Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Top source: Trump believes North Korea is greatest threat


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Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump believes the “greatest immediate threat” to the US is North Korea and its nuclear program, a senior administration official told reporters Tuesday.

Trump has already called on China to take action to rein in North Korea, over which China has considerable influence and leverage, the official said.
“You gotta work on North Korea,” Trump told a Chinese official on Monday, the senior administration official said, apparently pointing to a brief meeting at the White House Monday between Trump and Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi, the highest-ranking Chinese official Trump has met with since taking office.
    North Korea has successfully developed nuclear weapons, but still lacks a delivery method, the official said. Still, the US administration is concerned that North Korea could purchase a delivery method.
    Trump is not the first US president to be alarmed over North Korea’s nuclear program.
    The senior official who spoke to reporters Tuesday on the condition of anonymity said President Barack Obama on his final day in office told Trump he believed North Korea is the biggest national security threat to the US.
    Trump previously referred to the conversation during an interview last month with Fox News, but declined to reveal what Obama relayed, other than to call it “a military problem with a certain place.”
    Trump’s concern over North Korea is in part fueled by his belief that North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un “may be crazy,” the official said.
    The question for Trump, though, has been, “Is he crazy or is he smart and strategic?” the official said, relaying Trump’s thinking.
    The senior administration official also pointed to North Korea’s alleged role in orchestrating the assassination of Kim’s half-brother as a sign of the country’s capabilities.
    Trump has publicly expressed concern about North Korea’s nuclear program and has said that he believes the US should leverage China’s cooperation in helping to dismantle North Korea’s nuclear program, claiming on the campaign trail that China has “total control over North Korea.”
    “China should solve that problem,” Trump said last year. “And if they don’t solve the problem, we should make trade very difficult for China.”
    Still, the senior administration official said Trump believes the US has a good relationship with China and expressed optimism about the prospects of enlisting China’s help in controlling Pyongyang.

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    White House asks Pentagon for Yemen raid details ahead of Trump speech


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    Washington (CNN)The White House asked the Pentagon for information it could make public in President Donald Trump’s Tuesday night address about a controversial Special Operation raid in Yemen to better explain the mission’s purpose and demonstrate that the results were worth its costs, CNN has learned.

    The request came Monday night, two administration officials said. They stressed, though, that it’s not clear what details the speech will actually include, if any, as it continues to be revised.
    The White House confirmed that it had spoken to the Pentagon, but a senior administration official who has seen the addresssaid the raid is not referred to in the current version — but that’s not a guarantee that it won’t end up in there by 9 p.m.
      The controversial raid on an al Qaeda affiliate, conducted one week into Trump’s presidency, was the US military’s first on-the-ground mission in Yemen since his election. A Navy SEAL and several civilians were killed when the team came under attack from al Qaeda, with others wounded and a US aircraft lost.
      The administration described the raid as a success.But it has been criticized by the father of the fallen Navy SEAL, as well as some members of Congress who have raised questions about the value of the mission.

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      They cautioned that some of the intelligence may indirectly lead them to other targets even months from now, so a final conclusion on the raid’s value is difficult to determine.
      All of the officials CNN spoke with broadly sketched out the same scenario: A large amount of intelligence and data was gathered in the raid, even as the major firefight broke out.
      “That intelligence can possibly be used to conduct further strikes or raids to inhibit AQAP,” one official told CNN. The intelligence assessment of the information gathered is ongoing but “the quantity and quality of the information is high,” the official said.
      The officials dispute an NBC News report that declared the raid had yet to yield any actionable intelligence.The evaluation has not been completed, the sources said, and it would be unfair to make such a conclusion at this point.Officials do believe valuable information has been gained, according to the sources.
      There is special sensitivity in this matter because of public statements by the father of the fallen Navy SEAL, who is questioning the raid. Bill Owens called for an investigation into his son’s death in a news story published Sunday.
      “I want an investigation,” Owens told The Miami Herald.”The government owes my son an investigation.”

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      Georgia couple gets prison for racist threats at child’s birthday party


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      (CNN)A Georgia couple who rode with a Confederate flag-waving group that made armed threats against African-Americans at a child’s birthday party were sentenced to prison Monday.

      Jose “Joe” Torres, was sentenced to 20 years, with 13 years in prison, after a jury convicted him on three counts of aggravated assault, one count of making terroristic threats and one count of violating of Georgia’s Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act.
      Kayla Norton was sentenced to 15 years, with six years in prison. She was convicted on one count of making terroristic threats and one count of violation of the Street Gang Act.
        “Many people tried to make the case about simply flying the Confederate Battle Flag,” Douglas County District Attorney Brian Fortner said in a statement. “This case was about a group of people riding around our community, drinking alcohol, harassing and intimidating our citizens because of the color of their skin.”
        On July 25, 2015, Torres and Norton, joined about a dozen other people in a convoy of pickup trucks waving large Confederate flags as they drove around Douglas County, a suburban Atlanta community. Most of them belonged to a group called “Respect the Flag.”

        Jose

        “The convoy of trucks passed by the victim’s residence where the victims were grilling hot dogs and hamburgers while hosting a child’s birthday party featuring a bouncy castle, snow-cone machines, and a DJ,” the district attorney’s office posted on its official Facebook page.
        The party-goers said the people in the trucks yelled racial slurs as they passed, the statement said.
        The drivers parked the trucks near the house, prosecutors said. Torres was part of a smaller group that “threatened to kill the party goers while repeatedly using derogatory racial slurs against them,” said the statement.
        “Torres, who had retrieved a shotgun from his vehicle, pointed his shotgun at the group of African American party-goers and stated he was going to kill them while his co-defendants stated that ‘the little ones can get one too,’ referring to the young children at the party,” the statement said.
        Norton was accused of making similar threats. The victims said some member of Torres’ group was armed with a knife and a tire tool.
        According to the district attorney’s statement, Torres testified he carried the shotgun because he feared for his friends’ safety. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported members of “Respect the Flag” said people at the party had thrown objects at them.
        CNN has tried to reach the two defendants’ lawyers for comment.
        After the arrests, investigators looked through the defendants’ Facebook accounts, the statement said.
        “Law enforcement was able to locate numerous posts and messages indicating that members of the group were white supremacists who discussed attending KKK rallies, joining Skinheads Nation, and making numerous derogatory remarks about African Americans as a whole,” the DA’s statement said.
        Video of Monday’s sentencing shot by WSB-TV, a CNN affiliate, showed both Torres and Norton breaking down in court as Judge William McClain handed down the sentence.
        Norton apologized for her role in the incident saying, “I want you all to know that is not me. That is not me, that is not him. I would never walk up to you and say those words to you. I’m so sorry that happened to you. I am so sorry.”
        Hyesha Bryant, one of the people at the party, testified at the hearing and told Norton, “What you said affected my life. It affected my children’s lives.”
        But Bryant ended up telling Norton that “I forgive you, I forgive all of you.”
        A jury convicted Torres and Norton on February 6. They are both banished from Douglas County when they’re released from prison.
        Fifteen members of the Respect the Flag group were originally indicted. The disposition of all their cases is unknown, but the district attorney said some of them pleaded guilty to similar charges and received shorter sentences.

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        Sanders mocks Trump saying nobody knew health care is ‘so complicated’


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        Washington (CNN)Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders described health care as “very, very complicated,” hours after President Donald Trump said, “Nobody knew health care could be so complicated.”

        In an interview Monday with CNN’s Anderson Cooper, Sanders laughed over the remark and laid into the complexity of the issue by rolling out his experience working on the legislative side.
        “Some of us who were sitting on the health education committee, who went to meeting after meeting after meeting, who heard from dozens of people, who stayed up night after night trying to figure out this thing, yeah we got a clue,” Sanders said. “When you provide health care in a nation of 320 million people, yeah, it is very, very complicated.”
          Sanders cast the Republican position on Obamacare — “repeal and replace” — as overly simplistic and said now that Republicans were confronting the law from a position of power, they would understand they have to “get beyond rhetoric.”
          The former presidential candidate also said it was not incumbent upon his side to work with Republicans on their agenda. He offered the decision as a choice between working with them to repeal the legislation, which he said he would not do, and working with them to improve the legislation, which he said needed to happen.
          “Is the Affordable Care Act perfect? Far from it,” Sanders said.
          Trump regularly has said Obamacare is a failure that must be repealed and replaced. He pledged to put forward a replacement plan in the near future as he and members of his administration discussed the issue Monday with the nation’s governors and major health industry figures.
          Speaking outside the White House, House Speaker Paul Ryan said, “We have to step in and prevent Obamacare from getting worse, from collapsing, and we will replace it with a law that is better.”
          While the plan that Republican leaders are working on will likely focus on access to private health care, Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist, implored people to follow the example of many other developed countries and install universal health care.
          “We remain today, and let’s not forget it, the only major country on Earth that doesn’t guarantee health care to all people. We pay the highest prices by far for prescription drugs. Let’s address those issues,” Sanders said.

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          Here’s what we know about Trump’s budget math


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          Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump outlined some very broad strokes of his budget proposal during remarks in Washington Monday.

          Details will come later. But we do know after a quick briefing from Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney that most federal programs would be cut in Trump’s vision. Defense and law enforcement spending would rise. He also plans to dramatically increase infrastructure spending, although he did not offer a dollar figure to go along with that idea Monday and he didn’t say exactly how it would be paid for.
          It should be noted that Trump’s proposal is like an opening bid and will go through a difficult budget process on Capitol Hill. But here’s what we know so far.
            Trump’s opening proposal is that of the money the federal government can decide where to spend, $603 billion would go to defense and $462 billion would go to non-defense items. That’s a simple swap — putting $54 billion non-defense dollars into the defense pile.
            Raising defense spending by $54 billion is about a 10% defense spending increase. That’s a lot of money and it will take across-the-board cuts from the rest of the government in order to achieve that level of increase since that dollar amount is larger than the complete funding for most other federal agencies. The US is set to spend $36 billion total on foreign aid in 2017. The entire budget requested by the State Department for 2017 was about $50 billion. That request will have to come down to meet Trump’s goal.
            “The President said we’re going to spend less money overseas and spend more of it here. That’s going to be reflected with the number we send to the State Department,” Mulvaney told reporters.
            Currently, the federal government spends more than half its discretionary spending on defense. Trump’s 10% increase — if Congress agrees with it and passes it into law — would add to that ratio. Here’s a breakdown using 2015 dollars, compiled by the nonpartisan Peter G. Peterson Foundation.
            It’s important to remember that we’re talking about defense and non-defense discretionary spending. Most government money — 69% — is earmarked not for discretionary programs, but for mandatory spending on things like Social Security, Medicare and other health programs and government salaries. Here’s what that breakdown looked like in 2017.

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            Issa renews call for independent prosecutor on Russia


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            Washington (CNN)Rep. Darrell Issa doubled down on statements he made over the weekend urging for an independent investigation of communications between President Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and Russians known to US intelligence.

            “The American people need a clear-eyed view of the nefarious actions of the Russian government,” the California Republican said in a statement Monday.
            “Right now, we have speculation and assumptions, but not clarity and fact, including questions about Russia’s actions, what the FBI knew of the cyberbreaches, what the Obama administration did in response and potential actions of former national security adviser Michael Flynn,” he continued. “Any review conducted must have the full confidence of the American people, which is why I recommended an independent review.”
              Issa — who supported Trump in the 2016 presidential election — said Friday on HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher” that Attorney General Jeff Sessions should step aside and an independent prosecutor should be appointed because Sessions campaigned for Trump.
              Earlier Monday, Issa appeared to qualify his statement on HBO, telling CBS News he could see how a special prosecutor would be appropriate if “there is an allegation of a crime at some point.”
              But, he added, “I think it’s very important to realize there’s been no allegation by any part of this administration or by anyone who’s been to the hearings about any crimes.”
              Flynn was forced to resign earlier this month after acknowledging he did not provide Vice President Mike Pence with a full account of his communications with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak — conversations that involved US sanctions.
              Then last week, multiple US officials told CNN that the FBI rejected a White House request to publicly knock down media reports about communications between Trump’s associates and Russians known to US intelligence during the presidential campaign.
              But Sessions has not been quick to weigh in on the matter.
              Speaking to reporters at the Justice Department on Monday, he said, “I will recuse myself from anything I need to recuse myself from” when specifically asked whether he would step aside.
              As for the propriety of conversations between the White House and FBI, Sessions emphasized that the FBI and Department of Justice “have to remain independent.”
              “But every contact is not improper,” Sessions added.

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              New threats to US Jewish centers


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              (CNN)More bomb threats were called into Jewish community centers and day schools Monday, in at least 12 states, according to statements from the Anti-Defamation League and JCCA.

              Many affected institutions were declared clear and have returned to regular operations.The threats targeted JCCs in Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and Virginia.


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              In a statement, the city said, “Hate will not be tolerated.” The statement said there is no indication that the swastikas are connected to the string of JCC bomb threats.
              “We would like to reassure our residents, especially our Jewish community, that we are actively working on this case and will not stop until we find out who did this.”

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              Son of murdered Colombian diplomat gets $1 million in narco-cash


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              (CNN)Collecting upwards of $1 million of a nearly $200 million judgment may not seem like much. But for a grieving man who lost his father years ago to one of Latin America’s longest-running guerrilla wars, it’s a crucial victory.

              Ever since his diplomat father died at the hands of Colombian rebel forces in 1999, Antonio Caballero has been living in the United States under political asylum, looking for ways to bring those responsible to justice.
              A degree of closure came in 2014, after a Florida trial court awarded Caballero damages in a case that held Colombia’s most notorious guerrillas and drug traffickers liable, in absentia, for the brutal attack.
                The problem is, collecting money from a foreign terrorist organization — particularly an armed rebel group that tries to hide its money beyond the reach of US courts — is difficult, especially if you’re not a US citizen.
                So his legal team followed the money, tracking a trail of drugs and money that began in the Colombian jungle and ran through a Mexican drug cartel into an armored car in Texas before landing in a bank account in Florida.
                Now that Caballero has collected a small portion of the money a court awarded him, he feels vindicated.
                “The symbolism of this justice is more important than the money,” Caballero, 59, said in an interview with CNN through his attorney, Joseph Zumpano. “But the collection of the money itself makes the justice more meaningful.”

                The bloody beginning

                Caballero’s father, Carlos Caballero, was big in Colombian politics.
                A liberal party leader and five-time senator, he took the post of Colombia’s ambassador to the United Nations in 1972. Throughout his political career, he was an outspoken critic of Colombian guerrilla forces.

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                Caballero collects his money at an important juncture in Colombia’s history. The government approved a historic peace agreement with FARC in September, bringing Latin America’s 52-year conflict to an end. FARC’s leader apologized for the “great pain” the insurgent group caused by kidnappings. Peace talks between the Colombian government the ELN are ongoing.
                Despite the country’s progress towards peace, Zumpano says his client isn’t safe to return to Colombia. Nevertheless, Antonio Caballero says he hopes to use the money he’s received to someday hold a memorial for his father among his loved ones in Colombia.
                “Wherever my father is, I’m confident he’s looking down on me and is so happy,” Caballero said. “I know he is so proud of what I have done in his memory.”

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                Bar patron charged in shootings of 2 Indian men appears in court


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                (CNN)The man accused of shooting two technology workers from India and another man at a bar in Kansas last week had his first court appearance on Monday in a high-profile case that is being investigated as a possible hate crime.

                Adam Purinton, 51, faces one charge of first-degree murder and two charges of attempted first-degree murder in last Wednesday’s shooting in Olathe that killed one person and injured two others.

                Srinivas

                Kuchibhotla was killed. Madasani and Grillot survived, according to authorities.
                Grillot, who was shot in the hand and chest, was praised as a hero for attempting to intervene and subdue the suspect, he said in a video from his hospital bed.
                Purinton was arrested hours later at an Applebee’s restaurant in Clinton, Missouri, about 70 miles away from Olathe.
                In 911 calls released by CNN affiliate KSHB, an Applebee’s bartender told police that a man had admitted to shooting two “Iranian” people in Olathe and was looking for a place to hide.

                ‘Rage and malice’

                On Sunday, Madasani spoke at a vigil in Olathe set up to honor Kuchibhotla, his co-worker and best friend, according to CNN affiliate KCTV.
                “It was rage and malice in an individual’s heart that killed my friend, killed our friend,” Madasani said. “It’s an isolated incident that doesn’t reflect the true spirit of Kansas, Midwest and United States.”
                Kuchibhotla and Madasani both worked at Garmin, the tech company that makes GPS devices.
                Kuchibhotla’s widow said that she had been worried about violence against foreigners in the United States, but Kuchibhotla had told her not to worry.
                “I told him many times, ‘Should we think about going back? Should we think about going to a different country?’ He said, ‘No,’ ” Sunayana Dumala said, according to video recorded by KCTV.
                Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton tweeted a link to an article on the shooting and called on President Donald Trump to “step up and speak out” against “threats and hate crimes.”

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                Monday, February 27, 2017

                First barred by travel ban, Iranian baby now recovering after surgery in US


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                (CNN)The uncle of an Iranian baby ensnared in President Trump’s travel ban settled on one word Monday to express gratitude to everyone who helped his niece get to the United States for a life-saving heart medical procedure.

                “It was a miracle,” Samad Teghizadeh said as Fatemeh Reshad recovered at Oregon Health & Science University’s Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland, Oregon.
                The 4-month-old underwent surgery to repair a life-threatening heart defect on February 17, nine days after arriving at the hospital. She was in the intensive care unit Monday and was on the mend, doctors said.
                  Doctors declined to reveal details of the surgery at the family’s request.

                  Iranian

                  “I think Fatemeh’s case is one of generosity and compassion on a great number of individuals,” Jennifer M. Morrisey, a Portland immigration attorney who represents the family said Monday, noting that Fatemeh and her family were granted waivers to travel.
                  She added: “And I hope that we’ll see other cases of that kind of compassionate concern coming forward in the times to come in the immigration realm,” she said.

                  Surgery was an ‘all-day affair’

                  Fatemeh had a “fairly complicated anatomy with a muscular VSD,” Amber Murray, a Washington-based immigration attorney, said earlier referring to a ventricular septal defect.
                  A ventricular septal defect (VSD) is a common heart defect present at birth due to an abnormal connection between the ventricles or lower chambers of the heart, according to the Mayo Clinic.
                  The infant’s initial diagnosis also indicated that she also had other heart complications, including an atrial septal defect — a “hole” in the wall that separates the top two chambers of the heart.
                  Her February 17 surgery was an “all-day affair,” said Dr. Irving Shen, head of the division of pediatric cardiac surgery at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital
                  Armsby added: “The surgery was a little bit more complicated based on the number and nature of the holes in her heart.”

                  Thanks to ‘Uncle Sam’

                  Dr. Dana Braner, chief physician at the hospital, said he couldn’t say how long Fetemeh’s recovery would take because every case is different.
                  He called Teghizadeh “Uncle Sam,” and thanked him for helping to set up the trip.
                  Teghizadeh said the kindness of others surprised him — and Fatemeh’s family.
                  “In the beginning, I didn’t have any hope,” he said.
                  Teghizadeh, an American citizen, lives in Portland with his parents — Fatemeh’s grandparents — who also are US citizens. He said he proud to be a citizen.
                  He said he struggled to find the right words to express his gratitude because English is not his frist language.
                  Teghizadeh rattled a list of thank you’s, including to Merkley, who he said called him twice, and lawmakers who wrote the letter to Tillerson.
                  He called the hospital staff “fantastic.” He thanked his fellow Oregonians and called the state amazing.
                  “And I’m going to stay here forever,” he said of Oregon.

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                  Oscars 2017: Hollywood’s biggest night arrives


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                  (CNN)In accepting the award for best supporting actress at the 89th Academy Awards, Viola Davis didn’t talk politics: She praised the art.

                  “I became an artist and thank God I did because we are the only profession that celebrates what it means to live a life,” said Davis, who won for her role in “Fences.”
                  Davis has been the show-stealer of the night thus far, but there has been plenty of politics Sunday night.
                    The best foreign language film award for Iran’s “The Salesman” was accepted by Anousheh Ansari, who read a speech prepared by director Asghar Farhadi.
                    Farhadi opted not to attend in protest over President Trump’s travel ban made it unclear whether he would even be allowed into the country to attend.
                    “Dividing the world into the ‘us and our enemies’ categories creates fear, a deceitful justification for aggression and war,” he wrote in his speech. “These wars prevent democracy and human rights in countries which have themselves been victims of aggression.”
                    Jimmy Kimmel set that tone right from the start.
                    Kimmel also took swipes at Trump straight out the gate (“I want to say thank you to President Trump. Remember last year when it seemed like the Oscars were racist? That’s gone, thanks to him,”) and joked about the diversity this year (“It’s been a great year. Black people saved NASA and white people saved jazz..”}
                    Kimmel also led a round of applause for the “highly over-rated” actress Meryl Streep.
                    Streep had been hailed this year for her her Golden Globes acceptance speech in which she denounced Trump’s campaign rhetoric without ever mentioning his name. Trump slammed her as “one of the most over-rated actresses in Hollywood” in a tweet afterwards.
                    In his opening monologue, which followed a musical performance by Justin Timberlake, Kimmel also gave a little ribbing to the show, and to himself, joking, “This is my first time here and the way you people go through hosts it’s probably my last time.”
                    The host also provided some levity later on in the broadcast in a bit which involved a group of unsuspecting tourists finding themselves suddenly a part of the show.
                    Upon finding out that one couple was engaged, Kimmel enlisted nominee Denzel Washington to “marry” them on the spot.
                    The first award of the evening for best supporting actor went to Mahershala Ali for his role in “Moonlight.”
                    He thanked his wife who was pregnant during this awards season.
                    “We just had our daughter four days ago,” he said.”I just want to thank her for being such a soldier through this process and really carrying me through it all.”
                    Hollywood’s biggest night has had lots of buzz about whether “La La Land” will sweep.
                    A musical starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling as a pair of lovers looking for their big breaks in Los Angeles, “La La Land” has been a favorite during this awards season.
                    But there’s also been a great deal of attention paid to the diversity of this year’s nominees following two years worth of discussion over #OscarsSoWhite.
                    Seven out of the 20 performers nominated in the acting categories are people of color.
                    History has already been made: “Moonlight’s” Barry Jenkins is the first African American to score nominations for best director, best picture and best adapted screenplay in the same year. That film’s co-editor, Joi McMillon, also became the first African American to earn a nomination for achievement in film editing.
                    Viola Davis, who is nominated for best supporting actress for her role in “Fences,” is now a three-time Oscar nominee, a first for an African American woman.
                    That theme of inclusion could also become a part of what’s expected to be a prominent part of the evening: politically-tinged messages from those on stage.
                    A few stars including Jodie Foster and Michael J. Fox helped kick off the Oscars weekend’s politics as speakers at a rally held Friday in lieu of United Talent Agency’s annual pre-Oscars party.
                    The event, which included speeches in support of immigrant rights, is just one way Hollywood has voiced its displeasure with President Trump’s administration and policies.

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                    Trayvon Martin’s death sparked a movement that lives on five years later


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                    (CNN)Five years ago, the world learned of Trayvon Martin and how he died.

                    The African-American teenager’s death at the hands of a neighborhood watch volunteer spurred a movement and gave rise to a rallying cry that resonates with many today: “#BlackLivesMatter.”
                    Martin, 17, was carrying iced tea and candy as he walked from a convenience store to the home of his father’s fiancee in Sanford, Florida. Neighborhood watch captain George Zimmerman spotted the teenager and called 911 to report “a suspicious person” in his neighborhood.”
                      A scuffle broke out, but there were no direct witnesses. Moments later, neighbors reported hearing gunfire.
                      Zimmerman claimed Martin hit him, knocking him to the pavement. Zimmerman contends that he took out his gun and shot Martin in self-defense. Critics said Zimmerman was unjustified in confronting the unarmed teenager, particularly since Zimmerman disregarded a police dispatcher’s advice to stop following Martin.
                      In July 2013, Zimmerman was acquitted of a second degree murder charge, igniting protests.
                      The image of Martin wearing a hoodie became iconic. Professional athletes donned hoodies, and protestors repeated the mantra: “I am Trayvon Martin” to express solidarity and outrage.
                      Martin’s death inspired then-President Barack Obama to deliver a heartfelt message to Martin’s parents, saying, “If I had a son, he’d look like Trayvon.”
                      Writer, producer and director Ava DuVernay took a moment Sunday to remember Trayvon Martin before heading to the Academy Awards.
                      “Our hoodies are still up and the movement is still strong,” she wrote on Twitter.

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                      Bland was detained in the Waller County Jail for allegedly assaulting an officer during the traffic stop. Three days later, she was found hanging from a noose made from a plastic bag in her cell at the jail.
                      Authorities ruled her death a suicide, but Bland’s family said the Prairie View A&M graduate wouldn’t have killed herself.
                      Bland’s death sparked outrage. Many said she shouldn’t have been arrested in the first place. Protestors said her arrest for the alleged traffic infraction showed bias and excessive force by police against African Americans.
                      Encinia was later indicted on perjury charges after he claimed Bland was “combative and uncooperative” and “kicked my right leg in the shin.” He was also fired.
                      In September 2016, Bland’s family reached a $1.9 million settlement in a wrongful death suit.
                      Using #SandySpeaks hashtag, she posted frequently on her Facebook page of police brutality and the plight of African Americans.
                      “Being a black person in America is very, very hard,” she said in a video posted in April. “At the moment black lives matter. They matter.”

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