Clashes as Mexicans hold rally for 43 missing students | ||
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Mexico City (AFP) - Protesters angry at the presumed massacre of 43 students clashed with police outside Mexico's National Palace after a massive march demanding President Enrique Pena Nieto's resignation. The face-off marred a mostly peaceful rally of tens of thousands of black-clad people in the capital, where they waved blackened Mexican flags and chanted "Urgent! Urgent for the president to resign!" Parents of the 43 male college students, who reject claims their sons are dead and demand the government find them safe and sound, led the latest nationwide demonstration to the historic palace. "We won't rest until we find the boys," Felipe de la Cruz, father of a missing student, told the crowd after the parents arrived in the capital following a week-long bus protest tour of Mexico. Some 30,000 people took part in the protest, according to the city government. Some protesters burned an effigy of the president and threw powerful firecrackers at the fenced-off palace, which Pena Nieto only uses for ceremonies. Hundreds of riot police sprayed water and fired tear gas at protesters. Some charged the officers, kicking at their shields. Other protesters shouted "No violence!" before the police swarmed and cleared the Zocalo square, where the palace lies. Officials said 31 people were detained throughout the day. At least five people were injured, an AFP photographer said. Authorities said two police officers were also injured. The crime involving the students has infuriated Mexicans fed up with corruption, impunity and a drug war that has left more than 100,000 people dead or missing since 2006. The case has turned into the biggest challenge of Pena Nieto's nearly two-year-old presidency, on top of another scandal over a mansion his wife bought from a government contractor. Prosecutors say a drug gang confessed to slaying the students and burning their bodies after receiving them from corrupt police in the southern state of Guerrero in September. "Mexico is used to tragedy, robberies and corruption, and we need to begin to exercise our rights as citizens to get the government working," said Lili Correa, 46, wearing black.
- President 'doesn't care' -
The demonstration coincided with the anniversary of the start of the 1910 Mexican revolution, prompting the government to cancel the annual parade. Before the march, masked protesters threw firebombs and used bazooka-like tubes to launch firecrackers at police, who hit back with tear gas to disperse them on a street near the airport. Protesters also blocked the main road to the airport for an hour. Police vehicles picked up passengers hauling their suitcases along the road. Thousands protested in several other cities, including Chilpancingo, the capital of Guerrero, the violence-plagued southern state where the students vanished nearly two months ago. Support was shown in other countries, with thousands marching in Bolivia and some 200 in El Salvador. Mexico and Real Madrid football star Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez tweeted a picture of himself wearing a black hoodie and the hashtag #WeAreAllAyotzinapa, referring to the young men's Ayotzinapa teacher-training college. "This is a nationwide problem. Nothing like this happened before and Pena Nieto doesn't care, he's useless," said Luis Angel Garcia, a 19-year-old Ayotzinapa student.
- 'Mexico is hurting' -
With the annual parade called off, Pena Nieto led a ceremony with top officials at the Campo Marte military field, where he denounced violent protests. "Mexico is hurting, but the only path to soothe this pain is through peace and justice," he said, hours after making his personal assets public to quell conflict of interest allegations over his wife's mansion. Defense Minister Salvador Cienfuegos said violence "only leads to national failure, social backwardness, ungovernability, instability." The crisis erupted after the mayor of the city of Iguala ordered police to confront students on September 26, sparking a night of violence that left six people dead and 43 missing, authorities say. Members of the Guerreros Unidos drug gang told investigators they killed the students and burned the bodies after police had handed them over. Officials stopped short of declaring the students dead, pending an Austrian university's DNA tests on charred bones. Federal authorities continue to search for them in Guerrero. Highlighting their deep distrust of the authorities, families of the missing say they will only trust DNA test results from independent foreign forensic experts.
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Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson Is In Talks To Resign Ahead Of Grand Jury Decision | ||
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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Darren Wilson, the Ferguson police officer who fatally shot an unarmed black teenager in August, is in talks with officials to resign, CNN reports. The negotiations come at the same time that a grand jury, which has been investigating the case for several months, is expected to decide whether or not to indict him. Wilson seems confident that he will not face criminal charges from a grand jury, a police union official said Thursday. Meanwhile, The Washington Post reports that Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson said on Thursday that Wilson is unlikely to return to his job regardless of whether a grand jury decides to indict him. Wilson has been on paid administrative leave since the shooting. Jeff Roorda, business manager for the St. Louis Police Officers' Association, said he met Thursday with the St. Louis police officer, who has remained secluded from the public eye since the Aug. 9 shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown that sparked tense and occasionally violent protests and drew national attention. Wilson has been under a lot of pressure and stress but appeared confident in the outcome of the grand jury investigation, Roorda said. "It's fair to say that neither he nor his defense team expect an indictment," Roorda said, offering his impression of the situation based on the meeting with Wilson. Roorda later told the AP in a text message that he was only speaking for himself. "Wilson seems confident that justice will be served, but neither he nor his attorneys shared any expectations with me," he said in the text. One of Wilson's attorneys, who also attended Thursday's meeting, said there was no specific discussion of expectations. "We have absolutely no idea — no more than anyone else — what may or may not happen," attorney Neil Bruntrager said. "The only expectation that we would have is that the grand jury would be thorough and fair." If he is indicted, Wilson will immediately turn himself in to authorities, Bruntrager said. A 12-person St. Louis County grand jury has been hearing evidence in the case as it weighs whether to issue charges against the white officer for the black 18-year-old's death. A decision could come soon, though authorities have not publicized any specific date for an announcement. Roorda said St. Louis city police have been notified that they are switching to 12-hour shifts starting Saturday, a preparation for a potential uptick in protests. The St. Louis County Police Department has not yet decided whether to switch to longer work shifts, spokesman Brian Schellman said. For weeks, local and state police have been preparing for a grand jury announcement in anticipation that it will result in renewed protests. Earlier this week, Gov. Jay Nixon declared a state of emergency and activated the National Guard to help with security. Authorities have said Wilson shot Brown, who was unarmed, following some sort of physical confrontation that occurred after Wilson told Brown and a friend to stop walking down the center of a street. Wilson told authorities that the shooting happened after Brown struggled with him for his gun, according to reports by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the New York Times that cited unnamed sources. But some witnesses have said Brown had his arms raised — as if to surrender — when the fatal shot was fired. Riots and looting occurred a day after the shooting, and protesters filled the streets for weeks. Police responded by firing tear gas and smoke canisters into crowds of demonstrators after some people threw rocks and Molotov cocktails. Protests have been nearly constant since the shooting. The vast majority of protesters want to see the officer charged with murder. Many are also pushing for changes in the way police and the courts interact with minorities. A handful of demonstrations have been in support of Wilson. Benjamin Crump, a lawyer for Brown's family, described the investigation as an "emotional roller-coaster" for his clients. Even if Wilson is indicted, there's no guarantee of a conviction. And if he isn't charged, Crump said Thursday, "they get no chance of justice for their child." Crump said he had no insight into the timing of the grand jury's decision, but that he expected to be notified ahead of any public announcement. Wilson has incurred significant legal, medical and relocation expenses, and a police charity has raised close to $500,000 for him, Roorda said. ___ Associated Press writers Jim Salter in St. Louis and Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report. ___ Follow David A. Lieb at: https://twitter.com/DavidALieb .
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Guitar great De Lucia honored at political Latin Grammys | ||
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Las Vegas (AFP) - Late guitar great Paco de Lucia and superstar Enrique Iglesias won top prizes Thursday at the Latin Grammys, which took a political edge as artists cheered President Barack Obama's plan to help immigrants. The top award night for the Spanish- and Portuguese-language music industry paid homage to De Lucia, a Spanish legend of the flamenco guitar, who died in February at age 66. De Lucia posthumously won Album of the Year for "Cancion Andaluza," which also was declared Best Flamenco Album. De Lucia's widow said that the album was a passion for De Lucia, who dedicated the last months of his life to it. Iglesias, who has built a fan base cross language lines through his crossover pop, won three awards including Song of the Year with the Cuban artists Descemer Bueno and Gente de Zona for their collaboration "Bailando" ("Dancing"). The three artists, who did not attend the ceremony in Las Vegas, dedicated the award to the Cuban people in a video message. Uruguayan singer Jorge Drexler expressed "massive surprise" as he won the prestigious Record of the Year for "Universos Paralelos," a Colombian-inspired song. He dedicated the award both to Colombia and his grandfather. - Obama in focus - The Latin Grammys came with an unexpected political undertone as Obama delivered a national address on immigration just as the ceremony was set to begin. The audience at the Mandalay Bay arena watched on a giant screen as Obama, who flies to Las Vegas on Friday, announced plans to protect some five million undocumented migrants from deportation. While main US television networks declined to air Obama's speech, Spanish-language broadcaster Univision delayed its broadcast of the Latin Grammys to US East Coast viewers to show first the president's remarks. Carlos Vives dedicated his Latin Grammy for Best Contemporary Tropical Album to Obama, who won two elections with strong support from US Latinos but faces heated political opposition over his unilateral move. "I've never heard any United States president speak about our Latinos as Obama has," said Vives, who is Colombian. The New York-born Puerto Rican superstar Marc Anthony also paid a nod to Obama as he voiced surprise at winning the Latin Grammy for Best Salsa Album. "Long live the Latin race!" he exclaimed as he accepted the prize for the album "3.0." The Latin Grammys also marked the red carpet debut for Marc Anthony and his new wife, Venezuelan model Shannon De Lima. The couple married earlier this month, soon after Marc Anthony finalized his divorce from fellow music giant Jennifer Lopez. - Tribute to Spanish legend Serrat - Obama's immigration initiative was not the only issue on the minds of the artists. Calle 13, which won for Best Urban Music Album, implored Mexican authorities to resolve the case of 43 university students who are missing and feared to have been massacred. "This is a disaster that cannot go unpunished. This is a matter of human rights," said Rene Perez, the Puerto Rican duo's singer. "We cannot tolerate this. This cannot become an example," said Perez, sporting a shirt with the name of the young men's Ayotzinapa teacher-training college. The Latin Grammys closed out with a tribute to Spanish singing great Joan Manuel Serrat, one day after a concert in Las Vegas honored his half-century career. Serrat, accepting a Person of the Year award, offered thanks to his mother, his teachers and to "the public, that anonymous entity that carries us throughout our artistic life and without which we could not be." Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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10 Things You Need To Know In Markets Today | ||
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Good morning! Here are 10 major events you should know about before trading starts in London and Paris. UKIP Won Another Seat In Parliament. With 42% of the vote to the Conservative party's 35%, Mark Reckless is now the anti-EU party's second member of parliament. Asian Markets Are Up. Japan's Nikkei closed up 0.33% and Hong Kong's Hang Seng is currently 0.59% higher. Obama's Immigration Announcement Could Lead To A Shutdown. Obama unveiled his executive order that will shield about 4 million undocumented immigrants from deportation in a prime time address from the White House on Thursday evening. Top Republicans responded by hinting they could push the government toward another shutdown. Alibaba Raised $8 Billion In A Massive Bond Sale. Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba raised $8 billion in a bond offering, the Wall Street Journal said. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Support Is Tumbling. Support for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is at its lowest since he took office and more than a third of voters think his economic policies have failed, a survey showed on Friday. Blackstone Is Buying $1.6 Billion (£1.02 Billion) Of Real Estate From GE. US private equity firm Blackstone said it would buy the residential real estate arm of General Electric's property unit in Japan, as the country's land prices slowly recover from an asset bubble burst. The Fed Is Reviewing Its Relationship With Big Banks. According to the Financial Times, The Federal Reserve will conduct a review of its position as regulator of large financial institutions. India Is Trying To End The State Monopoly On Coal. The country's coal minister said the government would look at the how quickly to bring in the private sector after a tentative auction of mining rights in March. Foxconn Is Building Another Factor Just For Apple Displays. The factory will be located in southern Taiwan and follows an "urgent request" from Apple, according to a Foxconn spokesperson quoted by Bloomberg. Draghi Is Coming. ECB boss Mario Draghi will speak in Frankfurt at 8 a.m. GMT, and investors will be looking out for any hints at further ECB action. At 9.30 a.m. GMT, UK public finance figures are out, with analysts expecting that the government borrowed £6.7 billion ($10.5 billion) in October. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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