June 2018

June 30, 2018

Italy blocks EU summit agreement until migration demands metBy Francesco Guarascio and Gabriela Baczynska BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Italy's prime minister refused to approve an EU summit statement on Thursday, telling fellow leaders that they must first meet his demands on migration, in an unusual showdown that underscored deep divisions over the sensitive issue. The move by Giuseppe Conte, who is attending his first European Union summit, surprised other leaders and forced summit chairman Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to cancel a news conference planned for Thursday evening. "As one member reserved their position on the entire conclusions, no conclusions have been agreed at this stage," a spokesman for Tusk said.




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June 30, 2018

Heated exchange between Deputy AG Rosenstein and Rep. Jordan during House hearingHeated exchange between Deputy AG Rosenstein and Rep. Jordan during House hearing Description: On Thursday, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein testified before the House Judiciary Committee about the Department of Justice’s inspector general’s report that criticized the judgment of the FBI and DOJ in their handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation. Rosenstein was grilled by Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, who claimed he was not complying with congressional requests to submit documents to the committee.




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June 30, 2018

Bali volcano erupts: Thousands of tourists stranded as ash closes airportThe Indonesian tourist island of Bali closed its international airport on Friday, stranding thousands of travellers, as the Mount Agung volcano gushed an 8,200-feet column of ash and smoke. The National Disaster Mitigation Agency said nearly 450 flights were cancelled, affecting some 75,000 people. The regional Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre in Darwin, Australia, said winds would carry the ash southwest toward Java, Indonesia’s most densely populated island. Volcanic ash is a potentially deadly threat to aircraft that can cause engines to "flame out." The volcano began belching ash and smoke on Thursday and several airlines cancelled inbound and outbound flights scheduled for the evening. "We hadn’t a place to stay for the night so we had to find something else, just took a taxi and stayed at a random hostel," said a stranded German backpacker who identified herself as Louisa. "We hoped we could leave this morning, but the airport is closed," she said. Mount Agung - Bali Two small airports, at Banyuwangi and Jember in eastern Java, also closed because of the ash threat. Agung’s alert level has not been raised and an exclusion zone around the crater remains at 2.5 miles. The disaster agency said the closure of Bali’s airport was in effect until 7 pm.  Australia’s national airline Qantas said in a statement that it’s "currently not safe" to operate Bali flights. A flight information board shows cancelled flights at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali Credit: AP It said it was monitoring advice from the ash advisory centre and its own pilots and meteorologists would decide when flights can resume. Australian visitor Rod Bird came early to the airport only to be told his flight back to Perth had been cancelled for the second time. An earlier flight on AirAsia was called off before the airport was shuttered early Friday morning. "They told us the volcano is going off so they rebooked us for this morning and we got here at 5:00 am only to be turned away again. So we've had two cancelled flights," Bird told AFP. "Well it's Bali, these things happen and we are fine with it. We just miss the kids," he added. Tourists rest as Ngurah Rai International Airport is closed due to the eruption of Mount Agung in Bali Credit: AP The volcano, about 45 miles northeast of Bali’s tourist hotspot of Kuta, last had a major eruption in 1963, killing about 1,100 people. It had a dramatic increase in activity last year, forcing the evacuation of tens of thousands of people, but had quietened by early this year. Authorities lowered its alert status from the highest level in February. Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 250 million people, sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" and is prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Government seismologists monitor more than 120 active volcanoes.  




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June 30, 2018

EU moves on migrant plans, while 100 reported missing at seaBRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders Friday drew up new plans to screen migrants in North Africa for eligibility to enter Europe, saying they set aside major differences over stemming the flow of people seeking sanctuary or better lives. But the show of unity did little to hide the fact that the hardest work still lies ahead.




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June 30, 2018

Maryland shooting suspect investigated in 2013 over threats against newspaperTimothy Altomare, chief of Anne Arundel county police, said Jarrod Ramos was looked into over “online threatening comments” directed at the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, but the newspaper management decided not to pursue criminal charges. “There was a fear that doing so would exacerbate an already flammable situation,” Altomare said at a press conference. Ramos, 38, appeared by video at a county district court accused of murdering five people at the newspaper as part of a years-long feud that began when it reported on his harassment of a woman.




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June 30, 2018

Complete list of every full moon in 2018, including June's Strawberry MoonEarly this morning the seventh full moon of the year – dubbed the Strawberry Moon – lit our skies, peaking at 05:53. The first blue moon of the year was a spectacular sight, dubbed the 'super blue blood moon'. Falling on January 31, it was the product of three different phenomena: it was a supermoon, a blue moon and a blood moon. While many said it was the first to be seen in 152 years, other contested the fact, leading to a division among scientists. Stargazers were also treated to two full moons in March: as well as the first full moon on the night of March 1, we saw another full moon on March 31. As it was the second full moon of the month, it was a blue moon – the second of 2018. July will see will see the longest total eclipse of the 21st century, expected to last one hour 43 minutes – just four minutes shy of the longest amount of time an eclipse can last for. The lunar eclipse, which will occur on July 27, will also be a full moon, a micro moon (meaning it is the smallest full moon of the year) and potentially a blood moon. The view from Parliament Hill in Hampstead of the full moon rising over the City of London on JUne 28 2018 Credit: John Stillwell/PA Wire The moon is the largest and brightest object in our night sky and has enchanted and inspired mankind for centuries. Blue moons are a rare breed, but full moons can be admired every month. Here is everything you need to know about Earth's only natural satellite, from all its different names to how it was formed. How often does a full moon occur? A full moon occurs every 29.5 days and is when the Moon is completely illuminated by the Sun's rays. It occurs when Earth is directly aligned between the Sun and the Moon.  Super blue blood moon, in pictures Why do full moons have names? The early Native Americans didn't record time using months of the Julian or Gregorian calendar. Instead tribes gave each full moon a nickname to keep track of the seasons and lunar months. Most of the names relate to an activity or an event that took place at the time in each location. However, it wasn't a uniform system and tribes tended to name and count moons differently. Some, for example, counted four seasons a year while others counted five. Others defined a year as 12 moons, while others said there were 13. Colonial Americans adopted some of the moon names and applied them to their own calendar system which is why they're still in existence today, according to the Farmer’s Almanac. January: Wolf Moon This moon was named because villagers used to hear packs of wolves howling in hunger around this time of the year. Its other name is the Old Moon. This January there are two Wolf Moons - and stargazers will be in for a treat as both will be supermoons. When two moons occur in one month, the second is called a blue moon. While blue moons typically occur only once every two to three years, this year we will be treated to two moons - the second appearing at the end of March. The night following the first full moon of the month saw the Quadrantid meteor shower light up the skies. When? January 2 and January 31 February: Snow Moon Snow moon is named after the white stuff because historically it's always been the snowiest month in America. It's also traditionally referred to as the Hunger Moon, because hunting was very difficult in snowy conditions.  However this year there won't be a Snow Moon - with a full moon occurring at the end of January and another at the beginning of March, we won't see one light up the skies during the year's shortest month. When? There will be no full moon this month The full Snow Moon appears red above London's Albert bridge and Battersea Bridge in 2012 Credit: Anthony Devlin March: Worm Moon As temperatures warm, earthworm casts begin to appear and birds begin finding food. It's also known as Sap Moon, Crow Moon and Lenten Moon. There will be two moons this March, one at the start of the month and one at the end. As in January, the second moon of the month is called a blue moon. The second moon of the month is important because it is used to fix the date of Easter, which is always the Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox. This year, that moon appears on Saturday March 31, which means Easter Sunday falls the day after, on April 1. When? March 1 and 31 April: Pink Moon April's full moon is known as the Pink Moon, but don't be fooled into thinking it will turn pink. It's actually named after pink wildflowers, which appear in the US and Canada in early spring.  This moon is also known as Egg Moon, due to spring egg-laying season. Some coastal tribes referred to it as Fish Moon because it appeared at the same time as the shad swimming upstream.  When? April 30 A couple watch the Pink Moon rise beside Hartshead Pike on April 29, 2018 in Manchester, England Credit: Anthony Devlin May: Flower Moon Spring has officially sprung by the time May arrives, and flowers and colourful blooms dot the landscape. This moon is also known as Corn Planting Moon, as crops are sown in time for harvest, or Bright Moon because this full moon is known to be one of the brightest. Some people refer to it as Milk Moon. When? May 29 Night sky June: Strawberry Moon This moon is named after the beginning of the strawberry picking season. It's other names are Rose Moon, Hot Moon, or Hay Moon as hay is typically harvested around now. This moon appears in the same month as the summer solstice, the longest day of the year (June 21) in which we can enjoy approximately 17 hours of daylight. When? June 28 The so-called 'Strawberry Moon' rises behind Glastonbury Tor on in June 2016.  Credit: Matt Cardy/Getty Images July: Thunder Moon Named due to the prevalence of summer thunder storms. It's sometimes referred to as the Full Buck Moon because at this time of the year a buck's antlers are fully grown.  When? July 27 August: Sturgeon Moon Tribes in North America typically caught Sturgeon during this month, but also it is when grain and corn were gathered so is also referred to as Grain Moon.  This moon appears in the same month as the Perseid meteor shower. When? August 26 September: Harvest Moon The Harvest Moon is the name given to the first full moon that takes place closest to the Autumn equinox, which this year will come on September 23. The Harvest Moon arrived late last year, on October 5 - it normally rises in September. It was during September that most of the crops were harvested ahead of the autumn and this moon would give light to farmers so they could carry on working longer in the evening. Some tribes also called it the Barley Moon, the Full Corn Moon or Fruit Moon.  When?September 25 October: Hunter's Moon As people planned ahead for the cold months ahead, the October moon came to signify the ideal time for hunting game, which were becoming fatter from eating falling grains. This moon is also known as the travel moon and the dying grass moon. When? October 24 November: Frost Moon The first of the winter frosts historically begin to take their toll around now and winter begins to bite, leading to this month's moon moniker. It is also known as the Beaver Moon. When? November 23 December: Cold Moon Nights are long and dark and winter's grip tightens, hence this Moon's name. With Christmas just a few weeks away, it's also referred to as Moon before Yule and Long Nights Moon. When? December 22 Clouds clear to allow a view of the final full moon of the year, a so-called 'Cold Moon' on December 13 2016 in Cornwall. Credit: Matt Cardy/Getty Images Once in a blue moon Does this well-known phrase have anything to do with the moon? Well, yes it does. We use it to refer to something happening very rarely and a blue moon is a rare occurrence. It's the name given to a second full moon that occurs in a single calendar month and this typically occurs only once every two to three years. There's lots of other moons, too: Full moon: We all know what these are. They come around every month and light up the night at night. Harvest moon: The full moon closest to the autumn equinox. Black moon: Most experts agree that this refers to the second new moon in a calendar month. The last black moon was at the start of October 2016 and the next one is expected in 2019. Blue moon: A phenomenon that occurs when there is a second full moon in one calendar month. Joe Rao from space.com explains: "A second full moon in a single calendar month is sometimes called a blue moon. A black moon is supposedly the flip side of a blue moon; the second new moon in a single calendar month." Supermoon is seen behind the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, in May 2012. Credit: AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano The infrequent nature of this lunar event led to the phrase "once in a blue moon" to signify a rare occurrence. It does not actually mean the moon will be blue. Blood moon: Also known as a supermoon lunar eclipse. It's when the shadow of Earth casts a reddish glow on the moon, the result of a rare combination of an eclipse with the closest full moon of the year.  There was one in the UK in September 2015, and before that in 1982 but the next one won't be until 2033.  Strawberry moon: A rare event when there's a full moon on the same day as the summer solstice. It happened in June 2016 for the first time since 1967 when 17 hours of sunlight gave way to a bright moonlit sky. Despite the name, the moon does appear pink or red. The romantic label was coined by the Algonquin tribes of North America who believed June’s full moon signalled the beginning of the strawberry picking season. The blood micro-moon lunar eclipse Next month will see an incredibly rare occurance grace our skies: a blood micro-moon lunar eclipse, the longest eclipse of the century thus far. It will be visible in large parts of Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe, and South America, although it is only expected to be a partial eclipse in the UK. Its totality will last for 103 minutes, which will make it the longest eclipse of the 21st century. The longest total eclipse of the 20th century occurred on July 16 2000, lasting one hour and 46.4 minutes. There is a possibility that we will be able to see Mars on the night of the eclipse, which will fall on July 27. The fourth planet from the sun will be very close to the eclipsed moon on July 27 and 28, which means it will be easier to see it with naked eyes. What is a supermoon? Ever looked up at the night sky to see a full moon so close you could almost touch it? Well you've probably spotted a supermoon. The impressive sight happens when a full moon is at the point in its orbit that brings it closest to Earth. To us Earth-lings, it appears 30 per cent brighter and 14 per cent bigger to the naked eye.  How a supermoon is generated Supermoon is not an astrological term though. It's scientific name is actually Perigee Full Moon, but supermoon is more catchy and is used by the media to describe our celestial neighbour when it gets up close. Astrologer Richard Nolle first came up with the term supermoon and he defined it as "… a new or full moon which occurs with the moon at or near (within 90 per cent of) its closest approach to Earth in a given orbit", according to earthsky.org. How many supermoons are there in 2018? There are two full moon supermoons this year, both of which took place in the first month of the year. The first appeared on January 2 and the second appeared on January 31. As it was the second moon of the month, the latter moon was also known as a blue moon. There will also be two new moon supermoons in 2018: one on July 13 and another on August 11. Unfortunately, stargazers were unable to see these moons as new moons are generally obscured by the light of the sun. Last year we were lucky enough to have four supermoons. The first three - April 26, May 25, June 24 - were new moons.  The fourth supermoon of 2017 appeared on December 3 and was a full moon supermoon. This will be a full moon supermoon. In fact, it's the first of three full moon supermoons in a row.  Supermoon rises over Auckland, New Zealand in August 2014. Credit: Simon Runting/REX What do I look for? Head outside at sunset when the moon is closest to the horizon and marvel at its size. As well as being closer and brighter, the moon (clouds permitting) should also look orange and red in colour. Why? Well, as moonlight passes through the thicker section of the atmosphere, light particles at the red end of the spectrum don't scatter as easily as light at the blue end of the spectrum. So when the moon looks red, you're just looking at red light that wasn't scattered. As the moon gets higher in the sky, it returns to its normal white/yellow colour.  Will the tides be larger? Yes. When full or new moons are especially close to Earth, it leads to higher tides. Tides are governed by the gravitational pull of the moon and, to a lesser extent, the sun. Because the sun and moon go through different alignments, this affects the size of the tides. Tell me more about the moon The moon is 4.6 billion years old and was formed between 30-50 million years after the solar system. It is smaller than Earth - about the same size as Pluto in fact. Its surface area is less than the surface area of Asia - about 14.6 million square miles according to space.com Gravity on the moon is only 1/6 of that found on Earth. The moon is not round, but is egg-shaped with the large end pointed towards Earth. It would take 135 days to drive by car to the moon at 70 mph (or nine years to walk). The moon has "moonquakes" caused by the gravitational pull of Earth. Experts believe the moon has a molten core, just like Earth.  How was the Moon formed? How the Moon was formed Man on the Moon Only 12 people have ever walked on the moon and they were all American men, including (most famously) Neil Armstrong who was the first in 1969 on the Apollo II mission.  The last time mankind sent someone to the moon was in 1972 when Gene Cernan visited on the Apollo 17 mission. Although Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon, Buzz Aldrin was the first man to urinate there. While millions watched the moon landing on live television, Aldrin was forced to go in a tube fitted inside his space suit. Buzz Aldrin Jr. beside the U.S. flag after man reaches the Moon for the first time during the Apollo 11 mission on July 20, 1969.  Credit: AP When the astronauts took off their helmets after their moonwalk, they noticed a strong smell, which Armstrong described as “wet ashes in a fireplace” and Aldrin as “spent gunpowder”. It was the smell of moon-dust brought in on their boots. The mineral, armalcolite, discovered during the first moon landing and later found at various locations on Earth, was named after the three Apollo 11 astronauts, Neil ARMstrong, Buzz ALdrin and Michael COLlins. An estimated 600 million people watched the Apollo 11 landing live on television, a world record until 750 million people watched the wedding of the Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer in 1981. One of President Nixon’s speechwriters had prepared an address entitled: “In Event of Moon Disaster”. It began: “Fate has ordained that the men who went to the moon to explore in peace will stay to rest in peace.” If the launch from the Moon had failed, Houston was to close down communications and leave Armstrong and Aldrin to their death.  How the Daily Telegraph reported Neil Armstrong's first steps on the Moon in 1969




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June 30, 2018

White supremacist propaganda nearly doubles on US universities over last yearWhite supremacist groups are increasingly targeting college campuses to distribute propaganda, according to a new report by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). In the past academic year, 292 incidents were reported of stickers, banners, and other physical materials that featured racist and anti-Semitic messages that targeted non-whites, Muslims and LGBTQ people being placed on college campuses across the United States. White supremacists have increasingly targeted US college campuses since January 2016 the ADL says, but saw a spike following the election of Donald Trump to the US presidency.




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June 30, 2018

UN migration agency snubs Trump's nominee to lead itGENEVA (AP) — The U.N.'s migration agency snubbed the Trump administration's candidate to lead it on Friday, a major blow to U.S. leadership of a body addressing one of the world's most pressing issues — and only the second time that it won't be run by an American since 1951.




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June 30, 2018

Police called suspect in Capital Gazette newsroom shooting no threat in 2013The man accused of killing five people at a Maryland newspaper was investigated five years ago for a barrage of menacing tweets against staff members, but a detective concluded he was no threat, and the paper didn't want to press charges for fear of inflaming the situation, according to a police report released Friday. The newspaper was afraid of "putting a stick in a beehive." The 2013 police report added to the picture emerging of Jarrod W. Ramos, 38, as the former information-technology employee with a longtime grudge against The Capital of Annapolis was charged with five counts of first-degree murder in one of the deadliest attacks on journalists in US history. Authorities said Ramos barricaded the rear exit of the office to prevent anyone from escaping and methodically blasted his way through the newsroom Thursday with a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun, gunning down one victim trying to slip out the back. Three editors, a reporter and a sales assistant were killed. "The fellow was there to kill as many people as he could," Anne Arundel County Police Chief Timothy Altomare said. Capital Gazette shooting suspect split Ramos, clean-shaven with long hair past his shoulders, was denied bail in a brief court appearance he attended by video, watching attentively but saying nothing. Authorities said he was "uncooperative" with interrogators. He was placed on a suicide watch in jail. His public defenders had no comment. The charges carry a maximum penalty of life without parole. Maryland has no death penalty. The bloodshed initially stirred fears that the recent surge of political attacks on the "fake news media" had exploded into violence. But by all accounts, Ramos had a specific, longstanding grievance against the paper. President Donald Trump, who routinely calls reporters "liars" and "enemies of the people," said, "Journalists, like all Americans, should be free from the fear of being violently attacked while doing their jobs." Ramos had filed a defamation lawsuit against the paper in 2012 after it ran an article about him pleading guilty to harassing a woman. A judge later threw it out as groundless. Ramos had repeatedly targeted staffers with angry, profanity-laced tweets. "There's clearly a history there," the police chief said. Annapolis shooting Ramos launched so many social media attacks that retired publisher Tom Marquardt called police in 2013. Altomare disclosed Friday that a detective investigated those concerns, holding a conference call with an attorney for the publishing company, a former correspondent and the paper's publisher. The police report said the attorney produced a trove of tweets in which Ramos "makes mention of blood in the water, journalist hell, hit man, open season, glad there won't be murderous rampage, murder career." The detective, Michael Praley, said in the report that he "did not believe that Mr. Ramos was a threat to employees" at the paper, noting that Ramos hadn't tried to enter the building and hadn't sent "direct, threatening correspondence." "As of this writing the Capital will not pursue any charges," Praley wrote. "It was described as putting a stick in a beehive which the Capital Newspaper representatives do not wish to do." The five victims of the Annapolis shooting: (top) Gerald Fischman, Rob Hiaasen, (bottom) John McNamara, Rebecca Smith and Wendi Winters Marquardt, the former publisher, said he talked with the newspaper's attorneys about seeking a restraining order but didn't because he and others thought it could provoke Ramos into something worse. "We decided to take the course of laying low," he said Friday. Later, in 2015, Ramos tweeted that he would like to see the paper stop publishing, but "it would be nicer" to see two of its journalists "cease breathing." Capital Gazette reporter Chase Cook (right) and photographer Joshua McKerrow work on the next days newspaper while awaiting news from their colleagues  Credit:  IVAN COURONNE/AFP Then Ramos "went silent" for more than two years, Marquardt said. "This led us to believe that he had moved on, but for whatever reason, he decided to resurrect his issue with The Capital yesterday," the former publisher said. "We don't know why." The police chief said some new posts went up just before the killings but authorities didn't know about them until afterward. Few details were released on Ramos, other than that he is single, has no children and lives in an apartment in Laurel, Maryland. He was employed by an IT contractor for the US Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics from 2007 to 2014, a department spokesman said.




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June 30, 2018

Orange, squishy body armor material could save lives



It’s bright orange, it’s squishy, it stretches like taffy - and it is unlike any body armor you've ever seen. Defense Specialist Allison Barrie has an up close look at a new orange goo, developed by D30, which is the key to ultra-lightweight body armor that can deliver incredible protection.

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June 30, 2018

Bali airport reopens as volcano rumblesBy Sultan Ashori DENPASAR, Indonesia (Reuters) - The airport on Indonesia's holiday island of Bali reopened on Friday after ash from a volcano forced a brief closure and the cancellation of more than 300 flights. Mount Agung in northeastern Bali has been rumbling to life intermittently since late last year and it began belching smoke and ash again on Thursday. It was shooting a column of ash more than 2,500 meters (8,200 feet) into the sky on Friday and officials said operations at Indonesia's second-busiest airport would be reviewed every few hours.




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June 30, 2018

'Oh God': Melania Trump's horror at being shown picture of young boy left at US borderThe Customs and Border Patrol agency (CPD) said that it was the only drink he had and carried no food. Mrs Trump was shown pictures of the boy during a visit to a CPD facility in Tucson, Arizona. In a call to CPD, a spokesperson for the border patrol confirmed to The Independent that the child was no longer in their custody, but would not release where he had been transferred, citing personal protection.




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June 30, 2018

Gaza teen dies after being hit on Israel border: ministryA Palestinian teenager died on Thursday after being hit by Israeli tank fire on the Gaza border, the territory's Hamas-run health ministry said. Abdel Fattah Abu Azoum, 17, was hit in the head earlier on Thursday near Rafah in southern Gaza, the ministry said. The Israeli army said he and a companion were seeking to breach the border.




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