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BREAKING: Darren Wilson avoids charges in fatal shooting of Ferguson teenager
Ferguson
police officer Darren Wilson will not be indicted on any charges for
shooting and killing unarmed African American teenager Michael Brown,
a St. Louis grand jury has decided.
The
grand jury's decision was announced Monday evening by Bob McCulloch,
the prosecuting attorney for St. Louis County. He said that "no
probable cause exists" to file any charges against Wilson.
Officer
Wilson potentially faced charges of first- or second-degree murder,
voluntary manslaughter, or involuntary manslaughter. At least nine of
the 12 people on the jury needed to agree to bring charges in order
to indict Wilson.
Ahead
of the decision, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon called for calm and
restraint from protesters and police.
"While
none of us knows what that [decision] will be, our shared hope and
expectation is that regardless of the decision people on all sides
show tolerance, mutual respect and restraint," he said.
The
governor added that the state is doing everything it can to "protect
lives, protect property, and protect the freedom of speech.” The
governor added that police will “continue to maintain open lines of
communication” with protesters “to improve interaction”with law
enforcement.
The
decision comes about two months after the grand jury was convened to
look into charging Wilson with a crime. Brown was killed on August 9,
though there have been conflicting accounts regarding his death.
The
grand jury heard testimony from numerous witnesses, some of which
reportedly claimed that Brown was trying to surrender to Wilson when
he was shot. However, other witnesses – as well as Wilson himself –
claim Brown was involved in a physical confrontation with the officer
before he was killed. According to reports, Wilson told the grand
jury that Brown punched him while he was in his vehicle and also
charged at him despite orders to stop.
An
independent autopsy report conducted on behalf of the family found
that Brown had been shot at least eight times – six times from
behind. Jerryl Christmas, one of the Brown family attorneys, said the
results indicated there was no struggle.
"The
evidence shows that the story we've been given by the Police
Department does not match up,"attorney Jerryl Christmas said, as
cited by the AP."There's no evidence that there was a gun battle
going on."
Meanwhile,
an autopsy conducted by the St. Louis County medical examiner found
evidence of residue on Brown’s hand that would support the idea
that Wilson shot the teenager at close range. Leaked details from the
autopsy suggest it also indicated that Brown and Wilson were engaged
in a “significant altercation” inside of or near Wilson’s car.
Brown’s
death sparked immediate criticism from residents and those around the
country who believed Wilson used excessive force. Protesters took to
the streets calling for Wilson to be identified – police at the
time refused to declare who killed the teen – and for him to face
charges. Demonstrations lasted for weeks, with law enforcement
responding strongly by arriving at protests in riot gear, with
armored vehicles, and by using tear gas to clear out activists.
US
Defense Sec. Hagel resigns over apparent disagreements with White
House
United
States Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is stepping down from his post
atop the Pentagon, the Obama-appointee said Monday from the White
House.
Flanked
by US President Barack Obama and the vice president during a Monday
morning announcement, Hagel, 68, acknowledged that he submitted his
resignation, confirming reports that started to circulate earlier
that day in the press.
Hagel,
whose resignation was accepted by the president, called leading the
Department of Defense “the greatest privilege of my life.” He
took office as defense secretary in February 2013 and previously
spent more than a decade in the US Senate. Due to his previous
opposition to the 2007 surge policy in Iraq and statements critical
of the Israeli lobby in the US, his confirmation was met with
significant controversy. Following Monday's announcement, Hagel will
have served just longer than the 20 months his predecessor Leon
Panetta held the position.
Iran cuts uranium gas stockpile, complies with interim nuclear deal – IAEA
Iran
has reduced its stockpile of low-enriched uranium gas to comply with
the terms of the interim nuclear agreement signed with the six world
powers in 2013, a report by a UN nuclear agency has said.
The
paper was released on Monday, the same day as the P5+1 bloc (China,
France, Germany, Great Britain, Russia, and the US) agreed to prolong
the talks on Iran’s controversial nuclear program until the end
June.
Reuters
has obtained a confidential monthly report on the implementation of
the preliminary deal, issued by the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) for its member states.
According
to the document, Tehran’s stockpile of uranium gas currently
amounts to just under 7,400 kilograms, which is below the limit
agreed last year.
The
reduction of supply must’ve taken place in the last couple of weeks
as it was above the limit earlier in November.
Under
the interim deal, Iran agreed to convert a significant part of its
low-enriched uranium gas into oxide, which is less suitable for
processing it further into weapons-grade material.
Tehran
also promised it would halt its most sensitive nuclear operations in
exchange for easing of international sanctions.
The
preliminary agreement between Iran and the six world powers was
signed to buy time for the current talks on a final settlement of the
12-year dispute over Iranian nuclear program.
Despite
Tehran saying that it is refining uranium to fuel its nuclear power
plants, the West is concerned that further enrichment may result in
Iran creating a nuclear bomb.
Iran
nuclear talks extended till end of June
Iran’s
nuclear talks with the six world powers will carry on till the end of
June, officials taking part in negotiations have confirmed. The
parties failed to reach a conclusion by the deadline of November 24.
Iranian
Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif along with EU official and
spokeswoman for the six powers negotiating with Iran, Catherine
Ashton, said that all sides "remain convinced that ... a
comprehensive solution can be reached,” according to a joint
statement
Ferguson
grand jury reaches decision
http://rt.com/usa/208467-ferguson-grand-jury-decision/
A
grand jury has reached a decision regarding whether or not to indict
Ferguson, Missouri police officer Darren Wilson over the fatal
shooting of unarmed teenager Michael Brown.
The
Washington Post first reported on Monday afternoon that the grand
jury has finally reached a decision after spending weeks receiving
testimony and evidence concerning the August shooting death of Brown,
18.
"The
Grand Jury hearing the Michael Brown/Darren Wilson investigation has
reached a decision and it will be announced later today," Edward
Magee, a spokesman for the St. Lois County Prosecuting Attorney's
office, said in a statement
Lithuania
agrees to supply Ukraine with military aid, Poroshenko says
Lithuania
has decided to provide limited military aid to Ukraine following a
meeting between Presidents Petro Poroshenko of Ukraine and Dalia
Grybauskaite of Lithuania in Kiev. The move aims to bolster military
cooperation between the two states.
"We
have agreed on the supply of armaments for the Ukrainian armed
forces," Poroshenko said, after talks with Lithuanian President
Dalia Grybauskaite on Monday.
Poroshenko
added that the aid constituted “real help,” though he did not
clarify if it was for lethal or non-lethal equipment.
Grybauskaite
said the deal would entail providing Ukraine with the necessary
knowhow for building modern armed forces. More Ukrainian
representatives will be invited to study at the Military Academy of
Lithuania, and there will be an increase in joint exercises with the
goal of completing “the formation of the trilateral
Lithuanian-Polish-Ukrainian Brigade,” the Lithuanian president
said.
There
to stay: US troops keep Poland, Baltic deployment for 2015
A
‘temporary’ deployment of US troops in Poland and the Baltic
states has been extended through 2015, a US commander in Europe said.
NATO sells its presence as a deterrent to an ‘aggressive Russia’,
with Moscow countering that it only escalates tension.
The
alliance deployed several hundred US troops in Poland, Latvia,
Lithuania and Estonia earlier this year. The move was explained by a
desire to give confidence to these NATO members after the political
crisis in Ukraine and the secession of its region of Crimea to rejoin
Russia. The alliance called it an annexation and said countries in
the region feared that Moscow would militarily attack them.
Netanyahu govt approves disputed bill making Israel nation-state of Jewish people
Following
heated debate, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet has voted
in favor of anchoring in law the status of Israel as “the national
homeland of the Jewish people,” which critics fear would
discriminate the Arab population.
According
to the draft law, Israel’s Basic Laws would no longer define it as
"Jewish and democratic" country, but as the Nation-State of
the Jewish People.
15
Israeli ministers in the cabinet supported the ‘Jewish state bill,’
with only six, including Israeli Justice Minister, Tzipi Livni,
saying ‘no’ to the initiative on Sunday.
The
bill now has to be approved by the country’s parliament, Knesset,
which is scheduled to vote on it on Wednesday.
Netanyahu
said that it’s high time to amend the legislation as the idea of
Israel being the national homeland of the Jewish people is challenged
by many inside and outside the country.
Russia hit hardest by plunging oil prices as producers brace for cut in profits
Falling
oil prices knocked £1bn off the value of North Sea services firm
Petrofac on Monday and are on course to cripple the Russian economy
without a rescue package from the oil producers’ cartel Opec later
this week.
Petrofac,
which operates in almost 30 countries, saw its share price fall by
more than a quarter after it said profits would be low this year to
reflect a 30% decline in Brent crude prices since the summer. The oil
and gas services firm said it expected 2015 net profit of about $500m
(£403m), $190m less than analysts had previously forecast and well
below the $580m now predicted for this year.
500
dead sea lions found on Peru
About
500 decomposing remains of sea lions have been found off a beach in
Peru. The cause of the mass deaths is not yet clear, however, the
local governor blames marine farmers and fishermen in poisoning the
animals.
The
bodies of both adult and pup sea lions were found on the coast of
Santa province, Ancash Region in northern Peru, environmental police
told the Peruvian Andina news. The beach lies 400km north of the
country’s capital, Lima.
The
governor of the local Samanco district wrote a complaint to police
authorities claiming that the animals had been poisoned by local
marine farmers and fisherman who collect shellfish on the beach.
The
marine mammals used to come closer to the seaside searching for sea
food and scallops.
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