Ukraine among 10 first Eurovision finalists

A total of 17 songs were presented during the first semifinal of the Eurovision Song Contest. Viewers have selected 10 acts that will compete in the finals on Saturday.

The colors of Ukraine accompanied the performance of Kalush Orchestra

The mood in front of Turin's PalaOlimpico was already upbeat ahead of the Eurovision Song Contest semifinals, as fans waited eagerly to enter the venue, waving flags of the participating countries.

On Tuesday evening, the 7,000 fans in the arena — as well as those watching the live show broadcast — shared a pure goosebumps moment when the team of hosts, which includes singer Laura Pausini, star host Alessandro Cattelan and producer Mika alias Michael Holbrook, launched the show with the traditional words: "Let the Eurovision Song Contest begin" — a sentence that feels magical to longtime enthusiasts.

The participating groups were presented in short videos featuring drone images of Italy's famous cultural sites. 

The acts then delivered their live performances. The stage was set up quite impressively, despite the reported technical glitches from the rehearsal phase.

Designed by Francesca Montinaro, the stage is called "The Sun Within" and symbolizes Italy, with lots of sun, gardens and cascades of water.

Ukraine in the finals

The mood among the audience was animated, despite everyone having to wear masks.

Their enthusiasm swelled when the sixth set of musicians came onstage: the Kalush Orchestra from Ukraine.

Despite the ongoing war in their country, the six musicians traveled to Turin as "ambassadors of hope," as the competition's hosts introduced them.

The Ukrainians are already celebrated as the big favorites of the competition and their performance received standing ovations.

The Kalush Orchestra from Ukraine is a clear favorite

No one was therefore surprised to see them among the 10 countries to make it into the finals.

Their song, "Stefania," is an explosive mixture of folk singing and hip hop.

The 'masked singers' of Subwoolfer

The Norwegian wolves with their strange yellow masks have also landed a spot in the finals with their song, "Give That Wolf a Banana."

The Subwoolfers convinced audiences with their unusual show

No one really knows their real identity; in their fictional biography, the members of the pop duo go by the names Keith and Jim. It is possible that they are the two brothers of the comedy group, Ylvis, Bard and Vegard Ylvisaker, who sang a viral song in 2013 called "The Fox."

Songs in native languages are popular

Zdob si Zdub represent Moldova for the third time: They were in Kyiv in 2005, in Düsseldorf in 2011 and now in Turin. The colorful group nailed it this time again and grabbed a spot at the finals with their happy pub-folksy Balkan song, "Trenuletul." 

Iceland will also be represented at the finals with the band Systur playing "Meo haekkandi sol." 

Monika Liu from Lithuania surprisingly also made it to the finals. Singing her song, "Sentimentai," in Lithuanian perhaps contributed to her appeal.

The rapper Stien den Hollander, who refers to herself as S10, also offers a song in her native Dutch: She is also moving on to the finals with her performance of "De Diepte," which speaks about sadness and depression.

S10 from the Netherlands will sing 'De Diepte'

Switzerland's Marius Bear's "Boys Do Cry" is a soft pop-jazz ballad with beautiful harmonies. The song will also feature on Saturday's final show.

Soft songs are popular

Maro and her four band members from Portugal offer a song about longing, "Saudade Saudade." Their entire country is enthralled by the ballad, and Eurovision viewers have joined them now, voting them into the finals.

Rosa Linn from Armenia is also among the finalists. Her soft folk-pop song "Snap" was liked by the jury and the public.

Greece's Amanda Georgiadi Tenfjord also managed to make it to the finals with her ballad, "Die Together." Dressed in white, she plays with light and the camera. She convinced the jury with her strong voice, which did not need any wind machines or pyrotechnics.

Greece's Amanda Georgiadi Tenfjord at the Eurovision Song Contest in Turin

A short hello from France and Italy

Before counting the votes, the competing acts from France and the host country Italy were introduced.

The Breton women's band Ahez and the electro-musician Alvan presented an uncommon mix of folk and trance music with their song, "Fulenn." 

Italy's duo Mahmood and Blanco are strong contenders to retain their country's winning status with their power ballad, "Brividi."

The two countries do not have to go through the semi-finals because they belong to the so-called Big Five — countries that are the most important financial contributors to the contest's broadcast.

On Thursday, at the second semi-final, the three remaining Big Five contenders — Chanel from Spain, Sam Ryder from the UK and Malik Harris from Germany — will be introduced.

These five and the 20 winners of both semifinals will be competing at the big final on Saturday, which will be viewed by around 180 million people globally.

This article was originally written in German.

Ukraine's Kalush Orchestra throws down motherland's beats at Eurovision



Ukraine's 'Kalush Orchestra' is riding a wave of goodwill at the the Eurovision Song contest (AFP/Marco BERTORELLO)

Marco BERTORELLO with Alexandria SAGE in Rome
Thu, May 12, 2022,

With their infectious musical fusion of roots and rhythm, Ukrainian folk hiphop band Kalush Orchestra is riding a wave of goodwill at the Eurovision Song Contest this year -- while eyeing the contest's top prize.

Tapping traditional Ukrainian folk music but mashing up an invigorating hiphop beat with a haunting, lullaby refrain, "Stefania" was written last year by the band's frontman, 27-year-old rapper Oleh Psiuk, as a tribute to his mother.

But the song selected to represent Ukraine at Eurovision -- just days before Russia's invasion -- has taken on outsized meaning for a country nearing its third month of war. It contains nostalgic lyrics such as "I'll always find my way home even if all the roads are destroyed" and celebrates cultural identity and the motherland.

Standing out in the competition long cheered for its flamboyance and camp, the band received a standing ovation on Tuesday after passing the semifinals. It is considered by bookmakers a favourite to become Eurovision's outright winner at the finale on Saturday.

"My mum is in Ukraine and many of my relatives are in Ukraine but there is really no safe place in Ukraine at the moment," Psiuk told AFP through an interpreter.

"It's really like a lottery, where you cannot know where exactly you'll get in danger. So we are very worried about everyone and our relatives that are in Ukraine."

Such worries have fuelled the band's drive during Eurovision, he said.

"We feel here as if on a mission because at the moment, as we speak, Ukrainian culture is being destroyed," Psiuk said.

"But it is our role to show it is alive and it has a lot to offer. It's unique. It really represents every Ukrainian who is now suffering in the world today."

- Flutes and fusion -

Although considered nonpolitical, the world's biggest song contest, watched by millions of people, inevitably reflects greater geopolitical tensions.

This year, the European Broadcasting Union banned Russia from the contest a day after it invaded Ukraine on February 24. Russia had competed in Eurovision since 1994.

Perhaps the most original and energising act at this year's competition, the six-member all-male Kalush Orchestra sprang from Psiuk's original hiphop group Kalush, named for his hometown in western Ukraine.

The band is made up of Psiuk, Ihor Didenchuk, Tymofii Muzychuk, Vitalii Duzhyk, Oleksandr Slobodianyk and MC KylymMen ("CarpetMan").

Its new sound incorporates traditional folk instruments, including the telenka, which is played with one hand controlling the pipe's open end, and another flute-like instrument, the sopilka.

Performing in richly embroidered traditional garb, the band is also instantly recognisable for Psiuk's bubblegum pink bucket hat and the carpet-like bodysuit worn by the breakdancing MC CarpetMan.

But it is Kalush Orchestra's sound that makes the band unique. It "mixes old ancient folk, even forgotten sounds, with super modern and understandable-for-everyone hiphop rap elements", Psiuk told journalists last week.

- 'Fighting age' -

To win Eurovision, Kalush Orchestra will have to be chosen above 24 other finalists competing on Saturday. Votes are cast by a mix of music industry professionals and the public from each country -- who are not allowed to vote for their own nation.

Were Ukraine to win, next year's Eurovision would be held in the country, which Psiuk vowed would be a "new, integrated, well developed, flourishing Ukraine".

Although one band member who joined the army three days after the invasion remains in Ukraine defending Kyiv, Ukraine's government gave the group special dispensation to travel abroad to compete at Eurovision.

"That's why we want to be as useful to our country as we can be," Psiuk told journalists.

"Representing your country is responsible anytime but representing it in a time of war is... a maximum responsibility for us."

Psiuk says the band will return to Ukraine directly after Eurovision.

As their press release written ahead of the contest explains: "They will be allowed to leave for the final on 14th May but must return as men of fighting age the day after."

ams/ar/gil

Pussy Riot on tour following band co-founder's escape from Russia

One of the band's leaders, Maria Alyokhina, managed to escape house arrest disguised as a food courier. DW met Pussy Riot as they start their European tour.


Pussy Riot at a concert in Utrecht in 2019

The artists' collective Pussy Riot wants to provoke and protest — against Russia's "political system that uses its power against basic human rights." Their trademark: colorful balaclavas. Their opponent: Vladimir Putin.

"There is no perspective for Russia with Putin, that crazy man who could start a nuclear war by pressing a button," said Pussy Riot co-founder Maria Alyokhina. Putin should be arrested immediately and put on trial, the activist told DW. She added that Putin needs a permanent war, the regime doesn't want peace but wants people to be in constant "survival mode." Putin's state "built everything on that, and can't live without it."

As threats started to multiply, Alyokhina decided it was time to leave the country. She has now managed to flee Russia. She described the adventurous circumstances of her escape to The New York Times. Placed under house arrest by Russian authorities, she escaped with the help of a trick: She was disguised as a food delivery service employee.

A friend then took her to the EU border in Belarus. But she didn't get to leave the country at first since her passport was confiscated and she was on a Russian "wanted" list.

She is not afraid of the Russian leadership. "How could I be afraid of them? They are puffed up like a big demon, but on the inside, they are very disorganized, very corrupt and very stupid," she said. It took them five days to notice she was gone, Alyokhina added.

The Putin critic said she doesn't believe statistics that claim 80% of Russians support the war. She is convinced people won't tell the truth because Russia "has an article in the criminal code forbidding us to call the war a war."

Maria Alyochina sings at a concert in Madrid in 2019

Tour starts in Berlin

Thanks to a friend — Icelandic performance artist Ragnar Kjartansson — she was able to obtain European documents, allowing her to enter Lithuania.

In the capital, more and more Pussy Riot members (there are a dozen or so in all) gathered and began rehearsing for their European tour, which begins on May 12 in Berlin.

Pussy Riot is in different places, in Russia and abroad, said Alyokhina, adding she has no idea how many members there are since it is not a closed club. "Anyone who acts like Pussy Riot, is a part of Pussy Riot. If you feel like doing something as Pussy Riot, go ahead!"

Solidarity for Ukraine

On tour, the band will also be demonstrating solidarity for Ukraine.

This February, the band auctioned NFTs for a picture of Ukraine's blue-yellow flag. In the first 24 hours, the auction brought in $3 million (€2.84 million), which Pussy Riot gave away to the non-profit organization Come Back Alive. The NGO helps equip Ukrainian soldiers with technical devices like night vision glasses and infrared cameras.

Maria Alyokhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova sitting in a courtroom in 2012

Proceeds from the ongoing concerts will also be sent to Ukraine. "I have a lot of friends in Ukraine," Pussy Riot member Nadezhda Tolokonnikova told Rolling Stone. "I think Ukrainians are extremely brave, beautiful, fierce and inspirational."

She added that Ukrainians understood that not all Russians support Putin. "And that distinction is really important to me because a lot of Russians are protesting and going to the streets to restore their freedoms and lives."

Tolokonnikova knows that it is dangerous to protest against Putin, but that doesn't mean she will stop criticizing him. At a New York City concert held a few days after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the singer-activist repeated how much she hates Putin. "I hope he dies soon," she told fans.
How it began

Founded in 2011, Pussy Riot's early acts included guerrilla punk rock appearances in the Moscow subway or in front of the Kremlin. The singers demanded more rights for women and LGBTQ groups and brought attention to different kinds of repression.

Pussy Riot performing 'Punk Prayer'

In early 2012, the band sang "Punk Prayer" in Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Savior, admonishing the Russian head of state's close relations with the Russian Orthodox Church.

Their choice of words was not modest. An example: "Virgin Mary, Mother of God, banish Putin / Banish Putin, Banish Putin! / Congregations genuflect / Black robes brag, golden epaulets / Freedom's phantom's gone to heaven / Gay Pride's chained and in detention / The head of the KGB, their chief saint / Leads protesters to prison under escort / Don't upset His Saintship, ladies / Stick to making love and babies."

The Kremlin was quick to react: Frontwomen Maria Alyokhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, the known faces of the group, were punished with two years at the penal camp in Siberia for "hooliganism," despite international protests.
The fight goes on

But the band was not one to be silenced. They went on hunger strikes in prison to protest abuse and harassment and described in letters the inhuman conditions at the camp.

Soon after their release, owing to a pardon at the end of 2013, they declared they would stand up for the rights of prisoners in their country. They called for solidarity with prisoners who were arrested because of their resistance to Putin's regime and founded the initiative Zona Prava (Zone of Law) which organizes legal help for detainees.

Outside Russia, their actions gained a lot of attention. The band held concerts in London, Madrid, Berlin and New York and even in the European Parliament in 2014, where Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina demanded sanctions against Moscow.

But back in Russia, they were barely acknowledged in public life, although Putin's agents always had their eyes on them. Even in 2014, when they were awarded the Hannah Arendt Prize, they told DW about permanently being surveilled by men who monitored them and behaved suspiciously.

Maria Alyochina making a 'V' sign at the press in March, 2021

Russia tightens its grip

Repression against free expression became more and more extreme, while Russian state broadcasters close to the regime either silenced Pussy Riot or reported about band members getting arrest for minor stunts.

On October 7, 2020, Putin's birthday, the band tied rainbow flags to government buildings in Moscow.

In summer 2021, shortly before the Duma elections, many members of the collective fled to Georgia following increasing repression by Moscow. Those who stayed back were placed under house arrest, underwent physical punishment or had to pay penalties, and were declared state agents.

Impressive performance: 'Riot Days'

Despite Russia's increasing repression, the band wants to continue protesting against Putin's Russia. The project "Riot Days," with which the band is going on tour, is based on a book of the same name by band member Maria Alyokhina.

In this book, she relates her experiences as a performer with Pussy Riot, life in the penal colony and the perpetual struggle against repression. Electric sounds, rhythmic talking and live music narrate an impressive story of rebellion, repression and revolution in a merging of concert, demonstration and theater. One thing is clear: Pussy Riot love their country, but in the eyes of many Russians, they are traitors.

RIOT DAYS: PUSSY RIOT'S ACTS OF DEFIANCE
Starting a riot
All-girl Russian punk protest band Pussy Riot created an international storm in 2012 with a guerrilla performance in Moscow's main cathedral that called for the Virgin Mary to protect Russia against Vladimir Putin, who was elected to a new term as Russia's president a few days later. The protest attracted worldwide attention, and three members of the group were arrested.
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This article was originally written in German.

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Pussy Riot World Cup pitch invaders re-arrested after leaving prison in Moscow

Four members of the Russian activist group Pussy Riot who disrupted the World Cup final in Moscow say they have been detained again, just as they walked free from prison after serving a 15-day sentence.

'Peace, love and Russian Roll': Austrian band parties on


Russkaja defines its music as 'Russian Turbo Polka Metal' with a slug of Soviet nostalgia 

(AFP/Alex HALADA)


Denise HRUBY
Wed, May 11, 2022, 11:52 PM·3 min read

Fans still sing and dance away to Russkaja's Soviet nostalgia beats, but the Austrian ska-punk band say their mission to bring "fun and love" has become tricky since Russia invaded Ukraine.

"We were concerned. To what extent can you represent something Russian?" Moscow-born lead singer Georgij Makazaria tells AFP in a joint interview with Ukrainian bassist Dimitrij Miller.

"Singing 'The Russians are here' gets stuck in my throat."

The group -- one of whose tag lines is "peace, love and Russian roll" -- started in Vienna 17 years ago, after a chance encounter between the two men.

They shot to fame as the house band of one of Austria's most popular late night shows, electrifying young, western Europeans with their blend of "Russian Turbo Polka Metal".

They have now released six albums -- many with left-leaning political messages, like the most recent "No one is Illegal" about a young refugee -- and regularly tour Europe.

But since Moscow invaded Ukraine in late February, the seven-piece band have found themselves in a bind and has even considered changing their name, which stands for "Russia", "ska" and "yes".

They have also rewritten some of their lyrics, which generally mix Russian and English. For example, their plea to Moscow "let's tear down all these walls" has morphed into "Hello, Moskva, let's stop this fucking war".

Miller concedes that since the invasion, bringing fun and partying to their fans has been "extremely hard".

"To be happy on stage when my best friends are fighting there, in war, that's inconceivable," says the 41-year-old, whose cousin headed to the frontline last month to defend his country against Russian troops.

- 'Music connects' -

But still the party goes on.

In March, the band toured the United States for the first time, as the supporting act for Celtic punk band Flogging Molly. It has some 20 concerts lined up this summer in Austria and neighbouring Germany, France, Hungary and the Czech Republic.

"Look, for us it's about the music," explains Makazaria, 48, on the sidelines of a concert in the small town of Kapfenberg, about 150 kilometres (90 miles) south west of Vienna.

For this gig in late April, the band performs its infectious, high-energy numbers in front of a Ukrainian flag embellished with a peace symbol.

"Dimitrij here is from Ukraine," Makazaria tells the crowd after the song "Russkij Style". He puts his arm around Miller to loud applause.

"And I am from Russia... What's happening now is an extreme catastrophe for us, for everyone, and we condemn this insane war!" he yells.

Social media posts about their shows have sparked some critical responses, with commentators asking why a band glorifying Russian culture and music is still allowed to play in Europe.

"Music connects but it can also separate. There are people who feel that way and that's something we have to accept," says Makazaria.

In Kapfenberg, black-clad fans, a few sporting Russian fur hats, are keen to enjoy the music and ask for autographs.

"To me, this war is senseless and music connects, whether you're from Ukraine or you're from Russia," says 38-year-old tattoo artist Daniel Mayerhofer.

Markus Heil, a 28-year-old designer, thinks it would be "absolutely wrong" to boycott the group now.

"Of course, I really don't like what some people in Russia are doing. But Russia itself has an interesting culture and you can't forget that in this situation."

deh/jza/gil

Sri Lanka court bars ex-prime minister from leaving country

Mahinda Rajapaksa, who stepped down as prime minister this week, has been blocked from leaving Sri Lanka. The court has ordered an investigation into attacks against anti-government protesters.

Mahinda Rajapaksa has been holed up at a naval facility since stepping down as prime minister

A court in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo on Thursday imposed a ban on former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and several of his key allies from leaving the country.

Rajapaksa stepped down as prime minister on Monday following weeks of intense anti-government protests amid an ongoing financial and economic crisis.

The court order targeted the ex-prime minister and his son Namal — also a lawmaker — along with 15 other allies. Additionally, police were ordered to launch an investigation into attacks against anti-government protesters.

The attack triggered a wave of violence and destruction across the country. At least nine people lost their lives since the unrest started.

Why are people protesting in Sri Lanka?

Rajapaksa, who has also previously served as president, is the elder brother of the current president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

The monthlong protests have consistently called for the Rajapaksas to leave power. A recent cabinet shift, seen as an offer of compromise, removed a few family members from ministerial positions in the cabinet, including Mahinda's son Namal.

The prime minister only stepped down on Monday after a mob of loyalist supporters came out of his compound to confront the peaceful protesters camped out in front of it with clubs and sticks.

The violence left at least 225 people hospitalized. After resigning, the 76-year-old Rajapaksa was whisked off by heavily armed soldiers to a naval base on the east of the island.

What is the state of Sri Lanka's economy?

Sri Lanka is currently suffering its worst economic crisis since gaining independence from the British Empire in 1948.

Low foreign currency reserves, soaring inflation and rising prices have led to severe shortages of key imports such as fuel, medicine and other essential goods.

Blackouts across the island country have become a regular occurrence.

Colombo is in talks with the IMF after defaulting on its foreign debt, in part accrued thanks to a series of largescale, financially unsustainable projects taken on during the previous two decades that have been dominated by the Rajapaksa family.

Leaders of various political parties are set to meet later on Thursday to discuss the worsening situation. The opposition has repeatedly refused to join a unity government until President Gotabaya Rajapaksa resigns.

ab/dj (AFP, Reuters)

Sri Lanka president set to name new PM

Amal JAYASINGHE
Wed, 11 May 2022


A protester in Colombo watches an address to the nation by Sri Lanka's President Gotabaya Rajapaksa near the president's office

 (AFP/Ishara S. KODIKARA)

Beleaguered President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was set to name a new prime minister Thursday to try to steer Sri Lanka out of its dire economic crisis after days of violence, officials said.

Respected five-time former premier Ranil Wickremesinghe was the frontrunner to head a "unity government" with cross-party support in the 225-member parliament and replace Rajapaksa's elder brother Mahinda who stepped down on Monday.

"A swearing-in is likely today unless there is a last-minute hiccup," a senior official close to the president told AFP.

In a televised address to the nation on Wednesday night, Rajapaksa stopped short of yielding to weeks of nationwide protests calling for him to resign.

The country of 22 million people is in its worst economic crisis since independence with severe shortages of food, fuel and medicines and long power cuts.

But in a bid to win over the opposition who wanted Rajapaksa to quit, the 72-year-old pledged to give up most of his executive powers and set up a new cabinet this week.

"I will name a prime minister who will command a majority in parliament and the confidence of the people," Rajapaksa said in the televised speech.

Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned as prime minister on Monday after his supporters attacked anti-government supporters and ran riot in Colombo.

This unleashed several days of violence that killed at least nine people and injured more than 200, with dozens of Rajapaksa loyalist homes set on fire.

Security forces patrolling in armoured personnel carriers with orders to shoot on sight anyone engaged in looting or violence have since cracked down on public disorder.

A curfew was lifted Thursday morning only to be reimposed after a six-hour break allowing people to stock up on essentials.

The main opposition SJB party was initially invited to lead a new government, but its leader Sajith Premadasa insisted that the president first step down.

However, about a dozen MPs from the SJB pledged support to Wickremesinghe, 73, who has been prime minister five times since 1993 and is seen as a pro-West free-market reformist.

Wickremesinghe is the only legislator from his United National Party (UNP) which was routed at the August 2020 election that gave Rajapaksa a two-thirds majority.

With the economic crisis, the Rajapaksa government began to unravel with mass defections to the opposition, but since April no group in the 225-member assembly enjoys an absolute majority.

Sri Lanka is in talks with the International Monetary Fund and others about a bailout package after a shortage of foreign currency forced it to default on its foreign debts last month.

The island nation's central bank chief warned Wednesday that the economy will "collapse" unless a new government was urgently appointed.

aj/stu/ssy

Almost $US1 billion tentative settlement for families of victims in deadly Florida condo collapse

Remnants of the Champlain Towers building after its partial collapse in 2021.(AP: Mark Humphrey)

Survivors and families of victims of last June's condominium collapse in Surfside, Florida, reach a tentative, nearly $US1 billion settlement in their class-action lawsuit, an attorney says.

Key points:The settlement was agreed with developers of an adjacent building, insurance companies and other defendants, and is pending court approval
Champlain Towers South, a 12-storey condominium, partially collapsed on June 24, 2021, killing 98 people and destroying dozens of units

Lawsuits from victims, families and condo owners were triggered by the building's collapse in Surfside, north of Miami Beach, and prompted state and federal investigations

Attorney Harley S Tropin announced the $997 million ($1.4 billion) settlement during a hearing before Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Michael Hanzman.

Still pending final approval, the settlement was agreed with developers of an adjacent building, insurance companies and other defendants.

"Our clients are a victim of a tragedy. If you lost a loved one, no amount of money [is enough]," Ms Tropin said. "But the clients are pleased with this recovery. Really pleased."

Earlier this year, Judge Hanzman approved an $83 million settlement to compensate people who suffered economic losses, such as condominium units and personal property.

A key question from the beginning has been how to allocate money from the property's sale, insurance proceeds and damages from lawsuits among wrongful death cases and property claims.

The 12-story Champlain Towers South condominium partially collapsed in the early morning hours of June 24, almost instantly destroying dozens of individual condo units and burying victims under tonnes of rubble.

Rescuers spent weeks carefully digging through mountains of rubble to find survivors and recover the remains of those who died.(AP: Miami Herald/Matias J Ocner)

Rescuers spent weeks carefully digging through mountains of concrete, first to find survivors and, later, to recover the remains of those who died.

Some 10 days after the initial collapse, demolition crews used explosives to bring down the remaining portion of the building, to give searchers access to additional areas where survivors might have been located.

A total of 98 people were killed.

The tragedy — in the town of Surfside, just north of Miami Beach — triggered lawsuits from victims, families and condo owners, and prompted state and federal investigations.

In October, a coalition of engineers and architects said the Florida should consider requiring high-rise buildings near the coast to undergo safety inspections every 20 years.

Surfside's Wall of Hope and temporary memorial honouring those who lost their lives.

(AP: Miami Herald/Al Diaz)

And, in December, a Florida grand jury issued a lengthy list of recommendations aimed at preventing another condominium collapse, including earlier and more frequent inspections and better waterproofing.

At the time of the collapse, Miami-Dade and Broward were the only two of the state's 67 counties that had condominium recertification programs.

The main lawsuit — filed on behalf of Champlain Towers South victims, survivors and family members — contends that work on the adjacent Eighty Seven Park tower damaged and destabilised the Champlain Towers building, which was in need of major structural repair.

The condo was built in 1981 and was in the midst of its 40-year structural review when it partially crumbled to the ground.

(AP: Mark Humphrey)
Investigators find evidence of extensive corrosion and other issues

Champlain Towers was in the midst of its 40-year structural review when it partially crumbled to the ground.

Florida's condo catastrophe

Theories are emerging about how a Florida apartment building collapsed.

Video released by a team of federal investigators showed evidence of extensive corrosion and overcrowded concrete reinforcement in the building.

Seven months after the collapse, temporary structural supports were added to areas in the underground garage of Champlain Towers South's sister tower, Champlain Towers North, in what the building's condo board called "an abundance of caution".

That condo was built in 1981 and has a nearly identical design as the Champlain Towers South.

The little-known enclave of Surfside comprises a mix of older homes and condos similar to the collapsed tower, built decades ago for the middle-class, and recently erected luxury condos drawing the wealthy.

They include former first daughter, Ivanka Trump, and her husband, Jared Kushner, who live about a block north of the collapsed condo.

Residents of Champlain Towers South were an international mix: South American immigrants, Orthodox Jews and foreign retirees.

AP/Reuters

New Cuban penal code 'turning the screw' on dissent, critics say


New Cuban penal code 'turning the screw' on dissent, critics sayLast July, thousands of Cubans spontaneously spilled into the streets of numerous cities and towns, demanding "freedom" and denouncing their plight as the country reeled from its worst economic crisis in nearly three decades (AFP/Yamil LAGE)More

Carlos BATISTA
Wed, May 11, 2022,

Ten months after unprecedented anti-government protests rocked Cuba, the government is pushing through a penal reform opponents say is designed to pre-emptively quell any future displays of growing public discontent.

The new code, set to be approved at an extraordinary session of parliament Saturday, will criminalize "propaganda" spreading and foreign funding for activities that threaten the "security of the state."

Also punishable by up to two years in prison will be demonstrations by one or more people "in breach of provisions."

Why?

To "protect the political and state socialist system from all actions and activities that are committed against the constitutional order and with the purpose of creating a climate of social instability and a state of ungovernability," states the draft published on the website of the public prosecutor's office.

The penal code reform is part of a slew of laws that need to be passed to give execution to Cuba's new constitution, approved in 2019.

But unlike other draft laws -- including a new family code that will legalize same-sex marriage and surrogacy -- there was no public consultation, and there will be no referendum.

"It is striking that... this new body of legislation was drafted in secret," Rene Gomez Manzano, a 77-year-old lawyer, former political prisoner and dissident activist, told AFP.

With the code, "the regime is turning the screw, intensifying the repression of citizens," said Gomez, who heads a body of dissident Cuban lawyers.

- Communications offenses -

The code creates 37 brand new offenses related to the use of "telecommunications, information and communication technologies."

This is an apparent response to the arrival of the mobile internet on the island in 2018, which has revolutionized the way people express discontent and organize themselves in a one-party state known for its dislike of dissent.

Last July, thousands of Cubans spontaneously spilled into the streets of numerous cities and towns, demanding "freedom" and denouncing their plight as the country reeled from its worst economic crisis in nearly three decades.

Such a mass public outpouring of dissent had never been seen in the 60 years since Fidel Castro's revolution.

The response by security forces left one person dead, dozens injured and more than 1,300 people detained.

Hundreds have since been sentenced, some to jail terms of as much as 30 years for crimes such as public disorder and sedition -- both of which remain on the statute book.

- 'Propaganda' -

The draft penal code foresees a prohibition on foreign funding of activities perceived as being targeted "against the security of the state"

This means independent or opposition media, activists and dissident groups will become punishable as "mercenaries" for receiving money from agencies and NGOs abroad.

They will risk prison sentences ranging from four to 10 years.

"In a country where private media is illegal and journalists have no possibility of obtaining local funding, prohibiting foreign funding is a death sentence to independent journalism," said the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

The existing crime of "enemy propaganda" will be changed to "propaganda against the constitutional order," and the "dissemination of false news or malicious predictions with the aim of causing alarm, discontent or disinformation" will also become punishable.

The code's "hardening of penalties... is designed to have a notable impact on Cuban political activism," said jurist Harold Bertot, a Cuban law professor now in Madrid for research.

He pointed out that it comes "in a time of political and social tension in Cuba" and was clearly "designed to have a notable impact on Cuban political activism".

Bertot said the draft text foresees "a significant number of crimes punishable by the death penalty" -- a punishment not meted out in almost 20 years.

Cuba has maintained a de facto moratorium on capital punishment -- previously carried out by shooting -- since 2000, broken only in 2003 with the execution of three Cubans who had hijacked a passenger boat to escape the island.

cb/ka/mlr/caw

Colombia's Gulf Clan sows terror ahead of presidential vote

Juan Sebastian SERRANO
Wed, 11 May 2022, 



'Gulf Clan' boss 'Otoniel' faces drug trafficking charges in the United States 

(AFP/-)

With dozens of villages under siege and as many as two dozen people killed in a week, Colombia's largest drug cartel is sowing terror among civilians, flexing its muscle with days to go to presidential elections.

The Gulf Clan, which moves 30 to 60 percent -- some 700 tons -- of all the cocaine exported from Colombia, is exacting revenge for the extradition of its boss, known as "Otoniel," to the United States last week for trial.

In a show of force, it called a so-called "armed strike" that has forced shops and schools to close and brought transport to a standstill in 141 of Colombia's 1,100 municipalities, according to official data.

Dozens of roads were blockaded despite the best efforts of some 52,000 soldiers and police deployed to restore order.

The government says the clan has killed eight people, including five security forces personnel, in a week.

But according to the JEP, a special entity set up under Colombia's 2016 peace deal with the leftist rebel group FARC, the toll is even higher.

It reports 24 dead, 178 municipalities affected in 10 departments out of 36, as well as 22 attacks on uniformed personnel. Nearly 200 vehicles including trucks have been burnt.

When "Otoniel" was arrested last October, President Ivan Duque rejoiced: "It is a blow that marks the end of the Gulf Clan" -- the biggest cartel in the world's largest cocaine exporting country.

Seven months later, the group still operates with a large degree of impunity under replacement leaders "Siopas" and "Chiquito Malo."

- Situation 'very serious' -

"The State no longer knows what to do," analyst Kyle Johnson of the Conflict Response Foundation, a Colombian think-tank, told AFP.

Its actions to date, "have made little difference on the ground," he said.

According to the Foundation for Peace and Reconciliation, a monitoring group, the gang is now present in 241 municipalities -- 31 more than last year -- and has some 3,200 members, half of them armed.

For its "armed strike," the clan has targeted areas in Colombia's north that have been largely untouched by the violence that has long plagued the south in fighting over resources and territory between leftist guerrillas, drug gangs and other armed groups.

The situation in the north is now "very serious," said Johnson.

Hector Espinosa, governor of the Sucre region, hard hit by the clan's activities, said it was also waging a campaign of cyber terror -- scaring civilians with threats on WhatsApp and Facebook.

Despite the mass security deployment, people in these areas "don't want to go out because they receive messages on WhatsApp and Facebook telling them not to," said Espinosa.

In doing so, the clan portrays the state as weak and itself as being in charge.

A journalist in one of the affected regions told AFP he was forced to diffuse a clan pamphlet on the Facebook page of his outlet under threat of death.

With just days to go to the first round of presidential elections on May 29, the violence that has persisted in Colombia despite its historic 2016 peace accord, features prominently in the political campaign.

Leftist Gustavo Petro, ahead in the polls, has heavily criticized the "failure of the security option" of the outgoing government for addressing the matter.

He has, instead, mooted a "collective amnesty" for traffickers, with legal guarantees in exchange for abandoning the lucrative trade in a country battling growing poverty and unemployment.

His main rival on the right, Federico Gutierrez, is in favor of a strong-arm security response.

According to Johnson, an amnesty agreement can work only if the state manages to regain control of territories dominated by the clan.

This is something it failed to do with regions formerly under control of the disbanded FARC guerrilla group, now the scene of a territorial war.

jss/vel/mlr/dw

Saudi Aramco becomes world's most valuable stock as Apple drops

Ryan Vlastelica and Matt Turner, Bloomberg News

Saudi Aramco overtook Apple Inc. as the world’s most valuable company, stoked by a surge in oil prices that is buoying the crude producer while adding to an inflation surge that is throttling demand for technology stocks.

Aramco is near its highest level on record and with a market capitalization of about US$2.43 trillion, surpassed that of Apple for the first time since 2020. The iPhone maker fell 3.9 per cent in New York to US$148.50, giving it a valuation of US$2.41 trillion at 1:05 p.m. in New York   

Even if the move proves short-lived and Apple retakes the top spot again, the role reversal underscores the power of major forces coursing through the global economy. Soaring oil prices, while great for profits at Aramco, are exacerbating rising inflation that is forcing the Federal Reserve to rise interest rates at the fastest pace in decades. The higher rates go, the more investors discount the value of future revenue flows from tech companies and push down their stock prices.

Earlier this year, Apple boasted a market value of US$3 trillion, about US$1 trillion more than Aramco’s. Since then, however, Apple has fallen by 16 per cent while Aramco is up 27 per cent. 

With the Fed on pace to further raise rates by at least another 150 basis points this year and with no prospects yet of a resolution for the conflict in Ukraine, it may be a while until tech regains dominance, according to Tim Ghriskey, senior portfolio strategist at Ingalls & Snyder. 

“There’s panic selling in a lot of tech and other high-multiple names, and the money coming out of there seems headed in particular for energy, which for now has a favorable outlook, given commodity prices,” he said. “Companies like Aramco are benefitting significantly from this environment.”

The year’s weakness in technology shares has come amid concerns over inflation and a more aggressive policy stance from the Fed. Apple’s recent results also underlined the difficulties it is facing from supply constraints. However, the stock is still seen as a relative safety play within the sector, given its steady growth and balance-sheet strength -- factors that have limited its decline this year. The stock’s year-to-date drop is smaller than the 24.8 per cent decline of the Nasdaq 100 Index.

Apple remains the largest stock among U.S. companies. Microsoft Corp., in second place, has a market capitalization of US$1.96 trillion.

Meanwhile, the S&P 500 Energy sector has soared 39 per cent this year, supported by a rally in the price of Brent crude oil which has gone from about US$78 a barrel at the start of the year to US$108.

Five things to know about the Montreal minke whale and why saving it isn't easy


Concerns for whale in Montreal


Spotted: Minke whale in Montreal's Old Port

New video: Minke whale spotted in Montreal


Man spots whale near Montreal

Stephane Blais
The Canadian Press
Staff
Contact
Published May 11, 2022 

There appears to be little that humans can do to help the minke whale that has been spotted in the St. Lawrence River near Montreal find its way back home. Here are five things to help understand the situation:

THE WHALE'S ARRIVAL

Robert Michaud of the Reseau quebecois d'urgences pour les mammiferes marins said the whale was first seen on Sunday near the city's Parc Jean-Drapeau. The whale is about 450 kilometres upstream from its natural habitat, but Michaud said the plan is not to try to rescue it.

His network, which works to protect marine mammals in the St. Lawrence River, only considers intervening in certain situations, such as when an endangered species is involved -- which is not the case with minke whales -- or when a whale is threatened by human activities, such as entanglement in fishing gear.

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WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT MINKE WHALES

The minke whale can reach almost eight metres in length as an adult. Michaud said the Montreal whale, which was spotted again on Tuesday, hasn't been observed long enough to assess its size, although it seems to be young.

"These animals usually live in salt water," Michaud said. "If they are exposed to fresh water for a long time, they can develop physiological problems. The less time it stays in Montreal, the better its chances of survival."

Michaud explained minke whales migrate during the spring and summer to the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park, which is home to hundreds of marine species. Minke whales usually stay in the area to feed before returning to the Atlantic Ocean in the fall.

PAST ENCOUNTERS

This is not the first time in Quebec a whale has strayed from its natural habitat. A humpback whale spent several days near Montreal's Old Port in 2020. Despite its apparent good health, that whale was later found dead, and a necropsy suggested the 10-metre-long animal may have been hit by a boat.

Michaud said his team receives about 700 calls a year for situations involving endangered or dead animals.

"In every species, there are animals that once in a while venture out," said Michaud, noting that in 2012 a beluga spent a few weeks in the water off Montreal's Old Port before leaving.

WHEN TO RESCUE LOST WHALES

Michaud said his team has decided to intervene in specific cases only. "For example, if a whale is caught in a fishing net," he said.

Interventions can also occur if the animal is becoming a threat to humans. Michaud referred to situations where seals wandered onto a highway, a schoolyard and an airstrip in Quebec.

HOW TO INTERVENE

Michaud said the techniques that could help get the whale back to its natural habitat all have risks. In some cases, sounds have been used to repel or attract an animal, but he said they have been very ineffective. He said one attempt to scare away a humpback whale with loud sounds caused the animal to start breaching before it beached itself.

Nets have been used for belugas, narwhals and dolphins but very rarely with large whales, and Michaud said all netting techniques carry risks.

"Do we want to play God and save all the animals that are in trouble to have a clear conscience?" the researcher asked. "There are animals that die every day; it's normal. It's sometimes hard for humans to accept, especially for urbanites."

-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published on May 11, 2022.

A whale is seen in the waters of the St. Lawrence River, near Montreal, Monday, May 9, 2022. A marine mammal group said a minke whale was first spotted near the city's Parc Jean-Drapeau on Sunday.

 THE CANADIAN PRESS/Morgan Lowrie