The operation was an aggressive move against the crime families' hopes of re-establishing their presence on Sicily, from where they fled during a vicious war between rival clans in the 1980s. The war was waged by Salvatore "Toto" Riina, a murderous boss of bosses nicknamed The Beast for his brutality, who was arrested in 1993 and died behind bars in 2017. He had waged a vendetta against rivals in the Inzerillo family, forcing many of them into exile in the US. Since Riina's arrest and imprisonment, the Inzerillos had been trying to reclaim their old turf in and around Palermo, in league with the Gambino family of New York, police said: "The investigation has shown the strong bond established between Cosa Nostra (in) Palermo and US organised crime, with particular reference to the powerful Gambino crime family of New York." Nineteen people were arrested in the joint operation, codenamed 'New Connection', which was conducted by Italian anti-mafia police and their counterparts from the … [Read more...] about FBI links up with Italians to nab Mob don suspects
World News
End of the line for ‘El Chapo’
Guzman (62), known as 'El Chapo', berated the US justice system before US District Judge Brian Cogan imposed the mandatory sentence of life plus 30 years. Judge Cogan also ordered him to forfeit $12.6bn in a hearing in federal court in Brooklyn. The judge said even if the law had allowed him any leeway, he would have imposed the harshest sentence available, adding that any redeeming qualities Guzman might have were erased by his "overwhelming evil" actions. A jury in February convicted Guzman of trafficking tonnes of cocaine, heroin and marijuana and engaging in multiple murder conspiracies as a top leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, long known as one of Mexico's largest, most violent drug trafficking organisations. Guzman, whose nickname means 'Shorty', developed a reputation as a Robin Hood-like figure that made him a folk hero to many in his home state of Sinaloa, where he was born in a poor mountain village. He has been held in solitary confinement in the Metropolitan Correctional … [Read more...] about End of the line for ‘El Chapo’
Conway denies disrespect over ethnic question
Conway denies disrespect over ethnic question Independent.ie President Trump's Communication's White House adviser Kellyanne Conway has said she meant no disrespect when asking a reporter to reveal his ethnicity. https://www.independent.ie/world-news/north-america/conway-denies-disrespect-over-ethnic-question-38323584.html https://www.independent.ie/incoming/article38323653.ece/fb545/AUTOCROP/h342/26conway.jpg Email President Trump's Communication's White House adviser Kellyanne Conway has said she meant no disrespect when asking a reporter to reveal his ethnicity. Her question came during an informal press gathering when reporter Andrew Feinberg asked her about Mr Trump's tweets regarding Democratic congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, Ayanna Pressley and Ilhan Omar. Mr Feinberg wondered what countries Mr Trump was referring to when he suggested the American politicians should return to their countries of origin. Ms Conway replied: "What's your ethnicity?" … [Read more...] about Conway denies disrespect over ethnic question
Sex assault case against Kevin Spacey dropped by US prosecutors
Sex assault case against Kevin Spacey dropped by US prosecutors Independent.ie Prosecutors have dropped a case accusing Kevin Spacey of sexually assaulting a young man at a Massachusetts resort island bar in 2016. https://www.independent.ie/world-news/north-america/sex-assault-case-against-kevin-spacey-dropped-by-us-prosecutors-38323076.html https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/movies/article38293789.ece/9643d/AUTOCROP/h342/ipanews_95004d40-4d74-422e-85de-62009b7b05e3_embedded243995852 Email Prosecutors have dropped a case accusing Kevin Spacey of sexually assaulting a young man at a Massachusetts resort island bar in 2016. The Cape and Islands district attorney said on Wednesday that they dropped the indecent assault and battery case brought against the actor last year. Spacey was accused of getting an 18-year-old man drunk and then groping him at a Nantucket restaurant and bar where the teenager worked as a busboy. Spacey denied the allegations. The case struggled after … [Read more...] about Sex assault case against Kevin Spacey dropped by US prosecutors
G7 leaders to back tech revolution for African women
World leaders are to pledge to shape the technological revolution sweeping through Africa by acting to lift the threat of 400 million predominantly rural women being excluded from digital financial services. G7 finance ministers meeting in France are to endorse a paper from the Gates Foundation saying there is a serious risk that digital technology and mobile banking will bypass millions of women in Africa, leaving them disempowered for a generation. The initiative, requiring $255m (£205m) in initial funding and regulatory action across Africa,is designed to prevent “the inequalities of the past being insinuated into the future” as cultural and market barriers lead to women being excluded from mobile banking, e-commerce and smartphone technology. A mobile money revolution in sub-Saharan Africa is under way in which the number of people with an account doubled to 21% in 2017. Yet in sub-Saharan Africa women are 13% less likely to own a mobile phone and 41% less likely … [Read more...] about G7 leaders to back tech revolution for African women