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ICC Rights Watch Archives - Page 2 of 7 - Impunity Watch
Prosecution of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Continues After United States Is Dropped from Investigation
By: Cody Lee Nagle
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Proceedings are currently underway at the International Criminal Court (ICC) to determine whether the Court's investigations into war crimes in Afghanistan are allowed to resume. The initial investigation began March 5, 2020, when the ICC prosecutor, Karim A. Khan, requested permission from the court to look into reported war crimes in Afghanistan by both Afghanistan and the United States. Crimes alleged against the Taliban and ISIS affiliates include extreme deprivations of physical liberty, sexual abuse, and persecution of specific groups based on gender or political affiliation. The United States is accused of torture, sexual abuse and offenses to personal dignity both within Afghanistan and in "black sites" around the world.
Karim Khan being sworn in as ICC Prosecutor. Photo courtesy of the International Criminal Court.
Despite extreme opposition and a lack of cooperation by the U.S., the investigation was approved unanimously by the Court. Some may remember the strong rebuke by former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo upon learning of the investigation into U.S. actions overseas.
Shortly after the investigation began, on March 26, 2020, the process was halted when the Afghanistan government appealed to the court for a chance to investigate internally, instead of using ICC resources. Prosecutor Khan commended the cooperation and constructive engagement by the Government of Afghanistan, noting the enhanced accountability being enjoyed by victims of the atrocities in Afghan territories.
When Afghanistan's government fell to the Taliban in August of 2021, cooperation with the investigation ended abruptly. At that time the Prosecutor requested the Pre-Trial Chamber allow the investigation by his office to resume. However, Khan only requested authority to investigate the allegations of war crimes against Islamic State- Khorasan Province and the Taliban. Meaning other investigations previously included, such as those into the United States and CIA use of torture, would be deprioritized.
In his request Khan pointed to the gravity and scale of continuing crimes within Afghanistan, especially since the takeover of the Taliban. He also noted that doing any sort of on the ground investigation would likely be inadequate and ineffective given the lack of access to victims and information from the new government.
The decision has received widespread condemnation across human rights organizations who had hopes of holding the United States accountable for its actions within the borders of Afghanistan as well as in offshore sites in Poland, Romania and Lithuania. Even the Pre-Trial Chamber, in a separate decision, offered a slight rebuke to Khan for choosing to investigate specific parties instead of focusing on crimes first to then determine who was responsible.
While it is unclear exactly how the Chambers will rule on this request, recent developments in the court point to a decision coming soon. In October the Chamber requested the UN Secretary General to submit to the court a statement regarding who is currently representing the Islamic State of Afghanistan in order to determine procedures and set timelines for a possible resumption of the investigation.
Al Jazeera – ICC prosecutor defends dropping US from Afghan war crime probe – 6 Dec. 2021
Al Jazeera- Analysis: Can the ICC deliver justice in Afghanistan? – 4 Nov 2021
Foreign Affairs – The ICC's Flawed Afghan Investigation: Why the Court Shouldn't Let America Off the Hook – 3 Nov. 2021
ICC- Afghanistan: ICC Pre-Trial Chamber II requests the UNSG and the Bureau of the ASP of the ICC to submit information on the identification of the authorities currently representing the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan- 8 Oct. 2021
ICC- Decision on submissions received and order to the Registry regarding the filing of documents in the proceedings pursuant to articles 18(2) and 68(3) of the Statute – 8 Nov. 2021
ICC- Situation in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
ICC- Statement of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim A. A. Khan QC, following the application for an expedited order under article 18(2) seeking authorisation to resume investigations in the Situation in Afghanistan – 27 Sept. 2021
International Federation for Human Rights – Resumption of the ICC investigation into Afghanistan, while welcome, should not exclude groups of victims or crimes within the Court's jurisdiction – 28 Sept 2021
ICC Closes 17-Year-Long Investigation into Colombia for War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity
By: Veronica Devries
Journal of Global Rights and Organizations, Senior Associate Editor
COLOMBIA – On October 28, 2021, the International Criminal Court (ICC) said that it would close a preliminary examination into Colombia for war crimes and crimes against humanity. The preliminary examination was originally opened in 2004 and was the longest in the history of the court.
Colombian President Ivan Duque (left) with ICC Prosecutor Karim Kahn (left). Photo courtesy of ICC.
ICC prosecutor Karim Kahn arrived at a formal agreement with Colombian President Ivan Duque, in which Kahn states that Colombia "lives up to its international obligations as well as its regulatory obligations based on the principle of complementarity." Through this agreement, Duque formally commits to supporting Colombia's war crimes tribunal and to continue sharing information with the ICC.
The ongoing Colombian armed conflict has spanned nearly six decades. A peace deal was struck in 2016 with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebels, but the conflict continues. As a result of the FARC deal, however, the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) was created. The JEP is a justice tribunal, trying ex-rebels and military officials for crimes related to the decades-long conflict. Khan stated his support for the JEP, announcing that this new cooperation agreement would help the JEP to function. Some have criticized the JEP for being too lenient, while Duque has also been criticized for not providing enough support to the JEP.
Khan noted that closing the preliminary examination does not equate to and end of the Office of the Prosecutor's (OTP) engagement with Colombia. He also pointed out that the OTP can reassess its decision to close the investigation, should Colombia not comply with its responsibilities.
This decision has concerned members of the international community. For example, Human Rights Watch (HRW) Americas director, Jose Miguel Vivanco, criticized the decision to close the preliminary examination. He wrote on Twitter, "The ICC prosecutor's decision to close the Columbia preliminary examination…is premature, misinformed, and detrimental to justice… The country's transitional justice system may now be an easier target." HRW also submitted a letter to the ICC prosecutor on September 30, advocating against the closing of the preliminary examination into the situation into Colombia.
Colombia Reports – International Criminal Court closes Colombia probe – 28 Oct. 2021
Human Rights Watch – Colombia: Letter to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court – 30 Sept. 2021
ICC – ICC Prosecutor, Mr. Karim A. A. Khan QC, concludes the preliminary examination of the Situation in Colombia with a Cooperation Agreement with the Government charting the next stage in support of domestic efforts to advance transitional justice – 28 Oct. 2021
Reuters – ICC Closes Preliminary War Crimes Examination into Colombia After 17 Years – 28 Oct. 2021
Ireland Signals Continued Commitment to ICC through Artwork Donation
By: Jamie McLennan
Impunity Watch Staff Writer
THE HAGUE, Netherlands – On March 18, 2021, the Ambassador of The Netherlands and the Ambassador of Ireland unveiled a new artwork that will stand at the International Criminal Court. The newly elected ICC President, Judge Piotr Hofmanski accepted the sculpture at a ceremony. President Judge Piotr Hofmanski will serve as President for a three-year term, alongside two other Vice Presidents. Responsibilities of the ICC President include attendance of all ceremonial events of the ICC, including the unveiling of such art.
President Judge Hofmanski and Ambassador Kelly at the ICC. Photo Courtesy of the ICC.
The ICC holds a series of art pieces from other member countries that reflect each country's cultural heritage and the international community's fight against impunity. The donated artwork includes of the Government of Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Japan, Mexico, and The Netherlands.
The newly donated artwork is a set of two green benches sculpted by Irish artist Fergus Martin. The benches titled "Oak" were placed alongside the Court's landscape and signify an oak tree's strength, a traditional symbol of justice in Ireland.
Ireland has a longstanding relationship with the ICC. In 1998, the country signed the Court's founding treaty, the Rome Statute, and ratified their membership in 2002. Despite recent criticism of the ICC, Ireland vocalizes their support of the Court by commissioning the art piece.
As one of the founding State Parties, Irish Ambassador Kevin Kelly spoke about the importance of peace and justice to achieve stability and development. He also spoke about Ireland's continual approval of the ICC and their commitment to ending impunity for those who commit grave crimes against humanity. Kelly commended the many victorious cases of the ICC that punished individuals involved in war crimes and genocide.
In response, President Judge Piotr Hofmanski thanked Ireland for its generosity to the ICC and other related institutions. Since 2004, Ireland has donated nearly 1.3 million euros for the Trust Fund for Victims (TFV). The TFV advocates and assists the most vulnerable victims of crimes within the jurisdiction of the ICC. The fund provides court-ordered reparation awards and other payments for victims of genocide and war crimes.
Ambassador Kelly promised that Ireland would continue to aid and support the ICC in its endeavor for peace, justice, and mediation.
ICC – Ireland Continues its Support of Reparative Justice – 14 Dec. 2020
ICC – Irish Delegation Unveils Artwork Donation – 18 Mar. 2021
ICC – New ICC Presidents Elected for 2021-2024 – 11 Mar. 2021
ICC Closes Preliminary Examination into War Crimes Committed by British Troops in Iraq
By: Rebecca Buchanan
THE HAGUE, Netherlands – On December 9, 2020, the Prosecutor for the International Criminal Court (ICC) closed the preliminary examination into alleged war crimes committed by British troops in Iraq from 2003 to 2008. The Prosecutor's decision to close this examination marks an end to a long and tumultuous push for justice by Iraqi civilians and international human rights organizations.
British Troops in Iraq during Operation Telic. Photo Courtesy of Anadolu Agency.
The preliminary examination into the situation in Iraq was filed in 2004 but was closed by the ICC on February 9, 2006, when it failed to unearth a sufficient number of claims to meet the gravity threshold of the Rome Statute. The requirements of the gravity threshold established in Article 17(1)(d) of the Rome Statute are indistinct. Historically, the Court has considered whether the alleged conduct is systematic or large scale, the number and severity of the complaints, and the position of the persons or institutions responsible for the harm.
On May 13, 2014, ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda announced the re-opening of the Iraq/United Kingdom examination after reports from the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) and the Public Interest Lawyers (PIL) alleged that the detainee abuse, rape, and torture by British troops in Iraq was widespread and systematic. In its 2017 Report on Preliminary Examination Activities, the ICC Office of the Prosecutor announced that the examination had yielded enough evidence to believe that members of the British armed forces had committed war crimes within the Court's jurisdiction against Iraqi civilians in their custody.
The Final Report on the Situation in Iraq/UK issued by the Office of the Prosecutor on December 9, 2020 affirmed the findings of the 2017 report. The Prosecutor underscored the believability of the allegations of willful killing, murder, torture, cruel and inhumane treatment, and rape and sexual violence by British forces against Iraqi detainees. The Final Report highlighted the failure of the British Government to effectively address these reports at the time of the alleged offenses and noted the Army's "lack of genuine effort" to carry out active investigations during the conflict. The report stated that ongoing national efforts to investigate and prosecute these crimes were largely insufficient.
According to the Prosecutor, the decision to close the preliminary examination was an issue of the charter, not of the sufficiency of evidence. The Rome Statute allows the ICC to pursue an investigation only if evidence shows that no relevant proceedings have been undertaken by the responsible nation, or that proceedings have been disingenuous as a result of the Nation's unwillingness to prosecute or its desire to protect perpetrators from justice. Although the nature, severity, and prevalence of the crimes committed by British troops fell within the ICC's jurisdiction, the Prosecutor could not find sufficient evidence that the United Kingdom was disingenuous or obstructionist in its domestic proceedings.
This decision has angered the international community. Human Rights Watch said the decision not to open an investigation would "fuel perceptions of an ugly double standard in justice, with one approach for powerful states and quite another for those with less clout." Amnesty International called the decision a "road-map for obstructionism" that "rewards bad faith and delays" in the prosecution of war crimes. In the conclusion of the Final Report, the ICC Prosecutor noted that although the UK's domestic legal process fell short of unwillingness or disingenuity, there "continue to be areas of concern."
Amnesty International – ICC Decision on UK Military in Iraq Rewards Obstructionism – 10 Dec. 2020
Human Rights Watch – United Kingdom: ICC Prosecutor Ends Scrutiny of Iraq Abuses – 10 Dec. 2020
International Crimes Database – Gravity Threshold Before the International Criminal Court: An Overview of the Court's Practice – Jan. 2016
International Criminal Court – Preliminary Examination Iraq/UK Closed – 9 Dec. 2020
International Criminal Court – Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda, Re-opens the Preliminary Examination of the Situation in Iraq – 13 May 2014
International Criminal Court – Situation in Iraq/UK Final Report – 9 Dec. 2020
Olympic Medals and Championships… at What Cost?
By: Melissa N. Berouty
Journal of Global Rights and Organizations, Managing Editor of the News
TOKYO, Japan – A glimpse at the dictionary will tell you that a coach is "a person who teaches and trains an athlete or performer." Yet, any athlete knows that the role of a coach stretches far beyond this simple definition. A coach can serve as a mentor, motivator, or even a catalyst for a young athlete to fall in love with their respective sport. Thus, a coach possesses a great deal of responsibility, power, and influence. However, for decades in Japan, coaches have prioritized Olympic medals and Championships over the safety and well-being of their child athletes, subjecting them to brutal physical and verbal beatings.
Child athlete abuse in the quest for Olympic gold medals. Photo Courtesy of Humanium.
While one might commonly hear tough coaches make tougher players, Japanese coaches utilize a training tactic that far exceeds tough coaching, referred to as taibatsu, or corporal punishment. Japanese child athletes report being "punched in the face, kicked, beaten with objects like bats or bamboo kendo sticks, being deprived of water, choked, whipped with whistles or racquets, and being sexually abused and harassed." According to Human Rights Watch, in 2020, 425 current and former child athletes reported physical abuse at the hand of their coaches or trainers.
Recently, Japan amended the Child Welfare Act of 1947 to prohibit corporal punishment. While this prohibition does extend to athletics, the protection it offers child athletes is inadequate and irregularly enforced. Similarly, the 2013 Declaration on the Elimination of Violence in Sports and the 2019 government codes put forth by various leading sports organizations fails to specifically address child athlete abuse. Without clear legal implications for a failure to abide, these reforms carry little to no weight in ensuring the safety and welfare of child athletes.
"I was hit so many times I can't count." Photo Courtesy of Human Rights Watch.
Under international law, governments are obligated to protect children's right to not only participate in athletics but to participate in a safe environment, free of both abuse and violence. This right is detailed in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Japan is a party to. With this, it is imperative for leading Japanese sports organizations, such as the Japan Sports Agency, the Japan Sport Association, and the Japanese Olympic Committee, to create clear and comprehensive reporting, investigation, and sanction protocols for child athlete abuse. Without the correction of these institutional failures, child athletes will remain vulnerable.
The Olympics are marketed as an idealistic and extraordinary meeting of the world's most prominent and gifted athletes. To preserve this façade, numerous nations, from Japan to the United States, prioritize the quest for medals over athletes' basic human rights. Meanwhile, these athletes, child and adult alike, still represent their countries with pride and dignity. But, at what cost?
In a matter of months, we will all sit down in front of our televisions to watch the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo. Here, the Japanese government has a unique opportunity to set the record straight and "serve as a model for how other countries should end child abuse in sports." Japan should take the lead in demonstrating that child athletes' health and well-being do not just simply matter, but that they are the priority.
Participation in athletics should be a root of joy, empowerment, and growth, not fear, abuse, and manipulation. While winning may be the ultimate goal, one day, these child athletes will move on from competition and the global spotlight. As you view the Olympics and Paralympics this summer, keep in mind that behind every uniform is a human being. A human being that should be offered all fundamental human rights both in and out of athletic competition. The abuse of child athletes is not exclusive to Japan and remains a pressing issue worldwide.
End Violence – Japan Prohibits all corporal punishment of children – 28 Feb. 2020
Human Rights Watch – Pressure Builds on Japan to Protect Child Athletes – 28 Jan. 2021
Human Rights Watch – I Was Hit So Many Times I Can't Count: Abuse of Child Athletes in Japan – 20 July 2020
Merriam Webster Dictionary – Coach – 2 Apr. 2021

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 35mm f/1.4 and the slower Distagon T* 35mm f/2.8 were two 35mm primes offered for the now defunct Contax/Yashica mount. Carl Zeiss discontinued manufacturing all C/Y lenses in 2004 when Kyocera, which was then its manufacturing partner and joint holder of Contax brand name, exited camera business all together. Carl Zeiss recently re-introduced a number of its SLR lenses, including Distagon T* 35mm f/2 in Nikon Ai-S (ZF), standard M42 screw (ZS) and Pentax K (ZK) mounts. Despite the recently introduced 'newer' 35mm lens, the old C/Y mount 35/1.4 Distagons remain in very high demand on used markets, with good quality copies fetching ~US$1200. The lens was manufactured as an AE and later MM variant, both in Japan as well as in the West Germany. Thus you can encounter a total of four different variations of this lens: an AE copy made in the West Germany or Japan, and an MM copy made in Japan or West Germany. There does not seem to be any optical changes between the AE and MM versions of the lens, at least according to the publicly available sources.
The optical construction of the lens consists of 9 elements in 8 groups, including a single aspherical element and a single floating element designed to correct various forms of aberration at close distances. The build quality of the lens is superb and is similar to other Carl Zeiss lenses of that period for Contax mount - all metal barrel, rubberized focusing and aperture rings. The focus ring is very smooth, the aperture ring is snappy and there is no wobbling of any sort inside or outside the lens. And like all Carl Zeiss Contax lenses, Distagon T* 35mm f/1.4 is a fully manual lens, meaning that there are no electronics of any sort in the lens and both focusing and aperture have to be set on the lens rather then through your camera. Speaking of the aperture - the ring moves in one full f-stop increments.
The lens looks a feels a little bit bulky (someone not familiar with this lens might even think it is a medium telephoto prime, not a wide angle), especially when compared to its slower brethren Distagon T* 35mm f/2.8. At 600g (1.3lb) it is one of the heavier wide angles I have seen so far. The lens measures 70 x 76mm (2.75 x 3in), but since the inner cam extends during focusing towards closeup, the actual length of the lens is slightly longer when fully extended. The minimum supported aperture is f/16, the minimum focusing distance is 30cm (1ft), while the filter size is 67mm (the lens accepts screw-in type filters).
To mount the lens on Canon cameras, I used a generic non-AF chipped C/Y to EOS adapter. I ended up operating the camera in manual and aperture priority modes with all but center weighted metering disabled. The lens is designed for full-frame cameras, so if you're using it on APS-C type body with 1.6x crop factor, the field of view of the lens will be equivalent to that of a 56mm lens on a full-frame body, making it a standard lens rather then a wide-angle.


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Q: Problems adding DKMS support to kernel module I'm trying to add DKMS support in a kernel module i'm working on.
I have placed the kernel module source with a static lib to be linked against in the following directory:
/usr/src/dpx/1.0

With the following files:
dkms.conf
Makefile
dpxmtt.c
lib.a

dkms.conf file is like this:
MAKE="make"
CLEAN="make clean"
BUILT_MODULE_NAME=dpx
BUILT_MODULE_LOCATION=src/
DEST_MODULE_LOCATION=/kernel/drivers/input/touchscreen
PACKAGE_NAME=dpxm
PACKAGE_VERSION=1.0
REMAKE_INITRD=yes

And the makefile is like this:
EXTRA_CFLAGS+=-DLINUX_DRIVER -mhard-float

obj-m += dpx.o
dpx-objs:= dpxmtt.o ../source/lib.a

all:
make -C /lib/modules/$(shell uname -r)/build M=$(PWD) modules

clean:
make -C /lib/modules/$(shell uname -r)/build M=$(PWD) clean

The ../source/lib.a is an hack since when the makefile is invoked by the dkms building system it was saying that it couldn't be found in directory (the build directory), but since it was being copied to the source directory, i'm referencing it relatively.
When I call
sudo dkms build -m dpx -v 1.0

The result is almost perfect:
santos@NS-PC:~$ sudo dkms build -m dpx -v 1.0

Kernel preparation unnecessary for this kernel.  Skipping...

Building module:
cleaning build area....
make KERNELRELEASE=3.0.0-14-generic....
ERROR (dkms apport): binary package for dpx: 1.0 not found
Error!  Build of dpx.ko failed for: 3.0.0-14-generic (i686)
Consult the make.log in the build directory
/var/lib/dkms/dpx/1.0/build/ for more information.
nsantos@NS-PC:~$

And the content of the log file is:
DKMS make.log for dpx-1.0 for kernel 3.0.0-14-generic (i686)
Thu Jan 19 11:07:54 WET 2012
make -C /lib/modules/3.0.0-14-generic/build M=/var/lib/dkms/dpx/1.0/build modules
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-3.0.0-14-generic'
  CC [M]  /var/lib/dkms/dpx/1.0/build/dpxmtt.o
  LD [M]  /var/lib/dkms/dpx/1.0/build/dpx.o
  Building modules, stage 2.
  MODPOST 1 modules
  CC      /var/lib/dkms/dpx/1.0/build/dpx.mod.o
  LD [M]  /var/lib/dkms/dpx/1.0/build/dpx.ko

make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-3.0.0-14-generic'

The module was built correctly but it ends with the error:
ERROR (dkms apport): binary package for dpx: 1.0 not found
Error!  Build of dpx.ko failed for: 3.0.0-14-generic (i686)

And I don't know what it means. Does anybody know?

A: Using:
$(shell uname -r)
in the Makefile it might be also wrong! The "shell uname -r" refers to the currently running kernel, but the main reason to use the dkms it's because it offers an automated method to recompile the kernel modules that reside outside of the kernel tree for every newly installed kernel. What i mean is that the Makefile might refers to a different kernel which the dkms is building the module for.
Use:
${kernelver} instead.

A: I had a similar problem. I think your BUILT_MODULE_LOCATION is set incorrectly to the src directory. It should be set in your example to the current directory, or you can just omit this variable and dkms would default to the current directory.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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The Auburn School has three campuses in the Washington, DC and Baltimore Metro areas. The Auburn School was founded in 2009 with the opening of the Fairfax, Virginia Campus. After a successful inaugural year, the Silver Spring, Maryland Campus opened in 2010 and the Baltimore, Maryland Campus opened in September 2011. The Auburn School plans to open other campuses nationally in the future.
The Auburn School's Baltimore and Silver Spring campuses currently serve students from Kindergarten through 8th grade. Our Fairfax, VA campus serves students from Kindergarten through 12th grade.
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For most of our families, all of Auburn's tuition, fees and related costs, such as transportation, are fully tax-deductible as a medical expense. This reduces the effective cost to families by thousands of dollars each year. Individual circumstances will vary, so please consult your individual tax advisor regarding this deduction.
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Football / Lawro's Premier League predictions v Jungle's Tom McFarland
Lawro's Premier League predictions v Jungle's Tom McFarland
Liverpool's attack has lacked a cutting edge in recent weeks but will things be different when the leaders host Watford on Wednesday?
BBC football expert Mark Lawrenson said: "Their front three are not playing well but I think the issue with Liverpool now is that people have started to work them out.
"They realise that if they sit in and pack the middle of the pitch then they can crowd out Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah in the area where they do a lot of their work.
"If you can stop the width from the full-backs too, then the midfield does not have the nous to play their way through".
Lawro is making predictions for all 380 top-flight matches this season, against a variety of guests.
This week's guest is Tom McFarland, co-founder of London soul collective Jungle.
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Tom is a QPR season-ticket holder who started watching his local team when he was five and has spent the past 25 years following their ups and downs.
Any ups this year now look unlikely – Rangers now only have a remote chance of returning to the Premier League for the first time since 2015 following a run of seven straight Championship defeats going back to 12 January.
Rangers were eighth on Boxing Day, two points off the play-offs, but have slumped to 18th, and are now only nine points above the relegation zone.
"We had a dreadful start to the season, including a 7-1 hammering at West Brom, but then we seemed to turn a corner and we were great up until Christmas," McFarland told BBC Sport.
"I don't know whether Steve McClaren has tried to change our style of play slightly since then, but things have fallen apart.
"It didn't help that we lost Geoff Cameron to injury, when he had been a real lynch-pin in front of the back four – the kind of experienced Premier League head you need in the Championship.
"Another key midfielder, Mass Luongo, went off to the Asian Cup with Australia and missed a few games too, and the players who have come in have not cut the mustard unfortunately."
Premier League predictions – week 27
Lawro
Cardiff v Everton x-x 1-2 2-1
Huddersfield v Wolves x-x 0-2 0-2
Leicester v Brighton x-x 2-0 1-1
Newcastle v Burnley x-x 1-1 2-1
Arsenal v Bournemouth x-x 2-0 3-0
Southampton v Fulham x-x 2-1 1-0
Chelsea v Tottenham x-x 1-1 1-3
Crystal Palace v Man Utd x-x 2-1 1-2
Liverpool v Watford x-x 2-0 2-0
Man City v West Ham x-x 3-1 3-1
A correct result (picking a win, draw or defeat) is worth 10 points. The exact score earns 40 points.
LAWRO'S PREDICTIONS
All kick-offs 19:45 GMT unless stated.
Cardiff v Everton
I think Cardiff will get over Friday's 5-1 defeat by Watford pretty quickly, Neil Warnock will not let his team dwell on a bad night, but I still fancy Everton here.
They have been on a poor run but they will have gone 17 days without a game by kick-off which is exactly what they needed in their situation.
It will have helped them on the training ground, because it allows them to work on things – defending set-pieces for example.
I don't see their break causing any problems with their sharpness. Their players have probably had a few days off but Toffees boss Marco Silva has had the chance to work them hard and get them ready for this game.
Lawro's prediction: 1-2
Tom's prediction: I think Cardiff will probably nick this. Everton are not set up right at the moment. 2-1
Huddersfield v Wolves
I know Huddersfield were down to 10 men for most of their defeat at Newcastle on Saturday, but they ended up getting a bit of a battering.
It only looks a matter of time until the Terriers' relegation is confirmed, but they should be ready for the Championship because they have had time to plan for it.
Wolves managed to get a point at Bournemouth despite a couple of debatable penalties being awarded against them. I think they will have too much for the home side.
Tom's prediction: 0-2
Leicester v Brighton
Claude Puel's departure from Leicester had been coming for a while, so it was no surprise to see him sacked on Sunday.
There have been a few names bandied about as his replacement and talk of an interim manager until the end of the season, but the Foxes have not been the same since they won the league in 2016 and I don't think they will find a solution until they sort the dressing room out.
Yes Puel was on a bad run and had lost five of his past six league games. He did not help himself either when he picked a weakened team that lost to League Two side Newport County in the FA Cup.
But, from the outside, it appears there is an issue at Leicester with player power, and the amount of influence some individuals have.
Whether or not that played a part in Puel leaving, I am expecting to see a reaction from the Leicester players on Tuesday, and I also expect them to win – that is the way football works.
Brighton are on a bad run themselves at the moment, with only two points from their past six games. Their manager Chris Hughton probably thought 'that is all we need' when he heard Puel had gone.
I do think the Seagulls will kick on again, but it is more likely to happen at home because their away record is pretty poor.
They play Huddersfield at the Amex Stadium on Saturday, which should be the time when they return to winning ways.
Newcastle v Burnley (20:00 GMT)
Both of these teams had good wins over the weekend, especially Burnley's against Tottenham, and both of them seem to be heading in the right direction away from the relegation zone.
A draw here would not be a bad result for either side, and that is exactly what I think will happen.
Arsenal v Bournemouth
Arsenal have already disposed of one south coast team at the Emirates Stadium this week, and I am going for the same result again.
The Gunners are back up into fourth place after beating Southampton on Sunday and although they have some issues that need sorting out, their home form against teams from mid-table and below is not one of them.
Bournemouth have not won on the road in the league since the end of October. I cannot see them changing that on Wednesday.
Southampton v Fulham
Fulham's defeat by West Ham on Friday could have been a very different story if the referee had spotted Javier Hernandez's handball as he scored the Hammers' equaliser.
A lot of people moan about VAR, and it is by no means perfect, but that is the kind of incident where it will help the officials get the decision right. As things are, the goal stood – and it changed the game.
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Some of Fulham's problems are of their own making, though, and they fell apart defensively after that.
They were abysmal at the back and, on that evidence alone, I have to go with a Southampton win here.
The Saints' revival under Ralph Hasenhuttl has hit the buffers a bit in the last few weeks, and this is the biggest game of their season – there is no doubt about that.
Tom's prediction: I would like to think that Southampton are going to win this, and it is probably not going to be pretty. 1-0
Chelsea v Tottenham (20:00 GMT)
I thought Chelsea played well in the Carabao Cup final, but what happened with Kepa Arrizabalaga obviously overshadowed any improvement in their performance.
Maurizio Sarri needs to sort out Kepa but a telling off and a fine is all it will take.
The problem with what happened is that it gives the impression that the manager is not in control and, on the back of the results he has had, it makes a bad situation even worse.
But it is done and now they both just need to move on. If they do, then as the number one Kepa should be in goal for this game and he will have the chance to redeem himself on the pitch.
Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino also had a frustrating weekend.
He was in the news for his reaction after Saturday's defeat by Burnley.
I had predicted a draw, knowing that Harry Kane was coming back. Part of my thinking was that, when a team's best player is out, you get a little bit extra from all the other players. When he returns, they relax a tiny bit.
It is going to take time for Kane to get back to his best but Spurs are on a tough run. They have got the north London derby against Arsenal coming up at the weekend too.
Tom's prediction: I feel sorry for Sarri, who is trying to implement his own style when it does not seem like his players are buying into it, but obviously it is great that Chelsea are floundering. 1-3
Crystal Palace v Man Utd (20:00 GMT)
United's injury problems from their draw with Liverpool weekend are going to affect the team that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer can put out in this one.
He dealt very well with what happened, but the game itself was very poor and Liverpool did not pose much of a threat.
I just have a feeling that Palace will be different, and that they are going to surprise people here. They are playing well and they going to go for it attack-wise too.
Michy Batshuayi is up and running after scoring against Leicester on Saturday, Wilfried Zaha is back from suspension, and I think they will cause United problems.
Tom's prediction: I love the way United are playing under Solskjaer at the moment. 1-2
Liverpool v Watford (20:00 GMT)
Manchester United and Liverpool both looked ordinary on Sunday and I just felt Manchester City would have reacted to what happened far better than Liverpool did.
When United lost most of their midfield, City would have just gone 'bang' and blown them away, but that says a bit more about Liverpool at the moment than anything else.
I just wonder whether Reds boss Jurgen Klopp might change things here, and go with the 4-2-3-1 that he has used quite a bit recently.
That way, Xherdan Shaqiri comes in, Roberto Firmino drops deeper into the number 10 position and Salah goes through the middle as the centre-forward, rather than out wide.
Shaqiri could be the player who gives Liverpool the boost they need, because he makes thing happen.
This is a tricky week for the Reds, with the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park coming up on Sunday. What they really want ahead of that is a decent performance and a comfortable victory.
I think they will get the win, but they are going to have work for it because Watford are on a good run and they will provide a serious test.
Tom's prediction: I don't see Watford getting anything at Anfield. I would love Liverpool to win the league but I do feel they have got a big stumble in them so I think City will probably do it. 2-0
Man City v West Ham (20:00 GMT)
West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini, who won the title as City boss in 2014, will get a good reception from the home fans but his side are in for a tough night.
City have some injury problems, including Fernandinho who will be a big miss in midfield because they struggle to replace him, but they have got enough good players on form to hurt the Hammers.
It also helps Pep Guardiola's side that they have just won the Carabao Cup too. It is not quite a case of 'pressure off' but it is one piece of silverware in the bag.
Everyone will feel good on the back of that, but at the same side Pep will make sure that they stay grounded.
West Ham carry a threat up front, but they are not great defensively and I don't think City will struggle to find a way through.
Lawro was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.
How did Lawro do last time?
From the last round of Premier League games, Lawro got five correct results, including two exact scores, from eight matches for a total of 110 points.
He beat rapper Yungen, who got four correct results and one exact score, for a total of 70 points.
Lawro and Yungen both predicted Manchester City would beat Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final, but that game does not count towards their totals.
Total scores after week 27
Lawro 2,320
Guests 1,970
Lawro v Guests
P27 W13 D3 L11
+/- DENOTE POSITION DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LAWRO'S TABLE AND ACTUAL POSITION
1 Man City 27 24 3 0 75 +1
2 Man Utd 27 21 4 2 67 +3
3 Liverpool 27 17 10 0 61 -2
4 Tottenham 27 16 9 2 57 -1
5 Chelsea 26 16 4 6 52 +1
6 Arsenal 27 14 3 10 45 -2
7 Leicester 27 13 4 10 43 +5
8 Everton 27 13 2 12 41 +3
9 Burnley 27 10 7 10 37 +5
10 Newcastle 27 10 6 11 36 +5
=11 Watford 27 10 3 14 33 -4
=11 Wolves 27 10 3 14 33 -3
=13 Bournemouth 27 8 5 14 29 -3
=13 Fulham 27 8 5 14 29 +6
15 West Ham 27 8 4 15 28 -6
16 Crystal Palace 27 6 7 14 25 -3
17 Southampton 27 7 3 17 24 +1
18 Brighton 26 3 7 16 16 -2
19 Cardiff 27 3 5 19 14 -2
20 Huddersfield 27 3 4 20 13 0
GUEST LEADERBOARD 218-19
GUEST LEADERBOARD
160 David Ginola
140 The 1975's Ross MacDonald
120 Joe Thomas
110 Yatez
90 Jim Glennie, Mario Hezonja, Karl Pilkington, Chris Stark
86 Lawro (average after 27 weeks)
80 Richard Ashcroft, Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, Greg James, Mark Wahlberg
70 Yumgen
60 Jamie Dornan & Paul Conroy, Idris Elba, Dolph Lundgren, Mumford & Sons, Dillian Whyte
50 Bring Me The Horizon, Theo Ellis, Drew McIntyre, Mohamed Sanu, Dolph Ziggler
40 Tom Grennan, Josh Warrington
30 Ryan Fitzpatrick, Oti Mabuse
20 Yizzy
Lawro's best score: 260 points (week seven v Karl Pilkington)
Lawro's worst score: 20 points (week 24 v Grime star Yizzy & week 25 v Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarter-back Ryan Fitzpatrick and Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Mohamed Sanu)
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He really is the cutest little man. Swoooon!
I didn't expect this poster to arrive folded. Now there are lines on the poster and one sad Ninja.
Three letters, one word: WOO!
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Walk through the toughest hoods with this accessory and the gang bangers will be praising your street cred! The Inflatable Boom Box is an oversized easy to blow up inflatable boom box. Wear some baggy pants and a basketball jersey and you'll look like you came street of the streets with this accessory!
I plan to recreate the famous scene from say anything where the boy holds the boombox above his head and plays music infront of his girls house, the size and look of this inflatable boombox will do great for the prop side of it!


text:
Trump official abruptly takes vacation after deranged Facebook video
By Vinnie Longobardo
After the assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Health and Human Services, Michael Caputo, posted a bonkers Facebook live stream this weekend, an eruption of outrage exploded on social media calling for his removal from office.
Today, Caputo short-circuited those calls for his dismissal when the DHHS announced that he "has decided to take a leave of absence to focus on his health and the well-being of his family. Mr. Caputo will be on leave for the next 60 days," the federal agency said in a press release.
Caputo's decision to take leave until after the election is unsurprising coming from the man who claimed in his Facebook rant that he was under assault by the news media, that his physical health has been affected, and that his "mental health has definitely failed."
In the same ill-advised live stream, Caputo also went on to promote a bizarre conspiracy theory — one that incidentally is fairly identical to what Donald Trump regularly espouses on the campaign trail — that left-wing Antifa militias were standing by to embark on a murderous rampage if the president were to lose his re-election bid.
"And when Donald Trump refuses to stand down at the inauguration, the shooting will begin," Caputo paranoically warned. "The drills that you've seen are nothing." He added: "If you carry guns, buy ammunition, ladies and gentlemen, because it's going to be hard to get."
Caputo also confused the unit at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention dedicated to researching antibiotic-resistant bacteria — a phenomenon that has become a major medical problem as the overuse of antibiotics has led to the evolution of "superbugs" impervious to existing pharmaceutical solutions — with a non-existent left-wing political resistance group at the CDC.
The obviously mentally fragile public affairs official — who has also been accused of altering CDC COVID-19 data announcements to make them fit more in line with Donald Trump's pandemic campaign rhetoric — spent part of yesterday apologizing to staffers at the Department of Health and Human Services for his social media outburst and telegraphing his plans for an extended absence.
He also offered a playlist suggestion to the staffers to listen to while he was away.
— Caputo has signaled his desire to take medical leave
— He claimed to staff he had never read a single MMWR, despite efforts to meddle w reports
— He concluded meeting by telling staff to listen to the Grateful Deadhttps://t.co/HoBYgDB7Ej with @adamcancryn @owermohle
— Dan Diamond (@ddiamond) September 15, 2020
Sign the petition to tell Congress to stop Trump's sabotage of the post office!
One imagines that "Friend of the Devil," "Brokedown Palace," "Death Don't Have No Mercy," "Hurts Me Too," and even "Keep On Trucking" should feature prominently and appropriately in any Grateful Dead playlist that DHHS staffers may compile at their colleague's suggestion.
One hopes that Mr. Caputo gets the psychiatric assistance that he has indicated that he needs. Perhaps 60 days may not be enough to get to the root causes of whatever inspired him to spout such insanity as he did.
Let's hope that he extends his leave to inauguration day after which it's likely that President Joe Biden will decide that his services as a political appointee will no longer be needed anyway.
Follow Vinnie Longobardo on Twitter.
Original reporting by Dareh Gregorian at NBC News.
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Vinnie Longobardo
Vinnie Longobardo is a 35-year veteran of the TV, mobile, & internet industries, specializing in start-ups and the international media business. His passions are politics, music, and art.
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