Trump defends tariff strategy as China says it's 'not afraid of a trade war'

Abstract: WASHINGTON/BEIJING - U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday defended the use of tariffs as part of his trade strategy while China vowed a tough response if the United States insists on escalating trade tensions amid ongoing negotiations. “Tariffs are a great negotiating tool,” Trump tweeted, one day after saying he was ready to impose another round of punitive tariffs on China. On Monday, the Republican president said he would raise tariffs on Chinese imports further if he cannot make progress in trade talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit later this month. Trump has repeatedly said he is getting ready to meet Xi at the summit in Osaka at the end of June, but China has not confirmed it. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang again would not be drawn into confirming a Xi-Trump meeting at G20, saying information would be released once it was available to the foreign ministry. “China does not want to fight a trade war, but we are not afraid of fighting a trade war,” he said, adding China’s door was open to talks based on equality. “If the United States only wants to escalate trade frictions, we will resolutely respond and fight to the end.” Last week, Trump said he would decide after G20, the meeting of the leaders of the world’s largest economies, whether to carry out a threat to impose tariffs on an additional $300 billion in Chinese goods. Trump is buoyed by his self-declared victory following a days-long battle with Mexico after he threatened to impose tariffs unless Mexican authorities did more to stem the migrant flow to their shared border. The two fights have pitted the Trump administration against its top two trading partners. Tensions between Washington and Beijing flared in May after the Trump administration accused China of reneging on promises to make structural economic changes during months of trade talks. The United States is seeking sweeping changes, including an end to forced technology transfers and theft of U.S. trade secrets. It also wants curbs on subsidies for Chinese state-owned enterprises and better access for U.S. firms to Chinese markets. On May 10, Trump raised tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods to 25% and took steps to levy duties on an additional $300 billion in Chinese imports. Beijing retaliated with tariff hikes on a revised list of $60 billion in U.S. goods. U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross on Tuesday downplayed the likelihood of resolving the dispute at the G20 summit, saying it would not be “a place where anyone makes a definitive deal.” “At the G20, at most it will be … some sort of agreement on a path forward, but certainly it’s not going to be a definite agreement,” Ross told CNBC. Terry Branstad, the U.S. ambassador to China, is scheduled to meet with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence in Washington later Tuesday amid the ongoing negotiations. The U.S. government has also angered China by putting Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., the world’s biggest telecom equipment maker, on a blacklist that effectively bans U.S. companies from doing business with the Chinese firm. Investors worry China will retaliate by putting U.S. companies on a blacklist or banning exports to the United States of rare earth metals, which are used in products such as memory chips, rechargeable batteries and cellphones.

tariffs
china
trade
trade war
donald trump
xi jinping
g20
wilbur ross
u.s .


States sue to block $26.5 billion Sprint-T-Mobile deal, citing consumer harm

Abstract: NEW YORK - A group of state attorneys general led by New York and California filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday to block T-Mobile’s $26.5 billion bid for Sprint, citing consumer harm. The state attorneys general said the merger would hurt competition and drive up prices for cellphone services. They said the promised benefits, such as better networks in rural areas and faster service overall, cannot be verified, while eliminating a major wireless company will immediately harm consumers. New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement that combining the two companies would “cause irreparable harm to mobile subscribers nationwide by cutting access to affordable, reliable wireless service for millions of Americans.” She said the deal would particularly affect lower-income and minority communities in New York and other urban areas. The other attorneys general joining Tuesday’s lawsuit are from Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Virginia and Wisconsin. All 10 attorneys general are Democrats. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court in New York. It’s an unusual step by the state attorneys general ahead of a decision by federal antitrust authorities. The Justice Department’s decision is pending. The Republican majority of the Federal Communications Commission supports the deal. T-Mobile declined comment. Sprint and the Justice Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Amanda Wait, an antitrust lawyer and former Federal Trade Commission lawyer, said states could be suing if they expect the Justice Department to come to a different conclusion than they have reached. One famous example of when the states and federal government diverged on a big antitrust case was in the fight against Microsoft, although that was not a merger case. Several states dissented from the Justice Department’s settlement roughly 20 years ago. T-Mobile and Sprint have argued that they need to bulk up to upgrade to a fast, powerful 5G mobile network that competes with Verizon and AT&T. The companies are appealing to President Donald Trump’s desire for the U.S. to “win” a global 5G race. Consumer advocates, labor unions and many Democratic lawmakers worry that the deal could mean job cuts, higher wireless prices and a hit to the rural cellphone market. T-Mobile and Sprint announced the deal more than a year ago, saying their combined pocketbooks and holdings of “spectrum,” or the airwaves that carry cellphone signals, could result in a better 5G network than what either company could build on its own. It’s an assessment several Wall Street analysts have agreed with. The U.S. is in a politically sensitive race with China to be on top as this technology is developed and implemented. The two companies previously tried to combine during the Obama administration but regulators rebuffed them. They resumed talks on combining once Trump took office, hoping for more industry-friendly regulators. T-Mobile has a reputation for consumer-friendly changes to the cellphone industry. T-Mobile and Sprint led the return of unlimited-data cellphone plans, for example. T-Mobile, trying to reassure critics, promised the FCC it would build out a 5G network and invest in rural broadband on a specific time frame or pay penalties. It also promised to sell off Sprint’s prepaid Boost Mobile brand and keep price increases on hold for three years. That was enough for FCC Chairman Ajit Pai to back the deal. The other two Republican commissioners indicated they would join him to seal the agency’s formal approval for the deal, which is still pending. Public-interest advocates said these conditions did not address the deal’s main criticisms — higher prices in the long run and less wireless competition — and would be difficult for regulators to enforce. The Justice Department evaluates deals using stricter criteria than the FCC’s “public interest” standard — namely whether they harm competition and raise prices for consumers. Staff attorneys at DOJ have reportedly told the companies they won’t approve the deal as proposed, but the ultimate decision lies with Makan Delrahim, the top antitrust official, who was a political appointee. Tech conglomerate SoftBank owns Sprint, while Germany’s Deutsche Telekom owns T-Mobile.

states
sprint
t-mobile
consumers
merger
democrats
5g
donald trump
fcc
ajit pai


Japan to allow foreign students to apply to switch visa and start their own companies

Abstract: The government on Tuesday made a decision on a regulatory reform measure to allow foreign students to start their own companies. With the revision, foreign students will be able to switch their residence status while at university to one that allows them to undertake entrepreneurial activities. The measure was decided on at a meeting of the Council on National Strategic Special Zones, chaired by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. It will be included in a new growth strategy to be approved at a Cabinet meeting in late June. The government hopes that the measure will help increase the number of enterprises launched by foreign nationals, mainly in areas outside Tokyo. At present, non-Japanese staying on a student visa cannot start a new business unless they quit or graduate from their schools, go back home and then receive a visa allowing for such an activity. The government also decided on a measure to enable employers to pay salaries through smartphone payment services, mainly to meet the needs of foreign workers.

foreign students
immigration
startups
expats
entrepreneurs


Summer bonuses at major Japanese firms down 2.52% from previous year

Abstract: The average summer bonus at major companies this year declined 2.52 percent from a year earlier to ¥971,777, down for the first time in two years, an initial tally by the Japanese Business Federation showed Tuesday. Labor unions’ requests to raise pay scales, rather than bonuses and other lump-sum payments, and sluggish growth in corporate earnings are thought to be factors behind the decrease, according to the tally by the top business lobby, also known as Keidanren. “The momentum of pay increases is continuing” as the average figure surpassed ¥900,000 for the fifth consecutive year on an initial tally basis, a Keidanren official said. The average bonus dropped 2.29 percent to ¥942,306 at 75 manufacturers and 3.31 percent to ¥1,340,275 at eight nonmanufacturers, according to the tally. Of 15 industries covered by the tally, four saw an increase and 11 experienced a decrease. By industry, the labor-hungry construction sector posted the highest amount, at ¥1,560,672, followed by the automobile sector at ¥1,023,095. The tally covered 251 major companies from 21 industries that are listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s first section and have at least 500 workers. The final tally will be disclosed in late July.


Surprise gain in Japan's machinery orders masks cooling investment outlook

Abstract: Machinery orders unexpectedly rose for a third straight month in April, signalling solid business investment, although analysts expect an intensifying Sino-U.S. trade war and global slowdown to hurt capital spending plans in the coming quarters. The upbeat data may solidify expectations that a planned sales tax hike will go ahead in October and offers some support for an economy hampered by faltering exports, slowing corporate earnings and factory activity. Cabinet Office data released Wednesday showed core machinery orders, a highly volatile data series regarded as an indicator of capital spending in the coming six to nine months, increased 5.2 percent in April from the previous month. It marked the biggest gain since last October and compared with economists’ median estimate of a 0.8 percent decline in a Reuters poll. In March, orders rose 3.8 percent. Capital spending has been a bright spot in the world’s third-largest economy, driven by investment in high-tech equipment and labor-saving technology to cope with a labor crunch in its aging society, as well as refurbishing demand for upgrading old plants and equipment. All the same, firms may turn cautious about boosting investment if uncertainty over the global economy and the bruising U.S.-China trade dispute persist, analysts say. Underscoring the pressure on export-reliant Japan, external orders— which do not account for core orders — tumbled 24.7 percent month-on-month in April, reversing from the prior month’s 9.0 percent gain and posting the biggest drop since November 2015. “We think that rising uncertainty over the economic outlook will result in a slowdown in business investment growth over coming quarters,” said Marcel Thieliant, senior Japan economist at Capital Economics. Washington and Beijing have been locked in a tit-for-tat tariff war for nearly a year, which has curbed global trade and upended supply chains ranging from Asia to Europe, undermining Japan’s exports and factory output. Investors expect exporters’ earnings will remain under pressure. Companies are likely to report a 1 percent drop in pretax profits this fiscal year through March, Daiwa Securities said last month. Big companies such as factory robot-makers Yaskawa Electric Corp. and Fanuc Corp., as well as Mitsubishi Electric Corp. and trading house Mitsui & Co., have blamed the trade war and China’s slowdown as they cut profit forecasts. Still, solid domestic demand could dampen speculation that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe may once again postpone a twice-delayed sales tax hike to 10 percent from the current 8 percent in October. The Cabinet Office data comes a week before the Bank of Japan holds its policy-setting meeting on June 19 and 20. The BOJ has vowed to continues its massive easing for at least another year in a nod to the rising economic strains, though the April headline numbers should be a confidence-booster for its view that domestic demand will pick up the slack left by weak exports. The Cabinet Office raised its assessment of machinery orders, saying they are showing a pick-up, compared with its previous view that they were stalling. “Investment remains on an upward trend overall,” said Takumi Tsunoda, senior economist at Shinkin Central Bank Research Institute. “Investment sentiment of businesses isn’t as weak as thought by the market.” Wednesday’s data showed core orders from manufacturers jumped 16.3 percent month on month in April, boosted by internal-combustion engines, chemicals, transport and construction machinery. Nonmanufacturers’ orders rose 1.2 percent in April led by computers. Compared with a year earlier, core orders, which exclude ships and electricity utilities, rose 2.5 percent in April, versus a 5.3 percent drop seen by economists, the Cabinet Office data showed.

machinery orders
investments
trade war
china
u.s .
consumption tax


Uber names Melbourne as first non-U.S. city for flying car program

Abstract: WASHINGTON - Uber on Tuesday selected Melbourne, Australia, as the first non-U.S. city for its aerial ridesharing service that is expected to launch in 2023, as it unveiled new partners for the ambitious initiative. Melbourne was named the third official pilot city for Uber Air, joining Dallas and Los Angeles. Test flights are to start in 2020 with commercial operations planned for 2023. The news came at the Uber Elevate Summit in Washington, where the California-based ride-hailing giant offered new details on its vision for flying taxis as a way to ease traffic congestion and improve urban mobility. “Australian governments have adopted a forward-looking approach to ridesharing and future transport technology,” said Susan Anderson, Uber’s manager for the region that includes Australia. “This, coupled with Melbourne’s unique demographic and geospatial factors, and culture of innovation and technology, makes Melbourne the perfect third launch city for Uber Air. We will see other Australian cities following soon after.” Since first announcing its plan for shared aerial transport, Uber has been adding new partners and details for the initiative. This week, Uber announced it was adding new aircraft partners to the program, including Pennsylvania-based Jaunt Air Mobility, which will produce a rotor- and fixed-wing light aircraft. Uber also revealed and air taxi cabin design in collaboration with French engineering group Safran. “Together with Safran Cabin, we’ve designed for the first time in history, a bespoke aircraft cabin that is truly mission-driven for aerial ridesharing on Uber Air,” said John Badalamenti, Uber Elevate’s head of design. Uber also displayed the concept Bell Nexus flying quadcopter vehicle unveiled this year, expected to be part of the Uber fleet, and new designs for its “skyports” that will make up the network for the aircraft. The Uber Air service is designed to work in tandem with Uber’s car service as a “multimodal” option that helps speed passengers to their destinations. The aerial option will be included on the Uber smartphone app that will include ground and air transportation and pool travelers into one aircraft. Uber last week announced a first step toward the aerial rideshare program, a helicopter service to New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport from lower Manhattan. Uber chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi said earlier Tuesday that the helicopters will eventually be replaced “by a generation of electrically powered vertical takeoff and landing vehicles.” Khosrowshahi said Uber’s large user base can help stimulate demand for aerial ridesharing. “We want to get the industry moving and designing these vehicles so that they can be available for urban transportation,” he said in an on-stage interview sponsored by the Economic Club of Washington. He added that “we want a pricing of this service that will be available for the masses versus just the elites.” Eric Allison, head of Uber Elevate, told the conference the electric aircraft are “surprisingly efficient” and similar in cost to the standard UberX car service. “It will be something like $6 per seat mile,” Allison said. “We think we can do better than the price of UberX.”

uber
melbourne
flying cars
australia
uber air
transportation
u.s .
aviation


Microsoft XCloud game service to offer free streaming to phones

Abstract: SAN FRANCISCO/SEATTLE - Microsoft Corp. said a new service that will let users play video games from their Xbox consoles on their smartphones will be offered for free. The service, which will be rolled out starting in October, is one part of the company’s new xCloud game-streaming strategy. The other piece will let gamers without access to a console play games using Microsoft’s cloud — the company will store and run the games, and deliver them to players over the internet — for a fee. “It’s about the games you love, the games you already have, with the friends you already have, on the go wherever you want to be on the device you have,” Matt Booty, vice president of Xbox game studios, said during an interview from the E3 conference in Los Angeles. Booty declined to disclose the pricing of the second part of xCloud, except to say that it will be competitive with offerings from Alphabet Inc.’s Google, whose Stadia game-streaming service will go for $10 a month, and Ubisoft Entertainment SA, which unveiled a $15 monthly service. At a news conference ahead of the trade show on Sunday, Microsoft gave the first details on its next-generation console, code-named Project Scarlett. The company said the device will be four times more powerful than the current Xbox One X, thanks to an Advanced Micro Devices Inc. processor that allows speeds of 120 frames per second. Booty declined to comment on pricing for the upcoming console, which goes on sale in 2020, but said the company wants to create a premium product for gamers. “It will absolutely be the most powerful, immersive console on the market,” he said.

microsoft
xcloud
streaming
phones
video games
xbox
google
project scarlett


Bottled water giants back new global plan to cut plastic waste

Abstract: BARCELONA, SPAIN - The world’s biggest yoghurt maker, Danone, and food packaging giant, Tetra Pak, are among companies leading a global scheme to reduce plastic waste, launched on Tuesday, as public concern rises over the environmental damage caused by rubbish. The 3R Initiative — also backed by Swiss food giant Nestle, which owns Perrier and Vittel bottled waters, and French utility Veolia — aims to reduce, recover and recycle more plastic waste by helping companies measure and reach pollution-cutting goals. “We wanted to create a mechanism that could incentivize new and expanded collection and recycling of waste plastic,” said Julianne Baroody, a director at U.S.-based nonprofit Verra which will craft new standards for measuring plastic waste. Companies are trying to improve their environmental record, as consumers become increasingly aware of the damaging impact of plastic, with millions of tonnes of food packaging and bottles ending up in landfills and oceans each year. Baroody told the Thomson Reuters Foundation that Danone — which produces the popular mineral water brand Evian — had asked for help to meet its recycling targets. Danone’s goal for 2025 is for every piece of its packaging to be reusable, recyclable or compostable, up from 77 percent of its plastic packaging in 2017, its website said. Evian has also pledged to make all its plastic bottles from 100 percent recycled plastic by 2025, up from 25 percent at present. The 3R initiative plans to create by 2021 tradable “plastic credits” to support recycling projects in developing nations, on similar lines to carbon offsets, although it aims to be more rigorous in setting rules for the credits, Baroody said. Verra runs the world’s largest voluntary carbon credit market, which allows approved projects to turn their greenhouse gas emissions reductions into tradable credits, the group said on its website. Projects that support recycling in developing countries will be vetted and registered and then issued with credits, according to the amount of plastic recovered or reused. These could then be bought by large firms with goals like using 100% recycled plastic in their products, as many are tough to meet due to a lack of available materials and the transition time needed, Baroody said. The money paid for the credits would go to the plastic projects, for example to improve conditions and pay for poor waste pickers and recyclers in Brazil. More than a dozen pilot credit-issuing projects will be developed in “plastic leakage hot-spots” in Latin America, Africa and Southeast Asia, the 3R Initiative said.

bottled water
water
plastic
waste
danone
tetra pak
recycling
oceans
pollution
eu


Tokyo stocks drop for first time in four sessions

Abstract: Stocks fell for the first time in four trading sessions on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Wednesday, hurt by an overnight loss in U.S. equities and lingering concerns over an uncertain future in the U.S.-China trade dispute. The 225-issue Nikkei average dropped 74.56 points, or 0.35 percent, to end at 21,129.72, after advancing 69.86 points Tuesday. The Topix index of all first section issues finished down 7.10 points, or 0.45 percent, at 1,554.22. It gained 8.38 points the previous day. The market started lower, battered by the drop on Wall Street. The Nikkei soon recovered to the sunny side, thanks to buybacks, mainly of machinery-related stocks. Brokers said that investors bought back such stocks after the Cabinet Office announced Wednesday morning that Japan’s seasonally adjusted core machinery orders in April rose 5.2 percent from the previous month. The index, however, failed to extend gains and moved sluggishly around Tuesday’s closing level before slowly slipping deeper into negative territory in afternoon trading. The Topix cut early losses and climbed up into positive territory in midmorning trading, but it soon fell into the minus side. Brokers said that the market was weighed down by uncertainties over the future of the U.S.-China trade war, after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Monday that his country will impose tariffs on China if Chinese President Xi Jinping does not meet him during a Group of 20 summit in Japan. An official of a bank-affiliated securities firm noted that the topside of the market was limited by concerns over the negative effects on the Japanese machinery industry of the trade dispute. Machinery orders data released in the morning were for April, not May, when the trade conflict intensified. Weak Shanghai stocks also hurt Tokyo market sentiment, brokers said. On the other hand, the market was supported by buybacks, they said. Investors avoided active buying and selling in the afternoon amid a dearth of new trading incentives, leaving market activity slow, brokers said. Noting that the Chinese government has remained silent on Trump’s statement, Yoshihiko Tabei, chief analyst at Naito Securities Co., said, “There are no strong buying incentives as there is no progress in U.S.-China talks to resolve their trade war.” Falling issues outnumbered rising ones 1,329 to 717 in the TSE’s first section, while 95 issues were unchanged. Volume increased to 1.056 billion shares from Tuesday’s 1.002 billion shares. Technology investor SoftBank Group Corp. dropped 2.4 percent after a group of U.S. state attorneys general filed a lawsuit to block a planned merger of fourth-ranking U.S. mobile phone carrier Sprint Corp., which is affiliated with SoftBank, and third-ranking T-Mobile US Inc. Other major losers included industrial robot producer Yaskawa Electric Corp. and supermarket chain Kobe Bussan Co. By contrast, trading house Itochu Corp. closed up 2.14 percent, in response to its announcement on Wednesday of its plan to buy back its own shares. Among other major winners were clothing store chain Fast Retailing Co. and automotive goods retailer Autobacs Seven Co. In index futures trading on the Osaka Exchange, the key June contract on the Nikkei average lost 90 points to end at 21,120.


Costly cabs: Japanese taxis have second-highest fares worldwide, research finds

Abstract: Well-dressed and sporting jackets and white gloves, Japanese taxi drivers chauffeur locals and tourists to their destinations in comfortable, air-conditioned cars with doors that open automatically. But comfort comes at a steep price: Japan has the second-highest taxi fares in the world. According to research commissioned by Taxi2Airport.com, an online reservation and booking website for airport transfers worldwide, and compiled using euros, a 5-kilometer ride in Japan costs €15.64 (¥1,920 yen), the highest after No. 1-ranked Switzerland’s €22.68. Germany ranked third with €13.80. Egypt was the cheapest at €0.84, followed by India and Thailand. Malaysia and Mexico have the fifth and sixth cheapest fares, respectively, with fees below €2 for a 5-km ride. At that rate, a taxi ride from Tokyo Station to Takasaki Station in Gunma Prefecture, for example, would cost €50, roughly the same price as the Green Car first-class bullet train service. A taxi ride of the same distance would cost about ¥38,000 in Japan. Taxis are an essential transportation mode in Japan for foreign visitors carrying luggage or with young kids, but also for busy Japanese workers who miss the last train of the night. Ride-hailing services have not made significant inroads in the domestic transportation industry. Notteco and Uber, two of the biggest ride-hailing firms in the country, only offer a limited service. Notteco connects a registered driver who wants to save on fuel costs with low-budget travelers, while the government allows Uber to be used in specific rural areas where there are no sufficient alternative transportation services available. In addition, Uber also serves the Uber Black chauffeured service using professional drivers. According to the Japan Federation of Hire-Taxi Associations, the total number of taxi users declined by 66 percent to about 1.45 billion people in 2016 from its peak in 1970.

taxis
taxi fare
switzerland
germany
india
malaysia
mexico


Three contact lens makers raided in Japan over alleged violations of Antimonopoly Law

Abstract: The Fair Trade Commission raided three contact lens makers Tuesday for allegedly forcing retailers not to list prices on their advertisements in violation of the Antimonopoly Law, it was learned Tuesday. The antitrust watchdog’s on-site inspections covered Alcon Japan Ltd., CooperVision Japan Inc. and Seed Co. All of them are based in Tokyo. The three are suspected of forcing retailers not to list the prices of some disposable contact lenses on flyers or online ads, and effectively banning them from selling certain products online. The makers are believed to have put pressure on retailers that failed to follow their instructions, telling them through wholesalers that the supply of products to them might be suspended. On their flyers and other ads, retailers used such phrases as “special prices” and “10 percent cuts from shop prices” for some products, without indicating what they were priced as, informed sources said. Price competition is intense among disposable contact lens retailers as users tend to continue buying the same products. The three companies apparently attempted to prevent prices of their products from falling as a result of the competition, thereby securing profits, the sources said. Johnson & Johnson K.K., the industry leader in Japan, was warned by the FTC in 2002 over a similar practice and ordered to halt the practice in 2010. The Antimonopoly Law bans companies from imposing conditions that unfairly restrict operations of their business partners. The contact lens market in Japan is worth some ¥230 billion on a shipment value basis, according to the Japan Contact Lens Association. Over 90 percent of the products used in Japan are disposables, and online sales are growing, according to the association. The three makers admitted that their offices have been searched by the FTC, adding they will fully cooperate with the investigations.

advertising
alcon
coopervision
contact lenses
ftc
cartels
seed co .


In wake of info leak, Nomura Holdings shareholders urged to reject CEO's re-election bid

Abstract: Nomura Holdings Inc. shareholders should vote against the reappointment of its long-standing chief executive officer after Japan’s biggest brokerage was penalized for leaking market-sensitive information, according to Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. CEO Koji Nagai “should be held responsible for the information leakage incident” and so his re-election to the board isn’t warranted, the influential proxy adviser wrote in a report on its recommendations for voting at Nomura’s annual shareholder meeting scheduled for June 24. Japan’s financial regulator ordered Nomura to improve internal controls last month following revelations that its employees leaked nonpublic information on potential changes to listing criteria on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The firm was dropped from bond deals and missed out on a key role managing a $12 billion equity offering in the wake of the incident. Nagai, 60, took a 30 percent pay cut for three months, but vowed to stay on as CEO. The leak has complicated Nagai’s efforts to turn around the company after it posted its first annual loss in a decade last fiscal year. Shares of Nomura have tumbled 14 percent this year as investors question whether his plans to cut $1 billion in costs from its global wholesale business and modernize its retail franchise will bear fruit. ISS is also advising shareholders to vote against the re-election of Chairman Nobuyuki Koga, citing the information leak and lax governance, along with board member Mari Sono, who it says isn’t sufficiently independent because she used to work for Nomura’s auditor. A spokesman for Tokyo-based Nomura wasn’t immediately able to comment. Shareholders voted overwhelmingly in favor of Nagai at last year’s meeting, when he received about 96 percent of ballots, a company filing shows. An employee at Nomura’s research affiliate, who was on a Tokyo Stock Exchange panel considering an overhaul of listing sections, leaked information on the potential threshold for the changes to a strategist at the firm’s main securities unit. Nomura employees then shared the information with institutional clients. The firm’s systems for managing information were inadequate and staff lacked awareness of compliance, the Financial Services Agency said when it imposed the business improvement order last month. Nagai pledged to strengthen compliance and prevent a recurrence. The FSA likened the leak to an insider trading scandal that engulfed the firm in 2012 and led Nagai’s predecessor to resign. Nagai’s almost seven-year reign makes him Nomura’s longest-serving CEO in more than 30 years.

nomura
nomura holdings
brokerages
institutional shareholder services
koji nagai


Nissin to use eco-friendly plant-based plastics for instant noodle cups

Abstract: Nissin Food Products Co. said Tuesday that in December it will start to use eco-friendly plant-based plastics for packaging for its mainstay Cup Noodle instant ramen products. The company plans to complete the shift by the end of March 2022. Nissin aims to raise the proportion of renewable materials used in its noodle cups to 81 percent from 71 percent by replacing some plastics made of petrochemical materials with plastics derived from plants. The major food-maker is considering using such environmentally friendly plastics for other products as well.

nissin
plastic
instant noodles
food
renewables


Advisory firm urges shareholders to vote against Nissan CEO Saikawa for 'clean break' from Ghosn

Abstract: A leading proxy advisory firm has urged Nissan Motor Co. shareholders to vote against the reappointment of its chief executive as a director, heaping more pressure on Hiroto Saikawa as he struggles to find accord with alliance partner Renault SA. The move marks a rare public rebuke by an international proxy firm against the chief executive of a top-tier Japanese firm. It underscores the precarious position of Saikawa, who was groomed for leadership by ousted Chairman Carlos Ghosn but appears unable to mend the wide rift with Renault — a relationship one source said appeared to be in jeopardy. Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. recommended that shareholders vote against Saikawa as director at Nissan’s annual general meeting this month, to ensure a “clean break” from the Ghosn era. The former chairman, first arrested in November, is awaiting trial on financial misconduct charges. He denies all the charges against him. “When the company needs to break from the past and build a strong board with fresh members, the re-election of Hiroto Saikawa, who has been on the board for 14 years and worked closely with Carlos Ghosn, does not appear appropriate,” Institutional Shareholder Services said in a research note. The firm also advised shareholders to vote against the nomination of Moto Nagai to Nissan’s board, saying the former executive of Mizuho Financial Group Inc. served as an independent auditor at Nissan during Ghosn’s tenure and “shares responsibility” for failing to exercise oversight of Ghosn’s alleged wrongdoing. Nissan declined to comment on the recommendations. Another proxy adviser, Glass Lewis & Co., similarly told shareholders not to vote for Saikawa, the Nikkei newspaper said. Saikawa needs the support of at least half of voting shareholders at the June 25 meeting to be reappointed. Glass Lewis did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Renault’s recent push to block a governance overhaul at Nissan has put the Franco-Japanese automaking alliance in jeopardy, a person familiar with Nissan’s thinking said. The two-decade-old partnership was plunged into fresh crisis this week after Renault signaled it would block its partner from adopting planned governance reforms unless the French automaker received more say in the new system. Nissan has publicly called that demand “most regrettable.” “I have to say that they are endangering the alliance. They have to be very careful not to antagonize Japanese people, shareholders,” the person said, referring to Renault. “Renault has been saying the alliance is important and irreversible but what they are trying to do is to break the alliance,” the person said, declining to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue. By abstaining from the governance vote, Renault would effectively block the new governance system — which includes three committees — as adoption requires two-thirds approval. The rift lays bare the deep strain between the two automakers, whose alliance has been under pressure since Ghosn’s arrest. What’s at stake now may be even bigger than their vast alliance, which includes Mitsubishi Motors Corp. Renault and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV are looking for ways to resuscitate a collapsed merger plan and secure Nissan’s approval for that deal, Reuters reported this week. Nissan is, therefore, poised to urge Renault to significantly cut its 43.4 percent stake in Nissan, Reuters has reported. Nissan recently said it would abstain from voting on the FCA-Renault merger, although both FCA and Renault later blamed the failure the secure that deal squarely on the French government.

nissan
hiroto saikawa
renault
mitsubishi motors
fiat chrysler
carmakers


Renault's Jean-Dominique Senard weakened as Macron snubs meeting, say sources

Abstract: PARIS - French President Emmanuel Macron has turned down a request to meet Renault chairman Jean-Dominique Senard, who is furious over the government’s interference at the carmaker, sources told Reuters, raising questions over Senard’s future. News of the rebuff came as Renault shareholders met on Wednesday to endorse Senard’s January appointment to replace Carlos Ghosn, the ousted leader of the Renault-Nissan alliance. Senard, whose bid to merge with Fiat Chrysler (FCA) over Nissan’s reservations was scuppered by French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, unsuccessfully sought a meeting with Macron to secure his backing, four government and company sources said. Seven months after Ghosn’s arrest on financial misconduct charges — which he denies — the alliance he forged is on life support. Nissan refused to study a full Renault tie-up proposed by Senard, and wants to weaken its 43.4 percent shareholder’s grip. Instead, Senard then tabled an FCA-Renault deal proposal developed without Nissan’s knowledge. But FCA Chairman John Elkann withdrew the offer after France, Renault’s biggest shareholder, blocked the June 5 board vote and demanded more time to secure Nissan’s endorsement. Days later, in a third risky move that caused outrage in Japan, Senard vowed to block governance reforms introduced by Nissan after the Ghosn scandal unless Renault gets more seats on the Japanese firm’s powerful new board committees. Renault sources say Senard’s exasperation deepened when Le Maire, seeking to smooth tensions from the sidelines of a weekend G20 meeting in Japan, publicly discussed a possible cut to France’s 15 percent Renault stake or even Renault’s Nissan holding. Senard felt further undermined by Le Maire’s surprise pronouncements and told colleagues he expected to be “backed up from the highest level of government”, according to one. But Macron’s office declined a proposed sit-down, the sources said. “There is no meeting with Senard on the president’s agenda,” an Elysee official said on Wednesday. Renault declined to comment. But sources close to the chairman played down the rebuffed meeting request and said he was determined to stay put. Senard and Macron “communicate regularly by text message”, one said, and the French head of state is extremely busy with other matters. “Senard is on top form for his shareholders’ meeting and is resolved to continue.” France is not seeking to replace Senard, another government source said. “He may have taken some bad advice, and he should clearly have made more personnel changes for Renault to move on” from the Ghosn era, he added. Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa and Renault CEO Thierry Bollore, Ghosn’s former second-in-command who was promoted in January, barely speak and are now seen as clear irritants to the relationship, French official and company sources say. “Senard has become well aware of this,” said a person familiar with his thinking. “So we’ll see how things evolve after the shareholder meeting.” Saikawa’s position also appears more fragile, after two leading investment advisory firms recommended a vote against his reappointment at the Japanese carmaker’s June 25 shareholder gathering. The recommendations may boost the chances of Saikawa’s exit, although a vote against him remains unlikely. Under a 2015 amendment to alliance shareholder pacts, Renault is required to support the Nissan board’s proposal to renew his mandate.

renault
jean-dominique senard
emmanuel macron
carmakers
nissan
fiat chrysler
france
mergers


Sharp calls U.S.-China trade war an 'opportunity' to expand business

Abstract: Sharp Corp. said Tuesday trade frictions between the United States and China could provide an “opportunity” to expand its business with Chinese companies, in contrast to many other manufacturers who have voiced concerns. Sharp CEO and Chairman Tai Jeng-wu said at a news conference the U.S.-China trade dispute would have only a “small” impact on its operations. While 68 percent of its products are manufactured in China, only 3.8 percent of them, including personal computers and printers, are produced for the U.S. market, he said. The company plans to shift production of its computers, produced by its subsidiary Dynabook Inc., from China to Vietnam and Taiwan, Tai said, after the United States unveiled a plan in mid-May to slap tariffs of up to 25 percent on $300 billion worth of Chinese products, including laptops. As some of Sharp’s corporate clients may be affected by the U.S. tariffs, the company expects a 1.2 percent fall in group sales for the current business year through next March, according to the chief executive, who was sent from the Taiwanese parent Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. in 2016 to revive the struggling display manufacturer. Executive Vice President Yoshihisa Ishida also talked about Sharp’s business strategy at the news conference, saying the company is looking for new opportunities to expand business-to-business operations. Regardless of the trade war between the world’s two largest economies, “Chinese companies are expected to expand their businesses elsewhere such as in Japan. Such moves are already apparent, so we are trying to expand our business by supplying new products to them,” Ishida said. “We view the U.S.-China trade frictions not as a risk or a danger but as an opportunity,” he said. Sharp also said Tuesday it would complete on June 21 a buyback of preferred shares worth ¥97.07 billion ($893 million) issued to Mizuho Bank and MUFG Bank, which invested a total of ¥200 billion in Sharp through a debt-for-equity swap bailout in 2015. Sharp bought back and wrote off ¥85.1 billion of preferred stocks in January. These shares do not carry voting rights but typically provide higher dividend yields. Sharp’s ¥200 billion of preferred shares can be converted to common stocks on July 1. “We are happy that we would be able to write off the preferred stocks in three years,” Ishida said. Tai reiterated his intention to stay on as chairman until the end of fiscal 2021 and look for his successor both internally and externally. “I still have not found the appropriate person,” he added. He said he would take on an executive role at Hon Hai on a part-time basis. Tai was once considered to be among potential candidates to replace Hon Hai chairman Terry Gou, who has thrown his hat in the ring for Taiwan’s next presidential election.

sharp
china
trade
trade war
tai jeng-wu
computers
dynabook
electronics


Japan's Mos Burger to open first restaurant in the Philippines

Abstract: MANILA - Burger chain operator Mos Food Services Inc. will open its first Philippines outlet by the end of March 2020, in partnership with a local dining chain. The company plans to establish Mos Burger Philippines Inc. this year alongside the Philippines’ Tokyo Coffee Holdings Co., targeting 50 stores by the end of the 2027 business year, Hubert Young, president of Tokyo Coffee, said in an interview Monday. Tokyo Coffee, which operates restaurants offering Japanese food in the Philippines, is a business arm of major feed and flour-maker General Milling Corp. Tokyo Coffee will own 65 percent of the joint venture and Mos Food 35 percent. The two companies aim to cash in on the growing middle class in the Philippines. Mos Food’s entry in the Southeast Asian country is its first foray into a foreign market in seven years, following South Korea in 2012, it said. “They feel that the opportunity to enter and propagate a Japanese burger chain is timely for the Philippines,” Young said. Foreign fast-food chain giants such as McDonald’s Corp. and Burger King Corp. have been struggling in recent years to compete with local rival Jollibee. “I don’t think we would want to … compete with any of them” because Mos Burger is different, as it uses a “cook-to-order” method and offers “healthy, fresh” food, Young said. It operated 1,308 stores at home and 375 outlets in eight foreign markets as of the end of last month, according to its website.


Mexico forms migrant control team and says National Guard deployment is just the beginning

Abstract: MEXICO CITY - Mexican officials said Tuesday they are beginning deployment of the country’s new National Guard for immigration enforcement, an accelerated commitment of a 6,000-strong force made as part of an agreement with the United States to head off threatened U.S. tariffs on imports from Mexico. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and Foreign Relations Secretary Marcelo Ebrard also announced that a team of five officials, including a general and a prison director, has been formed to implement the immigration plan. Ebrard said that Gen. Vicente Antonio Hernandez Sanchez, commander of the Tapachula military zone near the border with Guatemala, will begin a tour of the south “to speed up the deployment in the area.” The main objective is to register migrants, offer them options for regularizing their immigration status and return those who don’t want to register, he added. Ebrard did not mention detentions, which have risen notably in recent months, but said there is a need to expand and improve overcrowded immigration facilities that operate as de facto detention centers. Another deployment is going to the frontier with the United States to attend to migrants who have been returned to Mexico while their asylum claims are processed in U.S. courts. As part of the deal reached last Friday with Washington, Mexico agreed to an expansion of the program known as Migrant Protection Protocol, though the United States has run into its own logistical obstacles to ramping it up. There have been more than 11,000 returns by migrants to Mexico under MPP since it launched in January, according to the most recent figures from the Mexican government. Mexico’s National Guard is a newly formed force tasked with policing rising insecurity. It is separate from the military and is legally supposed to be under civilian command, though it is largely made up of current or former soldiers and federal police.

mexico
immigration
tariffs
andres manuel lopez obrador
guatemala
u.s .
refugees
donald trump


Trump says he's looking at protections for Venezuelans in U.S.

Abstract: WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump says his administration is considering granting Temporary Protected Status to thousands of Venezuelans who have fled to the United States amid ongoing unrest. The once-wealthy oil nation is now facing severe shortages of basic goods and hyperinflation. Trump says the situation in Venezuela is a horrible thing that’s “been brewing for a long time.” TPS is granted to people from countries ravaged by natural disasters or war and lets them remain in the U.S. until the situation improves back home. The Trump administration has moved to discontinue that protection for many countries. But when the president was asked Tuesday about TPS for Venezuelans, he says “we’re looking at that very seriously.” Two congressional panels have advanced bills granting protections to Venezuelans, which conflicts with Trump’s tough-on-immigration stance.

venezuela
donald trump
u.s .
immigration
refugees
nicolas maduro


Ghana security forces free two kidnapped Canadians

Abstract: ACCRA - Ghanaian security forces on Wednesday freed two young Canadian women who had been kidnapped at a golf club in the city of Kumasi last week, the government said. “National Security Operatives in the early hours of Wednesday 12 June, 2019 completed an operation which successfully rescued the two Canadian women recently abducted” in Kumasi, Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said in a statement. “Citizens and travelers are once again assured that Ghana remains safe.” The Canadians, aged 19 and 20, were abducted on June 4 in Kumasi, Ghana’s second largest city, located some 200 kilometers (125 miles) northwest of the capital Accra. They had been traveling in an Uber with a third Canadian woman. When they reached their destination, the pair got out of the taxi first and were taken. The third woman then went to alert the police with the Uber driver. Police said the women were volunteers with Youth Challenge International, a Canadian international development organization headquartered in Toronto. Abductions and violent crime towards foreigners are relatively rare in Ghana. Last year, three Ghanaian women were kidnapped in the southern port of Takoradi. In April this year, an Indian man was reportedly abducted, also in Kumasi, by an armed gang demanding a cash ransom. He was swiftly rescued by police. The Estonian consul was also briefly abducted in April, but released soon after. Local media quoted President Nana Akufo-Addo this year as warning that action must be taken to make sure kidnapping “doesn’t become a feature of our society.” “Our brothers and sisters in Nigeria have known it,” Akufo-Addo said. “But we have not known it in this country, and we need to do something about it, to make sure that it doesn’t become a feature of our society.” Police on Tuesday briefly arrested Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, the chairman of the largest opposition party, in connection with kidnappings. He was later released but ordered to report back to the Criminal Investigations Department on Thursday, according to a post on the official police Twitter account. Ghana, a nation of some 30 million people, has long been seen as a bulwark of stability in a region struggling to contain multiple groups of Islamist fighters. Tourism plays a big role in its economy, accounting for around 5 percent of GDP. The country hosts more than 1.3 million visitors a year, pitching the image of a friendly country with palm-fringed beaches. Many visitors, especially from North America, also come to see the grim reminders of the slave trade. Kumasi, the historic capital of the Ashanti kingdom, is a favorite destination. Britain’s heir to the throne, Prince Charles, visited the Manhiyia royal place last November with his wife Camilla.

ghana kidnapping police terrorism canada


Russian police detain at least 94 at Moscow journalist protest

Abstract: MOSCOW - Russian police detained at least 94 people on Wednesday, including opposition politician Alexei Navalny, at a protest in Moscow calling for punishment for police officers involved in the alleged framing of a journalist, monitors said. Police abruptly dropped drugs charges a day earlier against journalist Ivan Golunov, a rare U-turn by the authorities in the face of anger from his supporters who said he was framed for his reporting. Golunov, a 36-year-old journalist known for exposing corruption among Moscow city officials, was detained by police last Thursday and accused of dealing drugs, an allegation he flatly denied. The crude way supporters said Golunov was set up and detained triggered an unusual show of media unity and an uncharacteristically swift reversal from authorities nervous about social unrest at a time when President Vladimir Putin already faces disquiet over living standards. The authorities had hoped freeing Golunov and promising punishment for those who allegedly framed him would appease his supporters’ anger, but his colleagues decided to go ahead with a protest on Wednesday, a public holiday in Russia, regardless. The authorities had warned them in advance that the demonstration would be illegal and could pose a risk to public safety. Under Russian law, the time and place of protests involving more than one person needs to be agreed with the authorities in advance. Organizers of Wednesday’s event had demanded that Moscow city officials negotiate those terms with them during a live broadcast, something officials refused to do. OVD-Info, a monitoring group, said police had detained at least 94 people, some of them by force. A witness saw at least three police officers bundle opposition politician Alexei Navalny into a truck.

russia
police
moscow
protests
alexei navalny
corruption
media
censorship
journalism


Uganda confirms first Ebola case outside outbreak in Congo

Abstract: KAMPALA - A child in Uganda has tested positive for Ebola in what is the first cross-border case of the deadly virus since an outbreak started in neighboring Congo last year, Uganda’s health ministry said late Tuesday, in a blow to efforts by health workers who for months sought to prevent contamination across the heavily traveled border. The patient, a 5-year-old Congolese boy, has been isolated at a hospital in a district near the Congo border, Ugandan Health Minister Jane Aceng told reporters. The announcement puts new pressure on the World Health Organization to declare the Ebola outbreak — the second-deadliest in history — a global health emergency. In April a WHO expert committee decided that the outbreak, while of “deep concern,” was not yet a global health emergency. International spread of a disease as contagious as Ebola is one of the major criteria WHO considers before declaring a situation to be a global health emergency. The Congolese boy crossed into Uganda on June 9 with his family through the Bwera border post, WHO said in a statement. He sought treatment at Kagando hospital and was transferred to Bwera Ebola treatment unit, WHO said. Confirmation of Ebola was made on Tuesday by the Uganda Virus Institute. “The ministry of health and WHO have dispatched a rapid response team to Kasese to identify other people who may be at risk,” WHO said. There have been more than 2,000 confirmed and probable cases of the Ebola virus in Congo since August, with nearly 1,400 deaths. The disease is spread mainly through contact with the bodily fluids of those infected. For the first time an experimental but effective Ebola vaccine is being widely used, and Uganda has vaccinated nearly 4,700 health workers, WHO said. Uganda has had multiple outbreaks of Ebola and other hemorrhagic fevers since 2000.


Marijuana health claims lure patients as science catches up

Abstract: SEATTLE - Marijuana has been shown to help ease pain and a few other health problems, yet two-thirds of U.S. states have decided pot should be legal to treat many other conditions with little scientific backing. At least 1.4 million Americans are using marijuana for their health, according to an Associated Press analysis of states that track medical marijuana patients. The number of medical marijuana cardholders more than tripled in the last five years as more states jumped on the bandwagon. The analysis is based on data from 26 states and the District of Columbia. The total climbs to 2.6 million patients if California, Washington and Maine are included, AP estimates. States that expanded the use of medical pot for common ailments such as severe pain, post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety saw a boost in enrollment, AP found. The U.S. government, meanwhile, both considers marijuana an illegal drug and a therapeutic herb worth more study. A look at the health claims and research on medical marijuana: THE EVIDENCE Besides chronic pain, there’s strong evidence marijuana or its ingredients can ease nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy and help with symptoms of multiple sclerosis. Several European countries have approved Sativex, a mouth spray containing THC and CBD, for multiple sclerosis symptoms. Last year, U.S. regulators approved Epidiolex, made from CBD, to treat two rare seizure disorders. THC causes marijuana’s mind-altering effect; CBD doesn’t get people high. British drugmaker GW Pharmaceuticals is seeking U.S. approval for Sativex. Other companies are pursuing Food and Drug Administration backing for products based on marijuana ingredients. Arizona-based Insys Therapeutics, which filed for bankruptcy protection Monday as it faced fallout over its marketing of an addictive opioid painkiller, is developing CBD drugs for two types of childhood epilepsy and a rare genetic disorder. Pennsylvania-based Zynerba Pharmaceuticals is working on a CBD skin patch for autism and fragile X syndrome, a genetic condition. Prescription drugs already on the market use synthetic THC to treat weight loss, nausea and vomiting in patients with AIDS or cancer. And researchers continue to study whether marijuana helps with PTSD, back pain and other problems. OPIOID ALTERNATIVE? New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New Mexico allow medical marijuana for opioid addiction despite little evidence it works. But marijuana may be helpful in reducing use of opioid painkillers. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, better known for its research on herbs and yoga, has set aside $3 million for studies to determine which of marijuana’s 400-plus chemicals help with pain. THC was excluded however. Its mood-altering effects and potential for addiction and abuse make it less useful for pain, said Dr. David Shurtleff, the agency’s deputy director. And THC has been studied more than the lesser-known compounds. CURE FOR CANCER? Despite online claims, there’s only weak evidence that marijuana’s ingredients might one day be used to treat cancer. Most studies have been in animals or in the lab. Results have been mixed. In one study, nine patients with an aggressive form of brain cancer had THC injected into their tumors; any effect on their survival was unclear. Another study found worrying evidence that marijuana might interfere with some cancer drugs, making them less effective. RESEARCHING AN OUTLAW MEDICINE The U.S. government grows marijuana for research at a farm in Mississippi and generally bans grant-funded studies of real-world products. But a mobile lab inside a white Dodge van allows University of Colorado Boulder researchers to study the potent strains of marijuana many patients consume without running afoul of the law. Study participants use marijuana in their homes, coming to the van for blood draws and other tests before and after using, said Cinnamon Bidwell who has federal grants to study marijuana’s effects on lower back pain and anxiety. With increased demand for research pot, the Drug Enforcement Administration created an application process for growers, but has not acted on more than two dozen applications. Such challenges are common for scientists studying an outlaw medicine, said Dr. Igor Grant, who directs the oldest marijuana research center in the U.S. at the University of California, San Diego. There, scientists are studying marijuana chemicals for children with autism and adults with a brain disorder that causes uncontrollable shaking. Established by state law in 2000, the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research once relied solely on California for funding. The center now has support from private foundations, a sign of growing public acceptance of the research. TRACKING PATIENTS Minnesota medical marijuana patients must regularly fill out surveys about their symptoms and side effects. That allows researchers to study how people with cancer react to marijuana. In one study, a third of cancer patients made only one purchase and didn’t come back during a four-month period. They may have died, or decided marijuana was too expensive or didn’t work. Of the rest, most reported improvements in vomiting, pain, disturbed sleep, anxiety and depression with few side effects. Marijuana can ease many symptoms “all at one time,” but more study is needed, said study co-author Dr. Dylan Zylla of the health care system HealthPartners. He has no financial ties to cannabis companies. Zylla is studying whether cancer patients can decrease their prescription opioid use while using marijuana. Marijuana “does seem to help patients,” he said, “but so much is unknown about the risks, side effects and drug interactions.”

marijuana
drugs
opioids
cancer
medicine
u.s .
disease


Climate change seen posing threat to global peace in next 10 years

Abstract: LONDON - Climate change poses a threat to peace in countries around the world in the coming decade, according to an annual peace index released on Wednesday that factored in the risk from global warming for the first time. Nearly a billion people live in areas at high risk from global warming and about 40 percent of them are in countries already struggling with conflict, said the Australia-based Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP). Climate change causes conflict due to competition over diminishing resources and may also threaten livelihoods and force mass migration, it said. “Going forward, climate change is going to be a substantial problem,” said Steve Killelea, executive chairman of the IEP. “We can actually get a much better idea of which countries are most at risk, what are the types of risk and what would be the level of impact before it leads to a break or an implosion within the country.” In 2019, the world became very slightly more peaceful for the first time in five years, said the IEP, which used data from groups including think tanks, research institutes, governments and universities to compile the index. However, it remains significantly less peaceful than 10 years ago due to factors including conflicts in the Middle East, a rise in terrorism, and increasing numbers of refugees. The index assigns each country a score between one and five, where one is the most peaceful and five is the least, based on 23 indicators ranging from homicide levels to weapons imports. The effects of climate change can create a “tipping point,” exacerbating tensions until a breaking point is reached, particularly in countries that are already struggling, said Killelea. Tackling entrenched conflicts may also help countries cooperate better on global warming, he said. “Unless we have a world which is basically peaceful, it will be impossible to get the levels of trust and cooperation necessary to solve these problems,” he said. Experts at global research organization the World Resources Institute praised the inclusion of climate change as a factor in conflict risk. “We know that environmental degradation and water stress can lead to hunger, famine and displacement, and combined with economic and political instability, can lead to migration and conflict,” said Manish Bapna, managing director of the WRI. “The fact that climate change is now part of the Global Peace Index underscores how multifaceted this threat is and how quickly we need to act.”

climate change
conflict
refugees
immigration


Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says U.S. won't obstruct international curbs on plastic pollution

Abstract: WASHINGTON - Secretary of State Mike Pompeo promised Tuesday that the United States would not scuttle international efforts to curb plastic pollution, amid complaints that Washington is impeding the growing consensus on the need to clean up the world’s oceans. When asked at a Senate hearing if the United States was holding back international efforts to make headway on the issue, Pompeo said: “This is important. This is a priority.” “I hope my team’s not dragging their feet,” he added. “We ought not be doing that, and I will do more than discourage it if in fact I find that’s the case,” Pompeo said, without promising specific policy actions. About 8 million tons of plastic end up in the oceans each year, killing or injuring a million birds and more than 100,000 marine mammals, according to U.N. figures. Pompeo was responding to Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, who said that U.S. lawmakers across party lines agreed on the need to curb plastic pollution. “Yet I keep reading news clips that say where we’re negotiating on these issues internationally, it’s always the U.S. that is dragging on that,” said Whitehouse, a Democrat. Last month, around 180 governments — but not the United States — agreed in talks in Geneva to create a legally binding framework to regulate plastic waste. The United States did not vote as it is not party to the Basel Convention, a U.N. treaty reached in 1989 that regulates the movement of hazardous waste. But environmental activists say that the United States discouraged other countries from toughening the Basel treaty, arguing that more time is needed. Japan, like the United States a major plastic consumer, has voiced hope for an agreement on reducing the waste when it welcomes world leaders for the Group of 20 summit in Osaka later this month. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Monday that his country would ban single-use plastics from 2021, including bags, straws, cutlery and plates.

mike pompeo
plastic
pollution
oceans
osaka
g20


Britain targets zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, most ambitious goal yet among G7

Abstract: LONDON - Britain will toughen its climate targets and commit to reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, the government said late on Tuesday, becoming the first G7 nation to set such a goal. The country currently aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent from 1990 levels by 2050. However, campaigners say this does not go far enough to meet pledges made under the 2015 Paris climate agreement to try to limit a rise in global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. “Now is the time to go further and faster to safeguard the environment for our children,” Prime Minister Theresa May said in a statement. “Reaching net zero by 2050 is an ambitious target, but it is crucial that we achieve it to ensure we protect our planet for future generations.” Legislation will be put before Parliament on June 12 to amend the existing climate change act to incorporate the new target, the statement said. Britain’s independent climate advisers, the Committee on Climate Change, last month said that the country should move to the new target, which would require more renewable electricity generation and could require the phasing out of new petrol and diesel cars by at least 2035. Households would also need to be weaned off natural gas heating and switch to low-carbon alternatives such as hydrogen or heat pumps. Carolyn Fairbairn, director general of the Confederation of British Industry, welcomed the move. “Some sectors will need clear pathways to enable investment in low-carbon technologies, and it is vital that there is cross-government coordination on the policies and regulation needed to deliver a clean future,” she said. Britain hopes its decision will encourage other countries to adopt more ambitious climate targets and said that a further assessment will take place within five years to confirm whether other countries are taking similar action. It also said it would retain its ability to use international carbon credits to help to meet the target. “Using international credits within an appropriate monitoring, reporting and verification framework is the right thing to do for the planet, allowing the U.K. to maximise the value of each pound spent on climate change mitigation,” the government statement said.

emissions
theresa may
climate change
u.k .


Near-record 'dead zone' forecast off U.S. Gulf coast, threatening fish

Abstract: NEW YORK - A near record-sized “dead zone” of oxygen-starved water could form in the Gulf of Mexico this summer, threatening its huge stocks of marine life, researchers said. The area could spread to about 8,717 sq. miles (20,577 sq. km), scientists at Louisiana State University said on Monday, or about the size of the state of New Hampshire, and larger than the 5-year average of 5,770 sq. miles. Experts blamed unusually high rainfall across the U.S. Midwest this spring that washed farm fertiliszers along streams and rivers through the Mississippi River Basin out into the Gulf. The nutrients in the fertilizers feed algae that die, decompose and deplete the water of oxygen, the Louisiana scientists said. “When the oxygen is below two parts per million, any shrimp, crabs, and fish that can swim away, will swim away,” Louisiana State University ocean ecologist Nancy Rabalais told the National Geographic magazine. “The animals in the sediment (that can’t swim away) can be close to annihilated.” The problem might get even worse if any more significant tropical storms wash out more farm-fed nutrients, the scientists said. Sewage run off, caused by the spring floods, also add to the problem, National Geographic reported. Scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted a slightly smaller 7,829 sq. mile spread. The record was 8,776 sq. miles set in 2017. “A major factor contributing to the large dead zone this year is the abnormally high amount of spring rainfall in many parts of the Mississippi River watershed,” the agency said in its annual “dead zone” forecast. A solution would be to keep fertilizer and sewage run-off from getting into the rivers, NOAA said. A Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force has been monitoring the problem and has set goals to reduce run-off.

fish
gulf of mexico
louisiana
noaa
pollution
u.s .
agriculture
environment


Pilot killed in copter crash atop Manhattan skyscraper wasn't rated to fly in poor visibility

Abstract: NEW YORK - The pilot killed Monday when his helicopter slammed into the roof of a New York City skyscraper was not authorized to fly in limited visibility, according to his pilot certification, raising questions about why he took off in fog and steady rain. Tim McCormack, 58, was only certified to fly under regulations known as visual flight rules, which require generally good weather and clear conditions, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The rules require at least 3 miles (4.8 km) of visibility and that the sky is clear of clouds for daytime flights. The visibility at the time of Monday’s crash was about 1¼ miles (2 km) at nearby Central Park, with low clouds blanketing the skyline. McCormack was not certified to use instruments to help fly through cloudy or bad weather, said the FAA. The crash in the tightly controlled airspace of Midtown Manhattan shook the 750-foot (229-meter) AXA Equitable building, obliterated the Agusta A109E helicopter, sparked a fire and forced office workers to flee. It briefly triggered memories of 9/11 and fears of a terrorist attack, but authorities said there is no indication the crash was deliberate. At a National Transportation Safety Board briefing Tuesday, air safety investigator Doug Brazy said that McCormack had arrived at a heliport on New York City’s East River after a trip carrying one passenger from nearby Westchester County. The passenger told investigators there was nothing out of the ordinary about the 15-minute flight, Brazy said. McCormack waited at the heliport for about two hours and reviewed the weather before taking off on what was supposed to be a trip to helicopter’s home airport in Linden, New Jersey, Brazy said. That trip would have taken the helicopter south, over the city’s harbor and past the Statue of Liberty. Investigators were reviewing video posted on social media Monday afternoon showing a helicopter that investigators believe is the doomed chopper pausing and hovering a short distance south of the heliport, then turning and making an erratic flight back north through rain and clouds. The helicopter hit the Manhattan tower about 11 minutes after taking off, in an area where flights aren’t supposed to take place. A flight restriction in effect since President Donald Trump took office prohibits aircraft from flying below 3,000 feet (914 meters) within a 1-mile (1.6 km) radius of Trump Tower, only a few blocks from the crash site. Helicopters going in and out of the heliport, on East 34th Street, are only allowed to fly in the restricted area if they have permission and are in constant communication with air traffic control. Brazy said the pilot never made such a request and didn’t contact air traffic control, although investigators were trying to verify reports that McCormack had made radio calls to someone just before the crash. Brazy said McCormack’s planned route to Linden wouldn’t have required him to contact air traffic control. Asked if the weather may have played a factor, Brazy said “it is certainly one of the most interesting concerns we have.” “Should the helicopter have been flying? I do not know yet,” he said. Brazy said the helicopter was not equipped with a flight data recorder or a cockpit voice recorder. McCormack was a former fire chief in upstate Clinton Corners, New York. With 15 years of experience flying helicopters and single-engine airplanes, he was certified as a flight instructor last year, according to FAA records. The East Clinton Volunteer Fire Department posted on Facebook that McCormack’s “technical knowledge and ability to command an emergency were exceptional.” Linden airport director Paul Dudley described McCormack as “a highly seasoned” and “very well regarded” pilot. Brazy said a salvage crew expected to start removing the wreckage from the roof by Tuesday evening, possibly by taking pieces down the stairs and elevator. It will be moved to a secure location for further examination, he said. “The location — within the city and on top of the roof of a building — is probably the biggest challenge in the investigation,” Brazy said.

manhattan
helicopters
tim mccormack
trump tower
u.s .
ntsb
air accidents


U.S. submits extradition request for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange

Abstract: WASHINGTON - The United States government has formally submitted an extradition request to the United Kingdom for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange , a U.S. official said Tuesday. Assange faces an 18-count indictment that accuses him of soliciting and publishing classified information and of conspiring with former Army Pvt. Chelsea Manning to crack a Defense Department computer password. That indictment, which includes Espionage Act charges, was issued by the Justice Department last month and is pending in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia. The extradition request had been expected ever since U.S. authorities first announced a criminal case against Assange. The 47-year-old Assange was evicted on April 11 from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he had been holed up since 2012 after Ecuador granted him political asylum. He was arrested by British police and is currently serving a 50-week sentence for jumping bail. Sweden also seeks him for questioning about an alleged rape, which Assange has denied. Assange was initially charged with a single computer crime violation on allegations that he worked with Manning to crack a government password. Some legal experts have said the additional Espionage Act charges might slow or complicate the extradition process to the extent the United Kingdom views them as political offenses and therefore exempt from extradition. The U.S. official spoke on condition of anonymity because the official wasn’t authorized to speak publicly. Manning, who spent seven years in a military prison for delivering a trove of classified information to Assange before having her sentence commuted by then-President Barack Obama, has been jailed for civil contempt in Virginia after refusing to testify before a grand jury investigating WikiLeaks.

wikileaks
julian assange
chelsea manning
espionage
u.s .
u.k .
donald trump
extradiction


Russian journalist Ivan Golunov freed after outcry; police behind drug charges to be investigated

Abstract: MOSCOW - In a stunning turnaround, Russian authorities on Tuesday abruptly dropped all charges against a prominent investigative reporter after a public and media outcry over his arrest, and they promised to go after the police who allegedly tried to frame him as a drug dealer. The release of Ivan Golunov marked an extremely rare case of security officials admitting a mistake. It also highlighted the difficulties that Russian journalists routinely face when reporting on sensitive topics like graft, corruption and President Vladimir Putin’s personal life. The 36-year-old Golunov was stopped Thursday by police on a Moscow street and taken into custody, where his defense team said he was beaten and denied a lawyer for more than 12 hours. The journalist, who works for the independent website Meduza, had been facing drug charges that could put him in prison for up to 20 years. Supporters mounted a nationwide campaign on his behalf, with journalists and others picketing Moscow police headquarters for five days. More than 20,000 people signed an online pledge to march in the capital on Wednesday, a public holiday, to protest Golunov’s arrest. But Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev surprised the nation when he announced that all charges against Golunov were dropped after police found “no proof of his part in a crime.” “I believe that the rights of any citizen, whatever his professional affiliation, ought to be protected,” the minister said, adding that he will ask Putin to dismiss two police generals, including the drug chief of the Moscow police, and suspend the officers who detained Golunov. Speaking outside police headquarters, a shy and shocked-looking Golunov said he still couldn’t believe he was cleared so quickly. “I will keep doing investigations to justify the trust of all those who supported me,” he said. He added that he hopes the police will stop trying to frame innocent people, adding, “I hope it will not happen to anyone else in our country.” In an unusual broadcast, his release was shown live on a state-controlled 24-hour news channel. Judicial statistics indicate that the chances are extremely slim for criminal charges to be dropped or for an acquittal once a person is in custody. When it does happen, authorities tend to avoid taking any blame. “When the authorities admit their mistakes, admit the mistakes of the law enforcement officials and correct them, that’s very good because it shows that the government is reasonable,” Alexei Venediktov, editor-in-chief of the influential Ekho Moskvy radio station, told the Interfax news agency. It is not yet clear if the police reversal represented a turning point for the many Russian journalists who are routinely attacked or face government pressure for their work. Many of them say they don’t feel safe to operate and report freely. “We have put the pressure on the system and it worked this time,” said Pavel Kanygin, investigative reporter at Novaya Gazeta. “But it really is impossible to work in this environment.” The circumstances of Golunov’s detention alarmed others in the media. In an apparent attempt to portray him as a professional drug dealer, police on Friday released several photos, reportedly from his home, of what appeared to be a drug lab. They later retracted the statement, saying that the photos were taken elsewhere. In a separate statement later, the police said they found cocaine at Golunov’s home. A judge put him under house arrest Saturday following a public outcry of support, including from high-profile journalists working for state-owned media. Many Russian journalists have to tread carefully in their work, especially when reporting about Putin and his family. But since Golunov’s work mostly focused on Moscow City Hall and the city’s crime-ridden funeral industry, the case raised questions about a possible shift in where the red lines are drawn in Russian journalism. Award-winning journalist Roman Badanin was ousted from three major editorial positions between 2011 and 2016 after the media outlets under his leadership touched on topics believed to be too sensitive for the Kremlin. Three top editors at the business newspaper RBC, including Badanin, were ousted in 2016 after reporting on Putin’s inner circle, including an investigative piece about an oyster farm near a mansion that a whistleblower has described as “Putin’s palace.” To Badanin, the crackdown on Golunov stands out because it lower-level decision-makers, rather than the Kremlin or government-connected tycoons, were likely behind it. “Ivan’s case tells us that now violence or unlawful actions against journalists can be applied at a lower level, not just by the Kremlin,” he told The Associated Press. In act of journalistic solidarity not seen in at least 15 years, RBC and two other major papers, Kommersant and Vedomosti, published identical front pages on Monday with the headline “I am/We are Ivan Golunov” and called for a transparent investigation of his case. The newspapers all had first-hand experience of government pressure and indirect censorship. The solidarity surprisingly extended to tightly controlled state TV channels, with some commentators referring to Golunov as “a colleague” and questioning the police evidence. Rights activists have long complained of police abusing their powers and planting drugs on innocent people. About 130,000, or nearly a third of the country’s prison population, were convicted on drug-related charges. Golunov’s release prompted several prominent officials, including close Putin ally Alexei Kudrin, to call for a review of how drug charges are used and abused. In a joint statement, the CEO and editor in chief of Meduza, along with Golunov’s lawyer and two other prominent journalists, pledged to investigate the police officials responsible for the arrest. “The group of journalists we have gathered together in recent days will continue working, and now, they will be working together with Ivan himself,” the statement said. “This is only the beginning. We have a lot of hard work ahead of us if we are to ensure that what happened here will never happen again to anybody.”

journalism
ivan golunov
police
media
rights
russia


Journalists in Haiti demand protection after radio reporter is slain

Abstract: PORT-AU-PRINCE - Attacks against journalists in Haiti are escalating, and the slaying of a radio reporter has prompted media organizations to renew demands that police protect them and give them space to work. Unidentified gunman shot journalist Rospide Petion as he drove home late Monday in a car owned by Radio Sans Fin. The 45-year-old reporter had just finished a radio program in which he talked about corruption allegations against the administration of President Jovenel Moise. The shooting comes amid days of sometimes violent street protests calling for the resignation of Moise during which several journalists have been attacked. Some protesters say some media outlets are pro-government. Petion was married and had three children.

haiti
media
radio sans fin
corruption
jovenel moise
journalism
rospide pétion


War crimes continuing in Sudan's Darfur region, Amnesty warns

Abstract: KHARTOUM - Sudanese security forces have continued to commit “war crimes and other serious human rights violations” in the Darfur region, Amnesty International said Tuesday, as the African country has been rocked by political turmoil following the military’s ouster of autocrat Omar al-Bashir in April. Based on “disturbing new evidence, including satellite imagery,” Amnesty said the abuses in Darfur at the hands of Sudanese paramilitary units, the Rapid Support Forces, include the destruction of entire villages, as well as “unlawful killings and sexual violence.” The RSF grew out of the notorious Janjaweed militias mobilized by al-Bashir during the Darfur conflict in the early 2000s. The militias were widely accused of crimes against humanity, and al-Bashir — now jailed in Khartoum — was indicted on charges of genocide. RSF commander Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemedti, now serves as deputy head of the ruling military council. The coup leaders are locked in a growingly violent confrontation with a protest movement that is demanding they hand power over to a civilian leadership, now that al-Bashir is gone. A spokesman for the military council did not immediately answer calls or return messages seeking comment. “In Darfur, as in Khartoum, we’ve witnessed the Rapid Support Forces’ despicable brutality against Sudanese civilians — the only difference being, in Darfur they have committed atrocities with impunity for years,” said Kumi Naidoo, secretary general of Amnesty International. He urged the U.N. and the AU “not turn their backs on people in Darfur who rely on peacekeepers for protection.” He warned that if the joint force, known as UNAMID, is dismantled and the peacekeepers pull out of Darfur, this “would recklessly and needlessly place tens of thousands of lives at risk by removing their only safeguard against the government’s scorched earth campaign.” The U.N. said Monday that Sudan’s military rulers issued a decree demanding the mission in Darfur hand over its premises as part of its withdrawal plan next year. The U.N. is to vote at the end of the month about the future of the already reduced force. The target for ending the mission is June 30, 2020. Human Rights Watch said Tuesday that, based on the peacekeeping mission’s own reports, the Rapid Support Forces now occupy nine of 10 sites vacated by the U.N. force within the past eight months. The Security Council “should halt all handovers, re-assess downsizing plans, and refocus its attention on UNAMID’s core mandate to protect civilians,” said Jehanne Henry, associate Africa director at HRW. The New York-based group said the RSF violently broke up the protesters’ main sit-in camp outside the military’s headquarters in Khartoum on June 3. Over 100 people were killed in the deadly crackdown on the pro-reform movement in Khartoum and elsewhere across Sudan, according to protest organizers. In response, the opposition started a general strike on Sunday, the first day of the workweek in Sudan, in a renewed bid to pressure the military council to hand over power to civilians. The Forces for Declaration of Freedom and Change, which represents the protesters, said Tuesday they decided to suspend their general strike and campaign for civil disobedience until further notice. They called on Sudanese to resume their work on Wednesday. The military-run government did not appear to be softening its position. The strike was successful in the first day, according to protest leaders, but on Tuesday many shops and businesses reopened and there was visibly more traffic in the streets of Khartoum and its sister city of Omdurman. The internet monitoring group NetBlocks said that Sudan’s remaining internet connectivity was disconnected late Monday. Internet had largely been cut off in the capital already. The new disruption has downed Sudan Telecom’s Sudani service, along with Canar Telecom and Mobiltel Zain. Mobile internet connectivity was largely offline since June 3, the group said. Also on Tuesday, the Sudan Doctors Central Committee said that RSF forces attacked a market the previous day in the town of Deleig in central Darfur. The medical group said it documented 11 deaths, including nine which it blamed on the paramilitary force members. It said the attack wounded at least 20 people. The committee is the medical arm of the Sudanese Professionals Association, which spearheaded protests against al-Bashir and is now leading a campaign of civil disobedience against the military rulers. The U.N. humanitarian agency said customs offices at Port Sudan, the country’s main port, were open on Monday and resumed their functions with limited capacities. Also the U.N. humanitarian air services operated as normal Monday, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said.

war crimes
sudan
darfur
amnesty
au
omar al-bashir
rsf
janjaweed
mohammed hamdan dagalo


House panel to move quickly to force Trump ex-counsel to obey subpoena, says Rep. Jerrold Nadler

Abstract: WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Judiciary Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives said on Tuesday his panel would move as quickly as possible to go to court to force President Donald Trump’s former counsel to comply with the committee’s subpoena. Speaking after the passage of a House vote to give lawmakers clear authority to sue the Trump administration to force officials to comply with subpoenas, Representative Jerrold Nadler said, “We will move forward with holding this president accountable.” “We will move as quickly as possible to go to court against Don McGahn, the president’s former counsel, and any subsequent witnesses who disobey a committee subpoena,” Nadler told a news conference.

jerrold nadler
donald trump
don mcgahn
u.s .
congress


Trump Jr. to give private testimony to Congress Wednesday

Abstract: WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump’s eldest son will testify Wednesday behind closed doors to a Republican-led Senate committee investigating Russia election meddling, a congressional source said. The appearance by Donald Trump Jr. before the Senate Intelligence Committee follows a dispute that made headlines last month when the president expressed surprise that his son was being hauled before Congress for a second time as part of the panel’s probe. Trump Jr., the 41-year-old currently at the helm of the Trump Organization, is expected to be questioned beginning around 9:15 a.m. (1315 GMT), the source familiar with the proceedings said Tuesday. The panel’s chairman, Republican Sen. Richard Burr, faced criticism from within his own party for calling Trump Jr. to appear a second time, due to apparent discrepancies between his original 2017 testimony and that of other witnesses. This time, the panel, which is known for its bipartisanship, wants to revisit some of Trump Jr.’s earlier statements, including about a proposed Trump Tower project in Moscow, according to U.S. media. Some Democrats suspect he may have lied about what he and his father knew about a June 2016 meeting in Trump Tower with a Russian lawyer offering dirt on Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, as well as other connections between the two sides. Trump Jr. had initially agreed to testify voluntarily twice before postponing, leading to the panel’s subpoena issued in April. He and the committee’s leaders eventually reached an agreement limiting the number of questions in the session, which is expected to last a maximum of four hours, according to the Washington Post. For two years, the committee’s Republicans and Democrats have been quietly investigating Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election of 2016. President Trump is battling any cooperation with Congress in the Russia meddling investigation, claiming that he has already been “totally exonerated” of collusion and obstruction of justice by special prosecutor Robert Mueller’s report, which was completed in late March. The report did not find any clear evidence to charge members of Trump’s campaign with conspiring with Russia, but neither did it exonerate the president of obstruction of justice. Rather, Mueller outlined 10 instances of potential obstruction that he uncovered during the probe.

congress
donald trump
trump organization
trump tower
robert mueller
u.s .
donald trump jr .
russia probe


Inmate 'professor of hostage-taking' holding two guards captive at top security prison in France

Abstract: PARIS - A long-term prison inmate armed with a hand-made weapon has taken two guards hostage at a top security French prison in Normandy. Emmanuel Guimaraes of the Workers Force union told the regional newspaper Ouest-France that a special intervention force was on the scene at Conde-Sur-Sarthe Penitentiary late Tuesday. The wing where the guards were taken hostage has been evacuated. Guimaraes said the inmate has gained the reputation of being a “professor of hostage-taking” and this was the fourth time he has turned guards into hostages. Each time he seeks a transfer to another prison. Frederic Eko of the SNEPAP prison personnel union told BFMTV that the hostage-taker is a common criminal who is being watched for potential Islamic radicalization. Conde-Sur-Sarthe was the site of a hostage-taking in March.

prisons
france
conde-sur-sarthe penitentiary
islam


Nancy Pelosi says she is so 'done' with Trump, the 'diverter in chief'

Abstract: WASHINGTON - U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Tuesday she’s “done” with talking about President Donald Trump and called him the “diverter in chief,” saying he manufactured controversies to distract attention from more important issues. “I’m done with him. I don’t even want to talk about him,” Pelosi, a Democrat, said at a Washington conference in reply to a question about Trump’s latest barrage of personal insults. Last week Trump called Pelosi, the most powerful U.S. Democrat, “a disgrace … a nasty, vindictive, horrible person.” At a U.S. war cemetery in France, with the gravestones of fallen soldiers in the background, Trump said in a Fox News interview, “I call her Nervous Nancy … Nancy Pelosi’s a disaster, okay. She’s a disaster.” Asked at the conference how she works with Republican Trump when he throws such insults her way, Pelosi said: “I just consider the source. My stock goes up every time he attacks me, so what can I say, but let’s not spend too much time on that because that’s his victory, the diverter-in-chief, the diverter-of-attention-in-chief.” For part of Trump’s presidency, he generally refrained from trash-talking Pelosi as he does many others, but that ended in recent weeks as Democrats intensified their investigations of the president and discussed possibly impeaching him. Pelosi declined to confirm recent media reports that she had told fellow Democrats that Trump should be in prison, rather than impeached, because of his behavior as outlined in U.S. special counsel Robert Mueller’s report on Russian interference in the 2016 election and Trump’s efforts to impede that probe. However, she said of impeachment: “It’s not off the table.” Pelosi has previously talked about Trump’s comments and threats being a diversion from the issues. Last week, the speaker said that Trump’s threatened tariffs on Mexico were both bad policy and a distraction from the Mueller report. “What bothers me more is that we’re talking about that (Trump’s insults) instead of how to reduce national debt,” Pelosi said at the conference on Tuesday. She said that even on the question of rebuilding U.S. infrastructure, which Trump had often said he wanted to do, “when it came to pay for it, he diverted attention to personal matters.” Trump last month torpedoed a meeting with Democrats on infrastructure, saying he could not work with them as long as they were conducting multiple investigations of him. Pelosi noted that she had declined to criticize Trump during a television interview in France because she does not criticize the president when overseas. She and Trump both attended ceremonies in France marking the 75th anniversary of the D-Day operation that helped end World War II

nancy pelosi
donald trump
democrats
france
impeachment
robert mueller
d-day
u.s. congress
russia probe


U.K.'s Labour plans fresh attempt in Parliament to block a no-deal Brexit

Abstract: LONDON - The U.K. opposition Labour Party will try once again to seize control of the parliamentary agenda Wednesday, part of an effort to stop the next prime minister from taking the country out of the EU without a deal. The 10 candidates to replace Theresa May as prime minister are arguing about how best to deliver Brexit. Several insist the U.K. should leave by Oct. 31 with or without a deal, and one has floated the idea of stopping Parliament from sitting so that members wouldn’t be able to block this. Others are arguing that Parliament doesn’t have the power to force a prime minister to change course. If Labour wins the vote Wednesday afternoon, at least an hour will be set aside on June 25 for further debate on a motion to be selected by House of Commons Speaker John Bercow, who has repeatedly worked with MPs trying to soften Brexit. As with similar moves at the start of the year, that could be used to set in train a process that takes control of the agenda from the government. At that point, the identity of the next prime minister won’t be known, but the Conservative Party will have narrowed down its list of candidates considerably, and the direction that the party is moving in may be clearer. “The debate on Brexit in the Tory leadership contest has descended into the disturbing, the ludicrous and the reckless,” Labour Brexit spokesman Keir Starmer said in an emailed statement. “MPs cannot be bystanders while the next Tory prime minister tries to crash the UK out of the European Union without a deal and without the consent of the British people.” The motion will only pass if sufficient Conservatives rebel and support it. One former minister, Oliver Letwin, has already put his name to it. More surprisingly, Tory leadership candidate Rory Stewart told his launch event Tuesday evening that, though he didn’t know the detail of the Labour plan, “my instinct is I would be wholly supportive.” In reality, he would probably have to resign as international development secretary, a job he only took last month, to vote for the motion.