Latest news with #rows
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
The figurehead of Irish republicanism v the BBC
Gerry Adams versus the BBC was one of the most high-profile and expensive courtroom showdowns in recent Irish legal history. Two parties who needed no introduction – the figurehead of Irish republicanism against a UK media institution. Sources with knowledge of the case believe the bill is between €3-5m (£2.5- £4m). Both sides had two senior counsel each and the first three rows of the court were filled by barristers and solicitors. Mr Adams was able to do so because the 2016 BBC NI Spotlight programme which contained the allegation was seen by an estimated 16,000 viewers in Ireland. At the time he was a TD (member of the Irish parliament) for Louth. The accompanying online story was also able to be read south of the border – it had about 700 "clicks". It is also fair to speculate that Mr Adams calculated he had a better chance of winning with an Irish jury with little or no memory of The Troubles. This, by the way, could be the last High Court defamation trial by jury in Ireland, as it is in the process of changing the law. The former Sinn Féin leader spent longer in the witness chair than any of the other nine people who testified. His evidence spread across the first seven days – in contrast Spotlight NI reporter Jennifer O'Leary spent three days in the hot seat. At one point Mr Adams reminded a barrister for the BBC: "I'm not on trial here." But his reputation came to form a central part of proceedings, especially for the BBC. As one of his own barristers put it, Mr Adams is "a polarising" figure. To that end, each side had prepared its own video presentation, a life story in two chapters if you like. The BBC showed the jury a montage of news reports of IRA attacks, interspersed with clips of Mr Adams justifying its actions. "What's this got to do with Spotlight?" he asked more than once during cross-examination. As he has all his life, Mr Adams again denied ever having been in the IRA, or being a leading figure on its army council until 2005. His lawyers' video covered the 1990s onwards, depicting Mr Adams as peacemaker, with Bill Clinton, Nelson Mandela and the future King Charles III. This, they claimed, was the reputation defamed by the BBC in 2016. Whatever the verdict was going to be, the five week trial has renewed the debate around Mr Adams. His continues to be a past that hasn't gone away.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
What is the waters rule and why should you care?
The final listening session focusing on a controversial water rule will be held Thursday in Salt Lake City to give Utah residents a chance to weigh in. Called the Waters of the United States, or WOTUS, the hotly contested issue has wrangled its way up to the U.S. Supreme Court. It has been batted around among various presidential administrations that have never been able to agree on its extent and reach. The EPA and the Department of the Army will be conducting a hybrid listening session for the public on Zoom and in-person at the Utah Department of Environmental Quality Multi-Agency State Office Building. The consecutive sessions will be offered at 2–4 p.m. and 4–6 p.m. Participants for this session will include: EPA Office of Water Acting Assistant Administrator Peggy Browne, EPA Region 8 Administrator Cyrus M. Western, and colleagues from the Department of the Army. An Obama-era rule issued in 2015 as an outgrowth of a Supreme Court decision was lauded by environmental activists and conservation groups as the most significant and impressive overhaul of the Clean Water Act in 42 years. Groups like the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership said the Obama rule clarified federal jurisdiction over seasonal streams — which involves 60% of the stream miles in the United States — and was critical for the Prairie Pothole region hosting 70% of the ducks in North America. Supporters of WOTUS say it is meant to protect the benefits of water for all people of the United States to enjoy, not just individual property owners. The rule, however, was derided by states, private property owners and ranchers as regulatory overreach that stretched the meaning of words like navigable, near or adjacent. The case of the Sacketts is one example. Mike and Chantell Sackett bought a vacant lot to build their dream home on in a mostly built-out subdivision in northern Idaho only to be told by the federal government their property was a wetland and subject to the authority of the Clean Water Act. 'The Sacketts' vacant lot is adjacent to Priest Lake, which is 300 feet away and behind two rows of houses,' said Tony Francois, an attorney with the Pacific Legal Foundation, which sued on behalf of the couple in 2008. Francois said the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers have construed WOTUS to expansively extend their authority beyond what is reasonable due to an earlier 2006 Supreme Court decision (Rapanos v. United States) that gave little to no clarity on the issue. In that case, the Supreme Court was trying to answer the question of how closely connected to a navigable river or lake a body of water has to be for Clean Water Act regulations to kick in and how permanent must that water be. The Sacketts prevailed at the U.S. Supreme Court. A majority of the justices held to a plurality opinion in the 2006 case that the Clean Water Act applies to only those 'wetlands' or water which must be relatively permanent and connected to traditional interstate navigable waters. Justice Samuel Alito, who authored the concurring opinion, warned that under the EPA's interpretation of the Clean Water Act, 'nearly all waters and wetlands are potentially susceptible to regulation under this (significant nexus) test, putting a staggering array of landowners at risk of criminal prosecution for such mundane activities as moving dirt.' Utah was among an 11-state coalition that successfully got the rule put on hold with a federal injunction issued in 2018, and Utah's state Legislature has weighed in with a resolution opposing the WOTUS rule. It still remains a contentious issue, however, as the federal government tries to reach a compromise. The listening session Thursday in Salt Lake City is designed to gather more information.
The Citizen
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
White crosses in Trump video: ‘Not mass grave' explains KZN farmer who took footage
White crosses in Trump video: 'Not mass grave' explains KZN farmer who took footage The farming community in KwaZulu-Natal has pushed back against claims that video footage of white crosses — shown during a high-profile meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa — depicted mass graves of murdered Afrikaners. The Witness reports that farmers have clarified that the images were from a symbolic memorial held in 2020 for victims of farm attacks. During last week Wednesday's televised meeting at the White House, Trump confronted Ramaphosa with video footage which, he claimed, proved there was a genocide against Afrikaners in South Africa. The footage showed long rows of white crosses, prompting controversy and international attention. Farmer who took footage of crosses explains Farmer Rob Hoatson, who filmed the original video, explained that the footage captured a large memorial event for Glen (63) and Vida Rafferty (60), who were murdered on their Normandien farm, near Newcastle, in 2020. 'I have been personally affected by farm murders in the local community, including those of my neighbours, Glen and Vida Rafferty in 2020, and my close friend Tollie Nell in 2024.' 'But the truth is that all farming communities in South Africa have been profoundly affected by this problem. 'I am grateful that farm murders have risen to international prominence, and I sincerely hope that they receive the attention they deserve,' said Hoatson who clarified the facts around the video in an interview with the BBC. Crosses laid before memorial of couple killed in farm attack The Raffertys' deaths sparked widespread grief. The couple was well-known and liked by the community. In 2022, Doctor Fikane Ngwenya and Sibongiseni Madondo were convicted and sentenced for the murder, while a co-accused, Siyabonga Macu, died before testifying. 'The aerial video showing thousands of people along a twenty-kilometre stretch was taken by me, a farmer in the area myself,' Hoatson said. 'The large spontaneous attendance at this community event bears testament to the scale and seriousness of the problem.' DA ward 2 councillor Bebsie Cronje also recalled the community's response. 'The entire town attended and paid respects at the crosses which the community laid before their memorial service,' she said. It was expected that white genocide issue would surface during White House visit Dr Oscar van Heerden, an expert in diplomacy, suggested that Trump's decision to raise the white genocide issue during the meeting was inevitable. 'He simply had to bring a matter to a conclusion on the white genocide issue and why he brought the refugees to America,' said Van Heerden, referring to the recent granting of refugee status to 49 Afrikaners by the U.S. government. The meeting has drawn mixed reactions, with some viewing Trump's confrontation as proof that tensions still exist between the two nations. Police minister says more black than white victims in farm attacks Meanwhile, South African authorities have rejected the genocide narrative. Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, presenting the latest crime statistics, said six farm murders occurred in the first quarter of 2025, with only one involving a white farmer. 'The genocide conspiracy is totally unfounded and totally unsubstantiated,' said Mchunu, noting that black farmers and workers have historically been most victims. Most murder victims in SA are 'poor, unemployed young black males' Gareth Newham, head of the Justice and Violence Prevention Programme at the Institute for Security Studies, reiterated that farm violence in South Africa was not solely directed at white farmers. 'If there was any evidence of either a genocide or targeted violence taking place against any group based on their ethnicity, the ISS would be among the first to raise alarm and provide the evidence to the world,' said Newham. He added that most murder victims in South Africa are poor, unemployed young black males. 'Murder victimisation is far more linked to class, gender and location rather than race,' he said. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
23-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
At South Africa's top farm fair, Afrikaners are divided over Trump
The 57th NAMPO Harvest Day, proudly presented by Grain SA and held from 13 - 16 May 2025 at NAMPO Park, concluded on a high note last week, reaffirming its position as the Southern Africa's largest and most influential grain-focused agricultural trade exhibition. Image: NAMPO/Facebook South Africa's premier agricultural fair recently showcased livestock, massive tractors and rows of pick-up trucks, a paradise for Afrikaner farmers but many are divided over President Donald Trump's claims of persecution. In trademark khaki shorts and caps, hundreds of farmers gathered at the annual Nampo show in Bothaville, some 220 kilometres south of Johannesburg, days after a first group of Afrikaners were welcomed into the United States as "refugees". "There is no doubt there is a genocide in South Africa," said maize farmer John Potgieter, echoing false claims made by Trump in attacks on the South African government and its policies. Pointing to a nearby monument listing the names of farmers killed in attacks since the 1960s, the 31-year-old insisted that the white Afrikaner minority was a target in the black-majority country. "Obviously, genocide is a broad word. It is not a mass genocide like the Holocaust," Potgieter conceded. A murder rate that averages 75 a day is among South Africa's grim statistics. Most of those who are killed are young black men in urban areas, even if attacks on farms are a harsh reality. Experts say about 50 farmers from all racial groups are killed annually. "It is much safer in a farm than in a town," said sheep and goat farmer Eduard van der Westhuizen. "There are problems, murders sometimes, but it is not targeted," he said, holding a shepherd's crook. "I won't go anywhere else, this is my country, I love it," he added. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ South Africa protested after 49 white Afrikaners flew out of Johannesburg earlier this month, accepting Trump's offer of refuge. "They can't provide any proof of any persecution because there is not any form of persecution to white South Africans or to Afrikaners South Africans," Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola told reporters. President Cyril Ramaphosa has dismissed the claims of genocide as politically motivated, with the countries at odds over a range of policy issues. "There is no genocide here. We are beautiful, happy people, black and white working and living together," Ramaphosa said recently. The first group of Afrikaners from South Africa to arrive for resettlement listen to remarks from US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and US Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Troy Edgar Image: SAUL LOEB / AFP Resettlement 'a farce' Held in the heart of South Africa's maize, sunflower and sorghum farming district, this year's Nampo boasted over 900 exhibitors, including dealers in handguns and AR-15 automatic rifles. Gun sales had increased in areas that had seen farm attacks, said Willem Jordaan, head of marketing at Dave Sheer Guns. "It's important to have a means of self-defence," he told AFP. But Trump's invitation to white Afrikaners to settle was a "farce", said a farm equipment dealer with a silver moustache. For Danny Snyman, 18, Trump had raised awareness about the issues in South Africa, admitting though he had never heard of any murders, only "lots of stealing". The rookie farmer said he was attracted by opportunities in the United States. "I would definitely go overseas, maybe to tour and see what it is like and maybe go work there for a month or two, but yeah, I'd probably come back," he said. The US president's claims that white Afrikaners face "unjust racial discrimination" come with ties between Pretoria and Washington at a low over policy issues, including the war in Ukraine. Land ownership remains one of South Africa's most sensitive post-apartheid issues, with the white community, around eight percent of the population, owning more than three-quarters of farms. Afrikaner-led governments imposed the brutal race-based apartheid system that denied the black majority political and economic rights until it was voted out in 1994. AFP
Hindustan Times
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
At S.Africa's top farm fair, Afrikaners are divided over Trump
South Africa's premier agricultural fair recently showcased livestock, massive tractors and rows of pick-up trucks, a paradise for Afrikaner farmers but many are divided over President Donald Trump's claims of persecution. In trademark khaki shorts and caps, hundreds of farmers gathered at the annual Nampo show in Bothaville, some 220 kilometres south of Johannesburg, days after a first group of Afrikaners were welcomed into the United States as "refugees". "There is no doubt there is a genocide in South Africa," said maize farmer John Potgieter, echoing false claims made by Trump in attacks on the South African government and its policies. Pointing to a nearby monument listing the names of farmers killed in attacks since the 1960s, the 31-year-old insisted that the white Afrikaner minority was a target in the black-majority country. "Obviously, genocide is a broad word. It is not a mass genocide like the Holocaust," Potgieter conceded. A murder rate that averages 75 a day is among South Africa's grim statistics. Most of those who are killed are young black men in urban areas, even if attacks on farms are a harsh reality. Experts say about 50 farmers from all racial groups are killed annually. "It is much safer in a farm than in a town," said sheep and goat farmer Eduard van der Westhuizen. "There are problems, murders sometimes, but it is not targeted," he said, holding a shepherd's crook. "I won't go anywhere else, this is my country, I love it," he added. South Africa protested after 49 white Afrikaners flew out of Johannesburg earlier this month, accepting Trump's offer of refuge. "They can't provide any proof of any persecution because there is not any form of persecution to white South Africans or to Afrikaners South Africans," Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola told reporters. President Cyril Ramaphosa has dismissed the claims of genocide as politically motivated, with the countries at odds over a range of policy issues. "There is no genocide here. We are beautiful, happy people, black and white working and living together," Ramaphosa said recently. Held in the heart of South Africa's maize, sunflower and sorghum farming district, this year's Nampo boasted over 900 exhibitors, including dealers in handguns and AR-15 automatic rifles. Gun sales had increased in areas that had seen farm attacks, said Willem Jordaan, head of marketing at Dave Sheer Guns. "It's important to have a means of self-defence," he told AFP. But Trump's invitation to white Afrikaners to settle was a "farce", said a farm equipment dealer with a silver moustache. For Danny Snyman, 18, Trump had raised awareness about the issues in South Africa, admitting though he had never heard of any murders, only "lots of stealing". The rookie farmer said he was attracted by opportunities in the United States. "I would definitely go overseas, maybe to tour and see what it is like and maybe go work there for a month or two, but yeah, I'd probably come back," he said. The US president's claims that white Afrikaners face "unjust racial discrimination" come with ties between Pretoria and Washington at a low over policy issues, including the war in Ukraine. Land ownership remains one of South Africa's most sensitive post-apartheid issues, with the white community, around eight percent of the population, owning more than three-quarters of farms. Afrikaner-led governments imposed the brutal race-based apartheid system that denied the black majority political and economic rights until it was voted out in 1994. clv/ho/br/tw
