US-Mexico talks: Agreement to avoid tariffs reached, says Trump.

Mexico has agreed to take "unprecedented steps" to help stem the flow of migrants to the United States of America in order to avoid trade tariffs threatened by President Donald Trump.

Mr Trump revealed that a deal had been reached to suspend the tariffs "indefinitely" in a series of tweets.

He had threatened to implement import duties of 50, rising every month, unless Mexico acted to curb migration.

The tariffs were due to come into effect on Monday.

The deal, also confirmed in a tweet by Mexico's Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard, comes at the end of three days of negotiations, which saw Washington demand a crackdown on Central American migrants.

Mr Trump caught members of his own party unaware when he announced the proposed tariffs last week.

He had declared an emergency on the US-Mexico border in February, saying it was necessary in order to tackle what he claimed was a crisis with thousands of undocumented migrants crossing the frontier.

In a joint declaration released by the US State Department, the two countries said Mexico would take "unprecedented" steps to curb irregular migration and human trafficking.

But it seems the US did not get one of its reported key demands that would have required Mexico to take in asylum seekers heading for the US and process their claims on its own soil.

Under the deal, Mexico agreed to:

Deploy its National Guard throughout the country from Monday, pledging up to 6,000 additional troops along Mexico's southern border with Guatemala
Take "decisive action" in tackling human smuggling networks
The US also agreed to:

Expand its programme of sending asylum seekers back to Mexico while they awaited reviews of their claims. In return, the US would "work to accelerate" the adjudication process
Both countries pledged to "strengthen bilateral co-operation" over border security, including "co-ordinated actions" and information sharing.

The declaration added that discussions would continue, and final terms be accepted and announced within 90 days.

Should Mexico's actions "not have the expected results", the agreement warned that additional measures could be taken, but did not specify what these would be.

Mr Ebrard told journalists that the deal was a "fair balance" between both nations.

"We couldn't be more pleased with the agreement," US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told reporters at a separate press conference, according to AFP news agency.

"It is very, very significant and we very much appreciate the commitments that Mexico has made to help us on those important immigration issues".

Source: https://aderonkebamidele.com/us-mexico-talks-agreement-to-avoid-tariffs-reached-says-trump/

Turkey's Erdogan is best man at footballer Mesut Ozil's wedding:

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was the best man at German footballer Mesut Ozil's wedding on Friday.

Ozil, who has Turkish roots, sparked a furore when he posed in photos with Mr Erdogan before the World Cup last year.

He then quit international football, citing the "racism and disrespect" he'd experienced over the photos in Germany.

The 30-year-old Arsenal midfielder married his fiancee, former Miss Turkey Amine Gulse, at a luxury hotel on the banks of the Bosphorus.

The couple first started dating in 2017, and announced their engagement in June 2018.

Ozil had announced in March this year that he'd asked Mr Erdogan to be his best man - which, again, sparked criticism in his home country.

Helge Braun, German Chancellor Angela Merkel's chief of staff, told Bild newspaper at the time that it "makes one sad" that Ozil would make such a choice, given the reaction to his meeting with the Turkish president last year.

Mr Erdogan meanwhile reportedly often attends celebrity marriages in Turkey, especially during election campaigns.

His attendance at Ozil's wedding comes ahead of a re-run of mayoral elections in Istanbul. The previous result - which saw his AKP candidate narrowly defeated - was annulled, prompting international criticism.

The third-generation Turkish-German was born in Gelsenkirchen and was a key member of his country's 2014 World Cup-winning side.

He has 92 caps and fans have voted him the national team's player of the year five times since 2011.

But in May last year Ozil sparked a nationwide controversy when he posed alongside the Turkish leader ahead of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, prompting some in Germany to ask questions about where his loyalty lay.

The criticism worsened after the German team - the defending champions - crashed out in the first round.

Source: https://aderonkebamidele.com/turkeys-erdogan-is-best-man-at-footballer-mesut-ozils-wedding/

London bus attack women: 'We are not scared to be visibly queer'.

Two ladies who were left covered in blood following a homophobic attack on a bus have said they will not be cowed into hiding their sexuality.

Melania Geymonat, 28, and Chris, 29, say they were attacked by several males on the top deck of a London night bus in the early hours of 30 May after they refused to kiss one different.

Both women were treated in hospital for facial injuries.

Four male teenagers aged between 15 and 18 have been arrested.

Asked whether the attack left her less willing to show affection in public, Chris, who lives in north London but is originally from the US, said: "I am not scared about being visibly queer.

"If anything, you should do it more."

Ms Geymonat, who is a doctor but currently works for Ryanair as a stewardess, said she agreed.

Chris said: "I was and still am angry. It was scary, but this is not a novel situation."

Over the five years to 2018, reported homophobic hate crimes across London have increased from 1,488 in 2014 to 2,308 in 2018, according to the Met Police's crime dashboard.

Chris added: "A lot of people's rights and basic safety are at risk. I want people to feel emboldened to stand up to the same people who feel emboldened by the right-wing populism that is, I feel, responsible for the escalation in hate crimes.

"I want people to take away from this that they should stand up for themselves and each other."

Ms Geymonat, who lives in Bishop's Stortford in Hertfordshire but is originally from Uruguay, said she felt the violence had not been directed at them only because they are "women who are dating each other, but also because we are women".

The Met Police said the four teenagers were arrested on suspicion of committing aggravated grievous bodily harm and robbery.

They have been taken to separate London police stations for questioning.

Officers are continuing to appeal for witnesses and information after the women were assaulted and robbed on a route N31 bus in Camden.

Det Supt Andy Cox described the attack as "disgusting".

Bus operator Metroline said there was CCTV footage of the attack and it was co-operating with police, who have said they are "following up" on footage of the assault.

Source: https://aderonkebamidele.com/london-bus-attack-women-we-are-not-scared-to-be-visibly-queer/

Sudan crisis: Call for civil disobedience after arrests.

The umbrella group leading Sudan's pro-democracy movement has called for a nationwide campaign of civil disobedience, days after a bl**dy military crackdown left dozens dead.

It called for the campaign to start on Sunday, and continue until a civilian government was installed.

The announcement followed the arrest of 3 opposition figures who had been involved in mediation efforts.

They had met Ethiopia's prime minister to try to restart peace talks.

However, opposition politician Mohamed Esmat was arrested on Friday soon after his meeting with Ethiopia's Abiy Ahmed, aides said, while Ismail Jalab, a leader of the rebel SPLM-N group, and his spokesman Mubarak Ardol were detained early on Saturday.

Protest leaders have rejected an offer of talks from the Transitional Military Council (TMC), saying it cannot be trusted after the bloodshed.

Sudan has been controlled by the TMC since protests led to the ousting of long-time President Omar al-Bashir in April.

The military promised a transition to civilian rule, but protesters had maintained a sit-in in Khartoum until security forces swept in on Monday and opened fire.

Source: https://aderonkebamidele.com/sudan-crisis-call-for-civil-disobedience-after-arrests/

Venezuela crisis: Border with Colombia reopens after four months.

Tens of thousands of individuals crossed the border with Venezuela and Colombia after it reopened for the first time in four months on Saturday, officers say.

The crossing was closed in February at President Nicolás Maduro's request as opposition leader Juan Guaidó prepared to bring in US-backed humanitarian aid.

The country has faced shortages of basic supplies as a result of a severe years-long economic crisis.

More than four million people have fled Venezuela since 2015, UN agencies say.

According to Colombia's foreign ministry, more than 30,000 Venezuelans arrived on Saturday, with almost 37,000 leaving by the end of the day.

The borders with Colombia, Brazil and Dutch Antilles islands were all closed earlier this year after the opposition organised the delivery of foreign aid, which was denounced by Mr Maduro as part of an effort to remove him.

Last month, Mr Maduro announced the reopening of the border with Brazil and the island of Aruba, but Aruban authorities said the border would remain closed.

Announcing the reopening of the border with Colombia on Twitter, Mr Maduro - who has blamed the country's crisis on a Washington-led economic war - said (in Spanish): "We're a people of peace that strongly defends our independence and self-determination."

The closures had caused problems for towns along the border that have come to rely on Colombian cities for essential products and services, and many people have crossed illegally, at times having to pay tolls to criminals controlling passage.

Before it closed, some 30,000 people a day would cross the Simon Bolivar International Bridge every day, AFP news agency said.

The crisis in Venezuela deepened in January after Mr Guaidó, head of the National Assembly, declared himself interim president, arguing that Mr Maduro's re-election last year had been "illegitimate".

He has since been recognised by more than 50 countries, including the US and most of Latin America. But Mr Maduro retains the loyalty of most of the military and important allies such as China and Russia.

In April, Mr Guaidó led a failed attempt to spark a military rebellion against Mr Maduro, who described the effort as part of a US-orchestrated coup.

Since then, close allies of Mr Guaidó have been arrested. While his parliamentary immunity has been lifted, he has so far not been jailed.

Meanwhile, Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie, special envoy for the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), said there was an urgent need for the international community to give greater support to Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, the three countries with the most Venezuelans refugees.

After meeting with Colombia's President Ivan Duque in Cartagena, she warned that more than 20,000 Venezuelan children, born abroad to displaced families, were at risk of statelessness as their parents were struggling to obtain the necessary documents.

On Friday, the UNHCR and International Organization for Migration (IOM) said the exodus from the country meant that Venezuelans were now "one of the single largest population groups displaced from their country".

Source: https://aderonkebamidele.com/venezuela-crisis-border-with-colombia-reopens-after-four-months/

One of Europe's most wanted men is arrested in Malta:

One of Europe's most wanted fugitives, who has been on the run for 16 years, has been arrested in Malta over the brutal murder of a man.

Christopher Guest more Jr, 41, left the united kingdom after Brian Waters was tortured and beaten to death in front of his 2 adult children in 2003.

He is alleged to have gone to Mr Waters' farm in Knutsford, Cheshire, to settle a drugs debt.

He was arrested on Thursday night, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said.

Three other men, John Wilson, 69, James Raven, 60, and Otis Matthews, 41, are serving life sentences for the murder of Mr Waters at Burnt House Farm in Tabley on 19 June 2003.

Mr Waters, 44, was running a cannabis farm when the men stormed the property to demand money.

He was tied to a chair before being whipped, burned, attacked with a staple gun, hung upside down and beaten and sexually assaulted with an iron bar during a three-hour ordeal in which he sustained 123 injuries.

His son, Gavin, was also attacked and his daughter, Natalie, who had just turned 21, was held at gunpoint, a trial heard.

Mr More Jr was wanted in connection with the murder, the attempted murder of a second man and the false imprisonment and assault of other victims at the scene.

The NCA said he was arrested in the Swieqi area of northern Malta in a joint operation with the Maltese authorities.

NCA regional manager Graham Roberts said: "We have waited a long, long time for this moment. We were never going to give up in the hunt.

"More Jr featured on the very successful Operation Captura fugitives hunt and, out of 96 fugitives, there are now just 12 evading justice."

Extradition proceedings were started against Mr More Jr when he appeared in court in the Maltese capital, Valetta, earlier.

He has been remanded in custody until his next hearing on Monday.

Source: https://aderonkebamidele.com/one-of-europes-most-wanted-men-is-arrested-in-malta/

Trooping the Colour parade marks Queen's official birthday:

The Queen's official birthday has been marked with the annual Trooping the Colour parade.

She was joined by members of her family and thousands of spectators to watch the display in Horse Guards Parade in Whitehall.

The prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex all attended.

The Queen celebrated her 93rd birthday in April.

The royal colonels - the Prince of Wales, Colonel of the Welsh Guards, the Princess Royal, Colonel of the Blues and Royals, the Duke of Cambridge, colonel of the Irish Guards and the Duke of York, colonel of the Grenadier Guards - all rode on horseback as part of the parade.

The Duchess of Sussex made her first appearance in public since giving birth to her son Archie four weeks ago.

The Duke of Edinburgh, who celebrates his 98th birthday on Monday, has retired from official public duties and did not attend.

The Queen watched the ceremony - which this year parades the flag from the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards - from a dais in Horse Guards Parade and she also inspected the lines of guardsmen.

Among the guests was Theresa May, who formally stepped down as Conservative party leader on Friday, but will remain in office until a successor has been appointed.

One soldier, Major Niall Hall, of the Regimental Adjutant of the Irish Guards, was thrown from his horse during the parade.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence said Maj Hall was immediately treated by a medical team and taken to hospital. His injuries are not life-threatening.

Following the parade, which involved about 1,400 soldiers, the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery fired a 41-gun salute in Green Park.

Trooping the Colour originated from traditional preparations for battle and has commemorated the birthday of the sovereign for more than 250 years.

Colours, or flags, were carried, or "trooped", down the rank so that they could be seen and recognised by the soldiers.

Source:https://aderonkebamidele.com/trooping-the-colour-parade-marks-queens-official-birthday/

Eja Nla! D'banj gifts himself a Rolls Royce for his 38th Birthday:

Veteran Nigerian singer, Oladapo Daniel Oyebanjo popularly known as D'banj, has bought himself a white Rolls Royce for his 39th birthday today, June 9th.

"DO IT BIG , DO IT RIGHT , DO IT WITH STYLE ...... BIG CONGRATULATIONS @iambangalee ON YOUR NEW ROLLS ROYCE ��‍♂️� BIGGEST FISH ........ Na God do am for you bro ... I tap into your blessing...... plus HAPPY BIRTHDAY I wish you long life and more prosperity in good health ..... Amen enjoy your day king ����"





Source: https://aderonkebamidele.com/eja-nla-dbanj-gifts-himself-a-rolls-royce-for-his-38th-birthday/

Hong Kong protests: Leader Carrie Lam defiant on extradition plan:

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has said she will not scrap a controversial arrange to permit extradition to China, despite mass protests.

On Sunday, hundreds of thousands of people rallied against the bill which critics fear allows China to target political opponents in the region.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, she insisted the law was necessary and said human rights safeguards were in place.

Chinese state media said "foreign forces" were behind the protests.

Organisers estimate that one million people took part in Sunday's march, although police put the figure at 240,000 at its peak.

If the organisers' estimate is confirmed as correct, it would be the largest demonstration in Hong Kong since the territory was handed over to China by the British in 1997.

After Sunday's protests tapered off, violence broke out between protesters and police. At least three officers and a journalist were injured.

Another rally will be held on Wednesday, when the second reading of the bill will be debated by legislators, the AFP news agency quoted protest organiser Jimmy Sham as saying.

Carrie Lam said in a press conference on Monday the law would in no way erode any of the special freedoms the territory enjoys.

"The bill wasn't initiated by the central people's government," Ms Lam said, referring to Beijing. She said the law was proposed out of "conscience" and "commitment to Hong Kong".

She also promised legally binding human rights safeguards, and regular reports of implementation of cases to the legislature.

The march was seen as a major rebuke of Ms Lam, who has pushed for the amendments to be passed before July.

Critics of the bill say it will expose Hong Kong residents to China's deeply flawed justice system, and lead to further erosion of judicial independence.

Supporters say safeguards are in place to prevent anyone facing religious or political persecution from being extradited to mainland China.

Source: https://aderonkebamidele.com/hong-kong-protests-leader-carrie-lam-defiant-on-extradition-plan/

Kathua child rape and murder: India court finds six guilty.

Six of eight men accused of the rape, torture and murder of an eight-year-old Muslim girl in Indian-administered Kashmir are found guilty in a specially convened fast-track court.

The victim, who belonged to a Muslim nomadic tribe, was found in a forest near Kathua town in January 2018.

The case made headlines when Hindu right-wing groups and lawyers protested over the arrest of the eight men.

All of them had pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.

One of them - the son of one of those convicted - has been acquitted. The eight accused include a retired government official, four police officers and a minor.

The minor will be tried separately in accordance with India's juvenile act, which is why only seven people were subject to Monday's court verdict.

The child's mother has demanded capital punishment for two of those convicted - retired government officer Sanji Ram and police officer Deepak Khajuria - claiming that they were the "masterminds" behind the crime.

"My daughter's face still haunts me and that pain will never leave me. When I see other children of her age playing around me, it breaks my heart," she told the BBC's Divya Arya at her family home. The family chose not to attend the court to listen to the verdict.

When delivering its verdict, the court said that the sentences of the six convicts would be announced at 14:00 local time (08:30 GMT).

The Kathua rape and murder was one among many high-profile cases that prompted India to introduce a new law which mandated the death penalty to anyone convicted of raping a child under 12.

Details of the injuries inflicted on the child had horrified many Indians.

Outrage grew after two ministers from India's governing Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attended a rally in support of the accused men, whose community was involved in a land dispute with the nomadic tribe the girl belonged to.

Investigators at the time said that the child was targeted because the accused men wished to terrorise the tribe- known as Gujjars- into leaving.

The sentiment around the case prompted the top court to move the trial out of Jammu and Kashmir to a court in Pathankot in the northern state of Punjab and start the trial afresh.

The victim's parents had said that they felt "threatened" in Kathua, where the community is predominantly Hindu.

Source: https://aderonkebamidele.com/kathua-child-rape-and-murder-india-court-finds-six-guilty/

Washington gay pride: 'Gun threat' sparks panic at parade.

A man is due to appear in court after allegedly causing a stampede at a gay pride parade in the United States of America which left seven individuals needing hospital treatment.

The man, named in United States of America media as 38-year-old Aftabjit Singh, allegedly waved a bb gun, which fires small metal ball projectiles, in the capital Washington on Saturday.

A number of individuals reported hearing gunshots before the crowd fled.

However, officials maintain there is no evidence that shots were fired.

A police report - cited by the Associated Press news agency - said the man took the weapon out after noticing someone "hitting his significant other".

He has been charged with illegal possession of a BB gun, carrying a dangerous weapon and disorderly conduct. He is due in court on Monday.

Elizabeth Hernandez, 19, told AP that she heard a "pop, pop" during the parade. She said she ran, was pushed into a restaurant and hid in the bathroom.

Some eyewitnesses said the sound might have been that of metal barriers being knocked over.

Images have circulated on social media, showing crowds running around the city's Dupont Circle neighbourhood.

The seven people taken to hospital had non-life-threatening injuries which they suffered during the panic, police said.

In a statement on Twitter, parade organisers Capital Pride said all of their events would continue "with safety precautions in place".

Gay pride is celebrated around the world in June, with some parades organised on or around 28 June, the anniversary of a police raid on the Stonewall Inn gay bar in New York City.

During the raid, in 1969, the bar's patrons fought back and inspired the modern LGBT rights movement.

Source: https://aderonkebamidele.com/washington-gay-pride-gun-threat-sparks-panic-at-parade/

David Ortiz: Former Boston Red Sox star shot in back in Dominican Republic.

Boston Red Sox legend David Ortiz was shot in the back in the Dominican Republic on Sunday, police say.

The three-time World Series champion, 43, is recovering after surgery, the Red Sox said in a statement.

"David's family has confirmed that he sustained a gunshot wound to the lower back/abdominal region," it added.

"We have offered David's family all available resources to aid in his recovery and will continue to keep them in our hearts."

Dominican National Police spokesman Felix Duran Mejia told CNN the incident occurred at the Dial Discotheque in Santo Domingo, where he was born.

Ortiz, a designated hitter and first baseman, ended his 20-year Major League Baseball career in 2016, when he earned the last of his 10 All-Star appearances.

He helped Boston win a first World Series title in 86 years 2004, as well as championships in 2007 and 2013.

"Anxiously waiting for more news. In the meantime, only prayers for David, Tiffany and their family," said former New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez on Twitter.

Source: https://aderonkebamidele.com/david-ortiz-former-boston-red-sox-star-shot-in-back-in-dominican-republic/

India's Virat Kohli praised for defending Steve Smith from crowds:

India cricket captain Virat Kohli is winning hearts for his gesture defending Australian player Steve Smith, after he was booed by Indian fans during Sunday's match.

Kohli, who was batting as Smith fielded in the deep, walked towards the Indian crowd and motioned for them to applaud instead of booing him.

Speaking after the match Kohli said he had also apologised to Smith.

"What has happened is in the past, I felt bad for him," he said.

"We've had issues in the past, we have had arguments on the field. But you don't want to see a guy feeling that heat every time he goes out to play," the India captain added.

Smith is back in the Australian side after a year's suspension for ball-tampering. It is that incident that has provoked crowds into heckling him.

A clip of the on field incident tweeted by the International Cricket Council (ICC) has been retweeted more than 21,000 times.

The incident has caused the hashtag #SpiritOfCricket to trend on Twitter in India with many praising Kohli and hitting out at those who call him "arrogant". And the praise was not limited to just Indian fans.

Steve Smith has not commented on the incident.

He has had a good World Cup. He scored 69 in Sunday's match and 73 in his previous game against the West Indies.

The Sydney Morning Herald however, was appreciative. It said that "Kohli, often seen as the villain when playing Australia, demonstrated a show of friendship" in the game but added that it would remain to be seen if Kohli's message filtered through to the rest of the cricketing world.

Source: https://aderonkebamidele.com/indias-virat-kohli-praised-for-defending-steve-smith-from-crowds/

River Elbe sinking: Restored 19th Century ship goes down.

A 19th Century ship that had only recently undergone an expensive restoration has sunk in Germany after a collision with a container vessel.

Several people aboard the No 5 Elbe schooner were injured in Saturday's incident on the Elbe River near the northern city of Hamburg.

But all 43 people were quickly evacuated by rescue boats nearby.

The schooner, built in 1883, is Hamburg's last seagoing wooden ship from the era.

The cause of the collision at about 12:30 GMT on Saturday is being investigated.

"If we hadn't been in the vicinity there could have been fatalities," fire service official Wilfried Sprekels told the local newspaper Stader Tageblatt.

Rescue vessels were dealing with a minor incident nearby at the time.

Despite all their efforts the schooner sank, but its passengers and crew were rescued.

Passenger Almut Koerting told the BBC that she wanted to thank the crew for their "prudential and sober-minded action before, during and after the terrible crash".

"We have experienced a wonderful, lovingly maintained ship, which beautifully drove us down Elbe River, and then, incredibly enough, still took her people to port in spite of being severely damaged in the collision."

The 37m (121ft) boat had just recently finished a €1.5m (£1.3m; $1.7m) refit in a Danish shipyard.

Its owners hope to salvage it so it could be rented for harbour excursions.

Source: https://aderonkebamidele.com/river-elbe-sinking-restored-19th-century-ship-goes-down/

Hungary tourist boat accident: Bodies found as vessel is raised.

At least 2 bodies have been recovered from the wreck of a tourist boat that sank on the Danube in the Hungarian capital, Budapest, last month.

Divers entered the boat as a floating crane slowly raised it to the surface.

The mermaid was carrying South Korean tourists when it was in collision with a cruise ship and capsized, leaving 20 individuals dead and eight others missing.

Recovery efforts by Hungarian and South Korean teams have been hampered by high water levels in the Danube.

Footage from the scene on Tuesday morning showed the cabin and upper deck of the boat emerge from the water and divers then carry out a search for victims still trapped inside. At least two bodies were seen to be removed.

The operation is expected to take several hours. It is not known how strong the hull of the 70-year-old boat is following the collision, salvage experts say.

The Viking Sigyn cruise ship struck the Mermaid just after 21:00 local time (19:00 GMT) on 29 May as both vessels passed under the Margit Bridge.

Seven of the 35 people on board were rescued and seven bodies quickly recovered but others were swept away in the swollen river or trapped inside the boat.

Several bodies were recovered in the following days, with one pulled from the Danube more than 100km (60 miles) downstream. Nineteen South Korean tourists and a Hungarian crewman are known to have died. Those missing include the Mermaid's Hungarian captain.

Once fully out of the water, the wreck of the Mermaid will be taken to a secure location and examined by police, who have launched a criminal investigation.

The Viking Sigyn's captain, named as 64-year-old Ukrainian national Yuriy C, has been detained on suspicion of reckless misconduct in waterborne traffic leading to mass casualties.
Source: https://aderonkebamidele.com/hungary-tourist-boat-accident-bodies-found-as-vessel-is-raised/

Handmaid's fail: Kylie Jenner faces backlash for themed party.

When kylie Jenner posts on social media she gets hundreds of thousands of reactions, many of which are massively complimentary - but not this time.

The social media star has received quite a backlash following a Handmaid's Tale themed party she threw for her friend Anastasia Karanikolaou at the weekend.

Kylie posted videos and pictures of her and her friends in the distinct red robes and white bonnets worn by handmaids, oppressed female characters in Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel.

In a video posted to Instagram, Kylie welcomes partygoers by saying: "Praise be, ladies. Welcome, welcome. You know The Handmaid's Tale is my favourite show ever... welcome to Gilead."

Many social media users were unimpressed by the party's "distasteful theme" in which guests enjoyed "praise be vodka" and "under his eye tequila".

The Handmaid's Tale tells the story of a patriarchal United States where fertile women are subjected to a life of sexual servitude by the authoritarian government named Gilead.

As fertility rates plummet these handmaids are forced to have children for the rich and powerful.

Reacting to the theme one Instagram user commented: "This is so wrong on so many levels. To celebrate the slavery of women is diabolically moronic and shows how truly ignorant Kylie and her mates are.

"They obviously do not understand the premise of the book or TV series... It's embarrassing."

Another comment on Twitter read: "Because nothing says fun like dressing up as women who are habitually raped and denied basic human rights."

Some social media users referred to recent abortion legislation in the US, suggesting Kylie and her "privileged" friends were out of touch.

"Kylie Jenner throwing a Handmaid's Tale themed party, with her level of power and influence, whilst regressive abortion laws are being passed in her own country."

Source: https://aderonkebamidele.com/handmaids-fail-kylie-jenner-faces-backlash-for-themed-party/

Sudan crisis: Government propaganda trip exposes schisms.

Since Sudan's president of 30 years was toppled in April, the ruling military council that then took power has been in conflict with protesters demanding civilian rule.

Scores of protesters have been killed in a crackdown, sparking a nationwide civil disobedience campaign. The BBC's Africa editor, Fergal Keane, reports from a government propaganda trip which went awry, exposing the country's political schisms.

It must have seemed like a good idea to somebody, although I cannot imagine why. The plan was to show us how terribly the protesters had behaved. If the world could see what they were really like they would understand that the regime had no choice but to send in the militia.

Except from the moment we arrived at the first medical facility things started to go wrong.

Groups of Rapid Support Force militia (RSF) were lounging in the shade on both sides of the road. They had a small checkpoint outside the Institute for the Blind and were clearly surprised to meet us. "No cameras, no cameras," shouted one militiaman.

Several were wielding the long sticks they have used to batter opposition supporters in the last few days. They are known in Khartoum now as "Janjawid Two" - a reference to the fact that many served in that ruthless force that was used to terrorise civilians in Darfur.

Surrounded by militia we moved inside the building. Any attempt to point a camera in their direction was met with angry warnings. We were guided by health ministry minders who showed us a series of ransacked offices. Files were strewn on the floor. There were broken pieces of electronic equipment. A militiaman followed us inside. The minders were looking nervous. "You need authorisation to film in here," one of the stick bearers announced. There were phone calls.

Suddenly that rarest of things in Khartoum - a smiling militia commander - strode through the gates. He phoned his boss. His boss probably phoned another boss. Permission was granted. We were allowed to film. "But nobody in a uniform," said the commander.

The health ministry minder told us to follow him so that we could see the ransacked laboratory: smashed sample tubes and more scattered files. The spokesman for the ministry, Hassan Abudulla, said this had all been the work of the protesters. They had broken in and destroyed equipment. He seemed to me to be speaking from a pre-prepared script. So I asked a question.

Q: Do you honestly believe that the violence and destruction was caused by protesters and not by men with guns?

A: I can't be certain. The attack happened. I can't be certain who has done it. I don't know exactly who has done it… Everything here has been destroyed.

I wandered outside. As it happened there were some witnesses in the area. For their safety I am concealing their identities. The picture they painted was very different to the official narrative. One man who had been there when the attack happened said that between 100 and 150 militia had descended on the building at around 05:00 on 3 June. This was as the assault was being launched on the protesters in front of military headquarters nearby. His account was confirmed by a second eyewitness.

"They swore at us and beat us… They broke into the safe and took all the money. They left nothing at all. Then they smashed everything up. They left nothing unbroken," he told me. The witness had his watch and wallet stolen by the militia.

Our tour moved on to a medical warehouse where rows of medicines were stacked, many marked with the word "Release". This was to show us that contrary to opposition claims the militia was not preventing the distribution of badly needed medicines.

Next stop was Omdurman, across the Nile and past yet more jeeploads of militia bristling with guns and rocket propelled grenades. The RSF looks more like an army of occupation than an internal security force.

As far as we could gather, the purpose of the visit to the Omdurman Hospital was to show us that this medical facility was returning to normal service after being closed for the past two days… normal service in a country paralysed by a civil disobedience campaign and where hospitals have been relentlessly starved of the resources they need. This was a significant factor in pushing doctors to become leaders of the protest movement.

In a crowded emergency ward we met the family of Ali Omar Hilal, 45, who had just died while waiting for treatment. His mother, Hawa Farj Amer, said he had died because of a diabetic condition. The family had taken him to a clinic nearer his home in the village of Khosti outside Khartoum but there was no doctor present. When they reached Khartoum on Sunday, they found the Omdurman hospital was also closed. The dead man lay beneath a sheet on a hospital trolley. His younger brother lay on a separate trolley, distraught and being consoled by his sisters and mother.

Outside the hospital a man driving past with a group of children crowded into his pickup truck suddenly stopped in the middle of the road. "The international community has to intervene," he said, "There is no peace here in Sudan. People are suffering a lot… I am frightened for my country."

A South Korean NGO says it has identified 318 sites in North Korea that have been used by the government to carry out public executions.

The Transitional Justice Working Group interviewed 610 North Korean defectors over four years for its report.

It documented decades of killings, for offences ranging from stealing a cow to watching South Korean TV.

Public executions took place near rivers, fields, markets, schools, and sports grounds, the rights group said.

Crowds of 1,000 or more would gather to watch these executions, the NGO said in its report, "Mapping the fate of the dead", released on Tuesday.

This is a common view. What is striking is how many people are still willing to speak their minds in public. The terror inflicted by the militia has not silenced dissent. But the signs of a deepening repression are ominous. As I write the internet is severely restricted and there are fears of a complete shutdown. Social media was an essential tool of mass mobilisation for the protest movement. The government has also deported three opposition leaders to South Sudan - a clear sign they have little interest in resuming talks in good faith to allow a transition to civilian rule. The signs were evident when they began arresting opposition figures who took part in last week's mediation effort by the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed. The arrests took place just after the talks.

Mr Abiy is due to return later this week. It is hard to see how he will bridge the gap between a military regime that is imposing ever greater control and an opposition movement that is now scattered and being driven underground. There was a brief surge of hope when the African Union suspended Sudan last week and Mr Abiy set out on his mediation mission.

But the generals have held their nerve. In particular, the commander of the RSF, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo - known as "Hemeti" - is thought to be pushing a hard line, confident that he has the support of key regional players in Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

"Hemeti" is a favourite of the Saudis, trusted because of his support for their war in Yemen - his troops are fighting there - and because he represents the kind of ruthless figure who can preserve the autocratic status quo they are comfortable with.

Source: https://aderonkebamidele.com/sudan-crisis-government-propaganda-trip-exposes-schisms/

North Korea: Hundreds of public execution sites identified, says report:

A South Korean NGO says it has identified 318 sites in North Korea that have been employed by the government to carry out public executions.

The transitional Justice working group interviewed 610 North Korean defectors over four years for its report.

It documented decades of killings, for offences starting from stealing a cow to watching South Korean TV.

Public executions took place near rivers, fields, markets, schools, and sports grounds, the rights group said.

Crowds of 1,000 or more would gather to watch these executions, the NGO said in its report, "Mapping the fate of the dead", released on Tuesday.

The report alleges that family members of those sentenced to death, including children, were sometimes forced to watch the event. The bodies and burial locations of those killed were rarely given to their relatives.

The youngest person to witness a public killing was seven years old, according to testimony.

Some public executions also take place inside detention facilities such as prisons and labour camps - where people convicted of political crimes are forced into physical work such as mining and logging.

One defector held in a labour camp in the early 2000s described how 80 inmates were made to watch the killing of three women charged with trying to escape to China.

They said a Ministry of People's Security officer told the crowd: "This could happen to you."

The report said executions are "a core method of inciting fear and deterring citizens from engaging in activities deemed undesirable by the regime".

The vast majority of executions happen by firing squad, defectors said. This often involves three shooters firing three rounds each into the body of the condemned person.

Some interviewees cited occasions when those carrying out the execution appeared to be drunk.

One said that "this is because killing is a hard thing to do emotionally".

A smaller number of public hangings was also reported, though the NGO said they appeared to have been scaled back or even halted since 2005.

Ethan Shin, one of the report's authors, told AFP that "it looks like the number of public executions is on a downward trend", but that Pyongyang may simply be operating with more secrecy "as it seeks recognition as a normal state".

High-ranking North Korean officials have been executed in the past. In 2013, the uncle of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was condemned for treason.

But reports of killings are notoriously hard to verify, and have also turned out to be untrue.

In 2013, popular North Korean singer Hyon Song-wol was alleged to have been publicly executed, with a South Korean newspaper saying she was shot "in a hail of machine gun fire while her orchestra looked on".

She later reappeared in 2018 as part of a North Korean delegation visiting Seoul ahead of the Winter Olympics.

Source: https://aderonkebamidele.com/north-korea-hundreds-of-public-execution-sites-identified-says-report/

Mexico 'has 45 days to curb migrant flow to US':

Mexico admits it has 45 days to reduce the number of US-bound migrants, in a deal agreed with the United States of America that staved off the imposition of tariffs.

Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said if troop reinforcements on its southern borders did not work, "additional measures" would need to be discussed.

He said this might mean a "regional solution" involving other nations.

But the US is also likely to require Mexico to process the asylum claims of migrants on its own soil.

He held a press conference which seemed to suggest a difference of opinion about what was actually in the deal announced between the US and Mexico last Friday.

In a tweet, US President Donald Trump said there was a "very important part" of the deal that had been "fully signed and documented" but not yet announced that would give the US what it had been asking for "for many years".

"It will be revealed in the not too distant future and will need a vote by Mexico's legislative body", the president tweeted, adding that if the vote failed "tariffs will be reinstated".

Commentators suggest this is the "safe third country" arrangement, under which migrants would have to apply first for asylum in Mexico, rather than the US, and be turned away if they do not.

Mr Ebrard said the US had been insistent on this measure.

But he said: "We told them - I think it was the most important achievement of the negotiations - 'let's set a time period to see if what Mexico is proposing will work, and if not, we'll sit down and see what additional measures'" are needed.

"They wanted something else totally different to be signed. But that is what there is here. There is no other thing," he said.

Mr Ebrard also said US negotiators had wanted Mexico to commit to "zero migrants" crossing its territory, but that was "mission impossible".

President Trump has also said Mexico will soon make "large" agricultural purchases from the US.

But Mr Ebrard said there had been no additional agreement with the US and that the American president was probably referring to expected growth in trade following the migration deal.

It is deploying 6,000 National Guard personnel to the southern border with Guatemala to try to stem the flow.

It has also agreed to support the expansion of the scheme that returns asylum seekers already in the US to Mexico to wait out the processing of their claims.

Mr Ebrard said the efforts to stem the flow on the southern border would be re-evaluated in mid-July.

If it failed, he said, other countries would need to be drawn in to the matter. Discussions would begin with Brazil, Panama and Guatemala - the countries currently used by migrants as transit points.

A "safe third country" arrangement would create huge problems for Mexico, which says it does not have the resources to integrate thousands of additional migrants.

Source: https://aderonkebamidele.com/mexico-has-45-days-to-curb-migrant-flow-to-us/

One dead in helicopter crash on NYC skyscraper:

The pilot of a helicopter died after it crash-landed on top of a skyscraper in Manhattan, fire officials say.

The incident sparked a rooftop fire, which was quickly extinguished. Some workers were evacuated from the tower, however none were hurt.

The office building close to times square shook from the impact, new york Governor Andrew Cuomo said.

New Yorkers, he added, have "a level of PTSD from 9/11" when they hear news of an aircraft crash in Manhattan.

The pilot has been named by local media as Tim McCormack.

He was the only person aboard the twin-engine Agusta A109E helicopter, said the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The incident happened at around 14:00 (18:00 GMT) on a rainy and foggy Monday on Seventh Avenue.

Governor Cuomo said after preliminary reports that there was no indication of foul play.

"There was a helicopter that made a forced landing, emergency landing, or landed on the roof of the building for one reason or another," he told reporters at the scene.

"There was a fire that happened when the helicopter hit the roof. People that were in the building said that they felt the building shake."

He added: "If you're a New Yorker, you have a level of PTSD, right, from 9/11. And I remember that morning all too well.

"So as soon as you hear an aircraft hit a building, I think my mind goes where every New Yorker's mind goes."

Speaking at the White House on Monday, US President Donald Trump said the crash was "a big tragedy" and "a very sad event".

No debris was visible on the pavement or road below the scene of the AXA Equitable building, which is about 750ft (229m) and more than 50 storeys high.

Michaela Dudley, of Hoboken, New Jersey, was working in the building that the helicopter crashed into and described feeling "a small tremor".

"I started hearing the blare of sirens and knew something bad had happened," the 30-year-old lawyer said.

"There was a flood of sirens outside and an announcement for us to leave the building. I grabbed my backpack and cell phone.

"The stairwell was packed with people trying to get out and so it was a really slow process. We didn't know what was happening so people were getting a bit panicky."

Nicolas Estevez told Reuters news agency he had been standing across the street when a 12in (30cm) chunk of metal that may have come off the helicopter landed on the pavement just feet away.

The aircraft took off from a heliport at Manhattan's east side at 13:32 and crashed 11 minutes later, officials said.

According to Mayor Bill de Blasio, there is no helicopter landing pad on the roof of the AXA Equitable tower at 787 Seventh Avenue where the aircraft crashed.

New York Commissioner James O'Neill told a news conference the helicopter had been engaged in "executive travel" at the time of the crash.

The city's top police officer said the aircraft's reason for flying in such poor weather would be "part of the investigation".

Mr de Blasio said it was "an unusual situation for sure", and the helicopter would have needed special permits from LaGuardia Airport in Queens, New York City.

The building is about half a mile from Trump Tower, and airspace has been under a flight restriction since he became president.

The mayor described the helicopter as "obliterated".

"There is no indication at this time that this was an act of terror and there is no ongoing threat to New York City," he added.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the incident.

Last month a helicopter crashed into the Hudson River, falling just short of a heliport.

Five people were killed in 2018 when a sightseeing helicopter plunged into the East River.

Source: https://aderonkebamidele.com/one-dead-in-helicopter-crash-on-nyc-skyscraper/