HOW TURKISH AIRLINES PLAYS POLITICS WITH AIRLINE MEALS

Turkish Airlines offers “picnic baskets” on flights from Northern Cyprus to Turkey. This is what it Turkish Airlines serves only on domestic flights. Thus, the meal service represents a political statement, i.e. that Turkish Airlines considers Northern Cyprus part of its domestic network.

I connected from Istanbul to Beirut and though the flight time is nearly identical, a much more substantial meal service was offered.

The picnic basket itself was delicious, as is most food on Turkish Airlines. It included a cheese sandwich, green beans in olive oil, and “homemade” chocolate cake. And it was served in a puesdo-picnic basket.

I thought this they are suppose to put a tag on the basket as thus: “occupied Northern Cyprus”. From history, Turkey ought to know its place.

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is a self-declared state. In 1974, Greece attempted to annex Cyprus. In response to the perceived threat of the island’s Turkish population, Turkey invaded and has since occupied the northern part of the island. Greeks were expelled from the North and Turks expelled from the South.

MATTHEW

LATEST: On George Low stabbing: North Cyprus murder suspect re-arrested

One of two men suspected of killing a Briton in North Cyprus has been re-arrested, but the victim's family has been told there is no hope of a murder trial.

George Low, 22, from Dartford, Kent, was stabbed to death in Ayia Napa in southern Cyprus in August 2016.

Mehmet Akpinar fled to the Turkish-controlled north with a second suspect where both were arrested for an unrelated offence and later freed.

He has now been re-arrested and jailed by the authorities in the north.

Mr Low's parents, Martyn and Helen Low, said they hoped the Turkish authorities would "do the right thing" and hand Mr Akpinar over for trial.

But an email from the Foreign Office to the family stated: "Unfortunately there is no prospect of Akpinar being handed to the Republic of Cyprus from the north. Akpinar will be returned to Turkey at the end of his sentence.

"This is because there is no extradition treaty between North Cyprus and any state other than Turkey. We are in the same situation now as we were before this arrest."

Mr Low said: "I can't believe it. We're completely devastated by this. We have been trying to be positive but this is so frustrating."

Their son's friend, Ben Barker, was also seriously injured in the attack, suffering stab wounds to his back.

Following the murder, Cyprus Police issued arrest warrants for Mr Akpinar, 22, and Bulgarian national Sali Ahmet, 42, but Turkish Cypriot authorities in the north refused to hand them over to the Greek Cypriot south and both were allowed to leave the country.

Northern Cyprus has no extradition treaties in force, other than with Turkey.

Gareth Johnson, the Conservative MP for Dartford, has been in regular contact with the Foreign Office, which is "taking the opportunity to raise the profile of George and Ben's case to the relevant parties".

Mr Johnson said: "The Greek Cypriot authorities should hand over any evidence they have against Mr Akpinar to the Turkish Cypriot authorities.

"Here we are, some 14 months after [George Low's] murder and still there's been no progress, and that needs to change."

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WATCH: Illegal Immigrants Jump Fence During MSNBC Report on Border Wall

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Mom's incredible hack for getting her child to take medicine goes viral

Even as adults, the thought of children's medicine gives us the chills. No matter the flavor, from orange to grape, we have vivid memories of being force-fed a spoonful, only to quickly chase it down with a glass of milk or a treat.

But getting babies to open wide for a dose is even harder. However, one mom is sharing her incredible hack to get her son to take medicine -- and now, it's going viral. 

England's Helena Lee was trying to feed her newborn Calpol when she remembered reading about this trick -- all you need is a bottle and syringe. "No tears," promises Lee, as she shows how to use a syringe to fill the bottle's straw with liquid medicine.

Since her posting, Lee's hack has been shared over 120,000 times, with parents from all over praising her clever move. "My sofa covers, carpet and table got a share of the last lot I tried to give," said one comment. 

"So good idea! Have to try! We have already 7 months, but when it goes about taking medicines I'm going crazy!" exclaimed another.

Trump's new Obamacare cut is timed for maximum destruction

On Thursday, President Donald Trump announced that his administration would discontinue subsidies for insurance to lower-income individuals under the Affordable Care Act, known widely as Obamacare. Without these subsidies, costs for millions of Americans will rise.

The timing of Trump’s decision, one that he has been teasing for months, could not come at a worse time for the health care system. At the end of September, states finalized their deals with insurance companies for 2018 — signing contracts to lock in premiums — and open enrollment begins in just over two weeks, a time where millions of consumers will buy plans for 2018.

“The timing is really unfortunate,” Sabrina Corlette, a professor at the Georgetown’s Center on Health Insurance Reforms, told Yahoo Finance. “It’s very late in the process.”

The news has not been well received by any stakeholders in the industry, including insurers, doctors, patients, or hospitals. And insurance stocks tanked following the announcement.

“There’s no question that the actions of the past 24 hours are driven more by a political animus and less about the best policy for millions of consumers who are buying insurance,” she said.

Massive gas explosion at Madina Atomic junction

A massive gas explosion has occurred at Atomic Junction near Madina in Accra, StarrFMonline.com has learnt.

It is unclear what caused the accident but StarrFMonline.com sources say the explosion occurred from a gas filing  station near the total fuel station.

The extent of damage is not yet known but  eyewitnesses say an ambulance has just left the scene with people believed to have been injured.

Officials of the fire service have arrived at the scene.

More details soon…

Source: starrfmonline

Unarmed Hotel Security Guard Who Found Las Vegas Shooter Hailed As Hero

An unarmed security guard at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino was hailed as a hero for pinpointing the Las Vegas shooter’s location, despite a withering barrage of gunfire that wounded him in the leg.

Jesus Campos was on random patrol inside the hotel when the gunman opened fire Sunday on thousands of people gathered at the Route 91 Harvest Festival with modified assault weapons. According to The Daily Beast, Campos tracked the sound of gunshots to the 32nd floor and tried to open the door of the suite where the gunman was barricaded. The killer, who had set up security cameras outside the room, fired a furious barrage of bullets into the hallway, wounding the guard.

Campos was responsible for helping authorities nail down the gunman’s exact location in the massive casino-hotel complex, Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said Wednesday.

“It was the security guard,” Lombardo said during a news conference. He said the gunman fired “well over 200 rounds straight into the hallway” after a peephole camera showed Campos and police officers who responded to his discovery of the location.

“It is amazing that the security guard didn’t sustain additional injuries,” Lombardo said. “His bravery was amazing because he remained with our officers, providing them the key pass to access the door and actually continued to help them clear rooms until our officers demanded that he go seek medical attention.”

Police eventually blew open the door and found the killer dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound

Police: Father Fleeing Crash Scene Left His 2-Year-Old Son to Die

(TULLYTOWN, Pa.) — A New Jersey man is jailed on charges he left his 2-year-old son to die after a crash that occurred while police were chasing him for allegedly stealing television speakers from a Philadelphia-area Wal-Mart.

Twenty-seven-year-old Christopher Kuhn, of Hamilton, remained in the Bucks County jail Wednesday without an attorney listed in court records on third-degree murder and other charges.

Tullytown police say Kuhn fled the store at Levittown Town Center early Tuesday afternoon after taking the speakers worth $228.

Police say Kuhn ran a red light and collided with two other vehicles, and kept running even after his son was thrown from the wreckage.

Las Vegas attack is deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history

At least 58 people were killed and more than 515 wounded when a gunman opened fire during a country music concert in Las Vegas Sunday night, making it the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

The suspected shooter, 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, was found dead in his hotel room on the 32nd floor of at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, from which he had been firing at the crowd attending the outdoor concert across the street. Police said they found “numerous firearms” in Paddock’s hotel room.

ANOTHER REPORT SAYS

A gunman perched on the 32nd floor of a Las Vegas casino unleashed a hail of bullets on an outdoor country music festival below, killing at least 58 people as tens of thousands of concertgoers screamed and ran for their lives, officials said Monday. It was the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

More than 500 other victims were taken to the hospital, authorities said.

SWAT teams using explosives stormed the gunman’s hotel room and found he had killed himself, authorities said. He had as many as 10 guns with him, including rifles, they said.

There was no immediate word on the motive for the bloodbath.

Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said authorities believe it was a “lone wolf” attack. And the U.S. Homeland Security Department said there was no “specific credible threat” involving other public venues in the U.S.

Country music star Jason Aldean was performing Sunday night at the end of the three-day Route 91 Harvest Festival in front of a crowd of more than 22,000 when the gunman opened fire from inside the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino across the street.

The gunman was identified as Stephen Craig Paddock, 64, of Mesquite, Nevada. He had checked into the hotel room on Thursday, authorities said. (AP)

Black African girl arrested for demanding her Salary in Cyprus gets assistance.

Earlier in the week Olomo blog precisely on Monday, brought you a report about a Cameroonian girl who was arrested by her employer in Famagusta just because she demanded that her salary be paid, and now she is facing deportation.

Following our investigation into the issue, we were told by a very close source that Kandem Veronique has finally been paid her salary but the government will be deporting her because she was not registered with any university in the island and also because she has been living in the island illegally.   

Another anonymous source who visited the police station in Magusa on Wednesday, to find out about the case also revealed to us that Veronique was taken to court and has been transferred to the lefkosia prison where she'll spend 15 days and if she doesn't register with a university in the island and pay her school fees within that period, she'll be deported. 

The source also said that the real issue at hand is that she is in Cyprus illegally and added that if she doesn't legalized her status, nothing can be done against her employer, Zizi Pizza

Two days ago, we brought you a report that she has been paid her salary but the government will be deporting her within two weeks because she was not registered with any university in the island. 

We spoke with her lawyer, Mr. Ramadan Sanivar who is defending her in court at no cost and was told that the only way, Veronique can avoid deportation is for her to register with a university in the island and also pay her fees within the next two weeks.

According to her lawyer, Mr. Ramadan Sanivar, a company has promised to pay her school fees and also give her a part time job.

SOURCE: zimbosincyprus