a standstill in place since the two leaders’ second summit, in Hanoi in late February, ended without an agreement.
Trump erupts after Supreme Court rejects 2020 census citizenship question: ‘USA! USA! USA!’
Donald Trump has erupted with anger after his administration ended its effort to add a citizenship question to the 2020 US census.
The White House and Justice Department said it would begin printing formswithout the contentious query, despite the US president saying last week he would attempt to indefinitely delay the census until the query was added.
It came after a Supreme Court ruling on 27 June faulted the administration for its original attempt to include it.
“A very sad time for America when the Supreme Court of the United States won’t allow a question of ‘Is this person a Citizen of the United States?’ to be asked on the #2020 Census! Going on for a long time” Mr Trump tweeted late on Tuesday.
“I have asked the Department of Commerce and the Department of Justice to do whatever is necessary to bring this most vital of questions, and this very important case, to a successful conclusion. USA! USA! USA!”
Donald J. Trump
✔@realDonaldTrump
Seems totally ridiculous that our government, and indeed Country, cannot ask a basic question of Citizenship in a very expensive, detailed and important Census, in this case for 2020. I have asked the lawyers if they can delay the Census, no matter how long, until the…..
Donald J. Trump
✔@realDonaldTrump
…..United States Supreme Court is given additional information from which it can make a final and decisive decision on this very critical matter. Can anyone really believe that as a great Country, we are not able the ask whether or not someone is a Citizen. Only in America!
Mr Trump’s suggestion the question could still appear on the census contrasted with commerce secretary Wilbur Ross, who said he would “respect” the ruling despite disagreeing with it.
“The Census Bureau has started the process of printing the decennial questionnaires without the question. My focus, and that of the bureau and the entire department, is to conduct a complete and accurate census,” Mr Ross said.
Although the Supreme Court left open the possibility of the administration adding the question, there was little time left for the government to come up with a new rationale.
The government had said in court filings that it needed to finalise the details of the questionnaire by the end of June.
Critics have called the citizenship question a Republican ploy to scare immigrants into not taking part in the population count and engineer an undercount in Democratic-leaning areas with high immigrant and Latino populations.
That would benefit non-Hispanic whites and help Mr Trump’s fellow Republicans gain seats in the US House of Representatives and state legislatures, the critics said.
“In light of the Supreme Court’s ruling, the Trump administration had no choice but to proceed with printing the 2020 census forms without a citizenship question,” said Dale Ho, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union, which had fought the Trump administration in court.
„Everyone in America counts in the census, and today’s decision means we all will.”
The Trump administration had told the courts its rationale for adding the question was to better enforce a law that protects the voting rights of racial minorities. Critics called that rationale a pretext, with the Supreme Court’s majority embracing that theory.
The court’s 5-4 ruling, which saw conservative chief justice John Roberts join the court’s four liberals in the majority, ultimately proved decisive.
“While the Trump Administration may have attempted to politicise the census and punish cities and states across the nation, justice prevailed, and the census will continue to remain a tool for obtaining an accurate count of our population,” said New York attorney general Letitia James, who also challenged the question.
The census is used to allot seats in the US House of Representatives and distribute some $800bn (£637bn) in federal funds. Opponents have said the citizenship question would instil fear in immigrant households that the information would be shared with law enforcement, deterring them from taking part.
Citizenship status has not been asked of all households since the 1950 census. Since then, it was included only on questionnaires sent to a smaller subset of the population.
Manhattan-based US district judge Jesse Furman ruled on 15 January the Commerce Department’s decision to add the question violated the Administrative Procedure Act. Federal judges in Maryland and California also have issued rulings to block the question.
Mr Furman said the evidence showed that Mr Ross had concealed his true motives for adding the citizenship question and that he and his aides had convinced the Justice Department to request it.
Evidence surfaced in May that the challengers said showed the administration’s plan to add a citizenship question was intended to discriminate against racial minorities.
Additional reporting by Reuters
Navy SEAL found not guilty of nearly all charges in war crimes trial
WASHINGTON – A Navy SEAL was found not guilty on Tuesday of premeditated murder after being charged with killing a teenage Islamic State prisoner in Iraq.
Navy SEAL Edward Gallagher was accused of stabbing a teenage prisoner in the neck and body. He went on to pose with the prisoner’s body and included it as a prop in his re-enlistment ceremony, and bragged that he „got this one with my knife.” In addition, he was also accused of shooting two civilians.
Gallagher was found guilty on one of seven charges: posing for a photo with a human casualty. According to CNN, Gallagher faces a maximum sentence of four months. However, he has already served 201 days.
He was found not guilty of premeditated murder, willfully discharging a firearm to endanger human life, retaliation against members of his platoon for reporting his alleged actions, obstruction of justice, and the attempted murders of two noncombatants.
Gallagher had pleaded not guilty to all charges, contending that his accusers, members of his platoon, were „disgruntled subordinates who could not meet his high standards.”
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The verdict comes after a tumultuous court-martial.
A SEAL medic who was a key witness initially told prosecutors ahead of the trial that Gallagher had walked up and stabbed the teenage prisoner. The medic said he then tried to revive the prisoner.
However, during the trial, the medic said testified he was the one who killed the teenager, according to the Associated Press. The medic, Corey Scott, testified on June 20 that he suffocated the boy after Gallagher stabbed him, claiming that he did it as an act of mercy. He had previously not told prosecutors that, and his account only changed after he was granted immunity.
In addition, the prosecution had already faced ethics questions ahead of the court-martial, which began in June.
At hearings in May, it was revealed that the prosecution sought to track emails from Gallagher’s defense team in an effort to find a leak to the media. Cmdr. Christopher Czaplak, the then-lead prosecutor, and agents of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service sent emails embedded with hidden tracking software to Gallagher’s lawyers and a journalist for the Navy Times, according to the New York Times.
Several outlets in May reported that President Donald Trump was considering a pardon for Gallagher. The president in March also moved Gallagher to „less restrictive confinement” due to the „honor of his past service to our country.”
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Navy SEAL found not guilty of nearly all charges in war crimes trial
EU, France, Germany and UK urge Iran to reverse uranium decision
Brussels (AFP) – The diplomatic chiefs of the EU, France, Germany and Britain said Tuesday they were „extremely concerned” and urged Iran to reverse its decision to breach a limit on enriched uranium reserves under a 2015 nuclear deal.
„We urge Iran to reverse this step and to refrain from further measures that undermine the nuclear deal,” said the joint statement signed by EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini and the three countries’ foreign ministers — France’s Jean-Yves Le Drian, Germany’s Heiko Maas and Britain’s Jeremy Hunt.
Tehran said Monday that it had made good on its warning that it would breach the limit in response to Washington abandoning the nuclear deal last year and hitting Iran’s crucial oil exports and financial transactions with biting sanctions.
Iran, which has sought to pressure the remaining parties to save the deal, announced on May 8 that it would no longer respect the limit set on its enriched uranium and heavy water stockpiles.
It threatened to abandon further nuclear commitments unless the deal’s remaining partners — Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia — helped it circumvent sanctions, especially to sell its oil.
„We have been consistent and clear that our commitment to the nuclear deal depends on full compliance by Iran,” said the joint statement on Tuesday.
„We regret this decision by Iran, which calls into question an essential instrument of nuclear nonproliferation.”
It added that the group was „urgently considering next steps under the terms” of the deal, which saw Iran commit to never acquiring an atomic bomb, accept drastic limits on its nuclear programme and submit to IAEA inspections in exchange for a partial lifting of international sanctions.
European shares slightly higher after EU picks France’s Lagarde as ECB head
(For a live blog on European stocks, type LIVE/ in an Eikon news window)
July 3 (Reuters) – European shares edged higher in early trading on Wednesday on hopes that France’s Christine Lagarde, who was named the new head of the European Central Bank, will continue with the dovish policy stance of current chief Mario Draghi. If approved by the European parliament, Lagarde will succeed Draghi when his term expires at the end of October.
Government bond yields in much of the euro zone fell to fresh record lows on the news and bank stocks, which tend to suffer from a low interest rate environment, fell 0.5%.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index gained 0.2% by 0706 GMT, with the food & beverages sector outperforming with a 0.9% rise.
German consumer goods company Henkel rose 1.5% after Goldman Sachs upgraded the stock to „buy” from „neutral” as the brokerage expects the company’s recovery in the second half of the year to drive future growth.
European chipmakers took a hit after a senior U.S. official told the Commerce Department’s enforcement staff this week that China’s Huawei should still be treated as blacklisted.
The news comes as a stark difference from U.S. President Donald Trump decision over the weekend to ease a ban on sales to the Chinese firm.
STMicroelectronics, STMicroelectronics and Infineon fell between 1% and 2%. (Reporting by Amy Caren Daniel in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur)
Mexico president wants to disband entire army: ‘We are a pacifist country’
Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Monday he would like to disband the army and put national security in the hands of the new National Guard militarised police force, though he recognised the proposal was unlikely to happen.
In an interview with Mexican newspaper La Jornada, the leftist president said he favoured guaranteeing the nation’s security through the National Guard, which he formally inaugurated on Sunday.
“If were up to me, I would get rid of the army and turn it into the National Guard, declare that Mexico is a pacifist country that does not need a military and that the defence of the nation, if necessary, would be done by all,” he said.
Only a few countries in the world have abolished standing armies, among them the Latin American nations of Costa Rica and Panama.
Mexico’s army has traditionally kept on the sidelines of international conflict, but has been deployed to tackle drug gangs since 2007.
Mr Lopez Obrador recognised the political challenges to eliminating the military, adding: “I can’t do it because there is resistance. One thing is what is desirable and another thing is what is possible.”
The creation of the National Guard, which launched with 70,000 members and which Mr Lopez Obrador intends to grow to 150,000 units across Mexico, has raised concerns about the militarisation of law enforcement in Mexico.
Mr Lopez Obrador has already tapped the force, which was created by a constitutional change, to patrol the country’s northern and southern borders in response to US President Donald Trump’s demands that Mexico do more to contain migrant flows.
The National Guard has been assembled quickly, drawing on members of the armed forces and federal police, who have often been implicated in abuses during ongoing efforts to subdue gang violence.
Mr Lopez Obrador said he recognised the importance of curbing such abuses as the force ramps up.
The challenge the Mexican government faces, Mr Lopez Obrador said, is “for human rights to be respected and for there to be a different conduct in the National Guard, made up of soldiers and sailors”.
Reuters
Iran to exceed uranium enrichment limit from Sunday: Rouhani
Tehran (AFP) – President Hassan Rouhani said Iran will exceed on Sunday the uranium enrichment limit it agreed in a 2015 deal with major powers, raising it „as much as necessary”.
Iran is acting on its May 8 threat to suspend parts of the 2015 nuclear agreement in response to US President Donald Trump’s reimposition of crippling sanctions since withdrawing from it in May last year.
„On July 7, our enrichment level will no longer be 3.67 percent. We will put aside this commitment. We will increase (the enrichment level) beyond 3.67 percent to as much as we want, as much as is necessary, as much as we need,” Rouhani said during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
The enrichment maximum set in the agreement is sufficient for power generation but far below the more than 90 percent level required for a nuclear warhead.
Rouhani stressed that Iran’s action would be reversed if the other parties to the nuclear deal made good on their side of the bargain — relief from sanctions.
„We will remain committed to the (nuclear deal) as long as the other parties are committed. We will act on the JCPOA 100 percent the day that the other party acts 100 percent (too).”
Iran has sought to pressure the other parties — Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia — to save the deal.
It announced on May 8 it would no longer respect the limits set on the size of its stockpiles of enriched uranium and heavy water.
It threatened to abandon further nuclear commitments, including exceeding the agreed uranium enrichment maximum from July 7.
Rouhani said Iran will also deliver on its threat to resume construction of a heavy water reactor after July 7 and will bring it to the condition that „according to you, is dangerous and can produce plutonium.”
He added the measures can be reversed in „hours” if the other parties „live up to their commitments.”
The European Union has sought to save the deal by setting up a payment mechanism known as INSTEX meant to help Iran skirt US sanctions.
Rouhani dismissed the mechanism as „hollow”, saying it was useless to Iran because it failed to provide for financing of purchases of Iranian oil.
The Latest: UN Security Council to condemn attack in Libya
Libya
BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) — The latest on developments in Libya, where an airstrike on a migrant detention center in Tripoli killed at least 44 people (all times local):
11:55 p.m.
The president of the U.N. Security Council says it will issue a statement condemning the attack on a migrant detention camp near Libya’s capital of Tripoli, but there is no agreement yet on the text.
Council diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity because discussions were private, said the United States was waiting for instructions from Washington.
Peruvian Ambassador Gustavo Meza-Cuadra is this month’s council president and said the Security Council will condemn Wednesday’s attack that killed at least 44 people. He added that „we will have a press statement, but we are still discussing it.”
Peru called the emergency meeting after requests from Libya’s U.N.-supported government and Britain.
Meza-Cuadra said several council members echoed Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ call for an independent investigation and for the perpetrators to be held accountable.
___
11:05 p.m.
Diplomats say the U.N. political chief told the Security Council that at least 53 people were reportedly killed in an airstrike on a migrant detention center in a suburb of Libya’s capital, which was also targeted on May 7.
Rosemary DiCarlo said at the council’s emergency closed consultations that about 200 migrants and refugees from the Tajoura detention center were reportedly sitting in an open field late Wednesday waiting to be evacuated to a safer shelter, according to the diplomats.
The diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity because the meeting was private, said DiCarlo told the council that Libyan authorities have continued to transfer migrants to Tajoura despite humanitarian organizations repeatedly saying they risked getting caught in conflict.
DiCarlo said that on May 7, the Tajoura center was also hit by an airstrike targeting government forces that injured two civilians inside, according to the diplomats.
She told the council the latest attack shows the increasing vulnerability of refugees and migrants, and it’s troubling that over 3,000 of them intercepted at sea have been returned to Libya this year, the diplomats said.
___ Edith M. Lederer
10:05 p.m.
The U.N. agency dealing with migration says some 3,300 migrants who remain detained in centers similar to the one near Libya’s capital Tripoli that was bombed Wednesday „are considered at risk.”
As night fell, the International Organization for Migration, or IOM, said an estimated 250 migrants remained at the Tajoura detention center where at least 44 people were killed and more than 130 injured.
IOM said its doctors and nurses responded immediately following the attack that destroyed the hanger where 180 male migrants were detained. The agency said its teams also located a group of injured migrants who left Tajoura after the attack in the surrounding neighborhood and transferred them to hospital for further treatment.
IOM says 187 of the more than 600 detainees at Tajoura had registered for its voluntary return program and among the casualties were „several” scheduled to return home in the coming days.
Othman Belbeisi, head of the IOM’s Libya mission, said „the suffering of migrants in Libya has become intolerable” and the country is not a „safe port.”
___
9:30 p.m.
Morocco says there were 15 Moroccans among the migrants hit by the airstrike on a Libyan detention center killing at least 44 people. Dozens more were wounded.
A Moroccan consular official who is in touch with Libyan health authorities tells The Associated Press on Wednesday that three of the Moroccans have been contacted and are doing OK after suffering light injuries.
No further information was available about whether the Moroccans would be repatriated or next steps. The official was not authorized to be publicly named according to government policy.
— Angela Charlton in Paris.
___
7:55 p.m.
A spokesman for the self-styled Libyan National Army is calling for the U.N. to open an investigation into the airstrike on a detention center in Tajoura that killed at least 44 migrants.
Ahmed al-Mesmari denies the LNA targeted the center and said the U.N. should investigate — in cooperation with the LNA — the airstrike and other attacks.
He says other attacks include an airstrike allegedly by Misrata militia on Wednesday south of Tripoli that killed children.
Al-Mesmari says: „This operation is a terrorist operation carried out by the militias. We are targeting legitimate targets in Tripoli.”
Bangladesh sentences nine to death for 1994 attack on PM Hasina
DHAKA (Reuters) – A Bangladesh court on Wednesday sentenced nine members of the main opposition party to death and handed life terms to another 25 for attempting to kill Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina 25 years ago, a government lawyer said.
Thirteen people were also jailed for 10 years for their part in the attack on a train carrying Hasina in 1994, prosecutor Aminul Islam said.
At that time, Hasina was opposition leader and her arch rival, Khaleda Zia, was prime minister. Now Zia and her Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) are the opposition.
„The accused threw bombs and fired on the coach of the train, targeting Hasina to kill her,” Islam told reporters outside the court in the town of Pabna, where the attack happened, 160 km (100 miles) northwest of the capital, Dhaka.
Hasina’s administration has been accused of suppressing dissent and jailing critics, including supporters of the BNP. Zia is in jail on corruption charges that she said were politically motivated.
Rivalry between Hasina and Zia, both relatives of former rulers, has dominated politics in Bangladesh for years.
Masud Khandaker, a lawyer for some of the defendants, said that all of them would appeal the sentences.
Hasina was also targeted in 2004, when attackers threw grenades at rally in Dhaka, killing 24 people and wounding more than 500.
In 2018, a court sentenced 19 people to death and 19 to life imprisonment for that attack. Those defendants have appealed to a higher court.
(Reporting by Hasibur Rahman from Pabna, additional reporting and writing by Serajul Quadir; Editing by Devjyot Ghoshal)
___
PHOTOS: Where migrants are held in U.S. custody
The treatment of migrants in federal custody has come under intense scrutiny following recent reports of unsanitary conditions, overcrowding, and prolonged detention of adults and children at several U.S. Customs and Border Protection facilities near the southwest border. (Yahoo News)
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