Belgian authorities decide to allow extradition to France of Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam
Thursday, March 31, 2016
Lawsuit Labels Surfer Group As Criminal Gang
A group of surfers in southern California should be designated a criminal gang after years of intimidating visitors and vandalising property, according to a federal lawsuit.
The lawsuit seeks an injunction that would bar members of the Lunada Bay Boys from gathering in Palos Verdes Estates, a wealthy beachside area south of downtown Los Angeles.
It also alleges that Palos Verdes Estates Police Chief Jeff Kepley has failed to enforce state laws or adequately investigate after members of the group were accused of crimes.
The Lunada Bay Boys act beyond behaviour typically displayed by territorial surfers, resorting to threats, taunts and vandalism of cars and personal items to ensure they keep the best spots to themselves, according to the lawsuit.
It claims their actions have prevented visitors to the public beach from "full and equal enjoyment of rights" to enjoy the ocean.
Lunada Bay is considered one of the best spots in the region for experienced surfers, with waves typically reaching 10 to 15 feet.
Cory Spencer, a police officer in El Segundo and a long-time surfer, claims in the lawsuit that his hand was intentionally slashed by the surfboard of a Lunada Bay Boys member.
Another of the plaintiffs, Diana Reed, claims she was heckled and sworn at during attempts to surf in the area.
The lawsuit claims visitors have had their cars vandalised while police looked the other way.
Surfing Magazine describes the Lunada Bay Boys as "the roughest and toughest wealthy middle-aged surf gang in the world".
Kepley and Palos Verdes Estates City Manager Tony Dahlerbruch was not available for comment.
Production Begins On New 12-Sided £1 Coin
New £1 coins have started rolling off the production line at a rate of more than 4,000 a minute.
The 12-sided coins will enter circulation in March next year - the start of a six-month transition period during which people can use both the new and old coins.
The new version will have the same shape as the old 12-sided three pence piece but with bi-metallic construction and the Royal Mint's state-of-the-art anti-counterfeiting technology.
More than 2.2 billion of the current circular £1 coins have been struck since they replaced £1 notes on 21 April, 1983.
But as many as three in every 100 of them - about £45m - are believed to be fake.
Chancellor George Osborne said the new version of the coin will be "the most secure circulating coin anywhere in the world".
He added: "With ground-breaking technology, developed in Wales, the new coin will help secure our economy and get rid of counterfeits."
The Automatic Vending Association has been working with the Royal Mint to make sure the new £1 coins can be used in its machines as easily as possible.
ATA chief executive Jonathan Hart said: "Whilst we can't hide from the fact there is a sizeable piece of work for our members to undertake to ensure readiness, as an organisation we completely understand and support the rationale and the need for a new, secure, one one-pound coin in the United Kingdom."
A French Minister Has Compared Muslim Women to ‘American Negroes’
France’s Minister for Women’s Rights has found herself in hot water after comparing Muslim women who wear their faith’s traditional garments to “American negroes” who supported slavery.
Laurence Rossignol, the government minister, made the remark during a French television interview on Wednesday. She was condemning retailers like H&M and Dolce & Gabbana for their decision to sell product lines designed for Muslim women, saying these firms were “promoting the confinement of women’s bodies,” France 24 reported.
The interviewer noted that some Muslim women in fact choose to wear articles of clothing like burqas and hijabs.
“Of course there are women who choose it,” Rossignol replied. “There were American negroes who were in favor of slavery.”
Rossignol has since expressed remorse for her choice of words, calling it an “error of language” and insisting that she would only use the word negro in the context of slavery, but otherwise she is standing by her observation. She is now the target of a social-media backlash. As of early Thursday morning, a Change.com petition demanding that Rossignol face “sanctions” for her language had received more than 15,800 signatures.
Laurence Rossignol, the government minister, made the remark during a French television interview on Wednesday. She was condemning retailers like H&M and Dolce & Gabbana for their decision to sell product lines designed for Muslim women, saying these firms were “promoting the confinement of women’s bodies,” France 24 reported.
The interviewer noted that some Muslim women in fact choose to wear articles of clothing like burqas and hijabs.
“Of course there are women who choose it,” Rossignol replied. “There were American negroes who were in favor of slavery.”
Rossignol has since expressed remorse for her choice of words, calling it an “error of language” and insisting that she would only use the word negro in the context of slavery, but otherwise she is standing by her observation. She is now the target of a social-media backlash. As of early Thursday morning, a Change.com petition demanding that Rossignol face “sanctions” for her language had received more than 15,800 signatures.
South Africa's Jacob Zuma breached constitution - court
The highest court in South Africa has ruled that President Jacob Zuma violated the constitution when he failed to repay government money spent on his private home.
It gave the treasury 60 days to determine how much he should repay.
The ruling is a victory for the opposition, who said they would push for Mr Zuma's impeachment.
They accuse him of using "ill-gotten wealth" to upgrade his home with a swimming pool and amphitheatre.
Mr Zuma has denied any wrongdoing.
A government statement said he would "reflect" on the judgement and take "appropriate action".
An anti-corruption body, known as the public protector, ruled in 2014 that $23m (£15m) had been spent on his rural home in Nkandla in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province.
Mr Zuma had "unduly benefited" from the renovations and should repay a portion of the money, the public protector said.
In a unanimous judgement on behalf of the Constitutional Court's 11 judges, Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng said the public protector was a "Biblical David" fighting against the Goliath of corruption.
Mr Zuma's failure to repay the money was "inconsistent" with the constitution, he added.
"The president failed to uphold, defend and respect the constitution," he declared.
Spending on presidents' private homes
- PW Botha: $16,100
- FW de Klerk: $22,000
- Nelson Mandela: $2.9m on two residences
- Thabo Mbeki: $1.1m
- Jacob Zuma: $23m on rural Nkandla residence The case was brought by two opposition parties, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the Democratic Alliance (DA). The EFF called on Mr Zuma to step down while the DA said it would table a motion in parliament to demand his impeachment.Mr Zuma's term in government has been marred by allegations of corruption and cronyism.He was first elected in 2009 and is due to step down in 2019.The governing African National Congress said it respected the ruling.It has so far rejected growing pressure to force Mr Zuma out of office.
Microsoft 'Back To Drawing Board' For Racist Bot
Microsoft's boss says the firm has gone "back to the drawing board" after chatbot Tay ended up tweeting racism, Holocaust denial and sexism.
The artificial intelligence (AI) learning experiment used Twitter to converse with real humans.
But mischievous Twitter users taught it offensive terms and encouraged it to say racist and sexist things.
It tweeted that "feminism is cancer" - and also issued replies which said the Holocaust didn't happen, and "Bush did 9/11".
On Wednesday night Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella said: "We quickly realised that it was not up to the mark. We're back to the drawing board."
But he insisted that Microsoft was committed to developing AI bots to help with everyday tasks.
"We want to take the factors of human conversation and apply it to everything else ... to help you with your everyday tasks.
"Human language is the new user interface. Bots are like apps and digital assistants are like meta apps, or the new browsers. Intelligence is infused into all of your apps."
He wants Microsoft's Cortona virtual assistant to be able to help users do everything from booking cinema tickets to ordering pizza.
The Tay bot made a short-lived return to Twitter on Wednesday, tweeting that it was smoking drugs in front of police officers.
It then tweeted "You are too fast, please take a rest …" over and over.
Microsoft responded by making Tay’s Twitter profile private.
The artificial intelligence (AI) learning experiment used Twitter to converse with real humans.
But mischievous Twitter users taught it offensive terms and encouraged it to say racist and sexist things.
It tweeted that "feminism is cancer" - and also issued replies which said the Holocaust didn't happen, and "Bush did 9/11".
On Wednesday night Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella said: "We quickly realised that it was not up to the mark. We're back to the drawing board."
But he insisted that Microsoft was committed to developing AI bots to help with everyday tasks.
"We want to take the factors of human conversation and apply it to everything else ... to help you with your everyday tasks.
"Human language is the new user interface. Bots are like apps and digital assistants are like meta apps, or the new browsers. Intelligence is infused into all of your apps."
He wants Microsoft's Cortona virtual assistant to be able to help users do everything from booking cinema tickets to ordering pizza.
The Tay bot made a short-lived return to Twitter on Wednesday, tweeting that it was smoking drugs in front of police officers.
It then tweeted "You are too fast, please take a rest …" over and over.
Microsoft responded by making Tay’s Twitter profile private.
Whoopi Goldberg's Marijuana Products For PMS
Whoopi Goldberg has revealed she is launching her own medical marijuana company to help women who suffer from menstrual cramps.
The actress and TV host's Whoopi & Maya line, created with businesswoman Maya Elisabeth, will include a balm, bath soak, chocolate drink and tincture.
The products are designed to help ease and relieve period pain.
Goldberg told Glamour her daughter and granddaughters had inherited her "horrific" cramps but when she spoke to men in the marijuana business about developing a product she was told it was "too niche a market".
"It's like, half of the planet is not a niche market!" she said.
"Most guys don't have any idea what a period is or how it works. It's like, 'There's a vagina, and there's an egg...'"
The star has been open about her cannabis use in the past which she says has helped with glaucoma-related headaches.
Speaking to Vanity Fair Goldberg said: "For me, I feel like if you don’t want to get high high, this is a product specifically just to get rid of discomfort.
"Smoking a joint is fine, but most people can’t smoke a joint and go to work.
"You can put the rub on your lower stomach and lower back at work, and then when you get home you can get in the tub for a soak or make tea, and it allows you to continue to work throughout the day," she explained.
Goldberg, 60, is not the first celebrity to enter the marijuana market.
Last year rapper Snoop Dogg launched a new lifestyle platform dedicated to the drug and also has a line of edible products called Leafs by Snoop.
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