Zapaday - Breaking Future News Headlines

Judge rules on insanity defense law challenge in Aurora shooting case

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:00:00 +0000

Denver, United States - days in Late May -

Carlos Samour Jr., the judge in the murder case against Aurora theater shooting suspect James Holmes, rules on a defense motion challenging the constitutionality of Colorado's insanity defense law in death penalty cases.

The defense lawyers argued on May 23 that the law was unconstitutional because it forces Holmes to cooperate with court-appointed mental-health experts by barring him from calling his own psychiatrists at sentencing.

According to the defense, forcing the defendant to disclose information to psychiatrists that could be used against him at trial violated his right against self-incrimination.

Prosecutor Rich Orman said the insanity-defense statute had been upheld by various federal courts and overturning it would "essentially (be) asking your honor to be part of the defense team."

Telecom Italia decides on spinoff of its fixed-line network

Fri, 24 May 2013 18:00:00 +0000

Milano, Italy - Thursday 30 May 2013 -

Telecom Italia decides on a proposed spinoff of its fixed-line network which will see the country's biggest phone company gain a new source of funding to battle debt.

The board of directors are to hold another meeting to make a final call on the plan after they delayed a decision at their last meeting on May 23.

Swiss lawyer Denis Oswald announces candidature for Olympic committee presidency

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:00:00 +0000

Lausanne, Switzerland - Monday 3 June 2013 -

Swiss lawyer and head of the international rowing federation Denis Oswald holds a press conference to publicly announce his candidature for the post of president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Oswald announced his intentions on May 24 and became the fifth candidate to enter the race to succeed Jacques Rogge.

"My 40 years of service to the Olympic movement have provided me with a comprehensive understanding of our organization as well as its role and significance in the wider world," Oswald said in a letter to the IOC.

"This knowledge and experience ... will enable me to advance the Olympic cause and enhance the IOC's authority as the leader of world sport."

The election for the post will be held on September 10 in Buenos Aires. Among Oswald's rivals will be a fellow European, the German Thomas Bach.

British Cabinet Office fly rainbow flag on gay pride week

Fri, 24 May 2013 16:04:26 +0000

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United Kingdom - Sunday 23 June to Sunday 30 June 2013 - The rainbow flag is set to fly from the British Cabinet Office during the gay pride week.

UK Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has agreed to demonstrate the government's commitment to equality by allowing the move, weeks after the House of Commons voted to approve same-sex marriage.

He said: "I hope this is
the start of a new era of pride across the historic Whitehall village."

The flag first flew from government buildings during Pride 2012.

NASA may lease Cape Canaveral shuttle launch pad

Fri, 24 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000

Cape Canaveral, United States - days between Early June and Late September -

NASA may lease its historic launch pad in Florida, which was used for
the first Moon missions, to commercial operators.

The pad, Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Centre in Cape Canaveral, has been unused since Atlantis retired in 2011.

According to reports, two privately-owned space exploration companies have already expressed their interest.

AirAsia may order another 50 Airbus jets

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:48:10 +0000

Asia, - May - November 2013 -

AirAsia
may order an additional 50 Airbus A320 jets to add to its existing
record order for 475 of the Airbus model.

According to its Chief Executive Tony Fernandes, the additional aeroplanes would head mainly to the market in India with the launch of a new affiliate,
AirAsia India.

"We've
bought a lot of planes but we're still short, we're still leasing
planes at the moment, so I was right buying these planes, and we may
have to put in another order...fifty or something like that," Fernandes
told Reuters in late May.

Gibraltar competes in EC qualifications for first time since joining UEFA

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:44:12 +0000

Europe, - September 2014 -

Gibraltar is expected to compete in the European Championship qualification for the first time, after it was accepted as a full member of UEFA in May 2013.

The application passed with a majority vote at the
organisation's congress in London.

The British Overseas Territory off the south coast of Spain, which has a population of nearly 30,000 people, tried to join UEFA in 2007 but its request was rejected after Spain threatened to boycott the club and international competitions if the organisation decided to accept the application.

Irish broadcaster RTE to air report on child mishandle in creches

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:02:43 +0000

Éire, Ireland - days in Late May - Irish broadcaster RTE is to air a report on standards in creches, which shows that children were mishandled.

RTE worked hard on securing the parents' permission
to broadcast scenes indicating that children were mishandled and
subjected to poor quality care in three creches.

Eurozone banks to repay more of their long-term borrowings

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:00:00 +0000

Europe, - days in Late May -

Eurozone banks are set to repay slightly more of their long-term borrowings
from the European Central Bank.

The move will bring
the total amount repaid since January to nearly €290 billion.

According to the ECB, five banks will repay €6.208 billion from the
first of its two three-year lending operations and four banks will repay a total of €1.915 billion from the
operation that were issued the following year, in February 2012.

Switzerland's top tax evasion negotiator steps down ahead of crucial US deal

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:42:37 +0000

Swiss Confederation, Switzerland - Saturday 31 August 2013 -

Michael Ambuehl, Switzerland's top negotiator in talks to resolve disputes over tax evasion with European countries and the US, steps down to go into academia.

The move comes as Switzerland is trying to save its banks from prosecution for supporting US tax cheats.

During his three years in the function, Ambuehl sealed tax deals with the UK and Austria.

John Kerry visits India to hold 4th Indo-US Strategic Dialogue

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:05:06 +0000

Republic of India, India - Monday 24 June 2013 - US Secretary of State John Kerry is set to make his first visit to India since in office.

Kerry is in the country to take part in the 4th Indo-US Strategic Dialogue.

The previous round of talks was held in Washington in June 2012, when representatives of the two countries discussed a range of issues including trade,
countering terrorism, education, science and technology, clean energy
and health.

Kerry, Lavrov meet privately to discuss Syria peace conference

Fri, 24 May 2013 13:23:42 +0000

Paris, France - Monday 27 May 2013 -

US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov meet privately to discuss their efforts to bring the Syrian government and opposition to the Geneva peace conference.

The conference is aimed at finding a political solution to the more than two-year-long civil war.

"Secretary Kerry will meet with Foreign Minister Lavrov on Monday in Paris to continue discussions from their meeting just a few weeks ago in Russia and provide updates as they plan ahead for the international conference on Syria," an official source stated.

Libya PM visits NATO HQ to meet Secretary General Rasmussen

Fri, 24 May 2013 13:04:52 +0000

Brussels, Belgium - Monday 27 May 2013 - Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan Mohamed is on a visit to the NATO
Headquarters.

During his visit, Mohamed is scheduled to meet NATO
Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen. After the meeting the two leaders are expected to hold a press conference, which will be streamed live on NATO's website.

British Airways short haul flights suspended following emergency landing

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:24:27 +0000

Europe, - Friday 24 May 2013 -

British Airways short haul flights are suspended for several hours following an emergency landing of one of its planes after black smoke was seen coming from an engine.

The southern and northern runways of Heathrow, which was the site of the drama, have since reopened.

Russia and US host second Geneva international conference on Syria

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:22:55 +0000

Genève, Switzerland - Wednesday 12 June 2013 -

The US and Russia host an international peace conference on Syria in a bid to find a political solution to the ongoing conflict.

US State Secretary John Kerry revealed the timing of the conference on May 14 during his visit to Sweden.

Earlier, the US and Russia agreed to cooperate on the matter during Kerry's first visit to Russia in early May.

"We agreed that Russia and the United States will encourage both the Syria government and opposition groups to find a political solution," said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov following the meeting.

The aim of the conference will be to convince both the rebels and the Syrian regime to accept the terms of the Geneva accord for a peaceful solution in Syria agreed to by world powers last June.

"Its specific work will be to bring members of the government and the opposition together to see how we can implement the language of the communique," said Kerry.

Joint UN-Arab League envoy for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, who has repeatedly threatened to leave the post, agreed in early May to stay on and play a key role in helping to organize the event.

Court resumes April Jones trial to hear closing arguments

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:19:12 +0000

Yr Wyddgrug, United Kingdom - Tuesday 28 May 2013 -

Mold Cown Court resumes the murder trial of Mark Bridger, who is accused of killing five-year-old April Jones.

The trial resumes after the court adjourned its hearing on May 24, when the defence concluded its case.

Both sides are expected to give their closing speeches to the jury.

Previously, the jury heard Bridger confess that he had crushed little April under his car but said he was under the influence.

French companies to pay 75 percent tax on salaries over one million euros

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:54:49 +0000

Republic of France, France - January - December 2014 -

Under a new legislation, French businesses face a 75 percent tax on their employees' salaries above one million euros a year.

The country's government backed the new bill in late May 2013.

"After several months of consultation, I decided to focus legislative action on the contribution of 75 percent tax on wages exceeding €1 million, to be paid by the employer," said France's Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici. "We will not go beyond that: there will be no specific law on the governance of companies."

French President Fraçois Hollande initially wanted to introduce a so-called 'super-tax' on wages exceeding one million to be paid directly by earners themselves.

Russian delegation visits China to talk bilateral cooperation

Fri, 24 May 2013 10:59:04 +0000

Beijing, China - Sunday 26 May to Tuesday 28 May 2013 -

The chairman of Russia's parliament Sergei Naryshkin leads a delegation on a visit to China at the invitation of his counterpart Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC).

During the visit, Naryshkin will attend the sixth meeting of the bilateral cooperation committee of the China's NPC and the Russian State Duma.

S Korean president Park makes key visit to China

Fri, 24 May 2013 10:06:29 +0000

People's Republic of China, China - Mid/Late June -

South Korean President Park Geun-hye is to make a key visit to
China in a bid to
strengthen bilateral ties amid ongoing
tensions with North Korea.

The visit, which is Park's second overseas trip since she took
office after her stop in Washington, marks the role South Korea gives to China in the region.

Nineteenth stage of Giro d'Italia cancelled due to snow

Fri, 24 May 2013 09:51:46 +0000

Italian Republic, Italy - Friday 24 May 2013 -

The nineteenth stage of the 96th edition of Giro d'Italia does not go through due to heavy snow at altitude.

The stage was to take the peloton to the Tonale and Castrin mountain passes. It was, however, discovered that Tonale pass is snowbound.

The race finishes in Brescia on Sunday.