Honduras: Protesters clash with police at rally against reforms

Honduras: Protesters clash with police at rally against reforms

More than 20 people were injured in Honduras after police forcibly broke up protests by thousands of medical workers and teachers. Protesters blocked main avenues in the capital, Tegucigalpa, and tried to force their way into the Toncontin International Airport, south of the city. However, they fled after a volley of tear gas was launched by the officers. An organization known as the ‘Platform for Defense of Health and Education’ called the protest to demand the government revoke decrees that the group contends would lead to the privatization of state hospitals and vast, uncompensated layoffs of public employees. “That is false. We will not privatize anything or let anyone go,” Presidency official Ebal Diaz said in a news conference. The demonstrations have been supported by unions, parents and students. Universities and schools were closed in Tegucigalpa and other parts of the nation. Education Minister Arnaldo Bueso said government officials were ready for dialogue with the protesters, “but they refuse to do so.” Suyapa Figueroa, president of the Medical College, said in a news conference that “the government has two masks, one that it shows in public and another that it hides, because it is prepared to privatize the hospitals and that hurts poor people.”

Pictures of the day more than 150,000 allied soldiers stormed the Normandy beaches

U.S. Army troops in an LCVP landing craft approach Normandy’s “Omaha” Beach on D-Day in Colleville Sur-Mer, France June 6, 1944. (REUTERS)

Deadly tornado wreaks havoc in Ohio

Ohio residents inspected destroyed homes and debris-strewn streets after powerful tornado ripped through the US state overnight, killing at least one person and causing widespread damage and power outages. One twister that barreled through the city of Dayton left 80,000 people without power as day broke, the city’s assistant fire chief Nicholas Hosford told ABC News. “We have homes flattened, entire apartment complexes destroyed, businesses throughout our community where walls have collapsed,” Hosford said. “I don’t know that any community that is fully prepared for this type of devastation,” he added. That twister was one of many — up to 52, according to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration — that touched down Monday night and roared through eight US states. As the scope of the damage became visible with daylight, rescue teams searching for tornado victims in Dayton went door-to-door in areas particularly hard hit by the storm. Hosford said an unknown number of people in Dayton were injured or displaced. The one known fatality so far is an 81-year-old man in the town of Celina, about a 90-minute drive north of Dayton, said Celina Mayor Jeffrey Hazel. The man died when a car crashed into his home, Hazel said.

Donald Trump visits US, Japanese troops aboard ships

On the fourth day of his official visit to Japan, US President Donald Trump visited the American troops aboard the USS Wasp stationed in Japan. He wished them “Happy Memorial Day” and called them the “daring and mighty warriors in the Pacific” Ocean. Recognising the valour of troops, Donald Trump said that United States endures because of brave men and women, who are willing to sacrifice their lives to defend the nation. Trump also interacted with Japanese troops onboard the Japanese JS Kaga destroyer near Tokyo. He was accompanied by Melania Trump, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife Akie. Speaking on the deck of the JS Kaga docked at Yokosuka, Abe spoke of the strong alliance between the United States and Japan. Abe says the fact that he and Trump are standing together on the ship is evidence of the “robust” nature of that alliance. Trump, who was joined by first lady Melania Trump, thanked the Japanese forces and said they had been honoured to meet Japan’s new emperor and empress. He also sent condolences to those injured when a man swinging a knife attacked commuters waiting at a crowded bus stop on May 28, 2019 just outside Tokyo, injuring 19 people.

Man with knives attacks schoolgirls in Japan

A knife-wielding man killed two people and injured 16 others before slashing his own neck in Japan. He attacked a group of school girls, who were waiting at a bus stop just outside Tokyo. He screamed “I will kill you!” and went on stabbing spree indiscriminately. The police official said that the attacker died after he cut himself in the neck. Most of the victims are the students of a school, which was founded by Soeurs de la Charite de Quebec, an organization of Catholic nuns in Quebec City in Canada. A witness told the Mainichi newspaper that he heard children shrieking after walking past a bus. He said that when he turned around, he saw a man wielding a knife in each hand, screaming “I will kill you!” and several children were on the ground. NHK, citing police, said that a bus driver told officials that a man holding a knife in each hand walked toward the bus and started slashing children. NHK also interviewed a witness who said he saw the suspect trying to force his way onto a bus. The attacker’s identity and motive weren’t immediately known.

Brexit Party wins most UK seats in EU vote

Nigel Farage’s anti-EU Brexit Party topped European Parliament polls in Britain, results showed Monday, putting intense pressure on the ruling Conservatives who suffered a historic rout. The populist party, founded just three months ago, capitalised on public anger over delays to Britain’s exit from the European Union, winning almost 32 percent with almost all votes counted. Prime Minister Theresa May’s Conservative party meanwhile slumped to nine percent, its worst electoral result since 1832. In a sign of the divisions still gripping Britain three years after the referendum vote for Brexit, the pro-European Liberal Democrats and Greens also made significant gains. The elections, which took place on Thursday, were never meant to happen, as Britain was due to be out of the bloc on March 29. But parliament has been unable to agree on how to leave, slowly sapping May’s authority and forcing her to finally announce last week she would quit to let somebody else try. Describing the result as a “very disappointing night”, she said: “It shows the importance of finding a Brexit deal, and I sincerely hope these results focus minds in parliament.”

Japanese emperor hosts banquet for Donald Trump

Japan’s emperor Naruhito and empress Masako hosted a banquet for US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania Trump at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. The royal couple entertained them with a full-course French dinner and live orchestra music. Donald Trump and his wife Melania are the first state guests to visit Japan since the emperor’s coronation on May 01, 2019. The event was attended by 165 guests including the Abes, Crown Prince Fumihito, Crown Princess Kiko, professional golfer Isao Aoki, the Nobel-Prize-winning stem cell researcher, Shinya Yamanaka among others. US first lady and Japanese empress donned light dresses while their husbands wore black tuxedos. The first couple feasted on consomme soup a la Royale, turbot meuniere with tomato sauce, rib steak, seasonal salad, Mt Fuji-shaped ice cream, melon and grapes. At the outset of the banquet, the emperor raised a toast and said that he and empress feel “a sense of nostalgia and distinct closeness” to the United States. He remembered his first longer visit to the US in 1985. The empress spent her childhood in New York. In the first two days of his visit, Donald Trump enjoyed sumo wrestling, played golf and had dinner at a Japanese charcoal grill restaurant with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife Akie.

Rolling Thunder veterans group makes final ride through Washington

The Rolling Thunder motorcycles that descend on Washington, DC every Memorial Day weekend made their final ride on Sunday, ending a three decades-old tradition that was initially meant to serve to pay tribute to fallen and missing-in-action soldiers. The veterans advocacy group, formed in 1987 by 73-year-old Vietnam veteran Artie Muller, got its name from a 1965 bombing campaign against North Vietnam dubbed “Operation Rolling Thunder.” President Donald Trump gave the group a shout out on Twitter on Sunday, where he pledged that the annual rides in Washington would continue. “The Great Patriots of Rolling Thunder WILL be coming back to Washington, D.C. next year, & hopefully for many years to come,” Trump wrote. For years, the group has become synonymous with the annual Memorial Day celebration in the nation’s capital, where thousands of motorcycles meet in the Pentagon parking lot and continue their ride across the Memorial Bridge toward the National Mall. Late last year, the group announced it would be making this May its final ride, citing a lack of cooperation by law enforcement and rising costs of permits. The Defense Department told ABC News that they support peaceful demonstrations and were prepared to support the 2019 Rolling Thunder ride.

Donald Trump enjoys sumo wrestling in Japan

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is leaving no stone unturned to entertain his guest US President Donald Trump, who is on a four-day official visit to Japan. From sumo wrestling, cheeseburgers to golf, Sinzo Abe offered Trump all such things, which are close to his heart. Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump, Abe and his wife, Akie joined estimated 11,500 fans at Ryogoku Kokugikan Stadium to watch a sumo wrestling tournament. At the end of the match, Donald Trump presented the US-made eagle-topped “President’s Cup” to the winner, Asanoyama. “That was something to see these great athletes”, Trump said. Amid growing US-Japan trade tensions, Donald Trump’s visit to Japan is considered as a sanguine move demonstrate the strength of the US-Japan alliance. Donald Trump also expressed his views regarding the growing tension in Middle East and North Korea. He said that United States does not seek regime change in Iran. He admired North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un as a “very smart guy.” “Iran has a chance to be a great country, with the same leadership. We’re not looking for regime change, I want to make that clear. We’re looking for no nuclear weapons,” said the president.

Missouri: Storm death toll rises to 9

The death toll in tornado-hit Missouri soared to nine after the bodies of a man and a woman were discovered in a submerged vehicle near the Mississippi River in Missouri. The authorities told that John Reinhardt, 20, and Caitlin Frangel, 19, both from Hazelwood area, were reported missing since May 15. Their bodies were found around 4 AM in an abondoned vehicle on a flooded road that runs along the river at Portage Des Sioux. Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper Dallas Thompson said their post-mortem report suggested their death took place due to drowning. “We believe they went into it in the dark, not knowing the roadway was flooded, and they were unable to get out,” Thompson said. The authorities intensified the rescue operations in the effected areas.

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