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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (April 23, 2016)
Page 10A NATION/WORLD East Oregonian Saturday, April 23, 2016 175 states sign landmark deal on climate change UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The historic agreement on climate change marked a major milestone on Friday with a record 175 countries signing on to it on opening day. But world leaders made clear more action is needed, and Tuickly, to ¿ght a relentless rise in global temperatures. With the planet heating up to record levels, sea levels rising and glaciers melting, the pressure to have the Paris Agreement enter into force and to have every country turn its words into deeds was palpable at the U.N. signing ceremony. “The world is in a race against time,” U.N. Secre- tary-General Ban Ki-moon said in his opening speech. “The era of consumption without consequences is over.” “Today you are signing a new covenant with the future. This covenant must amount to more than prom- ises,” he said. The agreement will enter into force once 55 countries representing at least 55 percent of global emissions have formally joined it, a process initially expected to take until 2020. But following a host of announcements at the signing event, observers now think it could happen later this year. China, the world’s top carbon emitter, announced it would “¿nali]e domestic procedures” to ratify the agreement before the G-20 summit in China in September. The United States, the world’s second- largest emitter, reiterated its intention to ratify this AP PhotoMichel Euler, File In this 015 file photo, environmentalist activists form a human chain representing the peace sign and the spelling out “100% renewable”, on the side line of the COP21, United Nations Climate Change Conference near the Eiffel Tower in Paris. year, as did Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the leaders of Mexico and Australia. Maros Sefcovic, the energy chief for another top emitter, the 28-nation Euro- pean Union, has also said the EU wants to be in the “¿rst wave” of ratifying countries. Congo’s President Joseph Kabila, speaking on behalf of the world’s 48 least-de- veloped countries, said all were committed to “to move in one irreversible direction to secure a safer climate.” Even though small emitters, he said they would take the steps required to ratify the agreement “as soon as possible,” a reÀection of the wide reach of the agreement. The Washington-based World Resources Institute said that at least 25 countries representing 45 percent of global emissions had either joined the agreement Friday or committed to joining it early. French President Francois +ollande, the ¿rst to sign in recognition of his key role in achieving the December agreement, said he would ask parliament to ratify it by this summer. “There is no turning back now,” Hollande told the gathering, adding that a key to success in combating climate change will be to get governments, companies, and people all over the world to work together to move from fossil fuels to renew- able energy. 8 relatives shot dead, some while sleeping; 3 kids survive PIKETON, Ohio (AP) — Eight members of a family, including a mother sleeping in a bed with her 4-day-old baby next to her, were fatally shot in the head on Friday, leaving their rural town reeling while a manhunt was launched for whoever’s responsible. Three children, including the newborn, survived the grisly killings, which left seven adults and a teenage boy dead in four homes in Pike County, Attorney General Mike DeWine and Pike County Sheriff Charles Reader said. The economi- cally distressed county in the Appalachian Mountain region has 28,000 residents and is 80 miles east of Cincinnati. DeWine said there were no indications that any of the dead killed themselves, and Reader said if the shooter or shooters are at large, they should be considered armed and “extremely dangerous.” DeWine said, “There may be more than one, there may be three. We just don’t know at this point.” Some of the victims were in bed, indicating they were shot while they were sleeping, authorities said. The victims were identi¿ed as members of the Rhoden family. “It’s heartbreaking,” DeWine said. “The one mom was killed in her bed with the 4-day-old right there.” Law enforcement of¿cials said they met with relatives of the victims at a church on Friday night and death noti¿cations were being made to other relatives. They said more than 30 people had been interviewed as part of their investigation. A motive isn’t clear, authorities said, but they urged other members of the Rhoden family to take precau- tions, and Reader advised all residents to stay inside and lock their doors Friday night. Authorities said, however, there was no speci¿c threat to the community because those who had been killed were targeted. The ¿rst three homes where bodies were found are within a couple miles of one another on a sparsely popu- lated stretch of road, while the eighth body, that of a man, was found in a house farther away, the sheriff said. The other surviving chil- dren were 6 months old and 3 years old, authorities said. Reader wouldn’t say where they were taken Friday. Authorities didn’t release any information on whether there were multiple weapons used or whether anything was missing from the homes. Area resident Goldie Hilderbran said she lives about a mile from where she has been told a shooting took place. “I ¿rst heard about it this morning from our mail carrier,” Hilderbran said. Hilderbran said the mail carrier told her deputies had stopped her from delivering mail in the area they had blocked off. “She just told me she knew something really bad has happened,” Hilderbran said. The FBI in Cincinnati also said it was closely monitoring the situation and has offered assistance to the Pike County sheriff’s of¿ce if needed. Peebles High School imposed a precautionary lockout Friday morning after authorities noti¿ed the superintendent of shootings that had occurred a few miles away, according to Regina Bennington, secretary to the superintendent for the Adams County Ohio Valley Schools district. 4th Annual Cruisin’ For Scholarships Saturday, May 7th 9am-2pm BMCC Central Lawn | 2411 NW Carden | Pendleton, Oregon 97801 $FDUWUXFNDQGPRWRUF\FOHVKRZZLWKSURFHHGVEHQH¿WLQJWKH BMCC Diesel Technology Program and student scholarships. Any make, model, year or type of vehicle may enter! Car Registration: $20, includeVGDVKSODTXHDQG¿UVWHQWULHVUHFHLYH complimentary goodie bag. Registration begins at 8:30am or register online prior to event at www.bluecc.edu/alumni. Web registration fees will be collected at event day check-in. Raffl es, Music, BBQ, Prizes and more! U.S. Secretary of State Kerry said the signing of the agreement had to be followed by a recommitment by world leaders to actually win the “war” against carbon emissions that are making the world hotter every year. Putting the deal into economic terms, he said, “the power of this agreement is what it is going to do to unleash the private sector” to de¿ne the new energy of the future and set the global economy on a new path to growth and development that preserves the environment. Academy Award-winning actor Leonardo Dicaprio, a U.N. messenger of peace and climate activist, captured the feelings of many when he said: “We can congratulate each other today, but it will mean absolutely nothing if the world’s leaders gath- ered here go home and do nothing.” “No more talk, no more excuses, no more 10-year studies,” he told the VIPs. “The world is now watching. You will either be lauded by future generations or vili¿ed by them.” After he spoke, leaders and diplomats from the 175 countries were called to the front of the chamber to sign the agreement. Kerry carried his granddaughter in his arms, a symbol of the future generations the agreement is aimed at protecting. The signing set a record for international diplomacy: Never have so many coun- tries signed an agreement on the ¿rst available day. States that didn’t sign Friday have a year to do so. The ceremony, held on Earth Day, brought together a wide range of states that might sharply disagree on other issues. North Korea’s Foreign Minister Ri Su Yong made a rare U.N. appearance to sign and Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe brought applause when he declared, “Life itself is at stake in this combat. We have the power to win it.” Prime Minister Enele Sosene Sopoaga of Tuvalu, which has seen four of its small islands disappear into the Paci¿c Ocean since 2000, said the agreement can change the world — but islands on the frontline of climate change urgently need better access to ¿nancing to protect themselves against rising oceans. He urged international support for an insurance program for Paci¿c island nations. Tuvalu was one of 15 nations that not only signed but rati¿ed the agreement on Friday. Those that haven’t indi- cated they will sign include some of the world’s largest oil producers — Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Nigeria and Ka]akhstan, according to the World Resources Institute. The Paris Agreement was a major breakthrough in U.N. climate negotiations, which for years were slowed by disputes between rich and poor countries over who should do what. Under the agreement, countries set their own targets for reducing emis- sions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. The targets are not legally binding, but countries must update them every ¿ve years. Already, states face pres- sure to do more. Scienti¿c analyses show the initial set of targets that countries pledged before Paris don’t match the agreement’s long-term goal to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), compared with pre-industrial times. Global average temperatures have already climbed by almost 1 degree Celsius. Last year was the hottest on record. The latest analysis by the Climate Interactive research group shows the Paris pledges put the world on track for 3.5 degrees Celsius of warming. A separate analysis by Climate Action Tracker, a European group, projected warming of 2.7 degrees Celsius. BRIEFLY Virginia governor enables 200,000 felons to vote Obama, Cameron meet as Britain debates EU exit RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — More than 200,000 convicted felons will be able to cast ballots in the swing state of Virginia in November under a sweeping executive order Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced Friday. The Democrat said restoring the rights of felons to vote and run for of¿ce will help undo the state’s long history of trying to prevent African-Americans from fully participating in our democracy. “This is the essence of our democracy and any effort to dilute that fundamental principle diminishes it, folks, for all of us,” McAuliffe said on the steps of Virginia’s Capitol, before a crowd of more than 100 people that included many felons. Left-leaning advocacy groups were there as well, handing out voter registration forms. Republicans called the order a bald- faced political move by McAuliffe — a close friend of Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton — to help his party hold onto the White House. “I am stunned yet not at all surprised by the governor’s action,” House Speaker William J. Howell said in a statement. “This of¿ce has always been a stepping stone to a job in Hillary Clinton’s cabinet.” LONDON (AP) — Lending political backup to a struggling friend, President Barack Obama made a forceful plea Friday for Britons to heed Prime Minister David Cameron’s call to stay in the European Union and dismissed critics who accused the U.S. president of meddling in British affairs. Standing aside Cameron at a news conference, Obama said Britain’s power is ampli¿ed by its membership in the 28-nation union, not diminished. He delivered an almost sentimental appeal to the “special relationship” between the two countries and cast a grim picture of the economic stakesBsaying Àatly the U.S. would not rush to write a free trade deal with Great Britain if it voted to exit. Obama spoke on the ¿rst full day of a three-day visit to London, likely the last of this presidency. Coming two months before a June referendum on leaving the union, Obama plunged himself into heated debate about Britain’s national identity, immigration policy, economic fairness and the trust in institutions. Polls suggest it will be a close vote, with most phone polls indicating a lead to remain in the union while some online polls put the other side ahead. ADVERTISMENT Voice of Prophecy and Pendleton Seventh-Day Adventist Church to Shed Light on the Issue of Religious Liberty While Exploring the Life of Constantine the Great Pendleton, OR (April 23, 2016) — In recent years, religious liberty has been the topic of much de- bate and discussion. In fact, the Barna Group released a report showing that concerns over religious freedom in America have grown signifi cantly. From overt concerns over the right to worship, to people upset about coff ee cups they felt didn’t represent the Christmas holiday, the conversation has oft en been heated. Starting April 28, at 7:00pm, the Pendleton Seventh-Day Adventist Church will explore this fasci- nating subject as revealed through the Bible, in addition to a source that illustrates the topic perfect- ly: the life of the Emperor Constantine. Th is series, hosted by Voice of Prophecy Speaker/Director Shawn Boonstra, will take a documenta- ry-style, Bible-based approach to this topic. Boonstra recently traveled to countries such as Serbia, Italy, and Turkey to make history come to life and reveal little-known details about this intriguing historical fi gure. Boonstra was even granted rare access to a major archeological dig site, on the location believed to be one of Constantine’s homes. It’s the story of an unlikely emperor born out of wedlock and into poverty, who rose to power against staggering odds, and whose legacy has endured for centuries. Th e story of the costs and sacrifi ces made in the name of religious freedom will approach his life story from a new angle. “Th is series will be an honest examination of the church and prophetic history that will answer many questions people have today,” said Boonstra. “By simply taking a fascinating trip into the past, the world we live in now will suddenly make a lot more sense.” Th is series will address questions such as: • Was the marriage of Constantine’s government and Christianity a good thing for Christians? • Why did the early Christians have so much trouble fi tting in? • Did Bible prophecy really predict that the government would persecute the church? nal • Was it a good idea for the Roman emperor to step in and try to solve the internal disputes within the church? • If Christians really are Jesus’ followers, then why do they still have disputes? Th e Pendleton Seventh-Day Adventist Church is thrilled to be hosting this series. Shadow Empire will involve both documentary-style and live elements, featuring local moderator, Pastor Jeremy McCombs. All are welcome to attend this free event, and all attendees will receive a copy of Boonstra’s new book, Shadow Emperor. “During Shadow Empire, you will learn how Constantine’s impact contin- ues to echo through the lives of every person on earth today,” said Boonstra. “I hope you will join us for this intriguing study!” Topics will include: “Th e Rise of the Early Church,” “Th e Persecution of the Church,” “A Marriage of Church and State,” and “Constantine’s Christianity.” Shadow Empire begins Th ursday, April 28, at 7 p.m. in the Pendleton Seventh-Day Adventist Church located at 1401 SW Goodwin Pl in Pendleton. It will continue June 29 at 7p.m. and Saturday at 11a.m. and 7p.m. You may register to attend on-site during this free event, by calling 541-276- 0882, or by visiting www.shadowempire.com. Free child care will be available for children ages 3-10.
