Britain Studying Ecuadorian Request of Dialogue on Assange
The British Government is studying a petition from Ecuador to talk on the future of WikiLeaks founder, Australian journalist Julian Assange, the Foreign Office reported today.
The Foreign Office is examining the proposal made by Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino, who expressed his willingness to negotiate the issue personally with his Britain counterpart William Hague during a visit to London Scheduled for this month.
“We have been informed of Mr. Patino’s intention to travel to London on June 16 and now we are considering a request for a meeting with him, said a spokesperson for the Foreign Office in a communiqué today.
The note added that British authorities have been in permanent contact with representatives of the Ecuadorian Government, both in London and Quito, about Assange’s situation.
Nearly a year ago, on June 19, 2012, the Australian journalist, 41, took refuge in the Ecuadorian Embaasy in London to avoid his extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for alleged sexual crimes.
His lawyers and the Ecuadorian government fear an extradition to the United States, where he would face charges for the publication of thousands of cables about Washinton on WikiLeaks.
According to the British Foreign Office note, they are considering the request and hope Patino’s visit will contribute to a joint commitment to find a diplomatic solution to the issue.
In several occasions, Ecuadorian authorities have expressed concern that Assange’s health might deteriorate and he might be captured while leaving the diplomatic residence.
Thai Dog Saves Abandoned Baby
A Thai baby girl was saved from inevitable death by a dog that rescued her today in a landfill near a roadway of Ayutthaya, 50 kilometers from the capital.
The dog carried the plastic bag containing the baby to a safe place and barked loudly to alert its owner, Sudarat Thongmak, a 12-year-old teenager.
Sudarat opened the package and was surprised to find in the newborn, still a segment of the umbilical cord.
She opened it and was shocked to find a newborn baby with its umbilical cord still attached.
The dog’s owner rushed the newborn baby to a hospital. Doctors found the seven-and-a-half-month baby girl had been delivered prematurely with her body weight at 2,200 grammes.
The baby’s health condition was listed as critical.
The two-year-old Thai bangkaew dog named “Pui” received a leather collar and a certificate from the Red Cross office of the district as a token of appreciation for its clever behavior.
Local authorities are seeking the newborn’s mother for questioning.
Miracle of Life Foundation in the district also gave the dog owners $330 USD to help feed Pui and three other dogs at the house.
First Fatality in Anti-Government Protests in Turkey Reported
A young man hit by a car is the first fatality of the protests in Turkey, which are now in their fourth day.
According to the Turkish Medical Association, Mehmet Ayvalitas, 20, who was a member of the Solidarity Socialist Platform, died in Istanbul when struck by a vehicle that ignored the warning to stop due to the presence of protesters.
Clashes between police and thousands of Turks are occurring in cities across the country, in which riot police have used tear gas and water cannons, the Hurriyet newspaper reported.
The protests started in Istanbul, due to the government’s development plans to build a shopping center in a park considered one of the few green areas in the city, the largest in Turkey.
The conflict has worsened and now they are calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who, referring to the situation said today that there is not a “Turkish spring,” regarding the widespread name for civilian movements occurred in recent years in Arab countries.
The prime minister called for calm before departing on an official visit to Morocco, and urged citizens not to be provoked by the events organized by what he called “extremist elements.”
On the other hand, the Istanbul Stock Exchange opened today with a fall of 8.1 percent, as a result of the demonstrations, analysts say.
Via PL