China changes university entrance exam rules to favor mixed families in troubled Xinjiang

Abstract: BEIJING - China’s fractious far-west region of Xinjiang has changed its university entrance exam rules to give children from mixed families a leg up on other students, in what experts say are the latest efforts to erase a mostly Muslim ethnic culture. Following a flare-up in violence in 2014, Chinese authorities have rolled out draconian security measures across Xinjiang in recent years, from banning long beards and Islamic veils to placing an estimated 1 million mostly Muslim ethnic minorities in internment camps. Chinese officials describe the facilities as voluntary “vocational education centers” where Turkic-speaking people are taught Mandarin and job skills in a bid to steer them away from religious extremism. But rights groups and former inmates see the measures as part of a campaign to forcefully assimilate Uighurs and other minorities into the majority ethnic Han society, diluting their cultures and religious beliefs. Observers say the change in the university enrolment system is another step in that direction, particularly in a region where Uighurs made up almost half of the 23-million-strong population, according to 2015 statistics. In an online notice posted last week, the Xinjiang government published new rules for giving bonus points to disadvantaged groups in the nationwide college entrance exams — a key deciding factor for attending university in China. In a reversal of last year’s policy, the regional government doubled the number of bonus points allocated to interethnic students — defined as those with one Han parent — to 20, while more than halving the amount for students whose parents are both ethnic minorities to 15. The new exam policy is “part of this effort to ‘sinocize’ any kind of non-Han forms of thoughts and behavior,” said James Leibold, a professor at La Trobe University. The government believes that “interethnic marriage is a key vehicle for promoting national integration and assimilating the Uighurs and other ethnic minorities in the Chinese nation,” Leibold, who studies ethnic relations and policy in China, said. Timothy Grose, a China ethnic policy expert at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, said the “new incentives for intermarriage expose the CCP’s (Chinese Communist Party) systematic approach to weakening Turkic-Muslim identities.” “Perhaps officials are re-introducing the ‘carrot’ when in the past few years they have only been lashing the ‘stick,’ ” said Grose, whose research focuses on Uighurs. The change in exam policy is not the first time Chinese authorities have offered incentives for interethnic mixing. In 2014, the Qiemo County government in Xinjiang reportedly announced it would give mixed couples — one Han, one minority — annual cash payments of 10,000 yuan ($1,450) for the first five years of their marriage. “Chinese policymakers and sociologists have long viewed high rates or high instances of interethnic marriage as a kind of proxy symbol for social cohesion and national integration,” explained Leibold. On top of initiatives spearheaded by the government, videos promoting Uighur-Han marriages have also emerged on social media over the past year, though it is unclear whether they are directly linked to official policies. In October, a video published by “Grandma Li,” a culture and lifestyle social media account run by a Xinjiang-based woman, encouraged more people to move to the region to “look for love.” “Even though their ethnicity is different and their beliefs are different, it seems like it (interethnic marriage) is happening more and more now,” said Li. “Besides, the government is very much encouraging it — there are even rewards,” she added. But it is unlikely that the latest government-backed incentive will change perceptions of Uighurs and Han across ethnic lines, experts say. Though statistics on interethnic marriage in China are scarce, national census data from 2010 shows that both Han and Uighur populations tend to marry within their ethnic group, with only 0.2 percent of Uighurs married to Han people. “Officials have encouraged interethnic marriage for decades, but with little success,” said Grose. “I don’t see how this change to test scores will persuade minorities in droves to seek out Han partners.” Online, Chinese social media users have voiced skepticism toward top-down policies rewarding interethnic marriages, with some complaining that they are unfair to Han people. “There’s a great deal of mutual suspicion and distrust between the two groups but that doesn’t stop the party-state from trying to push the agenda,” said Leibold.

china universities xinjiang ethnicity education uighurs religion discrimination


Taiwan legislature poised to vote on Asia's first gay marriage bill

Abstract: TAIPEI - Taiwan will decide whether to pass Asia’s first gay marriage law on Friday as conservative lawmakers launch a last-ditch attempt to scupper the bill despite a court ruling ordering same-sex marital equality. Protesters on both sides of the debate will gather outside Taipei’s parliament for what looks set to be a mammoth legislative debate over an issue that has bitterly divided the island. Parliament is up against a ticking clock. Taiwan’s top court has ruled that not allowing same-sex couples to marry violates the constitution. Judges gave the government two years to make necessary changes by May 24 or see marriage equality enacted automatically. With that deadline fast approaching, three bills have been tabled for Friday — which also happens to be the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. The most progressive is the government’s bill, the only one to use the word “marriage” and offer limited adoption rights. It is backed — begrudgingly — by gay rights groups who see it as the closest thing to full equality with heterosexual couples, despite its limitations. Opponents have tabled two other versions, which avoid the word marriage, offering something closer to same-sex unions with no adoption rights. Conservative and religious groups have been buoyed by a series of referendum wins in November, in which voters comprehensively rejected defining marriage as anything other than a union between a man and a woman. President Tsai Ing-wen has said the government’s bill respects both the court judgment and the referendum. “I hope everybody can be considerate and tolerate different opinions to show Taiwan is a mature civil society that is capable of handling a divisive issue,” she said on Tuesday. Tsai’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) holds the majority in parliament, occupying 68 out of 113 seats. But there is no guarantee her own lawmakers will vote for the more progressive bill, especially as many fear being punished by conservative voters at the ballot box in January. One of the rival bills was proposed by a DPP lawmaker. Taiwan’s LGBT community has been left in limbo the last two years, with many couples planning weddings ahead of the May 24th deadline but unsure of what marriage equality will look like. “We will have a clear answer this week about how this country will treat gay couples in the future,” said Jennifer Lu, a spokeswoman for Marriage Equality Coalition Taiwan. “The cabinet’s bill is already a discounted version but it covers the most for now. The other bills are not only unconstitutional but discriminatory.” Opponents warn that “forcefully” passing a gay marriage law will intensify tensions. “The cabinet’s bill ignores the referendum results and that is unacceptable,” said Lai Shyh-bao of the opposition Kuomintang party, who proposed one of the bills backed by conservatives.

taiwan
tsai ing-wen
lgbt
same-sex marriage


With health insurance and time off, empowered sex workers in Thailand battle stigma

Abstract: CHIANG MAI, THAILAND - A group of women sit around a table making dream catchers with colorful bits of yarn, chatting about their families, work and the thick smog enveloping the city of Chiang Mai, in northern Thailand. Just another workplace scene — except the women are all sex workers who meet their clients at the Can Do Bar, which they own as a collective, benefiting from health insurance, fixed hours and time off, which all are typically denied to sex workers. The bar was set up in 2006 by the Empower Foundation, a nonprofit founded in Bangkok’s Patpong red-light district for sex workers who are still stigmatized despite widespread tolerance of Thailand’s thriving sex industry. Thousands of Thai and migrant sex workers have learned from Empower to negotiate with bar and massage parlor owners for better conditions, and to lobby the government to decriminalize their work to improve their incomes, safety and wellbeing. “People say we should stop doing what we do, and sew or bake cookies instead — but why are only those jobs considered appropriate?” said Mai Chanta, a 30-something native of Chiang Mai who has been a sex worker for about eight years. “This is what we choose to do, and we feel a sense of pride and satisfaction that we are just like other workers,” said Mai, dressed in a calf-length skirt and a T-shirt that reads “United Sex Workers Nations.” Millions of women across the world choose sex work to make an income. Yet only a few countries — including Australia, New Zealand, Germany, the Netherlands, Senegal and Peru — recognize it as legal, leaving prostitutes elsewhere vulnerable to abuse. In Thailand — where stigma against sex work is deep-rooted, as it is across much of Asia — prostitution is illegal and punishable by a fine of 1,000 baht ($32); customers who pay for sex with underage workers can be jailed for up to six years. There are 123,530 sex workers in Thailand, according to a 2014 UNAIDS report. Advocacy groups put the figure at more than twice that number, including tens of thousands of migrants from Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Thailand’s modern sex industry is believed to have been established with the setting up of Japanese military bases during World War II. It expanded quickly during the Vietnam War, when U.S. troops came to Bangkok for their recreation breaks. Over the years, the country has come to be known for sex tourism, with large numbers of male visitors frequenting bars, massage parlors and karaoke lounges that multiplied as tourist numbers soared. Although prostitution has been illegal since 1960, the law is almost invariably ignored; the lucrative business provides payoffs to untold numbers of officials and policemen. But sex workers in Thailand have struggled to expand a movement to demand their human, civil and labor rights in the same way others did, from Canada to Australia, in the 1970s. Since a military government took charge in 2014, Thailand’s ubiquitous brothels have been hit by a spate of police raids as tourism authorities pledged to transform the country into a luxury destination for moneyed tourists. Increased global efforts to combat trafficking often provide a pretext to crack down on sex workers, human rights groups say. “Raid and rescue” operations by police and charities often use laws related to migrant workers and trafficking to fine, detain, prosecute and deport sex workers, said Liz Hilton at Empower Foundation. “The authorities justify the raids, saying there is trafficking, but most sex workers in Thailand are in it because it pays more than many other jobs that are accessible to them,” she said. “These women have families to support; legalizing sex work would mean they can work with dignity, and without judgment or fear,” Hilton said. The majority of sex workers are women, who can earn between two and 10 times the daily minimum wage of 325 baht ($10.25) in Bangkok, according to the Empower Foundation. A government official said that the raids are meant to check trafficking of migrants and underage prostitution and that authorities have provided sex workers with health care and vocational training. “We have discussed legalizing prostitution, but it is not an option, as we do not want to be seen as encouraging it,” said Pornsom Paopramot, inspector-general at the Social Development Ministry. “We want to send out the message that sex tourism is not something that we want to be known for. Legalizing prostitution will not back that message,” she said. Legalizing prostitution could reduce the stigma that sex workers are “deviant and immoral,” improve their work conditions and help combat trafficking, said Borislav Gerasimov, an expert with the Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women. Thailand is a source, transit and destination country for trafficking, with an estimated 610,000 people living in conditions of modern slavery, according to the Global Slavery Index 2018 by charity Walk Free Foundation. The U.S. State Department recognized Thailand’s “significant efforts” to eliminate trafficking with a new task force, and more prosecutions and convictions, by upgrading it to Tier 2 in its latest Trafficking in Persons report. But while human trafficking is prevalent in industries such as fishing, the government’s pursuit of sex workers is keeping it from better protecting them, said Anna Olsen at the International Labour Organization in Bangkok. “Trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation is a serious issue, but it is distinct from sex work,” she said. “The conflation of the two fails to recognize that working in the sex industry is a practical decision for many.” The general election in March saw several LGBT+ candidates promising to decriminalize sex work. The women at Can Do Bar are hopeful, said Ping Pong, a founder member of Empower Foundation. “When we started, we were told, ‘You are sex workers — you can’t get social security, you can’t get time off.’ But we did,” she said. “We are not going to sit around waiting for someone else to do things for us. There is a new government now, and we are ready to knock on the new labor minister’s door,” she said.

sex thailand women prostitution rights discrimination


U.S. top envoy Mike Pompeo airs concerns on extraditions with Hong Kong democracy leader

Abstract: WASHINGTON - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday voiced concern over Hong Kong’s plans to allow extraditions to the Chinese mainland as he met with the city’s pre-eminent pro-democracy leader. The top U.S. diplomat discussed the controversial extradition bill during talks in Washington with a delegation headed by Martin Lee, a founder of Hong Kong’s opposition Democratic Party. Pompeo “expressed concern about the Hong Kong government’s proposed amendments to the Fugitive Ordinance law, which threaten Hong Kong’s rule of law,” State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement after the meeting. “He also expressed support for Hong Kong’s long-standing protections of human rights, fundamental freedoms and democratic values, which are guaranteed under the Basic Law,” she said. She was referring to the law that came into effect when Britain handed control of its colony in 1997 to China, which promised a separate political system in the international financial hub that includes greater freedoms. The extradition plan recently led to scuffles inside Hong Kong’s legislature, with critics saying it would mark a significant blow to the city’s semi-autonomous status and make it less attractive to foreign investors. Hong Kong’s government is pushing the bill that would allow case-by-case extraditions to any jurisdictions with which it does not already have an agreed treaty — including mainland China, Macau and Taiwan. Historically Hong Kong has balked at mainland extraditions because of the opacity of China’s criminal justice system and its liberal use of the death penalty. Lee has frequently taken his message overseas. In 2014, China voiced anger after then U.S. Vice President Joe Biden met Lee and reiterated America’s “long-standing support for democracy in Hong Kong.” In an opinion piece this week in The Washington Post, Lee warned that the extradition law could make Americans and other foreigners “potential hostages to extradition claims driven by the political agenda of Beijing.” “The time for the world to act to protect Hong Kong’s free society and legal system is now — not when Hong Kong people and others are taken to be jailed in China,” he wrote. A recent report by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, an advisory body set up by the U.S. Congress, warned that the extradition bill posed “serious” security risks to the estimated 85,000 U.S. citizens in Hong Kong.

mike pompeo
hong kong
martin lee
rights
china
u.s .


China formally arrests Canadian ex-envoy and businessman in case seen as payback for Huawei bust

Abstract: BEIJING - China said Thursday it has formally arrested two Canadians who have been detained for months on national security grounds, in a case that has inflamed tensions between Ottawa and Beijing. Ottawa denounced the move and demanded the pair’s prompt release. Former diplomat Michael Kovrig is “suspected of collecting state secrets and intelligence,” while businessman Michael Spavor is suspected of “stealing and illegally offering state secrets” abroad, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said at a regular briefing. Lu said the two were arrested “recently,” but did not provide a date, and added that he had no information about where they were being held. At a news conference in Paris, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the arrests “unacceptable” and vowed to “stand up” for Kovrig and Spavor, saying they have been “arbitrarily detained.” Canada’s foreign ministry, meanwhile, said it “strongly condemns” the arrests, and reiterated its demand “that China immediately release Mr. Kovrig and Mr. Spavor.” Though no link has been officially made, the detention of the two is thought to be in retaliation for Canada’s Dec. 1 detention on a U.S. extradition request of Meng Wanzhou, a top executive with Chinese telecom giant Huawei who is accused of violating Iran sanctions. The men were first accused of activities that “endanger China’s security” — a phrase often used by Beijing when alleging espionage. Days after Meng’s extradition was announced, China said it suspected Kovrig, who works for the International Crisis Group think tank, of spying and stealing state secrets, and alleged that Spavor — who organized trips to North Korea—- had provided him with intelligence. Spying charges could expose them to tough prison sentences. No details of the men’s detention or health conditions were provided due to Canadian privacy laws, but officials said they would press for further access to both detainees. Foreign ministry spokesman Lu said “Chinese judicial authorities are handling the cases according to law” and that Spavor and Kovrig’s “legitimate rights and interests are fully guaranteed. A group of Canadian parliamentarians had earlier complained to Chinese officials that the two have been denied access to lawyers, and remain in “completely unacceptable” detention conditions. Meng is allowed to live in her Vancouver, British Columbia, mansion, although her mobility is limited. She made her latest court appearance last week as she fights extradition to the United States — a process that could take months or even years. She has been ordered to wear an electronic monitoring device and hand over her passports after being released on bail in mid-December on a 10 million Canadian dollar ($7.4 million) bond. She recently wrote in open letter to supporters that “despite restrictions on my permitted range of movement, the color and scope of my heart have never been so rich and broad.” Two other Canadians convicted of drug trafficking, meanwhile, have been sentenced to death. Canada has called the death penalties for Fen Wei and Robert Lloyd Schellenberg “cruel and inhumane” and asked for clemency on their behalf. Beijing also recently blocked Canadian shipments of canola and pork worth billions of dollars. Ottawa has rallied the support of a dozen countries, including Britain, France, Germany and the U.S., as well as the EU, NATO and the G7, in its diplomatic feud with China. Washington meanwhile stepped up its battle against Huawei on Wednesday, effectively barring the company from the US market and restricting U.S. sales to the firm. The United States has also urged allies to shun Huawei’s 5G technology, warning that it could serve the interests of Chinese intelligence services. Canadian Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale has said a 5G decision would be announced in the coming months.

china
huawei
michael kovrig
michael spavor
canada
meng wanzhou
u.s .


Japan to ask municipalities to dispose of industrial plastic waste as trash piles up due to China ban

Abstract: The Environment Ministry plans to ask municipalities to accept and dispose of industrial plastic waste as an emergency step, as the amount of such waste has been increasing since China banned imports, sources have said. The ministry is set to make the request to municipal governments by the end of this month, the sources said Thursday. Under the nation’s waste management system, municipalities collect and dispose of household plastic waste while recycling businesses authorized by prefectures process industrial plastic waste, which is better suited for recycling because the origins of such materials are clear and are abundant in quantity. Municipalities that accept the request will pass on the costs for incineration to companies generating industrial plastic by revising related ordinances, the sources said, adding that winning consent from local residents is also a condition. Japan exported some 1.5 million tons of plastic waste as recycle material in 2016 and 1.4 million tons in 2017, according to trade statistics from the Finance Ministry. After China banned imports of plastic waste at the end of 2017, Japan has seen such materials build up. Before the introduction of the ban, China was a major importer of the country’s plastic waste. On May 10, signatories to the so-called Basel convention, a pact that includes Japan and is aimed at reducing trade in toxic waste, adopted a revision to the pact to add dirty plastic waste to the list of items subject to restriction. “Pollution from plastic waste, acknowledged as a major environmental problem of global concern, has reached epidemic proportions with an estimated 100 million tonnes of plastic now found in the oceans, 80-90 percent of which comes from land-based sources,” Rolph Payet, executive secretary at U.N. Environment for the Basel, Rotterdam & Stockholm Conventions, said in a statement. With the revised pact taking effect in January 2021, plastic waste exports to countries other than China will also become difficult. Of some 9 million tons of annual plastic waste in Japan, about 1 million tons is collected from households as recyclable material. Dirty plastic waste is disposed of as combustible garbage. Industrial plastic waste, including from factories, offices and retail shops, totals about 7 million tons, which is recycled, incinerated, used for landfill or exported to other countries. According to the Environment Ministry, some municipalities are now believed to have extra capacity in their garbage incinerators due to falling populations and residents’ growing awareness of recycling.

plastic
plastic waste
waste
china
environment
recycling


As Okinawa marks 47 years since reversion to Japan, protesters call for reduced U.S. base burden

Abstract: WASHINGTON/NAHA, OKINAWA PREF. - Protesters marched in Okinawa on Friday calling for a reduction in the burden faced by the prefecture that hosts the bulk of U.S. military facilities in Japan. Okinawa this week marked the 47th anniversary of its reversion to Japan from U.S. control amid ongoing controversy over the plan to relocate U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma within the prefecture despite calls by local residents to move the base outside Okinawa. The annual three-day Peace March was split into two routes. Some 900 people gathered in front of the gate of the U.S. Marine Corps’ Camp Schwab in the Henoko area of Nago, where Futenma is being relocated to, while another group started their march from the prefectural capital of Naha, organizers said. “The construction is underway despite the result of the referendum. Do we really have democracy or local autonomy in this country?” former Nago Mayor Susumu Inamine told participants in front of the U.S. base, referring to the February poll in which over 70 percent opposed the landfill work off Henoko for the base relocation. The two groups of protesters will join together Sunday and hold a rally in Ginowan, home to the Futenma base. Okinawa was occupied by the United States after the end of World War II in 1945 and returned to Japan on May 15, 1972. On Wednesday, Ginowan Mayor Masanori Matsugawa said during his visit to Washington that the United States should present a target year for the planned return of the land occupied by the current Futenma base. Matsugawa made the request in talks with U.S. officials, including Ted Saeger, acting director of the State Department’s Japanese affairs office. The two sides agreed on the necessity to return the land. The U.S. side re-emphasized its view that the relocation of the air station to Henoko is the only option. As for the target year, the U.S. officials apologized for not being able to present a clear deadline. The schedule will be presented as soon as possible, they added. Matsugawa visited the United States for the first time since he was elected Ginowan mayor in September last year with support from the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito.

okinawa
naha
futenma
henoko
nago
ginowan
u.s. bases
u.s.-japan relations


Breast cancer drug Verzenio could have serious side effects on lungs, Japan's health ministry warns

Abstract: The health ministry on Friday warned that the breast cancer drug Verzenio is now suspected of adversely affecting the lungs after 14 recipients in Japan developed a serious lung disease and three died. The drug is suspected of causing the side effects in at least four of the 14 cases, including one fatality, the ministry said. Verzenio, developed by Eli Lilly and Co., received Japanese clearance in September last year and debuted in November. The number of patients in Japan who have used the oral drug since its release is estimated at around 2,000, according to the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry. Verzenio is designed to block certain molecules involved in promoting the growth of cancer cells.

cancer
drug
verzenio
side effects
eli lilly and co .


Extreme low-carb diet may speed aging and dull cognition, Japanese team's study on mice finds

Abstract: Continuing an extreme low-carbohydrate diet stringently for a long time may accelerate aging and lead to a shorter life span, according to a recent study by a group of Japanese scientists. While pointing out that a low-carb diet is effective in reducing visceral fat and preventing blood sugar spikes, Tsuyoshi Tsuzuki, associate professor in agricultural science at Tohoku University, stressed that it “should be supervised by experts as part of medical treatment.” In the research project, Tsuzuki and colleagues divided laboratory mice with life expectancies of about a year into three groups — one fed with a balanced diet, one with a fatty diet and one with a low-carb diet with increased protein. The mice on the low-carb diet, in which the rodents got only 20 percent of total calories from carbohydrates, was seen as equivalent to a human skipping staples in three daily meals. They found that the low-carb diet group died an average of eight to nine weeks ahead of the group on a balanced diet. The low-carb group also died earlier than the fatty diet group. In addition, the low-carb group’s cognitive ability declined to about half that of the group on a balanced diet. The researchers also observed that bad bacteria increased while good ones decreased in the bowels of mice on the low-carb diet, suggesting that the diet had an impact on the aging of the mice. The findings were expected to be presented during a three-day general meeting of the Japan Society of Nutrition and Food Science that started Friday in the city of Shizuoka.


Japan's opposition parties urge lawmaker Hodaka Maruyama to resign for war remark about Russia-held isles

Abstract: A half dozen opposition parties on Friday filed a joint motion urging a Diet lawmaker to resign for alluding to the possibility that war with Russia was the only way to regain control of the disputed islands off Hokkaido. The motion in the House of Representatives was backed by six parties, increasing pressure on Hodaka Maruyama, who was ousted from Nippon Ishin no Kai on Tuesday, to quit after drawing a barrage of criticism for the remark. Maruyama is refusing to leave and even if the Lower House passes the motion, it will not be legally binding. He has “tarnished the authority and the integrity of the Diet as a whole,” the motion stated. The parties also asked the ruling bloc, led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party, to support the motion. Maruyama uttered the remark during a recent visit to one of the four islands with a group of former residents from Japan. The group was making the visit under a visa-free exchange program between Japan and Russia. According to people who traveled with him, Maruyama, who was drunk, asked Koyata Otsuka, the 89-year-old head of the group, “Do you think there is any alternative to war (to recover the islands)?” Otsuka dismissed the idea. The remarks came amid continued negotiations with Russia to resolve the long-standing territorial issue, which has prevented the two countries from signing a post-World War II peace treaty. The islands were seized by the former Soviet Union following Japan’s surrender in August 1945. Russia has argued the seizure was a legitimate outcome of the war. Abe, who has made the return of the islands one of his top priorities, is seeking a breakthrough in talks with President Vladimir Putin.

hodaka maruyama
russia
nippon ishin no kai
japan-russia relations
disputed isles


Japan extends SDF dispatch to U.N. peacekeeping mission HQ in South Sudan

Abstract: Japan decided Friday to extend by another year, through May 31, 2020, the dispatch of Self-Defense Forces personnel to the headquarters of the U.N. peacekeeping mission in South Sudan. The move came after the U.N. Security Council extended in March the mandate of the mission in the country, called UNMISS, by one year. Japan has four members stationed at the headquarters. In May 2017, Japan ended its five-year deployment of Ground Self-Defense Force civil engineering units to UNMISS but has continued the dispatch of SDF members to the headquarters. The first members were sent in 2011. “It is important for Japan to continue coordinating with other nations in assisting South Sudan because ensuring peace and stability there is a critical challenge for the international community,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said at a news conference. SDF activities overseas have been restricted under the war-renouncing Constitution. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s government has expanded the role of the SDF abroad through security legislation that took effect in 2016, but sending troops to areas where they could get drawn into fighting remains controversial. No SDF unit is currently serving in an active U.N. mission following the withdrawal of GSDF troops from South Sudan.

peacekeeping
south sudan
unmiss
u.n .
self defense forces


Iran won't negotiate with 'bully' U.S. over nuclear deal, says Tehran foreign minister in Tokyo

Abstract: Iran’s foreign minister says he is not interested in negotiating with the United States after it pulled out of a 2015 nuclear deal and reinstated stifling economic sanctions on Tehran. “No, there is no possibility for negotiations,” Mohammad Javad Zarif said when asked in an interview with reporters Thursday in Tokyo whether he would be open to holding bilateral talks aimed at easing tensions, including discussions of a proposed prisoner swap. Zarif had said as recently as April that he was willing to exchange foreign prisoners in Iran for Iranian prisoners in the United States, Germany and Australia held on “phony” charges. But Zarif said such a deal was no longer on the table because the United States had set unspecified preconditions. “(The U.S.) is not in a position to impose preconditions on Iran,” he said. Zarif, who earlier in the day met with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Foreign Minister Taro Kono, called the United States a “bully” for pressuring other countries, including Japan, to adhere to its economic sanctions including a ban on buying Iranian oil. “This is the first time in history that a bully is telling everybody else, important countries, that ‘I’m going to punish you if you observe something that I do not like,'” said Zarif. Countries including China, India and Japan were initially granted sanctions waivers but the U.S. terminated them earlier this month. “Let us assume that a bully is standing in a cross section on the street and telling everybody, ‘If you don’t pass the red light, I’m going to beat you.’ This is exactly what the U.S. is telling them,” Zarif said, adding, “This is economic terrorism, pure and simple.” The scathing remarks came just over a week after Iran announced it is suspending some of the commitments it made in the landmark deal with countries including the U.K., China, France, Germany and Russia, such as a limit to the amount of enriched uranium it can possess. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said May 8 that the remaining parties have 60 days to negotiate new terms before the country resumes higher levels of uranium enrichment. Further escalating tensions, the United States has sent an aircraft carrier strike group to the Persian Gulf. Zarif also criticized the European parties to the nuclear deal and Japan for going along with the U.S. sanctions despite publicly supporting the nuclear deal, formally called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. “I have to stress that it is important for all other members of the JCPOA to take serious account of their continued failure because Europe unfortunately, while supporting JCPOA verbally, has not been able to take any action. Unfortunately, our Japanese partners also have not taken action to implement JCPOA,” he said. Zarif was scheduled to meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on Friday.

iran
mohammad javad zarif
u.s .
nuclear weapons
iran nuclear deal
donald trump


Abe looking to accelerate improvements in Japan-China ties after Xi attends G20 summit

Abstract: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Friday he hopes Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit in late June for the Group of 20 summit in Osaka will help accelerate recent improvements in bilateral relations. “With President Xi’s visit, I want to further develop bilateral ties that have returned to a normal track and jointly create a new era for Japan and China,” Abe said when he met top Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi at the Prime Minister’s Office. Yang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee, responded by saying he sees “new momentum” for bilateral relations. “I’m confident that our ties are not only back on a normal track but will continue to develop in a healthy and stable manner,” he said. Japan and China have for years been mired in a territorial row in the East China Sea. But ties have been improving recently with mutual visits by senior government officials and business leaders. Abe and Yang agreed to step up preparations for what will be Xi’s first visit to Japan as president when Osaka hosts the G20 summit from June 28 to 29, the Foreign Ministry said. In a separate meeting earlier in the day, Foreign Minister Taro Kono expressed hope of demonstrating at the G20 gathering that the bilateral relationship has been “markedly improving.” Yang said China hopes the summit will be successful. The leaders of the G20 major economies will discuss global issues at a time when the United States and China are involved in an escalating trade conflict, casting a shadow over prospects for the global economy. Abe plans to meet with both Xi and U.S. President Donald Trump on the fringes of the G20. Yang also met with Shotaro Yachi, national security adviser and a close aide to Abe, on Thursday and Friday in the resort town of Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture. Yang told Abe that he and Yachi had “in-depth and wide-ranging” talks. The Japanese government said Yang and Yachi agreed on the importance of bringing about peace and cooperation in the East China Sea, and that they also discussed the situation in North Korea and between the U.S. and China.

prime minister shinzo abe
yang jiechi
foreign minister taro kono
china-japan relations


Japan lifts age restrictions on U.S. beef imports that were imposed in 2003 to counter mad cow disease

Abstract: The government on Friday lifted all age restrictions on imported U.S. beef for the first time since the measures were imposed in 2003 to counter mad cow disease. The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry removed the ban on United States beef from cattle older than 30 months after the food safety commission signed off on the move in January. The move comes as Japan faces mounting pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to give American farmers greater access to its agricultural market. In addition to asking for the age restriction to be removed, Washington has pushed Tokyo to cut tariffs on farm products as the two sides continue to negotiate a bilateral trade deal. Some major exporters of agricultural products, such as Australia, benefit from free trade deals that Japan has concluded recently. The health ministry said Friday it had also lifted similar restrictions on beef from Canada and Ireland. The ministry eliminated the ban on condition that parts where prions — a misfolded protein thought to be the cause of mad cow disease — concentrate be removed before shipment. Such parts include portions of the small intestine and spinal cord of cattle over 30 months old. Japan placed a blanket ban on U.S. beef in 2003 after discovering the brain-wasting disease, formally known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, in some specimens. Japan partially resumed imports in 2005, but those were limited to beef from cattle no older than 20 months. The ban was then reinstated for half a year in 2006. Since then, Japan has gradually eased import restrictions on the grounds that the United States has been internationally recognized as having the lowest risk of the disease. At the request of the health ministry, a research panel of the food safety commission began investigating in April last year whether beef from the United States, Canada and Ireland posed a health risk. In January, it reported to health minister Takumi Nemoto that the risk was “negligible,” leading to the lifting of restrictions on Friday.

beef
mad cow disease
united states
bovine spongiform encephalopathy


Japan to keep North Korea-linked association Chongryon under surveillance

Abstract: The government said Friday that the pro-Pyongyang General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, or Chongryon, remains subject to surveillance under the Subversive Activities Prevention Law. The government “can’t deny the possibility that the association will conduct destructive activities depending on future circumstances,” it said in a written response to a question from Lower House member Jin Matsubara. The government recognizes that members of groups under the wing of the association were involved in three cases of abductions of Japanese nationals by North Korea, it said. The government response also touched on the history of Chongryon to support its argument for placing the group under continued surveillance. One of the precursors to Chongryon, known as Minsen, which was formed in 1951 and disbanded four years later with the establishment of Chongryon, “is suspected of having carried out destructive activities,” the government said, adding that Chongryon still has a close relationship with North Korea.

north korea
chongryon
abductions
terrorism
north korea-japan relations


Tight security expected for G20 summit in Osaka, with no lockers or trash cans at stations

Abstract: OSAKA - Osaka will be put under tight security during the Group of 20 summit in late June as local authorities plan to suspend the use of trash cans and coin lockers at stations and limit road traffic as a preventive measure against terrorism. From June 24 to 29, trash cans and coin lockers at all stations in Osaka and major ones in neighboring prefectures will not be available, Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura said Thursday. Eleven railway companies in western Japan will cooperate with the plan, according to the prefectural government. “As foreign tourists will be affected, we will provide necessary information in multiple languages,” Yoshimura said at a news conference. The leaders of the G20 major economies are scheduled to gather in Osaka on June 28 and 29 to discuss global issues, with U.S. President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin likely to attend. The Osaka Prefectural Police also plans to restrict road traffic around Osaka Station, hotels reserved for foreign leaders and delegates, and the Intex Osaka convention center, which will serve as the venue for the summit. The G20 comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Britain, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United States and the European Union.

g20
osaka
hirofumi yoshimura
rail
tourism


Japan passes bill to drastically curb drone flights over military and Tokyo Olympic sites

Abstract: The government on Friday enacted legislation severely restricting the flying of drones over U.S. military and Self-Defense Forces facilities, as well as venues hosting 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic events as a preventive measure against terrorism. The move has sparked protests from opposition parties and the media over the past few months due to their concerns about a possible denial of people’s right to know and a potential disruption of newsgathering activities. While the legislation all but bans the flying of drones by private individuals, if prior permission is sought from authorities certain organizations, including media outlets, may be granted exemptions. The House of Councilors approved the bill at a plenary session following its passage through the House of Representatives on April 16. The legislation similarly restricts the flying of drones over venues for this year’s Rugby World Cup. Only drones providing coverage for, and controlled by, the media will be allowed to fly over venues during the sports events, if permission is granted. The legislation is an amendment to the existing law which, due to terrorism concerns, already bans drone flights over key facilities such as the Prime Minister’s Office and the Imperial Palace. The Japan Newspaper Publishers & Editors Association, an independent organization run by Japanese mass media, opposed the legislation. “It will greatly limit newsgathering activities and infringe upon the right of the people to be informed,” they said. In past Diet sessions, opposition parties, including the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, expressed concerns that people’s right to know may be hampered because the legislation would prohibit aerial photography and filming of the site in the Henoko district of Okinawa Prefecture where landfill work is being conducted for the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma. The government said it has no intention of restricting newsgathering activities. In response to criticism, Lower and Upper House panels adopted a supplementary resolution requesting the government ensure press freedom and the people’s right to know. “Freedom of the press and the people’s right to know will suffer if restrictions go beyond the necessary limits,” the resolution said. The legislation restricts operators from flying drones within 300 meters of the boundary of designated sites. The police and the SDF are permitted to seize or destroy drones if they are flown near designated zones without permission, and lawbreakers risk up to a year in prison or a maximum fine of ¥500,000.

drones
terrorism
diet
censorship
journalism
u.s. bases
self defense forces


Over the hump: Olympic workers complete wooden roof for New National Stadium in Tokyo

Abstract: The Japan Sport Council said Friday the wooden roof that will be the distinctive trademark of the main venue for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics has been completed. The roof of the New National Stadium, which will host the opening and closing ceremonies of both the Olympics and Paralympics, had been under construction since February last year. Fitting together the domestically produced wooden components with the steel framework was considered the most difficult part of the stadium’s construction. The council said construction is on schedule, with the completion date set for the end of November. Workers have already installed some 28,000 of the 60,000 seats estimated to be used during the games. The stadium was designed by architect Kengo Kuma. The stadium will host the athletics events for both the Olympics and Paralympics, as well as the Olympic women’s soccer final. The Olympics will be held between July 24 and Aug. 9, 2020, followed by the Paralympics from Aug. 25 to Sept. 6.

new national stadium
tokyo 2020 olympics


U.S. charges Chinese hackers over giant 2015 Anthem data breach

Abstract: WASHINGTON - The U.S. Justice Department announced Thursday the indictment of members of “an extremely sophisticated” Chinese hacking group that allegedly stole the personal information of more than 78 million people from health insurer Anthem in 2015. The department said the group was behind a campaign that targeted the computer systems of four distinct U.S. industry groups, slowly and stealthily removing corporate secrets and personal data. “The allegations in the indictment unsealed today outline the activities of a brazen China-based computer hacking group that committed one of the worst data breaches in history,” said Assistant Attorney General Brian Benczkowski. The announcement came during heightened tensions between Washington and Beijing over trade and China’s alleged program to steal American corporate secrets in order to hasten its own technological development. The indictment named one member of the hacking group, Wang Fujie, 32, and said other members were also charged in the indictment, including some whose real identities were not known. The Justice Department did not say that the group had any connections to the government, and did not say how the stolen data was used. It said that besides the Anthem hack, the group was able to enter the systems of three other unnamed businesses including one in the technology sector, another in basic industrial materials, and one in communications. The hackers used phishing emails to trick company employees into opening a route for them to enter the firms’ systems. They would then install malware and other tools on the systems to maintain backdoor access and avoid being discovered so they could explore for valuable data. From health insurer Anthem they reaped the personal identification data on 78.8 million individuals — everything from addresses and identification numbers to their employment and income data. “The defendants sometimes patiently waited months before taking further action, eventually engaging in reconnaissance by searching the network for data of interest,” the Justice Department said. Wang and the unnamed defendants were charged with conspiracy to commit fraud, wire fraud, and intentionally damaging protected computers.


Break up Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg is too strong, says company's co-founder

Abstract: NEW YORK - One of the co-founders of Facebook called on Thursday for the social media behemoth to be broken up, warning that the company’s head, Mark Zuckerberg, had become far too powerful. “It’s time to break up Facebook,” said Chris Hughes, who along with Zuckerberg founded the online network in their dorm room while both were students at Harvard University in 2004. In an editorial published in The New York Times, Hughes said that Zuckerberg’s “focus on growth led him to sacrifice security and civility for clicks,” and warned that his global influence had become “staggering.” Zuckerberg not only controls Facebook but also the widely used Instagram and WhatsApp platforms, and Hughes said that “Facebook’s board works more like an advisory committee than an overseer.” Hughes, who quit Facebook more than a decade ago, was pictured in the newspaper together with Zuckerberg when both were fresh-faced students launching Facebook as a campus networking tool. He accused Facebook of acquiring or copying all of its competitors to achieve dominance in the social media field, meaning that investors were reluctant to back any rivals because they know they cannot compete for long. Zuckerberg “has created a leviathan that crowds out entrepreneurship and restricts consumer choice,” wrote Hughes, who is now a member of the Economic Security Project, which is pushing for a universal basic income in the United States. After buying up its main competitors Instagram, where people can publish photos, and WhatsApp, a secure messaging service, Facebook now has 2.7 billion monthly users across its platforms and made a first quarter profit of $2.43 billion this year. “The most problematic aspect of Facebook’s power is Mark’s unilateral control over speech. There is no precedent for his ability to monitor, organize and even censor the conversations of 2 billion people,” said Hughes. The company has been rocked by a series of scandals recently, including allowing its users’ data to be harvested by research companies and its slow response to Russia using Facebook as a means to spread disinformation during the 2016 U.S. election campaign. The company is reportedly expecting to face a fine of $5 billion. “The American government needs to do two things: break up Facebook’s monopoly and regulate the company to make it more accountable to the American people,” Hughes said, urging the government to break away Instagram and WhatsApp and prevent new acquisitions for several years. “Even after a breakup, Facebook would be a hugely profitable business with billions to invest in new technologies — and a more competitive market would only encourage those investments,” he said. Hughes said the breakup, under existing anti-trust laws, would allow better privacy protections for social media users and would cost U.S. authorities almost nothing. Hughes said that he remained friends with Zuckerberg, noting that “he’s human. But it’s his very humanity that makes his unchecked power so problematic.”

facebook
mark zuckerberg
social media
chris hughes
tech


Foreigners stage 'positive invasion' of Sicily in €1 home sale

Abstract: ROME - Bargain hunters from Argentina to China swooped on a €1 auction and snapped up 16 abandoned Sicilian homes in a foreign buying frenzy that was heralded on Thursday as a positive invasion of a dying hilltop town. Selling homes for token sums has become a popular, last-ditch strategy for tumbledown towns in Italy’s south, many of which are fighting de-population and decay. The 16 stone homes were put on sale in January, each for the price of an espresso, sparking a stampede of would-be buyers hoping to buy a holiday lifestyle with loose pennies and pesos. The town council announced the auction results on Wednesday and said that the successful buyers come from the United States, China, France, Britain, Russia and Argentina. “It was an invasion— but a positive one!” Sambuca’s deputy mayor, Giuseppe Cacioppo, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation after the auction results were made public. The abandoned homes were all directly owned by the municipality, which set a starting price of a euro each — with the caveat that each buyer must stump up at least €15,000 ($16,845) to renovate within three years, as well as hand over a refundable security deposit of €5,000. Images showed some of the homes on sale appeared short on windows and other basics, with fissured facades and wonky walls. But their curb appeal was clear — sleepy Sambuca is just 20 minutes from the sea and about an hour’s drive from the nearest airport, with Sicily a major tourist and foodie destination. One of a string of Italian towns seeking to lure in life as young residents flee to the city and older ones die, Sambuca is postcard-pretty but wears signs of its abandonment. After the house auction was featured on CNN Travel in January, Sambuca’s town council said it was inundated with about 100,000 emails from prospective buyers. “Within half an hour of the article going out, we started getting tens and then hundreds of emails,” Cacioppo said. The properties eventually sold for prices of between just under €1,000 and €25,000, Cacioppo said. A further 50 properties were sold on the private market, many to foreign buyers, to capitalize on the surge in outside interest, bringing in a combined total of nearly a million euro. Although most went to individuals, one was bought by the U.S. Discovery Channel, which intends to film the renovations in a show presented by U.S. actor Lorraine Bracco. “They’ve come from all over the world: America, China, Japan, Israel, Dubai, Russia, Norway, England. It’s transforming our town into a cultural centre and creating a tourist boom,” Cacioppo said. “Before people emigrated from Sicily to Europe and America. Now people are coming from Europe and America to live here.” Situated on a hillside in the Belice Valley in the southwest of the island, Sambuca in 2016 won the “Borgo dei Borghi” award for the most beautiful village in Italy. But the once thriving agricultural center has seen its fortunes dwindle and now has fewer than 6,000 inhabitants.


Billionaire Jeff Bezos unveil plans for moon presence

Abstract: WASHINGTON - Amazon tycoon Jeff Bezos said Thursday he is going to send a spaceship to the moon, joining a resurgence of lunar interest half a century after people first set foot there. Bezos said his space company Blue Origin will land a robotic ship the size of a small house, capable of carrying four rovers and using a newly designed rocket engine and souped-up rockets. It would be followed by a version that could bring people to the moon along the same time frame as NASA’s proposed 2024 return. Bezos, who was dwarfed by his mock-up of the Blue Moon vehicle at his presentation Thursday, said, “This is an incredible vehicle and it’s going to the moon.” He added, “It’s time to go back to the moon — this time to stay.” The announcement for the usually secretive space company came with all the glitz of an Apple product launch in a darkened convention ballroom bedazzled with shimmering stars on its walls. Astronauts and other space luminaries sat in the audience under blue-tinted lighting before Bezos unveiled the boxy ship with four long and spindly landing legs. Bezos, who also owns The Washington Post, walked off the stage without providing details, including launch dates, customers and the plan for humans on his rockets. He spent more time talking about his dream of future generations living on orbiting space station colonies than on concrete details about Blue Origin missions. Blue Origin officials gave conflicting answers to questions about when the company would land on the moon with and without people. Blue Origin Vice President Clay Mowry said 2024 was not a concrete goal for a mission with people and said it was more up to NASA as a potential customer. Former U.S. Rep. Robert Walker, a private space consultant who is working with Blue Origin, said it plans for a 2023 launch without people. Blue Origin in 2017 revealed plans to send an unmanned, reusable rocket, capable of carrying 10,000 pounds (4,500 kilograms) of payload, to the moon. The company had a successful launch earlier this month, reusing one of its New Shepherd rockets, which barely goes to the edge of space, for a fifth time. The new moon race has a lower profile than the one in the 1960s. It involves private companies, new countries and a NASA return mission to place astronauts back on the lunar surface by 2024. While a $30 million prize for private companies to send robotic probes to the moon went unclaimed last year, one of the competitors, from an Israeli private nonprofit, crashed last month as it tried to land. China has landed a rover on the moon’s far side. SpaceX last year announced plans to send Yusaku Maezawa, the founder of Japan’s major online fashion mall, Zozotown, around the moon in 2023. And the Israeli nonprofit said it will give it a second shot. The first successful moon landing was by the Soviet Union in 1966 with Luna 9, followed by the U.S. four months later. NASA put the first — and only — people on the moon in the Apollo program, starting with Apollo 11 in July 1969. “The next leap in space will be fueled by commercial companies like Blue Origin and commercial innovation,” said former Obama White House space adviser Phil Larson, now an assistant dean of engineering at the University of Colorado. Space companies have in the past made big announcements with goals that never came true. Former NASA deputy administrator Dava Newman, an MIT professor working as a customer of Blue Origin, said this time it is different. The new engine is the reason, she said, “it’s for real.”

jeff bezos
moon
space
blue origin
nasa
spacex
u.s .
planets
amazon.com
elon musk


Umbrella-sharing service in Japan taps 'internet of things' tech to reduce thefts and waste

Abstract: A startup company has successfully launched an umbrella-sharing service, mainly in Tokyo, using “internet of things” technology to reduce umbrella waste. Nature Innovation Group, founded by Shoji Marukawa, started the service in December, and it aims for the return of all rented umbrellas. Users of the service, called iKasa, register with NIG via the Line messaging app and check for iKasa spots closest to their locations. “ Kasa ” is Japanese for umbrella. The user goes to the stand, unlocks the umbrella of choice by scanning the QR code on its handle and checks it out. The service is available for ¥70 per day, paid via a registered credit card. The iKasa system has achieved the 100 percent return of rented umbrellas, since the registration of credit card numbers connects the umbrellas to the personal information of users. The Tokyo-based company has installed iKasa spots at some 100 stores, offices and other places that have formed partnerships with it. While 120 million to 130 million umbrellas are sold per year in Japan, 80 million or so plastic umbrellas are discarded annually, according to the Japan Umbrella Promotion Association and other sources. A range of organizations have previously failed in umbrella-sharing programs due to low return rates. When the Hokkaido Shinkansen line launched operations in March 2016, for example, the Hakodate Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other organizations in Hakodate, Hokkaido, made some 2,300 umbrellas available for free use by tourists. The tourism promotion program ended a year later because few of the umbrellas had been returned. A similar program was introduced by Shibuya Ward in Tokyo about a decade ago, but it failed to last long for the same reason. The iKasa service has overcome the problem of few returns because it addresses the issue as “a business,” Marukawa, 24, said. “We hope to operate across Japan as an infrastructure for rainy days.” Other companies are also addressing the waste of umbrellas. Dydo Drinco Inc., a soft drink-maker based in the city of Osaka, places free-use umbrellas next to its vending machines, mainly in office buildings and shopping streets, because many users return to such locations. Umbrellas for the service include those provided by railways from umbrellas left behind on trains and in stations. Dydo Drinco started the service in Osaka in 2015 and has since expanded it to Tokyo and 15 prefectures. In a related development, TBM Co. plans to shortly begin a sharing program at Tokyo-area train stations on a trial basis, using umbrellas made of Limex, a proprietary material it developed from limestone. The Tokyo-based venture said it developed the new material in line with global trends toward reducing plastic use for environmental protection.

umbrellas
tokyo
ikasa
dydo drinco
iot
sharing economy


Nikkei drops to 21,345 after U.S. hikes tariffs on China

Abstract: Stocks gave up early gains to finish lower for the fifth straight session Friday, hit by speculative selling prompted by U.S. tariff hikes on $200 billion worth of Chinese products. The 225-issue Nikkei average fell 57.21 points, or 0.27 percent, to end at 21,344.92 on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. On Thursday, the key market gauge dropped 200.46 points. The Topix index of all first-section issues was down 1.29 points, or 0.08 percent, at 1,549.42, after losing 21.62 points the previous day. From the outset of Friday’s trading, investors moved to buy back shares battered in recent sell-offs. Sentiment was brightened by media reports that U.S. President Donald Trump said he received a “beautiful letter” from Chinese President Xi Jinping and could have phone talks with the Chinese leader, brokers said, adding a rebound in Shanghai stocks also provided a buying incentive. But both the Nikkei and Topix indexes sank into negative territory when a wave of selling by short-term players hit the futures market and pricey cash stocks at around the time the Trump administration carried out the tariff hike, brokers said. The import duty was raised to 25 percent from 10 percent at 1:01 p.m. Japan time after the United States and China failed to find a solution to their trade dispute in the first round of the two-day ministerial-level negotiations in Washington on Thursday. Hiroaki Hiwada, strategist at Toyo Securities Co., offered the view that stocks resisted falling substantially. “The Tokyo market largely priced in the tariff increase” after the Nikkei lost more than 850 points in the three sessions from Tuesday, he pointed out. Investors took to the sell side in the afternoon, fearing the trade war between the world’s two largest economies would escalate given Beijing’s clear readiness to retaliate, said Hiroaki Kuramochi, chief market analyst at Saxo Bank Securities Ltd. But the Shanghai market rally suggests that a chance to strike a deal remains, Kuramochi said. Despite the market indices’ negative finishes, rising issues outnumbered falling ones 1,055 to 1,004 in the TSE’s first section and 81 issues were unchanged. Volume rose to 1.740 billion shares from Thursday’s 1.689 billion. Mitsubishi Motors nose-dived as its forecast for operating profit in the business year to March 2020 fell far short of the market consensus. Panasonic tumbled due to a profit warning for the same business year. Among other losers were technology investor SoftBank Group and Tokai Carbon. On the other hand, nonferrous metals producer Mitsui Kinzoku jumped thanks to a rosy projection for operating profit for that year. Air conditioner maker Daikin attracted purchases to snap a three-session losing streak. Also on the sunny side were clothing chain operator Fast Retailing and drugmaker Takeda. In index futures trading on the Osaka Exchange, the key June contract on the Nikkei average fell 70 points to end at 21,310.

stocks
tokyo stock exchange
tse
nikkei 225


Dollar hovers around ¥109.80 in Tokyo amid speculation on U.S.-China trade talks

Abstract: The dollar was trading slightly below ¥109.80 in Tokyo late Friday after trimming early gains following a hike in U.S. tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese products. At 5 p.m., the dollar stood at ¥109.76-76, up from ¥109.62-62 at the same time on Thursday. The euro was at $1.1225-1226, up from $1.1187-1187, and at ¥123.21-22, up from ¥122.64-64. The dollar gained some ¥0.10 to top ¥109.80 in early trading, lifted by media reports that U.S. President Donald Trump said he received a “beautiful letter” from Chinese President Xi Jinping and might speak with Xi about bilateral trade by phone. After the Tokyo stock market opened, the greenback gathered steam to retake ¥110 thanks to a rebound in the Nikkei average. But the tariff hike and China’s harsh threats of countermeasures sent the dollar below ¥109.70 in the afternoon. In late trading, the greenback firmed slightly on buybacks. “Although the dollar was prone to attract selling, investors were unable to drive it further down because all negative incentives had evaporated,” said an official at a foreign-exchange margin trading firm. Players were hoping to see the outcome of the ministerial-level trade negotiations in Washington, a think tank official said, adding that the possibility of the U.S.-Chinese talks continuing next week instead of ending Friday cannot be ruled out.

exchange rates
foreign exchange
forex
currencies
fx


Major engineering firm Chiyoda announces ¥180 billion bailout from Mitsubishi and MUFG Bank

Abstract: Chiyoda Corp., one of the world’s leading builders of liquefied natural gas plants, said Thursday it will receive a total of ¥180 billion from trading house Mitsubishi Corp. and MUFG Bank to turn around its finances. Under a reconstruction plan, Chiyoda will get a capital injection of ¥70 billion from the trading house through the issuance of preferred shares. Mitsubishi, the largest shareholder in the engineering company, will also provide ¥90 billion in long-term loans. “When accepting orders, (Chiyoda’s) risk analysis was very poor,” Mitsubishi President and CEO Takehiko Kakiuchi said at a news conference. “It was getting too many orders that exceeded its management resources.” MUFG Bank will offer ¥20 billion in subordinated loans, which can be incorporated as part of a company’s capital base because of the low priority for repayment. Preferred shares carry no voting rights but holders have priority in receiving dividends. According to the major plant engineering firm the preferred shares to be allotted to Mitsubishi can be converted to common stock, but the trading house is not currently planning to convert the shares for sale in the market. Asked about the possibility of making Chiyoda one of its consolidated subsidiaries, Kakiuchi said, “To be honest, I don’t have strong feelings about that. The goal is the company’s revival, and we are not aiming to control Chiyoda.” Also on Thursday Chiyoda reported a group net loss of ¥214.9 billion in the business year that ended in March, mainly due to additional costs for its large-scale LNG project in Louisiana in the United States. The net loss was a reversal from a profit of ¥6.45 billion in the previous fiscal year. It attributed the increased costs to additional construction work and low labor productivity. It recorded a group operating profit of ¥199.8 billion in fiscal 2018, deteriorating from an operating loss of ¥12.33 billion the year before, on consolidated revenues of ¥341.9 billion, down 33.1 percent. For the current business year, Chiyoda said it expects to book a group net profit of ¥6 billion and an operating profit of ¥12 billion on revenues of ¥390 billion. Chiyoda Corp. formally announced Wednesday the appointment of a corporate adviser from general trader Mitsubishi Corp., Chiyoda’s top shareholder, as its chairman and chief executive officer, effective June 25. The Mitsubishi adviser, Kazushi Okawa, 62, will lead the company’s turnaround efforts. Before taking on the advisory post in April, Okawa headed Mitsubishi’s infrastructure project and plant engineering departments. Current Chiyoda President and CEO Masaji Santo will become president and chief operating officer.

chiyoda
mitsubishi
mufg
lng
investments
financial results


Nissan to lower midterm sales goal, sources say, in shift from Ghosn's expansionary policy

Abstract: Nissan Motor Co. is planning to lower its midterm sales goal, in an apparent pivot from former Chairman Carlos Ghosn’s expansionary policy, sources with knowledge of the matter said Thursday. The automaker is expected to announce the downward revision on Tuesday, when it is scheduled to release financial results for the year that ended in March. In its midterm business plan, which was released in November 2017 when Ghosn was at the helm, Nissan set a goal of boosting sales by 30 percent to ¥16.5 trillion in the year ending in March 2023. The firm had sought to increase sales in emerging economies under the business plan, such as South American nations and India, as well as major markets including China and North America. In February, following Ghosn’s arrest in November last year, Nissan President and Chief Executive Officer Hiroto Saikawa signaled a departure from the former chairman’s excessive focus on expansion. Nissan has twice cut its earnings projections for the year ended in March due to falling vehicle sales globally. Ghosn, former chairman of both Nissan and its French alliance partner, Renault SA, has been indicted by Tokyo prosecutors on charges of financial misconduct. Ghosn has denied all charges. The alliance, which also includes Mitsubishi Motors Corp., plans to re-examine its goal of boosting its global vehicle sales to 14 million units in 2022 from some 10.75 million sold last year.

nissan
carlos ghosn
financial results
renault
scandals
carmakers


Japan enacts bill aimed at lowering mobile phone fees

Abstract: The Diet enacted a legal revision Friday aimed at lowering mobile phone fees and spurring competition in the country’s saturated telecoms market. Amid criticism that Japan’s carriers charge too much compared with those in other countries, the bill passed by the Upper House to amend the telecommunications business law bans carriers from offering plans that cover both the price of a mobile phone and connection fees in one package. For many years, carriers have discounted mobile device purchases in exchange for relatively high data fees — a practice that consumers and government officials have said makes it difficult to compare the fees charged by different firms. The issue captured the spotlight in August last year when Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the three major carriers — NTT Docomo Inc., SoftBank Corp. and KDDI Corp. — could reduce their fees by around 40 percent, as their rates were higher than in other countries and they generally log higher profit margins than firms in other industries. The three carriers control nearly 90 percent of the domestic mobile phone market. The new law will take effect as early as this fall after the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications compiles guidelines for fee plans. The government’s call on carriers to lower service fees has already borne some fruit. Industry leader NTT Docomo unveiled a new plan in April that will cut mobile phone charges by up to 40 percent, and also offered to separate handsets and service charges. NTT Docomo is looking to counter low-cost wireless service providers UQ Mobile and Ymobile, launched by domestic rivals KDDI Corp. and SoftBank Corp., respectively. Docomo does not have a budget service brand. Two of the country’s three major carriers — SoftBank and KDDI, which operates the au mobile service — say they already comply with the new rules and that they are also considering lowering fees. More than 60 percent of Japan’s population owned smartphones in 2017, with the figure rising to 84 percent if all mobile devices such as tablets are included, according to the ministry. The nation’s households spent an average of ¥100,250 on mobile fees in the same year, about 4 percent of their overall expenditures, according to data released by the ministry. Japan’s mobile fees are relatively high compared with other countries, with 20 gigabytes of data usage costing about ¥7,000 per month in Tokyo — the highest among comparable cities including New York, London and Seoul. Other changes made in the law include a registration requirement for mobile phone retailers that would give authorities greater oversight, and new penalties for companies that use misleading sales tactics. In April 2018 the government granted approval to e-commerce giant Rakuten Inc. to enter the business this October, a move expected to spur greater competition. The three big carriers have responded to past government calls for lower prices by offering new low-capacity plans, while focusing marketing efforts on luring heavy users away from rivals by making it easier to pay for more expensive smartphones that have the latest features. The focus has also turned to contracts that lock in users for multiple years, deterring defections to mobile virtual network operators that use leased capacity and offer significantly cheaper services. The government has exerted pressure on some longer-term contracts as well. In June 2018, the Fair Trade Commission said mobile phone contracts by KDDI and SoftBank may conflict with antitrust laws. The contracts in question allow customers to forgo paying the balance of a previous contract if they agree to buy a new phone and extend their contract for another two years, the FTC said. The warning to the companies was a follow-up to a report two years earlier admonishing them against misleading and complex service agreements.

phones
ntt docomo
softbank
kddi
smartphones


Uber stock set to launch at $45 a share in milestone for 'sharing economy'

Abstract: NEW YORK - Uber is set for its Wall Street debut Friday, with a massive share offering that is a milestone for the ride-hailing industry and the so-called sharing economy but which comes with simmering concerns about its business model. Shares will be priced at $45 for the initial public offering, valuing the startup at more than $82 billion, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. San Francisco-based Uber was set to begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the eponymous ticker “UBER” in one of the technology sector’s largest IPOs. Despite the eye-popping valuation, Uber dialed back some of its earlier ambitions for a value exceeding $100 billion after the rocky start seen by U.S. ride-share rival Lyft Inc. Analyst Daniel Ives of Wedbush Securities said Uber has the potential to be a game-changing company and “is paving a similar road to what Amazon did to transform retail/ecommerce and Facebook did for social media.” Uber has the potential to grow, Ives said, as it morphs its ride-sharing platform into a more diverse set of services, with Uber Eats, Uber Freight and self-driving vehicle initiatives. “We view Uber’s conservative pricing as a smart and prudent strategy coming out of the box as it clearly learned from its ‘little brother’ Lyft, and the experience it has gone through over the past month,” Ives wrote in a note to investors. But some of the risks surrounding Uber and its rivals were highlighted Wednesday as thousands of drivers turned off their apps in a U.S.-wide strike over pay and working conditions. The strikes targeting Uber and its U.S. rival Lyft highlighted a dilemma for ride-share firms, which have faced challenges from regulators and traditional taxi operators for using a business model that relies on independent contractors. One group protested outside the New York Stock Exchange with some signs reading “Invest in our lives — Not their stocks.” Uber and Lyft did not immediately comment on the protests. “While we aim to provide an earnings opportunity comparable to that available in retail, wholesale, or restaurant services or other similar work, we continue to experience dissatisfaction with our platform from a significant number of drivers,” Uber said in a filing with securities regulators. “In particular, as we aim to reduce driver incentives to improve our financial performance, we expect driver dissatisfaction will generally increase.” Ride-share companies maintain that drivers are able to thrive and maintain work flexibility, and that their business model would not work if drivers were treated as wage-based employees. Uber said in a securities filing Thursday that it had reached an agreement with a large majority of the roughly 60,000 drivers contesting their status as independent contractors and who had instituted arbitration proceedings against the firm. The company anticipates the total cost of the individual settlements, combined with attorneys’ fees, will fall between $146 million and $170 million. Uber maintained it was sticking to its plans on how it classifies drivers. “Our business would be adversely affected if drivers were classified as employees instead of independent contractors,” the company said. Global Equities Research analyst Trip Chowdhry predicted that Uber will eventually have to raise ride prices, causing its customers to seek other options. Uber will be raising up to $9 billion in its initial public offering, which is being underwritten by Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Bank of America Merrill Lynch and other large banks. Uber’s inauguration as a public company follows the rocky market debut of Lyft, which has lost more than 15 percent of its value since its March offering. Lyft’s losses in the past quarter widened to $1.1 billion, according to its first financial report as a public company. Revenue for California-based firm nearly doubled from a year earlier to $776 million, and the number of active riders grew to more than 20.5 million. Lyft said its losses deepened as a result of $894 million in costs that included stock-based compensation and related tax expenses in connection with its IPO. Uber envisions becoming the “Amazon of transportation” in a future where people share instead of owning vehicles. If all goes to plan, commuters could ride an e-scooter to a transit station, take a train, then grab an e-bike or another e-scooter to complete the journey using the Uber smartphone app. Uber is also taking to the sky with its Elevate project to have electric aircraft carry people between “skyports,” taking off and landing vertically.


Honda N-Box ranked top-selling car for 20th month in row

Abstract: Honda Motor Co.’s N-Box minivehicle topped Japan’s new-vehicle sales rankings for the 20th consecutive month in April, industry data showed Friday. The N-Box, however, saw sales fall 2.5 percent from a year before to 19,396 units. The top three in the listing were all minivehicles, with engine displacements of up to 660 cc. Ranked second was Suzuki Motor Corp.’s Spacia, with sales of 14,529 units, up 18.7 percent, followed by Daihatsu Motor Co.’s Tanto, with sales of 11,628 units, up 13.2 percent. Toyota Motor Corp.’s Prius hybrid, which was partially revamped late last year, rose to the fourth spot from eighth place the preceding month, with sales of 11,059 units, up 31.9 percent. The sales rankings were based on data from the Japan Automobile Dealers Association and the Japan Light Motor Vehicle and Motorcycle Association.

honda suzuki daihatsu toyota nissan carmakers


IHI vows to improve product safety in wake of jet engine inspection scandal

Abstract: IHI Corp. said Friday it will boost steps to ensure product safety after an inspection scandal revealed that jet engines and parts it made had been given improper inspections for a decade. The supplier to aviation giants Boeing Co. and Airbus S.A.S said one of the causes of the improper inspections had been traced to its priority of meeting delivery deadlines at a time when its jet engine business was expanding, a decision that led to a lack of safety awareness. IHI submitted the preventive measures to the transport ministry, which issued a business improvement order to it in April. IHI has confirmed it conducted more than 14,000 cases of improper maintenance work at its plant in Tokyo. These included uncertified workers who participated in inspections. The heavy machinery maker said it is recalling two engines and 58 parts and plans to complete the work by the end of the month. IHI said the products being recalled will have “no immediate effects on safety” but decided to recall them to prevent problems related to long-term use. IHI also said management had “excessive expectations” for field workers without trying to determine the real situation on the ground. Under the preventive measures, the company said it will hold workplace meetings on safety on a regular basis and appoint a safety manager for its jet engine maintenance operations. To prevent inspectors from coming under excessive pressure to meet deadlines, those who were working in the manufacturing section will be transferred and integrated into the quality-control division, IHI said. “We will ensure that preventive measures are conducted and make efforts to work as one to regain trust,” the company said. In its three-year business plan through March 2022, released Wednesday, the company said it will put the highest priority on quality and safety, including by enhancing the commercial jet engine maintenance segment by using digitization technology. IHI is among a slew of manufacturers embroiled in scandals over poor quality control, including Nissan Motor Co. and Kobe Steel Ltd.


Overseas shareholders in Lixil Group withdraw extraordinary meeting request after chairman says he'll quit

Abstract: Foreign institutional investors in Lixil Group Corp. said Thursday they have withdrawn their request for an extraordinary shareholders meeting that was based on a proposal to dismiss Chairman Yoichiro Ushioda, after the chairman announced his intention to quit. In the request the four investors, including U.K.-based Marathon Asset Management, questioned the leadership appointments announced in autumn last year in which Kinya Seto was dismissed as chief executive officer and Ushioda replaced him. The four had sought the dismissal of Ushioda and Chief Operating Officer Hirokazu Yamanashi, who took over the post of president from Seto last month. Their request, made in March, was withdrawn because both Ushioda and Yamanashi announced in April their intention to quit the board of the maker of housing equipment. In a statement, the four investors said the departures from the board would not fully resolve the corporate governance problem at Lixil Group. It is necessary to elect a new management team without being pressured or influenced inappropriately, the statement said, requesting that the influence of founding family member Ushioda, in particular, be cut off. Seto, who still sits on the board, aims to return to the company’s top leadership. As a shareholder, he will submit a list of director nominees who support him, at a regular shareholders meeting in June.


Panasonic expects net profit to fall 29.6% on sluggish China sales and auto battery investment

Abstract: Panasonic Corp. said Thursday it expects its group net profit to fall 29.6 percent to ¥200 billion ($1.82 billion) for the current fiscal year, which ends next March, dragged down by sluggish sales in China and hefty investment in the auto battery segment. Group sales are projected to slip 1.3 percent to ¥7.90 trillion, as demand for electronic parts and industrial components is expected to remain slow in China amid the country’s heightening trade friction with the United States. It is uncertain how big an impact additional U.S. tariffs on imports from China will have on its customers, Panasonic Chief Financial Officer Hirokazu Umeda said at a news conference. U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration raised duties on $200 billion of Chinese goods from 10 percent to 25 percent on Friday. The company forecast its group operating profit would also decrease 27.1 percent to ¥300 billion, even as it expects to book a gain of around ¥90 billion related to a planned merger of its housing business with that of Toyota Motor Corp. The figures projected for fiscal 2019 suggest Panasonic will report a decline in sales and net profit for the first time in three years. The company expects sales of auto batteries to remain solid in the current fiscal year. But costs to boost output at its battery plants in the city of Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, and Dalian in China will leave its automotive business, which generates a fifth of its total sales, unprofitable. Panasonic has shifted its focus to auto batteries as a core business to meet growing demand for components for hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles. It provides batteries to U.S. electric carmaker Tesla Inc. In January this year the company said it will form a joint venture with Toyota by the end of 2020 to manufacture and sell batteries for EVs, seeking to catch up with rival Chinese and South Korean makers. Panasonic President Kazuhiro Tsuga said that profitability in the auto battery segment remained low, with upfront investment having taken a heavy toll in the past three fiscal years. The company was not able to raise its production of batteries for Tesla’s Model 3 electric sedan at their Gigafactory plant in Nevada as planned because the electric carmaker repeatedly postponed its vehicle output schedules. The company’s “response to business risks was insufficient,” Tsuga said, referring to the repeated delays in Tesla’s production plans. Tsuga was cautious about investing further in the factory’s output. “The most important point is to ensure production at full capacity at Gigafactory,” the president said. Under the housing business tie-up with Toyota, outlined separately Thursday, the two companies will set up a joint venture in January 2020 for creating next-generation lifestyles where homes and vehicles are connected to the internet. For the fiscal year that ended in March, Panasonic said its group net profit rose 20.4 percent to ¥284.15 billion largely due to one-off gains from changes in the company’s pension and retirement system for employees. The electronics maker posted a group operating profit of ¥411.50 billion in the fiscal year, up 8.1 percent from the year before, on sales of ¥8 trillion, a 0.3 percent gain.


Subaru reveals annual profit halved in fiscal 2018, releases earnings early by mistake

Abstract: Subaru Corp. said Friday its operating profit for the past year has halved after it suffered a string of setbacks including production delays and mounting recalls. Japan’s seventh-biggest automaker released its results hours ahead of schedule after it inadvertently uploaded its financial results on its website earlier than planned. The company initially withdrew the material, but not before social media noticed, sending its shares down more than 2 percent after the error. The results, officially released at 10:25 a.m. instead of the scheduled 1 p.m., showed operating profit had fallen 48.5 percent to ¥195.53 billion ($1.78 billion) in the year ended in March, in line with analysts’ estimates. “We deeply apologize for the trouble this has caused,” the maker of Legacy sedans and Forester sport-utility vehicle crossovers wrote in an emailed statement about the early release. For the year through March 2020 Subaru expects operating profit to jump 33 percent to ¥260 billion, under international accounting standards it is adopting from this year, as it expects vehicle sales to recover and rise 5.8 percent to 1.058 million units. Under the previously used Japanese accounting standards, operating profit would rise 28 percent to ¥250 billion, it said. Last year’s dismal results were weighed down by costs related to production delays, after the discovery of a defective steering component stopped output at its sole assembly plant in Japan for two weeks earlier this year. Subaru has also been facing mounting costs related to vehicle recalls in Japan after it admitted to cheating on domestic quality inspections, while slowing sales in the United States — its biggest market — also hurt its bottom line. The firm’s recent production- and quality-related issues are the side effects of its rapid growth following a ramp-up in output in the United States over the past few years to keep up with booming demand for its rugged-looking models. The firm for years raked in higher sales in the United States with its popular all-wheel-drive cars but sales have plateaued in the past year, snapping a five-year winning streak. As the smallest of Japan’s major automakers, Subaru is also struggling to invest in and develop the lower-emissions vehicles and on-demand transportation services necessary to survive ongoing technological upheaval in the global auto industry. As a result, it has formed a partnership with Toyota Motor Corp. under which it will use vehicles technologies developed by its bigger, deeper-pocketed rival, including lower-emission plug-in hybrid systems, in Subaru vehicles.

subaru
recalls
financial results
carmakers


Two of Ghosn's former aides avoid indictment through plea bargain deal with Tokyo prosecutors

Abstract: Prosecutors have decided not to indict two former close aides to ousted Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn after they agreed to a plea bargain in relation to alleged financial misconduct, sources close to the matter said Friday. The former aides — a foreign executive at Nissan and a former executive at the automaker’s secretariat — have cooperated with investigators by providing documents relevant to allegations that Ghosn had underreported his remuneration for years. They reached the agreement between October and November, according to the sources, in what appears to be the second such deal since Japan introduced the plea bargaining system in June last year. They could still be examined in court as witnesses, as Ghosn’s lawyers are expected to argue that their confession statements should not be admitted as evidence. Ghosn, 65, along with Greg Kelly, 62, a former Nissan director, has been indicted for allegedly underreporting his remuneration between fiscal 2010 and 2017 as around ¥7.8 billion ($71 million) when it was actually ¥17 billion. Ghosn has been indicted four times since his initial arrest in November. He is also suspected of transferring private investment losses to Nissan’s books, among other allegations. Ghosn has denied all the allegations against him.

plea bargaining
nissan
carlos ghosn
courts
corruption
scandals
carmakers


Italian ships rescue 66 migrants off Libya, posing new standoff over safe-haven port

Abstract: ROME - Sixty-six migrants were rescued in international waters off Libya on Thursday during two separate operations carried out by the Italian navy and a charity ship, raising the likelihood of a new standoff over which port will take them in. The first group of 36 migrants was picked up by the navy’s Cigala Fulgosi patrol ship around 75 nautical miles off the Libyan coast as part of Italy’s “Mare Sicuro” (“Safe Seas”) operation. A navy statement said those on board, including two women and eight minors, were in “mortal danger” as their makeshift craft had taken on water, adding that they had been rescued “in line with Italian and international law. In the evening, the Italian charity rescue ship Mare Jonio said it saved 30 people, including five minors and a pregnant woman, about 40 nautical miles off the Libyan coast. “We asked the Italian MRCC (Italian Maritime Rescue Coordination Center) for a safe port,” the aid group SOS Mediterranee, which charters the Mare Jonio, tweeted. Hard-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, currently campaigning for EU elections, warned he would not allow the migrants to be disembarked in Italy. “A military ship which will have to assume its responsibility through its selected ministry is one thing, but a private vessel or one belonging to a social center, like the Mare Jonio, is another,” a spokesman for Salvini said. “For them, the ports will remain closed.” Italy’s populist government has taken an increasingly hard line on migration, and Salvini, head of the anti-immigrant League party, last month signed a new directive banning charity vessels from rescuing migrants off Libya. Charity ships have drawn fire from Rome by attempting on occasion to stop migrants being taken back to crisis-hit Libya, which human rights organizations say is not safe for repatriations. After Italian concerns that recent violence in Libya will spark an exodus of people determined to seek safety in Europe, Salvini has warned Italian ports are closed to those attempting perilous Mediterranean crossings. Last August, dozens of migrants aboard the Italian coast guard vessel Diciotti were stranded in a Sicilian port before Salvini allowed them to disembark saying several bishops had agreed to take them in. An accord was reached with the Catholic Church to have Ireland and Albania take some of the migrants. Salvini faced a judicial investigation into his role in the initial stand-off, but the Italian senate blocked a criminal case against him. The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organization for Migration meanwhile urged “international solidarity” to be shown to the 36 migrants, adding that returning the group to Libya in its current volatile state would violate international law.

italy
libya
matteo salvini
eu
mediterranean
refugees
immigration
marine accidents


U.S. threatens 'swift and decisive' response to any attack by Iran

Abstract: WASHINGTON - Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday threatened a “swift and decisive” U.S. response to any attack by Iran, in the latest of a series of escalating statements and actions. “The regime in Tehran should understand that any attacks by them or their proxies of any identity against U.S. interests or citizens will be answered with a swift and decisive U.S. response,” Pompeo said in a statement. “Our restraint to this point should not be mistaken by Iran for a lack of resolve,” he said. The United States has already announced the deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group and nuclear-capable bombers to the region, saying it had information of plans for Iranian-backed attacks. The moves have frightened some European allies as well as President Donald Trump’s Democratic rivals, who fear the administration is pushing for war based on hyped-up intelligence. Pompeo, however said: “We do not seek war.” “But Iran’s 40 years of killing American soldiers, attacking American facilities, and taking American hostages is a constant reminder that we must defend ourselves,” said Pompeo, referencing the 1979 Islamic revolution that transformed Iran from close U.S. ally to sworn foe. Iran on Wednesday said it would suspend some commitments under a 2015 nuclear accord rejected by Trump, frustrated that renewed US sanctions have prevented the country from enjoying the economic fruits of compliance with the deal.

iran
mike pompeo
donald trump
democrats
u.s .


San Francisco teacher with breast cancer forced to pay for substitute

Abstract: SAN FRANCISCO - Parents at an elementary school in San Francisco have expressed outrage after learning that a teacher suffering from cancer and on sick leave is having to pay the school district for her substitute. The second-grade teacher at Glen Park Elementary is off sick with breast cancer for the rest of the year and has been paying nearly $200 a day for her replacement, in accordance with state law, local news reports said. “Parents were outraged and incredulous — like, this can’t be,” Amanda Fried, who has a daughter in kindergarten and another in third grade, told the San Francisco Chronicle. “There must be some mistake.” A school district spokeswoman, however, told AFP that the payment was not unusual and was in line with state law. “This is not unique to San Francisco,” Laura Dudnick said in a statement. “This is not a district-only rule.” Dudnick explained that teachers in the district get 10 days of sick leave a year and can carry over those sick days year after year if they don’t use them. Once those sick days are exhausted, teachers are then eligible for 100 days of extended sick leave, during which they are entitled to their full pay, minus the cost of a substitute. On learning about the little-known provision in the state’s education code, horrified parents last month began raising money for the popular teacher, who has asked that her name not be disclosed. A GoFundMe campaign has raised nearly $14,000 and some of the children are planning bake sales to raise more funds. “I just feel sad that from what I heard, she is a very good teacher and I just feel sad what’s going on (with) her,” Narciso Flores-Diaz, a parent, told NBC Bay Area on Wednesday. “Our school is pulling together to help her and to make her feel that she’s not alone.” The GoFundMe page says that parents are supporting the 17-year veteran teacher as “she has nurtured our children and now it is time for us to take care of her.” “Just a few days after her surgery, she took the time to write out 22 completely personalized notes to the students in the class thanking them for their support, telling them she missed them dearly and encouraging them to continue working hard,” the campaign said. The head of the union that represents the teachers said the issue might be part of the next round of bargaining talks. “As always, we look forward to making improvements in this and other parts of the contract,” Susan Solomon, president of the United Educators of San Francisco, told the Chronicle.

san francisco
cancer
schools
u.s .
california