Your round-up of news that has broken this morning.
The Donald laid bare
A controversial artwork of Donald Trump that is censored in the United States will be exhibited for the first time in a London gallery. The illustration, from Los Angeles artist Illma Gore, portrays the Republican candidate naked. It will be exhibited at London's Maddox gallery and is priced at £1 million. The piece has been censored and banned from public display in the United States. The 24-year-old artist has also parodied Trump's campaign slogan, titling her piece Make America Great Again. Since releasing the piece a few weeks ago, Gore estimates she has received "1000 death threats from Trump supporters". After posting it on a social media site she received confirmation that someone had filed a Digital Millennium Copyright Act notice against her, whereby content can be taken offline if someone claims the content uploaded infringes on their copyright. Due to the nature of the image, it has been removed from many websites and as a result, Gore has limited access to various social media sites.
A controversial artwork of Donald Trump that is censored in the United States will be exhibited for the first time in a London gallery. The illustration, from Los Angeles artist Illma Gore, portrays the Republican candidate naked. It will be exhibited at London's Maddox gallery and is priced at £1 million. The piece has been censored and banned from public display in the United States. The 24-year-old artist has also parodied Trump's campaign slogan, titling her piece Make America Great Again. Since releasing the piece a few weeks ago, Gore estimates she has received "1000 death threats from Trump supporters". After posting it on a social media site she received confirmation that someone had filed a Digital Millennium Copyright Act notice against her, whereby content can be taken offline if someone claims the content uploaded infringes on their copyright. Due to the nature of the image, it has been removed from many websites and as a result, Gore has limited access to various social media sites.
Impeachment nearsSlow getaway
The Daily Telegraph reports that a drugs suspect in the US has discovered that hoverboards are not the most effective getaway vehicles. Police approached Jerome Antoine Dennis in Clearwater, Florida, after noticing the smell of marijuana. Dennis took to his hoverboard but the electric scooters have a top speed of just over 16km/h. Giving up on the device, the suspect ditched it and carried on with his escape on foot - but to no avail, the Telegraph reported. According to the Smoking Gun, the suspect told police he "messed up because he is currently out on bond for possession of cocaine". According to court records, Dennis was arrested in February for possession of cocaine and marijuana, the website reported.
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has moved closer to impeachment. A key member of a Congressional committee says there are grounds for the Senate to put her on trial for manipulating budget accounts in 2014 to boost her reelection prospects. Congressman Jovair Arantes told the 65-member Lower House committee there were "minimal indications" that Rousseff had committed an impeachable crime, but that it was up to the Senate to judge the President. Arantes had been asked by the committee to review the case and report back. The committee will vote on his report on Tuesday and submit the result to the full house for a final vote, expected by the end of next week. If two-thirds of the chamber approve the motion, Rousseff will be sent for trial in the Senate. She denies any wrongdoing.
Grand coalition
Acting Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny has proposed entering a coalition government with the country's second-largest party and historic rival, Fianna Fail, Simon Coveney, a minister from his Fine Gael Party, said. Kenny met Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin for the first time since inconclusive February elections after both failed for the second time to be elected prime minister. Senior members of Fianna Fail have ruled out a formal coalition with its rival.
Acting Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny has proposed entering a coalition government with the country's second-largest party and historic rival, Fianna Fail, Simon Coveney, a minister from his Fine Gael Party, said. Kenny met Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin for the first time since inconclusive February elections after both failed for the second time to be elected prime minister. Senior members of Fianna Fail have ruled out a formal coalition with its rival.
Exploding air bag
Another person has died from injuries due to an exploding Takata air bag. Honda says a person was killed in Fort Bend County, Texas, on March 31 when a driver's air bag inflator ruptured in the crash of a 2002 Honda Civic. It's the 10th known death in the U.S. from a Takata inflator and the 11th worldwide. More than 100 people have been hurt. Honda says it mailed multiple recall notices to the Civic owner, but recall repairs were never made. Takata inflators can explode with too much force and spew shrapnel at drivers and passengers. So far 14 automakers have recalled 24 million US vehicles in what is now the largest auto recall in the country's history. About 7.1 million inflators have been replaced.
Another person has died from injuries due to an exploding Takata air bag. Honda says a person was killed in Fort Bend County, Texas, on March 31 when a driver's air bag inflator ruptured in the crash of a 2002 Honda Civic. It's the 10th known death in the U.S. from a Takata inflator and the 11th worldwide. More than 100 people have been hurt. Honda says it mailed multiple recall notices to the Civic owner, but recall repairs were never made. Takata inflators can explode with too much force and spew shrapnel at drivers and passengers. So far 14 automakers have recalled 24 million US vehicles in what is now the largest auto recall in the country's history. About 7.1 million inflators have been replaced.
Le Pen convicted
Jean-Marie Le Pen, the founder and former head of France's far-right National Front party, has been convicted of denying crimes against humanity for repeating that the Nazi gas chambers are a "detail" of World War II history. A Paris court convicted Le Pen and sentenced him to a €30,000 fine. He also will have to pay a total €10,000 in damages to three associations that were plaintiffs in the case, and the court ordered that the ruling be published in three major French newspapers at his expense. Le Pen, 87, was convicted of the same offence in 2012 for claiming the Nazi occupation of France was not "particularly inhumane".
Gorilla numbers down
The population of the world's largest gorilla sub-species has fallen 77 per cent over the past two decades, a trend linked to illegal mining for coltan, a key mineral used in the production of cell phones and electronics, a new report has found. Grauer's gorilla, the planet's biggest primate, which can weigh up to 180kg, is found in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where minerals have been plundered for decades under the smokescreen of conflict and instability. A report this week by the Wildlife Conservation Society and Fauna & Flora International found that its numbers had fallen to 3800 from an estimated 17,000 in 1995. "One of the primary causes of the decline in Grauer's gorilla numbers has been the expansion in artisanal mining for coltan and other minerals. Most of these artisanal mining sites are remote, which means that the miners often turn to local wildlife for food," the organisations said.
The population of the world's largest gorilla sub-species has fallen 77 per cent over the past two decades, a trend linked to illegal mining for coltan, a key mineral used in the production of cell phones and electronics, a new report has found. Grauer's gorilla, the planet's biggest primate, which can weigh up to 180kg, is found in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where minerals have been plundered for decades under the smokescreen of conflict and instability. A report this week by the Wildlife Conservation Society and Fauna & Flora International found that its numbers had fallen to 3800 from an estimated 17,000 in 1995. "One of the primary causes of the decline in Grauer's gorilla numbers has been the expansion in artisanal mining for coltan and other minerals. Most of these artisanal mining sites are remote, which means that the miners often turn to local wildlife for food," the organisations said.
Bill bans buying sex
French MPs approved a bill against prostitution and sex trafficking that bans buying sex, not selling it. Customers will face fines and be made to attend awareness classes on the harms of the sex trade. The legislation, which passed 64-12 in the Parliament's Lower House, the National Assembly, makes French law one of the toughest against sex buyers in Europe. Prostitution in itself is legal in France - though brothels, pimping and the sale of sex by minors are illegal. The new measure does away with a 2003 law that banned passive soliciting by sex workers on the street and thus put the legal onus on prostitutes. This new bill focuses the punishment on the client, introducing a €1500 fine that would rise to €3750 for a sex buyer's second offence.
French MPs approved a bill against prostitution and sex trafficking that bans buying sex, not selling it. Customers will face fines and be made to attend awareness classes on the harms of the sex trade. The legislation, which passed 64-12 in the Parliament's Lower House, the National Assembly, makes French law one of the toughest against sex buyers in Europe. Prostitution in itself is legal in France - though brothels, pimping and the sale of sex by minors are illegal. The new measure does away with a 2003 law that banned passive soliciting by sex workers on the street and thus put the legal onus on prostitutes. This new bill focuses the punishment on the client, introducing a €1500 fine that would rise to €3750 for a sex buyer's second offence.
Terrorist had Parliament job
One of the perpetrators in last month's terrorist attacks on Brussels twice held a summer job as a cleaner in the European Parliament several years ago. More than 30 people died in triple bombing attacks on the Belgian capital on March 22. The perpetrators blew themselves up in the city's international airport and an underground station near the Brussels headquarters of the European Union's main institutions. "Seven and six years ago, one of the perpetrators of the Brussels terrorist attacks worked for a period of one month for a cleaning company which was contracted by the European Parliament at the time," spokesman for the organisation Jaume Duch said. "As a student, he held a summer holiday job cleaning at the parliament for one month in 2009 and one month in 2010," he added.
One of the perpetrators in last month's terrorist attacks on Brussels twice held a summer job as a cleaner in the European Parliament several years ago. More than 30 people died in triple bombing attacks on the Belgian capital on March 22. The perpetrators blew themselves up in the city's international airport and an underground station near the Brussels headquarters of the European Union's main institutions. "Seven and six years ago, one of the perpetrators of the Brussels terrorist attacks worked for a period of one month for a cleaning company which was contracted by the European Parliament at the time," spokesman for the organisation Jaume Duch said. "As a student, he held a summer holiday job cleaning at the parliament for one month in 2009 and one month in 2010," he added.
Shipwreck recovery
Italy will start the underwater recovery of bodies from a shipwreck off Libya on the one-year anniversary of what is considered the worst ever Mediterranean migration accident, an Interior Ministry official. Prefect Vittorio Piscitelli, a special envoy for missing persons, said the Italian Navy believes that "at least 400" victims will be found inside the hold of the vessel, which lies about 157km northeast of the Libyan coast, 375m below sea level. "These are the estimated numbers, but we do not rule out surprises," Piscitelli said. He said the navy, or Marina Militare, was going to lift up the vessel, cover it up and refrigerate it to conserve the bodies, and tow it to the Sicilian NATO naval base of Melilli, where forensic teams will work on identifying the bodies. In the immediate aftermath of the shipwreck on April 18, 2015, rescue teams found 24 bodies and 28 survivors. Piscitelli said a total of 169 victims have been recovered so far, none of which have been identified.
Italy will start the underwater recovery of bodies from a shipwreck off Libya on the one-year anniversary of what is considered the worst ever Mediterranean migration accident, an Interior Ministry official. Prefect Vittorio Piscitelli, a special envoy for missing persons, said the Italian Navy believes that "at least 400" victims will be found inside the hold of the vessel, which lies about 157km northeast of the Libyan coast, 375m below sea level. "These are the estimated numbers, but we do not rule out surprises," Piscitelli said. He said the navy, or Marina Militare, was going to lift up the vessel, cover it up and refrigerate it to conserve the bodies, and tow it to the Sicilian NATO naval base of Melilli, where forensic teams will work on identifying the bodies. In the immediate aftermath of the shipwreck on April 18, 2015, rescue teams found 24 bodies and 28 survivors. Piscitelli said a total of 169 victims have been recovered so far, none of which have been identified.
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