US compensates family of child killed in motorcade incident
Samantha Power visits a camp after the crash for those made homeless by Boko Haram. The US compensated the family of the Cameroon boy who was struck and killed by a vehicle in UN Ambassador Samantha Power’s motorcade.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Hoping to make amends for a tragic accident, the United States has provided a wide range of compensation to a Cameroonian family whose child was killed by a vehicle in U.N. Ambassador Samantha Power’s motorcade. The package included everything from cash to cows, U.S. officials said.
The incident occurred in April as Power visited the front lines in the war against Boko Haram. Traveling near the remote, northern Cameroon city of Mokolo, an armored jeep in her caravan struck 7-year-old Birwe Toussem at high speed after he darted into the road, killing him instantly.
Power returned later that day for a tense and emotionally fraught gathering with Birwe’s family and community members. She promised to compensate them for their loss.
State Department officials said the cash payment was 1 million Central African francs, roughly $1,700. Cameroon’s GDP per person is about $1,300.
Cameroon’s government, aid organizations operating in the area and the U.N. — which also had officials in the convoy — contributed another 5 million francs, bringing the total cash payout to more than $10,000.
In addition to money, officials said the U.S. government provided a pair of cows; hundreds of kilograms of flour, onions, rice, salt and sugar; and cartons of soap and oil. Still to come: A well that will provide the village with fresh drinking water.
State Department spokesman Jeffrey Loree called it a “compensation package commensurate with local custom, as well as the needs of the family and village.”
“This package included a potable water well in the boy’s community that will serve as a lasting memory and some monetary, food, and other support,” Loree said. “U.S. diplomats have visited the family on several occasions following the accident and will continue to provide all support possible.”
Power was on the first leg of a weeklong trip through West African countries bearing the scars of Boko Haram’s Islamist insurgency. Traveling through territory that had witnessed previous Boko Haram attacks, Power’s motorcade was moving at a fast clip, at times exceeding 60 mph. Villagers lined up along the sides of the road to greet the ambassador as U.S. and Cameroonian special forces ensured her security.
Samantha Power with the bereaved. The boy’s family also received two cows, flour, onions, rice, salt, sugar, soap and oil, according to the Associated Press news agency.
But when Birwe darted onto the two-lane highway, perhaps distracted by a Cameroonian helicopter monitoring overhead, there was no time for the sixth vehicle in Power’s convoy to react.
The vehicle that hit the boy initially stopped, only to be ordered by American security forces to continue traveling through the unsecured area. An ambulance in the caravan immediately attended to Birwe, but it was apparent his condition was hopeless.
Liquid Telecom Buys Neotel, Will Become Largest Pan-African Broadband Network
Liquid Telecom, a privately owned, pan-African telecoms group, majority owned by Econet Wireless Global, said it has agreed to acquire South African communications network operator Neotel for ZAR6.55 billion (about $428 million USD), according to a recent Forbes piece.
Liquid Telecom is partnering with Royal Bafokeng Holdings (RBH), a South African investment group, which would take a 30 percent equity stake in Neotel. Neotel is currently majority owned by India’s Tata Communications (Tata Communications Limited (ADR) (OTC: TTCMY)).
The deal will create the largest pan-African broadband network and B2B telecoms provider.
In a press release, Liquid Telecom said “businesses across Africa will be able to access Liquid Africa’s 24,000km of cross-border, metro and access fibre networks. These currently span 12 countries from South Africa to Kenya, with further expansion planned.”
However, the Forbes coverage cited the networks as being “40,000kms of cross-boarder, metro and access fibre networks.”
“We are excited about this transaction. Leveraging the strengths of RBH, Neotel and Liquid Telecom will offer an unprecedented fibre network with a unique set of services and international connectivity for telecom operators and enterprises across sub-Saharan Africa,” Nic Rudnick, Liquid Telecom CEO, said in a statement.
Subject to approval by South African regulatory authorities, the deal is expected to be completed later this financial year.
Visa Free by 2018? Africa’s Open Visa Policy
African flags on display….The AU’s 2063 Agenda contains plans for a common visa policy with three primary components: visa-on-arrival for all African nationals, mandatory granting of a minimum 30-day visa for African citizens visiting any African country by 2018, and the ambitious goal of a single, continental passport by 2020.
By Michelle DeFreese
African citizens currently face some of the most stringent visa restrictions in the world. According to the Africa Visa Openness Index Report launched by the African Development Bank (AfDB), citizens of African countries require visas to travel to 55% of countries within the continent. Within the next two years, however, the implementation of a proposed common visa policy under the African Union’s (AU) 2063 Agenda, a strategic document outlining the vision for African development, could profoundly impact the continent in terms of intra-regional trade, economic development, and regional integration.
While the AU’s visa-free travel proposal represents both challenges and opportunities for the security and economy of Africa, previous examples by regional communities and individual countries suggest that the benefits will outweigh the risks. As the plan moves from policy to implementation, the African common visa policy has the potential to impart substantial economic incentives through the removal of trade barriers, increased tourism and investment opportunities, and job creation.
The AU’s 2063 Agenda contains plans for a common visa policy with three primary components: visa-on-arrival for all African nationals, mandatory granting of a minimum 30-day visa for African citizens visiting any African country by 2018, and the ambitious goal of a single, continental passport by 2020. Challenges of implementing the plan include associated risks of widespread economic migration, the movement of illegal goods, cross-border terrorism, and the issue of stateless individuals. Nevertheless, significant progress has been made – regionally and nationally – with benefits that demonstrate the effectiveness of the policy in terms of stimulating economic growth.
The importance of regional integration was also discussed during the 2013 AfDB Annual Meeting, during which Professor Mthuli Ncube, AfDB Vice President and Chief Economist, stated, “Africa is one of the regions in the world with the highest visa requirements. Visa restrictions imply missed economic opportunities for intra-regional trade and for the local service economy such as tourism, cross-country medical services or education.”
Thus far, regional communities within Africa have made variable progress towards the goal of a pan-African, visa-free policy with largely positive results and spillover effects: the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) introduced free movement between member states in 1979; a single visa is in place enabling nationals of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) free movement; a common visa policy unites Zambia and Zimbabwe; and the East African Community (EAC) now has a single tourist visa available for visitors to Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda coupled with an East African passport that allows citizens freedom of movement within the trading bloc. Following the adoption of the EAC common visa policy, both Uganda and Rwanda benefited from increased tourism revenues by 12% and 8% respectively. According to the AfDB’s Africa Tourism Monitoring Report, comparable visa liberalization schemes could increase tourism by 5-25%.
Individual countries, including the Seychelles, Ghana, and Rwanda, have also made significant efforts to ease visa restrictions on travelers. The Seychelles is one of the few visa-free countries that does not require a visa for citizens of any country upon arrival. After adopting the policy, international tourism arrivals to the country increased by an average of 7% per year between 2009 and 2014. Ghana has adopted the 2063 Agenda’s visa-free policy, which will be formally introduced in July 2016. Rwanda in particular has made significant strides to ease visa restrictions for African nationals, and provides an important example of the potential for the adoption of the visa-free policy in other countries. According to the AfDB, Rwanda’s 2013 visa-free policy for African nationals resulted in several positive benefits in terms of economic development; these include an estimated 24% increase in tourism arrivals from African countries and a 50% increase in intra-African trade. Trade with the Democratic Republic of the Congo alone increased by 73% since the implementation of the policy.
Beyond the implications for the continent, African Union Commissioner for Social Affairs, Dr. Mustapha Sidiki Kaloko, has suggested that visa-free travel within Africa could potentially reduce emigration to other continents. At the same time, reduced visa restrictions will necessitate advances in electronic border management systems and improved interoperability of security architecture to address the increased risks of trafficking and cross-border crime.
Examples of the successful implementation of visa-free policies by regional communities and individual countries – and the benefits that have followed – are compelling arguments for the implementation of the AU’s common visa policy for the continent. For a continent that is home to some of the fastest growing economies in the world and a burgeoning middle class, the dissolution of barriers to trade, increased free movement, and bolstered tourism will foster an unprecedented growth of untapped markets critical for the realization of the continued rise of Africa.
Michelle DeFreese is a consultant with the Institute for Multi-Track Diplomacy (IMTD) based in Tanzania. She completed her Master’s degree in International Relations at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID) and is an Africa Fellow at Young Professionals in Foreign Policy.
Kachikwu Warns Chinese Businessmen Against Fraudulent Oil Deals In NIgeria – Channels Television
The Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, says the era of discretionary sale of crude oil by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is now a thing of history.
Dr Kachikwu warned Chinese businessmen seeking clarifications at the Nigerian Embassy in Beijing about offers for sale of crude oil from Nigeria, that such offers are scam.
The Minister spoke at a reception organized by officials of the Nigerian Embassy in Beijing.
The forum provided an opportunity for officials of the embassy to seek clarification about the sale of crude oil in Nigeria following enquiries from Chinese businessmen who got fraudulent offers from Nigeria
He explained that only 11 companies were approved to lift crude oil from Nigeria following an open bid process and that the next bids will hold in April 2017.
He said that the use of discretion in the sale of crude oil by previous administrations led to corruption in country’s oil industry.
The Minister said that Nigeria is also investigating reported discovery of Nigeria’s stolen oil in China and appealed to Chinese businessmen who buy stolen oil to stop the practice because it encourages vandalism and militancy in Nigeria.
The meeting was one of the activities on the NNPC roadshow in China to seek investment for the repair and expansion of infrastructure in the nation’s oil industry.
Over 50 billion dollars memorandum of understanding for investment in the oil industry has been signed. One of the agreements is with China’s leading oil company, Sinopec
The Minister and his officials also signed an agreement with China’s largest securities and assets management company, Cinda Group
The company specializes in providing financial lifelines for big companies in the country
The roadshow for investment in the oil sector is also scheduled for India and gulf countries.
Okey Ndibe: Fayose and Nigeria’s Immunity Scandal
By Okey Ndibe
Governor Peter Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has a solid claim to the title of politician par excellence of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic. In many ways, the man symbolizes the idiosyncrasies, texture and other pathological characteristics of the high-priced, frustrating experiment that goes by the name of democracy in Nigeria.
His storied political career has involved a controversy over his academic credentials. It is ironic that questions were—perhaps are—raised about the educational training of a man who presides over Ekiti State—a state with one of the highest PhD degrees per capita in Nigeria. During his short-lived first stint as governor—from 2003 to 2006—Mr. Fayose was accused of several crimes, including massive theft of public resources and ordering a murder. He left office in disgrace, impeached by a state legislature that was under pressure from then President Olusegun Obasanjo. The US government once had cause to revoke visas issued to him and members of his immediate family.
He is as brash as they come, a bolekaja brand of politician who takes no prisoners. At a public function in Osun State in 2014, Mr. Fayose traded insults with his nemesis, Mr. Obasanjo. He had ignored the former president while greeting other “dignitaries.” Not one to recoil from making a spectacle of himself, Mr. Obasanjo demanded to be greeted. “I won’t greet you. You are bad person! I don’t greet bad people!” exclaimed Mr. Fayose.
“You are a bastard,” an irate Obasanjo railed.
“You are a father of bastards!” Mr. Fayose countered. And he wasn’t done yet. He threw a few more verbal punches at Mr. Obasanjo, accusing him of wrecking the PDP in the southwest.
In 2014, Mr. Fayose signaled a desire to return to the office from which he was ignominiously sacked in 2006. As he sought the PDP’s governorship ticket, some political pundits thought it was a long shot. After he secured the ticket, the consensus among political talking heads was that he would not be competitive against then Governor Kayode Fayemi, an articulate PhD owner. Shunning the incumbent governor’s air of sophistication and emphasis on matters of policy, Candidate Fayose refined a pragmatic political message calculated to resonate with the voters’ gullets. He dismissed his opponent’s accent on developing infrastructure in the state. What the people needed above all, he insisted, was “stomach infrastructure.” He had introduced an ingenious new term into Nigeria’s political lexicon.
I confess to being among those who gave Mr. Fayose little chance of winning the governorship. His rustic, charming gift for words would carry him only so far, but certainly far short of the gubernatorial goal. I reckoned, as some others did, that the man’s past would doom his quest.
Instead, backed by federal funds and military muscle apparently authorized by the Presidency of Goodluck Jonathan, Mr. Fayose pulled off a stunning victory. He won even in Mr. Fayemi’s immediate electoral turf.
And then an audiotape emerged showing the extent to which soldiers and other security apparatchiks illicitly collaborated with Team Fayose. In the tape, recorded by a dismayed young officer, Mr. Fayose and several PDP officials, two of them ministers, could be heard giving instructions to a military general on the use of troops to intimidate voters sympathetic to Mr. Fayemi and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
There’s a chance that Mr. Fayose would have won, without all that meddlesomeness—but that’s now a moot point. The reality is that the PDP, which was at the time the ruling party, had deployed the resources of federal might in an illegal and violent plot to thwart voters leaning in favor of Mr. Fayemi.
The bombshell revelation hardly slowed Mr. Fayose. Despite the defeat of the PDP at the center, the governor has remained a gadfly, a constant torn in the flesh of incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari. Where many of the PDP’s henchmen have become diffident, Governor Fayose has transformed himself, it seems, into a one-man opposition front. He frequently utters loud, damning critiques of the Buhari administration, and sometimes with devastating power and accuracy. He has often made a point that eminently bears restating: that Mr. Buhari’s vaunted change remains, in many crucial respects, missing.
To the extent that his utterances, inelegant as they are often couched, represent some of the most ambient counter-narratives to the APC’s tarnished mantra of change, Mr. Fayose is a vital part of Nigeria’s political debate. Quite recently, however, he has given us an indirect, altogether unintended gift.
Officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recently froze more than N1 billion in Mr. Fayose’s private bank account, claiming the money came from a security budget of more than $2 billion that Sambo Dasuki, President Jonathan’s National Security Adviser, splashed on PDP politicians.
The bombshell revelation hardly slowed Mr. Fayose. Despite the defeat of the PDP at the center, the governor has remained a gadfly, a constant torn in the flesh of incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari.
Mr. Fayose has denied that the funds came from the former NSA. He’s claimed that Zenith Bank bankrolled his election, an assertion that certainly raises potential criminal jeopardies both for the bank and the governor. But Mr. Fayose has reopened the old debate of whether, as a serving governor, he could become a target of a criminal investigation.
Section 308 of Nigeria’s constitution pertains to the whole question of immunity for certain designated public officials. I have long argued that the immunity clause, arguably the most expansive in the world, constitutes a crime against the Nigerian people. The section states in part: “no civil or criminal proceedings shall be instituted or continued against a person to whom this section applies during his period of office;” adding, “a person to whom this section applies shall not be arrested or imprisoned during that period either in pursuance of the process of any court or otherwise.” This is a scandal that no serious people would countenance.
It is a nonsensical provision, its effect nothing short of fertilizing the unfettered commission of crimes by those it covers, the President, Vice-President, Governor and Deputy Governor. In vibrant democracies, the immunity clause protects public officials only for those actions that are within the legitimate purview of their office. Former Governor John Rowland of the state of Connecticut was investigated, charged and convicted for illegally accepting gifts from contractors doing work in his state. Former Governor Rod Blagojevich of Illinois is serving a 14-year jail sentence for seeking to sell President Obama’s Senate seat. US prosecutors did not wait for them to serve out their gubernatorial terms before docking them.
Nigeria ought to amend its constitution to adopt a much narrower immunity clause. There’s little sense in permitting a criminal, one whose record of crime is significant and provable, to continue in office, further polluting and impoverishing the public trust.
The absence of action on altering the immunity clause is evidence of political failure on Mr. Buhari’s part. In 2011, as a presidential candidate, he had vowed that, if elected, he would push to “remove immunity from prosecution for elected officers in criminal cases.” Such an amendment would do more—systemically and structurally—to fight corruption than the haphazard way the EFCC is currently going about prosecutions.
The question is—why has the president not acted on an important promise he made?
U.S.-led strikes pound Islamic State in Iraq, kill 250 fighters
US led strikes pound Islamic State in Iraq, kill 250 fighters.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S.-led coalition aircraft waged a series of deadly strikes against Islamic State around the city of Falluja on Wednesday, U.S. officials told Reuters, with one citing a preliminary estimate of at least 250 suspected fighters killed and at least 40 vehicles destroyed.
If the figures are confirmed, the strikes would be among the most deadly ever against the jihadist group. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the operation and noted preliminary estimates can change.
The strikes, which the officials said took place south of the city, where civilians have also been displaced, are just the latest battlefield setback suffered by Islamic State in its self-proclaimed “caliphate” of Iraq and Syria.
The group’s territorial losses are not diminishing concerns about its intent and ability to strike abroad though. Turkey pointed the finger at Islamic State on Wednesday for a triple suicide bombing and gun attack that killed 41 people at Istanbul’s main airport.
CIA chief John Brennan told a forum in Washington the attack bore the hallmarks of Islamic State “depravity” and acknowledged there was a long road ahead battling the group, particularly its ability to incite attacks.
“We’ve made, I think, some significant progress, along with our coalition partners, in Syria and Iraq, where most of the ISIS members are resident right now,” Brennan said.
“But ISIS’ ability to continue to propagate its narrative, as well as to incite and carry out these attacks — I think we still have a ways to go before we’re able to say that we have made some significant progress against them.”
On the battlefield, the U.S.-led campaign against Islamic State has moved up a gear in recent weeks, with the government declaring victory over Islamic State in Falluja.
An alliance of militias have also launched a major offensive against the militant group in the city of Manbij in northern Syria.
Still, in a reminder of the back-and-forth nature of the war, U.S.-backed Syrian rebels were pushed back from the outskirts of an Islamic State-held town on the border with Iraq and a nearby air base on Wednesday after the jihadists mounted a counter- attack, two rebel sources said.
White House honors City of Houston for creating a welcoming environment for new Americans
More than 50 municipal and county governments recognized for immigrant integration efforts
The White House has honored the City of Houston and more than 50 other U.S. cities and county governments for their innovative and proactive efforts to bring all residents into their communities’ cultural and economic fabric. Houston’s Office of International Communities was recognized for its successful community partnerships designed to serve the city’s burgeoning immigrant and refugee population through programs promoting civic engagement, citizenship application assistance and language access.
“The City of Houston is honored to be part of this growing movement which recognizes that welcoming all residents, including immigrants who have made this country their new home is the right thing to do, in line with the ideal of inclusiveness that we all value as Americans,” said Mayor Turner. “It is also smart economic policy for us to work as unified communities to build and maintain a strong economy and enhance our nation’s global competitive edge.”
The governmental entities honored are part of the Building Welcoming Communities Campaign, a partnership of The White House Task Force on New Americans, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and Welcoming America, a national nonprofit organization that encourages communities to engage in local immigrant integration efforts.
U.S. President Barack Obama has called on these communities to act on a set of principles to build inclusive, welcoming communities that allow all residents to thrive and advance integration efforts in three core areas: civic, economic, and linguistic integration.
For more information about the Office of International Communities, a division of the Department of Neighborhoods, call 832.393.1010 or visit https://www.houstontx.gov.
City of Houston cracks down on illegal scrap tire operations
Photo culled from the Houston Chronicle shows tires discarded along Laura Koppe Road at Jensen Street, one of thousands of illegal dumps.
Effective July 1, 2016, the grace period for compliance with the City of Houston’s Scrap Tire Ordinance will expire and enforcement will begin in earnest. The ordinance, approved by City Council in 2015, requires scrap tire operations to register with the City and establishes regulations and procedures for the safe transportation, storage, recordkeeping and proper disposal of scrap tires
“More than 19,000 tires have been hauled away since February as the City works to clean up illegal dump sites that can serve as breeding grounds for the mosquito-born Zika Virus,” said Mayor Sylvester Turner. “This is a huge problem in our neighborhoods and we have to attack it from every angle.”
All businesses that are involved in the used/scrap tire business will be required to register and/or obtain a permit annually with the City of Houston. Tire transporters must display a City issued decals on their trucks. Tire generators must allow inspection of their records annually. On Friday, inspectors will be visiting businesses to check for compliance. The cost to register is $93.93 for a business that generate scrap tires and $172 for entities that transport tires. Owners who refuse to register with the City will be ticketed. Fines are $250 per day, per offense.
Residents can help reduce scrap tire problems by purchasing retreaded tires and properly maintaining tires to extend their life and increase the chance that they can be retreaded. Keep tires inflated at the recommended inflation level. Under inflation can waste up to 5% of a car’s fuel. Repair punctures, maintain alignment, and rotate tires every 6,000 – 8,000 miles.
Residents with tire swings or dock tire bumpers are urged to puncture holes in the tires so they won’t hold water. This will help deter mosquito breeding grounds and prevent water accumulation in tires.
Houston – New partnership increases glass recycling drop off locations
Through a new partnership with Strategic Materials Inc., North America’s largest glass recycler, the City of Houston is able to offer residents a more convenient way to recycle glass.
“Since the removal of glass from the City’s single stream recycling program earlier this year, we have been working to find ways for residents to conveniently continue to recycle glass,” said Mayor Sylvester Turner. “I want to thank Strategic Materials for stepping up to plate to provide a workable solution.”
Strategic Materials is working with industry partners and local communities to cover the cost of glass recycling drop off boxes at a total of ten locations throughout Houston with the goal of continuing to expand the program. The first two locations will open this weekend at:
Sharpstown Park – 6600 Harbor Town Drive, accessible during park hours
Salvation Army Family Store & Donation Center – 2208 Washington Ave, accessible 24 hours
“We are fortunate to be supported by the Mayor and the City in the pursuit to further support glass recycling,” said Strategic Materials, Inc. CEO Denis Suggs. “We hope to identify additional partners within the community and our customer base to grow the recycling locations in the upcoming weeks and months. Our innate desire to preserve our environment and keep our city clean brings us together in a meaningful way to support glass recycling in Houston.”
The City of Houston Solid Waste Management Department will send out notices as the other eight locations are added to this pilot program. The locations and progress of the program will also be available on the Strategic Materials company website. These new drop off locations sponsored by SMI and partners are in addition to the nine existing City of Houston neighborhood depositories where residents are able to recycle glass and other items.
Due to cost concerns, glass was removed from the City’s curbside recycling program last March. Information about this pilot project, curbside recycling and other topics is available at www.houstonsolidwaste.org. Individuals are also reminded to empty and rinse all glass containers, and remove all corks, caps and lids before dropping them off.
Obama to campaign with Clinton, Trump shrinks gap
Washington (AFP) – President Barack Obama will campaign with presumptive Democratic White House nominee Hillary Clinton for the first time next Tuesday, as a new poll shows a tightening race with Republican Donald Trump.
The Democratic pair is scheduled to visit Charlotte, in the swing state of North Carolina, where they will “discuss building on the progress we’ve made and their vision for an America that is stronger together,” Clinton’s campaign said in a statement Wednesday.
Their debut joint campaign appearance for the 2016 election had been scheduled for June 15 in Wisconsin, but was postponed due to the massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida — the worst mass shooting in US history.
Obama endorsed Clinton on June 9 after months of assiduously avoiding tipping the scales of the Democratic presidential primaries.
“I don’t think there’s ever been someone so qualified to hold this office,” Obama said in a video message that day as he offered his full-throated endorsement of the former secretary of state, senator and first lady.
“I’m with her, I am fired up, and I cannot wait to get out there and campaign for Hillary,” added Obama, who won a brutal, months-long Democratic primary battle against Clinton in 2008.
North Carolina is one of about a dozen battleground states where November’s election is expected to be decided.
Obama won North Carolina by less than half a percentage point against Republican John McCain in 2008. Four years later, Obama lost it to Mitt Romney by two points.
– Bruising showdown –
The joint appearance the day after the July 4 Independence holiday comes with US Senator Bernie Sanders refusing to bow out of the nomination race, despite Clinton amassing the necessary number of delegates to clinch outright victory at next month’s party nominating convention.
But Clinton has moved on, turning the entirety of her effort towards a bruising showdown with Trump as she aims to become the nation’s first female president.
The race is too close to call, with the brash billionaire narrowing the gap with Clinton, according to the latest Quinnipiac University national poll.
Respondents put Clinton ahead of Trump just 42 percent to 40 percent, a narrowing from Clinton’s four-point margin in the organization’s June 1 survey.
The poll is considerably closer than the 12-point Clinton advantage in Sunday’s ABC News/Washington Post poll.
Quinnipiac’s survey notably showed that 61 percent believe the 2016 election “has increased the level of hatred and prejudice” across the country.
Of that group, two thirds blame the Trump campaign, with just 16 percent blaming Clinton’s team.
Trump has made several incendiary statements during the campaign, including a call for banning Muslims from entering the United States, and describing Mexicans as rapists and criminals.
Meanwhile, respected election data analyst and FiveThirtyEight.com founder Nate Silver, who correctly predicted 50 out of 50 states in the 2012 presidential election, on Wednesday said Clinton was a 75 or 80 percent favorite over Trump.
“There’s a lot of football left to be played, but she’s ahead in almost every poll, every swing state, every national poll,” Silver told ABC’s “Good Morning America.”
Trump’s rhetoric has alarmed and angered many in his own party, and there is a longshot conservative movement afoot to deny him the nomination at the party convention in July.
Top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell has endorsed him, but only tepidly, and late Tuesday he acknowledged Trump was not yet a “credible” candidate.
“Trump clearly needs to change, in my opinion, to win the general election,” McConnell told Time Warner Cable News.
But Trump was his old contentious self Wednesday, spending several minutes of a rally in Bangor, Maine attacking Republicans whom he had already defeated in the primaries for not honoring their signed pledge to support the party’s nominee.
“They should never be allowed to run for public office again because what they did is disgraceful,” he boomed.
He also bucked his own party by voicing strong opposition to a stalled trans-Pacific trade deal and saying he wanted to “renegotiate” NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement signed by Clinton’s husband.
