CYPRUS - Anti-Terror Drill

"US Navy SEALs, Cyprus Special Forces Hold Anti-Terror Drill" Military.com (AP), 09/11/2021

LIMASSOL, Cyprus (AP) — Members of the U.S. Navy’s elite special forces SEAL unit joined Cypriot underwater demolition soldiers on Friday in a joint drill to hone skills in countering terrorist hijackings at sea.

The exercise involved teams of U.S. and Cypriot special forces re-taking a ship controlled by terrorists.

Cypriot Defense Minister Charalambos Petrides said after the drill that Cyprus and the U.S. are on the same “strategic path” to ensure security and stability in a turbulent region.

He said close cooperation between the two countries’ special forces in the past two years aims to achieve peak preparedness in order to deal with “asymmetrical threats and emerging crises.”

U.S. Ambassador to Cyprus Judith Garber said more joint drills will follow in the near future.

The U.S. decided for the first time last year to provide military education and training funding to Cyprus following Congressional approval as part of Washington’s [DC] push to enhance ties with countries in the region in order to boost security.

The funding is part of the Eastern Mediterranean Energy and Security Partnership Act that U.S. legislators approved in 2019.  The legislation underscores U.S. support for a partnership between Greece, Cyprus and Israel founded on recently discovered offshore gas deposits in the region.

The Act also partially lifts a 1987 U.S. arms embargo on Cyprus that was imposed to prevent an arms race that could hamper efforts to reunify the ethnically divided island nation.

2020 OLYMPICS - Week 7/19 Roundup

For me it is confusing to have the '2020' Olympics in 2021, it's the delay of course.

"The American athletes to watch during the Tokyo Olympics" PBS NewsHour 7/19/2021

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  The opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games are just four days away.  But the specter of COVID hangs over the games as more than 50 people involved, including athletes, contractors and staff, test positive.  Olympics officials say they still hope to put on compelling games despite it all.  With that in mind, Judy Woodruff previews some of the Americans to watch with Christine Brennan of USA Today.

Christine Brennan, USA Today:  Well, we really — the dream team is women's basketball.  And going back, the U.S. women's Olympic basketball team has not lost, Judy, since 1992, Barcelona 1992.

 

 

"Quiet Olympics opening ceremony sees loud public protest over virus concerns" PBS NewsHour 7/23/2021

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Usually a star-studded show, the Tokyo Olympics opened with a quieter ceremony.  National teams paraded to a nearly empty stadium.  It was noisier outside, as protests against holding the games in the middle of a pandemic continued.  Only 23% of Japan's population is fully vaccinated.  William Brangham speaks to Associated Press reporter Philip Crowther about the situation on the ground in Tokyo.

 

 

"Delayed by a year, Tokyo Olympics kick-off amid COVID-19 fears, protests" PBS NewsHour 7/24/2021

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  A year after they were postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Olympics kicked off in Tokyo, Japan-- but not without controversies.  The opening ceremony was held without spectators and most competitions are being held without an in-person audience.  Meanwhile, as COVID-19 cases rise, public outcry against the Games has grown.  New York Times Tokyo Bureau Chief Motoko Rich joins.

GUN CONTROL - U.S. Child Gun Accident Rates

"A child dies every other day from gun accidents in U.S." PBS NewsHour 10/15/2016

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  A joint investigation by the Associated Press and the USA Today Network has found that in the first six months of this year, gun accidents killed at least one child in the U.S. every other day.  Both the shooters and victims were most likely to be three years old.  Ryan Foley, one of the reporters on the story for the AP in Iowa, joins Hari Sreenivasan to discuss.

HARI SREENIVASAN, PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND ANCHOR:  A joint investigation by the “Associated Press” and “USA Today Network” has found in the first six months of this year, gun accidents killed at least one child in the United States every other day.  The report published yesterday analyzed more than 1,000 deaths and injuries from accidental shootings involving children ages 17 and younger between January 2014 and this June.

Joining me now to talk about this is one of the reporters of that story, Ryan Foley, a member of “A.P.'s” national reporting team focused on state government coverage.  He is in Iowa today.

First of all, what's the purpose of the investigation?  What prompted it in the first place?


RYAN FOLEY, ASSOCIATED PRESS:  So, we wanted to take a more comprehensive look at these shootings, why they were happening, who the victims were, what types of guns were being used.  And we also knew that there wasn't a lot of government research into these questions.

PULITZER PRIZE - Public Service Prize for Associated Press

"How the AP uncovered secret slavery behind the seafood in your supermarket" PBS NewsHour 4/20/2016

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  An 18-month investigation into the use of slave labor in southeast Asia to bring seafood to American restaurants and supermarkets earned the Associated Press a Pulitzer Prize for Public Service.  Since the report was made public, more than 2,000 slaves have been freed.  For more on the daring expose, Hari Sreenivasan talks to Martha Mendoza of the Associated Press.

HARI SREENIVASAN (NewsHour):  Now a startling expose about slave labor in the world of seafood.

This week, we’re looking at some of the Pulitzer Prize winners.  And the Associated Press’ 18-month-long investigation won the prize for public service.  It tracked the widespread use of slave labor in Southeast Asia and how it’s part in a supply chain bringing seafood to American restaurants and supermarkets.

Fishermen were beaten and caged, and reporters even hid in the back of trucks for days to pursue the story.  Since then, more than 2,000 slaves have been freed.

Martha Mendoza was part of that reporting team, and joins me now.

Martha, what was the catalyst for the investigation in the first place?  Unfortunately, we have heard of slave-like conditions in different parts of the world before.  What made you want to follow this?

MARTHA MENDOZA, Associated Press:  Well, Slavery at sea wasn’t a secret, but the stories that were being told came from rescued slaves.

And, therefore, there was no traction because the response was, these guys are safe.  There is not really a problem anymore.  So, we set out to do what some people warned us was going to be impossible.  We wanted to find captive slaves, and then we wanted to track their catch with detailed accuracy all the way back to the dinner table to get people who were at the other end of this supply chain engaged.

HARI SREENIVASAN:  So, how do you find the captive slaves in the first place?

MARTHA MENDOZA:  My colleagues spoke at length and for many months with people who had escaped, as well as human rights activists who worked with people who had escaped.

And they had some miss, going to places where this wasn’t happening or false leads.  But when they heard about this island in Indonesia called Benjina, they had a pretty good idea there might be labor abuse going on there.  And it was a plane trip to a boat ride to a second boat ride to an island that can only be reached at certain times of the year.

And that’s where my colleagues did, indeed, find a slave island.

ANTARCTICA - The Biologists' Penguin Robotic Spy

"Roving Chick Spy Keeps Tabs on Shy Penguins" by Associated Press, NBC News 11/3/2014

The newest tool for biologists is the baby penguin robotic spy.  It's pretty darn cute, and so convincing that penguins essentially talk to it, as if it is a potential mate for their chicks.  Emperor penguins are notoriously shy.  When researchers approach, these penguins normally back away and their heart rate goes up.  That's not what the scientists need when they want to check heart rate, health and other penguin parameters.  So international scientists and even filmmakers, led by Yvon Le Maho of the University of Strasbourg in France, created a remote control rover disguised as a chick to snuggle up to shy penguins in Adelie Land, Antarctica — the same place where the 2005 documentary "March of the Penguins" (48:50) was filmed.  Researchers watched from more than 650 feet away.  The first disguised version of the rover, made of fiberglass, didn't pass muster and scared the real birds, Le Maho said.  Researchers tried about five versions until they hit upon the right one.  It's covered in gray fur, sports black arms, and has a black-and-white painted face and black beak.

NEW JERSEY - 'All In the Family' Lotto Winners

"Big family hit by Sandy to share lottery winnings" from AP, News & Record 7/25/2014

A large family that lives at the shore and suffered losses during Superstorm Sandy will share a $20 million lottery jackpot that one of the 17 siblings said will be “a great pick-me-up.”

Members of the Endreson family packed the Beachwood Community Center on Thursday for a news conference.  A lottery spokeswoman said the siblings range in age from 53 to 76.  The New Jersey Pick-6 prize will also be shared with three children of a brother who died a few years ago.

John Endreson, 69, became emotional when he described rebuilding his home after Sandy ripped through the area in October 2012.

“The hardest part was seeing other people that were devastated,” he said.  “I was able to redo my house and help my family and my brothers.  I was quite fortunate.  I just feel so lucky.  And this is just the icing on the cake.”

Another sibling described how their late mother started playing the lottery regularly years ago and would always say that all her children would get a piece of the winnings.

Faith Schiabor told how she got the news from one of her sisters who had bought the winning ticket.

“I got this frantic phone call,” she said.  “She said, ‘Are you sitting down?’  I thought someone was hurt.”

Her sister Sigrid told reporters that she bought the tickets and then forgot about them for about two weeks before going down to a supermarket to check them.  When one came back with the message, “see cashier,” she ran it through again before taking it up to the window and getting the good news.

“I started to cry,” she said.  “I called my sister to come get me.  I didn't think I was going to make it.  I said, ‘I think I won the lottery.’”

The family decided to take a lump sum payment of $14 million, which is worth about $10 million after taxes.

“It's going to help the family, it's going to help Ocean County,” Schiabor said.  “It's just a great pick-me-up for all of us.”

JOURNALISM - AP Remembers Its Own

"Remembering AP photojournalist Niedringhaus, who found grace in the face of war" PBS NewsHour 4/4/2014

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Veteran AP journalists Anja Niedringhaus and Kathy Gannon were traveling with election workers, soldiers and police in Khost province in Afghanistan when a police commander approached and shot them.  Niedringhaus, a Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer, was killed and Gannon was hospitalized.  Kathleen Carroll, executive editor of The Associated Press, remembers Niedringhaus with Hari Sreenivasan.

HARI SREENIVASAN:  The shooting happened this morning in Khost Province.  Photographer Anja Niedringhaus and reporter Kathy Gannon were traveling with election workers and under the protection of Afghan soldiers and police, when one of the police officers approached the car and fired several shots.

Niedringhaus was reportedly killed instantly.  Gannon is in stable condition at an Afghan hospital.

We are joined by the Associated Press’ senior vice president and executive editor, Kathleen Carroll.

Ms. Carroll, first of all, do you have any update on the health of Kathy Gannon?

KATHLEEN CARROLL, Executive Editor, Associated Press:  Well, she’s had some surgeries, and we are optimistic about her recovery, but she’s still being treated, and that will be true for some time.

MEDIA - AP's Investagative Reporting Pulitzer

"Pulitzer Profile: AP's Investigative Reporting Prize for NYPD Profiling Series" PBS Newshour 4/17/2012

Excerpt

JEFFREY BROWN (Newshour): And now the fallout from a prize-winning investigation.

A post-9/11 surveillance program by the New York City Police Department on Muslim communities has raised calls for a federal probe and sparked a debate over domestic intelligence gathering.

It was first brought to light last summer in a series of reports by The Associated Press. Yesterday, the AP journalists responsible for the story were awarded a Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting.

Adam Goldman is a part of that team and joins me now.

There is an error in the PBS video in that it actually covers 2 subjects, at least at the time of my posting.



Here's AP's video