Tuesday, 27 February 2018

Florida school shooting: NRA 'doesn't back any ban'

The US National Rifle Association (NRA) has said it does not support any gun ban following a shooting in a Florida school that left 17 people dead.

The NRA's comments appear to go against President Donald Trump's proposals to tighten gun controls.

Since the 14 February attack on the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School the NRA has become a target of a campaign for tougher gun laws.

On Sunday, some students returned to the school for the first time.

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Accompanied by their parents, they were back for what the authorities in Parkland described as "orientation". A variety of support services were available at the campus.

Students are preparing to return full-time to their classrooms on Wednesday

What did the NRA say?

Dana Loesch, a spokeswoman for the influential gun lobby group, told ABC News: "The NRA doesn't back any ban."

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She said the massacres like that in Florida were not caused by the NRA.

Ms Loesch suggested there had been errors by local law enforcement agencies and a lack of action by politicians.

Florida officials revealed after the shooting that an armed officer assigned to the school had stood outside the building during the shooting and not intervene.

The NRA endorsed Mr Trump during his 2016 presidential election campaign.

What about Mr Trump's comments on gun controls?

Speaking earlier this week, the president said arming teachers could prevent school shootings like that in Florida.

Teachers carrying a concealed gun could end attacks "very quickly", he said.

Mr Trump also proposed rg the age limit for buying certain types

The suspect accused of carrying out the shooting in Florida is former students

Mr Trump also backed a ban on modifications that enable semi-automatic rifles to shoot more rounds per minute. These are known as bump stocks.

And the president called for improved background checks on gun buyers.

What do students and parents want?

On Wednesday, President Trump listened to pleas for gun reform from about 40 students, teachers and families in the executive mansion's state dining room.

Hundreds of teenagers from the Washington DC suburbs rallied outside at the time - some voicing support for arming teachers.

Andrew Pollack, whose daughter Meadow died in last week's attack - the second-deadliest shooting at a US public school - said: "We, as a country, failed our children."

"It should've been one school shooting and we should've fixed it," he went on to say. "And I'm pissed. It's my daughter I'm not going to see again.

Mark Barden - whose son Daniel was killed in the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut - said more guns was not the answer.

"Schoolteachers have more than enough responsibilities right now, than to have to have the awesome responsibility of lethal force to take a life," he said.

A ban on some types of weapons, advocated for by many students, is unpalatable for supporters of the Second Amendment to the US Constitution - which governs the right to bear arms.

Audience: The audience of this article is mainly to the residents of Florida, but also all across america. In the past eight years, there has been over 100 school shooting. The gun laws in America are not getting any stricter, so shooting large crowds, or an area with a large group of people, is becoming more frequent and more dangerous.

Author's bias: the authors bias for this article is, I think is pointed toward Florida, and the residents that were effected by the school shooting. I really don't see a strong for or against the victims or murderer.
Readers bias: this article is defiantly pointed to Americans and the school district areas, I really don't see any bias, toward anything. I think this article is pointed again, more toward Florida, and the Residents that surround the school area. Also the NRA, is a whole other thing. I feel they should have put laws on who can buys guns and at what age. Also they should now start doing a background check on everyone who buys a gun or weapon,

Monday, 19 February 2018

Trump: Japan could shoot down North Korean missiles...

“Trump: Japan Could Shoot down North Korean Missiles.” BBC News, BBC, 6 Nov. 2017, www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-41882272.

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US President Donald Trump has said Japan could shoot North Korean missiles "out of the sky" with military equipment bought from the US.

Japan's PM Shinzo Abe meanwhile said his country could intercept missiles "if necessary".

The two leaders were speaking to reporters at the close of Mr Trump's first state visit to Japan.

North Korea has fired long-range ballistic missiles over Japanese territory twice in recent months.

Trump vows to tackle N Korea on Asia trip

On Monday, while answering questions at a press conference, Mr Trump said Mr Abe was "going to purchase massive amounts of military equipment" from the US.

Referencing North Korea's missiles, he said Mr Abe could "shoot them out of the sky" when he completed the purchase, which he said would provide jobs to Americans as well as "safety for Japan".

Mr Abe said Japan had to "qualitatively and quantitatively" enhance its defence capability, given the "very tough" North Korea situation.

He stressed that missile defence was based on "legal co-operation" between Japan and the US, and as for shooting down missiles, "if necessary of course we can do that".

It is not clear whether a military deal has been signed during Mr Trump's trip, but the two countries are close military allies with the US maintaining several military bases in Japan.

In September Mr Trump had tweeted that he would allow the sale of high-end military equipment to Japan and South Korea.

Japan does not have a standing army, but instead maintains what it calls a self-defence force, under its post-war pacifist constitution which the hawkish Mr Abe has been seeking to revise.

The two leaders also reaffirmed their ties and pledged to "stand against the North Korean menace", said Mr Trump.

Mr Trump is visiting Japan as part of his first tour of Asia as US president.

What does Asia want from Donald Trump?
Trump in Asia: A beginner's guide

Earlier in his visit he also visited a US air base near Tokyo, and met American business leaders where he publically criticized Japan over a trade deficit.

Mr Trump will be visiting South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines in the coming week.

Audience: The audience of this article is pointed toward Who trump is talking to. So mainly the North Koreans, Japaneses, and pretty much all of Asia.

Author's bias: I think the authors bias is toward Trump, and how his will crush North Korea on his Asia tour. He seems to also be bias toward Japan, because, Japan and the US are working together, to fight against North Korea.

Reader's bias: I tend to agree with the author, Because i feel like everyone would want to work with America to fight against North Korea. To many people America has what it takes, or has the military or artillery to fight. Also America has a ton o military bases in America, that is one reason, but also Japan doesn't have a real military force, so that is why they need america.

Tuesday, 6 February 2018

Mogadishu truck bomber sentenced to death

Somalia's military court has sentenced a man to death for his role in the country's deadliest bombing last year, in which at least 500 were killed.

Hassan Adan Isaq was accused of leading an al-Shabab unit said to have carried out the truck attack in the capital Mogadishu on 14 October 2017.

During the trial, the 23-year-old had denied any involvement.

Another suspect was sentenced in absentia to life in jail, while a third man received a three-year prison term.

It is a rare case of a high-profile investigation leading to a suspect being convicted for an attack in Somalia, the BBC's Africa security correspondent Tomi Oladipo reports.

He says the bombing in Mogadishu prompted public outrage at al-Shabab for its perceived role as the perpetrator, and at the government for failing to prevent the attack.

Anger boils over in Mogadishu
The victims: Searching for clues

What happened in the attack?

The truck exploded at a busy junction, destroying hotels, government offices and restaurants.

But it remains unclear whether the junction was the intended target or whether the driver detonated the explosives because suspicions about the vehicle had been raised.

It blew up next to an oil tanker, which intensified the blast.

More than 150 of the victims were burned beyond recognition after the huge explosion.

Hundreds of people were injured, and many of them were later flown to Turkey, Sudan and Kenya for treatment.

Officials blamed the Islamist al-Shabab group, allied to al-Qaeda. But the group denied any involvement in the attack.

Who are al-Shabab?

How did Somalis react?

Mogadishu residents held mass protest rallies, blaming the authorities for failing to prevent the attack.

Many wore red cloth around their foreheads to show solidarity with the victims.

"The bandana represents the blood of my people killed in the blast," one protester said.

While another demonstrator said: "We will never forget [this]".

The crowds were also calling for unity in a country torn by decades of conflict.

A 22,000-strong African Union force (Amisom) is deployed in Somalia trying to help the government recapture territory from al-Shabab, whose fighters are active in much of rural southern regions.

My response:

Audience: the audience of this article is pointed toward the people of Mogadishu, Africans, Somalia, and a few others.

Authors response: The author of this article is really pointed how how much of an impact one of a few men made on a truck bombing. The author is saying that 500 people were killed. Also the author is making a big deal on the 23 year old that was on trial and the men that was sentenced to prison.

My response: This article is a big deal to many of the Middle Eastern people, and Africans. To this day ISIS and al-Shabab are a big deal, and i agree with that. There terrorist organizations are killing millions of people every year, and ruining may people homes, and that has made a huge impact on so many people today. All of theses terrorist should be sentenced to death.