Category: News

Photo: Getty Images

 

A private plane carrying Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman was forced to make an emergency landing, but the star and his pilot were unhurt, the BBC reports.

The plane blew a tyre on take-off from Clarksdale, Mississippi, on Saturday.

The SJ30 jet made a forced landing in Tunica, about 65km away, where it went off the runway.

In a statement, the Shawshank Redemption star said: “Sometimes things don’t go as planned and a tyre blew on take-off, which caused other problems.”

He continued: “But thanks to my excellent pilot Jimmy Hobson we landed safely without a scratch.

“I cannot say the same about my plane. I appreciate the concern and prayers for our safety.”

The 78-year-old has been nominated for seven Oscars for films including Driving Miss Daisy, Street Smart and Invictus, and won in 2005 for his role in Million Dollar Baby.

Photo: REUTERS/DADO RUVIC/FILE

 

Facebook, Google and Twitter are stepping up efforts to combat online propaganda and recruiting by Islamic militants, but the Internet companies are doing it quietly to avoid the perception that they are helping the authorities police the Web, Reuters reports.

On Friday, Facebook Inc said it took down a profile that the company believed belonged to San Bernardino shooter Tashfeen Malik, who with her husband is accused of killing 14 people in a mass shooting that the FBI is investigating as an “act of terrorism.”

Just a day earlier, the French prime minister and European Commission officials met separately with Facebook, Google, Twitter Inc and other companies to demand faster action on what the commission called “online terrorism incitement and hate speech.”

The Internet companies described their policies as straightforward: they ban certain types of content in accordance with their own terms of service, and require court orders to remove or block anything beyond that. Anyone can report, or flag, content for review and possible removal.

President Serzh Sargsyan received today Alan Mill, PACE co-rapporteur on Armenia, who has arrived in Armenia to observe the referendum on Constitutional changes.

President Sargsyan said the periodic meetings provide an opportunity to discuss issues related to the comprehensive cooperation between Armenia and the Council of Europe.

Serzh Sargsyan hailed Council of Europe’s support to the reinforcement of democracy, protection of human rights and rule of law in Armenia, underlining that Armenia has been consistently implementing reforms over the past years.

Alan Mill, in turn, praised the preparatory work done before the referendum and hailed the close cooperation with the Venice Commission.

“Please, accept out best wishes for your efforts towards Constitutional amendments,” Alan Mill said.

Armenians voted in a referendum Sunday on proposed Constitutional changes that would give more powers to the Prime Minister and Parliament at the expense of the President.

The polls opened at 8 a.m. and closed at 8 p.m.

1,005,333 people or 39.17 percent of the eligible voters participated in the referendum on as of 17:00. The final data on voter turnout will be released at 9 p.m.

 

 

 

“I’ve voted for the sake of our stable future,” Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan said after he cast his vote in the referendum on Constitutional changes.

“After the voting the government should combine its efforts to ensure economic development to meet the expectations of the people,” the Prime Minister said.

He said everyone should be provided with the opportunity to vote freely and added that any outcome would be acceptable to the authorities.

“I cast my vote for the sake of our stable future and development. We’ve done our best to ensure the transparency of the voting. We’ve urged all our teammates not to do a disservice. Let the public decide whether to accept the Constitutional changes or not. I’ve not received any reports on serious violations so far. I hope the commissions will do their utmost to avoid violations,” Hovik Abrahamyan said.

He urged the teammates to avoid any provocation and ensure transparent voting.

Representatives of the Russian mission have completed the observation at polling stations in Armenia, Chairman of the Russian Central Electoral Commission Vladimir Churov has said.

The Russian observers have not registered any violations or incidents during the referendum on Constitutional changes, Churov said.

The voter turnout is  projected to stand at 40-45%, Chairman of the Russian CEC told RIA Novosti.

“All procedures are being observed… Everything is calm, we have not seen any violations,” Churov said.

The observers, however, noted some shortcomings in the organization of the referendum. For example, the lists were hung too high in one of the polling stations.

Besides, the Russian observers disliked the precinct in the village of Lermontovo stationed at a village club, while the polling station could be organized in a newly renovated school building.

Raffi Hovhannisyan participated in the Constitutional referendum today.

He cast his vote at polling station #10/6 in Nork Marash community, but tore the envelope before sending it to the bx.

“For the sake of the Republic of Armenia,” Hovhannisyan said.

39.17 percent of the eligible voters participated in the referendum on Constitutional changes as of 17:00, the Central Referendum Commission reported.

Province	Number of eligible voters	Voter turnout (preliminary)	%
Yerevan	845,885	305,368	36.10
Aragatsotn	115,363	48,595	42.12
Ararat	217,789	110,020	50.52
Armavir	229,554	92,277	40.20
Gegharkunik	187,876	75,493	40.18
Lori	238,048	87,709	36.85
Kotayk	235,549	92,478	39.26
Shirak	230,562	73,370	31.82
Syunik	109,448	55,937	51.11
Vayots Dzor	47,149	21,282	45.14
Tavush	109,487	42,804	39.10
Total	2,566,730	1,005,333	39.17

Photo: Reuters

 

The governor of the southern Yemeni city of Aden has been killed in a large explosion, security sources say, the BBC reports.

A convoy carrying Jaafar Mohammed Saad was hit in the Tawahi area of the port city.

Houthi rebels based in northern Yemen have seized much of the country, including the capital Sanaa.

Earlier this year Aden was recaptured by government troops backed by a Saudi-led coalition.

Security sources said several members of Mr Saad’s entourage also died in the attack.

The Police have refuted the reports on alleged shooting in one of the polling stations in the South-Eastern District of capital Yerevan.

Earlier media reports suggested an unknown gunman entered the precinct and opened fire, forcing the public to escape in panic.

RA Police confirm there have been no such incidents either in the mentioned polling station, or elsewhere across the republic.

The Police urge to publicize only authentic data and facts and refrain from spreading misinformation and creating undue tension.