Alitalia will formally request to enter bankruptcy proceedings, after workers rejected a restructuring plan.
Italy’s troubled flagship airline said its flight schedule would continue to operate as planned, while administrators examine whether the company can be turned around.
Alitalia has received more than 7 billion euros from the Italian government over the last decade.
However, without further support, the airline may end up permanently grounded.
Image source Wikimedia
Last week, Alitalia employees voted against a plan to cut jobs and salaries that would have allowed it to secure new funds.
The airline said in a statement that Italian shareholders and Etihad, the Abu Dhabi airline that owns 49% of Alitalia, had been “committed to recapitalize and finance the plan with 2 billion euros”, but that without the approval of workers, it could not go ahead.
Rome has given Alitalia a 400 million-euro bridging loan to allow it to keep operating during the bankruptcy process.
However, Italy’s finance minister has ruled out renationalizing, or providing further funds for Alitalia.
Public opinion seems to be behind the decision. Italians have taken to social media in recent days calling for politicians to resist bailing the airline out again. An opinion poll published on April 28 suggested 77% of Italians believe the airline should be left to fail.
However, with an election looming in 2018, politicians may be reluctant to see Alitalia’s 12,500 employees lose their jobs.
Alitalia’s board said that because of “the serious economic and financial situation of the company, of the unavailability of the shareholders to refinance, and of the impossibility to find in a short period of time an alternative”, they had decided to proceed with the filing for extraordinary administration.
Marine Le Pen has been accused of plagiarizing defeated rival Francois Fillon in a speech she delivered on May 1.
Several sections of French presidential candidate’s speech in Villepinte, north of Paris, appear to repeat almost word-for-word comments Francois Fillon made in an address on April 15.
An official of her National Front party said Marine Le Pen had made a “nod” to Francois Fillon and it showed she was “not sectarian”.
Marine Le Pen faces centrist Emmanuel Macron in the final round on May 7.
The similarity in the speeches was pointed out by the Ridicule TV YouTube channel, initially set up by François Fillon’s supporters to attack Emmanuel Macron before the first round of voting that saw Fillon eliminated from the contest.
Ridicule TV said the far right presidential candidate had plagiarized Francois Fillon’s speech “word for word” and set the two speeches side by side, inviting viewers to make up their own minds.
The videos were also posted on Twitter.
Photo Reuters
The Liberation newspaper said that what was supposed to have been a key speech for the second phase of voting in the election became instead a focus of ridicule for social media users.
However, Florian Philippot, deputy chairman of the National Front, told Radio Classique the party had owned up to the similarities and that Marine Le Pen’s speech was “nod-and-a-wink” to Francois Fillon’s speech to “launch a real debate” on French identity.
He earlier told AFP that the speech showed “she is not sectarian”.
Marine Le Pen’s campaign manager, David Rachline, also played down the accusations of plagiarism, saying the speech was a form of tribute to Francois Fillon, which “was appreciated” by his supporters.
Francois Fillon was a leading candidate for the presidency, representing the establishment conservative Republicans, but his campaign foundered after a funding scandal.
After having trouble getting traction during President Obama’s tenure in some ways, Senate Republicans dug their heels in when Judge Samuel Alito passed away, blocking any practical conversation on a replacement until a new president could be sworn in.
According to one senator at the time, Mike Crapo of Idaho, “The current Supreme Court vacancy should be filled by an individual nominated by the next President of the United States.” Today, Mike Crapo can say that he delivered tangible results, helping Republicans find an alternative Justice that was well-respected by legal minds on both sides of the aisle.
Alito’s mysterious death:
For those that follow Washington policy making, last year’s death of Justice Alito could have easily appeared as something out of a mystery novel. An ailing judge books a dream trip to a Texas hunting lodge mostly alone. He checks into his room and is found later dead in his bed. He is then buried without any autopsy.
Naturally, there were some questions thrown at the process and the idea that there was no due process that was put into place to ensure that he was actually just perishing because of his heart condition. The judge that was asked to do the decision-making determined that Alito died of natural causes and left it at that.
Some of the disquiet on the Republican side immediately following the announcement that there would be no autopsy has to do with the state of weapons in today’s society. The Navy, the Army, gangs, real estate crews that ‘move’ targets pointed out by business rivals, and ‘we’ll help you lose your job’ crews have all trained with radar and sonic in order to be able to hit people with heart shots from up to a mile away. It isn’t hard for them to figure out how to push someone who has a bad heart condition anyway over the edge. In fact, there is some conjecture that John Roberts, the chief justice, was hit by a sonic attack many years ago in New England.
Part of the problem, perhaps is that according to the Pentagon, when you hit someone’s vagus nerve with a sonic or wave weapon so that it palpitates a bad heart, if it ends up causing a fatal heart attack there is no way that modern medicine can currently determine that it actually happened. You manipulated a nerve with a frequency. It doesn’t retain a record of that manipulation.
So, regardless of how people die when they are in positions of power, you will likely see the death attributed to natural causes until they can figure out how to measure whether or not it is different.
Led to a stalemate:
After Alito’s death, President Obama nominated his own candidate, someone who was conservative, yet not completely palatable to Republicans because the majority of them seemed to be saying that President Obama needed to recuse himself from nomination. The net result was a stalemate that caused the nomination to be tabled until the election of President Trump.
In some ways, the timing of the nomination and the way the voting took place were unprecedented in the history of the Senate. At the end of the day, a group of Senate Republicans took a stand and ended up winning the right to confirm a new Supreme Court Justice as a new President looked on.
The controversial THAAD missile defense system is now operational in South Korea, the US military says.
The system can intercept North Korean missiles although full operational capability is still some months away.
Tensions have been rising around the Korean peninsula, with repeated threats from North Korea and the presence of a group of US warships and a submarine.
North Korea reacted angrily to the latest military exercise, accusing the US of risking a nuclear war.
The rise in tension comes only a day after President Donald Trump said he would be “honored” to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, in the right circumstances.
The US announced last week it would activate THAAD, which was not expected to be in use until late 2017, within days.
THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) has been installed at a former golf course in the central county of Seongju, amid angry protests.
China also strongly opposes the system, believing it interferes with the security of its own military operations. On May 2, Beijing demanded the deployment be halted.
China would “firmly take necessary measures to uphold our interests”, foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said.
However, Geng Shuang welcomed President Trump’s suggestion of meeting Kim Jong-un, saying China had “always believed that dialogue and consultation… is the only realistic and viable way to achieve denuclearization”.
When the announcement of the THAAD deployment was made last year, North Korea promised a physical response, with state media expressing the “unwavering will of our army to deal a ruthless retaliatory strike”.
A spokesman for the US forces based in South Korea said THAAD now had “the ability to defend the Republic of Korea”.
However, the system only has “initial intercept capability”, a US defense official told AFP. It will be strengthened later this year as more parts of the system arrive.
Pyongyang has carried out two failed missile launches in recent weeks and has said it is ready to carry out its sixth nuclear test at any time.
North Korea reacted angrily on May 2 to a joint US-South Korea military exercise the day before involving two supersonic B-1B Lancer bombers, which it said was a “nuclear bomb dropping drill”.
“The reckless military provocation is pushing the situation on the Korean peninsula closer to the brink of nuclear war,” North Korea’s official KCNA news agency said.
Think about where you work and who you work with; are you happy there? One of the biggest things that can affect our happiness in life is where we work and who we work with. If we are working full-time, then the chances are that you’ll see the people that you work with even more than you might see your family. So it is important to be happy in the workplace. When you enjoy going to work and doing your job, it won’t feel like work after all. If you dread going to work, then you’re not going to put much effort into it. So the bottom line is that happier employees mean more productive employees. And when they’re more productive, it means more profit. So as an employer, it is your job to be aware of this and your employee’s needs. So here are some things to consider, to ensure a happy work environment for all of your team.
Many people, especially in the workplace, like be told as it is. They want to know what they need to do and when. If you have asked them to perform a certain task, then reconfirming it with them, and allowing them to ask questions to show they’ve understood, should be welcomed. One way to provide clarity for your team could be to use and display and organizational chart. One of the ways to use organizational charts is to provide clarity for your team. You can let them know the structure of things and let them know what is expected of them in their role or with a certain task. As it is a visual aid, it can be useful too. There is no confusion, and a lot of people learn better by seeing something, rather than reading something.
Creativity is strongly connected to happiness. So it would make sense that in the workplace you would allow some creativity to help the happiness levels of your team. There are various ways of doing it, that you might not have thought of before. Keeping meetings to a minimum length of time is a good way to allow your team to be more creative. Allow them to make suggestions, rather than just telling them that this is your idea so that it what you’ll do. Encourage them to get involved with decision making. Again, if they are just told what to do, then it doesn’t even require them to think much about it. So there is no creativity when they are just told something. So allow them to flourish by sharing thoughts and ideas.
Be Supportive and Flexible
It is important to remember that your team are not just robots; they are thinking and feeling, and yes, even have a life outside of the workplace. So if they need a little bit of flexibility, then it can help massively. Offer a day to work at home, for instance, or time off when they have a child’s concert to attend. They will be more likely to be open and honest about things with you when you are flexible and open with them too.
In March Donald Trump’s attempt to replace ObamaCare failed, in an embarrassing setback for the new administration, but Republicans still aim to change the system.
Jimmy Kimmel told the studio audience on his regular show that three hours after a normal birth, his son Billy started to turn purple.
Photo AP
One nurse spotted it and took him away for checks, soon finding that he had a heart illness. The situation looked serious, and “we had atheists praying for us,” he said.
However, Billy went through open heart surgery at three days old and, thanks to the efforts of the staff at the children’s hospital, he survived.
The TV host said: “You know, before 2014, if you were born with congenital heart disease like my son was, there was a good chance you wouldn’t be able to get health insurance because you had a pre-existing condition.
“If your parents didn’t have medical insurance, you might not live long enough to even get denied.”
Jimmy Kimmel continued: “If your baby is going to die and doesn’t have to it shouldn’t matter how much money you make.
“I mean I think that’s something that whether you’re a Republican or a Democrat or something else – we all agree on that, right?
“This isn’t football. There are no teams; we are the team. No parent should ever have to decide if they can afford to save their child’s life. It just shouldn’t happen, not here.”
One of the people behind the Affordable Care Act, Andy Slavitt, tweeted that those who watched Jimmy Kimmel’s monologue should use it as inspiration to lobby Congress.
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South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma has abandoned a May Day rally after he was booed by workers demanding his resignation.
Scuffles broke out between President Zuma’s supporters and opponents, resulting in all speeches being canceled.
The main labor federation, Cosatu, called on Jacob Zuma to step down last month after he sacked his widely respected finance minister.
President Zuma’s allies say he will remain in office until his term ends in 2019.
He was seen on live TV hastily leaving the podium and being whisked away in a motorcade from the rally in Bloemfontein city, Reuters reports.
Jacob Zuma attended the rally despite the fact that powerful affiliates of Cosatu, the Congress of South African Trade Unions, had opposed his presence.
Cosatu is part of a formal alliance with the governing African National Congress (ANC).
Earlier, sections of the crowd sang a song which, loosely translated, means: “Have yougood news? Zuma is going”, heard the South Africa’s privately owned News24 site reports.
Cosatu leader Sdumo Dlamini said the rally had been marred by “chaos”, forcing its cancelation.
Photo Getty Images
The protest required “thorough reflection” on the part of the country’s leaders, he said.
Senior ANC officials were also booed at a May Day rally in Durban city, the political heartland of Jacob Zuma.
It led to global rating agencies downgrading South Africa to junk status.
The reshuffle was condemned by trade unions, big business, the opposition and and senior members of the government, including Deputy President Cyril Rampahosa.
The opposition has repeatedly accused President Zuma of being corrupt, and says the reshuffle was aimed at giving him and his allies greater access to government money.
Jacob Zuma said the reshuffle was aimed at promoting “radical economic transformation” to benefit the poor black majority.
He has been dogged by allegations of corruption for more than a decade.
In 2016, a court ruled that he should face corruption charges over a 1999 arms deal.
Jacob Zuma is appealing against the ruling.
In a separate case in 2016, South Africa’s highest court ruled that he had breached his oath of office by failing to repay government money used to upgrade his private residence.
He repaid the money, but rejected calls to sep down.
Jacob Zuma is due to step down as leader of the ANC in December, and as South Africa’s president in 2019.
His ex-wife Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Cyril Rampahosa are vying to succeed him in both positions.
Val Kilmer has confirmed he had cancer, after previously claiming he had “no cancer whatsoever”.
While answering questions put to him by Reddit users, Val Kilmer revealed he “did have a healing of cancer” and was still dealing with a swollen tongue.
The 57-year-old star wrote: “Because I don’t sound my normal self yet people think I may still be under the weather.”
Speculation over Val Kilmer’s health grew last year after Michael Douglas said he was “dealing with” throat cancer.
“He was probably trying to help me cause press probably asked where I was these days,” the actor wrote while taking part in a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) last week.
Writing on Facebook in 2016, Val Kilmer said his only recent contact with Michael Douglas had been to seek advice over a lump in his throat.
Known for his roles in such films as Heat, The Doors and Tombstone, Val Kilmer worked with Michael Douglas on The Ghost and the Darkness.
Following Michael Douglas’s comments last year, it was reported that Val Kilmer had been reluctant to seek medical treatment due to his Christian Science faith.
Many Christian Scientists believe that diseases can be healed with prayer, although the Church does not forbid adherents seeking medical aid.
Japan has dispatched its biggest helicopter carrier, Izumo, in the first such operation since it passed controversial laws expanding the role of its military.
The Izumo is escorting a US supply vessel within Japanese waters.
North Korea has threatened to sink the Carl Vinson and a US submarine, amid rising tensions in the region.
On April 30, North Korea also carried out a failed missile test, despite repeated warnings from the US and others to stop its nuclear and missile activity.
Image source Defencyclopedia
According to The Japan Times, the 249m-long Izumo can carry up to nine helicopters, and resembles US amphibious assault carriers.
Kyodo news agency said it was leaving its base in Yokosuka south of Tokyo to join the US supply ship, and accompany it to waters off Shikoku in western Japan.
Under PM Shinzo Abe, Japan is gradually pushing the limits of what its modern and powerful military is allowed to do, and with tensions high on the Korean peninsula.
Japan’s post-World War Two constitution bars its military from using force to resolve conflicts except in cases of self-defense.
The Izumo is the first warship deployed outside of military exercises under new laws passed in 2015 that allow Japan to come to the aid of an ally under attack known as “collective self-defense”.
Shinzo Abe’s government, which pushed for the change, faced criticism that the new laws could lead Japan into unnecessary wars abroad – something the prime minister has rejected.
The Izumo’s deployment follows recent joint exercises conducted by Japan and the US, and other naval developments.
A French amphibious assault ship arrived in south-west Japan on April 29 for an exercise also involving Japanese, US and British naval forces. South Korea has been conducting joint exercises with the US as well.
China last week also launched its second aircraft carrier.
Top Capitol Hill negotiators have reached an agreement on a spending bill to keep the government running until September 30.
The bipartisan deal boosts military spending but does not include funding for President Donald Trump’s proposed wall on the Mexico border.
The reported $1 trillion-deal needs to be approved by lawmakers.
On April 28, Congress approved a stop-gap spending bill that averted a government shutdown at midnight on that day.
That gave Congress one more week to work out federal spending for the last five months of the fiscal year.
Lawmakers are expected to vote on the package in the coming days.
The failure to act would have closed national parks and monuments and laid off federal employees.
The last shutdown, in 2013, lasted for 17 days.
Full details of the agreement on a spending bill are yet to be made public.
Image source Wikimedia
However, media reports that it gives President Donald Trump a $12.5 billion increase in defense spending and another $1.5 billion for border security.
White House proposals to cut popular programs – such as funding medical research and community development grants – were rejected.
Democrats also fended off potential cuts to women’s healthcare provider Planned Parenthood.
New York City will reportedly receive a $68 million boost for local law enforcement, in recompense for the cost of protecting President Trump and his family.
The deal also gives coal miners $1.3 billion in health benefits, which will be funded by a rise in customs fees.
There were a number of key disputes during tense negotiations, and Republicans – who control the Congress, Senate and White House – were forced to make concessions.
Democrats had leverage in the talks because their votes will be needed to pass the bill.
The Senate requires 60 votes to pass legislation, so the 52 Republicans there will need support from at least eight Democrats.
President Donald Trump earlier had to yield to Democratic demands not to include funding for the proposed wall on the US-Mexico border in the spending bill.
Another concession was over ObamaCare, formally known as the Affordable Care Act.
In a statement on April 30, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer called the deal “a good agreement for the American people” that “takes the threat of a government shutdown off the table”.
Chuck Schumer said the measure would increase investment in medical research, education, and infrastructure.
John Czwartacki, a spokesman for the White House Office of Management and Budget, said: “Reports that the package makes a major down payment towards the president’s security priorities are encouraging.”
Eminem has sued New Zealand’s governing over one of his biggest hits it used for a campaign ad.
The rapper says the song, used in the 2014 advert by the National Party, was an unlicensed version of Lose Yourself.
However, the party’s lawyers argue it was not actually Lose Yourself, but a track called Eminem-esque which they bought from a stock music library.
The case began on May 1, with the two tracks played in court.
A lawyer for Eight Mile Style – a publishing group representing the artist – said Lose Yourself was “iconic” and “without doubt the jewel in the crown of Eminem‘s musical work”.
The 2014 ad featured shots of rowers and a voiceover urging people to “keep the team that’s working” and return the National Party to office at the coming election.
The backing track, Eminem-esque, was strikingly similar to Lose Yourself, which appeared in Eminem‘s 2002 film 8 Mile.
It had the same insistent driving rhythm, though did not feature any words.
Image source Flickr
The track had been taken from a library made by production music company Beatbox.
Songs which sound similar to famous tracks – but different enough to avoid breaching copyright – routinely feature in free-to-use commercial music libraries.
However, Eight Mile Style lawyer Gary Williams said the use of the song had been a breach of copyright.
Gary Williams told the court that emails showed some in the National Party campaign team had raised copyright concerns at the time, but decided the composer, not them, would be liable.
That was “just wrong, in law” he said, according to the New Zealand Herald.
Gary Williams said permission had only very rarely been given for use of Lose Yourself.
“When licensed, it can command in the millions of dollars. That’s how valuable it is,” he said.
The National Party denies being responsible for any copyright infringement.
Defense lawyer Greg Arthur said copyright was “not in any way proven by the name given to a piece of music”.
President Donald Trump has attacked the US media during a rally marking 100 days in office.
Donald Trump told supporters in Pennsylvania that he was keeping “one promise after another”, dismissing criticism as “fake news” by “out of touch” journalists.
Earlier, big rallies were held against Donald Trump’s climate change policies.
At the rally in Harrisburg, Donald Trump said the media should be given “a big, fat, failing grade” over their coverage of his achievements during his first 100 days and told the cheering crowd he was “thrilled to be more than 100 miles from Washington”.
The president quipped that at the same time “a large group of Hollywood actors and Washington media are consoling themselves” at the correspondents’ dinner “that will be very boring”.
Turning to his election pledges, President Trump said the first 100 days had been “very exciting and very productive”.
Donald Trump said he was “delivering every single day” by: ending “jobs theft” and bringing them back to the US from overseas; easing regulations on energy exploration, including halting a “war on coal”; pulling out of international deals not beneficial to the US, including the Trans-Pacific Patnership.
The president also said the administration of Barack Obama had resulted in “a mess”, stressing that he was ready for “great battles to come and we will win in every case”.
On climate change, Donald Trump said “a big decision” would be taken within the next two weeks.
He earlier described climate change as a hoax, vowing to pull the US out of the Paris Agreement.
Ahead of the speech, tens of thousands took part in protests across the US against the Trump administration’s stance on climate change. The People’s Climate March was timed to coincide with the 100th day of his presidency.
In Washington, the demonstrators marched from the Capitol to the White House.
Organizers said they wanted to put the climate debate firmly on the agenda for next year’s midterm elections.
He recently hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping and praised him for “trying very hard” on North Korea.
The test came just hours after the UN Security Council had discussed North Korea’s missile program.
Speaking to reporters aboard his plane after a visit to Egypt, Pope Francis said: “There are so many facilitators in the world, there are mediators who offer themselves, such as Norway for example.”
In 2003 six-party talks – involving the two Koreas, the US, China, Japan and Russia – were launched to address concerns over North Korea’s nuclear program. However, Pyongyang withdrew from the negotiations in 2009.
Tensions in the region have increased lately, with both North and South Korea conducting military exercises.
North Korea is believed to be continuing efforts to miniaturize nuclear warheads and fit them on long-range missiles capable of reaching the US.
It is not known what kind of missile was unsuccessfully launched on April 29. However, US officials told Reuters that it was probably a medium-range missile known as a KN-17.
The ban on TV dating shows follows a warning in March by Deputy PM Numan Kurtulmus that the programs do not fit in with Turkish traditions and customs.
“There are some strange programs that would scrap the institution of family, take away its nobility and sanctity,” he said at the time.
However, AKP supporters say dating shows receive thousands of complaints and the ban is in the public interest.
The block on Wikipedia was detected at about 08:00 on April 29, the Turkey Blocks monitoring group said.
Turkey’s Information and Communication Technologies Authority said an “administrative measure” had been taken but did not give details.
According to Turkish media, Wikipedia had been asked to remove content by certain writers whom the authorities accuse of “supporting terror” and of linking Turkey to terror groups.
Wikipedia had not responded to the demands, the daily newspaper Hurriyet said, and the ban was imposed as a result.
A formal court order backing up the provisional order is expected in the coming days.
Responding to the ban, Wikipedia’s founder Jimmy Wales wrote on Twitter: “Access to information is a fundamental human right. Turkish people, I will always stand with you to fight for this right.”
The latest sackings follow the suspension of more than 9,000 police officers and the arrest of 1,000 more on April 26 on suspicion of having links to the US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accuses Fethullah Gulen of instigating the 2016 coup attempt, a charge the cleric denies.
The government said in its Official Gazette that all those fired were suspected of links to “terrorist organizations and structures presenting a threat to national security”.
Turkish authorities have blocked all access inside the country to Wikipedia.
According to officials, “an administrative measure” had been taken, but gave no reason why.
Turkish media said authorities had asked the online encyclopedia to remove content by writers “supporting terror”.
Turkey used to block social media sites, including Facebook and Twitter, for a period of time, usually following protests or terror attacks.
The Turkey Blocks monitoring group said Wikipedia was unreachable from 08:00 local time. People in Istanbul were unable to access any pages without using a Virtual Private Network (VPN).
Image source Wikimedia
Turkey’s Information and Communication Technologies Authority was quoted as saying: “After technical analysis and legal consideration based on the Law Nr. 5651 [governing the internet], an administrative measure has been taken for this website.”
It gave no further details.
However, the Hurriyet newspaper said Wikipedia had been asked to remove content by certain writers whom the authorities accuse of “supporting terror” and of linking Turkey to terror groups. Wikipedia had not responded to the demands, Hurriyet said, and the ban was imposed as a result.
Turkey Blocks and Turkish media, including Hurriyet, said the provisional order would need to be backed by a full court ruling in the next few days.
Social media was in uproar as news of the ban emerged, with some users speculating that it might be a bid to suppress criticism on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Wikipedia page.
President Erdogan narrowly won a controversial April 16 referendum on increasing his powers, but the issue has deeply divided Turkey.
One Twitter user noted that the Wikipedia page on Turkey’s referendum has a section on “controversies and electoral misconduct”, and cites claims that the government suppressed the No campaign through “arrests, control of the media and political suppression”.
The Turkish government has previously denied censoring the internet, blaming outages on spikes in usage after major events.
Wikipedia has also faced censorship in other countries, including a temporary ban in Russia, and repeated crackdowns in China.
According to South Korean and US military officials, North Korea has test-fired another ballistic missile.
The missile exploded shortly after take-off, they said – the second failed launch in the past fortnight.
President Donald Trump accused North Korea of showing “disrespect” towards China and its president.
The missile was fired in the early hours on April 29 from a site in South Pyeongan province, north of Pyongyang, South Korea said.
President Trump wrote on Twitter: “North Korea disrespected the wishes of China & its highly respected President when it launched, though unsuccessfully, a missile today. Bad!”
He recently hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping and praised his Chinese counterpart for “trying very hard” on North Korea.
The failed launch came just hours after the United Nations Security Council discussed North Korea’s missile programme.
Donald Trump‘s Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called for a tougher international approach to the isolated communist state – but also signaled that the US might be prepared to negotiate with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Tensions in the region have increased lately, with both North and South Korea conducting military exercises.
North Korea is believed to be continuing efforts to miniaturize nuclear warheads and fit them on long-range missiles capable of reaching the US.
After April 29 failed launch, the Japanese government condemned the test and said it had lodged a strong protest with North Korea through its diplomatic channels.
“North Korea fired an unidentified missile from a site in the vicinity of Bukchang in Pyeongannam-do (South Pyeongan Province) early this morning,” the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JSC) said in a statement, Yonhap reports.
The statement added that the missile apparently exploded, just seconds after the launch.
Meanwhile, Commander Dave Benham, a spokesman for US Pacific Command, also said the launch occurred near the Bukchang airfield.
Dave Benham added that the missile did not leave North Korean territory.
US officials told Reuters that they believed the missile was a medium-range type known as KN-17.
Rex Tillerson warned of “catastrophic consequences” if the Council did not act, saying it was “likely only a matter of time before North Korea develops the capability to strike the US mainland”.
Rex Tillerson accused Council members of not fully enforcing existing sanctions against North Korea, and called on China in particular to leverage its trade links as influence.
However, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the key to solving the problem did not lie with his country.
UN sanctions include a ban on selling arms and fuel to North Korea, as well as a host of items that could be used for weapons-making.
Also on the list are luxury goods including pearl jewellery and snowmobiles worth $2,000 or more.
Since 2016, all cargo entering or leaving North Korea must also be inspected.
However, a recent UN study found that fragments from a North Korean missile test included electronics that had been obtained either from or via Chinese enterprises.
The US has separate, stricter sanctions including a blanket ban on trade and a blacklist of anyone dealing with North Korea.
President Donald Trump has signed a new executive order aimed at reducing restrictions on oil drilling in the Arctic and Atlantic in order to “unleash American energy”.
He said it would create “thousands and thousands” of jobs, despite a downturn in the oil market.
As he signed the order, called the America-First Offshore Energy Strategy, President Trump said: “Our country’s blessed with incredible natural resources, including abundant offshore oil and natural gas reserves, but the federal government has kept 94% of these offshore areas closed for exploration and production.
“This deprives our country of potentially thousands and thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in wealth.”
The order instructs the Department of Interior to come up with a new development plan for all federal waters off US coasts.
It is debatable how much income might be generated by a reversal of Barack Obama’s order. Worldwide prices for oil have dropped in recent years, with a review by news agency Reuters finding the amount of money oil companies spent in the central Gulf of Mexico’s annual lease sale dropped by more than 75% between 2012 and 2017.
Speaking to the UN Security Council, Rex Tillerson said the US would use diplomatic and financial measures against North Korea – including potential sanctions on companies or individuals with ties to North Korea – but would be willing to consider military action if necessary.
For years, he said, North Korea had dictated the terms of its dangerous course of action.
“It’s time for us to retake control of the situation,” he said.
“The threat of a North Korean nuclear attack on Seoul or Tokyo is real, and it is likely only a matter of time before North Korea develops the capability to strike the US mainland.”
The foreign minister of China, North Korea’s greatest ally, warned against military intervention.
“The use of force does not solve differences and will only lead to bigger disasters,” Wang Yi said.
“Peaceful settlement of the nuclear issue on the Korean peninsula through dialogue and negotiations represents the only right choice that is practical and viable,” he added.
Wang Yi also repeated a Chinese offer to halt Pyongyang’s military program in return for a freeze on joint US-South Korea military drills.
The US has rejected the idea in the past, saying the nuclear program must be halted first.
Russia said use of force would be “completely unacceptable”. Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov also called on North Korea to end its nuclear and missile programs.
“The combative rhetoric coupled with reckless muscle-flexing has led to a situation where the whole world seriously is now wondering whether there’s going to be a war or not,” he told the Security Council.
“One ill-thought-out or misinterpreted step could lead to the most frightening and lamentable consequences.”
An arrest warrant has been issued in Thailand for Red Bull heir Vorayuth Yoovidhya, in a move critics say is long overdue.
Vorayuth Yoovidhya is accused of knocking down and killing a policeman while speeding in Bangkok in 2012.
He has repeatedly failed to meet police to face charges, which include reckless driving causing death.
The closely watched case has fuelled criticism that Thailand‘s elite enjoy special treatment by the authorities.
Vorayuth Yoovidhya is the grandson of Chaleo Yoovidhya, who co-founded the Red Bull empire with Austrian Dietrich Mateschitz.
Image source EPA
He was first arrested shortly after the incident and later let go.
Vorayuth Yoovidhya was subsequently summoned repeatedly to face charges, but each time his lawyers said he was unable to do so, citing overseas work commitments and illness. A charge for speeding has since expired.
Thai prosecutors asked police to request the arrest warrant after Vorayuth Yoovidhya failed to meet another deadline on April 27.
If found guilty of reckless driving causing death – a charge which expires in 2027 – Vorayuth Yoovidhya could be jailed for up to 10 years.
Many Thais have questioned why the police have not tried to arrest Vorayuth Yoovidhya before now to face charges.
Before the arrest warrant was issued, the office of the attorney-general said it would explore applying for extradition of Vorayuth Yoovidhya, who it said was recently seen in London, if a warrant was issued.
Meanwhile economists blame that trend on the way the data is collected.
Nancy Curtin, chief investment officer at Close Brothers Asset Management, said: “US GDP figures are typically weaker in the first quarter, so this reading is in line with the seasonal trend.
“We haven’t yet had the expected fiscal stimulus from Trump, the effects of which may not be seen until the end of this year or the start of 2018.”
Nancy Curtin also pointed out that other data suggested strength in the US economy: “While investors might be disappointed with the reading, it has been a steady start to the year with inflation looking benign, a resilient jobs market and positive PMI [purchasing managers’] data.”
Alexei Navalny has been hospitalized after an antiseptic green dye was splashed on his face in Moscow.
It is the second time the Russian opposition leader has been attacked with zelyonka (“brilliant green” in English) this year.
The dye is a common antiseptic in Russia and has been used in protests there and in Ukraine.
Alexei Navalny tweeted: “It looks funny but it hurts like hell.”
It is not clear who carried out the attack, which happened near the offices of the Anti-Corruption Fund (FBK) that Alexei Navalny founded.
Image source Twitter
According to a Russian report, he was diagnosed with a chemical burn to the eye.
Alexei Navalny is one of the foremost Russian critics of President Vladimir Putin and has announced his intention to run for president himself.
However, his intentions may be thwarted – he has been convicted of embezzlement, which would bar him from running for office, although he denies it.
Alexei Navalny was among 500 people arrested after organizing an anti-corruption rally last month. Rallies across Russia were the biggest opposition demonstrations in the country in several years.
He has said repeatedly that he wants to challenge President Putin’s control of the Kremlin and expose what he claims is the “myth” that Putin commands more than 80% popular support.
Meanwhile a separate opposition group, Open Russia, says its office has been raided by police, a day after the group was blacklisted by the authorities.
Activists said more than 20 riot police raided the office and removed computer equipment and 100,000 flyers for an unsanctioned rally planned for this weekend.
Open Russia was founded by former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who lives in exile after spending 10 years in a Siberian prison on fraud charges, which he says were politically motivated.
It’s not secret that medical issues and visits to the doctors or hospital can cost a small fortune. A lot of people dread the day that they will have to visit a place like this. But, of course, sometimes you don’t have a choice. Health is more important than money. This doesn’t make any difference to the industry, though. So, for now, at least, you’ll have to start finding ways to make this cheaper for yourself. This isn’t impossible. And, it doesn’t even have to be that hard. To help you out, this post will be going through some of the best ways to make your medical expenses much cheaper.
One of the best ways to solve this issue is with prior planning. Often, medical procedures can cost a fortune. But, having yourself insured against them will make take the worry of cost away completely. A lot of people don’t think that they can afford this sort of cover. But, if you have the funds to go out for a meal at a restaurant each month; you have the fund and resources to get basic medical insurance. Choosing the right cover is very important. Some will only protect you against a small amount of money. And, anything over will have to be covered by you. So, it’s worth looking up the average costs of different issues; to find where you would feel most comfortable.
Some issues won’t require a trip to the hospital or any time in surgery. Instead, they can be handled with simple visits to a doctor. Of course, this will still cost you money. And, if you don’t have insurance; it will cost loads over time. With some conditions, it’s easy to scale back the time you spend at the doctors. You can use the treatments they provide and administer them yourself. Or, you can even find your own treatments. The array of conditions that can be treated like this with safety is huge. Using resources online, you can find information like the fact that angular cheilitis can be treated at home with these remedies. A lot of people choose to avoid these sorts of treatments; thinking they’re bad. But, with the right research, it’s easy to find credible information that can save loads of cash.
Getting your treatments from your government will often be a costly ordeal. The prices of medicines are hugely inflated; simply because companies can get away with it. But, there are often cheaper routes to get your medication. In response to high prices, smaller pharma companies have started producing their own versions of medicines. These are sold at a much more reasonable price. And, often contain an almost identical mix of chemicals. So, you know that they’ll work, without having to worry about paying too much for them. It’s wise to talk to a doctor before starting to take something like this, though. Along with this, you should do plenty of personal research.
Hopefully, this will give you a good idea of what needs to be done to make sure you don’t shrink your wallet to the point of no return with your medical bills. As mentioned above; life is much more important than money. So, if you have to pay loads of a treatment, and there’s no other option; you should just do it.
A career in nursing does not get the kind of respectful consideration that it should. They are by far the most numerous professionals in the medical field, but many fail to understand just how far a nurse’s career can go. If you are interested in becoming a nurse, read here to learn about accelerated nursing programs, but if you’ve already started your education or work experience as a nurse, then you are already benefiting from a job that does real good, that always has need of you, and offers benefits like a well-above average wage and flexible work arrangements. But if you want to climb that ladder, it can offer even more.
Many think that a hospital is the only place for a nurse to work in, but there are a much broader variety of opportunities and work environments available than that. A comprehensive look at the data from Arizona College shows that only 63% work in hospitals. The rest are spread between a diversity of different roles in different institutions. Care facilities, outpatient centers, schools, residences, with HR teams, you could end up playing an essential role in all kinds of industries. Each work environment has something different to offer so you don’t have to feel like you can only work in one kind of environment if it doesn’t suit you as a person.
A lot more progression than you might think
There are also many who make the mistake of believing that there’s little room for progression as a nurse. That is demonstrably untrue. There’s room to keep educating yourself and keep moving up to positions that are both more challenging and more lucrative. Many work happily with an RN diploma all their life, but there are positions for those moving into bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, and even doctorates like the Doctor of Nursing Practice qualifications available at Maryville Online. With a DNP, many more career opportunities, such as working as an anesthetist in the operating room and as a psychiatric nurse, become real options for you. Nursing gets a lot more specialized the further you decide to take your career.
Get to the core of nursing
It’s more than just a job or a role in an institution. Nursing is a craft and a vocation all of its own. To that end, it should be no surprise there are networks of nurses looking into research and practices that can help the industry as a whole progress. There’s a lot to learn and also a lot to gain by networking as a nurse. Besides informing you as to possibilities, it can open new opportunities for your career. Networking gives you the opportunity to be part of something much bigger than just yourself alone but it also gives you the chance to give your career a real boost.
Nurses are a vital part of our healthcare system and those with the hunger to make it should know that there are plenty of new environments to work in, new positions to be attained and new contacts who can make you a true expert in your field.
President Donald Trump’s strategy on North Korea is to tighten sanctions on the secretive country and step up diplomatic moves aimed at pressuring it to end its nuclear and missile programs.
The strategy was announced after a special briefing for all 100 US senators.
A joint statement issued by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said: “The United States seeks stability and the peaceful denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.
“We remain open to negotiations towards that goal. However, we remain prepared to defend ourselves and our allies.
“The president’s approach aims to pressure North Korea into dismantling its nuclear, ballistic missile, and proliferation programs by tightening economic sanctions and pursuing diplomatic measures with our allies and regional partners.”
The US already has extensive sanctions in place on North Korea, including a blanket ban on trade and a blacklist of anyone dealing with North Korea.
It is not clear what further sanctions the US could impose.
Democratic Senator Christopher Coons told reporters that military options were discussed at the special presidential briefing for senators.
“It was a sobering briefing in which it was clear just how much thought and planning was going into preparing military options if called for – and a diplomatic strategy that strikes me as clear-eyed and well-proportioned to the threat,” he said.
President Trump’s predecessor, Barack Obama, imposed sanctions over a year ago following a nuclear test and satellite launch by North Korea.
North Korean government property in America was frozen and US exports to, or investment in, North Korea was banned.
The order also greatly expanded powers to blacklist anyone, including non-Americans, dealing with North Korea.
The senators received a highly unusual briefing by the Trump administration on the seriousness of the threat from North Korea and Donald Trump’s strategy for dealing with it on April 26.
Earlier Admiral Harry Harris, head of US Pacific Command, said the US would be ready “with the best technology” to defeat any missile threat.
The deployment of Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in South Korea was aimed, he argued, at bringing North Korean leader Kim Jong-un “to his senses, not to his knees”.
Admiral Harry Harris said he believed that North Korea would try to attack the US as soon as it had the military capabilities.
China says the deployment of THAAD will destabilize security and there have been protests in South Korea itself, where three people were injured in clashes with police as the system was being delivered to a former golf course on April 26.
