INTERNATIONAL

Greek Debt Crisis

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has held talks with international creditors in efforts to find a solution to Greece’s debt crisis. Tsipras has criticized lenders for rejecting his latest reform proposals, which they say are not viable. Talks with the European Commission, the European Central Bank (ECB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) ended without agreement. Greece now must pay the IMF 1.1 billion dollars within days or face default. (The Guardian)

Pakistan death toll

The death toll from the Pakistani heat wave topped 800 this week, with 50 deaths reported on Wednesday. Officials say the temperatures have dropped from averages of 135 degrees Fahrenheit to values near 98 degrees Fahrenheit. Death rates have also dropped from 300 on Tuesday to 50 on Wednesday. Meteorologists also predicted light rain in the city during upcoming weeks, providing some relief to the city of Karachi. (BBC)

France Reacts to a WikiLeaks Revelation that NSA Spied on French Leaders

The French government said on Wednesday it is “unacceptable” that the United States National Security Agency (NSA) allegedly eavesdropped on the personal conversations of several French leaders, including three presidents, as revealed by documents released Tuesday by WikiLeaks. French President François Hollande called an emergency meeting of the French Defense Council on Wednesday to evaluate the credibility of the information with an investigation ongoing. Also on Wednesday, Hollande spoke with U.S. President Barack Obama, denouncing NSA’s alleged actions especially given France’s position as an ally of the U.S. (New York Times)

 

NATIONAL

Confederate Flag

Mourners gathered in Columbia, South Carolina on Wednesday afternoon in the state capitol to honor state senator and reverend Clementa Pinckney, who was among the nine people shot at Emanuel AME church in Charleston on June 19. Protesters called for the expedited removal of the confederate flag which currently flies over the statehouse assembled outside the building on Tuesday, decrying the symbol of the segregated South in light of the racially motivated shooting that took place June 22. The movement against confederate symbols has spread throughout the country, with major retailers such as Walmart and ebay pulling confederate flags and products with confederate flag insignia in the last week. (The Washington Post)

Boston Marathon Bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Sentenced to Death in Federal Court Hearing

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, one of two individuals convicted of bombing the finish line of the 2013 Boston Marathon, received the death sentence Wednesday in a Federal Court hearing.  Victims of the bombing spoke in court, recounting their experiences at the 2013 marathon. Tsarnaev issued his first comments regarding the case prior to the sentencing, apologizing for the events. Tsarnaev and his brother, who died fleeing police the next day, killed four and injured 264 when they bombed the marathon finish line in 2013. Protesters gathered outside the hearing decrying the death penalty. (BBC)

Prisoners

A corrections officer from the Clinton Correctional Facility in upstate New York was charged with three felonies and a misdemeanor regarding the escape of two convicted killers earlier this month, the prison guard’s lawyer said Wednesday. Attourney Andrew Brockway said Officer Gene Palmer, 57, faces one count of promoting dangerous prison contraband, two counts of destroying evidence and one count of official misconduct. Two prisoners escaped from the facility on June 5, beginning an investigation as to their whereabouts and methods. (CNN)
A version of this story appeared on page 5 of the Thursday, June 25, 2015 print edition of the Daily Nexus.

Print