6A • FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015
WORLD Greece to seek approval for deal negotiations
gwinnettdailypost.com
world&nation S.C. Confederate flag coming down By HArriet McleoD
Reuters
ATHENS — The Greek government will ask for parliament’s approval today to negotiate on the text of “prior actions” that could form the basis of a cash-forreforms deal with the country’s international creditors, a government source said. As Greece races to stave off bankruptcy, its creditors want Athens to pass laws on reforms as “prior actions” to convince the international lenders of the government’s intent. There will be one vote on whether to authorize the government to use the text as a basis for talks, the source said. The prior actions would then have to be approved again by a final vote in parliament at a later point. “This is a move to show that the government has the political will to proceed with implementing the promised reforms but without making any unilateral move before a Eurogroup meeting,” the source said.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley pledged to sign legislation on Thursday permanently removing the Confederate battle flag from the state capitol grounds, following an emotional debate spurred by the massacre of nine black churchgoers last month. Haley’s office said the flag would be removed at 10 a.m. today. It will be taken to the “relic room” of a military museum in Columbia, the state capital. The state was planning to keep the flag relocation “as low key as the national media will let us,” said Haley spokeswoman Chaney Adams. In Washington, Republican leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives abruptly canceled a vote on a measure that would allow the flag to be flown in cemeteries operated by the National Park Service, after an outcry by opponents. White House spokesman Josh Earnest described the Thai PM defends bipartisan flag vote as a sign of “progress.” sending Uighurs He added, “Republicans back to China in Congress, however, seem to have values and priorities BANGKOK/ISTANBUL that lie elsewhere,” refer— Thailand’s prime minister ence to the park service bill. defended a decision to forciThe flag, carried by bly return nearly 100 Uighur Confederate troops in the Muslim migrants to China, 1861-1865 Civil War, is despite rights groups’ fears they could face ill-treatment, saying it was not Bangkok’s fault if they suffered any problems. Prime Minister Prayuth Senator Corker Chan-ocha also raised the ‘very happy’ Iran possibility of shutting the talks will continue Thai Embassy in Turkey WASHINGTON — after protesters attacked the honorary consulate in Istan- The chairman of the U.S. bul over the expulsion of the Senate Foreign Relations Uighurs back to China. Committee said on Thurs“I ask that we look after day he did not see the conthe safety of the embassy tinuation of Iran nuclear staff first,” Prayuth told retalks as a problem for U.S. porters. “But if the situation lawmakers, who have the gets worse then we might opportunity to vote on a temporarily have to close the deal after one is reached. embassy in Turkey.” “I’m very happy that we’re not rushing to a place and taking shortcuts on the Paraguay girl’s remaining issues that are rape case sparks left. That is to me a very good thing,” the panel’s abortion debate chairman, Republican SenaASUNCION — Pope tor Bob Corker, told reportFrancis last year called abor- ers at the U.S. Capitol. tion “horrific.” But for the Corker spoke just after mother of a Paraguayan girl, U.S. Secretary of State so too was the rape of her John Kerry said in Vithen 10-year-old daughter, enna that the talks were who was denied a terminacontinuing, an indication tion of her pregnancy by that negotiators were not doctors and judicial officials. going to meet a midnight When the Argentine-born deadline to submit a final pontiff lands in Paraguay, he deal to Congress and begin will encounter an overa 30-day period in which whelmingly Catholic nation lawmakers can vote on it. struggling with violence Corker said lawmakers against women and deeply had not yet decided how divided over abortion. they would respond to an “My daughter told me agreement, if there is one. there was nothing wrong, “We are trying to work but no doubt because she through all the machinawas terrified, because he tions, not knowing exactly threatened her,” sobbed the when it comes,” he said. girl’s mother, who cannot be identified in order to protect FBI: Terror attacks her daughter, now more than thwarted around seven months pregnant. Paraguayan law permits July 4 holiday abortion if a mother’s life is WASHINGTON — endangered. In this instance, U.S. authorities thwarted a panel including medical plots to kill people in the doctors, psychologists and judicial officials determined United States around the July 4 holiday, FBI Directhat the life of the girl, now 11 and less than five-feet tall, tor James Comey said on Thursday. was not at harm. — From wire reports Comey told report-
NATION
PEOPLE Pre-orders boom for Harper Lee’s second novel
NEW YORK — “Go Set a Watchman,” the muchanticipated second novel by “To Kill a Mockingbird” author Harper Lee, is the most pre-ordered print title on Amazon.com since the last book in the “Harry Potter” series, Amazon said on Thursday. The online retailer said the novel, to be published on July 14, 55 years after Lee’s classic “To Kill a Mockingbird,” was already the No. 1 best-selling book on the website. “Watchman” features lawyer Atticus Finch 20 Alan Hoyle of North Carolina holds a confederate battle flag and bible outside the state- years after the events house in Columbia, S.C. Thursday, hours before Gov. Nikki Haley signed a bill to remove the depicted in “Mockingbird” flag from statehouse grounds. (Jason Miczek) as his adult daughter Scout returns to visit him in the seen as a symbol of racism Americans, and that’s publican representatives on fictional town of Mayand slavery by many, while slavery.” Wednesday to pass the bill. comb, Ala. others proudly hail it as an He and his wife, Esther, “She was just trying to hold emblem of Southern heriwatched the South Carolina them together, like herding Ben Affleck’s tage. It has flown at the state House of Representatives cats,” he said, adding that ‘Live by Night’ capitol for 54 years. debate the bill on television he had new respect for the gets greenlight A small crowd gathered until the wee hours of the governor. on Thursday on the State morning. The House overwhelmLOS ANGELES — It’s House lawn waving “Take “We watched all of it, ingly approved the legislabeen three years since Ben Down the Flag” signs as every last bit,” he said. tion after 1 a.m. on ThursAffleck stepped behind the drivers honked their horns. Jim Felder, 76, one of the day. The Senate passed it Others snapped photofirst blacks to be elected to earlier in the week, also by camera to direct his Oscarwinning “Argo,” and it now graphs on the last full day state House, said he never a huge margin. looks like he’s one step the banner will fly from its thought he would live to see In a statement, Haley closer to getting back in the pole at a memorial to Con- the flag come down. said, “It is a new day in director’s chair. federate war dead. “I’m so proud today. … I South Carolina, a day we Sources tell Variety that “I love this,” Hammie thought maybe my grandcan all be proud of, a day Warner Bros. has given Johnson said. “It’s about children would get it down,” that truly brings us all the greenlight to Affleck’s time people came to the he said. together as we continue to realization of what that flag He and others credited heal, as one people and one next directing gig, “Live by Night,” with plans to begin represents to us as African- Haley with lobbying Restate.” production this November. Although he has several films in development, The results of this none are ready for producbroader legal battle could tion and Affleck had not reshape the sharing econcommitted to another film omy, as companies say the since he appeared in “The contractor model allows Accountant,” which filmed for flexibility that many last spring. see as important to their Known for being mesuccess. An ultimate finding ticulous during the pre- and that drivers are employees post-production process, he could raise Uber’s costs beyond the lawsuits’ scope will be able to take the next four months to tweak the and force it to pay Social Security, workers’ compen- script and not rush through the rest of the casting prosation, and unemployment cess before production is insurance. An attorney for the plain- set to start. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry talks to journalists in tiffs could not immediately front of Palais Coburg, the hotel where the Iran nuclear talks meetings were being held in Vienna, Austria Thurs- be reached for comment. In ‘Urban Cowboy’ previous court filings, the day. (Reuters/Leonhard Foeger) remake ordered plaintiffs argued that Uber ers more than 10 people “I directed Justice Deto pilot at Fox exercises enough control inspired by the Islamic partment staff to work with over its drivers, includLOS ANGELES — Fox State’s recruitment online the agencies to ensure that ing the ability to termihas given a pilot order to have been arrested over the ruling be given full ef- nate them, for them to be the past four weeks, some fect across the federal gov- considered employees. That a modern adaptation of “Urban Cowboy,” the 1980 of which were focused on ernment,” including Social legal similarity should be attacks around the July 4 Security and veterans enough for the case to move movie that starred John Travolta and Debra Winger holiday. benefits programs, Lynch forward as a class action, as star-crossed lovers in FBI and the Department said in a statement. plaintiff attorneys said. Texas’ gritty world of of Homeland Security issued a warning to local law Uber pushes back Cruz is ‘proud’ to rodeos, honkytonks and oil refineries. enforcement to be on alert against lawsuit stand with Trump The one-hour drama is for attacks around July 4. SAN FRANCISCO — penned and directed by No such attacks occurred. on immigration A lawsuit filed by drivers Craig Brewer, who also Comey did not give WASHINGTON — against ride service Uber directed and co-wrote the details on the number Presidential hopeful Ted should not proceed as a the 2011 film remake of of plots thwarted or their Cruz said he stood with class action, the company ‘Footloose.” He is exec targets. Donald Trump on immiproducing, along with He said dozens of people argued in a court filing on gration, telling Fox BusiRobert Evans, HBO alum in the United States who are Thursday, citing written Sue Naegle and “Tyrant’s” statements of support from ness Network that many suspected to be under the Chris Levinson. It’s a of his fellow Republicans hundreds of other Uber influence of Islamic State co-production between who criticized the real drivers in a case that could militants have “gone dark” estate mogul’s remarks on Paramount TV and 20th decide whether they are because of encrypted data. the topic were “vocal advo- Century Fox Television. independent contractors or Evans, who produced cates of amnesty.” Same-sex couples employees. the movie for Paramount, “I am proud to stand Three drivers sued Uber to get federal with Donald Trump,” said said “in the 35 years since in San Francisco federal marriage benefits court, contending they are Cruz, a U.S. senator from I made the original ‘Urban Texas. Trump, who is also Cowboy,’ country music employees and entitled to WASHINGTON — and the influence of Texas running for president as reimbursement for exFederal marriage benefits has gone stratospheric. a Republican, has been penses, including gas and will be made available to The timing could not be criticized for saying that vehicle maintenance. The same-sex couples across many illegal immigrants to better to continue this story drivers pay those costs the United States after last themselves. If allowed to the United States are crimi- in the television world … And what an ace team of month’s Supreme Court nals. Other Republicans proceed as a class action, collaborators we have on ruling, Attorney Genhave called the comments the lawsuit could cover board to make it happen.” eral Loretta Lynch said on more than 160,000 Califor- “offensive.” — From wire reports Thursday. — From wire reports nia drivers.
Study: Seas could rise even if global warming curbs By Alister Doyle
limit global warming to a United Nations goal of 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit above pre-industrial OSLO — Sea levels could rise Antarctica melted when temtimes. by at least 20 feet in the long peratures were around or slightly “Present temperature targets term, swamping coasts from higher than today in ancient may commit Earth to at least six Florida to Bangladesh, even if thaws in the past 3 million years, meters sea level rise,” the augovernments achieve their goals a U.S.-led international team thors at the Past Global Changes for curbing global warming, ac- wrote in the journal Science. project wrote. Some greenhouse cording to a study published on And the world may be headed gases can linger for centuries in Thursday. for a repeat, even if governments the atmosphere. Tracts of ice in Greenland and cut greenhouse gas emissions to Such a thaw would threaten Reuters
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cities from Beijing to London, and swamp low-lying tropical island states. Lead author Andrea Dutton, of the University of Florida, said it could take many centuries for a six-meter rise, despite some ancient evidence that more rapid shifts were possible. “This is a long-term projection. It’s not going to happen the day after tomorrow,” she told
Reuters. The United Nations’ panel of climate scientists said in 2013 that global warming could push up world sea levels by 10 to 32 inches by the late 21st century. Last year, some scientific studies indicated that parts of West Antarctica’s ice sheet had already passed a “tipping point,” and were locked in an unstoppable long-term thaw.