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الثلاثاء، 6 ديسمبر 2011

Lincoln Tribune

U.S. FAA chief on leave after drunk driving arrest
Gun Free and Defenseless
ICC sets confirmation date for charges against Gbagbo
Mexico and Central American governments sign free trade agreement
Sarkozy and Merkel call for EU restructure by March 2012

U.S. FAA chief on leave after drunk driving arrest

Posted: 06 Dec 2011 03:16 AM PST

WASHINGTON, D.C. (BNO NEWS) -- U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Randy Babbitt took a leave of absence on Monday afternoon after police revealed he was arrested for drunk driving over the weekend, officials said.

Babbitt was arrested in Fairfax, Virginia on late Saturday evening after a police officer observed a vehicle driving on the wrong side of the road and initiated a traffic stop. "After it was determined that he was under the influence of alcohol, Babbitt was transported to the Adult Detention Center where a magistrate issued a warrant for driving while intoxicated," said Sergeant Joe Johnson, a spokesperson for the City of Fairfax Police Department.

Johnson said Babbitt was the sole occupant of his vehicle and was not involved in any accident. "He cooperated fully with the arresting officer," the spokesman said. Officials did not release the blood-alcohol level, but state law defines DWI as a .08 blood alcohol concentration.

In a statement, the U.S. Department of Transportation said it only learned of Babbitt's arrest on Monday afternoon. "Administrator Babbitt has requested, effective immediately, to take a leave of absence from the FAA," the statement said. "That request has been granted and Deputy Administrator Michael Huerta will serve as acting administrator."

White House spokesman Jay Carney said President Barack Obama and other White House officials were also informed about the arrest on Monday afternoon. "[Obama] didn't have a particular reaction," Carney said. "It was just passing on this information."

Carney did not respond to a question whether Obama would ask for Babbitt to resign, but the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) said it is reviewing Babbitt's position. "DOT officials are in discussions with legal counsel about Administrator Babbitt's employment status," the statement said.

Babbitt has served as Administrator of the FAA, which regulates and oversees all aspects of civil aviation in the United States, since June 2009. He previously served at the FAA Management Advisory Council during the Clinton Administration.

Gun Free and Defenseless

Posted: 06 Dec 2011 01:09 AM PST

By Paul Valone | Civitas Institute

In these harsh economic times, many individuals have decided to resort to crime as a means of personal income. Often disadvantaged, these people tend to disregard the property rights of others and view burglary and robbery as more acceptable. In doing so, they make an economic evaluation of the likelihood of success and potential income versus the potential costs of committing a crime. Thus, it is only rational they decided that college campuses are perfect areas to commit crimes since most potential victims are young, inexperienced, and do not have immediate means to defend themselves. The following examples, among many others, illustrate the ineffectiveness of campus police in preventing crime.

On Friday, Oct. 28, I had the "exciting" experience of having my class interrupted as NC State's emergency alert system blared that students should go inside. This emergency was called presumably because an armed bank robber had fled to NC State's campus… and was arrested right outside my classroom in Winston Hall. I shudder to think what could have happened had the robber jumped inside the building before the police caught him. He was less than a 10 second sprint from holding my entire class hostage. Now it later turned out that the robber had only a toy gun. But even then, most students do not know enough about firearms to tell the difference and most certainly would not want to risk their lives calling the robber's bluff. Had that robber, in panic and desperation, ducked into Winston Hall to hold any classroom hostage, we all would have been defenseless—reduced to bargaining chips of the robber to trade in hopes for freedom.

Then there was the gunman at the Elizabeth City State University who was shot by police. Campus officials praise the reaction time of the officers who were able to dispatch this AK-47 (a gun that a student would be highly unlikely to own legally) wielding graduate, but it was only luck that other people were not harmed by this gunman. In all the reports, when police arrived many people had already seen the gunman and were running away from him. Had he decided to do so, he could have easily opened fire on these fleeing students—potentially injuring or killing them.

In a free society such as ours, we live in a Lockean state of nature where any man can place himself in a state of war with society, where we must defend ourselves as police cannot maintain constant vigilance over everyone. By depriving law abiding citizens of the right to defend themselves against aggressors, we violate their natural rights.

Ultimately, the reasons for crimes around campuses lie in the inconsequential costs associated with a defenseless student body which cannot carry weapons to defend themselves. The vast majority of proponents of campus carry are not asking for completely unrestricted access to firearms on campus. College campuses are emotional hotbeds and some students are not prepared for the responsibility of firearms. They only ask for those who have gone through the additional training and certification process of earning a concealed handgun permit be allowed to carry on campus. Many of such individuals are students and professors who are mature and capable of carrying firearms on and around college campuses in a safe and responsible manner. Indeed, permit holders tend to be significantly less prone to crime than the public. By allowing permit holders to carry, it drastically increases the safety of other students on campus by increasing the risk factor to criminals exponentially. The reason that colleges and areas around them become rife with crime is that the victims are highly unlikely to be able to defend themselves against an armed robbery. By allowing campus carry, it increases the cost of committing a potential crime, reducing the incentive to commit a crime in the first place.

Paul Valone is an intern at the Civitas Institute in Raleigh (nccivitas.org)

ICC sets confirmation date for charges against Gbagbo

Posted: 06 Dec 2011 01:02 AM PST

THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS (BNO NEWS) -- The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Monday announced that it has set a confirmation date for charges against former Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) leader Laurent Koudou Gbagbo.

The ICC announced the decision at the initial appearance of Gbagbo before the court, stating that the beginning of the confirmation of charges hearing in the case will take place on June 18, 2012.

The confirmation of charges hearing is held to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds that Gbagbo committed each of the crimes charged, which include four counts of crimes against humanity, namely murder, rape and other forms of sexual violence, persecution and other inhuman acts.

If the charges are confirmed, the Pre-Trial Chamber commits the case for trial before a Trial Chamber, which will conduct the subsequent phase of the proceedings, that is, the trial.

Gbagbo, 66, was surrendered to the ICC in The Hague last Tuesday by Côte d'Ivoire national authorities following a warrant issued by the Pre-Trial Chamber III judges the previous week. According to the allegations, Gbagbo is individually and criminally responsible for post-election violence in the West African country, between December 16, 2010 and April 12 of this year. Gbagbo was allegedly an indirect co-perpetrator.

The ICC said there are "reasonable grounds to believe that in the aftermath of the presidential elections in Côte d'Ivoire, pro-Gbagbo forces attacked the civilian population in Abidjan and in the west of the country, from November 28, 2010 onwards, targeting civilians who they believed were supporters of the opponent candidate."

According to reports, and as quoted by the prosecution, at least 3,000 people were killed, 72 people disappeared and 520 others were subject to arbitrary arrest and detentions during the post-election violence.

The post-election violence was allegedly committed pursuant to an organizational policy and were also widespread and systematic as they were committed over an extended time period, over large geographic areas, and following a similar general pattern, the ICC stated, adding that the attacks were allegedly often directed at specific ethnic or religious communities and left a high number of reported victims.

Furthermore, the ICC alleges that a plan existed between Gbagbo and his inner circle and that they were aware that implementing it would lead to the commission of the alleged crimes. Gbagbo, together with others, allegedly exercised joint control over the crimes, and made a coordinated and essential contribution to the realization of the plan.

Mexico and Central American governments sign free trade agreement

Posted: 06 Dec 2011 12:57 AM PST

MEXICO CITY (BNO NEWS) -- The leaders of Mexico and five Central American governments signed a free trade agreement on Monday to boost the regional economy, officials said.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon met with Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom Caballeros and Honduran President Porfirio Lobo to sign the Mexico and Central America Free Trade Agreement, which also involves the countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador and Nicaragua.

The agreement is still awaiting final approval from the Mexican Senate. The agreement is expected to push Mexico's economy to expand into the Central American region, which has a population of approximately 150 million people.

Calderon described the agreement as a 'good decision' which marks an 'essential step to strengthen the region.' He also said the commercial benefits of the pact represents a door to prosperity.

"It's a powerful region," President Colom stated. "It is a vigorous region and what we need is to join them and our differences will be placed aside," he continued, adding that the factors that bring together the region are more than those that separate them.

Over the past 10 years, bilateral commerce between Mexico and the five Central American countries has multiplied by more than 3.6 times, reaching $6.6 million in 2010, according to Mexican Secretary of Economy Bruno Ferrari.

Furthermore, the region is Mexico's fourth most important investment target in Latin America with $5.2 million, as Central America's market has a value of approximately $48 billion.

Also present during Monday's signing were government ministers from El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

Sarkozy and Merkel call for EU restructure by March 2012

Posted: 06 Dec 2011 12:51 AM PST

PARIS (BNO NEWS) -- French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday called for a new European Union (EU) Treaty by March 2012 to counter the ongoing economic crisis.

During a press conference in Paris, the two leaders briefed their proposal in which an automatic punishment would be implemented on those Member States that reach a budget deficit of over 3 percent. They also called for monthly meetings among the 17-nation eurozone leaders as well as pushing the EU's permanent bailout fund to become effective by the end of 2012 and not in 2013.

Sarkozy and Merkel met in Paris' Elysee Palace ahead of Thursday's European Union meeting in Brussels in order to tackle the economic crisis. The meeting is considered a key date in the economic development of the euro.

Both leaders also opposed the issuing of euro bonds supported by an EU-wide economy as a solution to the crisis. However, the proposed treaty might only include the 17 members of the eurozone, while the rest of the nations could sign the treaty voluntarily.

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الثلاثاء، 6 ديسمبر 2011

Lincoln Tribune

Lincoln Tribune

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