A shooting at a mall in Burlington, Wash., left four people dead and the police searching for the gunman on Friday night, the Washington State Patrol said.
A spokesman for the patrol, Sgt. Mark Francis, said on Twitter that the gunman had left before the police arrived and that the shopping center, the Cascade Mall, was being evacuated.
It was not clear, according to Sergeant Francis, if there was more than one gunman.
Moody’s downgrades Turkey credit rating to ‘junk’
Moody’s rating agency has cut Turkey’s credit rating by one notch to “junk” level, saying the country’s finances have strained amid increased political turmoil, a further blow to an economy already battered by numerous terrorist attacks and a recent botched coup.
“Moody’s Investors Service has today downgraded the government of Turkey’s long-term issuer and senior unsecured bond ratings to Ba1 from Baa3,” said a statement from the leading credit ratings agency on Friday, adding that the country “continues to operate in a fragile financial and geopolitical environment.”
An increase in the risks related to the country’s considerable external debt – some $156 billion in payments due this year – and the weakening in previously supportive credit fundamentals, particularly growth and institutional strength, were the main factors that led to the recent rating cut.
“This large external funding need exposes the country to sudden shifts in investor confidence, which has been weak and volatile over the past 18 months,” the agency added.
It also cited the impact on the country’s tourism industry from a series of terrorist attacks and months-long row between Ankara and Moscow over the downing of a Russian warplane last year, which kept Russian tourists away and prompted the European country to impose a raft of sanctions against Turkey.
Moody’s also said the mid-July failed coup impacted the country’s economic prospects as it scared off vital foreign investment and hampered economic reforms.
“The government’s response to the unsuccessful coup attempt raises further concerns regarding the predictability and effectiveness of government policy and the rule of law going forward,” it added.
The rating agency has joined the Standard and Poor’s (S&P), another financial services company, to place Turkey’s credit rating in the junk territory, while Fitch, a third global rating agency, has Turkey’s grade rating on review for downgrade.
Obama rather protects Turkish and Saudi Interest over American People concern, vetoes bill allowing 9/11 victims to sue Saudi
President Barack Obama has vetoed the legislation that would allow families of 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia. The bill passed unanimously in both the House and the Senate and was met with widespread public support.
Known as “Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act” or JASTA, the bill creates an exemption to the doctrine of sovereign immunity established by a 1976 law, thus allowing US citizens to sue foreign countries for terrorism that kills Americans on US soil.
Fifteen out of 19 men who hijacked commercial airliners and used them as missiles to target the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001 were subjects of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Two were from the United Arab Emirates.
The Senate passed JASTA in May, while the House voted on it just before the 15th anniversary of 9/11.
Republican majority leaders in Congress are confident they have enough votes to override the veto.
“There will be a roll call vote on the veto override,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) told reporters on Tuesday. “Our assumption is that the veto will be overridden.”
“My message to the caucus is going to be, unless there are 34 people willing to fall on their swords over this, it’s probably not worth falling on your sword over,” said Bob Corker (R-Tennessee), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Senator Charles Schumer (D-New York) called the veto a “disappointing decision that will be swiftly and soundly overturned” in a statement on Friday.
“If the Saudis did nothing wrong, they should not fear this legislation. If they were culpable in 9/11, they should be held accountable. The families of the victims of 9/11 deserve their day in court,” Schumer added.
Saudi Arabia unsuccessfully tried to block the bill, using the services of its many lobbyists in Washington.
Following the House vote, the Saudi-led Gulf Cooperation Council expressed“deep concern”, with Secretary General Abdullatif al-Zayani calling JASTA “contrary to the foundations and principles of relations between states and the principle of sovereign immunity enjoyed by states,” AP reported.
The government of Qatar said the bill “violates international law, particularly the principle of sovereign equality between states,” according to Reuters.
Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, Secretary-General of the Arab League, said the bill contradicted “established norms of the international law,” according to the Egyptian state news agency MENA.
UN Expert: Azerbaijan’s Civil Society Facing ‘Worst Situation’ In 25 Years
A United Nations human rights expert says that Azerbaijan’s civil society has been “paralyzed” by the government and, in the past two to three years, has faced “the worst situation” since the country’s independence in 1991.
Michel Forst, the UN’s special rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, said on September 22 that Azerbaijani authorities have applied crippling pressure to journalists and rights activists critical of the government, and made it virtually impossible for nongovernmental organizations to operate.
“Civil society has been paralyzed as a result of such intense pressure,” Forst said in a statement as he wrapped up a nine-day visit to the oil-rich South Caucasus nation to assess the situation faced by rights advocates there.
“Human rights defenders have been accused by public officials to be a fifth column of the Western governments, or foreign agents, which has led to misperception in the population of the truly valuable role played by civil society,” Forst added.
Western officials and right advocates in recent years have criticized a broad crackdown on dissenting voices under President Ilham Aliyev’s government, including the jailing of journalists and activists who say they were targeted for their criticism of authorities.
Those jailed include RFE/RL journalist Khadija Ismayilova, who spent 17 months in prison before her release in May in a case widely seen as linked to her investigations of the Aliyev family’s secretive wealth.
Aliyev’s aide for public and political affairs, Ali Hasanov, rejected Forst’s assessment, telling the APA news agency that it was “biased” and did not take into account “the Azerbaijani government’s stance.”
Forst’s report came just days ahead of a September 26 referendum on changes to Azerbaijan’s constitution that critics say will tighten Aliyev’s grip on power, which he has held since 2003 after inheriting the presidency from his father, Heydar.
Council of Europe experts said on September 20 that the proposed changes would severely upset the balance of power and give “unprecedented” control to the president.
The head of the legal department in Aliyev’s administration called that assessment “hasty” and “politically driven.”
With reporting by RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani Service
Pope says journalism based on fear-mongering, gossip is form of ‘terrorism’
Journalism based on gossip or rumors is a form of “terrorism” and media that stereotype entire populations or foment fear of migrants are acting destructively, Pope Francis said on Thursday, Reuters reports.
According to the source, Francis, who made his comments in an address to leaders of Italy’s national journalists’ guild, said reporters had to go the extra mile to seek the truth, particularly in an age of round-the-clock news coverage.
Spreading rumors is an example of “terrorism, of how you can kill a person with your tongue”, he said. “This is even more true for journalists because their voice can reach everyone and this is a very powerful weapon.”
Francis, who has often strongly defended the rights of refugees and migrants, said journalism should not be used as a “weapon of destruction against persons and even entire peoples”.
“Neither should it foment fear before events like forced migration from war or from hunger,” he added.
Komitas and Medieval Music Culture conference commences on September 26
With the support of the Armenian Ministry of Culture, Komitas Museum-Institute will hold Komitas and Medieval Music Culture conference-festival on September 26-October 8, dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the Independence of Armenia.
According to public relations department of the ministry, the conference-festival will be an unprecedented event in the history of the studies of Komitas music in terms of equipment, software, communications and prestigious international scientists involved.
The opening ceremony of the festival will be held on September 26 at Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall.
Musicians from Armenia, France, Japan will perform during the ceremony. Hover State Chamber Choir of Armenia, State Chamber Choir of Armenian, Yerevan State Chamber Choir, State Academic Choir of Armenia, Anahit Papian (soprano), Hasmik Torosyan (soprano), Irina Zakaryan (soprano) will also perform during the concert.
The opening ceremony of the international conference will be held on September 27.
Russia proves allegiance to Armenia through powerful weapons – ex-minister
By supplying Armenia with powerful weapons, Russia practically proves its allegiance to the strategic ally, a former minister of defense said today, commenting on the Russian-Armenian arms supply deal.
“Those are the kinds of weapons which are never sold to any country at all. Different points are being considered here. [The mobile ballistic missile] Iskander and its predecessor, SCUD, can use a nuclear cap-binding complex, and that, understandably, cannot be given to a state which my become a non-ally (if not an enemy) sometime in the future,” he said, adding that only Armenia and Russia possess those weapons.
Asked whether he sees any political motive, Harutyunyan ruled out such a possibility. “It cannot be political; it has a military significance which serves a political objective to restrain Azerbaijan from yet another silly step.”
Harutyunyan said he doesn’t think Russia will sell more powerful weapons to Azerbaijan. “A more powerful weapon is [the missile system] S-400, which it will never give to any country,” he said, noting that a renewed war in the South Caucasus would not be in Russia’s interests.
Local elections in Armenia’s regions were free and transparent , says CEC chairman
The chairman of Armenia’s Central Electoral Commission (CEC) on Friday addressed September 18 local government polls which he described as absolutely free, fair and transparent.
Tigran Mukuchyan said that the CEC will publish the final outcomes on Saturday to name the elected (or re-elected) governors of around 317 communities.
In his words, they have so far received only 11 appeals for a vote recount.
Mukuchyan said that the CEC worked full-time on the voting day to follow all the violations and subsequent reports in the media, and on the observer organizations’ websites.
Terrorist State of Turkey detains journalist Altan hours after release
ANKARA – Agence France-Presse
Turkish authorities detained prominent journalist Ahmet Altan late on Sept. 22, less than 24 hours after he was released in connection with a probe into an attempted coup on July 15.
Altan was initially freed before dawn on Sept. 22 while the Istanbul court arrested his academic brother, Professor Mehmet Altan.
But the journalist was detained again after an arrest warrant was issued late on Sept. 22.
Hours earlier, the court placed Mehmet Altan under arrest on charges of “attempting to remove the government or attempting to obstruct its work.”
He was also charged with “being a member of a terrorist organization,” referring to the movement of U.S.-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen, who is accused of masterminding the failed coup attempt.
The Altan brothers were first detained on Sept. 10 and were two of the most high-profile figures detained after the coup attempt on July 15.
Their case sparked an international campaign for their release with famous writers criticizing the government.
Altan now faces the same accusations in the warrant issued prior to his detention.
His brief freedom came after almost 12 hours in court in a marathon overnight hearing.
The pair were detained over comments in a talk show on the Can Erzincan TV channel on July 14, the eve of the coup which contained “subliminal” messages that the coup was imminent.
The broadcaster, seen by the authorities as pro-Gülen, has since been shut down.
September/23/2016
Yahoo says at least 500 million accounts hacked in 2014
Yahoo Inc said on Thursday information associated with at least 500 million user accounts was stolen from its network in 2014 by what it believed was a “state-sponsored actor.”
The data stolen may have included names, email addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth and hashed passwords but may not have included unprotected passwords, payment card data or bank account information, the company said.
“The investigation has found no evidence that the state-sponsored actor is currently in Yahoo’s network,” the company said.
Yahoo said it was working with law enforcement on the matter.
It was not clear how this disclosure might affect Yahoo’s plan to sell its email service and other core internet properties to Verizon Communications Inc.
Verizon said in July it would buy Yahoo’s core internet properties for $4.83 billion.
Verizon said on Thursday it was notified of the breach in the last two days.
“We will evaluate as the investigation continues through the lens of overall Verizon interests … Until then, we are not in position to further comment,” the company said.