Two tourist agencies that operate tours to North Korea said Friday the U.S. government will soon ban its citizens from traveling to the North.
Koryo Tours said the ban would be announced July 27 and would go into effect 30 days later. It did not say how long the ban would last.
Another tour operator, Young Pioneer Tours, said in a Twitter message that it had also been informed of the ban, citing the same date.
Young Pioneer was the agency that took U.S. student Otto Warmbier to North Korea. He was subsequently arrested there and sentenced to 15 years of hard labor.
North Korea released him in June in a coma and he died days after getting back to the United States.
After Otto Warmbier, detained for more than a year in North Korea, returned home in a coma, the Trump administration is looking into ways to stop other Americans from going there.
The State Department currently warns Americans against travel to that country, but Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has signaled he may go further.
We have been evaluating whether we should put some type of travel visa restriction to North Korea, he told a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing.We have not come to a final conclusion, but we are considering it.
Fred Warmbier, Otto Warmbier's father, told reporters that his 22-year-old son is "a young, thrill-seeking, great kid" who was on a trip organized by a Chinese-based company called Young Pioneer Tours.
Tourism Observer
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Tourism, Travel, Hospitality, Conservation: News,Stories And Experiences From Allover The World
Showing posts with label Tourism in USA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tourism in USA. Show all posts
Friday, 21 July 2017
Friday, 14 July 2017
USA: United Airlines Passenger Forced To Carry 2-year-old Son After United Resold His Seat
United is under fire for giving away a child's $1,000 seat even though he was too old to sit on his mother's lap (UAL)
A passenger was forced to hold her 2-year-old son in her lap after United resold his seat to a standby passenger.
United Airlines has apologized after reselling a toddler's seat to a standby passenger on a flight from Houston to Boston late last week.
As a result of the incident, Shirley Yamauchi was forced to hold her 27-month-old son in her lap for the duration of the nearly four-hour flight.
That may have violated federal regulations which say all children age two and older must have their own seat. According to Yamauchi, her son was older than the Federal Aviation Administration's age limit.
"This should not have happened," United admitted in a statement to Business Insider. "We take our commitment to customer safety very seriously and are currently reviewing the details of the incident."
The airline has yet to comment specifically on the age limit.
According to federal regulation 14 CFR 121.311, children who have reached their second birthday must have their own seat and seatbelt for the duration of the flight.
But without a completed investigation, the FAA can not determine at this time if United violated federal regulations, an agency spokesman told Business Insider.
Yamauchi, a middle school teacher from Hawaii, told ABC affiliate KITV that she declined to speak up during the flight out of fear that it could cause a scene.
"I'm scared. I'm worried. I'm traveling with an infant. I didn't want to get hurt. I didn't want either of us to get hurt," she told KITV. "I had him in all these contorted sleeping positions. In the end, very sadly, he was standing up between my knees."
Yamauchi told Hawaii News Now that she paid nearly $1,000 for her son's seat.
In response, the airline has refunded both the mother's and the toddler's tickets from Hawaii to Boston.
In another statement United Airlines said "We deeply apologize to Ms. Yamauchi and her son for this experience. We are refunding their tickets and providing compensation as a goodwill gesture. We are also working with our employees to prevent this from happening again."
A United spokesman said the toddler's boarding pass had been improperly scanned, allowing the computer to release the seat to a standby passenger.
Tourism Observer
www.tourismobserver.com
Thursday, 29 June 2017
USA: U.S. Visa Policy
Travelers from around the world coming as temporary visitors, or to immigrate to the United States, in accordance with U.S. immigration laws are welcome.
Laws Determine Immigration and Visa Policy
U.S. immigration laws enacted by Congress provide authority over immigration matters, including entry and exit of all travelers across the nation’s borders, determining who may enter, how long they may stay, and when they must leave.
The Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA) in Title 8 of the United States Code, provides the foundation for immigration law, along with its amendments.
Additionally, more recent immigration laws have an impact on visa processing, including, as examples, the USA Patriot Act of 2001 and the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Reform Act of 2002. Learn more about U.S. immigration laws and regulations.
Visa Processing Time Information
Recent changes in U.S. laws governing visa policy and procedures have increased the amount of time it can take to obtain a visa.
Apply early! Even with the visa processing improvements that have been made and will continue to be made, it is inevitable that delays will sometimes occur.
Processing times will vary.
The State Department's goal is visa delivery no more than 30 days from the time of application in most cases, although cases that require administrative processing could take longer.
Most administrative processing is resolved within 60 days of application. When administrative processing is required, the timing will vary based on individual circumstances of each case.
Therefore, before making inquiries about status of administrative processing, applicants or their representatives will need to wait at least 60 days from the date of interview or submission of supplemental documents, whichever is later.
If you want to visit the U.S. and require a visa, plan to schedule your visa interview well in advance of your departure date.
Learn more by reviewing this website information and contact the U.S. Embassy or consulate where you will apply for detailed “how-to” instructions.
Web Resources
- Immigration Laws and Regulations, USCIS Website
- Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) Regulations
- Nonimmigrant Classifications and Types of Visas
- Immigrant Classifications and Types of Visas
- When to contact Department of State vs. Department of Homeland Security
Laws Determine Immigration and Visa Policy
U.S. immigration laws enacted by Congress provide authority over immigration matters, including entry and exit of all travelers across the nation’s borders, determining who may enter, how long they may stay, and when they must leave.
The Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA) in Title 8 of the United States Code, provides the foundation for immigration law, along with its amendments.
Additionally, more recent immigration laws have an impact on visa processing, including, as examples, the USA Patriot Act of 2001 and the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Reform Act of 2002. Learn more about U.S. immigration laws and regulations.
Visa Processing Time Information
Recent changes in U.S. laws governing visa policy and procedures have increased the amount of time it can take to obtain a visa.
Apply early! Even with the visa processing improvements that have been made and will continue to be made, it is inevitable that delays will sometimes occur.
Processing times will vary.
The State Department's goal is visa delivery no more than 30 days from the time of application in most cases, although cases that require administrative processing could take longer.
Most administrative processing is resolved within 60 days of application. When administrative processing is required, the timing will vary based on individual circumstances of each case.
Therefore, before making inquiries about status of administrative processing, applicants or their representatives will need to wait at least 60 days from the date of interview or submission of supplemental documents, whichever is later.
If you want to visit the U.S. and require a visa, plan to schedule your visa interview well in advance of your departure date.
Learn more by reviewing this website information and contact the U.S. Embassy or consulate where you will apply for detailed “how-to” instructions.
Web Resources
- Immigration Laws and Regulations, USCIS Website
- Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) Regulations
- Nonimmigrant Classifications and Types of Visas
- Immigrant Classifications and Types of Visas
- When to contact Department of State vs. Department of Homeland Security
Thursday, 22 June 2017
USA: 50 Year Canadian Man Charged After Knife Terror Attack At Michigan Airport
A Montreal man accused in a vicious terror strike at the Flint, Mich., airport allegedly cited conflicts in the Middle East and Afghanistan as justification for his actions.
Though little is known about the background or motives of the alleged attacker, Amor M. Ftouhi, the incident appears to mimic the recent cluster of random and small-scale attacks that have plagued Europe in recent months.
But what may be more troubling is the likely stoking of Americans’ long-running security fears that could potentially end up stifling the flow of people and goods across the Canada-United States border.
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Ftouhi, 50, entered the U.S. from the Lac-Champlain border crossing south of Montreal on June 16 and spent five days in the country before entering Bishop International Airport in Flint Wednesday morning.
He arrived at the terminal at 8:52 a.m. with a red duffel bag and a dark-coloured satchel, lingered on the lower level until 9:10, then took an escalator to a second-level restaurant where he stayed until entering a bathroom at 9:38 a.m., according to a criminal complaint filed by the FBI.
Thirty seconds later he emerged from the toilets without his two bags and allegedly attacked Lt. Jeff Neville, an airport security officer.
Ftouhi yelled ‘Allahu akbar,’ pulled out a knife and stabbed the officer in the neck, the FBI complaint said. He further exclaimed something similar to, ‘You have killed people in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan and we are all going to die.’
Ftouhi has been charged with committing violence at an international airport, but there could be additional charges at the investigation progresses, said FBI special agent in charge of the probe, David Gelios.
It’s an ongoing investigation. There are joint operations going on in Canada as we speak, he said.
The suspect was forthcoming with investigators once he was in custody, Gelios said.
He was co-operative and has talked to us about what his motivations were. Suffice it to say he has a hatred for the United States and a variety of other things which motivated him to come to the airport today to conduct this act of violence.
The RCMP and Montreal police executed a search warrant Wednesday afternoon at a Montreal apartment believed to belong to Ftouhi. Three individuals were seen being led out of the building by police.
The owner of apartment said he had been living there for about six years with his wife and children.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the owner said Ftouhi was quiet and had never caused any problems in the building, which counts 11 tenants in total.
He’s a nice person. He was a quiet person. I never had problems with him, he said. For me he’s a good person. I can’t say anything bad.
The RCMP said in a statement that it would not be commenting on the investigation because it is being led by the FBI.
As with any incidents of the nature, the RCMP will work closely with key partners,the force said in a statement.
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said he had been in contact with RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson as well as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s national security adviser about the incident.
Obviously, Canada condemns this heinous and cowardly act. The officer and his family are very much in our prayers at this time.
He offered Canada’s complete co-operation in the probe, which will be looking to determine whether any signs of danger or radicalization were overlooked in the lead-up to the attack.
We’re doing everything we possible can to assist in this matter, Goodale said in Ottawa.
The FBI’s Gelios said investigators are also trying to figure out Ftouhi’s movements and possible activities in the days after he legally crossed the border and before he allegedly carried out the attack.
Neville was transported to hospital in critical condition but was upgraded to stable condition following emergency surgery, officials said.
Ken Brown told The Flint Journal he was dropping off his daughter at the airport and saw the officer bleeding from his neck. He said he saw a man detained by police and a knife on the ground.
The cop was on his hands and knees bleeding from his neck, Brown said. I said they need to get him a towel.
Another witness, Cherie Carpenter, told Flint TV station WJRT she saw the attacker’s face Wednesday morning at Bishop International Airport.
Carpenter described the man in custody as appearing blank, just totally blank.
The attacker was immediately subdued and arrested after the attack, apparently with some surprise, the FBI noted.
Ftouhi asked the officer why he did not kill him, the charging document stated.
Though little is known about the background or motives of the alleged attacker, Amor M. Ftouhi, the incident appears to mimic the recent cluster of random and small-scale attacks that have plagued Europe in recent months.
But what may be more troubling is the likely stoking of Americans’ long-running security fears that could potentially end up stifling the flow of people and goods across the Canada-United States border.
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Ftouhi, 50, entered the U.S. from the Lac-Champlain border crossing south of Montreal on June 16 and spent five days in the country before entering Bishop International Airport in Flint Wednesday morning.
He arrived at the terminal at 8:52 a.m. with a red duffel bag and a dark-coloured satchel, lingered on the lower level until 9:10, then took an escalator to a second-level restaurant where he stayed until entering a bathroom at 9:38 a.m., according to a criminal complaint filed by the FBI.
Thirty seconds later he emerged from the toilets without his two bags and allegedly attacked Lt. Jeff Neville, an airport security officer.
Ftouhi yelled ‘Allahu akbar,’ pulled out a knife and stabbed the officer in the neck, the FBI complaint said. He further exclaimed something similar to, ‘You have killed people in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan and we are all going to die.’
Ftouhi has been charged with committing violence at an international airport, but there could be additional charges at the investigation progresses, said FBI special agent in charge of the probe, David Gelios.
It’s an ongoing investigation. There are joint operations going on in Canada as we speak, he said.
The suspect was forthcoming with investigators once he was in custody, Gelios said.
He was co-operative and has talked to us about what his motivations were. Suffice it to say he has a hatred for the United States and a variety of other things which motivated him to come to the airport today to conduct this act of violence.
The RCMP and Montreal police executed a search warrant Wednesday afternoon at a Montreal apartment believed to belong to Ftouhi. Three individuals were seen being led out of the building by police.
The owner of apartment said he had been living there for about six years with his wife and children.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the owner said Ftouhi was quiet and had never caused any problems in the building, which counts 11 tenants in total.
He’s a nice person. He was a quiet person. I never had problems with him, he said. For me he’s a good person. I can’t say anything bad.
The RCMP said in a statement that it would not be commenting on the investigation because it is being led by the FBI.
As with any incidents of the nature, the RCMP will work closely with key partners,the force said in a statement.
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said he had been in contact with RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson as well as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s national security adviser about the incident.
Obviously, Canada condemns this heinous and cowardly act. The officer and his family are very much in our prayers at this time.
He offered Canada’s complete co-operation in the probe, which will be looking to determine whether any signs of danger or radicalization were overlooked in the lead-up to the attack.
We’re doing everything we possible can to assist in this matter, Goodale said in Ottawa.
The FBI’s Gelios said investigators are also trying to figure out Ftouhi’s movements and possible activities in the days after he legally crossed the border and before he allegedly carried out the attack.
Neville was transported to hospital in critical condition but was upgraded to stable condition following emergency surgery, officials said.
Ken Brown told The Flint Journal he was dropping off his daughter at the airport and saw the officer bleeding from his neck. He said he saw a man detained by police and a knife on the ground.
The cop was on his hands and knees bleeding from his neck, Brown said. I said they need to get him a towel.
Another witness, Cherie Carpenter, told Flint TV station WJRT she saw the attacker’s face Wednesday morning at Bishop International Airport.
Carpenter described the man in custody as appearing blank, just totally blank.
The attacker was immediately subdued and arrested after the attack, apparently with some surprise, the FBI noted.
Ftouhi asked the officer why he did not kill him, the charging document stated.
Wednesday, 21 June 2017
USA: Uber CEO Kalanick Resigns
Travis Kalanick, the combative and embattled CEO of ride-hailing giant Uber, has resigned under pressure from investors at a pivotal time for the company.
Uber's board confirmed the move early Wednesday, saying in a statement that Kalanick is taking time to heal from the death of his mother in a boating accident while giving the company room to fully embrace this new chapter in Uber's history. He will remain on the Uber Technologies Inc. board.
The move comes as Uber, the world's largest ride-hailing company, was having trouble morphing from a free-wheeling startup into a mature company that can stanch losses and post consistent profits. After eight years of phenomenal growth by upending the taxi business, Uber had reached a point where the culture that created the company had become a liability that threatened to kill it.
In a statement, the 40-year-old co-founder said his resignation would help Uber go back to building "rather than be distracted with another fight," an apparent reference to efforts on the board to oust him.
It was unclear who would replace Kalanick.
The resignation came after a series of costly missteps under Kalanick that damaged Uber's reputation, including revelations of sexual harassment in its offices, allegations of trade secrets theft and a federal investigation into efforts to mislead local government regulators.
Uber lost an expensive battle for supremacy in China against Didi Chuxing and had to be satisfied with taking a stake in Didi as a consolation prize. Uber posted a $708 million first-quarter loss, unable to turn $3.4 billion in revenue into a profit. The loss narrowed from the $991 million it posted in the previous quarter.
Investors have talked about selling stock in Uber to the public, a move that would imply a transition to an established business. The company was valued at near $70 billion the last time it sought capital.
Kalanick's penchant for conflict undermined the company's prospects, said Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer, director of the Center for Automotive Research at the University of Duisburg-Essen.
Ride-hailing itself remains a topic of intense interest for the tech and auto industries as they compete to see whether Silicon Valley or the automakers will reap the profits from the digitalization of how people get from one place to another.
But "the significance of Uber has declined because the company has not managed to present itself in a stable and socially responsible way," Dudenhoeffer said.
"When you're at war with customers, employees, service suppliers, you can't build up a business model and Kalanick was at war with everyone," said Dudenhoeffer. "There is no business model in being at war. "
On Tuesday, the company embarked on a 180-day program to change its image by allowing riders to give drivers tips through the Uber app, something Kalanick had resisted.
Drivers have said that Kalanick didn't value their labor even though it was the heart of the San Francisco-based company.
Uber's board said in a statement that Kalanick had "always put Uber first."
But under Kalanick, the company developed a reputation for ruthless tactics that have occasionally outraged government regulators, drivers, riders and employees.
The company often flouted city regulations for taxi companies with a culture that encouraged "Principled Confrontation."
The company's hard-charging style has led to legal trouble. The U.S. Justice Department is investigating Uber's past usage of phony software designed to thwart local government regulators who wanted to check on whether Uber was carrying passengers without permission.
A key step toward Kalanick's downfall came in February, when former Uber engineer Susan Fowler posted a personal essay about the year she spent at Uber, writing that she was propositioned by her manager on her first day with an engineering team.
She reported him to human resources, but was told he would get a lecture and no further punishment because he was a high performer,she wrote.
That caught the board's attention and brought outside investigations that led to the firing of 20 people including some managers. Former Attorney General Eric Holder conducted one of the probes, finding that the male-dominated Uber didn't have the most basic policies to protect workers from harassment.
Holder's report suggested procedures that most companies have had for years such as using performance reviews to hold leaders accountable.
Also, Kalanick lost his temper in an argument with an Uber driver who was complaining about pay. The profanity-laced confrontation was caught on a video that surfaced in February.
Afterward, Kalanick said he needed management help and had to grow up. The company began searching for a chief operating officer.
In March, board member Arianna Huffington expressed confidence that Kalanick would evolve into a better leader. But Huffington, a founder of Huffington Post, suggested time might be running out.
He's a "scrappy entrepreneur," she said during the call, but one who needed to bring "changes in himself and in the way he leads."
During the past year, several senior managers left the company, including the president and chief financial officer.
Outside experts said the only way to change Uber's culture was for Kalanick to step aside. But Uber's ownership and voting structure made it difficult to oust him.
Kalanick took an indefinite leave of absence earlier this month, in part to deal with a personal tragedy.
In May, his mother was killed and his father hurt in a boating accident on a California lake.
Uber's board confirmed the move early Wednesday, saying in a statement that Kalanick is taking time to heal from the death of his mother in a boating accident while giving the company room to fully embrace this new chapter in Uber's history. He will remain on the Uber Technologies Inc. board.
The move comes as Uber, the world's largest ride-hailing company, was having trouble morphing from a free-wheeling startup into a mature company that can stanch losses and post consistent profits. After eight years of phenomenal growth by upending the taxi business, Uber had reached a point where the culture that created the company had become a liability that threatened to kill it.
In a statement, the 40-year-old co-founder said his resignation would help Uber go back to building "rather than be distracted with another fight," an apparent reference to efforts on the board to oust him.
It was unclear who would replace Kalanick.
The resignation came after a series of costly missteps under Kalanick that damaged Uber's reputation, including revelations of sexual harassment in its offices, allegations of trade secrets theft and a federal investigation into efforts to mislead local government regulators.
Uber lost an expensive battle for supremacy in China against Didi Chuxing and had to be satisfied with taking a stake in Didi as a consolation prize. Uber posted a $708 million first-quarter loss, unable to turn $3.4 billion in revenue into a profit. The loss narrowed from the $991 million it posted in the previous quarter.
Investors have talked about selling stock in Uber to the public, a move that would imply a transition to an established business. The company was valued at near $70 billion the last time it sought capital.
Kalanick's penchant for conflict undermined the company's prospects, said Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer, director of the Center for Automotive Research at the University of Duisburg-Essen.
Ride-hailing itself remains a topic of intense interest for the tech and auto industries as they compete to see whether Silicon Valley or the automakers will reap the profits from the digitalization of how people get from one place to another.
But "the significance of Uber has declined because the company has not managed to present itself in a stable and socially responsible way," Dudenhoeffer said.
"When you're at war with customers, employees, service suppliers, you can't build up a business model and Kalanick was at war with everyone," said Dudenhoeffer. "There is no business model in being at war. "
On Tuesday, the company embarked on a 180-day program to change its image by allowing riders to give drivers tips through the Uber app, something Kalanick had resisted.
Drivers have said that Kalanick didn't value their labor even though it was the heart of the San Francisco-based company.
Uber's board said in a statement that Kalanick had "always put Uber first."
But under Kalanick, the company developed a reputation for ruthless tactics that have occasionally outraged government regulators, drivers, riders and employees.
The company often flouted city regulations for taxi companies with a culture that encouraged "Principled Confrontation."
The company's hard-charging style has led to legal trouble. The U.S. Justice Department is investigating Uber's past usage of phony software designed to thwart local government regulators who wanted to check on whether Uber was carrying passengers without permission.
A key step toward Kalanick's downfall came in February, when former Uber engineer Susan Fowler posted a personal essay about the year she spent at Uber, writing that she was propositioned by her manager on her first day with an engineering team.
She reported him to human resources, but was told he would get a lecture and no further punishment because he was a high performer,she wrote.
That caught the board's attention and brought outside investigations that led to the firing of 20 people including some managers. Former Attorney General Eric Holder conducted one of the probes, finding that the male-dominated Uber didn't have the most basic policies to protect workers from harassment.
Holder's report suggested procedures that most companies have had for years such as using performance reviews to hold leaders accountable.
Also, Kalanick lost his temper in an argument with an Uber driver who was complaining about pay. The profanity-laced confrontation was caught on a video that surfaced in February.
Afterward, Kalanick said he needed management help and had to grow up. The company began searching for a chief operating officer.
In March, board member Arianna Huffington expressed confidence that Kalanick would evolve into a better leader. But Huffington, a founder of Huffington Post, suggested time might be running out.
He's a "scrappy entrepreneur," she said during the call, but one who needed to bring "changes in himself and in the way he leads."
During the past year, several senior managers left the company, including the president and chief financial officer.
Outside experts said the only way to change Uber's culture was for Kalanick to step aside. But Uber's ownership and voting structure made it difficult to oust him.
Kalanick took an indefinite leave of absence earlier this month, in part to deal with a personal tragedy.
In May, his mother was killed and his father hurt in a boating accident on a California lake.
Sunday, 28 May 2017
USA: Man Stabs Dead Portland Pair Over Anti-Muslim Insults
Police have detained a man who allegedly shouted anti-Muslim slurs at two women before stabbing men who intervened.The Council of American-Islamic Relations decried a massive increase in Islamophobic incidents in the US.
Two men were stabbed to death and a third was badly wounded while trying to prevent an alleged hate crime in the US city of Portland, Oregon, late on Friday. Police announced that they have the suspect in custody.
According to witnesses, a man began to shout and direct ethnic slurs at two women who appeared to be Muslim on a local commuter train shortly before the start of Islam's holy month of Ramadan.
In the midst of his ranting and raving, some people approached him and appeared to try to intervene with his behavior and some of the people that he was yelling at, said police spokesman Pete Simpson during a press conference. They were attacked viciously by the suspect.
According to police, one of the men died at the scene while another died at the hospital. The third victim was still receiving treatment but was expected to recover. The assailant was arrested shortly after getting off the train.
The two women who were reportedly the target of the suspect's hate speech left the scene of the crime before they could be interviewed by police, but witnesses said at least one of them was wearing a hijab. On Saturday, the mother of one of the girls, both teenagers, said that her daughter was African American and that she was with her friend, who is Muslim and was wearing a headscarf.
Police later named the suspect as 35-year-old Jeremy Joseph Christian, who has previously served time in prison for robbery and kidnapping.
He is currently being held on suspicion of aggravated murder and attempted murder.
The incident shook the local community in Portland, a city perhaps best known as a haven of tolerance and liberal views.
Trump must speak out personally.
Following the attack, the head of the Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Nihad Awad, released a statement laying part of the blame on anti-Muslim sentiment stirred up by the election campaign of President Donald Trump, which was heavily focused on Islamic extremism.
According to CAIR, Islamophobic incidents in the US were up by more than 50 percent in 2016 as compared to 2015.
President Trump must speak out personally against the rising tide of Islamophobia and other forms of bigotry and racism in our nation that he has provoked through his numerous statements, policies and appointments that have negatively impacted minority communities, said Awad.
The Trump administration has given contradictory impressions on its attitude towards Islam, first trying to ban travel from seven Muslim-majority countries before declaring in a recent speech in Saudi Arabia that there is no battle between different faiths. He then laid most of the blame for instability in the Middle East on the government of Iran.
Two men were stabbed to death and a third was badly wounded while trying to prevent an alleged hate crime in the US city of Portland, Oregon, late on Friday. Police announced that they have the suspect in custody.
According to witnesses, a man began to shout and direct ethnic slurs at two women who appeared to be Muslim on a local commuter train shortly before the start of Islam's holy month of Ramadan.
In the midst of his ranting and raving, some people approached him and appeared to try to intervene with his behavior and some of the people that he was yelling at, said police spokesman Pete Simpson during a press conference. They were attacked viciously by the suspect.
According to police, one of the men died at the scene while another died at the hospital. The third victim was still receiving treatment but was expected to recover. The assailant was arrested shortly after getting off the train.
The two women who were reportedly the target of the suspect's hate speech left the scene of the crime before they could be interviewed by police, but witnesses said at least one of them was wearing a hijab. On Saturday, the mother of one of the girls, both teenagers, said that her daughter was African American and that she was with her friend, who is Muslim and was wearing a headscarf.
Police later named the suspect as 35-year-old Jeremy Joseph Christian, who has previously served time in prison for robbery and kidnapping.
He is currently being held on suspicion of aggravated murder and attempted murder.
The incident shook the local community in Portland, a city perhaps best known as a haven of tolerance and liberal views.
Trump must speak out personally.
Following the attack, the head of the Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Nihad Awad, released a statement laying part of the blame on anti-Muslim sentiment stirred up by the election campaign of President Donald Trump, which was heavily focused on Islamic extremism.
According to CAIR, Islamophobic incidents in the US were up by more than 50 percent in 2016 as compared to 2015.
President Trump must speak out personally against the rising tide of Islamophobia and other forms of bigotry and racism in our nation that he has provoked through his numerous statements, policies and appointments that have negatively impacted minority communities, said Awad.
The Trump administration has given contradictory impressions on its attitude towards Islam, first trying to ban travel from seven Muslim-majority countries before declaring in a recent speech in Saudi Arabia that there is no battle between different faiths. He then laid most of the blame for instability in the Middle East on the government of Iran.
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