Catalonia's Puigdemont set for bail in Germany

source:AFP
Catalonia's Puigdemont set for bail in Germany


AFP/File / Axel Heimken In a blow for Madrid, German judges found a Spanish extradition request on a charge of rebellion would be "illegal"

Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont is set to walk out of German jail Friday, after judges refused his extradition to Spain on a rebellion charge and ordered him freed on bail pending a ruling on a lesser corruption charge.

"See you tomorrow. Thank you very much to everybody!" read a tweet posted in Puigdemont's name late Thursday.

It was not immediately clear what time he would leave the prison in the northern town of Neumuenster. By 0730 GMT, prosecutors said Puigdemont had yet to post his 75,000-euro ($92,000-) bail.

In a heavy blow for Madrid on Thursday, judges at the upper state court in Schleswig-Holstein found extradition on a charge of rebellion would be "inadmissable".

Puigdemont was not involved in violence during a referendum on Catalan independence last October, they said in a statement.

That was grounds to reject prosecutors' argument that the Spanish "rebellion" charge was similar enough to Germany's "high treason" statute to justify extradition.

The Catalan separatist figurehead could still be extradited on a charge of misusing public funds, the judges added, as they asked their Spanish counterparts for more information on the matter.

Once Puigdemont is out on bail, he must keep authorities informed of his whereabouts, report to police weekly, respond to summons from prosecutors or the court, and remain in Germany.

- 'Outrageous' charge -

Puigdemont's German defence team welcomed the decision to set aside the "outrageous" rebellion charge, and said they "respected" judges' call for more information from Spain.

"[Puigdemont] always said he had full confidence in the German judiciary," his Barcelona-based lawyer Jaime Alonso-Cuevillas tweeted.

A Spanish government source told AFP Madrid "always respects" judicial decisions "whether they please it or not", adding it expects "appropriate measures" from Spain's judiciary in response.


dpa/AFP / Carsten Rehder Journalists wait in front of the detention centre of Neumuenster for Carles Puigdemont


If extradited only for misusing public funds, Puigdemont cannot be prosecuted in Spain on the more serious charge of rebellion under European law.

The lesser charge relates to the cost of the Catalan independence referendum, estimated at 1.6 million euros by Madrid.

News of Puigdemont's bail "will reduce tension and pressure in Catalonia" where protestors have blocked streets and clashed with police in recent days, political scientist Oriol Bartomeus of the Autonomous University of Barcelona told AFP.

But the relief would only be "momentary", he added, noting that "nothing has been resolved".

Puigdemont's lawyers have appealed in Spain against the "rebellion" charge, highlighting that he was not involved in violence.

Public opinion in Spain is divided on whether the referendum constituted a "violent uprising" as laid out in law.

Catalans mostly reject the rebellion charge, according to opinion polls, with a major demonstration calling for imprisoned separatist leaders to be freed planned for April 15 in Barcelona.

- Flight across Europe -

After being removed from office by the central government in Madrid following a unilateral declaration of independence on October 27, Puigdemont fled to Belgium.

He was arrested in northern Germany in late March on the way back from a trip to Finland.

Puigdemont and six political allies escaped Spanish authorities in an attempt to "internationalise" their plight by dragging other European Union countries into the row.

A Belgian judge on Thursday bailed three of the four former Catalan ministers who fled to Belgium with him after they handed themselves in to police there.

Spain wants the trio -- Meritxell Serret, Antoni Comin, Lluis Puig -- to face charges of rebellion, misuse of public funds and disobeying the state.

Nine other pro-independence figures are currently in custody in Spain, including six members of Puigdemont's Catalan government and the former president of the Catalan parliament.

S. Korea's Park jailed for 24 years for corruption

souirce: AFP

S. Korea's Park jailed for 24 years for corruption



Seoul District Court/AFP / Seoul District Court Judge Kim Se-yoon reads the verdict in the trial of disgraced former President Park

South Korea's disgraced former president Park Geun-hye was jailed for 24 years Friday for corruption, completing a dramatic fall from grace for the country's first woman leader who became a figure of public fury and ridicule.

A trial which lasted more than 10 months and highlighted shady links between big business and politics in South Korea ended with Park being found guilty on multiple criminal charges, including bribery and abuse of power.

Park's successor described the sentencing as a "heartbreaking event" for both the nation and the ex-leader herself.

"The accused abused the power bestowed by the people -- the true ruler of this country -- to cause chaos in national administration," said Judge Kim Se-yoon, delivering the ruling.

Park, 66, was convicted of receiving or demanding more than $20 million from conglomerates, sharing secret state documents, "blacklisting" artists critical of her policies, and firing officials who resisted her abuses of power.

"Despite all these crimes, the accused denied all the charges against her, displayed no remorse and showed an incomprehensible attitude by blaming Choi and other... officials," Kim said, referring to Park's secret confidante and long-time friend Choi Soon-sil.

Park was also ordered to pay a fine of 18 billion won ($17 million).


 AFP / Jung Yeon-je The verdict was greeted with public displays of outrage and grief by Park supporters


When the wide-ranging corruption scandal broke last year it prompted massive street protests against Park across the country.

On Friday, the verdict was greeted with public displays of outrage and grief by several hundred Park supporters who had gathered outside the courthouse.

Many protesters sat or lay in the road crying, while others formed a protest rally calling for her release.

"The rule of law in this country is dead today," said Han Geun-hyung, a 27-year-old Park supporter.

Park herself was not in court for Friday's judgement which, in a rare move, was broadcast live on television. She had boycotted most sessions of the trial in protest at being held in custody.

Instead she was informed of her fate at a Seoul detention centre, where she sat in a reception hall with her lawyer awaiting the outcome, Yonhap news agency reported.

She now has seven days in which to file an appeal.

Park becomes the third former South Korean leader to be convicted on criminal charges after leaving office, joining Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo, who were both found guilty of treason and corruption in the 1990s.

Judge Kim said he had passed a tough sentence to "prevent such an unfortunate event from happening again".


AFP / Jung Yeon-je Supporters of Park stand next to a picture demanding her release outside the Seoul Central District Court

The presidential Blue House said in a statement after the verdict: "Each person must have different feelings about former President Park Geun-hye. But a bleak wind blew through the hearts of all of us today.

"It is a heartbreaking event for the nation as well as for the person's life. A history that is not remembered is bound to be repeated. We will not forget today."

- A Korean 'Rasputin'? -

Park, the daughter of dictator Park Chung-hee, lost both her parents to assassins. She took office in 2013 as a conservative icon who cast herself in the role of daughter of the nation -- incorruptible and beholden to none.


 AFP / Gal ROMA How South Korea's first female president fell from grace


Less than four years later, she was impeached, stripped of all her powers and ousted from office on the back of months-long mass protests that brought millions on to the streets of Seoul and other cities.

Much of the public anger was focused on Park's relationship with Choi and accusations that she let her friend -- who held no formal position or security clearance -- meddle in state affairs, including high-level appointments and editing official speeches.

Choi is the daughter of a shadowy religious figure who had served as a mentor to Park for decades until his death in 1994. She was tried separately and sentenced in February to 20 years in prison.

Condemned in the media for her "Rasputin-like" influence over Park, Choi was convicted of using her presidential ties to squeeze tens of millions of dollars out of major South Korean businesses, including Samsung -- the world's top smartphone maker -- and retail giant Lotte.

- 'No remorse' -

Former leaders Chun and Roh received presidential pardons after each spent around two years in jail -- a privilege that may elude Park for many years, said Jeong Han-wool, an analyst at think tank Hankook Research.

"Given her attitude and public anger over her scandal that remains raw, it will be difficult to create a political environment in favour of her release any time soon," Jeong told AFP.


AFP / Jung Yeon-je The daughter of assassinated dictator Park Chung-hee, Park took office in 2013 as a popular conservative icon who cast herself in the role of Daughter of the Nation -- incorruptible and beholden to none


Park's left-leaning successor Moon Jae-in came to power largely because of the public backlash against Park and her conservative party, dimming hopes for a pardon under the current administration, he added.

Chun Sang-chin, sociology professor at Seoul's Sogang University, said the verdict could also spell bad news for Park's immediate predecessor Lee Myung-bak, who is in custody as prosecutors investigate multiple corruption charges involving him and his relatives.


 AFP / Jung Yeon-je There is some residual sympathy for Park among her core supporters, who have always seen her as a heroically tragic figure who lost both her parents to assassins and devoted her life to the service of her country

"This is a good news for people who took to the street with candles but a nightmare for Lee Myung-bak," Chun told AFP.

Park's core supporters have always seen her as a heroically tragic figure who devoted her life to the service of her country despite childhood tragedy.

But for the vast majority of Koreans, she has now been permanently disowned, and will go down in history not as the country's first woman president but the first democratically elected leader to be forced from office.

Russian regulator moves to block Telegram messaging app

source:AFP
Russian regulator moves to block Telegram messaging app



AFP/File / CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT Telegram's Russian founder has vowed to reject any attempt by the security's services to gain backdoor access to the app

Russia's telecoms watchdog on Friday asked a Moscow court to block the popular messaging app Telegram, after a deadline for it to hand over encryption keys to security services expired.

Roskomnadzor said in a statement it had filed a lawsuit "demanding the limiting of access on Russian territory" to encrypted app Telegram.

Telegram's self-exiled Russian founder Pavel Durov has long said he will reject any attempt by the country security's services to gain backdoor access to the app.

The free instant messaging application, which lets people exchange messages, photos and videos in groups of up to 5,000 people, has attracted more than 200 million users since its launch in 2013.

Telegram is especially popular among political activists of all stripes, but has also been used by jihadists.

In September 2017 the FSB security service demanded encryption keys, Durov said, prompting a formal complaint when the request was rejected.

Durov wrote last year that the FSB's demands are "technically impossible to carry out" and violate the Russian Constitution which entitles citizens to privacy of correspondence.

Roskomnadzor's request is the latest move in a dispute between Telegram and the Russian authorities as Moscow pushes to increase surveillance of internet activities.

Last June, the watchdog threatened to ban the app for failing to provide registration documents. Although Telegram later registered, it stopped short of agreeing to its data storage demands.

Companies on the register must provide the FSB with information on user interactions.

From this year they must also store all the data of Russian users inside the country, according to controversial anti-terror legislation passed in 2016 which was decried by internet companies and the opposition.

Cricket Australia defends role in crisis, announces player review

Cricket Australia defends role in crisis, announces player review



AFP / PETER PARKS Australian cricket has been plunged into crisis by a ball tampering scandal

Australia's top cricket chiefs Friday ruled out stepping down after a ball-tampering scandal that shocked the nation, saying it was "not the time for a witch-hunt" as a review into player conduct was announced.

The sport has been engulfed in one of its biggest crises after former captain Steve Smith, his deputy David Warner and batsman Cameron Bancroft attempted to alter the ball's condition in the third Test in South Africa last month.

Smith and Warner were banned for a year and Bancroft for nine months, with the trio accepting their sanctions on Wednesday and Thursday.

Critics have questioned whether Cricket Australia's role in the affair should come under scrutiny, but chairman David Peever said he did not intend to step down and that chief executive James Sutherland's job was not in jeopardy.

"James Sutherland's position is not under review, he continues to retain the full support of the board," Peever told reporters in Brisbane.

"In respect of my own position, no, I do not intend to step down, and that hasn't been suggested by the board. Our task now is to work through this problem and make sure we come through and cricket comes through it much more strongly.

"I think we will all come under the microscope about what is happening in the organisation. But this is not the time for a witch-hunt."

Peever said the governing body was "moving forward" with an independent review announced last week to "have a broad remit" and look into wider cultural and organisational issues in the sport.

But the players' union the Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA), which has criticised the bans as disproportionate compared to previous cases, said the review was "far from independent".

"CA establishing its own review, selecting the reviewer and then having the findings of the review issued to itself -- particularly as it relates to its own corporate culture -- is far from transparent," ACA president Greg Dyer said in a statement late Friday.

The ACA has said the inquiry should involve the union and CA, so both bodies could jointly contribute to its outcomes.

Peever said former ex-Test opener Rick McCosker would also chair a separate player and former-player driven process to consider a charter setting out "standards of behaviour and expectations of Australian teams".

"It is anticipated that this process will include assessments as to whether changes to codes and standards governing player conduct are required," said Peever, a former managing director of mining giant Rio Tinto.

All three players have been dumped by sponsors as a result of the scandal while Cricket Australia has been dropped by its top sponsor, fund manager Magellan.

US imposes sanctions on Putin's oligarch allies

source:AFP
US imposes sanctions on Putin's oligarch allies


AFP/File / MIKE CLARKE Those hit by the new US sanctions include metals magnate Oleg Deripaska, described as operating for the Russian government

The United States struck at the heart of President Vladimir Putin's inner circle Friday, imposing sanctions on seven of Russia's most influential oligarchs and stoking a diplomatic crisis that some have dubbed a new Cold War.

Those hit include metals magnate Oleg Deripaska, described as operating for the Russian government, as well as Alexei Miller, director of state-owned energy giant Gazprom. Any assets they hold in areas under US jurisdiction could now be frozen.

Also on the list are tycoon Suleiman Kerimov, under investigation in France over allegations he brought in millions of euros in suitcases full of cash, and Kirill Shamalov, a billionaire reported to be Putin's son-in-law.

Russia's state arms exporter, a key tool in Putin's efforts to support the modernization of his own military by selling advanced hardware around the world, was also added to the sanctions list.

In all, President Donald Trump's administration targeted seven oligarchs, 12 companies they own or control, 17 senior Russian officials and a state-owned arms export company.

"The United States is taking these actions in response to the totality of the Russian government's ongoing and increasingly brazen pattern of malign activity across the world," one official said.

"This included their occupation of Crimea, instigation of violence in eastern Ukraine, support for the Assad regime in Syria... and ongoing malicious cyber-activity," the senior official said.

"But most importantly this is a response to Russia's continued attacks to subvert western democracies."

Campaigners against Kremlin corruption welcomed the US move.

Bill Browder, a US-born British financier whose lawyer Sergei Magnitsky died in a Russian jail after protesting alleged tax fraud, tweeted that Washington was "finally hitting Putin and his cronies where it counts."

Russia analyst Boris Zilberman, of Washington think tank the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said the sanctions might finally give Putin's allies pause as "until there is a change in the Kremlin's behavior their bottom lines will suffer and their ability to enjoy the spoils of their corruption will be hampered."

The measures were taken under a US law passed to punish Russia for its alleged bid to interfere in the 2016 presidential election, engage in cyber-warfare and intervene in Ukraine and Syria.

But Friday's announcement also came as Washington and its allies face a new diplomatic crisis with the Kremlin over the attempted poisoning of a former Russian double agent on British soil.

Trump begrudgingly signed the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) in August last year, despite arguing that it undermined his own authority to lead US foreign policy.

- Election interference -



The president had long disputed the idea that Russia's alleged cyber-espionage and propaganda efforts sped him to victory in the election, seeking better relations with Putin.

But Congress persisted, backed by evidence from US intelligence agencies, and in March the administration finally imposed sanctions on 19 Russian entities for "malicious cyber attacks."


AFP / John SAEKI Expulsions of diplomats


In parallel, and to Trump's fury, former FBI chief Robert Mueller has been empowered as a special prosecutor to investigate possible collusion between the president's campaign and Russia.

So far Mueller has indicted 19 people, including 13 Russians, and reports suggest he may soon ask to interview Trump himself.

US officials confirmed that their action against the oligarchs was in part related to Russia's alleged interference in the US vote, but stressed the broader nature of their concerns.

"The Russian government operates for the disproportionate benefit of oligarchs and government elites," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said.

"Russian oligarchs and elites who profit from this corrupt system will no longer be insulated from the consequences of their government's destabilizing activities."

- Nerve agent -

Ties had already plummeted to a post Cold War low over last month's attack on a former Russian double agent living in England.

Sergei Skripal is recovering in hospital, but officials in Britain and its ally the United States say he was poisoned by "Novichok," a nerve agent they say only Russian intelligence could have deployed.

Trump's administration reacted by expelling 60 Russians they accused of being spies working under diplomatic cover and Moscow responded in kind.

The US leader, meanwhile, continued to protest this week that "probably nobody's been tougher to Russia than Donald Trump."

There was no immediate reaction from Moscow to news of Friday's sanctions, but the Kremlin can be expected to be furious at a move that could undermine support for Putin among his richest backers.

- Rough and pragmatic -

And the arms exporter Rosboronexport gave a taste of what might be expected to come from the Kremlin in its own response.

"The fact that Rosoboronexport is the target confirms the true aim of the sanctions," it said. "All this big talk and accusations are just an excuse to drive Russia out of the world arms market. Rough and pragmatic. It is a pure form of unfair competition."

EU feels heat in China, US trade row

source:AFP
EU feels heat in China, US trade row



AFP/File / ROBYN BECK China has formally launched a World Trade Organization challenge against the US' first round of proposed tariffs on Chinese goods

China reached out for Europe's support in its bitter trade war with the US, leaving the EU at risk of getting entangled in a conflict with repercussions around the world.

The European Union is caught in a bind as it too shares many of Washington's grievances with Beijing's trade practices, but is also under a threat of protectionist measures ordered up by US President Donald Trump.

In a rare diplomatic plea, China on Friday called on the EU to take a joint stand against US protectionism as Trump warned that he could slap another $100 billion (86 billion euros) of extra tariffs on China's imports.

"China and the EU... should take a clear stance against protectionism, jointly preserve the rules-based multilateral trade order, and keep the global economy on a sound and sustainable track," Zhang Ming, the head of the Chinese mission to the EU, said in a statement sent to AFP.

"This is a joint responsibility of China and the EU. We must act together to make that happen," Zhang said.

The EU declined to respond directly to the envoy's invitation, insisting only that trade conflicts should be resolved at the World Trade Organization, the Geneva-based body set up to resolve disputes.

The bloc is "firm in the belief that free and fair trade is one of the most powerful engines for growth, supporting millions of jobs and contributing to prosperity," European Commission spokesman Daniel Rosario said in a response to AFP.

The EU and the US themselves nearly descended into a trade war after Trump in March threatened to impose tariffs on steel and aluminium imports that would, if confirmed, punish European manufacturers.

But Trump granted Europe a last-minute exemption, giving EU negotiators until May 1 to come up with a solution to unfair trade policies alleged by the US leader.

The Europeans reject Trump's allegations, which have mostly circled on Germany's auto industry, and prepared a list of counter-measures in case the US reverses course and slaps on the tariffs.

The European Commission, which handles trade for the EU member states, said contacts with the US would continue next week, though French President Emmanuel Macron has angrily said that Europe should refuse to negotiate "with a gun to your head."

- 'Fruitless' -

Complicating matters, European leaders are largely in agreement with Trump that China fails to play fairly when it comes to international trade, not only for metals exports, but also market access for European companies and respecting intellectual property.

Many Europeans also rail against cash-flush Chinese tycoons that have snapped up European companies, sports clubs and airports, all while foreigners are barred from investing in equivalent industries in China.

China ranked 84th globally -- behind Saudi Arabia and Ukraine -- in the World Bank's ease of doing business index for 2016, and second to last in an OECD report on the restrictiveness towards foreign investment.

"The problem is the method," a European official told AFP, when asked about Trump's hardball approach to Beijing.

"The US is completely ignoring WTO rules. Until now they at least kept up appearances, but no longer," the source said.

Against China, the Europeans have always chosen the soft approach -- through lures of investment deals and closer cooperation -- said Economist Fredrik Erixon, director of the European Centre for International Political Economy in Brussels.

But this strategy will remain "fruitless, partly because there isn't any degree of confrontation, there is no bad cop next to the good cop and we need that," he said.

However he added: "While confrontation with China is necessary, Trump's way of doing it has too much collateral damage and does not deal with the issue in a rational way."

Brazil's Lula still holed up as arrest deadline looms

source:AFP
Brazil's Lula still holed up as arrest deadline looms


AFP / Miguel SCHINCARIOL Former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva greets supporters at the metalworkers' union building in Sao Bernardo do Campo, just hours before he must comply with an order to surrender and begin serving a 12-year prison sentence or face arrest

Ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the controversial frontrunner in Brazil's October presidential election, remained defiantly holed up Friday as a deadline for him to surrender and start a 12-year prison sentence for corruption loomed.

Shut up in the metalworkers' union building in his hometown Sao Bernardo do Campo, near Sao Paulo, 72-year-old Lula had barely five hours left to comply with the order for voluntary surrender -- or face forcible arrest.

The deadline was 5:00 pm (2000 GMT) Friday.

Hundreds of fervent supporters, many wearing the red shirts of Lula's leftist Workers' Party, stood watch in and around the building, vowing to shield the man who was once one of the world's most popular politicians and who easily leads polls for Brazil's upcoming election.

"Lula is innocent, Lula for president!" the crowd chanted.

Renata Swiecik, an unemployed mother of four who had joined the human shield, urged Lula not to hand himself over.

"We are here to resist to the end. Lula will not be a prisoner in 2018, he'll be president and help the people once more," Swiecik, 31, said.

Lula, convicted last year of taking a luxury apartment as a kickback from a big construction company, has not spoken publicly since Judge Sergio Moro issued his dramatic arrest warrant on Thursday.

Moro, head of Brazil's labyrinthine "Car Wash" anti-graft operation, gave Lula 24 hours to turn himself in to police in the southern city of Curitiba.

Moro said the cell, a separate room with its own toilet, had already been prepared, and that Lula would not be handcuffed -- if he came quietly.

Lula however told the respected Folha newspaper -- which reached the former president at the union building in Sao Bernardo -- that he will refuse to compy with Moro's order. There was no way to confirm the report.

- Battle in the courts -

Moro's offer was portrayed as a gesture of respect to Lula, who was president from 2003-2011 and left office with sky high ratings after overseeing a period of economic growth and dramatic reductions in extreme poverty.

However, Lula's lawyers said Moro was trampling over due process.

They applied to the Supreme Tribunal of Justice overnight demanding that the arrest warrant be suspended while they file a technical appeal at a lower court. If granted, this would give Lula until early next week without fear of arrest.

They also called on the United Nations human rights body in Geneva to intervene, saying that Lula had not been given an opportunity to appeal his prison sentence in freedom.

Earlier this week, Lula's defense tried to convince the Brazilian Supreme Court to let him remain at liberty while he pursued lengthy appeals in higher courts -- potentially taking many months -- and campaigned for election.

But in a marathon session, the Supreme Court said that because Lula had already lost a lower court appeal in January, he must pursue all further appeals from behind bars.

- Election upheaval -

Despite all his legal problems, Lula remains by far the highest polling of any candidate for the October 7 elections, with a hard-right former army captain, Jair Bolsonaro, in a distant second place.


 AFP / MARCELO CHELLO Supporters of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva rally outside the Metallurgical Union in Sao Bernardo do Campo after a judge gave the ex-president 24 hours to surrender and begin a 12-year prison term


Brazil's left sees Lula's imminent imprisonment as a plot to prevent the Workers' Party from returning to power. Party leader Gleisi Hoffmann said the Supreme Court's denial of Lula's petition violated "constitutional law and the presumption of innocence" and made Brazil "look like a little banana republic."

However, there were celebrations on the right and among prosecutors supporting the "Car Wash" probe, which has revealed systemic, high-level embezzlement and bribery throughout Brazilian business and politics over the last four years.

To them, Lula epitomizes Brazil's corruption-riddled elite. His conviction is "Car Wash's" biggest scalp by far.

Operation "Car Wash" was named after the service station where agents initially investigated a minor money laundering scheme in 2014, before realizing that they'd stumbled on a gargantuan web of embezzlement and bribery at state oil company Petrobras and right through the political classes.


AFP/File / Heuler Andrey Brazilian Federal Judge Sergio Moro is in charge of the sprawling "Car Wash" probe, which has revealed systemic, high-level embezzlement and bribery throughout Brazilian business and politics

Lula, who grew up poor and with little formal education before becoming a trade union leader and politician, has always said he will go down fighting.

In theory, once someone has been convicted and lost a lower court appeal, he or she is barred from running for office under Brazil's clean-slate law.

Still, even in prison, Lula has the right to register as a candidate. It would then be up to the Superior Electoral Tribunal to rule on whether his candidacy could stand.

Although Lula would be almost certainly blocked, he could use the process to maintain his political influence.

Facebook to verify identities for political ads

source: AFP
Facebook to verify identities for political ads



 GETTY/AFP/File / JUSTIN SULLIVAN Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the network will hire "thousands" of new employees to verify the identity of political advertisers

Facebook announced Friday that it will require any political ads on its platform to state who is paying for the message, and would verify the identity of the payer, in a bid to curb outside election interference.

The social network, which is under fire for enabling manipulation of its platform in the 2016 election, said the new policy would require any messages for candidates or public issues to include the label "political ad" with the name of the person or entity paying for it.

Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg said the change will mean "we will hire thousands of more people" and will take place this year ahead of US mid-term elections in November.

"These steps by themselves won't stop all people trying to game the system," Zuckerberg said on his Facebook page. "But they will make it a lot harder for anyone to do what the Russians did during the 2016 election and use fake accounts and pages to run ads."

A separate Facebook statement said the changes would help improve transparency and accountability of the network.

"We believe that when you visit a page or see an ad on Facebook, it should be clear who it's coming from," the statement said.

"We also think it's important for people to be able to see the other ads a page is running, even if they're not directed at you."

To get authorized by Facebook, "advertisers will need to confirm their identity and location," the statement said.

"Advertisers will be prohibited from running political ads -- electoral or issue-based -- until they are authorized."

Facebook made the announcement as Zuckerberg prepares to appear before Congress next week to answer questions about the harvesting of personal data on 87 million users by a British political consultancy working for Donald Trump's presidential campaign.

Seven Palestinians killed as new clashes erupt along Gaza border

source:AFP
Seven Palestinians killed as new clashes erupt along Gaza border

AFP / SAID KHATIB A Palestinian boy holds his national flag during clashes with Israeli security forces on the Gaza-Israel border on April 6, 2018

Israeli forces killed seven Palestinians as thousands protested and clashes erupted along the Gaza border on Friday, a week after a mass demonstration led to violence and the bloodiest day since a 2014 war.

Gaza's health ministry also reported that some 408 Palestinians had been taken to hospitals and medical centres for treatment. The dead included a 16-year-old, it said.

At least six journalists were shot and wounded, according to a statement from the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate. A spokeswoman for the Israeli army had no immediate comment on the statement.


 AFP / MOHAMMED ABED A Palestinian covers her face with the colours of her national flag during clashes with Israeli security forces on April 6, 2018


Palestinians burned mounds of tyres and threw stones at Israeli soldiers over the border fence, who responded with tear gas and live fire.

Israel said there were also attempts to break through the barrier.

Thousands of protesters -- Israel estimated 20,000 -- gathered in locations near the border east of Khan Yunis, in the south of the blockaded Palestinian enclave, and east of Gaza City, among other spots.

The number of protesters was however lower than last week, when a demonstration by tens of thousands led to clashes in which Israeli forces killed 19 Palestinians.

The tyre fires were meant to be a smokescreen from Israeli snipers, and thick black smoke covered the border area in some places.


AFP / SAID KHATIB Israeli security forces fire tear gas during clashes on the Gaza-Israel border on April 6, 2018

Israeli forces took up positions on the other side of the border and set up large fans in a bid to push away smoke.

They also used water cannon to try to douse flames.

Hamas's leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, hailed the protests and condemned Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip.

"They said Gaza would give up its principles, its project of liberation and (dream) of return if they starve it, but Gaza is coming out today," he said to protesters east of Khan Yunis.

He referred to the protest's call for Palestinian refugees to be able to return to land they fled or were expelled from in what is now Israel.

Sinwar said Gazans would "break the border and return to our land and pray in Jerusalem."


AFP / MAHMUD HAMS Palestinians collect tyres and burn them during protests at the Israel-Gaza border east of Gaza City, on April 6, 2018


Israel's military said some 20,000 Palestinians were "rioting" and "attempts were made to infiltrate into Israel under the cover of a smoke screen."

It also said explosive devices and firebombs were thrown, adding that soldiers opened fire "in accordance with the rules of engagement."

Israeli army spokesman Brigadier General Ronen Manelis defined the day's events as a success.

"None of our troops were wounded, the border was not crossed," he said, noting that what happened last week had "deterred Hamas, which prevented the masses from approaching the (border) fence."

- Call for restraint -

Mona al-Shaar, 43, who was distributing bottles of vinegar to protesters east of Khan Yunis to dab onto tissues to help them cope with tear gas, said that "we came here for the land and for a better future."

"The Israelis are cowards."

Israel had warned that its open-fire rules would remain unchanged for Friday's protests, pledging to stop damage to the fence and prevent infiltrations or alleged attacks.

It had faced mounting criticism over its use of live fire, and UN chief Antonio Guterres called for restraint ahead of Friday's protest.

"I particularly urge Israel to exercise extreme caution with the use of force in order to avoid casualties," he said.


AFP / MOHAMMED ABED Palestinians protest on the Gaza-Israel border on April 6, 2018

Israel accuses Hamas, the Islamist movement that runs the Gaza Strip and with whom it has fought three wars since 2008, of using the protests as cover to carry out violence.

But the toll of those killed and wounded on March 30 -- more than 750 people were injured by gunfire, according to Gaza's health ministry -- led to criticism of Israel.

There were no Israeli casualties.

- US embassy move -

Israel says more than half of the dead from the previous Friday were members of militant groups, including the armed wing of Hamas.

Hamas's armed wing has claimed only five of them, saying they were participating "in popular events side-by-side with their people".

Militant group Islamic Jihad has claimed at least one of the dead as a member, but it said he was not carrying a weapon when he was shot.

Hamas has meanwhile offered compensation of $3,000 to the families of protesters killed and $500 for those seriously injured, drawing outrage from Israel.

The protests in support of refugees are designed to last six weeks.

More than 700,000 Palestinians fled or were expelled from their lands during the war surrounding Israel's creation in 1948.

Israelis say allowing the so-called "right of return" would mean their country would cease to exist.

Protests will run until the expected opening of the new US embassy in Jerusalem in mid-May.

The US move has led to deep anger among Palestinians, who see the annexed eastern sector of Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.

The White House on Thursday refrained from criticism of Israel and called on protesters to remain peaceful.

Nadal wins in first match since January

Nadal wins in first match since January


 
AFP / JOSE JORDAN Rafael Nadal won his first match since he hobbled out of the Australian Open in January
Rafael Nadal on Friday won his first match since limping out of the Australian Open in January when he beat Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber in straight sets in the Davis Cup quarter-finals.

The world number one Spaniard, who is yet to fully recover from a hip injury, won 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 in just over two and half hours in Valencia, stretching his winning streak in Davis Cup to 23 matches.

The victory in the Plaza de Toros bullring levelled the tie after Alexander Zverev beat David Ferrer 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 in the opening rubber.

"Of course, it's a positive thing to win in straight sets," said 31-year-old Nadal, who has not lost a singles match in the Davis Cup since his 2004 debut.

"I played a solid match. I feel good when I return to the clay courts."

Nadal, building up to an assault on what he hopes will be an 11th French Open title in May and June, said it had been a special day playing on home ground again.

"It's a memorable day, in front of my own crowd. It's always special to play at home in these arenas.

"It's great to be back even if after an injury it's always difficult."

Four Palestinians killed as new clashes erupt along Gaza border

sources: AFP
Four Palestinians killed as new clashes erupt along Gaza border


AFP / SAID KHATIB A Palestinian boy holds his national flag during clashes with Israeli security forces on the Gaza-Israel border on April 6, 2018

Israeli forces killed four Palestinians as thousands protested and clashes erupted along the Gaza border on Friday, a week after a mass demonstration led to violence and the bloodiest day since a 2014 war.

Gaza's health ministry also reported that some 408 Palestinians had been taken to hospitals and medical centres for treatment. The dead included a 16-year-old, it said.

Palestinians burned mounds of tyres and threw stones at Israeli soldiers over the border fence, who responded with tear gas and live fire.

Israel said there were also attempts to break through the barrier.

Thousands of protesters -- Israel estimated 20,000 -- gathered in locations near the border east of Khan Yunis, in the south of the blockaded Palestinian enclave, and east of Gaza City, among other spots.

The number of protesters was however lower than last week, when a demonstration by tens of thousands led to clashes in which Israeli forces killed 19 Palestinians.


AFP / SAID KHATIB Israeli security forces fire tear gas during clashes on the Gaza-Israel border on April 6, 2018


The tyre fires were meant to be a smokescreen from Israeli snipers, and thick black smoke covered the border area in some places.

Israeli forces took up positions on the other side of the border and set up large fans in a bid to push away smoke.

They also used water cannon to try to douse flames.

Hamas's leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, hailed the protests and condemned Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip.

"They said Gaza would give up its principles, its project of liberation and (dream) of return if they starve it, but Gaza is coming out today," he said to protesters east of Khan Yunis.

He referred to the protest's call for Palestinian refugees to be able to return to land they fled or were expelled from in what is now Israel.

Sinwar said Gazans would "break the border and return to our land and pray in Jerusalem."


AFP / MAHMUD HAMS Palestinians collect tyres and burn them during protests at the Israel-Gaza border east of Gaza City, on April 6, 2018

Israel's military said some 20,000 Palestinians were "rioting" and "attempts were made to infiltrate into Israel under the cover of a smoke screen."

It also said explosive devices and firebombs were thrown, adding that soldiers opened fire "in accordance with the rules of engagement."

Mona al-Shaar, 43, who was distributing bottles of vinegar to protesters east of Khan Yunis to dab onto tissues to help them cope with tear gas, said that "we came here for the land and for a better future."

"The Israelis are cowards."

- Call for restraint -

Israel had warned that its open-fire rules would remain unchanged for Friday's protests, pledging to stop damage to the fence and prevent infiltrations or alleged attacks.

It had faced mounting criticism over its use of live fire, and UN chief Antonio Guterres called for restraint ahead of Friday's protest.

"I particularly urge Israel to exercise extreme caution with the use of force in order to avoid casualties," he said.

In the March 30 demonstration, a number of protesters strayed from the main demonstration and approached the heavily fortified fence on the border with Israel.


AFP / Jack GUEZ A picture taken on April 6, 2018, from the southern Israeli kibbutz of Nahal Oz across the border of the Gaza strip shows Palestinian men protesting as Israeli soldiers fire tear gas


Israel says troops opened fire only when necessary against those throwing stones and firebombs or rolling burning tyres at soldiers.

It said there were attempts to damage the fence and infiltrate Israel, while alleging there was also an attempted gun attack against soldiers along the border.

Israel accuses Hamas, the Islamist movement that runs the Gaza Strip and with whom it has fought three wars since 2008, of using the protests as cover to carry out violence.

But the toll of those killed and wounded on March 30 -- more than 750 people were injured by gunfire, according to Gaza's health ministry -- led to criticism of Israel.

There were no Israeli casualties.


AFP / SAID KHATIB Palestinian paramedics set up during protests at the Israel-Gaza border during a protest near Khan Yunis, east of Gaza City, on April 6, 2018

Palestinians say protesters were shot while posing no threat to soldiers, and unverified videos that have spread online have fuelled their accusations.

The videos include one appearing to show a man with a tyre shot while running away from the fence.

Human Rights Watch has called the actions by the Israeli soldiers "calculated" and illegal.

Guterres and the European Union have called for an independent investigation, which Israel has outright rejected.

- US embassy move -

Israel says more than half of the dead from the previous Friday were members of militant groups, including the armed wing of Hamas.

Hamas's armed wing has claimed only five of them, saying they were participating "in popular events side-by-side with their people".

Militant group Islamic Jihad has claimed at least one of the dead as a member, but it said he was not carrying a weapon when he was shot.


AFP / SAID KHATIB Palestinians sit on a mound as they prepare to protest at the Israel-Gaza border near Khan Yunis, east of Gaza City, on April 6, 2018


Hamas has meanwhile offered compensation of $3,000 to the families of protesters killed and $500 for those seriously injured, drawing outrage from Israel.

The protests, designed to last six weeks, are in support of refugees.

More than 700,000 Palestinians fled or were expelled from their lands during the war surrounding Israel's creation in 1948.

Israelis say allowing the so-called "right of return" would mean their country would cease to exist.

Protests will run until the expected opening of the new US embassy in Jerusalem in mid-May.

The US move has led to deep anger among Palestinians, who see the annexed eastern sector of Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.

The White House on Thursday refrained from criticism of Israel and called on protesters to remain peaceful.

Lebanon donor conference raises billions

source:AFP
Lebanon donor conference raises billions

 
AFP / Eric FEFERBERG Prime Minister Saad Hariri told donors gathered in Paris on Friday that "Lebanon cannot succeed alone"

International donors pledged $11 billion in low-interest loans and aid for Lebanon at a conference in Paris on Friday to try to avert an economic crisis in a country hard hit by the fallout from the Syrian war.

Lebanon's growth has plummeted due to political instability, with the effect compounded by the Syrian conflict which has sent a million refugees across the border -- equivalent to a quarter of the Lebanese population before the conflict.

Some 40 countries sent representatives to the CEDRE conference in Paris along with officials from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund where an aid package, made up 90 percent of low-interest loans, was agreed.

Praising the "exceptional generosity of the Lebanese people" with regard to Syrian refugees French President Emmanuel Macron said the world needed to show "full solidarity" with Lebanon.

The support was all the more critical given that the continued fighting in Syria "makes the imminent return of Syrian refugees impossible," he added.

Among the biggest donors was the World Bank which pledged more than $4 billion over five years, while France opened the conference with a promise of 550 million euros.

Saudi Arabia, which vies with arch-rival Iran for influence in Lebanon, said it would renew a $1-billion line of credit to Beirut which had been agreed in the past but never used, Lebanese officials said.

Iran, which backs Lebanon's powerful Hezbollah Shiite militia, was not invited to the meeting.

- 'Model of pluralism' -

"In a Middle East shaken by crises, wounded by civil wars, Lebanon remains a model of pluralism, tolerance and openness which we need," French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said.

"But Lebanon is not an island. It's borne the full force of regional tensions and the Syria crisis," he said, adding that it was also grappling with the threat of terrorism.

An economic adviser to Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who was at the conference, estimated the total amount pledged in loans and grants at $2.6 billion by midday.

The figure did not include the World Bank's offer as well as that of the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (1.1 billion euros), the European Investment Bank (800,000 euros) and Kuwait ($700,000).

The EU promised 150 million euros, the Netherlands 300 million euros and Italy pledged 120 million euros.

Economic growth in Lebanon has plunged from eight percent since the start of the Syrian war to around one percent.

"Lebanon cannot succeed alone," Hariri said, adding: "It's not just a matter of Lebanon's security, it's about the security of the region and the whole world."

France, which had mandate power over Lebanon for the first half of the 20th century, has been leading efforts to try stabilise the country.

When Hariri announced his resignation in November, a shock move in which many observers saw the hand of Saudi Arabia's de facto leader Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, President Emmanuel Macron intervened, inviting Hariri to Paris for talks before his return to Lebanon, where he withdrew his resignation.

- Cash for reforms -


AFP / Eric FEFERBERG Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri is welcomed by France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian

The Paris conference was aimed at giving Lebanon a boost as it prepares for its first general elections in almost a decade in May.

While the small country has managed to avoid a major spillover of the fighting in Syria, it has long been wracked by domestic power struggles, inefficiency and corruption stemming from its own 1975-1990 civil war.

With the government forecasting a deficit of $4.8 billion for 2018 -- more than double that in 2011, when Syria's war started -- economists say the state urgently needs to reduce its spending.

But public services such as water supplies, electricity and waste management have suffered rampant underinvestment, compounding problems that date back decades.

"The political idea behind (the investment plan) is that the Lebanese state could be able to provide services and infrastructure to the public, rather than others," an aide to Le Drian said, referring to the social role also played by the controversial Hezbollah.

Lebanon will for its part sign up to a string of reforms including tougher measures to fight corruption.

Trump says WTO is unfair to US

source:AFP
Trump says WTO is unfair to US


AFP/File / Olivier Douliery US President Donald Trump teed up a fight with the World Trade Organization, claiming the 164-country body was biased against the United States

US President Donald Trump teed up a fight with the World Trade Organization Friday, claiming the 164-country body was biased against the United States.

A day after China asked the WTO to referee a rapidly escalating trade fight with Washington, Trump questioned the organization's impartiality.

"China, which is a great economic power, is considered a Developing Nation within the World Trade Organization," he tweeted.

"They therefore get tremendous perks and advantages, especially over the U.S. Does anybody think this is fair. We were badly represented. The WTO is unfair to U.S."

Trump has repeatedly expressed skepticism about multilateral bodies -- from the WTO to the United Nations to NATO -- believing they constrain US power.

"Trump has made clear more than once what he thinks of multilateral institutions like the WTO," said Marie Kasperek of the Atlantic Council.Trump's critics point out that Washington largely dictated terms inside those organizations, which have promoted a move toward more democratic market economies

US-China trade war fears escalate as threats ramp up

source:AFP
US-China trade war fears escalate as threats ramp up



AFP/File / ROBYN BECK China has formally launched a World Trade Organization challenge against the US' first round of proposed tariffs on Chinese goods

The escalating trade confrontation between Washington and Beijing threatened to boil over Friday after President Donald Trump lashed out again and China called on the EU to join the battle, sending global stocks into the red.

Trump remained defiant and said the pain of the dispute will pay off in the end, while China said that his administration would only "shoot itself in the foot" if it didn't back down from the "extremely wrong" threats.

Global stock markets were unhappy with the turn of events, with Wall Street following European and Asian markets lower.

The United States on Tuesday published a list of $50 billion in Chinese exports set to be hit by tariffs over what Washington says is widespread theft of intellectual property and technology.

China retaliated by unveiling planned levies on $50 billion worth of major US exports such as soybeans, cars and small aircraft.

And Trump responded late Thursday by doubling down -- instructing trade officials to consider tariffs on an additional $100 billion in imports.

"Rather than remedy its misconduct, China has chosen to harm our farmers and manufacturers," Trump said in a defiant statement, calling Beijing's reaction "unfair."

So far, only the tariffs on steel and aluminum have taken effect, but the latest threats from Trump take the dispute to a new level: China cannot retaliate in kind since it only imports $130 billion in US products, meaning it would have to find another way to respond.

Amid widespread concern, and calls for restraint from US businesses and farm states most vulnerable to Chinese retaliation, Trump said Friday the outcome would be worth the short-term risk.

"I'm not saying there's not going to be any pain," he told WABC radio in New York, but "we're going to be much stronger for it."

- China calls on EU for support -


AFP / Gal ROMA China-US economic ties

China's commerce ministry said Friday Beijing was ready for further escalation, with state media saying China would "fight back immediately and without hesitation."

"It is a battle between unilateralism and multilateralism, and between protectionism and free trade as well," ministry spokesman Gao Feng said, warning any threat to multilateralism would severely imperil the global economic recovery.

"This is detrimental to the vital interests of China and even more detrimental to the common interests of the world," he said, according to official news agency Xinhua.

China also urged the European Union to join it in taking a "clear stance" against US protectionism.

"This is a joint responsibility of China and the EU," said Zhang Ming, the head of the Chinese mission to the EU, calling for Brussels and Beijing to "jointly preserve the rules-based multilateral trade order, and keep the global economy on a sound and sustainable track."

"We must act together to make that happen," Zhang said in a statement sent to AFP on Friday.

The EU is caught in its own trade drama with Washington, under threat of crippling US steel and aluminum tariffs which have been suspended but only until May 1.

The Chinese appeal came after it filed a complaint in the World Trade Organization saying the US has violated global trading rules, a claim the White House dismissed.

In his statement, Zhang warned "protectionist moves under the pretext of national security will undermine the credibility of the WTO-centered multilateral trade system, and the rules-based global trade order."

Trump responded by once more dismissing the WTO as "unfair" to the United States.

"China, which is a great economic power, is considered a Developing Nation within the World Trade Organization," he tweeted.

"They therefore get tremendous perks and advantages, especially over the U.S. Does anybody think this is fair. We were badly represented. The WTO is unfair to U.S."

- A happy end? -

Oxford Economics analysts estimate the threatened US tariffs cumulatively represent 30 percent of total US imports from China, and if imposed the loss of GDP over 2018-2019 could reach 0.3 percent in each economy.

The latest actions risk putting the countries "on a slippery slope towards a trade war," they said, noting the Trump's team of advisers following recent personnel changes raises the possibility.

But Trump's newly-installed economic adviser Larry Kudlow tried to downplay those concerns, saying the US is "not running a trade war."

"This is a just a proposed idea which will be vetted by" the US Trade Representative, Kudlow told reporters at the White House. "Nothing has been executed"

"We'll see, hopefully this will have a very happy end," he added, noting China is to blame for the confrontation.

"I am still optimistic by the way that the Chinese recognize that the rest of the world is on our side."

Russian ex-spy 'improving rapidly' after poisoning

source: AFP
Russian ex-spy 'improving rapidly' after poisoning


Kommersant Photo/AFP/File / Yuri SENATOROV Former double agent Sergei Skripal was found poisoned in England on March 4

The former Russian spy who was found slumped in an English city after being poisoned is no longer in critical condition and is "improving rapidly," the hospital treating him said Friday.

It was the first official news on the condition of Sergei Skripal, 66, since he and his daughter Yulia were found poisoned on a bench on March 4 in Salisbury.

The affair has sparked a bitter diplomatic crisis between London and Moscow and prompted a wave of tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats between Russia and the West.

Britain's interior ministry on Friday rejected a visa application by Skripal's niece to visit the country, because it "did not comply with the immigration rules," it said.

Meanwhile Skripal "is responding well to treatment, improving rapidly and is no longer in a critical condition,"according to Salisbury District Hospital director Christine Blanshard.

As for his daughter, "her strength is growing daily and she can look forward to the day when she is well enough to leave the hospital", Blanshard added.

Britain blames Russia for the poisoning of the Skripals -- a charge the Kremlin furiously denies.

A British Foreign Office spokesperson praised medical staff continuing to treat the pair and noted they are "likely to have ongoing medical needs".

Its statement added: "this was attempted murder using an illegal chemical weapon that we know Russia possesses."

The first public comments by Yulia Skripal since the poisoning emerged on Thursday.

"My strength is growing daily," she was quoted as saying in comments released by the police.

Scientists said the Skripals had likely been treated with Atropine -- a drug used to counter the effects of nerve agents -- and marvelled at their partial recovery given the circumstances.

"As far as we know from the literature, there is no specific antidote for Novichok," Ralf Trapp, an expert on chemical weapons, told AFP, referring to a batch of nerve agents allegedly developed by Moscow in the Soviet era.

"What you basically do in such cases is stabilise the life functions of the body -- breathing, heartbeats -- and give Atropin to couterbalance the symptoms, hoping that the body will recover," he added.

- Novichok's disputed origins -


AFP/File / Adrian DENNIS British authorities are investigating the poisoning of a Russian ex-spy in England


Moscow earlier Friday rejected a British news report that the nerve agent Britain says was used against Skripal came from a military facility on the Volga River.

On Thursday, The Times newspaper cited British security sources saying they believed the Novichok nerve agent was manufactured at a facility in the town of Shikhany southeast of Moscow.

"We are aware of claims of this sort by our British colleagues," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters on a visit to Belarus.

"We will not trust in them, we would like to check them but they are not letting us do that."

He accused London of trying "feverishly and convulsively to look for some new confirmation of their absolutely indefensible position."

Russian officials said earlier Friday that no chemical weapons were ever stored at Shikhany, although they stopped short of specifically addressing the claim that Novichok was made there.

"This laboratory was never part of the scope of our work," Mikhail Babich, the Kremlin's envoy in the Volga region and former chairman of the state commission for chemical disarmament, told Interfax news agency.

"All the bases where chemical weapons were stored are well-known. Shikhany is not one of them."

He said there used to be another such facility in the surrounding Saratov region but it was not located in Shikhany.

The Times report came after the British defence laboratory analysing the nerve agent said that it could not say whether the substance came from Russia.

Russian authorities have insisted the country never had any programmes to develop the chemical weapon.

Last month, Russian scientist Leonid Rink told state media he worked for 27 years at a state laboratory in Shikhany, where the development of Novichok formed the basis of his doctoral dissertation.

According to the website of the State Scientific Research Institute of Organic Chemistry and Technology, its branch in Shikhany is involved in work related to "ensuring the security" of the country and destruction of chemical weapons.

In September 2017, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow had destroyed its last chemical weapons.

- 'You'll be sorry' -

At a UN Security Council meeting on Thursday, Russia deflected accusations of poisoning.

"Couldn't you come up with a better fake story?" Russian ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the council.

"We have told our British colleagues that 'you're playing with fire and you'll be sorry'."

Russia called for UN Security Council talks after it failed to win diplomatic support for a joint probe of the poisoning at a meeting this week of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

burs-jj/dt/har

Stumbling starts for Spieth, McIlroy as Masters drama resumes

source: AFP

Stumbling starts for Spieth, McIlroy as Masters drama resumes


Getty/AFP / JAMIE SQUIRE Jordan Spieth of the United States hits his second shot from the pine straw on the first hole during the second round of the 2018 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 6, 2018 in Augusta, Georgia

Jordan Spieth, seeking his fourth major title, and Rory McIlroy, chasing a career Grand Slam, stumbled on the opening hole in Friday's second round of the Masters, where star attraction Tiger Woods had an afternoon start.

Fourth-ranked Spieth fired a six-under par 66 Thursday for a two-stroke lead, but squandered it with a double bogey at the first, leaving him deadlocked with fellow American Matt Kuchar at 4-under par.

Reigning British Open champion Spieth sent his tee shot well right and deep into the Georgia pines, didn't escape the trees on his second and left his third shy of the green, 20 yards off the front slope.

Spieth left his fourth shot 11 feet from the cup and two-putted to fall from the solo lead.

Seventh-ranked McIlroy fared little better, three-putting for bogey to fall back before a 30-foot birdie putt at the second left the four-time major winner from Northern Ireland only one off the lead.

Woods, in his first major event since missing the 2015 PGA Championship cut, opened with a 73, leaving the 14-time major winner and four-time Masters champion seven adrift of Spieth.

Fans flock to glimpse Woods, whose recovery from spinal fusion surgery saw him contend in two tuneup events last month and created a Tigermania buzz around the course. He was set for a 1:27 p.m. (1727 GMT) start.

"I could have easily let it slip away," Woods. "I fought hard to get it back in there and there are a lot of holes to be played. It will be fun the next 54 holes."

Spieth's wire-to-wire victory in 2015 marked the only time since 1984 that a first-round Masters solo leader took the green jacket.

"To go wire-to-wire in a tournament is a rare occurrence anywhere," Spieth said. "So I imagine there will be plenty of times, if not from early on, that I don't lead this tournament anymore. Things happen in this sport."

- Spieth, McIlroy meltdowns -

Both McIlroy and Spieth have suffered notable Masters meltdowns with a green jacket seemingly in their grasp, Spieth in 2016 when leading by five shots with nine holes remaining only to endure a back-nine horror and squander the title won by England's Danny Willett.

McIlroy, 28, is off to his best start in the Masters since opening with a 64 in 2011 -- when his hopes of a wire-to-wire win vanished with a final-round nightmare 80.

McIlroy went on to win his next major start at the 2011 US Open and now lacks only the Masters to have won each major at least once.

"This is my best start in a few years and, yeah, it's such a hard golf course to play catch up on," McIlroy said. "If you start to chase it around here, that's when you start to make mistakes."

- Li, Finau falter early -

China's Li Haotong and American Tony Finau, the first US PGA player of Tongan and Samoan descent, each stumbled early in their second round after ranking among the leaders in their first-ever Masters rounds.

Li, who birdied all three Amen Corner holes in opening 69, had back-to-back bogeys at the par-3 fourth and par-4 fifth on Friday, finding bunkers off the tee on both holes and missing par putts from eight and 10 feet.

Finau, who opened with a bogey after taking three shots to reach the green, shot 68 on day one despite a partial left ankle dislocation suffered Wednesday when he landed awkwardly while celebrating an ace in the Masters Par-3 Contest.

Spain's Sergio Garcia, among the late starters, will likely miss the cut to the low 50 and ties plus anyone within 10 shots of the lead after an opening 81, the worst-ever round for a Masters defending champion.

Garcia plunked five balls in the water in shooting a 13 at the par-5 15th, the worst score ever on the hole and level with the worst on any hole in Masters history.

Air strikes return to Syria's Ghouta killing 32 as talks sputter

source: AFP
Air strikes return to Syria's Ghouta killing 32 as talks sputter


AFP / Nazeer al-Khatib Buses carrying families of fighters from former rebel bastion Eastern Ghouta arrive at a checkpoint in northern Syria on April 5, 2018

Deadly air strikes slammed into the last opposition-held town in Syria's Eastern Ghouta on Friday, killing 32 civilians in the first bombardment since talks sputtered over a rebel withdrawal.

Backed by Russia, Syrian troops had captured nearly all of the one-time opposition stronghold of Ghouta with a combination of ferocious bombing raids and negotiated withdrawals.

All that remained was its largest town of Douma, held by the Jaish al-Islam Islamist faction and home to tens of thousands of people.

Moscow announced a deal with Jaish al-Islam last Sunday, ushering in three consecutive days of evacuations from Douma that saw nearly 3,000 fighters and civilians bussed to northern Syria.

But the evacuations stalled this week amid reports Jaish al-Islam remained divided over a withdrawal, and heavy bombing hit Douma on Friday afternoon for the first time in around 10 days.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said dozens of air strikes hit various parts of Douma, including some suspected to have been carried out by Russian warplanes.


 AFP/File / HAMZA AL-AJWEH Syrians walk past destroyed buildings in Douma in Eastern Ghouta on March 25, 2018


"At least 32 civilians died, including seven children," said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman, adding that around 50 people were wounded.

A medic inside Douma described to AFP a state of chaos at the local hospital as wounded and dead were being brought in.

"The hospital is in a state of panic," the medic said.

"Dentists are carrying out emergency surgeries. Dead bodies are being brought in pieces and are unrecognisable."

State news agency SANA said Syrian air strikes hit the town on Friday in response to deadly rebel mortar fire from Douma.

It said mortar shells hit several suburbs of the capital and killed at least one person and wounded more than a dozen.

The regime and its ally Russia launched a blistering air and ground offensive on Eastern Ghouta in mid-February, killing more than 1,600 civilians and causing an international outcry.

The enclave on the eastern edge of Damascus had escaped government control since 2012 and, although it had shrunk over the years, it still covered sizeable territory two months ago.

The daily air raids kept residents cowering in basements for weeks and a ground assault soon sliced the area into three isolated pockets, each held by different rebel factions.

- Deal dead? -

The first two were evacuated under Russian-brokered deals last month that saw more than 46,000 rebels and civilians bussed to the northwestern province of Idlib, which the regime does not control.

Tens of thousands of people also fled through humanitarian corridors opened by Russia and Syrian troops.

Some have already returned to their devastated neighbourhoods, while others are staying in crowded shelters.

As talks over the third and final pocket of Douma dragged on, Russia and Syria's regime threatened Jaish al-Islam with a renewed military assault if they did not agree to withdraw.

Those still trapped in Douma had been nervous that any attempt to renege on an evacuation would only prompt Russia and regime warplanes to resume deadly strikes.

The nature of the ongoing discussions over Douma is unclear and Jaish al-Islam itself has not stated its position since this week's first evacuation.

"It's very tense and there's a lot of confusion. We don't know where we're going, and rumours are flying in the town," said a resident reached by phone who gave his name as Mohammed.

"Waiting for the unknown, with rumours as your only source of information, is worse than the bombardment," said the young man, hours before Friday's fresh strikes.

Jaish al-Islam had been angling for a reconciliation deal that would allow them to stay in Douma as a police force.

The group appears to have little leverage, however, to face the regime's recovered might, and the latest strikes raised fears of a brutal end to the five-year-old siege of Eastern Ghouta.

"These air strikes are paving the way for a ground operation. Forces are already amassing and there is massive pressure on Jaish al-Islam," said Nawar Oliver, an analyst at the Omran Institute.

"The negotiations failed and the regime wants its conditions -- the air strikes are a taste of what could happen if its conditions are not implemented," he said.

Trump to again snub White House correspondents' dinner

source: AFP

Trump to again snub White House correspondents' dinner



AFP/File / Olivier Douliery conference Wednesday with Baltic leaders, will again snub the annual White House correspondents' dinner, organizers said Friday

Donald Trump will again snub the annual White House correspondents' dinner, organizers said Friday, amid sustained attacks by the president on US media.

While other members of his administration are expected to attend the dinner in Washington on April 28, it will be the second year in a row that the president himself will stay away.

"The White House has informed us that the president does not plan to participate in this year's dinner," Margaret Talev, the president of the White House Correspondents' Association, said in a statement.

Trump regularly accuses major media organizations such as CNN, The New York Times and The Washington Post of bias, and he organized a rally of supporters on the same evening as last year's dinner.

The Republican president's assaults on the "fake news" media have sharpened in recent weeks and have included attacks on CNN president Jeff Zucker and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who owns The Washington Post.

Since taking up the presidency, Trump has strongly favored news outlets that provide glowing coverage such as Fox News, the Daily Caller, Newsmax and Sinclair, a group of almost 200 local TV stations.

Sinclair sparked controversy by recently forcing reporters to read a script about "fake stories" in the mainstream media.

- 'Celebrate the First Amendment' -

A recent Knight-Gallup Poll showed 43 percent of Americans have a negative view of the news media, but more importantly for Trump, that figure is 68 percent among Republicans.

Talev said that while Trump would not attend the dinner, the White House had said the president would "actively encourage members of the executive branch to attend and join us as we celebrate the First Amendment," which guarantees freedom of speech.

"In keeping with tradition, Press Secretary Sarah Sanders also will represent the administration at the head table," Talev added.

Trump was famously ridiculed by his predecessor Barack Obama in a speech at the dinner in 2011.

Trump renewed his attacks on the media early Friday, rebuffing suggestions he was considering replacing Attorney General Jeff Sessions with the embattled Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt.

Pruitt has been accused of taking favors from lobbyists, luxurious travel arrangements and firing staff who objected.

He rented Capitol Hill accommodation from the wife of an energy lobbyist last year at the below-market rate of $50 per day and used taxpayer funds for first-class travel.

The stream of allegations prompted even Republicans to demand Pruitt's ouster.

But Trump insisted the issue was with the "Fake News Media."

Pruitt, he said, "is doing a great job but is TOTALLY under siege".

"Do people really believe this stuff? So much of the media is dishonest and corrupt!"

No stranger to controversy, Pruitt is a climate change skeptic who honed his views as attorney general of Oklahoma and has since sought to limit the influence of scientists in EPA policymaking.

Up to 2.7 million Europeans affected by Facebook data scandal: EU

source: AFP
Up to 2.7 million Europeans affected by Facebook data scandal: EU


AFP/File / NORBERTO DUARTE "Facebook confirmed to us that the data of overall up to 2.7 million people in the EU may have been improperly shared with Cambridge Analytica," spokesman Christian Wigand told reporters

Facebook has admitted up to 2.7 million people in the EU may have been caught in the Cambridge Analytica scandal, the bloc announced Friday, saying its top data official will demand more answers from the social media giant next week.

The EU justice commissioner Vera Jourova will hold phone talks with Facebook's chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg to discuss what the company is doing to address the breach, which it says may have affected 87 million people around the world.

The EU wrote to Facebook last week to ask how many Europeans were affected by the growing scandal over the harvesting of personal data which was then shared with British political consultancy Cambridge Analytica.

"Facebook confirmed to us that the data of overall up to 2.7 million people in the EU may have been improperly shared with Cambridge Analytica," spokesman Christian Wigand told reporters.

"We will study the letter (from Facebook) in more detail but it is already clear that this will need further follow-up discussions with Facebook," Wigand said.

The scandal comes amid growing concern in Europe about the use online companies make of their customers' personal data and the spread of "fake news" on the web.


AFP/File / FABRICE COFFRINI EU justice commissioner Vera Jourova will hold phone talks with Facebook's chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg, seen in 2018. to discuss what the company is doing to address the breach, which it says may have affected 87 million people worldwide


There are particular worries about Russian meddling in European elections by spreading disinformation and discord through social media, and Wigand said the EU expected Facebook to address "broader questions on the democratic process".

- Tough new rules -

Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg said on Thursday that around the world as many as 87 million people could be affected by the Cambridge Analytica breach, which has sent the company into turmoil and raised questions about data protection for the entire tech sector.


 AFP/File / Josh Edelson Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg said that around the world as many as 87 million people could be affected by the Cambridge Analytica breach, which has sent the company into turmoil and raised questions about data protection for the entire tech sector

The data at the centre of the controversy was obtained from a personality quiz app downloaded by some 300,000 people. It gathered details about their Facebook friends without their knowledge -- permitted by Facebook's rules at the time.

Reports suggest the data was then used by Cambridge Analytica as part of its work on Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, though the British firm denies this.

Zuckerberg acknowledged the company had not done enough to protect user data, saying it must take a more serious approach after years of being "idealistic" about how the platform is used.

The Italian competition authority Antitrust said on Friday it had opened an investigation into Facebook for "alleged improper commercial practices" by not adequately informing users about data-gathering.

According to the Italian news agency AGI, just over 214,000 Italians could be affected, based on the 57 Facebook users who installed the personality quiz application.

The EU is preparing to launch tough new data protection rules next month, under which companies could be fined up to four percent of their global turnover for breaches.


AFP/File / Nick SHEARMAN Facebook


On May 25, the General Data Protection Regulation will come into effect, strengthening the protection of EU citizens' personal details. It will apply to all companies, including those outside of the EU.

"If a company collects a person's data for a certain purpose, it has to obtain their consent -- and under the new rules it's explicit and affirmative consent -- if it wants to forward it to a third party or use it for a different purpose," Wigand said.

"The new rules also include the obligation for the data processor to inform the consumer swiftly of a possible data breach -- within 72 hours."Facebook has said its new terms of service would provide clearer information on how data is collected and shared without giving the social network additional rights

Job Vacancy For Technical Sales Engineer at Weatherford Nigeria

Weatherford is one of the largest multinational oilfield service companies providing innovative solutions, technology and services to the oil and gas industry. The Company operates in over 90 countries and has a network of approximately 800 locations, including manufacturing, service, research and development, and training facilities.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Technical Sales Engineer

Location: Victoria Island, Lagos
Job Family: Sales

Duties and Responsibilities

• Supporting the sales/marketing strategy and implementation in MENA Region
• Fully dedicated on a daily basis for the countries that don’t have Sales team.
• Visiting Clients within the Country, Following up Projects, Orders, Working on Tenders, Applications, Forecast Plans, Forecast Revenue
• Interfere and work closely with all PL other teams to achieve organization objectives (Regional Operation Team, Countries WCP Operation Teams, Manufacturing Team, Regional WCP Purchasing & Logistic Team ,countries BD and sales teams, and global support team
• Work on all the tender documents and find out the customer requirements and put comments to check if there is and missing data.
• Work and interact w/application engineers and TSG before and during the preparation of the tender technically and commercially.
• Review all the tenders and quotations documents before submitting for positioning the proposal according to the customer requirements.
• Review the IC prices and put the mark up based on it and related to the countries market.
• Review the customer PO and comparing it to Weatherford proposal.
• Check and discuss the customer PO with the countries WCP team to confirm the quantities and the P/N before raising the manufacturing OR.
• Review and approve the manufacturing OR on the system.
• Follow up with the material team to ensure the delivery time.
• Interact with the countries and the regional operation team for any critical issue related to any client
• Support and coordinate with countries to improve their P&L (Profit & Loss Income Statement)
• Participate and doing the country Market Survey.
• Monthly report for Sales and Marketing.
• Participate in the plan of the full year budget.
• Provide input and establish pricing strategy for region countries
• Prepare and Participate in Technical Presentations in country as needed for customers
• Participate and prepare forecasts covering projected new-business sales and investment requirements by both Weatherford and the customer
• As may needed in some countries conference with key customers regarding equipment/product/service needs and advise key customers on types of equipment to purchase
• Hold periodic meetings with regional Application and TSG team for follow up and review all running tenders and quotes 
• Work, coordinate and support the region countries to generate new business and increase revenues
• Participate and provide input in the development of new products and services
• Ensure that developed marketing/sales plans and objectives are followed in a harmonious manner with the PL overall objectives, plans, and programs
• Maintain strong coordination with countries to develop and maintain a sales and service relationship with the customer
• Understand and comply with all safety rules and company policies of Weatherford
• Know and understand Weatherford Quality Policy and comply with all requirements of the Quality Systems Manual, Operating and Technical Procedures and Workplace Instructions

Qualifications

• Engineer or business degree preferred Mechanical or petroluem
• A minimum of 10+ years experience or equivalent

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online now >>>

Job Vacancy For Thru Tubing Supervisor at Weatherford Nigeria

Weatherford is one of the largest multinational oilfield service companies providing innovative solutions, technology and services to the oil and gas industry. The Company operates in over 90 countries and has a network of approximately 800 locations, including manufacturing, service, research and development, and training facilities.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Thru Tubing Supervisor

Location: Port Harcourt, Rivers
Job Family: Field operations

Job Description

• To be involved with onshore preparation and installation of Completion equipment.
• Check equipment on location and maintain associated paperwork in-line with Weatherford and the Client Company polices procedures and systems, statutory regulations and good industry practice.
• The Field Supervisor is responsible for following all operational and procedural activities within his remit. The role is measured by the accurate fulfilment of job specific processes as well as the safe and efficient utilisation of Weatherford equipment.
• Liaise on location with the Operator / Client. Ensure that the daily report to town is sent and complete the sequence of events. To ensure that all job associated paperwork is handed in a timely manner including updating equipment asset folders.
• Working in workshop preparing and redressing Completion related equipment prior to and after installations

Qualifications
Knowledge, Skills & Experience:

• Engineering degree
• Experience in an oilfield service company. Minimum 7 year’s.
• Critical understanding of Client’s needs.
• Knowledge of rig systems and drilling/completion/production operations
• Computer-literacy.
• The ability to work in a team environment and exercise initiative to resolve potential problems.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online now >>>

Graduate Senior Field Engineer at Weatherford Nigeria

Weatherford is one of the largest multinational oilfield service companies providing innovative solutions, technology and services to the oil and gas industry. The Company operates in over 90 countries and has a network of approximately 800 locations, including manufacturing, service, research and development, and training facilities.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: Senior Field Engineer

Location: Port Harcourt, Rivers

Job Description

• To be involved with onshore preparation and installation of Completion equipment.
• Check equipment on location and maintain associated paperwork in-line with Weatherford and the Client Company polices procedures and systems, statutory regulations and good industry practice.
• The Field Supervisor is responsible for following all operational and procedural activities within his remit. The role is measured by the accurate fulfilment of job specific processes as well as the safe and efficient utilisation of Weatherford equipment.
• Liaise on location with the Operator / Client. Ensure that the daily report to town is sent and complete the sequence of events. To ensure that all job associated paperwork is handed in a timely manner including updating equipment asset folders.
• Working in workshop preparing and redressing Completion related equipment prior to and after installations

Accountabilities
Follow job specific procedures.

• Undertake detailed design work e.g. torque and drag, schematics and tallies where applicable .
• Attending client’s pre-job meetings
• Check equipment onshore and offshore prior to installation.
• Assist in workshop with equipment load-outs.
• Assist in workshop with equipment maintenance and testing.
• Check Equipment onshore and on location.
• Daily Report to Town.
• Complete sequence of events.
• Update equipment asset folders.
• Required training is undertaken to a satisfactory level of achievement.
• Maintain a professional demeanor and attitude and ensure that - Passport; Medical Certificate; Immunizations; Offshore Survival Certification and any other necessary

Qualifications
Knowledge, Skills & Experience:

• Engineering Degree
• Experience in an oilfield service company. Minimum 7 year’s.
• Critical understanding of Client’s needs.
• Knowledge of rig systems and drilling/completion/production operations
• Computer-literacy.
• The ability to work in a team environment and exercise initiative to resolve potential problems.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online NOW >>>