A 7-Eleven in Palo Alto, California. Photo: Paul Sakuma / Associated Press
IRVING, Texas — 7-Eleven stores in the United States are offering pizza – for breakfast.
The convenience store chain says that it combines the convenience of eating leftover pizza for the first meal of the day with traditional breakfast foods.
The chain announced the creation Tuesday. It has a biscuit crust topped with bacon, sausage, ham, scrambled eggs, cheese and cream gravy. 7-Eleven vice president Nancy Smith bills it as “a hearty option for customers craving a warm breakfast.”
The Irving, Texas-based company says hot pizza has become one of its biggest ready-to-eat sellers, and mornings are the busiest time of day in its stores.
During test runs, 7-Eleven says the breakfast pizza became its second-most popular pizza with customers.
A poster of US President Barack Obama in 2009 displaying the leader in informal attire in Washington. Photo: Mandy Goldberg / Associated Press
ATLANTA — Not only is President Barack Obama the nation’s first black president, but it’s safe to say he has been America’s first hip-hop commander-in-chief.
Obama embraced hip-hop more than any of his predecessors: He’s Jay Z’s lyrics and Kanye West in speeches, released playlists on Spotify that included Nas, Chance the Rapper, Mos Def and Method Man, and was caught dancing to Drake’s “Hot Line Bling” at a White House event.
And in a recent televised concert celebrating the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Obama was shown rapping along when Public Enemy’s Chuck D performed “Fight the Power.”
Ice Cube called Obama an anomaly.
“It will probably be a long time before we see another president do something like this,” the Hall of Fame rapper said. “It was kind of a now-or-never thing.”
Throughout his presidency, which ends when President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Friday, Obama paved a way for several rap stars to enter the White House for political discussion and musical performances.
Concerts have taken place at the White House since the 1800s when President John Adams was the first occupant. A few rappers, such as Run-DMC, visited the mansion to meet previous presidents over the years.
But the Obama administration gave them a prominent role. In 2011, Common performed poetry at an event at the White House, though Big Sean’s 2014 performance is considered by some to be the first true rap performance at there, when he joined Ariana Grande for “Right There.”
Since then, a barrage of rappers have taken the stage there, including Wale and Kendrick Lamar, whom Obama has praised often (he cited Lamar’s “How Much a Dollar Cost from the rapper’s black-empowerment album “To Pimp a Butterfly” as his favorite song of 2015).
In November, BET saluted the Obamas with a star-studded concert celebrating a mixture of gospel, R&B and rap music; the president and first lady Michelle Obama joyously danced as De La Soul rapped their classic “Me Myself and I.” Earlier this month, several hip-hop artists including Wale, Chance the Rapper and J. Cole took part in another private farewell jam at the White House.
Obama held up flash cards as “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda performed a freestyle rap in Rose Garden area of the White House. Mrs. Obama even got into the rap act, performing a comedic one with former “Saturday Night Live” star Jay Pharoah to promote her college initiatives. (The president never tried to rap publicly himself, admitting once: “That’s one thing I can’t do is rap. I like rap but I cannot rap.”)
“Hip-hop doesn’t hurt anybody,” said Nas, who has visited the White House. “It helps people. Some of the nicest people in the world are hip-hop artists. (Obama) respects it. He loves it. It’s a part of his world. He is hip-hop. He’s a hip-hop fan that makes him relatable. It makes him real.”
Last year, Obama invited several rappers – including Nicki Minaj, Rick Ross and Ludacris – to the White House to discuss different ways to continue the My Brother’s Keeper initiative and spur justice reform in the United States.
“It was a gathering of the minds,” said Ludacris, who was once criticized by Obama for his politically-themed rap song called “Politics” in 2008. “That was extremely important for hip-hop, because he’s giving us a voice. He’s done a great job of supporting hip-hop and certain artists, continuing to say we should put out positive messages. I think he’s done enough. We’ve made strides.”
Now, several rappers are paying homage to Obama. Lamar said hip-hop owes Obama some gratitude for giving rap artists an opportunity to visit the White House. Chance the Rapper joined actor Kenan Thompson saluting Obama’s presidency in holiday-themed tribute “Jingle Barack” on “Saturday Night Live” last month.
DJ Khaled said he was honored to visit the White House for the My Brother’s Keeper Initiative along with his rap cohorts.
“Obama always represents hip-hop in so many ways,” Khaled said. “His playlist is hip-hop. I’ve been to the White House. I’m hip-hop. It was a major key for me. He represents all cultures. That’s what a president is supposed to do.”
Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha returns salute on Thursday at the headquarters of the Royal Thai Armed Forces in Bangkok.
BANGKOK — Pledging to solve the decade-long political divide once and for all, the junta earlier this week announced its latest drive for “national reconciliation,” though how much support it will get from contending factions remains to be seen.
After announcing it in concept at the start of the week, junta chairman Prayuth Chan-ocha set up a committee to begin working on the details Tuesday. Leaders of all the country’s major political groups said they accept the idea in principle but stressed the program is still too vague for a meaningful commitment.
“It is a good beginning, but I would like to see details,” said Phumtham Wechayachai, secretary general of the Pheu Thai Party, which ran the government deposed by the junta in May 2014. “What are the principles and methods? Everything must be clear and official.”
A spokesman for the Democrat Party, which led the opposition during the previous government, said his party has not yet formulated a response to the news but welcomes the initiative from the military regime.
“Personally speaking, I think that if it leads the country in a better direction, everyone will cooperate, of course,” Ramet Rattanachaweng said.
Like Phumtham, Ramet said the devil is in the details.
“It has to be clear what kind of reconciliation it would be,” the spokesman said. “If it deviates from what is correct and what is legal, then many sides would voice their criticism. But we believe the prime minister when he said what’s right will be right, and what’s wrong is wrong.”
Suthep Thaugsuban speaks at an anti-government protest on Jan. 6, 2014, in Bangkok
More than two years after seizing power amid an increasingly violent anti-government protest, junta chairman and Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha announced Monday he would form a committee tasked with bringing reconciliation to a country torn apart by political strife dating back a decade.
Using his absolute power granted by Section 44 of the interim charter, Prayuth set up a committee for the task on Tuesday.
The committee will be chaired by a defense ministry official and overseen by deputy junta chairman Prawit Wongsuwan.
The conflict that the junta is trying to defuse largely boils down to opposing or supporting former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the tycoon-turned-populist politician who headed the government from 2001 to 2006, when he was toppled by a coup.
His supporters, known as the Redshirts, see him as a champion of the poor bullied by the traditional elite who saw him as a threat, while his opponents, known as the Yellowshirts, accuse him of using his position to engage in corruption, nepotism and undermining the monarchy.
For the last decade, Thailand saw a succession of pro- and anti-Thaksin administrations that prompted protests from the Redshirts and the Yellowshirts, depending on which side was out of the Government House at the time. These confrontations sometimes turned violent, such as the Yellowshirt campaign against the pro-Thaksin government in 2014 that claimed more than 20 lives before the military intervened.
Leaders of both mass movements said they accept the junta’s olive branch – for now.
“We will join the reconciliation process, so that we can find out guidelines to solutions for our country,” said Jatupon Prompan, chairman of the pro-Thaksin United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship, or UDD. “We have to admit that the conflict has been going on for too long. If we cannot agree with each other, even after we have elections, things won’t improve.”
Suthep Thaugsuban, a former Democrat Party leader who led the protests preceding the May 2014 coup, also said reconciliation is preferable.
“An important part of any reconciliation is to campaign and urge people throughout the country, no matter which side they are, to respect the laws,” Suthep told reporters. “I hope that reconciliation will bring peace, order and progress to the nation and make it move forward.”
What’s the Catch?
Pledges to bring political harmony to Thailand are nothing new. Since the deadly Redshirt protests of 2010, in which more than 90 people were killed, governments led by Pheu Thai and Democrat parties have unveiled their own versions of reconciliation committees. They achieved little.
Soldiers face off with Redshirt protesters May 14, 2010, in Bangkok. The protest was eventually crushed by a bloody military crackdown.
The junta has yet to say how its task force committee will accomplish what other governments could not.
Deputy junta chief Prawit suggested Monday that political parties and groups may have to sign a memorandum of understanding, or MOU, agreeing to reconciliation. He has not said what the MOU would entail.
The idea of signing an unspecified document alarmed some political figures. One former Pheu Thai MP quipped that he would consider signing it if the military pledged not to stage another coup. On Wednesday, Suthep outright rejected it.
“I and the Great Mass of the People Foundation will definitely not sign the MOU,” Suthep said, referring to the nonprofit reincarnation of his 2014 protest group. “Because signing such a thing does not give any benefit or true solution for reconciliation.”
Ramet of the Democrat Party also said his party will likely not sign the MOU if it calls for something redundant or impossible.
“If it simply says we must follow the laws, there’s no need to sign it, because illegal actions are already illegal,” Ramet said. “If it prohibits us from having conflicts or debate or scrutinizing the next government, we won’t sign it, either.”
Jatuporn said he will sign it, if the MOU calls for working toward progressive goals.
“If we agree to work for fairness and equality, then we should sign the MOU,” he said. “Right now it’s still empty, so now that we have opportunity to shape it, we should take it.”
Democrat Party chairman Abhisit Vejjajiva blows a whistle on Nov. 4, 2013, in support of protesters opposed to a blanket amnesty.
Another concern voiced by some stakeholders is whether the reconciliation will involve granting amnesty in political cases, including citizens who remain incarcerated or face charges from previous rounds of conflict.
The previous government’s move to issue a blanket amnesty that would have absolved former Prime Minister Thaksin of his corruption conviction proved its undoing when it sparked the massive protests that eventually led to its downfall.
Both Prayuth and his deputy Prawit have ruled out amnesty, which satisfies those like Ramet.
“People were worried whether there would be another attempt at blanket amnesty, but the prime minister has already said clearly there won’t be such a thing, so people are relieved,” Ramet said.
Thai Airways officials pose for a photo on Aug. 31 at Suvarnabhumi Airport at a publicity event for its new aircraft outfitted with Rolls Royce-made engines.
BANGKOK — Thai Airways on Wednesday launched an investigation over revelations that Rolls-Royce paid 665 million baht in bribes to arrange for the purchase of its aircraft engines in Thailand.
The firm admitted to bribing officials in Thailand and other nations to a British court on Tuesday in an agreement to avoid criminal prosecution. According to the confession, Rolls-Royce paid money to “individuals who were agents of the State of Thailand and employees of Thai Airways” over a period of 13 years.
“We have discussed this matter, the board agreed to instruct Thai Airways to find out information and facts about this matter as soon as possible,” airline president Charamporn Jotikasthira told reporters after a board meeting Wednesday.
He said the investigation could take 30 to 90 days. If the allegations are proven true and perpetrators identified, he said the case would be sent to the National Anti-Corruption Commission for criminal proceedings.
“Thai Airways is not being idle,” the CEO said. “We are committed to transparent procedures without any exception to any form of corruption.”
In its testimony to British authorities, Rolls-Royce said it paid bribes three times in Thailand over the course of 13 years: June 1991 to June 1992, March 1992 to March 1997 and April 2004 to February 2005. In each instance, the company’s intermediaries sought to lobby the Thai government and Thai Airways to buy engines made by Roll Royce.
On Wednesday, the auto and engine maker agreed to pay GBP671 million to settle 12 counts involving bribery in Thailand as well as Malaysia, China, India, Russia and Nigeria.
The settlement would see Rolls-Royce avoid prosecution on fraud and corruption charges. The firm has also apologized.
It’s the latest scandal to hit Thai Airways, a state enterprise long accused of corruption and nepotism. In 2015, the National Anti-Corruption Commission found four Thai Airways officials guilty of selling tickets outside the system at lower prices. In March the commission heard complaints it granted route concessions to a low-cost airline in exchange for bribes. In October, the airline charged the government 21 million baht to fly 38 officials to Hawaii for a meeting, drawing widespread criticism.
Bribery is common throughout bureaucracy and law enforcement agencies in Thailand. The kingdom scored 3.8 out of 10 on a corruption perception index compiled in 2016 by Transparency International.
Thai Airways’ Charamporn said some officials who served during the time of the alleged bribery already retired, but that it wouldn’t be a problem.
“If the wrongdoers already retired, we can still hold them accountable,” he said.
Jailed anti-logging activist Isidro Baldenegro, 39, speaks to a reporter at the Parral prison in 2003, south of the U.S. border in Mexico. Photo: Pablo Aneli / Associated Press
MEXICO CITY — A Mexican indigenous leader who was awarded the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize in 2005 for his fight against illegal logging has been shot dead, less than a year after another winner of the award was slain in Honduras.
The prosecutor’s office for the northern state of Chihuahua said Wednesday in a statement that 51-year-old Isidro Baldenegro was killed Sunday at an uncle’s home in the town of Guadalupe y Calvo. Authorities were investigating a possible motive.
Prosecutors said Baldenegro was shot at least six times and suffered wounds in the chest, abdomen and leg. They were searching for a 25-year-old male suspect who was also at the home and fled after the shooting.
The Goldman Environmental Foundation issued a statement saying it was “deeply distressed” by the killing and calling for an investigation. It said Baldenegro was a leader of the indigenous Tarahumara people.
“His relentless work organizing peaceful protests against illegal logging in the Sierra Madre Mountains helped protect the forests, lands and rights of his people,” Goldman President Susan R. Gelman was quoted as saying. “He was a fearless leader and a source of inspiration to so many people fighting to protect our environment and indigenous peoples’ rights.”
Honduran activist Berta Caceres, who won the Goldman prize in 2015 for organizing opposition to a hydroelectric project on her Lenca people’s ancestral lands, was slain last March 3 when armed men forced their way into her home in the middle of the night and shot her four times. A visiting Mexican activist was wounded in the attack.
Observers say killings of land activists are common in Latin America. According to the London-based group Global Witness, more than 450 were slain in the region from 2010 through 2014.
Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas director for Amnesty International, also condemned Baldenegro’s killing, calling it “a tragic illustration of the many dangers faced by those who dedicate their lives to defend human rights in Latin America, one of the most dangerous regions in the (world) for activists.”
A ring-tailed lemur watches out of a window at the zoo in Duisburg, Germany. Photo: Martin Meissner / Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Gorillas, monkeys, lemurs and other primates are in danger of becoming extinct, and scientists say it’s our fault that our closest living relatives are in trouble, a new international study warns.
About 60 percent of the more than 500 primate species are “now threatened with extinction” and 3 out of 4 primate species have shrinking populations, according to a study published in Wednesday’s journal Science Advances .
While scientists had tracked dwindling numbers of individuals and groups of primates in forests around the world, this is the first big-picture look. The result was “a bigger wake-up call” than previously thought, said researcher Paul Garber of the University of Illinois.
“The outlook is not very good,” said Garber, who recently returned from the jungles of Brazil studying marmosets.
The decline has been blamed on human activities including hunting, mining and oil drilling. Logging, ranching and farming have also destroyed precious habitat in Africa, Asia and South America.
Primates, which include apes, monkeys and humans, have forward-facing eyes and grasping ability that set them apart from other mammals. Scientists study them to learn about human behavior and evolution.
Much of the problems faced by primates are recent. For example, the Grauer’s gorilla dropped from a population of 17,000 in 1995 to just about 3,800 now, mostly from bushmeat hunting and mineral mining, the study found.
There are only about 14,000 Sumatran orangutans left in the world. The Hainan gibbon in China is down to just 25 individuals, while 22 out of the 26 primate species in China are endangered, Garber said.
About 94 percent of the lemur species in the world are endangered, especially in Madagascar, which is one of hardest-hit places for primate population loss.
“We need to look at (population losses) almost as signals. They’re telling us something about our future,” Garber said. “This is a critical world problem.”
While there’s hope that some species can be protected, many will disappear in the coming decades, said co-author Eduardo Fernandez-Duque of Yale University.
Emory University primate expert Frans de Waal called the work “very detailed and timely and unfortunately correct.”
“Primate populations are clearly moving in the wrong direction,” said de Waal, who wasn’t part of the study.
Manchester United's Zlatan Ibrahimovic, centre, celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Liverpool Sunday at Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, England. Photo: Dave Thompson / Associated Press
LONDON — Manchester United is a long way from winning the English Premier League again but is back on top of another table – as soccer’s biggest moneymaker.
For the first time since 2005, Manchester United overtook Real Madrid in top spot in the soccer finance rankings compiled by accountancy firm Deloitte even as it sits sixth in the Premier League.
In 2015-16 when United won only the FA Cup and failed to qualify for the Champions League, the 20-time league champions generated 515.3 million pounds (689 million euros based on the annual average; now about USD $632 million).
Spanish champion Barcelona had 620.2 million euros in revenue and Real Madrid, which won an 11th Champions League title in May, dropped to third on 620.1 million euros in Deloitte’s 20th annual rankings.
United’s stay at the top could be short-lived with the pound weakening since Britain voted to leave the European Union in June and the failure to reach the Champions League.
Despite Jose Mourinho replacing Louis van Gaal as manager, United is struggling to break back into the top four Champions League qualification places let alone win the first Premier League title since Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013.
But United, owned by the Florida-based Glazer family and listed on the New York Stock Exchange, has maintained an ability to attract sponsors.
“Manchester United have had to wait 11 years to regain their position as the world’s leading revenue-generating club and it has taken phenomenal commercial revenue growth to help them achieve this,” said Dan Jones of the Deloitte sports division.
“In recent years, their ability to secure commercial partnerships with value in excess of that achievable by their peers has been the crucial factor in enabling the club to regain their place at the top of the Money League.”
The top five is completed by German champion Bayern Munich and Manchester City.
The eight English clubs in the top 20 account for 45 percent of the accumulated revenue in the standings of 7.4 billion euros – up 13 percent from the previous year. Leicester, a first-time winner of the Premier League, makes the cut for the first time, squeezing into 20th place on 128.7 million pounds.
West Ham returns to the top 20 and should move up from 18th place (143.8 million pounds) following its move last summer to Olympic Stadium.
The other Premier League teams are: Arsenal (seventh at 350.4 million pounds), Chelsea (eight at 334.6 million pounds), Liverpool (ninth at 302 million pounds) and Tottenham (12th at 209.2 million pounds).
The weight of English clubs in the revenue rankings should increase next year with the rise in television revenue. Premier League clubs should each earn at least 100 million pounds a season as part of the rights deals worth more than 8.3 billion pounds over three years.
The only French team represented in the rankings is Paris Saint-Germain, which fell two places to sixth with revenue of 520.9 million euros. Zenit Saint-Petersburg is the only Russian team included, improving a place to 17th by generating 196.5 million euros.
Along with Bayern, German also provides Borussia Dortmund (11th at 283.9 million euros) and Schalke (14th at 224.5 million euros).
Juventus heads the list of four Italian teams, in 10th place on 224.5 million euros, followed by AS Roma (15th at 218.2 million euros), AC Milan (16th at 214.7 million euros) and Inter Milan (19th at 179.2 million euros).
Deloitte warns that the enhanced English broadcast deals could see at least one of the Milan teams fall out of the top 20 next year.
Joining Barcelona and Real Madrid in the rankings from Spain are Atletico Madrid in 13th place at 228.6 million euros.
FILE- This Dec. 19, 2016 file photo shows Paul McCartney as he arrives for a screening of "This Beautiful Fantastic" last December at the SVA Theatre in New York. Photo: Charles Sykes / Associated Press
NEW YORK — Paul McCartney says he wants his music to get back to where it once belonged.
McCartney filed a lawsuit in federal court in Manhattan on Wednesday against Sony/ATV over copyright ownership of the many hit songs he wrote with John Lennon as part of The Beatles.
The copyrights were famously bought by Michael Jackson in 1985 and then fully sold over to Sony/ATV following his death. McCartney has long wanted the copyrights, and the filing says he has sent notice to Sony/ATV saying that he will claim them back under a provision of U.S. copyright law that makes that possible after a certain time.
The first song eligible to be claimed back is “Love Me Do,” in October 2018. The rest of the catalog would follow in years after, ending in 2026.
McCartney wants a ruling to say his claiming them doesn’t represent a legal breach of any contract or publishing agreement that Sony/ATV could use against him.
“Defendants have attempted to reserve their rights to challenge Paul McCartney’s exercise of his termination rights on contractual ground,” the filing says.
It adds, “A judicial declaration is necessary and appropriate at this time so that Paul McCartney can rely on quiet, unclouded title to his rights.”
Sony/ATV said it had “the highest respect” for McCartney.
“We have collaborated closely with both Sir Paul and the late John Lennon’s Estate for decades to protect, preserve and promote the catalog’s long-term value,” the company said, adding that it was “disappointed” over the filing of the lawsuit, which it said is “unnecessary and premature.”
US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama greet Gambian Leader Yahya Jammeh and his wife Mrs. Zineb Jammeh, in 2014 in the Blue Room during a U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit dinner at the White House, Washington. Photo: U.S. Department of State / Flickr
JOHANNESBURG — The tiny nation of Gambia has West Africa on the brink of a military intervention, and thousands, including cabinet ministers, are fleeing the country. Longtime President Yahya Jammeh is refusing to step down after losing elections and has declared a state of emergency, and parliament has voted to extend his term by three months. On Thursday, President-elect Adama Barrow intends to go through with his inauguration, with the support of the international community. Here’s a look at the crisis.
I Concede… No, I Don’t
At first, Jammeh stunned Gambians by conceding his election loss on live television. A week later, he announced he had changed his mind, saying “only Allah” could deny him victory. After taking power more than 22 years ago in a bloodless coup, Jammeh has been accused of leading a government that detains, tortures and even kills opponents. He is no stranger to striking declarations: In late 2015, he abruptly announced Gambia to be an Islamic republic. In 2013, he decided to leave the Commonwealth.
A Legal Challenge, But Is There A Court?
Jammeh’s ruling party is challenging the Dec. 1 election results, saying there were irregularities in the vote, but the country’s Supreme Court says it could take months to act because it is short of judges. Jammeh has invited judges from Nigeria and Sierra Leone to complete the court, but that is not expected to happen until May. It is not clear what will happen if Barrow is inaugurated and the court later decides in Jammeh’s favor.
Barrow is in neighboring Senegal and has been urged by regional countries to stay there until Thursday’s inauguration for his safety. His supporters insist he will be sworn in on Gambian soil.
Regional Troops Approach Borders
The regional bloc known as the Economic Community of West African States has a standby military force ready to enter Gambia if Jammeh doesn’t cede power. Troops were seen moving toward Gambia’s borders on Wednesday, and a military commander announced that Jammeh has only hours to leave. The force was seeking the U.N. Security Council’s endorsement of its “all necessary measures” to help remove Jammeh. Gambia, a nation of 1.9 million people, is estimated to have an army of just 900 troops.
A Continent Shifts Away
If Jammeh doesn’t step down, whether peacefully or not – he briefly sent troops to occupy the electoral commission office during the crisis – the African Union will cease to recognize him as Gambia’s legitimate leader, the AU’s Peace and Security Council said last week. In announcing the state of emergency Tuesday, Jammeh blamed what he called the unprecedented level of foreign involvement in Gambia’s election.
Some babies cool off in the water of Ampuen Reservoir on April 6, 2016, in Surin province. Photo: Matichon
WASHINGTON — U.S. government scientists say the Earth sizzled to a third straight heat record last year.
They mostly blame man-made global warming with help from a natural El Nino, which has since disappeared.
The figures announced Wednesday come from NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which measure global temperatures in slightly different ways. They said last year passed 2015 as the hottest year on record.
NOAA calculated that the average global temperature last year was 14.84C, beating the previous year by .04 Celsius.
NASA’s figures include more of the Arctic, which was warmer than usual. The agency said last year was .12C warmer than 2015.
NASA’s Gavin Schmidt said most of the record heat was from man-made climate change.
