Job Vacancy For Vendor Management Officer at MainOne Cable Nigeria

MainOne's success is built on having talented and highly proficient people within their respective fields as the driving force behind our business

A job in MainOne is different from any other you have had. With joining MainOne you'll be challenged, inspired and proud as you become a part of something big.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Vendor Management Officer

Location: Lagos
Department: Technical
Job Type: Permanent

Responsibilities

• The Vendor Management Officer will be responsible for managing 3rd Party vendor related activities as well as provide updates and information to the Sales/Technical Sales Team.

Other deliverable include:

• Ensure that vendors are paid within contracted timelines
• Ensure that all requests via email/phone for quotes/pricing are attended to within 24 hours
• Enforce penalties on SLA non-compliance in line with signed contractual agreements
• Sync of Billing Commencement Dates in order to reduce credit exposure with 3rd Party
• Review and Reconciliation of all vendors invoices and prompt signoff of vendor related documents as required
• Purchase Order Processing for new orders and ensure timely processing of orders placed with the procurement team
• Ensuring an updated database of the 3rd Party COS sheet (updating of new orders +suspension/cancellation of existing orders) in order to effectively track and determine monthly 3rd Party spend.
• Liaising with respective internal teams to early identify of payment defaulting customers having 3rd party dependencies, and immediate suspension/termination with 3rd Party vendors to reduce credit exposure
• Provide adequate information of all 3rd party orders to the Procurement, Finance and Sales team, as well as other cross functional units requiring respective information to enable efficient job functions.

Qualifications, Skills & Competencies

• Bachelor's Degree: Second Class Upper
• Analytical Thinking
• Relationship Management
• Time & Self-Management skills
• Exceptional judgment and strong initiative;
• Strong inter-personal and team working skills;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Proven ability to effectively manage competing priorities;
• Exposure to technical basics would be an added advantage;
• Candidate must be able to work under pressure with keen attention to detail.
• Competency in the use of Microsoft Excel, however proficiency in Microsoft Excel is a must.
• Years of Experience: 2-3 years

Demand on the Job

• Proficient negotiation skills
• Excellent team working ability.
• Applicant must be tenacious, outspoken and firm yet respectful
• Ability and willingness to work long hours and meet tight deadlines.
• Ability to work with minimum supervision and understands task ownership
• Constant awareness of sensitivity and confidentiality involved in the function.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.

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

THE NEWS: Back at UN, Trump to herald upturn with North Korea

Back at UN, Trump to herald upturn with North Korea
source: AFP

AFP/File / TIMOTHY A. CLARY US President Donald Trump is expected to trumpet America's improved ties with North Korea when he addresses the United Nations General Assembly

Twelve months on from his explosive debut on the world's biggest diplomatic stage, Donald Trump returns to the UN General Assembly on Monday to trumpet a turnaround in ties with last year's number one enemy, North Korea's Kim Jong Un.

But while relations with Kim have improved dramatically, leaders attending the annual gathering at UN headquarters in New York will hear how another of Trump's adversaries, Iran's Hassan Rouhani, remains beyond the pale for the American president.

After arriving in his hometown on Sunday, Trump has a packed schedule over the next few days, kicking off with a speech about the global drugs trade on Monday.

In addition to his address to the General Assembly on Tuesday, Trump has a series of bilateral meetings with allies such as French President Emmanuel Macron, Britain's Theresa May and Japan's Shinzo Abe, whom he met with late Sunday.

One of the most closely-watched will be Monday's meeting with South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in, who will brief him on last week's inter-Korean summit with Kim in Pyongyang.

In his 41-minute speech at the General Assembly in 2017, the US president made clear he wanted to turn the clock back on the last half-century's growth of global rules and institutions to return to the primacy of the nation-state.

While the implications of his "America First" philosophy rattled many world leaders who sat in the chamber, the main target of his invective was absent.

After months of escalating tensions over advances in the North's nuclear program, Trump warned Kim that Washington would "totally destroy" North Korea if the US or its allies was attacked.

His colorful description of Kim as a "rocket man" on a "suicide mission" triggered an angry response from Kim, who called Trump "mentally deranged."

While Kim will again be absent from New York, observers will look for pointers toward a second summit between the US and North Korean leaders since their historic get-together in Singapore in June.

Although he has expressed frustrations in recent months, Trump's Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says efforts to persuade Pyongyang to denuclearize are progressing.

- Rouhani Meeting? -

"We are hopeful that we can deliver this outcome for the world," he told "Fox News Sunday."

Pompeo -- who has visited Pyongyang three times -- will preside over a Security Council meeting Thursday where he will brief members on how the administration can persuade the North to turn its back on nuclear weapons.

He will also defend the Trump administration's use of sanctions to force change, which has seen Chinese and Russian companies punished for doing business in North Korea.

Trump's recent predecessors have all failed to bring about a lasting upturn in ties with the North and skepticism remains about whether Kim has taken any concrete steps, but that seems unlikely to deter Trump from pushing toward a follow-up to Singapore.

"It doesn't appear that the Moon Jae-in summit did much more than continue a kind of atmosphere and pageantry leading into President Trump's next summit," said Mike Green, an analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

While Trump will dial down the rhetoric against Kim, there seems to be little prospect of him doing likewise with Rouhani.

The US annoyed many of its allies in Europe by pulling out of a deal they jointly negotiated in 2015 that lifted sanctions against Tehran in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear program.

US allies in the Middle East, notably Saudi Arabia, have, however, been delighted by Trump's stance.

Several of the president's top lieutenants will address a meeting on Wednesday billed as a "United Against Nuclear Iran Summit" that will also feature speakers from Arab allies.

Rouhani has organized a press conference at the same time.

The White House has not completely closed the door on a Rouhani-Trump meeting and given how things with Kim have turned out, perhaps nothing should be regarded as impossible.

But in a weekend op-ed in The Washington Post, Rouhani charged that Trump's offer of talks was not "genuine" and came with a list of "openly insulting preconditions."

THE NEWS: Modric threatens to end Ronaldo-Messi era as world's best

Modric threatens to end Ronaldo-Messi era as world's best
source: AFP

 AFP / JAVIER SORIANO, Lindsey PARNABY, Javier SORIANO Luka Modric, Mohamed Salah and Cristiano Ronaldo are the finalists to win FIFA's player of the year award on Monday

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi's decade-long domination of football's individual awards is under threat from Real Madrid and Croatia midfielder Luka Modric and Liverpool's Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah when FIFA's player of the year is announced on Monday.

For the first time in 12 years Messi is not even nominated among the three finalists for the award after early exits for Argentina at the World Cup and Barcelona in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Both Messi and Ronaldo have won FIFA's award in different guises five times each, and the Portuguese can move out on his own after winning a third straight Champions League title with Real Madrid before heading for pastures new with Juventus in July.

For a sixth straight season, Ronaldo was the Champions League's top scorer with 15 goals and also scored four times at the World Cup, including a hat-trick against Spain in a thrilling 3-3 draw to open Portugal’s campaign.

However, Portugal's last 16 exit to Uruguay in Russia and Ronaldo's failure to score in the semi-finals or final of the Champions League has opened the door for Modric.

- 'The year of Luka' -


AFP / Johannes EISELE Luka Modric was crowned the best player at the World Cup for his performances with Croatia


Croatia's captain was an inspirational figure as they surpassed all expectations to reach the World Cup final and also played a big role in Madrid's Champions League and Club World Cup wins.

"I hope that Luka will be the best player in the world," Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic told AFP.

"He deserves it because he was the best player in the Club World Cup and the best player in the World Cup.

"Messi and Ronaldo are fantastic players, but this year is the year of Luka."

Salah also makes the podium for the first time after an incredible 44-goal debut season for Liverpool that carried the Reds to the Champions League final.

However, a shoulder injury suffered early on in the final robbed him of the chance to help Liverpool lift the trophy and also meant he wasn't in peak condition to lead Egypt's World Cup bid.

Despite scoring in each of his two appearances in Russia, The Pharaohs bowed out at the group stage with three defeats.

France's World Cup-winning coach Didier Deschamps is favourite to win the best coach award ahead of Dalic and former Real coach Zinedine Zidane, who stepped down in June after overseeing three Champions League triumphs in just two and a half years in charge.

Even if they lose out on the best player award, Messi and Ronaldo could walk away with a prize as they are both nominated for the Puskas award for best goal.

Messi's solitary World Cup goal against Nigeria and Ronaldo's spectacular overhead kick against his future employers in the Champions League quarter-finals are two of 10 goals on the shortlist, also including Gareth Bale's acrobatic strike for Real in the Champions League final.

The best goalkeeper prize is to be contested by France captain Hugo Lloris, Denmark's Kasper Schmeichel and Belgium's Thibaut Courtois, whose World Cup heroics earned him a move to Madrid from Chelsea.

Lyon's Norwegian striker Ada Hegerberg and German midfielder Dzsenifer Marozsan are joined by Brazilian five-time winner Marta of Orlando Pride in the running for the best women's player after winning the Champions League with the French giants.

Reynold Pedros of Lyon, Japan boss Asako Takakura and Netherlands coach Sarina Wiegman are in the running for best women's coach.

https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/modric-threatens-end-ronaldo-messi-era-worlds-best-doc-19d1br4

THE NEWS: NAFTA talks likely to continue on sidelines of UN meeting: Trudeau

NAFTA talks likely to continue on sidelines of UN meeting: Trudeau
source: AFP

AFP / MARTIN OUELLET-DIOTTE Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau denied that forthcoming provincial elections were the reason behind a delay in Ottowa signing on to a trade deal

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Sunday it was "very likely" that informal talks aimed at renewing the North American Free Trade Agreement would continue on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York over the next several days.

Officials have been in talks nearly non-stop for a month as they try to overcome hurdles and agree on a NAFTA rewrite, under pressure from US President Donald Trump to sign onto a deal reached in August with Mexico.

The latest round between Canada's Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer ended Thursday without a deal.

"I don't think there are any formal encounters planned," Trudeau said as he addressed a press conference after a meeting with his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez.

"But certainly the fact that many of our negotiators will be in New York at the same time, it's very likely that conversations continue in a constructive but less formal way."

Freeland, who leads the team of Canadian negotiators, is due to deliver Canada's speech to the UN General Assembly on Friday.

US President Donald Trump, who called NAFTA "one of the worst trade deals in history," demanded that the 1994 accord be revised. The talks started a year ago.

The United States and Mexico sealed their own deal at the end of August, after reaching agreement on auto content requirements and intend to sign the accord by December 1, when Mexican President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador takes office.

Ottawa and Washington remain at odds over Canada's managed dairy sector, and the dispute resolution provisions in NAFTA.

Trudeau also denied on Sunday that forthcoming provincial elections were behind a delay in Canada signing on to a deal.

The provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec are set to hold legislative elections on September 24 and October 1, respectively.

"I can say unequivocally that considerations around electoral timelines in Quebec or New Brunswick or elsewhere has never been part of the equation for us," Trudeau said.

Quebec's dairy sector in particular is one of the most powerful in the country, and is pressuring the Canadian government not to compromise on demands for increased access.
https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/nafta-talks-likely-continue-sidelines-un-meeting-trudeau-doc-19d3jt4

THE NEWS: Young girls primary victims of humanitarian strife

Young girls primary victims of humanitarian strife
source: AFP

AFP/File / Dibyangshu SARKAR The Plan International NGO interviewed groups of girls in three "unstable regions", including Rohingya such as these seen during Eid Al-Adha festival at a refugee camp in Bangladesh

Girls are the primary victims of humanitarian crises, suffering abuse from forced marriage to denial of schooling and are "14 times more likely to die than boys in a conflict," the Plan International NGO said Sunday.

The group will Monday unveil at the United Nations conclusions from three investigations into the fate of youngsters -- ethnic Rohingya from Myanmar in a refugee camp in Bangladesh, a second group in the Chad Basin and a third in South Sudan, "three particularly unstable regions," in the NGO's words.

Its research details "forced marriage, kidnappings, violence, sexual abuse, slavery" and a huge lack in education opportunities.

In crowded refugee camps in Uganda the group interviewed 249 girls aged 10 to 19 from South Sudan who described "a continuum of violence having become the norm in the home and in the community."

"That is not surprising because the conflict in South Sudan has been characterised by rampant cruelty, including levels of extreme violence against women and children," the report said. The NGO added that "one adolescent in four considered suicide at least once" in the year preceding the study.

Seventy-seven percent also said they did not have enough food to eat.

In Chad Basin, which Plan International described as being caught in one of the world's most serious humanitarian crises, one in three teenagers questioned said they did not feel safe at home, one in five had been beaten in the month preceding the investigation and one in ten had suffered sexual abuse.

Of 449 girls the NGO interviewed in Nigeria, Niger and Cameroon, two thirds were separated from their fathers due to conflict and in 30 percent of cases from both parents.

Sixty-two percent said they lacked food meaning they had to seek work in the black economy or travel large distances in order to seek firewood or water, in so doing opening themselves up to the further possibility of harassment or violence.

Insecurity acted as a brake on educational advancement with many girls afraid of what might befall them on the way to school.

Also limiting their schooling were factors such as premature or forced marriages, with many girls being married off as early as 14 or 15. In Niger, three quarters of girls are married before the age of 18.

Rohingya girls stuck in a refugee camp over the Bangladeshi border at Cox's Bazar are also deprived of education. Almost two-thirds said they lack schooling due to a multitude of reasons including hunger, beatings, rape, kidnapping and forced prostitution.

One in five girls aged between 13 and 15 endured forced marriages, Plan International added.

One girl facing marriage to somebody she said she did not know commented "they couldn't do it in Myanmar but they can here".
https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/young-girls-primary-victims-humanitarian-strife-doc-19d0x44

THE NEWS: Canada's Cirque du Soleil dazzles Riyadh after diplomatic row

Canada's Cirque du Soleil dazzles Riyadh after diplomatic row
source: AFP

AFP / FAYEZ NURELDINE The acrobatic troupe performed in Riyadh to mark the Saudi national day, more than a month after the kingdom expelled Canada's ambassador and froze all new trade following Ottawa's vigorous calls for the release of activists jailed in the Gulf state

Canada-based Cirque du Soleil staged their first show in Saudi Arabia on Sunday with a dazzling display of high-wire thrills, despite a diplomatic spat between Ottawa and Riyadh.

The acrobatic troupe performed in Riyadh to mark the Saudi national day, more than a month after the kingdom expelled Canada's ambassador and froze all new trade following Ottawa's vigorous calls for the release of activists jailed in the Gulf state.

Costumed performers slithered up ropes, swaying, twisting and doing mid-air acrobatics at a packed King Fahd sports stadium, with Cirque du Soleil saying the show was one of its biggest one-off productions ever.

More than 80 artists took the stage, with 250 costumes tailor made to conform to local traditions in the conservative desert kingdom, it said.

The announcement of the show was first made in Los Angeles in April during Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's multi-city visit to the United States.

But diplomatic tensions had cast doubt over the show.

Canada has refused to give ground in the dispute, which erupted in August, vowing to always stand up for human rights globally, even as diplomats say high-level negotiations are ongoing between the two countries to resolve differences.


AFP / FAYEZ NURELDINE More than 80 artists took the stage, with 250 costumes tailor made to conform to local traditions in the conservative desert kingdom


A furious Riyadh ordered Saudi students to pull out from Canadian universities, though more than 1,000 medical students have been granted an extension in a partial rollback.

The diplomatic rupture reflects Prince Mohammed's increasingly assertive foreign policy and it coincides with his growing clampdown on domestic critics.

National day was celebrated across the kingdom on Sunday with a raucous display of concerts and folk dance.

Some 990,000 fireworks were planned across 20 cities, including Riyadh, the information ministry said.

Iconic buildings in Riyadh were bathed in green light and stereos blared patriotic songs as revellers raced through the streets in cars bedecked with the national flag.

The ultra-conservative kingdom has cautiously begun introducing entertainment, including music concerts, despite the risk of riling sidelined hardliners.

It is part of Prince Mohammed's far-reaching liberalisation drive that has ended decades-long bans on cinemas and women drivers and allowed women and men to attend some concerts together.

In February, Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority (GEA) announced it will stage more than 5,000 festivals and concerts in 2018, double the number of last year, and pump $64 billion in the sector in the coming decade.

THE NEWS: Tiger Woods seals first win in five years with Tour Championship

Tiger Woods seals first win in five years with Tour Championship
source: AFP

GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP / Tim Bradbury Tiger Woods seals his first win in more than five years at the Tour Championship

Tiger Woods scored his first victory in more than five years on Sunday, completing a two-shot win at the Tour Championship to crown a fairy tale comeback after a near two-year absence.

The 42-year-old, 14-time major winner carded a one-over-par 71 at Atlanta's East Lake Golf Course to claim the 80th title of his glittering career.

Woods, who finished with an 11-under-par aggregate 269, raised his arms in delight after the victory, with several thousand fans ringing the green roaring appreciation.

Woods admitted he had nearly been overcome with emotion as he walked up the 18th fairway.

"I was having a hard time not crying coming up the last hole," Woods said.

"I kept saying 'Hey, I could still play this out of bounds.' But once I got the ball on the green I gave (caddie) Joey (LaCava) a high five because I knew it was done."

It was an emotional finale to a year which saw Woods return to the highest level after he had once feared he may never play golf again.

"It was just a grind out there," Woods said of his final round. "I loved every bit of it. The fight, the grind, the tough conditions.

"Beginning of the year (winning) was a tall order. But as the year progressed I found my swing and put the pieces together and I knew I could do it."

The victory erased any last lingering doubts about Woods' ability to compete at the highest level, something he had served notice of with top 10 finishes at the British Open and US PGA Championships.

Woods, who returned in January after missing almost the entire previous two years with a debilitating back injury, held a three-shot advantage heading into the final round.

A birdie on his opening hole extended Woods' lead to four shots to give the former world number one a dream start.

With the remainder of the 30-man field struggling to make any inroads, Woods then played solid if unspectacular golf to keep a stranglehold on the lead.

A bogey on the 10th was a mere blip, with Woods re-establishing a five-shot cushion at 13 under after rolling in a 13-foot birdie putt on the par-four 13th.

Billy Horschel closed the gap to four shots after after a four-under-par final round 66, but Woods looked to be in control.

Woods, however, gave his army of fans roaring him on a scare though when back-to-back bogeys on the 15th and 16th holes cut his lead to two with two to play.

But he steadied the ship with a par on the 17th and then closed out the win with a par on 18.

The victory was Woods's first since his win at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in August 2013.

Meanwhile England's Olympic champion Justin Rose ensured he walks off with the FedEx Cup playoff title after finishing on six under for a share of fourth.

Tanzania buries ferry disaster dead as toll hits 224

Tanzania buries ferry disaster dead as toll hits 224
source: AFP

AFP / STRINGER Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa led "national funerals" on the island of Ukara, where the MV Nyerere had been coming in to dock on Thursday

Tanzania declared the whole nation was in mourning Sunday as the first dozen bodies were buried from a devastating ferry capsize on Lake Victoria that left people 224 dead.

Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa led "national funerals" on the island of Ukara, where the MV Nyerere had been coming in to dock on Thursday.

He spoke of "great mourning by the whole nation" as the first coffins were placed in individual graves, many of the victims unidentified.

The remainder of the dead were to be buried later or taken away by families wishing for privates funerals.

The prime minister said a memorial would be built on Ukara.


AFP/File / STRINGER The ageing ferry, whose hull and propellers were all that remained visible above water


Hopes had faded of finding any more survivors three days after the disaster, even after rescuers pulled out an engineer on Saturday who had holed up in an air pocket in the upturned vessel.

But Majaliwa said divers would continue the grim search in the waters around the boat. The ferry would also be refloated.

He updated the death toll to 126 women, 71 men, 17 girls and 10 boys. Just 41 people survived.

- 'Overloading' blamed for tragedy -

Transport Minister Isack Kamwelwe said 265 people had been on board the ferry, which had an official capacity of around a hundred passengers.

The prime minister said initial investigations suggested overloading was one of the causes of the accident.

"We have already arrested all those people in charge of operating and supervising the MV Nyerere. Questioning has begun," he said.


AFP / STRINGER Those victims not buried at the funerals on Sunday were to be lain to rest later or taken away by families wishing for privates funerals

A broader commission of inquiry into the disaster would also be set up, Majaliwa added.

Witnesses told AFP that the ferry sank when passengers rushed to one side to disembark as it approached the dock. Others blamed the captain, saying he had made a brusque manoeuvre.

The Tanzanian presidency announced on Sunday evening that the inquiry had been "entrusted to the defence and security authorities".

Transport minister Kamwelwe said on Saturday that 172 of the bodies had been identified by relatives.

- Grief and anger -


AFP / Vincent LEFAI Maps of Lake Victoria and the MV Nyerere ferry disaster


Dozens of wooden coffins had lined the shore on Saturday, waiting to be seen by families as police and volunteers sought to keep hundreds of curious locals at bay.

Aisha William came to collect the body of her husband. "He left on Tuesday around noon, but he never came home. I do not know how I am going to raise my two children," she said.

Ahmed Caleb, a 27-year-old trader, railed at a tragedy "which could have been prevented.

"I've lost my boss, friends, people I went to school with," he said.

The ageing vessel, whose hull and propellers were all that remained visible above water, was also carrying cargo, including sacks of maize, bananas and cement, when it capsized.

With a surface area of 70,000 square kilometres (27,000 square miles), oval-shaped Lake Victoria is roughly the size of Ireland and is shared by Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya.

It is not uncommon for ferries to capsize on the lake, and the number of fatalities is often high due to a shortage of life jackets and the fact that many local people cannot swim.

In 1966, more than 800 people lost their lives on Lake Victoria when the MV Bukoba sank off the mainland town of Mwanza, according to the Red Cross.

THE NEWS: Russian opposition leader Navalny detained on release from prison: spokesperson

Russian opposition leader Navalny detained on release from prison: spokesperson
source: AFP

AFP / Vasily MAXIMOV Navalny is due to appear in court later on Monday following his detention on his release from jail

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was detained Monday on his release from prison after serving a 30-day sentence for an unauthorised protest, his spokesperson said.

"Alexei Navalny was detained outside the detention centre," Kira Yarmysh wrote on Twitter, adding that the politician was taken to a central Moscow police station.

Yarmysh said Navalny was accused of violating a different protest law and faces up to 20 days in prison. He is due to appear in court later on Monday, she said.

Navalny was in jail for a month for a protest he organised on January 28, violating Russia's strict laws which forbid any public event without city hall's authorisation.

He accused authorities of sending him to prison to keep him from holding a protest on September 9 against the government's retirement age hike that coincided with local elections.

Thousands of Russians across the country turned up to the protest and police arrested 150 people nationwide.

The opposition politician has criticised the pension reform that has led to a rare outburst of public anger in Russia and a dip in President Vladimir Putin's approval ratings.

Navalny has called some of the biggest protests in Russia in recent years. His anti-corruption rhetoric is especially popular among younger people who follow his online channels and blogs.

He was barred from taking part in Russia's presidential election in March and served a month in prison in June after organising demonstrations ahead of Putin's fourth inauguration in May.

He was freed from prison the same day the World Cup started in Russia.

The Yale-educated lawyer has faced a string of charges since he became the leading opposition figure in Russia, campaigning against Putin's rule at mass demonstrations in 2011 and 2012.

Google looking to future after 20 years of search

Google looking to future after 20 years of search
source: AFP

AFP/File / Elijah Nouvelage Google is set to mark its 20th anniversary with an event in San Francisco devoted to the future of online search

Google celebrated its 20th birthday Monday, marking two decades in which it has grown from simply a better way to explore the internet to a search engine so woven into daily life its name has become a verb.

The company was set to mark its 20th anniversary with an event in San Francisco devoted to the future of online search, promising a few surprise announcements.

- Starting the engine -

Larry Page and Sergey Brin were students at Stanford University -- known for its location near Silicon Valley -- when they came up with a way to efficiently index and search the internet.

The duo went beyond simply counting the number of times keywords were used, developing software that took into account factors such as relationships between webpages to help determine where they should rank in search results.

Google was launched in September 1998 in a garage rented in the Northern California city of Menlo Park. The name is a play on the mathematical term "googol," which refers to the number 1 followed by 100 zeros.

Google reportedly ran for a while on computer servers at Stanford, where a version of the search had been tested.


AFP/File / JOHN MACDOUGALL Silicon Valley legend has it Google founders Sergey Brin (L) and Larry Page offered to sell the company early on for a million dollars or so, but no deal came together


And Silicon Valley legend has it that Brin and Page offered to sell the company early on for a million dollars or so, but no deal came together.

Google later moved its headquarters to Mountain View, where it remains.

In August 2004, Google went public on the stock market with shares priced at $85. Shares in the multi-billion-dollar company are now trading above $1,000.

Its early code of conduct included a now-legendary "don't be evil" clause. Its stated mission is to make the world's information available to anyone.

The company hit a revenue mother lode with tools that target online ads based on what users reveal and let marketers pay only if people clicked on links in advertising.

- Maps and more -

It has now launched an array of offerings including Maps, Gmail, the Chrome internet browser, and an Android mobile device operating system that is free to smartphone or tablet makers.

Google also makes premium Pixel smartphones to showcase Android, which dominates the market with handsets made by an array of manufacturers.


AFP/File / STR Google is also now a major player in artificial intelligence

Meanwhile, it bought the 18-month-old YouTube video sharing platform in 2006 in a deal valued at $1.65 billion -- which seemed astronomical at the time but has proven shrewd as entertainment moved online.

The company also began pumping money into an X Lab devoted to technology "moon shots" such as internet-linked glasses, self-driving cars, and using high-altitude balloons to provide internet service in remote locations.

Some of those have evolved into companies, such as the Waymo self-driving car unit. But Google has also seen failures, such as much-maligned Google Glass eyewear.

Elsewhere, the Google+ social network launched to compete with Facebook has seen little meaningful traction.

In October 2015, corporate restructuring saw the creation of parent company Alphabet, making subsidiaries of Google, Waymo, health sciences unit Verily and other properties.

Google is also now a major player in artificial intelligence, its digital assistant infused into smart speakers and more. Its AI rivals include Amazon, Apple and Microsoft.

- Privacy concerns -

Despite efforts to diversify its business, Alphabet -- which has over 80,000 employees worldwide -- still makes most of its money from online ads. Industry tracker eMarketer forecast that Google and Facebook together will capture 57.7 percent US digital ad revenue this year.

In the second quarter of 2018, Google reported profit of $3.2 billion despite a fine of $5.1 billion (4.34 billion euros) imposed by the European Union.


AFP/File / JOHN THYS Google's rise put it in the crosshairs of regulators, especially in Europe, over concerns it may be abusing its domination


Google's rise put it in the crosshairs of regulators, especially in Europe, due to concerns it may be abusing its domination of online search and advertising as well as smartphone operating software.

There have been worries that Alphabet is more interested in making money from people's data than it is in safeguarding their privacy.

Google has also been accused of siphoning money and readers away from mainstream news organizations by providing stories in online search results, where it can cash in on ads.

It is among the tech companies being called upon to better guard against the spread of misinformation -- and has also been a target of US President Donald Trump, who added his voice to a chorus of Republicans who contend conservative viewpoints are downplayed in search results.

THE NEWS: Trump's Supreme Court pick faces new sexual misconduct claim

Trump's Supreme Court pick faces new sexual misconduct claim
source: AFP

 AFP/File / SAUL LOEB At stake is not only the fate of President Donald Trump's hand-picked Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanugh, but also Republican chances in November's midterm elections

Donald Trump's embattled Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh was hit by a second accusation of sexual misconduct Sunday, leaving Republicans scrambling to save a confirmation that until recently had seemed all but certain.

The latest claims of impropriety during Kavanaugh's youth came as he was already facing a dramatic hearing where his testimony was to be weighed against that of a university professor who has separately accused him of assault.

Senate Democrats are now investigating a bombshell claim by Deborah Ramirez, 53, who says Kavanaugh exposed himself to her during a 1980s college party at Yale University, thrust his genitals in her face and caused her to touch them without her consent, according to The New Yorker.

Ramirez told the magazine she had become inebriated during a drinking game and was on the floor when the alleged incident took place.

She added afterward, she remembered hearing a person shout from down a hallway, "'Brett Kavanaugh just put his penis in Debbie's face.'"

"I remember hearing and being mortified that this was out there," she said.

Kavanaugh denied the story, calling it "a smear, plain and simple."

"The people who knew me then know that this did not happen, and have said so," the conservative judge said in a statement.

- Investigation demands -

Like Christine Blasey Ford, the professor accusing him of assaulting her when they were teenagers, Ramirez wants the FBI to investigate the incident, and Democratic lawmakers are backing their demands.

Ramirez's call for an investigation came despite her admission to the New Yorker that there are gaps in her memory of the incident, and that she expects her memories to be questioned as she had been drinking.

Ford, meanwhile, agreed to testify Thursday after an increasingly ugly weeklong standoff that saw her forced to leave her California home as she faced death threats and the president openly attacked her credibility.

Kavanaugh, who strongly denies the allegation, said he wishes to testify as soon as possible to clear his name following Ford's claims that he attacked her at a 1980s high school party.

According to The New York Times, the federal judge has calendars from the summer of 1982 he plans to share with senators showing he was out of town most of that time with no indication of the party of concern.

The two parties will testify separately -- first Ford, followed by Kavanaugh's response -- the Senate Judiciary Committee confirmed.

On Sunday, Senator Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the judiciary committee, urged the panel to halt proceedings in light of the latest allegation.

"I am writing to request an immediate postponement of any further proceedings related to the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh," she said in a statement.

"I also ask that the newest allegations of sexual misconduct be referred to the FBI for investigation, and that you join our request for the White House to direct the FBI to investigate the allegations of Christine Blasey Ford as well as these new claims."

Meanwhile, Democratic senator and committee member Richard Blumenthal echoed demands for an investigation.

"The Senate simply cannot in good conscience vote on this nomination without a full fair FBI investigation of all these allegations," he said.

Separately, lawyer Michael Avenatti -- who represents adult film star Stormy Daniels in the dispute over her claim she was paid to remain silent about an alleged tryst with Trump -- shared an email exchange on Twitter in which he promised the committee evidence of further misconduct by Kavanaugh at 1980s house parties, related to another unidentified accuser.

- Confirmation in the balance -

At stake is not only the fate of Trump's hand-picked Supreme Court nominee, but also Republican chances in November's midterm elections that face increased risk if the polarizing confirmation battle drags on.

White House spokesperson Kerri Kupec dismissed Ramirez's allegation as "the latest in a coordinated smear campaign by the Democrats designed to tear down a good man."

"The White House stands firmly behind Judge Kavanaugh," her statement added.

Meanwhile, Lindsey Graham -- a member of the panel that must approve Kavanaugh's nomination before it goes to the full chamber -- summed up the position of many Republicans by saying he did not expect Ford's testimony to change his mind.

"What am I supposed to do? Go ahead and ruin this guy's life based on an accusation?" he told Fox News Sunday.

Republicans, who hold a paper-thin majority in the Senate, can ill afford defections if Kavanaugh is to be approved.


AFP / AFP US Supreme Court justices


After days of relative restraint, Trump lashed out at Ford on Friday, contending that Ford's decision to wait before going public shows the incident probably was not "as bad as she says" -- even if this runs counter to what experts say is the typical reaction of sexual assault victims afraid or embarrassed to report.

But Susan Collins -- a Republican who sits on the Judiciary Committee -- said she was "appalled" by Trump's tweet.

Trump's outburst saw an outpouring of sympathy for Ford -- and outrage at the president -- as thousands of women, and men too, shared why they had kept silent after being assaulted, under the Twitter hashtag #WhyIDidntReport.

THE NEWS: Trade wars: Is Trump lining up Japan next?

Trade wars: Is Trump lining up Japan next?
source: AFP

 AFP / TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA Tariffs on Japanese vehicle imports could be on the agenda, resulting in a "considerable" impact on Japan's economy

While the US takes aim at China, Canada and Mexico over perceived trade imbalances, Japan has kept a low profile, hoping Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's friendship with golf buddy Donald Trump will keep Tokyo out of the firing line.

But as Abe and Trump prepare to hold talks that will touch on trade frictions, there are signs Japan could be next in the US president's sights, with the country's greatest fear being higher tariffs on cars.

- What's Trump's beef with Japan? -

Trump has frequently grumbled about a "very high deficit" with Japan, the world's third-biggest economy.

In comments to the Wall Street Journal, he stressed his good relations with the Japanese, before adding menacingly: "Of course, that will end as soon as I tell them how much they have to pay."

Last year's deficit in goods traded with Japan was $68.8 billion, third behind China ($375 billion) and Mexico ($71 billion), and less than a tenth of the total US deficit with the rest of the world ($796 billion).

The deficit amounted to $40 billion in the first eight months of this year, according to official US statistics.

Vehicle and parts exports from the auto sector account for 80 percent of the imbalance and it is the sight of "millions of Japanese cars" on American roads that raises Trump's hackles, while few US brands are driven in Japan.

That has little to do with tariffs -- Japan has no duties on imported cars, unlike the United States which imposes a 2.5 percent levy.

Analysts say with their larger sizes, US vehicles are not well suited to Japan's roads or the tastes of its consumers.

Critics argue, however, that Japan imposes a raft of non-tariff barriers -- including what they say are overly-rigorous safety standards -- that make importing difficult.

- How are talks going? -

Initial negotiations between US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi have already taken place without a breakthrough and a second round is expected later Monday.

The two sides have opposing points of view: Tokyo wants to settle trade disputes in a forum like the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a multi-nation trade pact, whereas Washington wants a bilateral deal.

Tokyo may accept the bilateral approach if Washington holds off on imposing additional tariffs on the Japanese auto sector, according to Kyodo News.

For the moment, hostilities have not broken out in earnest but this could soon change, said IHS Markit economist Harumi Taguchi.

"It is highly likely that Donald Trump will move his focus to Japan once he reaches some settlement or deal regarding US trade tensions with China and NAFTA talks," said the analyst.

- Would car tariffs hurt? -

"The Trump administration's most effective weapon in talks with Japan remains the threat to impose tariffs of up to 25 percent on automobile imports on national security grounds," said Tobias Harris from Teneo Intelligence.

Such a move would have a "considerable" impact on the Japanese economy, he added.

Car giants like Toyota and Nissan sell millions of cars in the United States, many of which are produced elsewhere -- for example in Japan, Mexico or Canada.

Taguchi said a 25 percent tariff could cut Japan's GDP by as much as 0.5 percent.

Manufacturers have already warned they will be unable to absorb the cost and it will be passed onto US consumers -- in Toyota's case, this could cost a buyer as much as $6,000 per car.

Trump will probably demand more Japanese cars made in the US, but the room for manoeuvre is limited.

Japanese companies already produce nearly four million units per year in the US and employ 1.5 million workers there, Taguchi said.

A China-style tit-for-tat tariff battle is also unlikely, as Abe has already said such a move would benefit nobody.

Instead, Japan will probably petition the World Trade Organization, as it threatened to do when the US imposed steel tariffs.

- Can Japan escape? -

What Abe should do is promise to increase purchases of "shale gas, military items, and some other items that will not substantially affect domestic production," Taguchi said.

Japan has already announced the purchase of the costly Aegis Ashore missile defence system, produced by US contractor Lockheed Martin.

However, this is not likely to prove sufficient and Abe will have to use his negotiating skills.

If Japan offered a "satisfactory package of concessions on market access in the near term, particularly one that included agricultural concessions", it might escape Trump's wrath, said Harris.

But this is a very sensitive subject in Japan which already has tariffs in place to protect its farmers.

THE NEWS: Hong Kong bans pro-independence party over 'national security' fears

Hong Kong bans pro-independence party over 'national security' fears
source: AFP

AFP / Philip FONG Andy Chan's Hong Kong National Party has now been banned by the city's authorities

Hong Kong banned a political party which promotes independence on Monday, saying it was a threat to national security as Beijing ups pressure on any challenges to its sovereignty.

It is the first ban on a political party since the city was handed back to China by Britain 21 years ago.

Semi-autonomous Hong Kong enjoys freedoms unseen on the mainland including freedom of expression but the space for dissent is shrinking in the face of an increasingly assertive China under President Xi Jinping.

Hong Kong's security minister John Lee said he had upheld a police request to ban the tiny Hong Kong National Party "in the interest of national security, public safety, public order, and the protection of rights and freedom of others".

HKNP is a well-known but small group with a core membership of only around a dozen.

Lee told reporters the party "has a very clear agenda to achieve its goal of Hong Kong being made an independent republic", saying that contravened the city's mini-constitution, the Basic Law.

Lee said the party had tried to infiltrate schools and had spread "hatred and discrimination" against mainland Chinese people in Hong Kong.

HKNP had also said it would not stop at force, Lee added, but he conceded it had never committed violence and that its leader, Andy Chan, had advocated non-violence.

Chan said he would not immediately comment on the decision.

Human Rights Watch called the ban "a milestone in the Beijing and Hong Kong governments' assault on Hong Kong's freedoms".

Lee's justification that the move was pre-emptive, even though the group had not committed violent acts, set a "dangerous precedent" that could see more pro-democracy groups banned, said HRW's senior China researcher Maya Wang.

- Crackdown on dissent -

Police requested the party ban in July under the Societies Ordinance, which stipulates groups can be prohibited in the interests of national security and public safety.

The bid was slammed by rights groups and Britain's foreign office, which said Hong Kong's rights must be respected.

Activists calling for Hong Kong's independence from China emerged after mass pro-democracy rallies in 2014 failed to win reforms.

But pro-independence campaigners including Chan have since been blocked from standing for office and others disqualified from the legislature.

Leading independence activist Edward Leung was jailed for six years in June on rioting charges after clashes with police in 2016.

HKNP has lost momentum over the past two years as the government seeks to muzzle pro-independence sentiment.

However, the party was launched back into the headlines after police sought the ban, with Chan later giving a high-profile talk at the city's press club which Chinese authorities demanded should be cancelled.

Chan described Beijing as Hong Kong's "colonial master" in his speech to a packed audience at the Foreign Correspondents' Club in August.

China's ministry of foreign affairs had asked the FCC to pull the talk but it refused, arguing different views should be heard in any debate.

The Hong Kong government said that while it backed freedom of speech and the press, allowing Chan to speak contravened the city's mini-constitution.

THE NEWS: Sydney breaks ground on new airport

Sydney breaks ground on new airport
source: AFP

 AFP/File / PETER PARKS Sydney is expected to double passenger numbers within the next two decades, with low cost airlines continuing to provide much of the growth

Sydney-bound holidaymakers will soon have more options to reach Australia's largest city, which on Monday broke ground on a new US$3.6 billion airport.

"Western Sydney Airport" is scheduled to open in 2026 as part of an effort to deal with booming air traffic numbers.

"It's great to see this happening," said Prime Minister Scott Morrison at the opening. "This issue has been around for longer than I have been living on the planet," he added, joking about long-running planning delays.

The number of air passengers globally is projected to nearly double to 7.8 billion by 2036.

Sydney is expected to double passenger numbers within the next two decades, with low cost airlines continuing to provide much of the growth -- driving down fares on longer routes and stimulating demand.

Supporters of the project say that even if flight restrictions on Sydney's current airport were lifted, it would not be able to handle expected passenger numbers.

In the first phase Western Sydney Airport will be able to handle around 10 million passengers a year, around a quarter of the current total landing at the present facility.

Rose No.1 reign over after FedEx Cup win

Rose No.1 reign over after FedEx Cup win
source: AFP

 AFP/File / Paul ELLIS England's Justin Rose, pictured, will be replaced as world number one by Dustin Johnson when the new rankings are released

Justin Rose may have scooped the FedEx Cup trophy with a fourth place finish at the Tour Championship on Sunday but it was not enough to prevent him from surrendering the coveted top spot in the world rankings.

The 2016 Olympic champion will be replaced as world number one by Dustin Johnson when the new rankings are released on Monday.

Johnson regained the ranking after finishing third, one shot ahead of Rose, at Atlanta's East Lake Golf Course.

Rose however was more than satisfied with his week's work, which earned him a $10 million FedEx Cup winner's cheque.

"There were a lot of scenarios at play this week and that's what the beauty of this format is," Rose said. "I think obviously for me this year it rewarded consistent golf."

"For me, I was trying to do my best to win this golf tournament and scoop the double jackpot.

"But far and away, being next to this trophy is something I'm very, very proud of, and it was -definitely with five, six holes to play, it was pretty precarious.

"I was in a great position around the turn, and then things just got tricky out there."

Johnson had first moved to world number one in February 2017 and remained atop of the Rankings for 64-weeks until the second week in May this year.

The Florida golfer then returned to top spot four weeks after Justin Thomas had seized the title and with Johnson staying atop of the rankings for a further 13 weeks until Rose finished runner-up in the BMW Championship in Philadelphia.

"No, it doesn’t really matter and while I wanted to make back to the top, I would have hit it the same way," said Johnson.

Tiger Woods, who ended a five-year winless drought to capture an 80th PGA Tour title, has moved-up a further eight places to be the new World No. 13.

Gridlock and K-pop: Things to know about the UN General Assembly

Gridlock and K-pop: Things to know about the UN General Assembly
source: AFP

 AFP/File / LISA O'CONNOR The UN General Assembly will get a serious dose of star power when K-pop sensation BTS, the world's most popular boy band, speaks at the launch of the "Generation Unlimited" UNICEF campaign

About 130 world leaders are gathering at the United Nations this week for the annual high-level debate to address pressing global issues, from scrapping North Korea's nuclear weapons to financing development.

Here's a look at this year's session:

- Gridlock in Manhattan -

With so many world leaders in one place, security is ultra-tight. New York police are shutting down streets to traffic near UN headquarters in midtown Manhattan and warning New Yorkers to brace for gridlock. The annual gathering elicits complaints from New Yorkers having to deal with a steady stream of motorcades and detours to get to work.

- Diplomatic speed-dating -


 AFP/File / DOMINICK REUTER "Diplomatic speed-dating": 81 heads of state and 47 heads of government along with dozens of foreign ministers will take turns at the UN General Assembly podium


From Tuesday, 81 heads of state and 47 heads of government along with dozens of foreign ministers will take turns at the General Assembly podium. President Donald Trump will be the second speaker, right after Brazil's President Michel Temer. France's Emmanuel Macron and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani are also speaking on the first day. On the sidelines of the speeches, some 342 meetings are scheduled and hundreds of bilateral talks in a marathon that UN ambassadors have dubbed "diplomatic speed-dating."

- New faces -

Several leaders are making their debut on the world stage including from Africa: Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Angolan President Joao Lourenco. Other newcomers include Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, Chilean President Sebastian Pinera, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Colombian President Ivan Duque Marquez.

- Celebs -


AFP/File / YAMIL LAGE Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel will be among leaders making their debut on the world stage at the UN General Assembly

The United Nations is getting a serious dose of star power on Monday, when K-pop sensation BTS -- the world's most popular boy band -- speaks at the launch of the "Generation Unlimited" UNICEF campaign. British-Lebanese international lawyer Amal Clooney will for the first time speak on the case of two Reuters journalists jailed in Myanmar and actress Anne Hathaway will address a UN event on gender equality.

- Wagyu beef and chocolate mousse -

UN chief Antonio Guterres is hosting a luncheon for world leaders on Tuesday that caters to a wide range of culinary tastes. Lunch starts off with a small plate of cured gravlax carpaccio, followed by pan-seared Wagyu beef filet with grilled asparagus. For desert: bittersweet chocolate mousse, chocolate dacquoise filled with raspberry coulis and chocolate rasberry.

THE NEWS: Miner Barrick buys Randgold to create $18bn gold giant

Miner Barrick buys Randgold to create $18bn gold giant
source: AFP


 dpa/AFP/File / ARNE DEDERT The blockbuster all-share deal was described as a merger but is effectively a takeover because Barrick investors will own a majority 66.6-percent stake and Randgold shareholders will hold the rest

Canadian mining giant Barrick Gold has bought Africa-focused rival Randgold Resources to create a global industry champion worth $18.3 billion, the pair said on Monday.

The blockbuster all-share deal was described as a merger but is effectively a takeover because Barrick investors will own a majority 66.6-percent stake. Randgold shareholders will hold the rest.

The enlarged company, keeping the Barrick name, will be traded in New York and Toronto. Randgold's London listing will be cancelled.

"The boards of Barrick Gold Corporation and Randgold Resources Limited are pleased to announce that they have reached agreement on the terms of a recommended share-for-share merger ... to create an industry-leading gold company," read the statement.

Randgold shareholders will receive 6.1280 new Barrick shares for every Randgold share under the terms of the deal.

Barrick executive chairman John L. Thornton will take up the same role at the new company, while Randgold chief executive Mark Bristow will retain his CEO position.

"The combination of Barrick and Randgold will create a new champion for value creation in the gold mining industry," said Thornton in the statement.

He added that the gigantic deal would bring "together the world's largest collection of tier one gold assets, with a proven management team that has consistently delivered among the best shareholder returns in the gold sector over the past decade".

The group will have a combined stock market capitalisation of 18.3 billion, and total annual revenues of approximately $9.7 billion.

THE NEWS: Own up to mass Muslim detentions, Amnesty tells China

Own up to mass Muslim detentions, Amnesty tells China
source: AFP

AFP / JOHANNES EISELE Chinese police patrol outside a mosque in Kashgar, Xinjiang

China must come clean about the fate of an estimated one million minority Muslims swept up in a "massive crackdown" in its far western region of Xinjiang, Amnesty International said Monday.

Beijing has tightened restrictions on Muslim minorities to combat what it calls Islamic extremism and separatist elements in Xinjiang.

Critics say the drive risks fuelling resentment towards Beijing and further inflaming separatist sentiment.

In a new report, which included testimony from people held in the camps, the international rights group said Beijing had rolled out "an intensifying government campaign of mass internment, intrusive surveillance, political indoctrination and forced cultural assimilation".

Uighurs and other Muslim minorities are punished for violating regulations banning beards and burqas, and for the possession of unauthorised Korans, it added.

Up to a million people are detained in internment camps, a United Nations panel on racial discrimination reported last month, with many detained for offences as minor as making contact with family members outside the country or sharing Islamic holiday greetings on social media.

"Hundreds of thousands of families have been torn apart by this massive crackdown," said Nicholas Bequelin, Amnesty International's East Asia director, in a statement.

"They are desperate to know what has happened to their loved ones and it is time the Chinese authorities give them answers."


AFP / John SAEKI China's Xinjiang crackdown


Beijing has denied reports of the camps but evidence is mounting in the form of government documents and escapee testimony.

These suggest that Chinese authorities are detaining large groups of people in a network of extrajudicial camps for political and cultural indoctrination on a scale unseen since the Maoist era.

Amnesty's report interviewed several former detainees who said they were put in shackles, tortured, and made to sing political songs and learn about the Communist Party.

The testimony tallies with evidence gathered by foreign reporters and rights groups in the past year.

- Unfolding 'nightmare' -

Amnesty also called on governments around the world to hold Beijing to account for "the nightmare" unfolding in Xinjiang.

Last week, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo denounced "awful abuses" of Uighur Muslims detained in re-education camps.

"Hundreds of thousands and possibly millions of Uighurs are held against their will in so-called re-education camps where they're forced to endure severe political indoctrination and other awful abuses," Pompeo said in a speech.

However Pakistan, China's biggest Muslim ally, quickly denied reports last week that it had criticised Beijing -- which is pouring billions in infrastructure investment into the country -- over the issue.

Religious affairs minister Noorul Haq Qadri told AFP China has agreed to exchange delegations of religious students to help promote "harmony" between Muslims and Chinese authorities.

China's top leaders recently called for religious practices to be brought in line with "traditional" Chinese values and culture, sparking concern among rights groups.

Earlier this month draft regulations suggested Beijing was considering restrictions on religious content online, such as images of people praying or chanting.

State supervision of religion has increased in a bid to "block extremism", and authorities have removed Islamic symbols such as crescents from public spaces in areas with significant Muslim populations.

Christians have also been targeted in crackdowns, with a prominent Beijing "underground" church shuttered by authorities earlier this month. Churches in central Henan province have seen their crosses torn down and followers harassed.

burs-st/sm

THE NEWS: Singapore watchdog fines Grab, Uber $9.5 mn over merger

source: AFP
Singapore watchdog fines Grab, Uber $9.5 mn over merger


AFP / ROSLAN RAHMAN A probe found the merger between Uber and Grab had substantially reduced 'competition in the ride-hailing platform market in Singapore'

Singapore on Monday fined ride-hailing firms Grab and Uber $9.5 million for breaking competition rules when they merged, saying the deal had increased fares and thrown up roadblocks for competitors.

Singapore-headquartered Grab agreed to buy US firm Uber's ride-hailing and food business in Southeast Asia in March, ending a bruising battle between the companies.

In return, Uber received a 27.5 percent stake in Grab.

However the deal came under scrutiny across the region, and the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore was among watchdogs in several countries that launched probes.

In the conclusion to its investigation, the commission said it had found the merger had substantially reduced "competition in the ride-hailing platform market in Singapore".

Grab fares rose between 10 and 15 percent after the deal as the company reduced the number of points earned by riders and made it harder for them to redeem them, it said.

Potential competitors were hampered by exclusivity agreements Grab forged with taxi companies, car rental partners and some of its drivers, the commission said. The deals meant drivers could not work for other companies.

The commission fined both firms a total Sg$13 million ($9.5 million) -- Sg$6.42 million for Grab and Sg$6.58 million for Uber -- "to deter completed, irreversible mergers that harm competition".

The body also criticised Grab and Uber for not getting the commission's clearance before completing the deal.

In addition to the fines, the commission ordered several measures be implemented to ease fares and allow new players to compete with Grab, including reverting to pre-merger pricing and allowing Grab drivers to use other ride-hailing platforms.

Lim Kell Jay, head of Grab Singapore, said the firm completed the deal "within its legal rights, and still maintains we did not intentionally or negligently breach competition laws".In the Philippines, the competition watchdog last month approved the merger but imposed conditions related to areas including pricing and exclusivity arrangements to prevent Grab acting like a monopoly. Malaysian authorities are also examining the deal

THE NEWS: Thousands attend funeral for Iran attack dead

Thousands attend funeral for Iran attack dead

source: AFP

ISNA/AFP / ALIREZA MOHAMMADI Wounded Iranian soldiers lie on the ground at the scene of an attack on a military parade on September 22, 2018

Thousands of people gathered Monday morning in the south-western Iranian city of Ahvaz for the funeral of those killed during an attack on a military parade.

AFP reporters saw members of the public and the military carrying coffins draped in the Iranian flag, some bearing pictures of the deceased.

Four militants attacked a Saturday parade marking the start of the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war, spraying the crowd with gunfire and killing 24 people.

State TV reported that 12 of the 24 dead would be buried in Ahvaz, about 560 kilometres (350 miles) south of Tehran, while the others will be buried in their home towns.

Mourners carried pictures of the dead along with banners reading "we will stand to the end" and "no to terrorism".

Some waved the flags of Arab tribes from the region as sign of solidarity with the victims.

The ceremony in front of the Sarallah Mosque was attended by thousands of people including soldiers, clerics and officials.

Speakers included the wartime commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), Lieutenant General Mohsen Rezai, deputy IRGC chief Brigadier General Hossein Salami and Intelligence Minister Mahmood Alavi.

Iranian authorities have blamed an Arab separatist group and accused the United States, Israel and Gulf Arab monarchies of backing Saturday's "terrorist" attack.

The Islamic State group also claimed responsibility.

THE NEWS: Maldives strongman concedes election defeat

Maldives strongman concedes election defeat
source; AFP

AFP / Ahmed SHURAU Official results showed opposition Maldives candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih (2L)as the clear winner with 58.3 percent, the biggest margin of victory in any election since the advent of democracy in 2008

The strongman president of the Maldives on Monday conceded defeat in elections, easing fears of a fresh political crisis in the archipelago at the centre of a battle for influence between India and China.

"The Maldivian people have decided what they want. I have accepted the results from yesterday," Abdulla Yameen said in a televised address to the Indian Ocean nation a day after the joint opposition candidate unexpectedly triumphed.

"Earlier today, I met with Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who the Maldivian electorate has chosen to be their next president. I have congratulated him," Yameen said.

There had been concerns at home and abroad that Yameen might not accept the outcome. He had borrowed hundreds of millions of dollars from China for an infrastructure blitz, to the alarm of the Maldives' traditional backer India.

At the last election in 2013, the Supreme Court annulled the result after Yameen trailed former president Mohamed Nasheed, giving Yameen time to forge alliances and win a second round of voting that was postponed twice.

Results from Sunday's election released by the electoral commission showed Yameen on 41.7 percent of the vote, well behind Solih on 58.3 percent -- the only other name on ballot papers.

The final official result will take up to a week to be published.

The result was a major surprise, with Yameen's main political rivals either in prison or in exile, media coverage of the opposition sparse and monitors and the opposition predicting the vote would be rigged.

Yameen stayed quiet overnight after the outcome became clear. But signs grew Monday that he would throw in the towel, with a foreign ministry statement saying Solih had won and state media showing him claiming victory.

Nearly 90 percent of the 262,000 electorate turned out to vote, with some waiting in line for more than five hours.


 AFP / AFP Map of Maldives and profiles of opposition legislator Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and incumbent leader Abdulla Yameen


Celebrations broke out across the 1,200-island tropical archipelago popular with wealthy foreign tourists, with opposition supporters waving yellow flags of Solih's Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and dancing in the streets.

The US State Department, which had warned of "appropriate measures" if the vote was not free and fair, had called on Yameen to "respect the will of the people".

Celebrations broke out across the 1,200-island tropical archipelago popular with wealthy foreign tourists, with opposition supporters waving yellow flags of Solih's Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and dancing in the streets.


 AFP / Ahmed SHURAU It was far from certain if Maldives President Abdulla Yameen (C), whose main political rivals were either jailed or in exile, would graciously accept defeat in the poll

The US State Department, which had warned of "appropriate measures" if the vote was not free and fair, had called on Yameen to "respect the will of the people".

Regional superpower India, competing with China to retain its influence in the region, was the first to "heartily congratulate" Solih.

"This election marks not only the triumph of democratic forces in the Maldives, but also reflects the firm commitment to the values of democracy and the rule of law," the foreign ministry said.

Sri Lanka, home to many Maldivian dissidents, also congratulated him but China was yet to comment, with Monday being a public holiday.

- Media fearful -

Solih had the backing of a united opposition trying to oust Yameen but struggled for visibility. The local media was fearful of falling foul of heavy-handed decrees and reporting restrictions.

In February Yameen imposed a 45-day state of emergency, alarming the international community, in what was seen as an attempt by his opponents in parliament to impeach him.

A crackdown saw former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom -- Yameen's half-brother -- jailed along with the Chief Justice and another Supreme Court justice amid accusations of an imminent coup.

On the eve of the poll, police raided the campaign headquarters of the MDP and searched the building for several hours in a bid to stop what they called "illegal activities". There were no arrests.

Nasheed told AFP in Colombo the vote would "bring the country back to the democratic path" and Yameen had no option but to concede defeat.


AFP / - The US State Department had warned before the election it may take "appropriate measures" if the vote was not free and fair

Independent international monitors were barred from the election and only a handful of foreign media were allowed in to cover the poll.

The Asian Network for Free Elections, a foreign monitoring group that was denied access to the Maldives, said the campaign had been heavily tilted in favour of 59-year-old Yameen.

The government had used "vaguely worded laws to silence dissent and to intimidate and imprison critics", some of whom had been assaulted and even murdered, according to Human Rights Watch.

THE NEWS: Trump's tariffs on $200 bn of Chinese imports kick in

Trump's tariffs on $200 bn of Chinese imports kick in


 AFP/File / STR Signs with the US and Chinese flags hang outside a store selling foreign goods in Qingdao, eastern Shandong province, a day after Beijing announced an additional $60 billion in retaliatory tariffs on US goods

Donald Trump's tariffs on another $200 billion of Chinese imports took effect Monday, with Beijing accusing Washington of "economic intimidation" as the standoff between the world's top two economies clouds the global outlook.

The latest volley against Beijing brings the amount of goods hit by duties to more than $250 billion, roughly half China's US exports, with American consumers set to increasingly feel the pain.

Trump has hit 12 percent of total US imports this year alone.

Defiant in the face of increasing fears about the impact to the US economy, Trump has threatened to hit all imports from China if it refuses to change policies he says harm US industry, particularly the theft of American technology.

"These practices plainly constitute a grave threat to the long-term health and prosperity of the United States economy," he said in announcing the tariffs last week.

Beijing fired back Monday, accusing the US of making "false accusations" and using "increasing tariffs and other means of economic intimidation in an attempt to force its own interests on China by way of extreme pressure".

The charges came in a white paper published by China's cabinet, the State Council, and claimed the US had turned toward "unilateralism, protectionism and economic hegemonism" as Trump pursues his "America First" agenda.

- Talks cancelled -

"We are going to win it," Trump's Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said of the trade war on "Fox News Sunday".

"We're going to get an outcome which forces China to behave in a way that if you want to be a power -- a global power -- transparency, rule of law, you don't steal intellectual property."

Beijing's retaliatory tariffs on $60 billion in American goods were set to go into effect soon after the US action, the finance ministry announced last week.

China targeted 5,200 US goods with five to 10 percent tariffs, including big ticket items such as liquefied natural gas, lumber and electronics, as well as peppermint oil, pig hides and condoms.

It leaves Beijing hitting $110 billion worth of US goods, nearly everything China buys from the United States.


AFP / STR China has targeted more than 5,000 US goods in retaliation to Donald Trump's tariffs


But Trump warned he could ramp up to "phase three", with tariffs on approximately $267 billion of additional imports, or all the goods the US buys from China.

Hopes for talks to resolve the issue appeared to have been dealt a blow with hit as The Wall Street Journal reported Beijing cancelled the visit of a negotiating team expected September 27-28 in Washington.

Previous talks in late August saw little progress.

The International Monetary Fund has warned about the potential for "significant economic costs", including slower growth, while Fitch Ratings has cut its growth estimates for China and the world for 2019.

"Protectionist US trade policies have now reached the point where they are materially affecting what remains a strong global growth outlook," the agency said in a report Friday.

The latest batch of Chinese imports will face 10 percent tariffs through the end of the year, and then the rate will jump to 25 percent.

A swath of products are on the hit list, including Chinese-made voice data receivers, computer memory modules, automatic data processors, and accessories for office equipment such as copiers and banknote dispensers -- instantly making widely used goods more expensive.

- Beijing strikes back -

However, following complaints from thousands of US firms -- including powerhouses like Apple and Walmart -- 300 product lines were dropped from the target list.

The products spared also include smartwatches and Bluetooth devices like the iPhone and Fitbit, child safety products such as high chairs, car seats and playpens, and certain health-and-safety products such as bicycle helmets, US officials said.


AFP / MANDEL NGAN China has claimed the US had turned toward 'unilateralism, protectionism and economic hegemonism' as Donald Trump pursues his 'America First' agenda

Walmart, the world's biggest retailer, also warned of the "detrimental impact" to consumers if tariffs were imposed on a number of products, but many of those, like handbags, suitcases, dog food and dog leashes, remained on the final list.

China outlined a matching bump in tariff rates for its targeted $60 billion of US goods, but it is running out of options to even the score on Trump's threatened third wave of tariffs.

After accusing the US of launching the "largest trade war in economic history", analysts worry Beijing could shift to threatened "qualitative" retaliatory measures, such as damaging US firms in China or restricting the export of crucial items.

The spiraling trade fight adds to the growing areas of friction between the rival powers.

This week the US sanctioned a Chinese military procurement organisation, drawing a sharp protest from Beijing and a decision to postpone planned military talks.

The two are also at odds over Beijing's wooing of Taiwan's diplomatic allies, treatment of religious groups and claims to disputed islands in the South China Sea.

source: AFP
https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/trumps-tariffs-200-bn-chinese-imports-kick-doc-19b65l4

THE NEWS: Solo yachtsman stranded at sea rescued: Indian navy

Solo yachtsman stranded at sea rescued: Indian navy


AFP/File / Damien MEYER Abhilash Tomy had been trapped in his bunk by a back injury since his yacht was caught in a powerful storm on Friday, thousands of kilometres from from western Australia

A solo Indian yachtsman trapped in his bunk by a serious back injury thousands of kilometres (miles) from land was rescued Monday, an Indian navy official said.

Abhilash Tomy, a competitor in the Golden Globe round-the-world race, was badly injured when his vessel was damaged in a storm on Friday 3,500 kilometres (2,200 miles) from western Australia.

Race organisers said the 39-year-old Indian navy commander had been "incapacitated on his bunk".

An international rescue mission involving the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), a French fisheries patrol vessel and the Indian Navy had been trying to rescue the sailor.

They declared success on Monday.

"Tomy rescued safely," tweeted an Indian navy spokesman.

Rescuers had been unable to make direct contact with Tomy as his main satellite phone was damaged, and his injury meant he was unable to reach a second satellite phone or his handheld VHF radio.

Two P8 Poseidons -- one from the Royal Australian Air Force and another from the Indian Armed Forces -- flew over the yacht Sunday.

Fears had been growing for Tomy's safety as conditions in the isolated region can be treacherous, with strong winds and high waves buffeting the yacht and rescue vessels.

The Golden Globe Race involves a gruelling 30,000-mile solo circumnavigation of the globe in yachts similar to those used in the first race 50 years ago, with no modern technology allowed except the communications equipment.

Tomy's own yacht is a replica of Robin Knox-Johnston's Suhaili, winner of the first Golden Globe Race.
source:
https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/solo-yachtsman-stranded-sea-rescued-indian-navy-doc-19d4pb6

THE NEWS: Australia strawberry crisis now tastes a little sweeter for farmers

Australia strawberry crisis now tastes a little sweeter for farmers


AFP/File / Saeed KHAN Fruit wholesalers are reporting an uptick in sales, thanks in part to social media campaigns that encouraged Australians to bake a strawberry pavlova or just "#Smashastrawb" and eat it

Australia's pins-in-punnets strawberry crisis prompted a spate of social-media driven hoaxes, but sites like Facebook and Twitter are also helping stir a revival in sales that has left some farmers struggling to meet resurgent demand.

For almost two weeks, reports of pins and needles being found in fruit across Australia have delivered a gut punch to industry, set grocery-shoppers on edge and left police struggling to find needles in a haystack of copycat pranks.

But now Australians -- adopting a shrug-and-get-on-with-it attitude -- have had enough. They are getting back on their berries.

Wholesalers are reporting an uptick in sales, thanks in part to social media campaigns that encouraged Australians to bake a strawberry pavlova or just "#Smashastrawb" and eat it.

"Things are on the up," said Jim Ripepi of Australian Strawberry Distributors, a family-owned company that grows and sells strawberries wholesale.

"The public support has been really overwhelming. Sales are picking up," he told AFP. "I was selling out every day this week."

Supermarkets are starting to report a similar trend and are even struggling to meet demand after many of their usual suppliers packed up tools fearing the worst.

For some farmers it may be too little too late, but for the industry at large, it's a godsend.

- Mystery remains -

The crisis began almost two weeks ago with needles being found in two brands of strawberries in the northeast state of Queensland.

The cause of the initial scare and the scale of the problem remain a mystery.

Police in Queensland say only that the initial investigation is ongoing, leaving the public to speculate about the motives -- could it be a disgruntled employee or competitor? -- or how close they are to solving the crime.

The Australian government has instructed police and other agencies to avoid giving specific numbers about how many pins or needles have actually been found in fruit -- including bananas, apples and a mango.

Indications are that of the 100 or so instances looked at by police, the vast majority were hoaxes or pranks.

Two kids are believed to have been cautioned for such copycat stunts and in Adelaide in southern Australia, a father has reportedly been charged with making a false claim to police about his daughter eating tainted fruit.

Australian state governments have offered cash rewards and indemnity from prosecution for anyone providing information about the culprit.

Throughout the crisis, the government of new Prime Minister Scott Morrison has strained to appear in control, using its parliamentary majority to introduce longer potential jail sentences for deliberate contamination.

Strawberry farmers "were having their livelihoods threatened", Morrison said Monday, heralding the parliamentary response.

"We had mums and dads worried about what they were putting in the school kids' lunches. We were able to act swiftly and get that through the parliament in about 36 hours."

In the latest twist, needles have turned up in a punnet of Australian strawberries in New Zealand, prompting the authorities there to say each punnet would be screened.

Strawberry Growers NZ said there had been no reports of problems with locally-grown fruit.

"While this is naturally of concern to our industry, this is an Australian strawberry issue and there is no evidence to suggest any connection to New Zealand-grown strawberries," executive manager Michael Ahern said.

New Zealand Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor said it was unclear whether the strawberries had been tampered with before or after they entered New Zealand.

But he did not rule out the prospect of copycat sabotage.

"It's the kind of sordid and sick proposition that does arise when these situations are publicised," he told Radio New Zealand.

"We hope that it would not be a New Zealander doing a copycat, we hope that it wouldn't happen at all."

AFP

https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/australia-strawberry-crisis-now-tastes-little-sweeter-farmers-doc-19d5dm1

THE NEWS: Myanmar army chief defiant after UN 'genocide' probe

Myanmar army chief defiant after UN 'genocide' probe


AFP/File / YE AUNG THU Senior General Min Aung Hlaing says the UN has no right to interfere in Myanmar's sovereignty

Myanmar's powerful army chief says the United Nations has no right to interfere in his country's sovereignty, a week after UN investigators called for him and other top generals to be prosecuted for "genocide" against the Rohingya.

Min Aung Hlaing's comments to an army newspaper were his first public reaction since a UN fact-finding mission urged the Security Council to refer the top military brass to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

They came as the UN General Assembly prepares to discuss the crisis in New York.

Min Aung Hlaing also shrugged off demands from UN investigators for the army to withdraw from politics in Myanmar, where it remains hugely influential despite a nominal transition to civilian rule in 2011.

No country, organisation or group has the "right to interfere in and make decision over sovereignty of a country", military-run newspaper Myawady quoted him as telling troops in a speech Sunday.

"Talks to meddle in internal affairs (cause) misunderstanding."

The 444-page UN probe report, compiled over 18 months, outlined in meticulous and searing detail atrocities against the Rohingya, who fled a violent military campaign that started in August last year.

Troops, sometimes aided by ethnic Rakhine mobs, committed murder, rape, arson and torture, using unfathomable levels of violence and with a total disregard for human life, investigators concluded.

More than 700,000 of the stateless Muslim minority took refuge in Bangladesh, where they remain -- fearful of returning to mainly Buddhist Myanmar despite a repatriation deal between the two countries.

The military has denied nearly all wrongdoing, justifying its crackdown as a legitimate means of rooting out Rohingya militants.

But rights groups and the UN say the operations were vastly disproportionate and a troop build-up in the area occurred before insurgents attacked police posts in August 2017.

- 'Very flustered' -

Further pressuring Myanmar, the ICC independently ruled that it had jurisdiction to open a preliminary investigation, even though the country has not signed the treaty underpinning the court.

Any road to prosecution would be long and fraught with political difficulties, but analysts say the generals are feeling the heat.

"We're hearing informally that they're very, very flustered about what's happening at The Hague," said Khin Zaw Win, director of Yangon-based think tank the Tampadipa Institute, in reference to the ICC's headquarters.

Last month Facebook removed the pages of Min Aung Hlaing and other top generals, accusing them of sowing ethnic divisions in a country where the social media platform enjoys excessive influence.

Myanmar's civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi rejected the UN report's findings as "one-sided" and "flawed" and dismissed the ICC's authority.

Suu Kyi's government shares power with the still-mighty army, which retains control over a quarter of parliamentary seats and three key ministries.

The UN team also criticised the Nobel laureate's government for "acts and omissions" during the Rohingya crisis that "contributed to the commission of atrocity crimes".

In a rare, if understated, criticism of the military, Suu Kyi recently said the situation "could have been handled better".

The army chief made it clear that the Tatmadaw, as the military is known locally, has no intention of extracting itself from politics.

"Take a look at the democracy practices in the world, the countries exercise the democracy system suited to them," he said, adding that the country must end armed conflict on its road to true multi-party democracy.

"The Tatmadaw will continue its efforts to achieve eternal peace," he said.

The Rohingya languishing in refugee camps in Bangladesh refuse to return to a Myanmar that does not grant them citizenship.

In his speech the army chief doubled down on the narrative widely held in Myanmar that the minority are outsiders, calling them "Bengalis" and insisting that the law which fails to recognise the group among the country's many ethnicities would remain in place.

British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, given the cold shoulder by the army chief on his visit to Myanmar last week, will chair a foreign ministers' meeting on the crisis later Monday in New York.

burs-rs/joe/sm

AFP
source: https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/myanmar-army-chief-defiant-after-un-genocide-probe-doc-19d4qs2

THE LATEST PhD Scholarship at University of Hull in UK, 2019

PhD Scholarship at University of Hull in UK, 2019

The University of Hull is happy to announce PhD Studentship in Enhancing Fish and Eel Migration in Rivers through Flow Field Optimisation at Control and Pumping Stations. This studentship is available for UK/EU and international students.
Course Level: Scholarships are available to study PhD programme.
Eligible Countries: This studentship is available for UK/EU and International students.
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants should be highly motivated, dedicated and enthusiastic and have:

• Applicants should have at least a 2.1 undergraduate degree in a relevant subject. It is anticipated that the successful applicant will have a 1^stclass undergraduate degree or Masters level qualification.
• Hold a current driving licence as the role requires field site visits.
• Excellent writing and fluency in English is expected.
• Candidates will be required to work flexible hours in remote locations in the UK and other countries.
• Prospective students are expected to pursue independent research and work effectively with colleagues to contribute to cluster research goals.

Method of Application: Applying online means you can to track the progress of your application and upload supporting documents.
Create a MyAdmin account and choose ‘Postgraduate Applicant – Create a Postgraduate Account’. If you are a current or returning student, you can use your existing account.

Scholarship Link

Scholarship Application Deadline: September 30, 2018