【964-966】Airbnb允许在西岸以色列定居点列名&苏丹总统巴希尔被军方赶下台&美国指控维基解密创始人阿桑奇在伦敦被捕后
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AS IT IS
Airbnb to Permit Listings in Israeli Settlements in West Bank
April 11, 2019
FILE - In this Jan. 17, 2016, file photo, a cat jumps at a guest house advertised on Airbnb international home-sharing site in Nofei Prat settlement at the West Bank. (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov, File)
Airbnb is canceling an earlier plan to bar listings in Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
The home-sharing company announced in November that it would remove about 200 listings in the West Bank, which is territory claimed by Palestinians.
Airbnb announced this week it will now permit properties in Israeli settlements to be listed. The company also said it will donate all of the company’s profits from West Bank properties to humanitarian aid organizations.
Airbnb said it will use the same approach in other disputed territories around the world, such as South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
“We have always sought to bring people together and will continue to work with our community to achieve this goal,” Airbnb said.
Supporters of Airbnb’s initial plan expressed dissatisfaction.
Human Rights Watch said, “Donating profits from unlawful settlement listings … does nothing to remedy the human suffering.” The rights group added that, “By continuing to do business in settlements,” Airbnb remains active in the abuses settlements trigger.”
Others, however, celebrated the news.
Nitsana Darshan-Leitner directs the Shurat HaDin – Israel Law Center, a Tel Aviv-based Israeli rights group. She said, “I believe other companies considering boycotts are going to take real note of the mistake Airbnb made and refuse to act against Israel and the Jewish community.”
Twelve home owners in the Jewish settlements brought legal action in U.S. federal court against Airbnb. All 12 are citizens of both Israel and the United States. The company’s change in plans settles that case.
Lawyer Robert Tolchin represents the 12 American-Israeli citizens. He said, “As a provider of a service to the public, Airbnb is not permitted to refuse to provide services to selected religious groups to engineer who it thinks should be allowed to live where.”
The initial plan did not affect about 20,000 other Airbnb listings throughout Israel, including listings in other disputed areas, such as east Jerusalem and the Golan Heights.
Airbnb announced the change in plans late Tuesday Israeli time -- the same day as the country’s legislative elections.
During the election campaign, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that if returned to power, Israel would annex West Bank settlements. That would likely end the remaining hopes of a two-state solution with the Palestinians.
Israel captured the West Bank and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war. Today, over 400,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank. About 200,000 Israelis live in east Jerusalem. The Palestinians claim both areas as parts of a future state.
I'm Jill Robbins.
Dee-Ann Durbin reported this story for the Associated Press. George Grow adapted her report for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.
_____________________________________________________________
Words in This Story
approach – n. a way for dealing with something
achieve – v. to carry out or successfully bring about
remedy – n. a solution; a treatment of medicine
trigger – v. to cause something to happen
annex – v. to add as an extra
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AS IT IS
Sudanese President al-Bashir Ousted by Military
April 11, 2019
Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir has been ousted by the military following months of protests. Al-Bashir, who is 75 years old, ruled the country for 30 years. He is wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
Sudan’s defense minister appeared on television Thursday to speak to the country. He said military leaders will create a group to run the government for the next two years. He added that al-Bashir has been arrested and is in a safe place.
Many Sudanese celebrate, but worry about what is next
Following al-Bashir’s ouster, tens of thousands of people filled the streets of the capital city of Khartoum. They danced and shouted to celebrate.
A woman named Fatima was outside with her children. She told VOA the protesters are not rats, as the government has called them. They are lions, she said.
Some Sudanese have been protesting against al-Bashir’s government since December. They accused his government of failing to deal with the economy. In recent months, Sudan has seen shortages of fuel and sharp increases on food prices.
Pressure increased this week, as protesters held a sit-in outside army headquarters in Khartoum. On Tuesday, soldiers protected the crowd from riot police. The move was a sign that the army did not support al-Bashir.
Protesters have called for a civilian government. They say they will not accept leaders from the military, security forces or al-Bashir’s government.
Sudan expert Eric Reeves of Harvard University spoke to VOA about the situation. He said that the “future remains very unclear at this moment.”
I’m Kelly Jean Kelly.
Kelly Jean Kelly adapted this story for Learning English based on reports from VOA and Reuters. Ashley Thompson was the editor.
AS IT IS
US Charges WikiLeaks Founder Assange after London Arrest
April 11, 2019
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is seen in a police van, after he was arrested by British police, in London, Britain April 11, 2019. (REUTERS/Henry Nicholls)
British police arrested WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange Thursday at the Ecuadorian embassy in London.
Assange had taken refuge in the embassy in 2012. He went there to avoid being sent to Sweden, where he was wanted for questioning as part of a sexual assault investigation.
Sweden suspended the investigation in 2017, but Assange remained at the embassy over fears he might be sent to the United States. The U.S. Department of Justice wants him in connection with WikiLeaks’ publication of secret government documents.
British police said on Thursday they were invited to the embassy by Ecuador’s ambassador after the Ecuadorian government cancelled its offer of asylum to Assange.
A short time later, the U.S. Justice Department announced it was bringing charges against Assange. It accuses him of conspiring to break into U.S. government computers to read secret documents and communications.
The Justice Department asked Britain to send him to the United States for trial. His next appearance in a British court is set for May 2.
The history of WikiLeaks
WikiLeaks, a non-profit website, was the creation of Julian Assange. Its goal is to get and publish secret information and news leaks provided by individuals who wish to remain anonymous.
The website angered U.S. officials by publishing hundreds of thousands of secret messages from diplomats and other officials.
The U.S. government claims that in March 2010, Assange worked with an army private, Chelsea Manning, to break into Department of Defense computers. Those computers are connected to the Secret Internet Protocol Network, a system used for secret documents and communications. Manning was an intelligence analyst who had permission to use the computers.
The charge can lead to up to five years in prison.
Assange will have the right to argue against the U.S. extradition request in British courts. He will most likely argue that the case is political and not criminal.
Assange is not accused of spying, something many supporters of press freedom are pleased to hear.
Freedom of the press
Assange has always said that WikiLeaks is a press organization. He says it works for government openness.
A lawyer working for Assange, Barry J. Pollack, accused the United States of seeking to extradite a “foreign journalist to face criminal charges for publishing truthful information.”
In 2013, Assange’s organization became involved with Edward Snowden, who once worked for the U.S. government. Snowden released National Security Agency documents and now lives in exile in Russia.
In 2016, WikiLeaks released thousands of emails about the election campaign of presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Those emails were taken from computers operated by the Democratic National Committee. U.S. investigators have said that Russian agents broke into the computer systems and gave the emails to WikiLeaks.
Assange says he did not get the emails from Russia.
The Justice Department charge against Assange is not related to the U.S. investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 elections. The investigation did not lead to charges against Assange. It also did not find evidence that Donald Trump’s presidential election campaign worked with Russian agents on the break in.
During the election campaign, Trump praised WikiLeaks for releasing the damaging Democratic emails.
I’m Susan Shand.
The Associated Press and the Reuters News Agency reported this story. Susan Shand adapted this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.
Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.
_______________________________________________________________
Words in This Story
conspire – v. to plan an act with other people
extradition – n. to be sent from one country to another
anonymous – n. an unknown person
journalist – n. one who reports the news
assault – v. to attack
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