THE NEWS: Weary Nadal set for Del Potro barrage as Djokovic eyes Nishikori revenge

Weary Nadal set for Del Potro barrage as Djokovic eyes Nishikori revenge
AFP

 AFP / EDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZ Victory roar: Rafael Nadal celebrates after defeating Dominic Thiem in their epic quarter-final

World number one and defending champion Rafael Nadal will put his weary body on the line against a merciless Juan Martin del Potro on Friday with a place in the US Open final at stake.

Nadal, the three-time champion, faces 2009 winner Del Potro and is two wins from clinching an 18th Grand Slam title.

That would be just two behind Roger Federer and with an 11-5 career head-to-head advantage over the giant Argentine, he would usually be a comfortable favourite.

But this has been an unpredictable US Open with Federer knocked out by Australian world number 55 John Millman in the fourth round and Nadal coming close to joining his greatest rival at the exit door.

Whoever gets through Friday will have yet another major challenge on their hands in Sunday's final where either Novak Djokovic or Kei Nishikori will await.

The 32-year-old Nadal needed four hours and 49 minutes to get past Dominic Thiem 0-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/5) in an epic quarter-final which concluded at just after 2 a.m. on Wednesday.

Now, in his seventh semi-final at the US Open, Nadal is braced for another marathon with Del Potro, the third seed.

In July, Nadal came back from two sets to one down to beat Del Potro in the Wimbledon quarter-finals after four hours and 48 minutes.

A month earlier, Nadal had cruised past del Potro in straight sets in the semi-finals at Roland Garros on his way to an 11th title in Paris.

"It will be a very tough one. Juan Martin is a great player everywhere," said Nadal who will be playing in a seventh semi-fnal in New York.

"But the challenge of playing him on hard of course is even higher for me personally than playing against him on clay."

Nadal has been on court at this US Open just six minutes short of 16 hours.

He played back-to-back four-setters against Karen Khachanov and Nikoloz Basilashvili before recovering from breaks down in the third and fourth sets against Thiem.

-- 11th semi-final for Djokovic --

Del Potro has unleashed 66 aces and spent three and a half hours fewer on court than Nadal.


 AFP / EDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZ 11th semi-final at the US Open for Novak Djokovic


The 29-year-old is in his third semi-final at the US Open and sixth at the majors.

That figure would have been higher had he not missed 14 Grand Slams in his career due to a series of wrist surgeries.

"It could be another big battle just as at Wimbledon," said Del Potro.

"I like to play always with the No. 1 of the world, doesn't matter the tournament or the conditions or the weather."

Meanwhile, two-time US Open champion Djokovic will be playing in his 11th consecutive semi-final in New York, just two months after defying the odds to lift a 13th major at Wimbledon.

The 31-year-old Serb holds a 14-2 advantage over Nishikori including wins at Wimbledon and Rome this year.

However, one of Nishikori's wins came in the semi-finals in New York in 2014 when the Japanese star finished runner-up to Marin Cilic.

"When Kei is on, he's a top-five, top-10 player," said Djokovic.

"He has a great two-handed backhand, great footwork and is one of the quickest players on tour."

Djokovic needed two four-setters in his opening rounds but cruised through in straight sets against Richard Gasquet and John Millman.

He dropped serve just twice in the last two outings.

Nishikori, part of a history-making double act with Naomi Osaka in New York as the first Japanese man and woman to make the semi-finals of the same Slam, missed the 2017 US Open with a wrist injury.

The legacy of that also sidelined him until February

"2014 will always be a good memory here. It was a tough battle and it will give me good confidence, even though I don't remember a lot of it," said the 28-year-old after getting revenge on Cilic in the quarter-finals.

THE NEWS: EU clears Apple plan to buy music app Shazam

EU clears Apple plan to buy music app Shazam
AFP

 AFP/File / Josh Edelson The EU is fine with Apple taking over Shazam

The EU on Thursday approved US tech giant Apple's plan to buy leading song-recognition app Shazam, saying the move would not reduce choice for music streaming consumers.

The bloc launched a detailed probe into the deal with London-based Shazam, worth a reported $400 million, in April, at the request of several EU states amid fears it could harm competition in an intensifying battle of streaming services.

The Apple-Shazam investigation was another round in the ongoing tussle between Brussels and Silicon Valley as the European Union adopts tougher regulation for the likes of Facebook, Google and Amazon.

"Data is key in the digital economy. We must therefore carefully review transactions which lead to the acquisition of important sets of data, including potentially commercially sensitive ones, to ensure they do not restrict competition," EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said in a statement.

"After thoroughly analysing Shazam's user and music data, we found that their acquisition by Apple would not reduce competition in the digital music streaming market."

Apple announced the deal in December last year in a fresh effort to gain an edge in the music streaming market where Sweden-based Spotify dominates.

Apple CEO Tim Cook said in May the company's streaming service Apple Music had hit 50 million paying subscribers -- well back on the 83 million announced by Spotify in July.

The EU examined whether the takeover would allow Apple to gain access to commercially sensitive data about customers of its rivals and then use that information to better target customers of other streaming services and improve its own offer, which has struggled since its launch in 2015.

Officials also looked at whether Apple Music's competitors would be harmed if Apple were to discontinue links from the Shazam app to rivals.

- 'Limited importance' -

In its ruling, the EU said the merged entity would not be able to shut out streaming competitors by accessing commercially sensitive customer data or by restricting access to Shazam.

Officials said Shazam's data would not increase Apple's ability to target customers, and the app was of "limited importance" as an entry point to rival streaming services.

Shazam, founded in 1999 in the early age of online music, has offered a solution to an age-old problem -- putting a name to elusive songs. With a click, the app identifies tracks playing on the radio, at parties or as background music.

But Shazam has struggled to find a way to make money off its technology, even as it said that it had reached one billion downloads on smartphones last year.

Shazam only recently announced it had become profitable, thanks to advertising and steering traffic to other sites such as Spotify and Apple Music.

THE NEWS: 'Capsule housing' project sparks outrage in Spain

'Capsule housing' project sparks outrage in Spain
source: AFP

 HAIBU Solutions/AFP / Handout This undated and unlocated handout photo released by Spanish company "HAIBU Solutions" on September 6, 2018, shows a model of its housing "capsules" project

A Barcelona company sparked outrage in Spain on Thursday with a plan to rent tiny pods where low income workers would live side-by-side like bees in a hive for as little as 200 euros ($232) a month

The company argues the project called Haibu -- which means beehive in Japanese -- is a solution to a shortage of affordable housing in the Mediterranean city but Barcelona city hall has refused to issue a licence for it, saying such tiny accommodation is unfit for humans.

"Fortunately piling up people is prohibited. The law does not allow this type of dwelling," Barcelona mayor Ada Colau, a former housing and anti-eviction activist, told reporters on Thursday.

Despite the lack of a licence, the company, Haibu 4.0. has already started building the first eight pods which it expects will be finished by the end of the month at an empty business premise.

Each 2.4 square metres (21.5 square feet) pod will be equipped with a bed, TV, storage space and power plugs, following the module of capsule accommodation geared for tourists which are popular in Japan.

The project will include a communal area with a kitchen with several microwaves, lounge and bathrooms, and the monthly rent would include utility bills and Wi-Fi.

The website for the project says the Haibu housing is restricted to those aged 25-45 who have a minimum salary of 450 euros a month. Five hundred people have shown interest in renting a pod, according to the company.

"We are based on the idea that a group of people who can't have access to housing can band together and move ahead," Victoria Cerdan, one of the entrepreneurs behind Haibu 4.0, told AFP.


HAIBU Solutions/AFP / Handout This undated and unlocated handout photo released by Spanish company "HAIBU Solutions" on September 6, 2018, shows a model of its housing "capsules" project


"Obviously it is not adequate housing, no one would want it for themselves. But no one wants a monthly salary of 500 euros and unfortunately they exist. Instead of living on the street, we offer this."

The project was blasted on social media, with Inigo Errejon, a prominent lawmaker with Spain's anti-austerity Podemos party tweeting: "There are similar house in cemeteries, they are called coffins."

The project comes amid a fierce debate in Spain over soaring rents, especially in big cities like Barcelona, with the average rent for a flat soaring 28.7 percent between 2014 and 2017 to 903.4 euros, according to city hall figures.

The average monthly salary in Spain is 1,880 euros -- and less than 1,300 euros for those under the age of 30 -- which makes it difficult to rent a home.

THE NEWS: Britain points finger at Putin over spy poisoning

Britain points finger at Putin over spy poisoning


 Metropolitan Police Service/AFP / HO London has accused two members of Russian military intelligence of using Novichok to try to kill former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia

Britain pointed the finger at Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday for a nerve agent attack on a former Russian spy in England -- a charge that Moscow rejected as "unacceptable".

The leaders of the United States, France, Germany and Canada later said they had "full confidence" in Britain's assessment that officers from Russia's military intelligence service were behind the Novichok attack that nearly killed Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in March.

British Security Minister Ben Wallace said that Putin was "ultimately" responsible for the poisoning in the southwestern city of Salisbury, prompting an angry response from Moscow.

"For us any sort of accusation regarding the Russian leadership is unacceptable," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists.

Britain has previously accused Russia of orchestrating the attack, but Moscow denies any involvement and insists it is ready to cooperate in any investigation.


AFP/File / Leon NEAL British Security Minister Ben Wallace said that Putin was "ultimately" responsible for the poisoning


"Neither Russia's top leadership nor those in the ranks below, nor any official representatives have anything to do with the events in Salisbury," Peskov said.

London and its allies expelled dozens of Russian diplomats after the poisoning, prompting a tit-for-tat response from Moscow and plunging relations to a new low.

In a major new development, Prime Minister Theresa May announced Wednesday that police had issued international arrest warrants for the two suspects, identified as Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov.

She said they were members of Russian military intelligence and acted on orders from a "high level", but Wallace went further when asked if Putin had any responsibility.

"Ultimately he does in so far as he is the president of the Russian Federation and it is his government that controls, funds and directs the military intelligence, the GRU, via his ministry of defence," Wallace told BBC radio.


AFP / Laurence CHU A nerve agent was used in the attack in Britain, where two Russian agents are wanted for attempted murder.

He added: "I don't think anyone can ever say that Mr Putin isn't in control of his state.... And the GRU is without doubt not rogue."

Wallace also later mocked the GRU's competence, saying the attack was "more Johnny English than James Bond".

He told LBC Radio that the two men "were sent as soldiers to do a mission... they failed in that mission".

- Support from allies -

Britain briefed the United Nations Security Council Thursday on its latest findings, with Russia vehemently denying involvement.

Russian ambassador Vassily Nebenzia accused Britain of spreading "the same repeated lies" and presenting an "unfounded mendacious cocktail of facts.

"The Russian Federation categorically rejects all unfounded accusations regarding its involvement," he said.

US Ambassador Nikki Haley said everyone should be "chilled to the bone" with the findings.

A joint statement by the leaders of France, Germany, the US and Canada on Thursday said they had "full confidence in the British assessment" as they chose to "reiterate our outrage" over the incident.

"Yesterday's announcement further strengthens our intent to continue to disrupt together the hostile activities of foreign intelligence networks on our territories," they added.

Wallace said his government would seek to "maintain the pressure" on Russia.

Options include "more sanctions", he said.

- 'Malign state activity' -


AFP / Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS Russian suspects Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov put up at the City Stay Hotel in east London

The government is also reviewing visa applications by wealthy Russians in Britain, and is preparing new powers to stop people at the border if suspected of "malign state activity".

The Skripals survived the poisoning but a local man, Charlie Rowley, picked up a fake perfume bottle containing Novichok weeks later.

Rowley gave it to his girlfriend, Dawn Sturgess, who later died.

British prosecutors accuse Petrov and Boshirov of conspiracy to murder Skripal, attempted murder and the use of a banned chemical weapon.

They said they would not formally demand their extradition, as Russia does not extradite its citizens, but have obtained a European Arrest Warrant for the pair.

Meanwhile, Sergei Skripal's niece on Thursday begged her uncle to call his 90-year-old mother to prove he was alive.

"She is waiting for his phone call. She needs nothing else. She needs one phone call from her son," said Victoria Skripal at an emotional news conference in Russia.

source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/britain-points-finger-putin-over-spy-poisoning-doc-18w1xm5

THE NEWS: 'Deliverance,' 'Boogie Nights' star Burt Reynolds dies

'Deliverance,' 'Boogie Nights' star Burt Reynolds dies


AFP/File / ANGELA WEISS US actor Burt Reynolds, pictured in 2017, has died in a Florida hospital at the age of 82

Burt Reynolds, the mustachioed heart-throb of 1970s cinema who won acclaim in "Deliverance" and a host of awards later in his career for "Boogie Nights," died on Thursday, his publicist announced.

The famously suave 82-year-old, a huge box office draw at his peak who earned a reputation as a hard-drinking playboy, suffered a heart attack at a hospital in Florida, his manager Erik Kritzer told the Hollywood Reporter.

Reynolds, whose career spanned six decades, earned a Golden Globe, Oscar nomination and several critics' awards for his portrayal of porn director Jack Horner in the 1997 film "Boogie Nights."

Last year, he received critical acclaim for his performance in the indie movie "The Last Movie Star."

More recently, he was said to be in talks to join the cast of Quentin Tarantino's upcoming movie "Once Upon a Time In Hollywood," in which he was to play George Spahn, the owner of the farm used by the Manson family cult.

The actor, who was known to have a hot temper, starred in several critically acclaimed movies but leaned more toward popular fare often panned by critics.

He was considered box office gold in the 1970s and early 80s with such films as "Smokey and the Bandit," "Starting Over," and "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas."

- 'Missed opportunities' -

"I didn't open myself to new writers or risky parts because I wasn't interested in challenging myself as an actor. I was interested in having a good time," Reynolds wrote in his 2015 memoir, "But Enough About Me."

"As a result, I missed a lot of opportunities to show I could play serious roles," he added. "By the time I finally woke up and tried to get it right, nobody would give me a chance."

Reynolds notably turned down an offer to play the space scoundrel Han Solo in the first "Star Wars," and the role of James Bond.

He also turned down an offer to play retired astronaut Garrett Breedlove in the 1983 hit movie "Terms of Endearment."

The role, which he later regretted turning down, was taken up by Jack Nicholson, who took home an Oscar.

Reynolds said in an interview two years ago that he believes his infamous nude spread in Cosmopolitan in 1972 probably cost him an Oscar nomination that year for his role in the thriller "Deliverance."

He played Lewis Medlock, one of four friends who canoe down a river in the Georgia wilderness and run into some locals who savagely attack them.

- 'Last icons of Hollywood' -

Tributes poured in for the late star, including from fellow actor Arnold Schwarzenegger and other celebrities.

"Burt Reynolds was one of my heroes. He was a trailblazer," Schwarzenegger said in a tweet. "He showed the way to transition from being an athlete to being the highest paid actor, and he always inspired me. He also had a great sense of humor - check out his Tonight Show clips. My thoughts are with his family."

Tennis great Boris Becker described Reynolds in a tweet as "one of the last icons in Hollywood," while "Lord of the Rings" star Elijah Wood lamented the "passing of a legend."

"RIP Burt Reynolds. Seems his whole career was tongue in cheek. Always warm and funny," tweeted comedian Ricky Gervais.

source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/deliverance-boogie-nights-star-burt-reynolds-dies-doc-18w8eu3

THE NEWS: ICC says can rule on Rohingya deportations from Myanmar

ICC says can rule on Rohingya deportations from Myanmar



AFP/File / Dibyangshu SARKAR Rohingya Muslim refugees walk towards the Balukhali refugee camp in Bangladesh after leaving Myanmar. The International Criminal Court said Thursday it had jurisdiction to probe the forced deportation of Rohingya Muslims by Myanmar's military as a possible crime against humanity

The International Criminal Court said Thursday it had jurisdiction to probe the forced deportation of Rohingya Muslims by Myanmar's military as a possible crime against humanity.

Some 700,000 people from the stateless Muslim minority have fled Myanmar's northern Rakhine state into neighbouring Bangladesh since August last year to escape a bloody military crackdown.

The ICC's "pre-trial chamber... decided by majority the court may exercise jurisdiction over the alleged deportations of the Rohingya people from Myanmar to Bangladesh", the Hague-based tribunal said in a statement.

The ruling offers "a glimmer of hope for justice" for Rohingyas who "continue to suffer in Bangladesh as a result of this serious crime," Adilur Rahman Khan, vice-president of the International Federation for Human Rights, said in a statement.

The Myanmar government on Thursday declined to comment on the announcement when contacted by AFP.

The move comes days after UN investigators called for an international investigation and prosecution of Myanmar's army chief and five other top military commanders for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes against the Rohingya.

The violence has left a trail of torched villages in its wake, amid allegations of murder and rape at the hands of troops and vigilantes.

Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) has said that at least 6,700 Rohingya were killed between August and September last year in an army crackdown the UN has called "ethnic cleansing" containing "elements of genocide".

- 'Cross-border shooting' -

In an unprecedented move in April, the ICC's chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda asked judges to rule whether she can investigate the deportations as a crime against humanity.

It is a legally complicated request, as Myanmar is not a signatory and member of the Rome Statute which underpins the ICC.

The Southeast Asian nation voiced "serious concern" over the prosecutor's move, saying that the ICC's charter in fact did not state that it had jurisdiction to investigate a country that had not signed up to the Rome Statute that governs the court.

Bangladesh, however, is a signatory and the judges said that because the deportations involve a cross-border crime, that gives the court jurisdiction to investigate the plight of the Rohingya.

Bensouda had likened deportation to "a cross-border shooting", arguing the crime "is not completed until the bullet (fired in one state) strikes and kills the victim (standing in another state)".

The judge's ruling follows the jailing of two Reuters journalists for seven years on Monday accused of breaching Myanmar's state secrets law while reporting on a Rohingya massacre.

Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, the country's civilian leader, has faced criticism for remaining silent on the jailings.

On Tuesday, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he would host talks at the UN over the allegations of genocide, warning the perpetrators must be brought to justice.

- 'Justice' -

Thursday's ruling now leaves the path open for the prosecutor to announce the formal opening of a preliminary investigation into the matter.

That gives Bensouda a chance to see if there is enough evidence to open a full-blown probe, which could eventually lead to a trial.

The ICC judges said that "such a preliminary investigation must be concluded within a reasonable time".

But the road to a tribunal will be long and complex, with China likely try to thwart any prosecution of its ally at the world's only permanent war crimes court.

Set up in 2002 in The Hague, the ICC acts to prosecute the worst abuses including genocide in places where national courts are unwilling or unable to act.

Some of its biggest successes have been over war crimes in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the destruction of religious Muslim shrines in Timbuktu in Mali.

The Myanmar army in the mainly Buddhist nation has denied any allegations, saying its campaign has been a legitimate response to Rohingya militant attacks last year that killed about a dozen border guard police.

Tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees staged protests 10 days ago to mark the first anniversary of the flight from Myanmar demanding "justice".

An investigation into the Rohingya deportations would be the third for the ICC in Asia, which is already tentatively probing alleged crimes committed during the Philippines' so-called "war on drugs campaign" and the conflict in Afghanistan.

source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/icc-says-can-rule-rohingya-deportations-myanmar-doc-18w5yo3

THE NEWS: Twitter permanently bans far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones

Twitter permanently bans far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones

GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP / Drew Angerer Far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones is best known for disputing the veracity of the September 11 attacks, the Sandy Hook school massacre and other events

Twitter on Thursday announced it had banned far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones from its platform as well as the account of Infowars, the website he operates.

"Today, we permanently suspended @realalexjones and @infowars from Twitter and Periscope," the social network said.

"We took this action based on new reports of Tweets and videos posted yesterday that violate our abusive behavior policy, in addition to the accounts' past violations."

The announcement came a day after President Donald Trump's administration warned of a possible legal crackdown on big technology companies over competition or political bias, a bombshell announcement that came as social media executives were defending their policies before lawmakers.

The Justice Department statement appeared to escalate a war between the administration and Silicon Valley after a series of attacks by Trump claiming tech firms were biased against conservatives.

The suggestions of legal or regulatory action caught many tech industry observers by surprise and came as lawmakers were holding hearings on foreign influence campaigns on social media and "transparency."

Twitter had previously resisted calls to ban Jones, though it prevented him from posting on his account for a week last month.

Jones is best known for disputing the veracity of the September 11 attacks, the Sandy Hook school massacre and other events. He had almost 900,000 followers on Twitter before he was banned.
source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/twitter-permanently-bans-far-right-conspiracy-theorist-alex-jones-doc-18w9is3

THE NEWS: Trump signals nuclear talks with North Korea still alive

Trump signals nuclear talks with North Korea still alive


 AFP / NICHOLAS KAMM US President Donald Trump signals denuclearization talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un remain alive, nearly two weeks after cancelling a trip to Pyongyang by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo

US President Donald Trump pledged Thursday to complete a deal on denuclearizing the Korean peninsula together with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, signaling that negotiations remain alive after weeks of an apparent deadlock.

"Kim Jong Un of North Korea proclaims 'unwavering faith in President Trump.' Thank you to Chairman Kim. We will get it done together!" Trump wrote on Twitter.

The tweet came hours after Kim renewed his own commitment to the goal of denuclearization in talks with a special envoy from Seoul, ahead of a summit planned in Pyongyang scheduled for September 18-20 with South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

"The north and the south should further their efforts to realize the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula," KCNA quoted Kim as saying.

South Korean national security advisor Chung Eui-yong, who met with Kim, said the North Korean leader also emphasized that his "trust in Trump remains unchanged," the comment which led to the US president's tweet.

Chung added that Kim expressed his intention to work closely with the United States to achieve denuclearization "in the first official term of President Trump," which ends in January 2021.

- End to impasse? -


KCNA VIA KNS/AFP / KCNA VIA KNS South Korean national security advisor Chung Eui-Yong (L) said Kim Jong Un's "trust in Trump remains unchanged"


The enthusiastic comments came 12 days after Trump summarily canceled a trip to Pyongyang by his top diplomat, Mike Pompeo, which was aimed at getting the discussions on North Korea's nuclear talks back on track three months after Trump's landmark summit with Kim in Singapore.

In a statement on August 24, Trump said he was scotching Pompeo's trip "because I feel we are not making sufficient progress with respect to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."

He also slammed China as not helping with the effort to convince Pyongyang to halt its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile program.

"Additionally, because of our much tougher trading stance with China, I do not believe they are helping with the process of denuclearization as they once were," Trump said at the time.

Thursday's statements by the two leaders appeared to paper over differences the two sides have over what the current talks should focus on.

Pyongyang apparently wants to first achieve an official end to the seven-decade state of war with South Korea, while Washington wants to start immediately on the long process of denuclearization.

Stephen Biegun, newly-appointed US envoy for the North, said last month Kim had promised "final, fully verified denuclearization" at the Singapore summit.

But Pyongyang has slammed Washington for its "gangster-like" demands for complete nuclear disarmament.

- Pompeo: 'still much work to do' -

Trump's statement came hours before the US Justice Department unveiled criminal charges against a North Korean government-linked hacker involved in several major cybercrimes, including the hacking of Sony Pictures and the theft of $81 million from the central bank of Bangladesh.

Pyongyang had no immediate comment on the charges, which it has denied responsibility for in the past, and it was not clear whether they would impact the nuclear negotiations.

The State Department announced Thursday that Biegun would travel to South Korea, China and Japan next week for talks on North Korea.

In New Delhi Thursday, Secretary of State Pompeo, the former US intelligence chief who heads the US negotiating effort, struck a sober note, saying there is still much work to do.

North Korea "is the only country that has commitments under UN Security Council resolutions," he told reporters.

"It is the case that there is still an enormous amount of work to do. We haven't had any nuclear tests, we haven't had any missile tests, which we consider a great thing."

"But the work of convincing Chairman Kim to make the strategic shift which we talked about, for a brighter future for the people of North Korea, continues," Pompeo added.

burs-pmh/wd
source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/trump-signals-nuclear-talks-north-korea-still-alive-doc-18w43m3

THE NEWS: 'Deliverance,' 'Boogie Nights' star Burt Reynolds dies

'Deliverance,' 'Boogie Nights' star Burt Reynolds dies
AFP

AFP/File / ANGELA WEISS US actor Burt Reynolds, pictured in 2017, has died in a Florida hospital at the age of 82

Burt Reynolds, the mustachioed heart-throb of 1970s cinema who won acclaim in "Deliverance" and a host of awards later in his career for "Boogie Nights," died on Thursday, his family announced.

The famously suave 82-year-old, a huge box office draw at his peak who had a reputation as a hard-drinking playboy, reportedly suffered a heart attack and died at a hospital in Florida.

"It is with a broken heart that I said goodbye to my uncle today," the actor's niece Nancy Lee Hess, said in a statement sent to AFP. "My uncle was not just a movie icon; he was a generous, passionate and sensitive man, who was dedicated to his family, friends, fans and acting students."

Reynolds, whose career spanned six decades, earned a Golden Globe, Oscar nomination and several critics' awards for his portrayal of porn director Jack Horner in the 1997 film "Boogie Nights."

Last year, he also drew critical acclaim for his performance in the indie movie "The Last Movie Star."

The actor was considered box office gold in the 1970s and early 80s with such hits as "Smokey and the Bandit," "Starting Over," and "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas," films that were popular at the box office and often less popular with critics.

It was his breakout role in the 1972 thriller "Deliverance," in which he plays macho survivalist Lewis Medlock, that cemented his status as one of Hollywood's leading men in the 1970s and 80s.

The film -- infamous for its hillbilly male rape scene -- earned three Oscar nominations for best picture, best director and best editing. But Reynolds failed to get an Oscar nod and he would later say that his nude spread that year in Cosmopolitan probably cost him a chance at the golden statuette.

During his career, he would also become known as much for the hit movies he racked up as the big roles he turned down.

Reynolds notably walked away from playing the space scoundrel Han Solo in the first "Star Wars," turned down the role of James Bond and declined the leading role played by Richard Gere in "Pretty Woman."

He also rejected an offer to play retired astronaut Garrett Breedlove in the 1983 hit movie "Terms of Endearment."

The role was taken up by Jack Nicholson, who took home an Oscar.

- 'Missed opportunities' -

"I didn't open myself to new writers or risky parts because I wasn't interested in challenging myself as an actor. I was interested in having a good time," Reynolds wrote in his 2015 memoir, "But Enough About Me."

"As a result, I missed a lot of opportunities to show I could play serious roles," he added. "By the time I finally woke up and tried to get it right, nobody would give me a chance."

On the personal front, the actor was married and divorced twice, the first time to British actress Judy Carne and the second to American actress Loni Anderson, with whom he adopted a son, Quinton. His divorce with Anderson would go down as one of the nastiest in Hollywood history.

He also had a high-profile romance with actress Sally Field, described by Reynolds as "the love affair of my life."

- 'Last icons of Hollywood' -

Tributes poured in for the late star on news of his death, including from fellow actor Arnold Schwarzenegger and other celebrities.

"Burt Reynolds was one of my heroes. He was a trailblazer," Schwarzenegger said in a tweet. "He showed the way to transition from being an athlete to being the highest paid actor, and he always inspired me. He also had a great sense of humor - check out his Tonight Show clips. My thoughts are with his family."

Tennis great Boris Becker described Reynolds in a tweet as "one of the last icons in Hollywood," while "Lord of the Rings" star Elijah Wood lamented the "passing of a legend."

"RIP Burt Reynolds. Seems his whole career was tongue in cheek. Always warm and funny," tweeted comedian Ricky Gervais.
source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/deliverance-boogie-nights-star-burt-reynolds-dies-doc-18x00a1

THE NEWS: witter permanently bans far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones

witter permanently bans far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones


GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP / Drew Angerer Far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones is best known for disputing the veracity of the September 11 attacks, the Sandy Hook school massacre and other events

Twitter on Thursday said it had permanently banned Alex Jones, the far-right conspiracy theorist best known for calling the 9/11 attacks an inside job and describing the Sandy Hook school massacre as a hoax.

The social network had been under pressure to remove Jones following similar moves by fellow tech giants Facebook, YouTube, Spotify and Apple last month.

In a series of tweets from its @TwitterSafety account, it said: "Today, we permanently suspended @realalexjones and @infowars from Twitter and Periscope.

"We took this action based on new reports of Tweets and videos posted yesterday that violate our abusive behavior policy, in addition to the accounts' past violations."

Infowars is the website run by Jones.

The ban came after Jones traveled to Washington to attend congressional hearings involving Twitter's chief executive officer Jack Dorsey and Facebook's chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg.

He later posted videos showing himself verbally confronting a CNN reporter as well as Republican Senator Marco Rubio in a hallway.

Reacting to his removal on Infowars, Jones said: "I was taken down not because we lie but because we tell the truth," adding that the incident involving the journalist, Oliver Darcy, may have been the cause of the ban.

Jones harangued Darcy for 10 minutes during the confrontation, calling him a "virus to America" and comparing him to a "possum that climbed out of the rear-end of a dead cow."

Darcy had written an article listing incidents where Jones had violated Twitter's rules.

The ban came a day after President Donald Trump's administration warned of a possible legal crackdown on big technology companies over political bias in a bombshell announcement that came as the Senate hearing concluded.

Trump famously granted Jones an interview during his presidential campaign, telling him: "Your reputation is amazing" and "I will not let you down."

- 'It's about time' -


 AFP/File / NICOLAS ASFOURI Twitter had been under pressure to remove far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones following similar moves by fellow tech giants Facebook, YouTube, Spotify and Apple


Twitter had previously resisted calls to remove Jones, who had nearly 900,000 followers, though in August it prevented him from posting on his account for a week.

Once dubbed "the most prolific conspiracy theorist in contemporary America" by the Southern Poverty Law Center, Jones has claimed the September 11 attacks were carried out by the US government, and promotes the idea that ethnic minorities are attempting to eradicate the white race.

He has also called the 2012 Sandy Hook school massacre an elaborate hoax involving "crisis actors" as part of a plot to discredit the gun lobby.

Gunman Adam Lanza killed 26 people, including 20 children, when he launched his rampage at the Connecticut school.

Several of the families have sued the 44-year-old Texan, accusing him of using their suffering to expand his audience. Jones has counter-sued, demanding in turn that they pay his court expenses.

The non-profit Media Matters, a left-leaning watchdog, welcomed Twitter's move.

"Media Matters has monitored Alex Jones longer than anyone and has dozens of documented incidents of him violating the rules with impunity, so the most important thing to be said about his removal from Twitter is: 'Good. It's about time.'

"Twitter was the last major tech platform to see what is obvious -- Jones used Twitter in clear violation of the rules to perpetuate hate speech and harassment," it added.

- Bias probe -

Jones' ban from the last major social network to host him could also heighten conservatives' fears that their viewpoints are being censored online.

The Justice Department's announcement Wednesday that it would probe Big Tech over competition or political bias appeared to escalate a war between the administration and Silicon Valley after a series of attacks by Trump claiming tech firms were biased against him and others on the right.

According to the statement, Attorney General Jeff Sessions will convene a meeting of state attorneys general later this month "to discuss a growing concern that these companies may be hurting competition and intentionally stifling the free exchange of ideas on their platforms."

The announcement came at the conclusion of a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing at which Dorsey and Sandberg testified in a largely collegial atmosphere and spoke of the need for further efforts to thwart foreign influence campaigns on social media.

source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/twitter-permanently-bans-far-right-conspiracy-theorist-alex-jones-doc-18w9v52

THE NEWS: Serena storms into ninth US Open final

Serena storms into ninth US Open final

AFP / Don EMMERT See you Saturday: Serena Williams celebrates her victory against Anastasija Sevastova

Six-time champion Serena Williams roared into her ninth US Open final on Thursday with an emphatic 6-3, 6-0 victory over Anastasija Sevastova.

Williams, seeded 17th as she seeks to add to her 23 Grand Slam titles for the first time since the birth of her daughter Olympia on September 1 of last year, needed just 66 minutes to dispatch the 19th-seeded Latvian, who was playing in her first Grand Slam semi-final.

"It's honestly really incredible," she said of reaching a second Grand Slam final of the year, after a runner-up finish at Wimbledon.

"A year ago I was fighting for my life in the hospital after I had the baby," added Williams, who battled life threatening blood clots after a difficult delivery.

"Every time I step out on this court I'm so grateful that I have the opportunity to play this sport.

"To come this far so fast .... I'm really looking forward to the possibilities.

Williams will face either 2017 runner-up Madison Keys, the 14th seed, or Japan's Naomi Osaka for the title on Saturday.

Osaka, the 20th seed, is also in a first Slam semi-final -- part of a history-making Japanese double along with men's semi-finalist Kei Nishikori.

As in her semi-final win over Karolina Pliskova, Williams took a while to warm up, dropping her serve in the opening game.

But she was back on terms after a break for 2-2, giving herself a chance with a stinging passing shot and getting the break when Sevastova's attempt at a drop shot from deep in the court failed to make it over the net.

From there Williams was on the attack, winning 24 of 28 points at the net. After breaking again for a 4-2 lead she produced a convincing hold that featured the first of her four aces.

Serving for the first set she opened with a 120 mph (193 Km/h) ace and Sevastova was out of answers.

"I've been working hard on my volleys," Williams said of her aggressive game plan. "I have won a few doubles championships so I know how to volley.

"I just usually come in to shake hands," she quipped. "I wanted to try something different today and it worked in my favor."

Sevastova, who beat defending champion Sloane Stephens to reach the last four, was left regretting "some stupid games from me that I lost".

"How the first set went it affected me in the second a little bit," she said. "I shouldn't have gotten broken twice in the first set -- I had game points in both games."

Once Williams was in front, Sevastova said, there was no stopping her.

"When she's in front it's tough to play," she said. "I tried on her games, but she served well -- when somebody serves 123 miles per hour ace there's not much you can do."
source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/serena-storms-ninth-us-open-final-doc-18x0ky2

THE NEWS: Mass grave site with 166 bodies found in Mexico

Mass grave site with 166 bodies found in Mexico

AFP/File / ILSE HUESCA Mexican authorities discovered at least 166 bodies at a mass grave site in Veracruz state

Mexican authorities discovered at least 166 bodies at a mass grave site in Veracruz state, prosecutors said Thursday, the latest horrifying find in a region hit by bloody drug cartel turf wars.

Home to the city of Veracruz, one of Mexico's largest ports, the eastern state has a history of corrupt politics and grisly power struggles between rival cartels -- a toxic mix that has caused an explosion of violence.

"The remains of at least 166 people have been found" in the latest mass grave site discovered in Veracruz, state prosecutor Jorge Winckler told journalists, making it one of the largest such sites so far.

The grave is located in central Veracruz, but authorities are not releasing the exact location for security reasons, he said. Forensic specialists are still working at the scene.

Winckler said investigators had also found 200 articles of clothing, 144 ID cards and other personal belongings at the site since exhumations began on August 8.


AFP / Laurence CHU Mass grave in Veracruz, Mexico


An informer told authorities that hundreds of people in all were buried at the site, the state prosecutor's office said in a statement.

"Based on forensic analysis of the discoveries, it had been determined that these are clandestine burial sites which are at least two years old," it said.

Authorities have used drones and ground-penetrating radar to help them locate the bodies.

They released photographs of investigators combing through the thick vegetation at the site, wearing white protective suits and gloves.

There are at least 32 separate grave sites, they said.

- Hit squads, corruption -

Activists accuse the state's jailed ex-governor, Javier Duarte, of presiding over a rash of human rights abuses in Veracruz.


AFP/File / LUCAS CASTRO Veracruz State has a history of corrupt politics and grisly power struggles between rival drug cartels -- a toxic mix that has caused an explosion of violence

Two former state police chiefs and a string of ex-officials have been charged with running hit squads that abducted and presumably killed unwanted individuals during Duarte's administration, from 2010 to 2016.

Duarte himself is in jail awaiting trial for corruption, and prosecutors recently added charges of ordering the hit squads to "disappear" his enemies.

"These forced disappearances were not only carried out with his knowledge, but under his orders," they said in June.

Investigators also accuse the ex-governor of stealing hundreds of millions of dollars in public funds to buy luxury properties, Miami vacation homes and thoroughbred horses, leaving the once-wealthy state on the verge of bankruptcy.

Some 3,600 people have gone missing in Veracruz since 2006, according to the new government.

Families of some of Veracruz's legions of missing persons are still digging at another mass grave found in 2016, where 280 bodies have been discovered so far.

They recently announced they had received a tip-off from drug traffickers about another mass grave near that site containing as many as 500 bodies.

It was unclear whether the grave described by prosecutors was the same site.

Mexico has been hit by a wave of violence since deploying the army to fight the country's powerful drug cartels in 2006.

Since then, more than 200,000 people have been murdered, including a record 28,702 last year.

Another 37,000 people are reported as missing.
source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/mass-grave-site-166-bodies-found-mexico-doc-18x05d3

THE NEWS: Canada upbeat on trade deal progress, China tariffs loom

Canada upbeat on trade deal progress, China tariffs loom

AFP / MANDEL NGAN US President Donald Trump's trade policy faces a key crossroads

Talks between the United States and Canada will continue Friday after the two sides made "good progress" in their effort to rewrite NAFTA, as Washington was poised for a possible escalation in its trade war with China.

Discussions with Canada -- the largest US trading partner -- seem to be on track to agree on a rewrite of the 25-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement. Washington has already reached a new deal with Mexico.

But there have been no further discussions to try to resolve the US dispute with Beijing, and Trump could announce the next step -- steep duties on half the goods America imports from the world's second-largest economy -- as soon as Thursday.

Updating reporters on efforts to keep NAFTA 2.0 as a three-party trade deal after a meeting with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, Canada's top diplomat Chrystia Freeland said it "was important to discuss a few points face to face," adding: "We are making good progress."

She added senior officials would continue to work through part of the night and she would meet Lighthizer again on Friday.


AFP / Brendan Smialowski Canada's Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said there has been progress on NAFTA discussions with US officials


Freeland earlier spoke of "goodwill on both sides" but declined to give any details or say whether the discussions would continue into the weekend.

"If I had sleeves I would be rolling them up right now, but it's too hot for sleeves," she quipped, in reference to the sweltering weather in the US capital for the past week.

"We really are confident a deal which is good for Canada, good for (the) United States and good for Mexico is possible and that's what we're working towards."

The talks have been hung up over Canada's insistence on retaining a dispute resolution mechanism in Chapter 19, and the US objections over Ottawa's tight controls over the dairy market.

- China trade war? -

The deadline for public comment on the next wave of punitive taxes on $200 billion of annual imports from China expires Thursday, and Trump reportedly wants to impose the tariffs immediately.


AFP / Simon MALFATTO Top US trading partners

That would take the total goods targeted to $250 billion of the $500 billion imported from China each year.

Trump has had Beijing in his crosshairs since he took office, and has applied increasing pressure to try to convince it to change its policies, allow more imports and reduce the $335-billion US trade deficit with China.

In Beijing, China's commerce ministry said Thursday it was ready to retaliate.

"If the US dogmatically implements any new tariff measures against China, China will have to take the necessary countermeasures," commerce spokesman Gao Feng told reporters.

Those steps include slapping tariffs on $60 billion of US imports, Gao said.

China so far has retaliated dollar-for-dollar with tariffs of its own on US goods, but since it imports less than $200 billion a year from the United States, it has run out of room to match the US.

But businesses warn there are other ways China can strike back, through regulations and other administrative means.

The last effort at a negotiated solution came in late August with meetings between low-level officials, but nothing came of it.

Gao said the two sides were still in contact and communicating on a working level, and "exchanging opinions on issues of mutual concern to work towards resolving the China-US trade problems."

US businesses have become increasingly concerned about the tit-for-tat tariffs, which are raising prices for manufacturers and hurting US consumers and farmers.

But Trump has been unapologetic, insisting that his tough tactics will work.
source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/canada-upbeat-trade-deal-progress-china-tariffs-loom-doc-18v9pk5

THE NEWS: Fate of Syria's Idlib in balance at Tehran summit

Fate of Syria's Idlib in balance at Tehran summit

AFP/File / DON EMMERT, Matt Dunham, Mikhail KLIMENTYEV Iran's President Hassan Rouhani will host Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian leader Vladimir Putin for a summit on Idlib

The presidents of Iran, Russia and Turkey meet Friday in Tehran for a summit set to decide the future of Idlib province amid fears of a humanitarian disaster in Syria's last major rebel bastion.

Hundreds of civilians fled the northwestern province Thursday as government forces and their allies readied for what could be the last -- and bloodiest -- major battle of Syria's devastating seven-year civil war.

Seized from government forces in 2015, Idlib and adjacent areas form the final major chunk of Syrian territory still under opposition control, home to some three million people -- around half of them displaced from other parts of the country, according to the United Nations.

Neighbouring Turkey, which has long backed Syrian rebels, fears the assault could prompt an influx of desperate Syrians attempting to find safety on its territory.

But regime backers Russia and Iran have sworn to wipe out "terrorists" and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has declared his determination to retake control of the entire country.

Ankara, Moscow and Tehran are also guarantors of the Astana process, a track of negotiations that has eclipsed the UN-led Geneva process and helped Assad re-assert his authority over the country.


AFP / Thomas SAINT-CRICQ Risk of humanitarian crisis in Idlib


Iran's President Hassan Rouhani will host his Russian and Turkish counterparts Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday afternoon.

Iranian television reported that the three leaders would each have "bilateral meetings" on the sidelines of the main summit.

Just hours later, the UN Security Council will also meet at Washington's request, also to discuss Idlib.

The Tehran meetings could determine the scale and the timeline of the Idlib offensive, which the UN has warned may displace 800,000 people.

- 'Ticking time bomb' -

Idlib is dominated by the jihadist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, led by the former Al-Qaeda branch in Syria.


 AFP/File / OMAR HAJ KADOUR Idlib and adjacent areas form the final major chunk of Syrian territory still under opposition control

Neighbouring Turkey has limited sway over the jihadists who control an estimated 60 percent of the province but it backs rebel groups there and has 12 military "observation points" across the province.

Idlib's population has swelled as the regime chalked up a series of victories in other parts of the country, reaching evacuation deals that saw tens of thousands of people bussed to the northwestern province.

Russian and Iranian support has been key to the regime's successes.

While Ankara has said it will try to prevent the assault taking place, both Moscow and Tehran confirmed their support for Assad ahead of Friday's summit.


AFP / Aaref WATAD The Tehran meetings could determine the scale and the timeline of the Idlib offensive


The Kremlin said the Syrian army was preparing to solve the problem of "terrorism" in the rebel stronghold.

"We have killed, we are killing and we will kill terrorists... whether that be in Aleppo, Idlib or other parts of Syria," said Kremlin spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.

Her Iranian counterpart, Bahram Ghassemi, assured Damascus of Iran's support and willingness to "continue its role as adviser and help" for the Idlib campaign.

Al-Watan, a Syrian daily close to the government, reported on Monday that the army's operation is likely "to immediately follow the summit".

Tehran has said it wants to help Assad's forces rid Idlib of rebels with the "least possible loss of human life", while Moscow said efforts were ongoing to separate "normal fighters from terrorists".

Russia wants Turkey to use its influence to rein in rebels and the jihadists.

On Wednesday, the UN warned of a "bloodbath" in the province, fearing that an offensive will cause a humanitarian catastrophe unprecedented since the beginning of the Syrian conflict, which has left more than 350,000 people dead since 2011.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian warned Thursday of the risk of humanitarian disaster in Idlib, describing the province as a "ticking time bomb, both in humanitarian and security terms".
source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/fate-syrias-idlib-balance-tehran-summit-doc-18w5w81

THE NEWS: Belgium presenter's tearful plea on racist attacks goes viral

Belgium presenter's tearful plea on racist attacks goes viral


AFP/File / EMMANUEL DUNAND A black woman who presents the weather forecast on a public broadcaster has spoken out about racism in Belgium after receiving a torrent of abuse since she appeared on TV

A black woman who presents the weather forecast on a Belgium public broadcaster posted an emotional video Thursday which quickly went viral calling out the torrent of racist abuse she has received since appearing on television.

In the five-minute video which was posted to Facebook and received more than half a million views in a matter of minutes, Cecile Djunga said she had decided to respond to the attacks because people "don't think that racism exists in Belgium."

"But it's not true," said Djunga, who reads the weather on the French-language public service broadcaster RTBF. "Being told to 'go back to your country' is not funny."

"I am Belgian. I am already in my country," she added, close to tears.

Djunga said that while she received abuse because of the colour of her skin, many other people were subject to vicious attacks online.

"There are people who are fat, who are Muslim, who are Arab, who are ginger, who wear glasses... anyone can be persecuted on social media, this has to stop. Online harassment really affects you," said Djunga, who is also a comedian.

The head of RTBF Jean-Paul Philippot said that the broadcaster supported Djunga and was angered by the abuse that she had received.

"Racism is a crime. It is punishable by law in Belgium," he said.

"We will respect the law and foresee taking action against these people. There is no impunity for racism," he added.
source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/belgium-presenters-tearful-plea-racist-attacks-goes-viral-doc-18x0tk1

THE NEWS: British Airways hacked with details of 380,000 bank cards stolen

British Airways hacked with details of 380,000 bank cards stolen


AFP/File / Adrian DENNIS Customers' details on 380,000 cards of British Airways were stolen in a data breach

British Airways said that the personal and financial details of customers making bookings between August 21 and September 5 had been stolen in a data breach involving 380,000 bank cards.

The almost two week long hack did not involve travel or passport details, the airline said, adding that it had launched an urgent investigation into the theft of customer data.

"The personal and financial details of customers making bookings on our website and app were compromised," it said. "The breach has been resolved and our website is working normally. We have notified the police and relevant authorities."

BA said the breach took place between 2158 GMT on August 21 and 2045 GMT on September 5 and that around 380,000 payment cards were compromised.

BA advised anyone who believed they may have been affected to contact their bank or credit card provider and follow their recommendations.

In terms of compensation, BA said they would be in touch with customers "and will manage any claims on an individual basis."

"We are deeply sorry for the disruption that this criminal activity has caused," the airline said.

It said customers due to travel could check in online as normal as the incident had been resolved.

BA customer Daniel Willis, 34, who booked a flight on Monday with the airline, said he had not been contacted by the airline despite being affected by the data breach.

"I've not heard anything from them on this and I've just had to cancel the card I used. They're a shambles," he told the Daily Telegraph newspaper.

Another BA customer, Stephanie Jowers, said she contacted the airline hours before the hack was announced to query a suspicious charge on her account but was not informed it could have been compromised.

"I asked repeatedly for an explanation. None was given," she told the Daily Telegraph.

- Past IT issues -

The National Crime Agency said: "We are aware of reports of a data breach affecting British Airways and are working with partners to assess the best course of action."

The NCA is set up to tackle the most serious and organised crime posing the highest risk to public security in Britain.

BA apologised in July after technology issues caused dozens of its flights to and from London Heathrow Airport to be cancelled.

The airline said the problem was down to an incident with an IT system.

And in May 2017, British Airways suffered a major computer system failure triggered by a power supply issue near Heathrow which left 75,000 customers stranded.

IAG, which owns British Airways and Spanish carrier Iberia, said last month that first-half profits more than doubled.

Earnings after taxation flew to 1.4 billion euros ($1.6 billion) in the first six months of 2018 compared with 607 million euros a year earlier, IAG said in a results statement.

The London-listed group, which is also the owner of Irish airline Aer Lingus and Spanish carrier Vueling, added that total revenues swelled three percent to 11.2 billion euros.

BA announced last month that it will halt flights to Tehran in September, citing low profitability as the US reimposes sanctions on Iran.
source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/british-airways-hacked-details-380000-bank-cards-stolen-doc-18x15h2

THE NEWS: Trump calls on Times to reveal 'coward' behind critical op-ed

Trump calls on Times to reveal 'coward' behind critical op-ed
source: AFP

AFP/File / Mandel Ngan Vice President Mike Pence is among the top US officials who have denied being behind an explosive op-ed targeting Donald Trump

Donald Trump on Thursday called on the New York Times to reveal the name of the "coward" who wrote an explosive, anonymous article that has plunged his presidency into its worst crisis yet.

The White House has been convulsed by a fevered hunt for the senior official who declared, in an unsigned article for The New York Times published Wednesday, that "unsung heroes" were quietly working within the administration to frustrate the president's "worst inclinations."

"Nobody knows who the hell he is, or she," Trump told supporters at a rally in Billings, Montana, adding: "Unidentified deep state operatives who defy voters to push their secret agendas are truly a threat to democracy itself."

Invoking national security concerns, Trump said the paper should publish the official's name, before encouraging reporters to investigate the matter. "That would be a good scoop!" he said.

On the internet and in Washington, a guessing game has raged over who the author might be, prompting nearly every cabinet-ranked member of the government to deny it was them.

Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats were among those who issued denials.


AFP/File / SAUL LOEB First Lady Melania Trump, seen here with US President Donald Trump, decried the publication of an anonymous article attacking her husband


"The Vice President puts his name on his Op-eds. The @nytimes should be ashamed and so should the person who wrote the false, illogical, and gutless op-ed," Pence's spokesman Jarrod Agen wrote on Twitter.

"Our office is above such amateur acts."

The manifesto followed the release of excerpts from a bombshell book by Watergate reporter Bob Woodward, who portrayed Trump's White House as an out-of-control "crazytown."

Trump responded with a furious volley of tweets that asked if the author had committed treason while First Lady Melania Trump condemned the decision to publish.

"To the writer of the op-ed -- you are not protecting this country, you are sabotaging it with your cowardly actions," she said.

- Firestorm -

The Woodward book, "Fear: Trump in the White House," reported that senior aides lifted documents from the Oval Office desk to keep the president from acting on his impulses, reinforcing the assertions in the Times article.

The firestorm caught up with Mattis and Pompeo in New Delhi, where the Secretary of State denounced the Times' decision to publish as "sad" and "disturbing."

"I come from a place where if you're not in a position to execute the commander's intent, you have a singular option, that is to leave," he said.


 AFP / PRAKASH SINGH News of the op-ed caught up with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo -- who branded it "sad" and "disturbing" during a visit to New Delhi

Both men denied involvement, while Coats, who as intelligence chief has at times been publicly at odds with Trump, said in a statement speculation that he or his deputy had written the op-ed were "patently false."

When asked if she wrote it, UN envoy Nikki Haley responded with a curt "no" on her way to a Security Council meeting.

James Dao, who runs the Times op-ed page, told CNN he received the article several days ago through an intermediary, but had spoken directly with its author.

- Eye-opening -

In one eye-opening passage, the writer says cabinet members initially considered invoking the 25th Amendment of the US Constitution, which provides for the president's removal if he is "unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office."

They decided against the move, fearing a constitutional crisis, but Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren took to the airwaves on Thursday to revive the idea.

"If senior administration officials think the president of the United States is not able to do his job, then they should invoke the 25th Amendment," Warren told CNN.

Trump meanwhile has called for the article's author to be unmasked.

"Are the investigative 'journalists' of the New York Times going to investigate themselves - who is the anonymous letter writer?," he tweeted ahead of a rally in Montana.

The Times acknowledged the "rare step" of publishing an anonymous editorial but said the official's job would be jeopardized if they were identified.

The piece described a "two-track" presidency in which Trump says one thing and his staff consciously does another, citing the president's alleged preference "for autocrats and dictators."

"The root of the problem is the president's amorality," the official said, denouncing Trump's "impetuous, adversarial, petty and ineffective" leadership style.
source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/trump-calls-times-reveal-coward-behind-critical-op-ed-doc-18w5vw4

THE NEWS: Attacker stabs Brazil's right-wing presidential frontrunner

Attacker stabs Brazil's right-wing presidential frontrunner


AFP / Raysa LEITE A military police spokesman told AFP a 40-year-old man had been arrested in connection with the assault. The suspect was carrying a knife wrapped in fabric

Brazil's right-wing presidential frontrunner Jair Bolsonaro was stabbed and seriously injured while campaigning Thursday, with police saying the suspect claimed to be acting on orders from God.

It was the latest bizarre twist in a presidential race in which the most popular candidate, former president and leftist hero Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, is trying to run from prison.

The Supreme Court disqualified Lula on Thursday. First round voting is scheduled for October 7.

Bolsonaro underwent surgery for multiple wounds his mid-section and was listed in stable condition after the attack during a walkabout in the southeastern city of Juiz de Fora.

Images shared on social media and Brazilian television showed Bolsonaro being carried on the shoulders of a throng of supporters, before a man lunges at his stomach.

A witness told police the attacker held a knife wrapped up in a shirt and attacked Bolsonaro as the group hoisting him walked by.

The attacker was arrested right away. He was identified as Adelio Bispo de Oliveira, 40, and said to be a member of the left-leaning PSOL party from 2007 to 20014.

After his arrest, Bispo de Oliveira said he was "carrying out a divine mission, a mission from God," said Luis Boundens, head of a union of federal police officers.

Authorities are investigating the suspect's mental health, he added.

Bolsonaro, a former military man and lawmaker, has been criticized for outbursts deemed racist, mysogynist and homophobic.

Bispo de Oliveira acted "for religious reasons, for political reasons, and also because of the prejudice Bolsonaro has always shown when he talks about race, religion and even women," said his lawyer, Pedro Augusto Lima Possa.

On his Facebook page, the attacker recently posted messages criticizing Bolsonaro and supporting the socialist government of President Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela.

Earlier, one of the candidate's sons, Flavio Bolsonaro, had announced on Twitter that his father's wounds were "superficial", but he later wrote: "Unfortunately, it's more serious than we thought."

President Michel Temer quickly condemned the attack and instructed his Minister of Security Raul Jungmann to reinforce security for candidates and conduct "a rigorous investigation," a spokesman for the presidency told AFP.

"It is intolerable to see that in a democratic state it is not possible to have a normal campaign," said Temer.

- Brazil's Trump -

With Lula da Silva ruled out of the election, the latest polls from the Ibope Institute put Bolsonaro in a clear lead with 22 percent compared with 12 percent each for environmentalist Marina Silva and center-left runner Ciro Gomes.

AFP/File / EVARISTO SA Jair Bolsonaro has presented himself as an outsider during the election campaign


One of his campaign pledges has been to legalize the carrying of weapons in order to combat rising violent crime.

Despite being a long-serving member of Congress, Bolsonaro has successfully presented himself as an outsider, untouched by the corruption scandals engulfing so much of the political elite.

Perhaps the message that carries furthest is Bolsonaro's push for a harder crackdown on crime -- in a country where police are already often engaged in low-level wars against gangs. About 64,000 people die in homicides every year.

Yet he has also courted deep controversy with comments attacking women and sexual minorities, as well as for praising the country's 1964-1985 military dictatorship.

Sometimes described as Brazil's Donald Trump, Bolsonaro has a huge social media following of 8.5 million people.
source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/attacker-stabs-brazils-right-wing-presidential-frontrunner-doc-18w90k4

THE NEWS: Mattis makes unannounced visit to Afghanistan

Mattis makes unannounced visit to Afghanistan


AFP / Thomas WATKINS US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis (2nd L) arrives at NATO's Resolute Support mission in Kabul on September 7, 2018

US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis landed in Kabul on Friday for an unannounced visit to war-torn Afghanistan, adding his weight to a flurry of diplomatic efforts to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table.

His trip comes a little more than a year after President Donald Trump unveiled a revamped strategy for Afghanistan that saw him commit thousands of additional US forces to the country on an open-ended basis.

Mattis, on his second visit to the country in recent months, will meet with President Ashraf Ghani and the new US commander for American and NATO forces, General Scott Miller.

His arrival in Kabul comes at a sensitive time in the 17-year war.

The grinding conflict has seen little progress by Afghan or US forces against the Taliban, the country's largest militant group.

Afghan and international players have been ratcheting up efforts to hold peace talks with the Taliban, which was toppled from power by US-led forces in 2001.

An unprecedented ceasefire in June followed by talks between US officials and Taliban representatives in Qatar in July fuelled hopes that negotiations could bring an end to the fighting.

But a recent spate of attacks by the Taliban and the smaller but potent Islamic State group that left hundreds of security forces and civilians dead has severely dented that optimism.

- Battlefield setbacks -

A twin bomb attack on a wrestling club in a Shiite neighbourhood of Kabul on Wednesday was just the latest in a long line of devastating assaults, killing at least 26 people and wounding 91.

The attack underscored the challenges facing Afghanistan's beleaguered security forces that have been beset by corruption and low morale.

Trump's strategy, announced in August 2017, increased the US troop presence in the country and now includes a renewed push to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table.

But there are fears that Trump is growing frustrated with the pace of progress in the country, spurring US diplomats and other officials to intensify their efforts.

The Taliban have long insisted on direct talks with Washington and refused to negotiate with the Afghan government, which they see as illegitimate.

There is speculation that another meeting between US and Taliban representatives could be held this month.

Mattis arrived in Kabul from Delhi where he and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with their Indian counterparts.

Pompeo also visited Islamabad on Wednesday where he held talks with new premier Imran Khan and other senior officials.

Pompeo said he was "hopeful" of resetting the troubled relationship with Pakistan, a key player in the Afghan conflict.

Miller, who took command of US and NATO forces at a handover ceremony in Kabul on Sunday, replaces General John Nicholson, who rotated out of the role after a more than two-year deployment.

Nicholson told reporters last month that the warring parties now had an "unprecedented" opportunity for peace, and insisted Trump's strategy for the country was working.

But his optimism belied recent setbacks on the battlefield.

The Taliban last month launched an extraordinary attack on the provincial capital of Ghazni -- just a two-hour drive from Kabul.

Militants held large parts of the city for days and Afghan forces needed US air power to push them back.
source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/mattis-makes-unannounced-visit-afghanistan-doc-18x1c93

THE NEWS:Toll from Japan quake rises to 18 as hopes fade for survivors

Toll from Japan quake rises to 18 as hopes fade for survivors


 JIJI PRESS/AFP / JIJI PRESS The quake was the strongest on the Japanese system that measures the strength of the shaking

Japanese rescue workers with bulldozers and sniffer dogs scrabbled through the mud Friday to find survivors from a landslide that buried houses after a powerful quake, as the death toll rose to 18.

Around 22 people are still unaccounted for in the small northern countryside town of Atsuma, where a cluster of dwellings were wrecked when a hillside collapsed with the force of the 6.6-magnitude quake, causing deep brown scars in the landscape.

"We've heard there are people still stuck under the mud, so we've been working around the clock but it's been difficult to rescue them," a Self-Defense Forces serviceman in Atsuma told public broadcaster NHK.

"We will take measures to find them quickly."

An elderly woman in Atsuma told NHK: "My relative is still buried under the mud and has not been found yet, so I couldn't sleep at all last night. There were also several aftershocks so it was a restless night."

Around 1.6 million households in the sparsely populated northern island of Hokkaido were still without power after the quake damaged a thermal plant supplying electricity to the region.

Industry minister Hiroshige Seko said that number should be reduced to 550,000 households on Friday.

"It will take about a week" before the largest thermal power plant recovers, "so during that period, we are sending power-generating vehicles to hospitals," Seko told reporters.


 AFP / Laurence CHU Japan Hokkaido earthquake


He urged citizens to conserve energy by having fewer lights on in shops and restaurants and "for example family members staying together in one room".

Some 22,000 rescue workers including troops called up from the Self-Defense Forces handed out emergency water supplies and long lines formed at petrol stations and supermarkets, as people stocked up fearing further quakes.

"Please give your sympathy to people who spent a dark night in fear, and do everything you can to restore electricity as soon as possible," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told a cabinet meeting to discuss the quake.

The earthquake, which scored the maximum on a Japanese scale measuring the power of a quake's shaking, also collapsed a handful of houses and walls in the main city of Sapporo.

However, considering the strength of the quake, the death toll was relatively light, with the majority of victims coming from the landslide in Atsuma.

- 'Pay attention' -

Transport services were gradually coming back on line with bullet trains resuming operations late Friday morning and the main airport in Sapporo operating a partial service after cancelling all flights the day before.


 JIJI PRESS/AFP / JIJI PRESS Thousands of rescue workers, including troops, have been called up to help with aid efforts

But a football friendly between Japan and Chile in Sapporo planned on Friday was scrapped due to the transport and power chaos in Hokkaido.

The quake was the latest in a string of natural disasters to batter the country.

Western parts of the country are still recovering from the most powerful typhoon to strike Japan in a quarter of a century, which claimed 11 lives and shut down the main regional airport.

And officials warned of the danger of fresh quakes.

"Large quakes often occur, especially within two to three days (of a big one)," said Toshiyuki Matsumori, in charge of monitoring earthquakes and tsunamis at the meteorological agency.

The risk of housing collapses and landslides had increased, he said, urging residents "to pay full attention to seismic activity and rainfall and not to go into dangerous areas".

Japan sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" where many of the world's earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are recorded.

In June, a deadly tremor rocked the Osaka region, killing five people and injuring over 350.

On March 11, 2011, a devastating 9.0-magnitude quake struck under the Pacific Ocean, and the resulting tsunami caused widespread damage and claimed thousands of lives.
source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/toll-japan-quake-rises-18-hopes-fade-survivors-doc-18x0n52

THE NEWS: Indian press lauds gay sex ruling but Modi gov't stays silent

Indian press lauds gay sex ruling but Modi gov't stays silent


AFP / MANJUNATH KIRAN The Supreme Court's ruling caused jubilation among India's LGBT community

Indian media on Friday -- including some conservative outlets -- hailed a Supreme Court ruling to decriminalise gay sex whilst highlighting a "deafening" silence from Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist government.

Banner front page headlines such as "Love at First Right", "Rainbow Nation" and "Independence Day" greeted the verdict of the top court to strike down the heart of Section 377, a law introduced by British rulers in 1861.

Many said the five justices may have opened the doors to demands for greater civil rights for long-marginalised gays and lesbians, including same-sex marriage.

The conservative Hindu newspaper called the verdict "a reaffirmation of the right to love" and "a welcome depature from centuries of 'hetero-normative' thinking".

The judges had "furthered the frontiers of personal freedom and liberated the idea of personal rights from the pressure of public opinion," it added in an editorial.

The Hindusan Times warned that the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender community will still face condemnation from their families and colleagues.

"Harassment and violence will continue to occur," it warned.

"But if the long legal battle and the courage of queer people and communities are anything to go by, this fight for equal rights will not end. It will grow even stronger now that even the apex court has said there is no going back."

Amid pictures of celebrating activists, Google India put out a rainbow flag on its homepage and Facebook changed its display picture to a multi-hued icon.


AFP / CHANDAN KHANNA The court ruled the colonial era law effectively making gay sex illegal was unconstitutional


The United Nations and rights activists around the world gave Twitter support to the Supreme Court ruling.

But Prime Minister Narendra Modi's right-wing government has yet to make a comment on the ruling.

Modi's administration had initially opposed dismantling Section 377, though in July government lawyers said they would give in to the "wisdom" of the top court.

Justice D.Y. Chandrachud said the government should have taken a categorical stand one way or the other instead of being ambivalent, the Hindu newspaper reported the judge as saying.

The Indian Express daily said the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's silence on the issue was "deafening" and "deceptive".

India's main opposition Congress and other small regional parties have welcomed the verdict.

The BJP's ideological Hindu nationalist backer, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), said it does not consider homosexuality a crime but it did not support same-sex relations.

"Traditionally, Indian society does not accept such relations," it said in a statement.

source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/indian-press-lauds-gay-sex-ruling-modi-govt-stays-silent-doc-18x1ay2