Leonardo da Vinci’s world-famous Mona Lisa might go on tour in France.

The Louvre Museum is famous for fiercely protecting its iconic Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece, Mona Lisa. Since the painting came to the museum back in 1804, it has only left its home in Paris on very few occasions. Moreover, over the past 44 years, it has never left the museum.

However, according to some reports, that thing might soon change. Françoise Nyssen, the French culture minister, recently explained that she takes into consideration taking the Mona Lisa on tour around the country.

Mona Lisa to Leave the Louvre, But Where?

In a radio interview, Nyssen said that she is currently discussing the strategy with the Louvre’s president. They reportedly want to make the masterpiece part of a traveling exhibition dedicated to France’s most celebrated art pieces.

At the moment, nobody knows if Nyssen is also planning on sending the famous painting outside the country as well.

History tells us that Leonardo da Vinci began his work on the Mona Lisa back in 1503 or 1504, in Florence. He finally finished it after moving to France in 1516. After the artist’s death in 1519, the French king François bought the painting and hung it at a gallery in the Fontainebleau Palace.

In the 19^th century, Mona Lisa spent a lot of years hanging in Napoleon’s bedroom in Tuileries. After that, it finally came to the Louvre. It has left the museum on a few occasions since then, the first being in 1911.

At the time, an Italian worker took it to bring it back to Italy. Two years later, the painting reached Florence once again. A few years later, in 1963, it went on loan to the United States.

In 1974, it even travelled as far as Japan and Russia. Back in 2013, the city of Florence sent a request to the Louvre to bring the painting back to his birthplace. The Louvre museum rejected this proposal.

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In the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, the murder rate skyrocketed in Puerto Rico over the New Year’s first 11 days.

According to official estimates, 32 people were killed in less than two weeks this year, which means that the number of killings has nearly doubled from 2017 levels for the same period.

Some experts believe that the spike in murders across the storm-ravaged island is an effect of Hurricane Maria which seemingly spurred criminal activity across an already bankrupt U.S. territory.

Thousands of police officers are protesting for not being paid overtime through staged sickouts. The move has taken 2,000 law enforcement agents off the streets. What’s more, Puerto Ricans are struggling with scarce resources and dozens of municipalities are left with no electricity.

“You can’t deny the amount of tension you feel when you go there,”

noted University of Maryland’s criminology expert Monica Caudillo.

Puerto Ricans Are on Edge

Caudillo explained that many Puerto Ricans are on edge and if they happen to own a weapon, they may resort to murder when conflicts emerge. Police is no longer protecting families in remote areas, so many live in constant fear for their lives. The family of Caudillo’s husband lives in Puerto Rico.

The expert added that authorities are more concerned about fixing immediate needs tied to the devastating storm than watching crime rates. As a result, many wannabe criminals are being encouraged to commit crimes since they know there’s no one to prosecute them.

Crime rates have also jumped because there aren’t enough police officers, and those who are still working haven’t been paid in months. Experts described the number of recent killings in just 11 days as “a lot”.

However, not all experts link the higher criminality with Hurricane Maria. A Puerto Rico crime expert thinks the uptick in violent crimes is linked to a cycle of criminal violence.
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China and the United States opened new sources of tensions between them. Only days before President Donald Trump scheduled his first visit to China since he took the presidential seat, the U.S. scolded China once more. On Monday, Trump administration repealed Chinese claim to be qualified as a market economy. In the meantime, Mark Zuckerberg is pushing his Facebook services into China during his annual trip to this country.

Mark Zuckerberg Offered Chinese Students Advice on How to Create Their Own AI Startups

On Saturday, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg created a new post on his meeting with Chinese students. The Facebook founder took part in the annual advisory board meeting at Tsinghua School of Economics and Management. In the photo Zuckerberg attached to his post, the CEO is surrounded by enthusiast students who are showing him their innovative ideas.

Mark Zuckerberg got to review numerous ambitious AI projects. Some of them consisted of machine learning technology that creates music or AI that can diagnose persons through sensors. In his turn, Mark Zuckerberg offered them advice on how to begin their own startups.

Zuckerberg’s Annual Trip to China Might Result in the Return of Facebook to This Country

China represents a fruitful market at the moment for tech industries. However, its stringent law system is greeting foreign companies with numerous hurdles. On the other hand, Facebook managed to secure a place in this market by working on a censorship tool last year for China. The app can eliminate posts automatically within a certain geographic area. Nonetheless, it is unclear whether the software is up and running or not.

However, while Zuckerberg found other means to maintain a relationship with China, his core project is banned. China interrupted access for its citizens to Facebook since 2009. Facebook spokespersons declined to admit any link between Mark’s annual trip to China and attempts to reintroduce the social media platform in this market.

China has just ended its 19^th National Congress of the Communist Party that takes place only once every five years. During this event, president Xi Jinping secured his second term as the leader of the party and country. With his renewed grasp on power, Xi Jinping might be ready to talk business with Mark Zuckerberg.

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Taro Aso is the Deputy Prime Minister of Japan who delivered a controversial speech in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Tuesday. His words seemed to have suggested that the representative is praising the leadership of the Nazi head Adolf Hitler by saying he “had right motives.” The Hitler comment didn’t go unnoticed, and a U.S. Jewish group demanded solutions.

The Hitler Comment Was an Attempt to Underline the Traits of Political History

On Tuesday, Japanese Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso addressed to his fellow lawmakers of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party in a speech. However, at some point, the official intended to make politicians realize that they would go down in history for their results and not motivations for taking certain actions.

To better underline his message, Aso resorted to an example from the international history. His choice stopped at World War Two and one of its main players, Adolf Hitler. People use this historic character as an example of what happens when a bad leader gains supreme power in a totalitarian regime. However, Aso made a reference to Hitler in order to show how history masks good intentions and brings forth the bad outcomes only.

“Hitler, who killed millions of people, is no good even if his motive was right.”

Taro Aso Retracted the Controversial Claim He Made in His Speech

As a consequence, Aso’s Hitler comment sparked large uproar. The opposition that consists of Democratic Party used this speech to question his capability to accomplish two major roles at the same time. Taro Aso is both deputy prime minister and minister of finance.

A day after his controversial speech, Taro Aso released a statement through which he made public his true view on Hitler. With this occasion, he admitted that the Nazi leader was guilty of numerous crimes and he also retracted his comment.

Therefore, the Japanese conservative claimed that his Tuesday message wasn’t in tune with his personal feelings. Instead, the message attempted to underline the effect of history which only caused misunderstanding.
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A crowded UK coast was under assault from an odd natural phenomenon. While beachgoers were enjoying a lovely Sunday at the seaside, a strange cloud started coming their way. In a few minutes, the place fell into chaos as people began experiencing unpleasant sensations. Authorities suspected a toxic mist that some sorts of chemical leak created.

The Mysterious Toxic Mist Affected 150 Visitors across the UK Coast

Authorities announced that on Sunday a mysterious gas haze surrounded beaches across the East Sussex region. Unfortunately, the location is a local attraction, and it was crowded over the weekend. As a consequence, around 150 visitors needed immediate medical attention. Their symptoms included stinging eyes, breathing problems, sore throats, and vomiting.

The affected UK coast is 60 miles away from London. Authorities had to clear the region even by means of boats. The Eastbourne District General Hospital announced that it received around 130 victims of the mysterious toxic mist. On the other hand, Sussex Police assured the public that no injury was fatal.

Authorities Are Currently Investigating the Source of this Odd Phenomenon

Bob Jefferey at the Royal National Lifeboat Institution of the Eastbourne division claimed that the source of this phenomenon remained unknown. However, the chemicals in this haze smelt just like burnt plastic. On top of that, the cloud rested for the entire day within the same beach due to lack of wind. However, on Monday the phenomenon seemed to have vanished.

The Green party started an investigation on the phenomenon that urged the closure of public beaches along the UK coast. The mobilization efforts will have two parts. First of all, authorities intend to find out the origins of this mysterious cloud. So far, it is unlikely to have been of chlorine or coming from France. The second part will consist of measures to prevent any similar events from happening.

Emergency services evacuated the Birling Gap beach immediately. Furthermore, they urged locals to have all their windows and doors closed for the day. Although medical services had large queues of patients, none of the recorded injuries were major.
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Hundreds of people gathered around Bangkok’s Supreme Court on Friday to encourage former Thai Prime Minister, Yingluck Shinawatra. The personality was scheduled to show up before the judge to hear the verdict on a case of negligence against her. However, the defendant failed to appear claiming poor health. As a consequence, authorities saw themselves forced to issue an arrest warrant for her.

Authorities Considered Yingluck Shinawatra’s Rice Subsidy Program a Concerning Act of Negligence that Caused Financial Issues

The 2015 trial against Yingluck Shinawatra on allegations of corruption and power abuse grew strong roots within political and social areas of the Southeast Asian country. Friday’s final verdict might have had the power to throw the kingdom stability into an ugly division.

Therefore, the metropolitan police announced that there were 4,000 officers on the scene ready to face the crowd’s reaction to the outcome of the lawsuit. It all started with Yingluck administration’s prime policy, namely the rice subsidy program.

The government started purchasing farmers’ crops at 50% higher prices than the market dictated. As a consequence, Thailand ended up with huge stockpiles of rice while the budget suffered $8 billion worth of losses. The court found her guilty of power abuse in another case in 2014 and forced her to step down as the PM of Thailand.

Former PM Can Avoid the Arrest Warrant If She Is Found Guilty

In January 2015, Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra got impeached for her acts of corruption during the rice subsidy program. As a consequence, she cannot activate within politics for five years. This is also the moment when her controversial lawsuit starts.

The national turmoil was likely to take a different turn on Friday with the issuing of the verdict. However, Yingluck Shinawatra didn’t appear before the court blaming illness. This event urged authorities to release an arrest warrant for her. If law agents find Yingluck guilty, she can submit bail and avoid jail time. On top of that, she has 30 days at her disposal to appeal the decision.

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Qatar is the latest country that made some big steps in the international sphere. The state decided to reconsider its visa policies and open up its doors to tourists broader than any other country in the region. Therefore, Qatar announced the introduction of 80 countries to its visa-free list. The measure is already effective which means that many citizens have now the right to visit the region without extra paper work.

Qatar Has Officially Become the Most Open Country in the Region

On Wednesday, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar Al Bake announced through a press conference at Oryx Rotana Hotel the news. The State of Qatar has just become the most open country in the region. The official underlined the fact that many of their neighbors have recently decided to do the opposite and close the borders and skies under stricter regulations.

“This historic announcement comes at a time of historic significance.”

Therefore, citizens of the specified 80 countries are now free to visit the touristic attraction without the need to apply or pay for a visa. All they have to have upon them is a valid passport that is valid for at least six months together with a plane ticket. Once they present such documents, they will receive a multi-entry waiver free of charge.

The New Entries in Qatar’s Visa-Free List Are Split in Two Groups

The new additions to the visa-free list are actually divided into two separate groups. The first one includes 33 nations. These citizens are entitled to a waiver available for 180 days. Its owner can spend 90 days in Qatar and even split these days in multiple vacations. Some of these countries are Bulgaria, Romania, Finland, France, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, and others.

The second category includes 47 nations. These citizens can request a waiver that is valid for 30 days. The holders can enjoy their free passage through several trips within this period of time. On top of that, they can apply to renew their waiver for an additional period of 30 days in Qatar. Some of these countries are Moldova, Mexico, United Kingdom, United States, Vatican, Venezuela, New Zealand, Thailand, Macedonia, and others.

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Last month, Samsung Electronics dominated the technology industry. However, its de facto leader was doing time in jail in all this time. Lee Jae-yong is the vice chairman and Samsung heir. Nonetheless, authorities arrested him for allegations of bribing the South Korean government officials for the benefit of his own company.

Prosecutors Recommended Seoul Court to Condemn Samsung Heir to 12 Years of Jail

On Monday, prosecutors issued a recommendation directed at a panel of three judges at Seoul Central District Court. According to this ruling, authorities suggested 12 years of imprisonment for Lee Jae-yong, a head executive at Samsung Electronics. As a consequence, the defendant burst into an emotional state and denied any involvement with the South Korean government. The panel will issue the final verdict on August 25.

Lee is the prodigy of the richest family in South Korea and was about to inherit the Samsung empire. He has been held in custody for six months to attend the trial for a corruption scandal. His words after hearing the ruling claimed that his time in jail made him ponder on the situation. His conclusion was that the bigger his company becomes, the rougher conditions it has to deal with.

South Korea Might Be Willing to Show Lee as an Example of What Happens from Now on to Corrupt Businesses

Special Prosecutor Park Young Soo delivered the conclusion of the trial with an association between this recent bribery case and the usual ties between the government and large companies. Back days, such a relationship propelled the country into the industrialization area with the speed of light. However, nowadays such connections can do more harm even for the national economy, and they are categorized as illegal.

Samsung heir might be the first victim of a new, implacable direction that South Korea adopted. The courts used to pardon members of the families that control the economy of the country. Presidents themselves used their influence in some cases to exempt them from imprisonment resorting to their valuable contribution to the country.

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The 9/11 events are still an open wound for the American nation even after 16 years. Therefore, the country is still trying to avenge the victims of the kamikaze attacks. As a consequence, there are 25 open lawsuits concerning this tragedy against Saudi Arabia. However, the kingdom asked a U.S. judge to void all these charges on grounds of insufficient evidence to link it directly to the authors of the tragedy.

There Are 25 Open Lawsuits Against Saudi Arabia Due to Its Reportedly Support for al-Qaeda Attackers

The plaintiffs in all 25 ongoing lawsuits are either survivors of the 9/11 attacks or family members of those who lost their lives then. All of them want to see Saudi Arabia paying for its reportedly support of the terrorists. However, an official document revealed that lawyers working on behalf of the kingdom asked U.S. court to void these allegations.

Saudi Arabia’s legal representatives claimed that the plaintiffs lack consistent proof that connects the nation to al-Qaeda-affiliated attackers.         Around 3,000 people died following the plane crashes into New York’s World Trade Center, Pennsylvania field, and the Pentagon.

However, a lawyer representing the victims of the 9/11 attacks, James Kreindler, has a different view. He claimed that plaintiffs possess numerous proofs of what numerous Saudi persons did to make this terror event happen.

Saudi Arabia Has Several Exhibits to Attest the Insufficient Evidence Against Them

On the other hand, the Golf kingdom is armed with its own exhibits. One of them is an official description from CIA created in 2005. The paper clearly states that there is no evidence to attest Saudi Arabia’s involvement with the attacks.

Those directly impacted by the events were not able to sue the kingdom and find justice as they couldn’t file lawsuits against foreign governments. However, the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act appeared in 2015. This text made the Golf kingdom vulnerable to legal actions for any act of violence committed on U.S. soil.

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The Clooney Foundation for Justice is a non-profit organization that George Clooney opened together with his wife, Amal Clooney. She has been building a reputed career as an international human rights lawyer. The latest philanthropic mission of the famous couple is focusing on one of the many issues Syrian refugees face when they leave their country which is education. Therefore, Clooney Foundation vouched to take care of their refugee children.

Around 3,000 Refugee Children in Lebanon Will Receive Access to Education

On Monday, the Clooney Foundation for Justice announced $2.25 million partnership with UNICEF. With their forces united, they are going to equip seven public schools in Lebanon with the necessary tools to receive almost 3,000 new students. All of them are children who fell victim to the large phenomenon of Syrian refugees. The war forced hundreds of thousands of people to leave their homes behind in order to survive.

This partnership has already received help from third parties as well. Google.org donated for this humanitarian cause while HP offered a $1 million technology grant. The program will also host a pilot of technology tools to streamline the academic background for refugee children and Lebanese students.

The famous couple issued a sensitive and empathic statement. To them, the only fault these children have is being unable to choose the historical period in which they are born. These kids had bad luck, but their destiny doesn’t necessarily have to take the same path as well.

“Thousands of young Syrian refugees are at risk—the risk of never being a productive part of society. Formal education can help change that.”

UNICEF believes that almost 200,000 Syrian children in Lebanon don’t have access to education. However, other reports found more concerning statistics. A United Nations report revealed that only 60% of Syrian children joined primary and lower secondary schools in 2016. By comparison, in 2009 there were only 6% of them who didn’t attend a formal educational program. In conclusion, around 900,000 Syrian refugee kids who are of school-age don’t enjoy access to school.

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