Jules Cyril T.

Guerrero

Dozens killed in double suicide attack in Syrian capital

Two suicide bomb attacks killed at least 31 people and wounded dozens more in
Damascus on Wednesday, state media reported, in the second such spate of bombings in the
Syrian capital in five days. The first suicide bomber targeted the Palace of Justice, the main
courthouse in central Damascus near the Old City. Justice Minister Najem al-Ahmad told
reporters the initial death toll was 31, mostly civilians. The second suicide blast struck a
restaurant in the al-Rabweh area of Damascus to the west of the first attack causing several
casualties, state media reported. The courthouse bomber set off his explosive device at 1:20
p.m. (1120 GMT) as the police tried to search him and stop him from entering the building,
state television cited the Damascus police chief as saying. Syrian state television broadcast
footage from inside the courthouse showing blood splattered on a floor littered with papers, a
shoe and broken tiles and stones. The explosion hit the courthouse “at a time when the area is
crowded” with lawyers, judges and civilians, harming a large number of people, Ahmed al-
Sayyid, a senior state legal official told state-run al-Ikhbariya TV. He later added that 45 people
had been wounded. No further details were immediately available. “The attack came as a
retaliation against the latest victories of the Syrian army and the political victories in Geneva
and Astana,” Ahmad said, referring to recent peace talks in Switzerland and Kazakhstan.
State media reported that the second bomber had entered the restaurant and detonated the
device after having been chased by security forces.

South Korea to hold election May 9th to replace Park Geun-hye

March 6 2017

South Korea said on Wednesday it will hold an election on May 9th to choose a
successor for former president Park Geun-hye, who was removed from office in a historic court
ruling last week over a widening corruption scandal. Prosecutors said on Wednesday Park, the
first democratically elected president to be removed from office in South Korea, would be
summoned for questioning on Tuesday into the influence-peddling scandal. The Constitutional
Court dismissed Park from office on Friday when it upheld a parliamentary impeachment vote
in December. The Constitutional Court dismissed Park from office on Friday when it upheld a
parliamentary impeachment vote in December.Park has denied any wrongdoing.
The Samsung Group, South Korea’s largest conglomerate, is already embroiled in the scandal
and the Yonhap news agency said prosecutors had started investigating two other
conglomerates – the Lotte Group and SK Group. The turmoil comes at a time of rising tension
with North Korea over its nuclear and missile programmes, and with China over the deployment
of a US anti-missile system in South Korea that China sees as a threat to its security. US
secretary of state Rex Tillerson will visit South Korea, as well as Japan and China, this week.
Prime minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who has been acting president since the impeachment vote,
said he would not run in the election.

NBA Dirk Reaches 30k point mark

March 8 2017

Dirk Nowitzki has given the NBA's 30,000-point club its first international
member. Nowitzki became the sixth player to reach the milestone Tuesday night,
getting 18 of the 20 points he needed in the first quarter against the Los Angeles
Lakers. The Dallas star got there on a fadeaway jumper from the baseline over Larry
Nance Jr. with 10:58 left in the second quarter. Nowitzki added a 3-pointer for 23
points in the first 14 minutes before the game was stopped as teammates mobbed
the wide-smiling 38-year-old near midcourt. After going to the bench for more hugs
and hand slaps, including one from owner Mark Cuban, Nowitzki returned to the
court to acknowledge the standing ovation. The 7-foot German, in his 19th season, is
the third to score at least 30,000 points with one team. The others are Karl Malone
(Utah) and Kobe Bryant (Lakers). "Dirk has been a model player and terrific
ambassador for our game. This latest accomplishment further establishes his legacy
as one of the NBA's greatest players," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a
statement. The 30,000 list includes four Hall of Famers in career leader Kareem
Abdul-Jabbar (38,387 points), Malone, Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain, and a
future one in Bryant, who is third. Julius Erving also reached the milestone with his
ABA career included.