Symantec downplays mysterious internal investigation

Symantec downplays mysterious internal investigation
source: AFP

AFP/File / PAUL J. RICHARDS Shares of Symantec closed the trading day up 9.6 percent to $21.40 ahead of top executives holding a telephone conference to discuss the company's financial outlook

Symantec shares regained some lost ground Monday as executives downplayed a mysterious internal investigation as an accounting matter not expected to have "material adverse" effect on finances.

Shares of Symantec closed the trading day up 9.6 percent to $21.40 ahead of top executives holding a telephone conference to discuss the company's financial outlook.

Symantec shares rose about two percent more in after-market trades, despite executives on the call declining to answer questions about the investigation.

Cybersecurity company Symantec had lost more than a third of its market value Friday after it disclosed an internal probe and refused to take questions from analysts.

A board of directors committee has started an investigation due to "concerns raised by a former employee regarding the company's public disclosures including commentary on historical financial results," Symantec said in a statement.

While financial results reported by Symantec may be subject to change based on the outcome of the audit, the company "does not anticipate a material adverse impact on its historical financial statements," the statement said.

The audit appeared to involve earnings calculations related to discretionary and performance-based compensation for high-level executives.

The company "voluntarily contacted" the Securities and Exchange Commission about the probe and said the investigation could force it to restate financial results.

Cynthia Hiponia, Symantec's vice president for investor relations, said the probe "does not relate to any security concern or breach with respect to our products or systems," according to a transcript of an earnings conference call held last week.

Analysts were unnerved by the announcement, which flouted an unwritten rule of earnings season that executives face the music and take questions from Wall Street.

The disclosure came as Symantec reported a fourth-quarter loss of $35 million, compared with a loss of $143 million in the year-ago period.

Symantec's forecasts for profit per share and revenues lagged behind Wall Street analyst expectations.

Mark Waugh steps down as Australian selector

Mark Waugh steps down as Australian selector
source: AFP

AFP/File / GREG WOOD Mark Waugh, who played 128 Tests and 244 one-dayers for Australia, has been a selector since 2014, focusing mostly on Twenty20s but also providing input on the one-day international and Test teams

Australian cricket great Mark Waugh Tuesday quit as a national selector to take up a television commentary role as broadcasters jockey for top talent after a new rights deal was agreed.

Waugh will not renew his contract when it expires on August 31 but will remain on the panel for the upcoming Australian tours of England and Zimbabwe.

"Working alongside my fellow selectors, the coaching staff and players over the past four years has been a privilege, and I'm proud of the achievements of the Australian teams across all formats in this time," he said.

"I firmly believe Australian cricket has a wealth of talented players in its ranks right now, and I look forward to watching the team continue to go from strength to strength in the years to come."

No replacement has been announced with his departure, leaving the panel consisting of Trevor Hohns, Greg Chappell and new coach Justin Langer.

Waugh, who played 128 Tests and 244 one-dayers for Australia, has been a selector since 2014, focusing mostly on Twenty20s but also providing input on the one-day international and Test teams.

He leaves to join pay-tv company Fox Sports, which along with the free-to-air Seven Network won a bidding war last month for television and digital cricket rights in Australia in a six-year deal worth almost Aus$1.2 billion (US$918 million).

It ended cricket's four-decade relationship with the rival Nine Network and also sidelined the CBS-backed Ten Network, which had previously screened Big Bash League games.

Since then the two broadcasters have been working to secure top commentary teams.

Adam Gilchrist has also signed with Fox along with Allan Border, Mike Hussey, and England's Michael Vaughan. Shane Warne, Australia's most sought-after commentator, is widely expected to follow suit.

Test legend Ricky Ponting will lead Seven's coverage.

US first lady hospitalized with 'benign' kidney condition

US first lady hospitalized with 'benign' kidney condition
SOURCE: afp

AFP/File / JIM WATSON US First Lady Melania Trump will spend the rest of the week in hospital after surgery for a "benign" kidney condition

US First Lady Melania Trump had surgery Monday for what aides called a "benign" kidney condition, and will remain in hospital for the rest of the week.

The Slovenia-born wife of Donald Trump underwent an embolization procedure, said her communications director Stephanie Grisham.

"The procedure was successful and there were no complications," Grisham said.

But the 48-year-old former model is expected to stay in hospital "for the duration of the week."

"The first lady looks forward to a full recovery so she can continue her work on behalf of children everywhere," the spokeswoman added.

Hours after the procedure, President Donald Trump departed the White House for Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where the first lady is being held just north of Washington.

The hospital facility has treated many presidents and first families.

Jeffrey Leef, associate professor of radiology at the University of Chicago, told AFP that embolization is most frequently used to isolate a tumor.

The procedure "introduces a small catheter into the arterial system of the body" with the aim of obstructing the blood vessel, Leef said.

According to Elizabeth Kavaler, a urologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, the first lady may have a common, benign tumor of the kidney called an angiomyolipoma, or AML.

"They are more common in women. They can grow but they are not cancerous," Kavaler said.

Leef said that "one of the ways it can manifest itself is with a little bit of blood in the urine, or maybe pain."

He added that it is common to stay overnight after the procedure.

"The most common side effect is pain," Leef said.

"Often, you need temporarily a type of pain control that can only be provided within a hospital."

Sex bias kills 240,000 infant girls in India yearly: study

Sex bias kills 240,000 infant girls in India yearly: study
source: AFP

AFP/File / NARINDER NANU Volunteers of the Indian Red Cross Society hold an abandoned baby girl found at a drop-off box in Amritsar in 2016

Almost a quarter-of-a-million girls younger than five die in India every year due to neglect resulting from society's preference for sons, a gender discrimination study found on Tuesday.

This was over and above those aborted simply for being female, researchers wrote in The Lancet medical journal.

"Gender-based discrimination towards girls doesn't simply prevent them from being born, it may also precipitate the death of those who are born," said study co-author Christophe Guilmoto of the Paris Descartes University.

"Gender equity is not only about rights to education, employment or political representation, it is also about care, vaccination, and nutrition of girls, and ultimately survival."

Guilmoto and a team used population data from 46 countries to calculate how many infant girls would have died in a society where there was no discrimination impact, and how many died in reality.

The difference, about 19 deaths out of every 1,000 girls born between 2000 and 2005, was ascribed to the effects of gender bias.

This amounted to about 239,000 deaths per year, or 2.4 million over a decade.

"Around 22 percent of the overall mortality burden of females under five (in India) is therefore due to gender bias," the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) a research institute based in Austria, said in a statement.

The problem was most pronounced in northern India, the researchers found, with states Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh, accounting for two-thirds of the excess deaths.

Hardest hit were poor, rural, farming regions with low education levels, high population densities, and high birth rates.

"As the regional estimates of excess deaths of girls demonstrate, any intervention to reduce the discrimination against girls in food and healthcare allocation should therefore target in priority regions... where poverty, low social development, and patriarchal institutions persist and investments (in) girls are limited," said co-author Nandita Saikia of IIASA.

Gaza deaths spark widespread condemnation of Israel

Gaza deaths spark widespread condemnation of Israel
source: AFP

AFP / MAHMUD HAMS A Palestinian boy holding his national flag looks at clashes with Israeli security forces near the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel east of Gaza City

Israel faced widespread condemnation on Monday after its forces killed at least 55 Palestinians in Gaza during protests coinciding with the opening of the US embassy in Jerusalem.

Many countries including Britain, France and Russia had already slammed the US decision to move the embassy, while 128 nations have backed a UN resolution condemning Washington's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

The US came to the defence of its ally Monday, blaming Hamas for the violence and blocking a resolution at the UN calling for an international investigation, according to diplomats.

Here are some of the reactions from around the world following Monday's violence:

- United States -

The White House blamed the bloodiest day in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in years on Hamas, the Islamist movement that runs the Gaza Strip.

"The responsibility for these tragic deaths rests squarely with Hamas," said White House spokesman Raj Shah.

- Israel -

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also blamed Hamas, and defended his country's use of force, saying "every country has the obligation to defend its borders".

- Palestinian reaction -

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas condemned Israeli "massacres", saying "the US is no longer a mediator in the Middle East," and that the new embassy was tantamount to "a new American settler outpost" in Jerusalem.

Hamas vowed the protests would continue. "We say clearly today to all the world that the peaceful march of our people lured the enemy into shedding more blood," senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya said.

- Turkey -

Turkey announced it was recalling its ambassadors to the United States and Israel "for consultations".

"Israel is wreaking state terror. Israel is a terror state," President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.

"What Israel has done is a genocide."

- United Nations -

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, said: "Those responsible for outrageous human rights violations must be held to account."

UN chief Antonio Guterres said he was "particularly worried" about the developments.

- Rights groups -

Amnesty International said the bloodshed was an "abhorrent violation" of human rights, and "appear to be wilful killings constituting war crimes". Human Rights Watch also denounced the "bloodbath".

- European Union -

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini urged "utmost restraint".

"Dozens of Palestinians, including children, have been killed and hundreds injured from Israeli fire today, during ongoing mass protests near the Gaza fence. We expect all to act with utmost restraint to avoid further loss of life," Mogherini said in a statement.

- France -

French President Emmanuel Macron "condemned the violence of the Israeli armed forces against protesters" in a telephone conversation with Abbas and Jordan's King Abdullah II. He also reaffirmed criticism of the US decision to move the embassy to Jerusalem.

- Britain -

British Prime Minister Theresa May urged "calm and restraint to avoid actions destructive to peace efforts."

- Russia -

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia had publicly stated its opposition to moving the embassy "several times".

"The determination of the status of Jerusalem... must be decided through direct dialogue between with the Palestinians," he said.

- Canada -

Canada Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said it was "inexcusable that civilians, members of the media and children have been among the victims".

- Kuwait -

Kuwait requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, which diplomats later said the US had blocked.

"We condemned what has happened," the Kuwaiti ambassador to the UN, Mansour al-Otaibi, said.

- Egypt -

Egypt's foreign ministry called those killed "martyrs" and warned against "this serious escalation".

Ahmed al-Tayeb, the grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Egypt's highest institution of Sunni Islam, called on "Arabs and Muslims and all fair and reasonable people in the world to stand by the defenseless Palestinian people".

- Saudi Arabia -

"Saudi Arabia strongly condemns the Israeli occupation forces' gunfire against unarmed Palestinian civilians which has left dozens of dead and wounded," a foreign ministry spokesperson said.

- Iran -

Iran decried "a day of great shame" over the deaths.

"Israeli regime massacres countless Palestinians in cold blood as they protest in the world's largest open air prison," Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote on Twitter.

burx/lpt-bds/dl/jta/sls

Dismantling of N. Korea nuclear site 'well under way': US monitor

Dismantling of N. Korea nuclear site 'well under way': US monitor
source: AFP

AFP / North Korea has promised to 'completely destory' the nuclear test site

Satellite photos indicate North Korea has begun dismantling its nuclear test site ahead of a historic summit between leader Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump, a US monitor said Tuesday.

In a move welcomed by Washington and Seoul, North Korea said at the weekend it will "completely" destroy the Punggye-ri test site, in a ceremony scheduled between May 23-25 in front of invited foreign media.

But no observers from international atomic monitoring agencies have been invited, raising concerns over the openness of the process.

Punggye-ri, in the northeast of the country, has been the site of all six of the North's nuclear tests, the latest and by far the most powerful in September last year, which Pyongyang said was an H-bomb.

North Korea pledged to close the testing ground after Kim last month declared the country's nuclear force complete and said it had no further need for the complex.

The respected 38 North website said Tuesday that satellite images dated May 7 showed "the first definitive evidence that dismantlement of the test site was already well under way".

Several key operational buildings as well as smaller sheds had been razed and rails connecting the tunnels to their waste piles were removed, the monitoring group said.


AFP / Gal ROMA North Korea missile and nuclear sites


Excavation of a new tunnel has also been halted since late March, it added.

Images showed preparatory work for the destruction ceremony had also begun, including a newly positioned foundation among the waste piles believed to have been built for the invited journalists.

"It is conceivably for a future camera position to record the closure of the West Portal," the group said.

However no tunnel entrances appear to have been permanently closed and some main buildings are still intact, it added, saying the destruction of those facilities was likely to be carried out in front of the foreign media.

Dialogue brokered by South Korea has seen US-North Korea relations go from trading personal insults and threats of war last year to a summit between Kim and Trump which will be held in Singapore on June 12.

Kim's latest diplomatic overture has seen him hold a summit with the South's President Moon Jae-in and travel twice in less than two months to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

The two Koreas are due to meet for a high-level meeting on Wednesday to discuss follow-up measures from their summit last month, Seoul's unification ministry said.

Washington is seeking the "complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation" of the North and stresses that verification will be key.

But sceptics warn that Pyongyang has yet to make any public commitment to give up its arsenal, which includes missiles capable of reaching the United States.

Satellite photos from last month showed signs of construction at the North's Yongbyon nuclear facility.

The purpose of the new buildings at the Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Centre was unknown, 38 North has said, with "no observable signs that initial reactor operations are imminent".

North Korea blew up a cooling tower at the nuclear facility in 2007 following a deal with the US, but soon restarted the reactor.

EU seeks to protect citizens in data 'jungle': minister

EU seeks to protect citizens in data 'jungle': minister
source: AFP

 AFP/File / LOIC VENANCE EU authorities are urging the bloc's 500 million citizens to take control of their personal data, warning tech giants they face huge fines if they do not comply with the new data protection legislation

The Facebook scandal has laid bare the urgency of protecting personal information in a digital "jungle," the EU's justice minister said before new European data rules become law.

In an interview with AFP, Vera Jourova said the scandal was a wake-up call for critics who had seen the European Union as too quick to regulate online data.

"It explained that we really are living in the kind of jungle where we are losing ourselves," Jourova said in Brussels.

"We have been providing the information about our private life, about our identity, about the intimate things," she said.

"It goes to the black box. And we don't have a clue what is happening there, who can abuse it, who can sell it to somebody," Jourova added.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) entering force on May 25 sets down the rights of individuals, such as one where they explicitly grant permission for their data to be used.

They also have the right to know who is processing their information and for what purpose as well as to have information deleted.

Silicon Valley giants like Facebook, Google and Twitter as well as banks and public bodies will have to comply with the rules or face massive fines.

Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg himself conceded the GDPR's importance after research firm Cambridge Analytica plundered the personal data of tens of millions of the social network's users for the 2016 US presidential election.

Jourova said Zuckerberg's support triggered an "efficient campaign" for the GDPR in a way that she would have been hard pressed to do herself.

She said the GDPR would have applied in the Cambridge Analytica case because it requires firms to obtain the explicit consent of users for their personal data.

The case "really opened the eyes of many people who were criticising Europe being too paranoid, too overregulated," she said.

-'Don't panic'-

But she learnt from the US press that the United States had much to learn from an old world it had seen as too "apocalyptic" but now views as "more visionary" about data protection.

She sees the EU as a benchmark for data protection.

"By negotiating the possibility of data transfers outside Europe we are in fact pushing other countries to increase the standards," Jourova said.

The EU still has work to ensure its new regulation has the desired effects.

Member countries must accept a larger role for their data protection authorities who will be central to guaranteeing the rules are applied.

Jourova sought to reassure smaller firms worried about adapting to the new rules that carry fines for those in breach.

"Please, don't panic," Jourova said.

"The authorities... should have an honest dialogue with companies who are obviously in good faith."

She expected authorities to focus first on firms that handle mass quantities of data and make money off it.

Smaller firms will likely have more time to adapt.

Her advice for smaller firms and non-government organisations that do not pass on electronic data: "Be sure your technology is good enough against hackers."

But she was losing patience with member countries that have yet to update their laws even though they have had two years to do so since the GDPR was adopted in 2016.

At least eight of the 28 member countries will not have adapted by May 25, which she attributed to neglect rather than resistance to the law.

"They left it for the last moment. This procrastination of states will create some legal uncertainty. And I am not happy about that," Jourova said.

Modigliani sells for $157.2 mn in New York: Sotheby's

Modigliani sells for $157.2 mn in New York: Sotheby's
source: AFP

AFP/File / HECTOR RETAMAL "Nu Couche(sur le cote gauche)" by Amedeo Modigliani sold for $157.2 million in New York, becoming the fourth most expensive work of art sold at auction

A stunning nude that is the largest painting produced by Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani sold for $157.2 million in New York on Monday, becoming the fourth most expensive work of art sold at auction.

Painted a century ago, Modigliani's masterpiece "Nu couche (sur le cote gauche)" fetched the highest price in Sotheby's history and was the star single lot in the May art auction season in New York.

Modigliani follows Leonardo da Vinci and Pablo Picasso as the third highest-selling artist at auction. Monday's sale failed to eclipse the $170.4 million paid for another Modigliani nude at Christie's in 2015.

Nearly 58 inches (147 centimeters) wide, the picture was the cover star of a recent retrospective at the Tate Modern gallery in London.

Modigliani reinvented the nude for the modern era, and when his series of paintings were first exhibited in 1917, they were considered so shocking that police closed the show in Paris.

Bidding was restrained, lasting three to four minutes and opening at $125 million before auctioneer Helena Newman brought the hammer down at $139 million. The final price includes a buyer's premium.

The price chalks up a healthy profit for its seller, who acquired the picture in 2003 for $26.9 million.

Modigliani completed 22 reclining nudes and 13 seated nudes between 1916 and 1919. Most of the former are found in museums, such as The Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Simon Shaw, co-head of impressionist and modern art at Sotheby's, said the painting sold Monday, while rooted in tradition, reflected the changing status of women during World War I.

"This is a nude of a very self-possessed, sexually confident woman who is not looking out from a distance. She's absolutely meeting our gaze," he told AFP prior to the sale.

Modigliani's dealer Leopold Zborowski gave him a stipend of 15 francs a day and paid the models five francs to pose in a Paris apartment.

Warriors trounce Rockets in NBA playoff series opener

Warriors trounce Rockets in NBA playoff series opener
source: AFP

GETTY/AFP / Bob Levey Kevin Durant sparked a fightback from the Golden State Warriors in a 119-106 win over Houston in game one of the Western Conference Finals

Season wins leader Houston battled an entire campaign to seize a home-court edge throughout the NBA playoffs, but defending champion Golden State stole it away with a 119-106 victory Monday.

Kevin Durant scored 37 points and Klay Thompson added 28 for the Warriors to capture the best-of seven Western Conference final opener in a rare series start on the road for a team seeking its third NBA crown in four seasons.

"We're just trying to win every game we play," Warriors forward Draymond Green said. "It ends up being 'stealing home court' but we don't look at it that way. We won one game on the road. Let's try to win two."

Stephen Curry added 18 points, six rebounds and eight assists while Green contributed nine rebounds and nine assists for the Warriors.

"It's a great start. We played well," said Thompson, who scored 11 points in the fourth quarter. "We're not going to relax. We're still not where we want to be. We still have a long way to go."

NBA scoring champion James Harden netted 41 points to lead the Rockets, who host game two on Wednesday.

"We've got to do a better job of taking better shots, not turning the ball over and getting back on D," Harden said. "We've got to make them rotate and take tougher shots.


GETTY/AFP / RONALD MARTINEZ Stephen Curry added 18 points, six rebounds and eight assists for the Warriors in a 119-106 win over Houston in game one of the Western Conference Finals


"They do a really good job if you take bad shots or turn the ball over. That's what they thrive on. Those mistakes can't happen."

Durant scored 17 first-half points and sparked Golden State after the Rockets played aggressively at the start, using two big runs to jump ahead only to have the Warriors overtake them by the middle of the second quarter.

"You know they are going to come out with a lot of energy," Durant said. "We just tried to take their best punch and keep fighting."

"To withstand that run says a lot about our team," Green said. "The further you get along in the playoffs, the more intensity you need to bring."

Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni knows that all too well.

"If we're going to knock these guys off we have to get a better mental focus," D'Antoni said. "We ran out of gas a little bit in different spots and they didn't.

"It's just a bunch of stuff we can clean up and we will. We'll come out and attack them Wednesday."

- 'They made us pay' -

Chris Paul had 23 points and 11 rebounds for the Rockets, who fell behind in the third period and couldn't catch up in the fourth.

"Every time we made a mistake they made us pay," Paul said. "Some of it was breakdowns, things we can clean up and do better. We have to communicate better."

Durant says the Warriors know Harden will always be a threat but Golden State must remain poised against a Rockets lineup that can unleash a barrage of 3-pointers if their focus lapses.

"We know James is always going to score over us. We just had to keep solid and keep playing hard," Durant said.

"This Houston team never stops. They are always in the game with 3-point shots. We play a calm steady game, look for a good shot and play good D every time down."

- Staying mentally sharp -

Thompson had a 3-pointer and two free throws in a 10-2 Warriors run that Durant capped with a 3-pointer for a 100-87 lead with 7:58 remaining in the fourth quarter. Houston never threatened again.

"We can do a little better job against them mentally," D'Antoni said. "They are champions for a reason. If we want to beat them we have to be mentally sharp.

"KD was on. We can live with that. But we can't have that and mental mistakes."

The Rockets jumped ahead 9-2 and 21-12 but the Warriors battled back, taking their first lead of the game at 35-33 on David West's layup 2:57 into the second quarter.

"They took the challenge and played awfully well," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said.

French investigators extend detention of Paris attacker's parents

French investigators extend detention of Paris attacker's parents
source: AFP

 AFP / Eric FEFERBERG Witnesses described dramatic scenes as the knifeman struck, walking along stabbing people and yelling "Allahu akbar" (God is greatest). He was shot dead after an officer failed to subdue him with a Taser

French prosecutors have extended the detention of the parents and a close friend of Paris knife attacker Khamzat Azimov for another 24 hours as they work to establish whether he received any help in planning his stabbing spree.

Azimov, a naturalised French citizen of Chechen origin from Strasbourg, was shot dead by police on Saturday night after stabbing a 29-year-old man to death in the busy Opera district of central Paris and wounding four others in an assault claimed by the Islamic State group.

On Monday a judge ordered that Azimov's parents remain in custody for further interrogation. They were detained on Sunday morning and under French law can be held until at least Thursday. An apartment that his parents had rented in Paris was also searched.

A source close to the inquiry said Azimov's closest friend Abdoul Hakim A, a 20-year-old of Chechen origin from Strasbourg, had been transferred from the eastern city to the offices of the DGSI intelligence agency in Paris under high security.

He was arrested by heavily armed, masked police on Sunday at his home in Strasbourg.


 AFP / Attacks in Paris


A source close to the inquiry told AFP he had been under surveillance since marrying Ines Hamza, a woman from the Paris region who tried to leave for Syria in January 2017.

Police recovered seven cellphones during a search of his home but were unable to locate the main phone he used most often.

He was escorted out in handcuffs with his face covered, wearing a T-shirt that said "Defend Grozny" -- the capital of Russia's North Caucasus region of Chechnya -- with a picture of a machine gun.

At the Marie Curie high school attended by both Azimov and Hakim A. in Strasbourg, home to a large number of Chechen refugees, officials said Monday that a support group had been set up for both teachers and students.

The school also noted that it has been working since 2015 with local police to alert them to any signs of radicalisation among students.

- 'Always together' -

Saturday's knife rampage followed a series of jihadist assaults that have now claimed 246 lives in France since 2015, including the Paris attacks of that year and the truck-ramming attack targeting Bastille Day revellers in Nice in 2016.

A former student in Strasbourg told AFP that Azimov and Hakim A. were in the same class during their final year, "and were very good friends, both Chechen -- they were always together, both in school and outside."


 AFP / PATRICK HERTZOG French investigators are focusing on a friend of Paris knifeman Khamzat Azimov, who was arrested in Strasbourg, eastern France, on Sunday

Azimov's family later moved to Paris, where they were renting rooms in the northern 18th arrondissement.

Azimov was on both of France's main watchlists for suspected radicals -- the so-called "S file" and a more targeted File for the Prevention of Terrorist Radicalisation (FSPRT), which focuses on people judged to be terror threats -- since 2016.

The government has come under fire over the fact that Azimov had been flagged as a suspected extremist, like several others behind deadly attacks including the brothers who carried out the Charlie Hebdo gun massacre in 2015.

But Interior Minister Gerard Collomb insisted: "Every week the S files help us to dismantle networks and stop attacks."

- IS claim -

Azimov became a French citizen in 2010 after his mother was naturalised.

Hundreds of fighters from Chechnya have joined Islamist militant groups in recent years, following two bloody separatist wars against Russia in the 1990s and 2000s.

But French officials reacted angrily to claims by the Russian republic's strongman leader Ramzan Kadyrov that France was solely to blame for Azimov's radicalisation.


AMAQ NEWS AGENCY/AFP / - The IS propaganda agency Amaq released a video which it claimed shows Azimov pledging allegiance to the jihadist group


"We're have no lessons to learn from a dictator who refuses even the beginning of any rule of law in his own country, and who knows perfectly well that thousands of Chechens are fighting alongside Daesh," Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said in London on Monday, using the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State group.

Amaq, the IS propaganda agency, released a video Sunday in which it claimed responsibility for the attack, with footage it claimed showed Azimov pledging allegiance to the jihadist group.

Witnesses said Azimov walked along stabbing people and yelling "Allahu akbar" (God is greatest).

The injured included a 34-year-old Chinese man who lives in Luxembourg and a 54-year-old woman who were seriously hurt. Two others were lightly wounded but all four are out of danger.

The 29-year-old man who was killed has been identified as Ronan, whose neighbours in Paris's 13th arrondissement posted a letter announcing his death in the hall of their building.

Erik Gouenard, a nearby restaurant owner, described him as "discreet, quiet but always smiling. It was like a smile was part of his DNA."

China's industrial output jumps but sales slump

China's industrial output jumps but sales slump
source: AFP
AFP/File / Johannes EISELE The retail sector, which China is counting on to propel it to consumption-fuelled development, was one area that fell short of expectations with sales growth slowing to 9.4 percent from 10.1 percent in March

China's industrial output beat forecasts in April but retail sales slumped, official data showed Tuesday, as the world's second largest economy faces headwinds from its debt battle and US trade frictions.

Output at factories and workshops expanded 7.0 percent year-on-year, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said, beating the 6.0 percent recorded in March and the 6.4 percent estimated in a Bloomberg News survey.

The jump in industrial activity was fuelled by the easing of winter time pollution controls, said Julian Evans-Pritchard, an economist at Capital Economics.

It also reflected the first full month of data not affected by China's New Year holidays in February, which disrupt production for months.

"But there are signs in the rest of today's data that the economy is losing momentum," Evans-Pritchard said in the note.

The retail sector -- which China is counting on to propel it to consumption-fuelled development -- was one area that fell short of expectations with sales growth slowing to 9.4 percent from 10.1 percent in March.

The indicator fell below the 10 percent forecast by analysts, and reflected a broadly downward trend seen over the past 12 months.

Expansion in fixed-asset investment also sagged to seven percent on-year for the first four months, from the 7.5 percent recorded in January to March.

"Looking ahead, domestic spending is likely to continue to soften given the headwinds from slowing credit creation," said Evans-Pritchard.

The data comes at a time of great uncertainty for China's export machine as political machinations in Washington threaten shipments to one of its largest markets.

President Xi Jinping's top economic advisor Liu He will be in Washington from Tuesday until Saturday for a new round of trade negotiations with the Trump administration.

Struggling Toshiba returns to black, avoids delisting

Struggling Toshiba returns to black, avoids delisting
source: AFP

 AFP/File / Kazuhiro NOGI Toshiba is bouncing back after a terrible year

Struggling Japanese conglomerate Toshiba said Tuesday it had bounced back into the black after a disastrous year and will avoid a humiliating delisting from the Tokyo stock exchange.

"We were able to exit from a critical situation by eliminating excessive debt at the end of March," Toshiba's new chief executive Nobuaki Kurumatani told a news conference.

"I personally regard it as the starting line for us... for transforming into an excellent company that can survive competition with global excellent companies," he said.

The firm said it had booked a record net profit of 804.0 billion yen ($7.3 billion), compared with a loss of 965.7 billion yen a year earlier.

That marks the first net profit for the firm in four years and was helped by one-off revenue from tax cuts linked to the sale of its nuclear units.

However, operating profits dropped 21.9 percent to 64.1 billion yen while sales declined 2.4 percent to 3.95 trillion yen.

Toshiba had been on the ropes after its disastrous acquisition of US nuclear energy firm Westinghouse, which racked up billions of dollars in losses before being placed under bankruptcy protection.

Those losses came to light as the group was still reeling from revelations that top executives had pressured underlings to cover up weak results for years after the 2008 global financial meltdown.

In order to survive and avoid delisting, the cash-strapped group decided on the multibillion-dollar sale of its prized chip business to a consortium led by Bain Capital.

The chip unit brought in around 90 percent of Toshiba's total operating profit in the first six months of the fiscal year 2017 and was the crown jewel in a vast range of businesses ranging from home appliances to nuclear reactors.

At the time the deal was seen as crucial to keeping it afloat after multi-billion-dollar losses.

On Tuesday, Toshiba said it was still waiting for Chinese antitrust authorities to approve the key sale but denied speculation that it was considering reversing course in the deal.

In November, Toshiba said it planned to raise 600 billion yen by issuing new shares, a move aimed at avoiding delisting even if the chip business sale is delayed.

The firm said it expected a net profit of 1.07 trillion yen for the current year to March 2019, up 33.1 percent from the previous year, on sales of 3.6 trillion yen.

Investors cheered the results, with Toshiba shares closing up 3.46 percent at 299 yen in Tokyo.

Hideki Yasuda, an analyst at Ace Research Institute in Tokyo, warned that the sale of the chip business would be crucial.

"We are paying close attention to the fate of its memory chip business. The cancellation of the deal will change the company's strategy significantly," Yasuda told AFP.

"Toshiba needs to create a fresh source of profit, but it is likely to take two to three years to find and foster it."

Royal wedding a boost for Brexit-bound Britain

Royal wedding a boost for Brexit-bound Britain
source: AFP

AFP/File / Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS Saturday's wedding is set to provide Britain a national boost at a time of worry over Brexit

The royal wedding of Prince Harry and his glamorous fiancee Meghan Markle is a moment of light relief for a Britain weighed down by political, social and economic woes.

With growth shrinking and the government riven over Brexit, Saturday's wedding is set to provide a national boost and give people an excuse to party.

Around 100,000 people are expected to pack the streets of Windsor, west of London, to join in the festive atmosphere and get a glimpse of the newlyweds' carriage winding through the town.

Some 2,640 people have been invited inside the Windsor Castle grounds for a closer look -- among them Rashid Bhayat.

"It certainly could be a moment of national unity. It is a real opportunity for the country to celebrate," the youth inclusion charity chief told AFP.

The wedding in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle brings together Queen Elizabeth II's grandson, who is sixth in line to the throne, and US former actress Markle, who at 36 is three years his senior.

The dress and the wedding rings are a closely-guarded secret, as is Harry's uniform and whether he will be given a new title.

The service starts at midday (1100 GMT), with the newlyweds emerging to pose on the chapel steps at 1:00 pm (1200 GMT) before a 25-minute carriage ride through Windsor town.

Queen Elizabeth is then giving a reception for the 600 guests in the castle's St. George's Hall.

In the evening, Harry's father Prince Charles, the heir to the throne, is hosting a private reception for 200 family and close friends at nearby Frogmore House.

- Fun and surprises -

"Even the palace are promising fun and surprises so hopefully we're all going to have a big smile on our face and we'll be toasting this royal romance of the year," royal biographer Andrew Morton, told AFP.

"What you're going to see is the symbolic union of the special relationship, of America and Britain."

The same cannot be said of Markle's own family.

Her older half-brother Tom and half-sister Samantha have not been invited.

Tom wrote an extraordinary open letter to Harry on April 26, saying TV fame had made his half-sister a "jaded, shallow, conceited woman that will make a joke of you".

Markle's father, who had been due to walk his daughter up the aisle, may also be a no show.

According to celebrity news website TMZ, Thomas Markle, who recently caused a furor by posing for paparazzi photos, has pulled out of accompanying his daughter down the aisle at Windsor Castle because he does not want to embarrass her.

Kensington Palace did not confirm the report but pleaded for "understanding and respect" for the couple during a "difficult situation".

Politicians are also off the guest list, so US President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May will not be attending.

It will be a chance for the British public to leave behind temporarily the deep divisions that have emerged over Britain's future outside the European Union.

It could also bring a welcome boost to the economy.

The British economy grew at 0.1 percent in the first quarter of 2018, its slowest pace in more than five years, and the Bank of England has slashed its growth forecasts.

The Brand Finance valuation consultancy estimates the wedding will contribute £1 billion ($1.35 billion, 1.15 billion euros) to the British economy this year.

That includes £300 million in tourism, £300 million in advertising value for the UK and £250 million in retail and food spending.

- Party time -

The royal wedding commemorative china has already gone on sale, while stamps and a special £5 coin have been issued featuring the couple.

Besides the official souvenirs, Windsor shops are stuffed with mugs, bookmarks, tea towels, postcards, British flags, face masks and cardboard cut-outs as the town cashes in on its big day.

Traditional street parties will be held around the kingdom.


AFP / Ben STANSALL The Brand Finance valuation consultancy estimates the wedding will contribute $1.35 billion to the British economy this year


Market research firm Mintel, which surveyed 2,000 people online, reported that a third of Britons said the wedding made them feel more proud to be British.

"Where stories about negativity and uncertainty dominate the headlines, it's heartwarming that the fairytale story of a glamorous Californian actress marrying her British prince has captured the public's imagination," said Mintel analyst Jack Duckett.

The last time a US divorcee married into the British royal family, king Edward VIII had to give up his throne. The name Wallis Simpson and 1936 still send shivers through Buckingham Palace.

That Markle, a biracial, divorced US TV star, is being welcomed with open arms is a sign of how Britain has changed since.

"Britain is a very multicultural society. It was not the case of the royal family until now, but Meghan Markle brings a whole new kind of dynamic," said Bhayat.

Gaza toll rises to 60 as fresh protests against Israel gather

Gaza toll rises to 60 as fresh protests against Israel gather
source: AFP

 AFP / MAHMUD HAMS The body of a Palestinian baby who died of tear gas inhalation during clashes, according to Gaza's health ministry, is held by her mother at a Gaza City morgue on May 15, 2018

Palestinians were gathering Tuesday for fresh protests along the Gaza border, a day after Israeli forces killed dozens there as the US embassy opened in Jerusalem on what was the conflict's bloodiest day in years.

Palestinians on Tuesday marked the Nakba, or "catastrophe", commemorating the more than 700,000 Palestinians who fled or were expelled in the 1948 war surrounding Israel's creation.

It came a day after the United States transferred its Israel embassy from Tel Aviv to the disputed city of Jerusalem in a move that infuriated the Palestinians and was widely condemned.

Most of the 60 Gazans killed Monday were shot by Israeli snipers, Gaza's health ministry said.


AFP / William ICKES Map and social-economic data on the Gaza Strip, based on a UN report released in July 2017


The toll included a baby who died from tear gas inhalation along with eight children under the age of 16, the ministry said.

At least 2,400 others were wounded in the bloodiest day in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since the 2014 Gaza war.

Some funerals were held on Monday, while others were taking place Tuesday.

Hundreds of people took part in the funeral of Yazan Tubasi, 23, killed east of Gaza City.

His father Ibrahim, 50, said his son had a boy aged one year and three months.


 AFP / MAHMUD HAMS Palestinian mourners in Gaza City pictured on May 15, 2018 surrounding the body of Yazan Tubasi, killed during clashes in Gaza the previous day

"I am happy that my son is a martyr," he said, though he was crying uncontrollably. "He is among dozens who died for the sake of Palestine and Jerusalem."

Small numbers of protesters began returning to the border area on Tuesday, with larger crowds expected later.

In the West Bank, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas declared a general strike on Tuesday after accusing Israel of "massacres".

- Protests and clashes -

On Monday, tens of thousands had gathered near the border in protest while smaller numbers of stone-throwing Palestinians approached the fence and sought to break through, with Israeli snipers positioned on the other side.

The death toll led to strong condemnation from rights groups and concern from a range of countries.

But the United States, which blamed Hamas, blocked the adoption of a UN Security Council statement that would have called for an independent probe into the violence, diplomats said.

Despite the bloodshed, the embassy inauguration went ahead as planned in Jerusalem, attended by a Washington delegation that included US President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner, both White House aides.


 AFP / MAHMUD HAMS A Palestinian woman holding her national flag looks at clashes with Israeli forces near the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel on May 14, 2018


Israel's military said 40,000 Palestinians had taken part in the protests and clashes.

It said its aircraft had targeted 11 Hamas sites and tanks fired at "two terror posts belonging to Hamas", accusing the Palestinian Islamist movement of opening fire towards Israeli forces.

Israel says its action is necessary to stop infiltrations of the border fence and claims that Hamas, which runs the blockaded Gaza Strip, uses the protests as cover to carry out violence.

But French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the "violence of the Israeli armed forces against the protesters" while EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said "we expect all to act with utmost restraint to avoid further loss of life".

Britain's minister for the Middle East, Alistair Burt, acknowledged "Israel's right to defend its borders" but also said "the large volume of live fire is extremely concerning".

"We continue to implore Israel to show greater restraint," he said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Israel of "state terror" and "genocide".

Turkey also said it was recalling its ambassadors to the United States and Israel "for consultations", while South Africa recalled its ambassador to Israel "until further notice".

In Dublin, Ireland summoned Israel's ambassador to protest.

The UN rights office said it seemed any Palestinian protesting in Gaza, regardless of whether they pose an imminent threat, is "liable" to be killed by Israeli forces.

China called for restraint, "especially" from Israel.

- 'Rioters' at the border -

At least 114 Palestinians have been killed in a campaign of protests along the Gaza border since March 30, the vast majority by Israeli snipers during clashes.

Only one Israeli soldier has been reported wounded during that time.

On Monday, the army said "many rioters" tried to breach the border fence and "approximately 10 explosive devices and several firebombs were used to target the security fence and (Israeli) troops". It said shots were also fired at soldiers.

The embassy inauguration followed Trump's December 6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.


AFP / Jaafar ASHTIYEH A Palestinian man in the Israeli occupied West Bank city of Nablus on May 15, 2018, during a general strike called for by leaders in solidarity with Gaza

Israel occupied the West Bank and east Jerusalem in 1967 and later annexed east Jerusalem in a move never recognised by the international community.

Jerusalem's status is perhaps the thorniest issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israel considers the entire city its capital, while the Palestinians see east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.

International consensus has been that the city's status must be negotiated between the two sides, but Trump broke with that to global outrage.

He has argued that it helps make peace possible by taking Jerusalem "off the table", but many have noted he has not announced any concessions in return from Israel.

Beyond the disputed nature of Jerusalem, the date of the embassy move was also key. May 14 marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of Israel.

Royal wedding plans thrown as Markle's dad 'pulls out'

Royal wedding plans thrown as Markle's dad 'pulls out'
source: AFP

POOL/AFP/File / KIRSTY WIGGLESWORTH Since the engagement of Meghan Markle to Britain's Prince Harry, photographers have been training their lenses on the US actress and her family

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding this weekend was in turmoil Tuesday following reports her father may not attend after a paparazzi scandal, rocking the royal family's meticulous planning for the landmark occasion.

Kensington Palace pleaded in a statement for "understanding and respect" during a "difficult situation" as US media reported Thomas Markle had suffered a heart attack brought on by the fallout from allegedly staging paparazzi photos of himself.

According to celebrity news website TMZ, he had decided against travelling from his home in Mexico to accompany his daughter down the aisle at Windsor Castle due to his health -- and to spare her further embarrassment.

Kensington Palace did not confirm whether Markle senior had pulled out of Saturday's wedding at St George's Chapel in the castle's grounds, but issued the statement hinting all was not well.

"This is a deeply personal moment for Ms Markle in the days before her wedding," it said.

"She and Prince Harry ask again for understanding and respect to be extended to Mr Markle in this difficult situation."

The palace could not be reached for further comment.

- 'Positive photos' -


AFP / HO A commemorative stamp issued by Britain's Royal Mail featuring an official engagement photograph of Britain's Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle who will marry on Saturday


Thomas Markle told TMZ he had agreed to pose for a paparazzi photo shoot in a bid to rehabilitate his image, rather than for money, but that he now regretted the move.

The images -- in which he was being measured for a suit and admiring a photo of the future royal couple on his computer -- sold for $100,000 (83,000 euros/£74,000) according to British tabloid the Daily Mirror.

TMZ said he had suffered a heart attack last week due to stress and that he was continuing to suffer from chest pains.

Markle senior said he had not heard from his daughter since the revelations broke, and that her mother -- his ex-wife Doria Ragland -- would be a good choice to walk her down the aisle in his place, according to the website.

Meanwhile, Meghan Markle's half-sister Samantha Grant, who has criticised the bride-to-be's relationship with her father's side of the family, reportedly tweeted that she proposed he pose in the "positive photos" to combat his "bad" portrayal in the press.

Speaking to the Good Morning Britain TV show on Tuesday, she said the episode had taken a toll on his health.

"I don't know as of today what his plans are, but there's a very real concern," she said.

- Gaffe-prone -


AFP/File / Geoff Robins Meghan Markle and her mother Doria Ragland in Toronto in September 2017

Markle's gaffe-prone American family has been sending royal courtiers into something of a spin by airing its dirty laundry in public.

Kensington Palace had been at pains to project a sense of serenity around preparations for the big day, regularly announcing minor planning details -- from the type of carriage the couple will ride to who will bake their wedding cake.

But they have been clouded by Thomas Markle's relatives, who have not been invited to Saturday's nuptials following unwelcome stories of bust-ups, heavy drinking -- and even an arrest.

Thomas Markle Junior, Meghan Markle's half-brother, accused the couple of shunning them in an April open letter.

The US actress grew up in the Los Angeles suburb of Woodland Hills and remains close with her parents, who divorced three decades ago.

She had been due to be walked up the aisle by her 73-year-old father, an Emmy-winning Hollywood lighting director of Dutch-Irish descent who retired to Mexico.

In her late teens, Meghan Markle reportedly said she and her father were not "on the best of terms" but more recently has publicly expressed her love for him.

He had been due to arrive in Britain this week to meet Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip, alongside the bride-to-be's mother Doria Ragland, a 61-year-old yoga instructor and clinical therapist.

They were also to have met Harry's father Prince Charles, the heir to the throne.

- 'Not so awful' -

Ragland, who has reportedly already arrived in Britain, is expected to be at her daughter's side ahead of the wedding, travelling with her by car to the wedding.

On Tuesday, Americans in Windsor ahead of the nuptials were sympathetic to their compatriot.

"It's disappointing for her," said Jean Rice, 48, from Orlando.

"But things happen. I hope they're happy."

Karen Yaney, 64, from Chicago, said she hoped Markle's father would attend.

"Staging those photos, that didn't seem so awful. I imagine she's on the phone with him trying to persuade him to come," she added.

Cleric eyes government as election upset rocks Iraq

Cleric eyes government as election upset rocks Iraq
source: AFP

 AFP / AHMAD AL-RUBAYE A man rides his scooter past a poster of Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr in Sadr City, east of the Iraqi capital, on May 14, 2018

Populist Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr on Tuesday eyed a broad coalition after appearing to deal a blow to both Iranian and American influence with a shock election triumph that has upended Iraqi politics.

Counting was still ongoing three days after the first parliamentary poll since the defeat of the Islamic State group, but the fiery Shiite preacher's grouping was in the lead with 16 of 18 provinces tallied.

Victory for the veteran nationalist's Marching Towards Reform alliance with Iraq's communists -- pitched an anti-corruption outsider force -- would be a slap in the face for Iraq's widely reviled ruling establishment.

Sadr -- who has ruled himself out of becoming prime minister -- looks likely to be the key powerbroker and has already mooted a technocrat government of some dozen parties that bridge sectarian divides.

But with his group set to be far from a majority in parliament, wrangling over any potential coalition should take months -- and there remain major obstacles ahead that could thwart Sadr's ambitions.

The elections Saturday -- hit by record abstentions -- saw a clear rejection of the Iraqi elite that has run the country since the ouster of Saddam Hussein in 2003.


AFP/File / Haidar HAMDANI Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi was praised for leading the fight against jihadists but appears to have failed to convince voters he is serious about stamping out corruption


Tallies put the anti-establishment Conquest Alliance of pro-Iranian former paramilitary fighters who helped battle IS in second, and incumbent Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's bloc back in third.

Abadi -- a consensus figure favoured by the US -- had been seen as likely frontrunner after declaring victory over the jihadists five months ago.

Sadr rose to prominence in the wake of the US invasion, when his militia fighters fought a bloody insurgency against American troops.

After years on the sidelines, he has now reinvented himself as a crusading champion of the poor who has linked up with secularists to battle corruption.

Supporters in his impoverished Baghdad stronghold Sadr City were hopeful that victory could spell improvements.

"If we want to change things then the prime minister needs to come from Marching Towards Reform," said Salah Jamal, 24.

"We have tried all the others," Jamal insisted. "But we have had no results."

- US-Iran tensions -

The protracted horse-trading ahead comes as surging tensions between the US and Iran after Washington's withdrawal from a landmark nuclear deal with Tehran have sparked fears of a tug-of-war over Iraq.

Sadr is one of the few Iraqi politicians who is opposed to both the presence of American troops in Iraq and the overbearing influence neighbouring Iran exercises over the country.

In a surprising pivot last year he visited regional Sunni powerhouse Saudi Arabia to the south, with Riyadh looking to increase its involvement in Iraq as it vies with Tehran.

Sadr is likely to face fierce opposition from established political forces, who may look to coalesce in a bid to stop him taking control.

Political sources told AFP Tuesday that Tehran was already pushing meetings among his Shiite rivals to seek a way to head off Sadr.

One of the alliances being suggested would see Abadi link up with the Conquest Alliance of former anti-IS commander Hadi al-Ameri.

Also in the mix is ex-prime minister Nuri al-Maliki, a divisive figure blamed for losing territory to IS and stirring sectarianism, who has cultivated ties with Iran.

While speculation swirls, the next concrete step remains completing the vote count and firming up the final makeup of Iraq's new 329-seat parliament.

Recounts following disputes in the Dohuk and Kirkuk provinces have delayed any final announcement, but officials said a full tally should be out over the next two days.

Iran upbeat on nuclear deal hopes after EU talks

Iran upbeat on nuclear deal hopes after EU talks
source: AFP

POOL/AFP / Thierry Monasse Zarif met with the EU's top diplomat Federica Mogherini to discuss Iran's nuclear deal ahead of talks with his counterparts from Britain, France and Germany

Iran's foreign minister said Tuesday that efforts to save the nuclear deal after the abrupt US withdrawal were "on the right track" as he began talks with European powers in Brussels.

Mohammad Javad Zarif met EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini ahead of evening talks with his counterparts from Britain, France and Germany -- the three European signatories to the 2015 landmark deal who are scrambling to preserve it.

Tehran has warned it is preparing to resume "industrial-scale" uranium enrichment "without any restrictions" unless Europe can provide solid guarantees that it can maintain the economic benefits it gained from the nuclear agreement despite the United States reimposing sanctions.

Zarif gave an upbeat assessment after a "good and constructive" meeting with Mogherini.

"I believe we're on the right track to move forward in order to ensure that interests of all the JCPOA remaining participants, particularly Iran, will be preserved and guaranteed," he told reporters. The deal's official name is the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA.

Mogherini said it had been a "very productive" meeting but indicated it was the start of a long road.

"We are working on the measures that we can start to put in place and we will look at the content of that," she said.

"One thing is absolutely sure is that the European Union is determined to preserve this deal that is essential to our security and the security of the region."

Zarif's meetings in Brussels cap a whirlwind global tour, including trips to both Russia and China, the two other signatory nations, in a bid to bolster support.

- 'Respect the deal' -

But European diplomats have sought to play down expectations of Tuesday's meeting, stressing the enormous challenge of finding a way around US sanctions punishing foreign businesses trading with Iran, which have global reach.

The European Union insists the deal is working, pointing to repeated UN inspections verifying the Islamic republic's compliance with its side of the bargain.

EU leaders aim to show a united front on preserving the Iran deal when they meet for a pre-summit dinner in Sofia on Wednesday, European Council President Donald Tusk said.

"I would like our debate to reconfirm without any doubt that as long as Iran respects the provisions of the deal, the EU will also respect it," Tusk said in a letter to the leaders on the eve of the summit.

Mogherini and European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker will outline to the leaders what measures the bloc could take to shield its now substantial economic interests in Iran, he said.

European firms, especially those from France and Germany, rushed to invest in Iran following the 2015 accord, under which Tehran agreed to freeze its nuclear programme in return for the repeal of punishing international sanctions.

German exports to Iran totalled nearly 3.0 billion euros in 2017, while French exports soared from 562 million euros in 2015 to 1.5 billion in 2017 and oil giant Total has pledged to invest some $5 billion in the South Pars gas field.

- 'Malign behaviour' -

When he quit the deal last week, US President Donald Trump gave businesses a maximum of six months to wind up operations in Iran or face swingeing penalties under American sanctions.

Washington's decision to go against its European allies' advice and abandon the deal has pushed them closer to Beijing and Moscow on the issue as diplomats try to keep the pact alive.

French President Emmanuel Macron held phone talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, according to a Kremlin statement, which said they had "confirmed Russia and France's commitment to make the deal work".

Zarif was in Moscow to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday, a day after visiting leaders in Beijing.

Washington has long complained that the nuclear deal does nothing to stop Iran's ballistic missile programme or its interference in conflicts across the Middle East from Syria to Yemen.

On Sunday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Washington still wants to work with Europe to counter Iran's "malign behaviour" and was working hard to thrash out a more wide-ranging deal with its European partners.

Ahead of Tuesday's meeting, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said the European powers would not shy away from pressing Iran on these issues.

"Our meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif in Brussels is a chance to discuss how we can continue to support sanctions relief with Iran while they maintain their nuclear agreement obligations, but also raise our worries about Iran’s wider, disruptive behaviour in the Middle East region," Johnson said.

burs-pdw/dk/lc/ach

US, Afghanistan launch air strikes as Taliban attack western city

US, Afghanistan launch air strikes as Taliban attack western city
source: AFP

AFP/File / Shah MARAI Afghanistan has sent commandos to battle the Taliban in Farah

US and Afghan aircraft Tuesday bombed Taliban positions in the western city of Farah after the insurgents launched a major attempt to capture the provincial capital, with fearful residents seeking shelter from explosions and gunfire.

The attack -- the first major assault targeting a city since the Taliban launched their annual spring offensive -- began around midnight, with the militants capturing one urban district and parts of another, said local provincial council member Jamila Amini.

"Heavy fighting continues inside the city and aircraft have just started bombarding Taliban positions," she told AFP earlier Tuesday from inside Farah.

NATO's Resolute Support mission in Kabul tweeted that the Afghan army, supported by US airpower including A-10 Thunderbolts, was "on the offensive" and the city "remains under govt. control".

Interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish said the Afghan air force was also taking part in the fighting. "(The Taliban) will fail," he vowed.

Police special forces from Kandahar and commandos from Herat have also been deployed to the province which borders Iran, according to Afghan officials.

Defence ministry spokesman Mohammad Radmanish said at least 10 insurgents and two Afghan security force members had been killed so far.

Inside the city residents reported clashes were continuing. "The situation is very bad," Satar Hissaini, a tribal elder in Farah, told AFP.

"Heavy fighting is going on and Taliban are in the city but the police headquarters and NDS (the Afghan intelligence agency) have not fallen to them," he said.

"NDS forces in their HQ are engaged in heavy clashes with the Taliban."

Another provincial council member, Dadullah Qani, confirmed Hissaini's comments. Gunfire and explosions could be heard as he spoke to an AFP reporter by telephone.

The noise has "filled the city", said one resident who gave his name as Bilal, adding that he could see smoke rising from the direction of a building housing the NDS.

At least some militants have been hiding in private houses, making it difficult for Afghan forces to use heavy weapons, Farah governor Abdul Basir Salangi told Ariana News, adding: "But still we are taking back positions one by one."

The insurgents in a statement warned residents to remain in their homes and "stay calm". They have been posting images on social media which they claim shows them inside the city.

Many radio and television channels in the province have stopped broadcasting, fearing for their employees' lives, according to media watchdog Nai.

- Growing threat -

The Taliban are stepping up their spring offensive, in an apparent rejection of a peace talks overture from the government.

Farah is a poppy-growing province in an isolated region of Afghanistan. There are plans for a section of the multi-billion-dollar TAPI (Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India) gas pipeline to traverse it, a project with which the Taliban have pledged to cooperate.

But it has been the scene of intense fighting in recent years. In 2017 insurgents tried three times to overrun the capital, according to the Afghanistan Analysts Network.

As such, Tuesday's offensive "should not have taken government forces off guard", said military analyst and retired general Atiqullah Amarkhail.

Amarkhail added that "even ordinary citizens were aware of the Taliban gradually taking over more areas and becoming a formidable force in the province".

He accused the government and military leadership of "turning a blind eye" until the insurgents actually entered the city.

Afghan troops and police nationwide have struggled to hold back the resurgent Taliban since the withdrawal of most NATO combat forces at the end of 2014.

The insurgents have tried several times to take provincial capitals in recent years, including Kunduz and Lashkar Gah, with the Afghan army deploying significant numbers of troops to hold those cities and push the militants out.
AFP / afp Map of Afghanistan locating Farah

Job Vacancy For Governance, Regulatory & Risk Senior at Deloitte Nigeria

Deloitte is the largest private professional services network in the world. Every day, approximately 263,900 professionals in more than 150 countries demonstrate their commitment to a single vision: to be the standard of excellence, while working towards one purpose – to make an impact that matters.

Deloitte West Africa is a cluster of Deloitte offices that has joined together to provide seamless cross-border services to our clients in the region and to pass on the benefits of scale and access to resources that this organization can generate. Our West Africa practice serves multinationals, large national enterprises, small and medium-sized enterprises and the public sector across these regions: Nigeria and Ghana.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Governance, Regulatory & Risk Senior

Requisition code: NG150350VA
Location: Lagos
Business Unit: Risk Advisory

Role Summary

• The ideal candidate will be responsible for leading and in-charging clients’ projects/engagements, providing leadership to the team and also providing support to project team members.

Job Responsibilities

• Assess and develop internal control policies and procedures for financial and/or operational processes.
• Lead small teams through evaluation and development of internal control policy and procedures.
• Demonstrate specialty in several business processes end to end, key controls and reporting, and intersection with regulatory compliance process.
• Lead small teams on smaller clients through process improvement leveraging leading practices.
• Identify gaps and recommends feasible remediation to client. Design solutions to mitigate risk and build control structure.
• Review engagement documentation for compliance with the Firm’s standards and ensure deficiencies are corrected.
• Proficiently writes audit report, with appropriate formatting.

What Impact Will You Make?

• Every day, your work will make an impact that matters, while you thrive in a dynamic culture of inclusion, collaboration and high performance.
• As the undisputed leader in professional services, Deloitte is where you’ll find unrivalled opportunities to succeed and realize your full potential.

Benefits

• At Deloitte, we know that great people make a great organization. We value our people and offer employees a broad range of benefits.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.

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

Job Vacancy For Cyber Security Specialist at Deloitte Nigeria

Deloitte is the largest private professional services network in the world. Every day, approximately 263,900 professionals in more than 150 countries demonstrate their commitment to a single vision: to be the standard of excellence, while working towards one purpose - to make an impact that matters.

In Nigeria, Deloitte is a leading professional services firm, providing Audit, Tax, Consulting, Risk Advisory, Business Process and Corporate Finance services to public and private clients spanning multiple industries.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Cyber Security Specialist

Requisition Code: NG148194SB
Location: Lagos
Business Unit: Risk Advisory
Job Type: Fixed Term Contract

What Impact Will You Make?

• Every day, your work will make an impact that matters, while you thrive in a dynamic culture of inclusion, collaboration and high performance
• As the undisputed leader in professional services, Deloitte is where you’ll find unrivalled opportunities to succeed and realize your full potential.

Role Summary

• The successful candidate will work with the cyber security team on a fixed term contract to ensure a smooth run of the cyber intelligence centre.

Job Responsibilities

• Perform security assessment and configuration services
• Investigate intrusion attempts and perform initial analysis to determine relevancy and urgency
• Create tickets for alerts that signal an incident and escalate to team lead for resolution
• Run vulnerability scans and reviews vulnerability assessment reports
• Manages and configures security monitoring tools
• Ability to research and characterize security threats to include identification and classification of threat indicators
• Real-time monitoring of third party security feeds, forums, and mailing lists to gather information on vulnerabilities and exploits related to the client
• Participate in daily and ad-hoc conference calls as well as compliance and controls, self-assessment processes and documentation related tasks
• Document all activities during an incident, provide team lead with status updates and create a final incident report detailing the events and timeline of the incident.

Requirement

• Candidates should possess relevant qualifications.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.

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

Job Vacancy For General Manager, Treasury and Investment at Deloitte Nigeria

Deloitte Nigeria - Our client is an investment company involved in diverse economic activities which includes: Property Development and Management, Hospitality, Telecommunications, Printing and Publication, Agriculture, Training and Personnel Development, Capacity Building among other things.

The client seeks to attract, motivate and retain qualified staff into the position below:

Job Title: General Manager, Treasury and Investment

Reference Number: INV001
Location: Lagos

Job Details

• Treasury and Investment role is for the Conglomerate/ Investment Company based in South West. Our client has been in existence for over four decades with very impressive diverse investment portfolio.

Job Summary

• To manage the Group’s treasury operations and ensure optimal performance of its investment portfolios. The individual would be responsible for financial appraisal, due diligence and capital raising for new investments, towards the development and achievement of the Group’s strategic goals and objectives.

Responsibilities

• Manages all cash management functions including cash concentration, wires, account funding
• Oversees cash management and ensure adequate liquidity for working capital needs and invest short term excess cash
• Manages inter-company cash including inert-company lending, dividends and capital injections
• Establishes and maintains short term credit availability, including revolving credit agreements and commercial paper programmes, to provide liquidity for the Group
• Coordinates direct cash management for the Group including forecasting, collection, disbursement, investment of excess funds, short term borrowing and interest rate management
• Facilitates Group’s relationships with commercial banks financial institutions, payment service providers and lenders
• Negotiates bank and service fees. Implements new technologies, products and services to improve cash cycles and simplify company operations
• Supports leasing analysis and pricing
• Ensures compliance with internal controls, policies and procedures
• Develops and monitors treasury operational policies
• Coordinates and oversees activities of investment managers, investment advisors, custodians to ensure optimal management of plan assets
• Participates in matters relating to pension plan accounting, funding, actuarial valuations, governance and other corporate issues related to investments of the Group
• Support long term capital markets activities including public debt financings
• Proposes prudent treasury risk exposure limits and strategies for minimizing risks
• Appraises the viability of investments in financial derivatives based on in-depth understanding of its dynamics
• Serves as technical resource/expert on financial instruments usage and investments
• Defines strategy for creating and managing financial assets & liabilities for the Group
• Determines optimum mix of assets and liabilities to be held by the Group at any point in time
• Determines rate of return and cost of capital for the Group’s asset/ liability products
• Evaluates financial instruments and negotiate best rates on investments without running undue risk to the Group
• Evaluates the Group’s funding exposures and risks; identifying, measuring, and controlling the Group’s asset-liability matching (maturities, foreign exchange (FX) and interest rates)
• Understands the market sentiments and take advantage of market trends and information to predict future market behaviour
• Utilises knowledge of financial instruments to propose funding/ investment strategies as required
• Quantifies and hedge against direct and indirect non-traded market risk and other liquidity risks
• Understands global and international trends in cost of capital and its effect on the local economy.

Required Qualification

• Minimum of ten (10) years relevant management experience, with at least three (3) years at senior management level
• Candidates' state of origin should be within the South - West zone
• A Bachelor's Degree in Finance/Accounting and other related discipline from a reputable tertiary institution.  A post graduate Degree in related disciplines will be an added advantage
• Relevant professional qualification / membership, e.g. ACA, CFA, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers
• Excellent understanding of Fund Management, Capital and Money Market Operations, etc.
• A proven track record in managing a mixed asset investment portfolio and securing financing for new business ventures
• Prior experience with Banking institutions and debt capital market / documentation will be an added advantage

Application Closing Date
31st May, 2018.

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

Job Vacancy For Managing Director at Deloitte Nigeria

Deloitte Nigeria - Our client is an investment company involved in diverse economic activities which includes: Property Development and Management, Hospitality, Telecommunications, Printing and Publication, Agriculture, Training and Personnel Development, Capacity Building among other things.

The client seeks to attract, motivate and retain qualified staff into the position below:

Job Title: Managing Director

Reference Number: INV002
Location: Lagos

Job Details

• The MD/CEO role is for a subsidiary company of the conglomerate and Investment Company with corporate office in the heart of Lagos. Our Client is one of  Nigeria’s leading Real Estate firms offering services in Property Development and Management for over five decades with impressive portfolio of historical Real Estate landmarks in Nigeria and also currently expanding its portfolio of new property development across the country.

Job Summary

• To oversee the development and efficient implementation of corporate strategies that drive significant revenue growth and improve profitability of the company. The individual would also ensure efficient management of existing properties of the company.

Responsibilities

• Reporting to the Board of Directors and the Conglomerate’s Group Managing Director
• Responsible for overseeing the development and efficient implementation of corporate strategies that drive significant revenue growth and improved profitability of the company via project development and acquisition, improved optimisation of assets, joint ventures etc.
• Ensures the efficient management of existing properties of the company by growing the company’s business through setting of strategic priorities, direction, implementing the corporate vision, mission and ensures the achievement of the short and long term goals of the Company and the Group
• Prepares and presents critical corporate performance updates (financial, strategic, development, legal, etc.) to the Company Board and relevant company and Group stakeholders
• Leads the accomplishment of financial objectives; rent collection; payment of bills; rental rates; calculating overhead costs, depreciation, taxes, forecasting requirements; preparing annual budget and 5-year Strategic Plans; scheduling expenditures; analyzing variances; initiating corrective actions etc.
• Provides strategic direction on proper maintenance of properties, security, resolving complaints and enforcement of occupancy rules, inspecting vacant units and completing repairs, planning renovations, contracting with services providers etc.
• Responsible for compliance with regulatory requirements, occupancy policies and service management etc.
• Coordinates management on strategic planning, competitors, market trends and regulations as well as benchmarking performance and strategic plans within the wider Real Estate and Construction sector
• Manages existing Subsidiaries and Joint Venture SPVs to deliver on costs, quality, timeline and sustained profitability
• Ensures adequate management of company staff
• Maintains relationship with the Board of Directors and external stakeholders.

Required Qualification

• Minimum of fifteen (15) years’ experience in property development/real estate/facility management environment with at least eight (8) years at Management/Leadership level.
• Candidates' state of origin should be within the South - West zone
• A Bachelor's degree in Estate Management, Architecture, Civil, Electrical or Mechanical Engineering
• MBA will be an added advantage
• Strong leadership and organizational skills, ability to multitask with proven project management capabilities
• Professional Certification in facilities management/architecture/estate management etc.
• Good working knowledge of entire real estate value chain (technical, commercial, regulatory processes/health and safety etc.)
• Proven ability to successfully manage diverse team of technical, facility officers, vendors and contractors.

Application Closing Date
31st May, 2018.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply onlin

Job Vacancy For Technical Team Lead at Andela Nigeria

Andela is a network of technology leaders dedicated to advancing human potential. We help companies build high-performing distributed engineering teams by investing in Africa’s most talented software developers. Based in NYC, SF, Lagos, Nairobi, and Kampala, Andela is catalyzing the growth of tech ecosystems across the African continent while solving the global technical talent shortage.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Technical Team Lead

Location: Lagos

About the Role

• Andela’s Technology department is charged with implementing products that will help Andela to scale with consistency and quality while providing excellent service internally and externally. It is responsible for finding the best solution for Andela’s needs, not necessarily the best solution that Andela can build.
• In this role, you will primarily work as a Technical Team Lead within the Technology department leading a team of developers building a world-class software platform that supports all Andela internal products.

You’re the kind of person who:

• Believes that building great software is more than just delivering working code, that other aspects such as reusability, testability, maintainability, security, and performance are just as important.
• Is constantly learning and expanding your skill sets on and off the job.
• Can mentor entry-level developers willing to become world-class.
• is driven by purpose, passion, thirst for knowledge, and the pursuit of a better world.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead a team of up to 5 engineers in developing an internal product and ensuring their team’s Success
• Encourage and promote engineering best practices within the team
• Conduct design sessions, code reviews and pair programming sessions with team members
• Identify and clear roadblocks for the team
• Collaborate with the Product Manager to ensure the code the team write matches the product and business needs
• Partner effectively with the Product Manager to manage scope and deliverables for the technical side of the product roadmap
• Manage technical debt
• Maintain a consistent product velocity and drive the team to deliver on its estimates
• Groom and mentor engineers on their team
• Provide frequent feedback to engineers on their work

Qualifications

• 2-5 years of software development experience
• Experience leading a team of software engineers in an agile environment (daily standups, sprint planning, retrospectives, etc)
• Experience building scalable backend systems (e.g. microservices)
• Experience setting up and managing a continuous integration or a continuous delivery process
• Experience with microservices architectures, distributed systems, and messaging queues.
• TDD and pair programming experience
• A Bachelor's or advanced degree in Software Engineering, Computer Science or related field.

Technologies we use:

• Javascript/Node.js
• Postgres
• gRPC, Protocol buffers
• Kubernetes, Google Pub/Sub
• Datadog

EPIC Values Alignment:

• Demonstrable commitment to the learning & development of people and technology
• The ability to learn new things fast enough to amaze your friends and family

Benefits & Compensation

• Full-time compensation
• Full medical coverage
• Breakfast, lunch and snacks provided daily
• Beautiful working environment
• Opportunity to work with the brightest minds on the planet
• Oh, and a chance to change the world!

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Note: We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

Job Vacancy For Senior Engineer at Andela Nigeria

Andela is a network of technology leaders dedicated to advancing human potential. We help companies build high-performing distributed engineering teams by investing in Africa’s most talented software developers. Based in NYC, SF, Lagos, Nairobi, and Kampala, Andela is catalyzing the growth of tech ecosystems across the African continent while solving the global technical talent shortage.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Senior Engineer

Location: Lagos, Nigeria

About the Role

• In this role, you will primarily work as a Senior Software Engineer within the Technology department building world-class internal products to support Andela’s business needs.
• As the Senior Software Engineer, you will take on complex tasks and complete them despite roadblocks, grabbing others for help or insight as necessary.
• You will require very little oversight beyond high-level direction; you can take a complex user story, break it down into sub-tasks, and complete their sub-tasks with relative ease.
• You will show initiative beyond knocking tasks off a list; you are able to identify and suggest areas of future work for yourself or your team.
• You will drive product velocity and deliver products with confidence.
• You will take pride in building products that are key to helping Andela grow and scale as an organization.

You’re the kind of person who:

• Believes that building great software is more than just delivering working code, that other aspects such as reusability, testability, maintainability, security, and performance are just as important.
• Is constantly learning and expanding your skill sets on and off the job.
• Can mentor entry-level developers willing to become world-class.

Key Responsibilities

• Work closely with Product Managers and Stakeholders to understand the business needs
• Deliver complex software solutions that meet those needs
• Share responsibility for strategically scaling Andela’s internal systems
• Promote and nurture good team practices such as TDD, code reviews, and pair programming
• Bring vision to the team in the form of new technology recommendations, ideas and approaches
• Mentor entry-level developers willing to become world-class

We are interested in a candidate from any background as long as you have a solid understanding of core computer science principles. Here’s an abbreviated list of interesting technologies we currently use:

• Javascript / Node.js
• Golang
• React
• Postgres
• Google Cloud, Docker, Google Pub/Sub

Qualifications

• 3-5 years of software development experience
• Strong understanding of computer science principles
• Experience working in an agile environment (standups, sprint planning, retrospectives, etc)
• TDD and pair programming experience
• Experience or strong interest in microservices architectures and distributed systems
• Solid written and verbal communication
• A Bachelor's or Advanced Degree in Software Engineering, Computer Science or related field.

Benefits & Compensation

• Full-time compensation
• Full medical coverage
• Breakfast, lunch and snacks provided daily
• Beautiful working environment
• Opportunity to work with the brightest minds on the plane
• Oh, and a chance to change the world.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online