What to Know About Suspected YouTube Shooter Nasim Aghdam
By MAHITA GAJANAN and ELI MEIXLER Updated: April 4, 2018 6:38 AM ET | Originally published: April 3, 2018
One person died and three were injured in a shooting reported Tuesday at YouTube’s headquarters in San Bruno, Calif.
Law enforcement officials identified the shooter as 39-year-old Nasim Aghdam of San Diego, according to the Associated Press, but little is known about her motive. San Bruno police said there is no evidence that the shooter was previously acquainted with any of the victims. Two unnamed law enforcement officials previously said that the shooting was being investigated as a domestic dispute.
The shooter, who was found dead by law enforcement Tuesday, wore glasses and a scarf and carried a “big huge pistol,” according to a YouTube employee who witnessed the incident from a second-floor window.
YouTube employees said they heard shots and saw people running on social media Tuesday afternoon. San Bruno police said they saw employees fleeing the headquarters upon arriving to the area and found one gunshot victim toward the front of the building. Two other shooting victims were found in adjacent businesses. Four victims were transported to local hospitals, police said, including a 36-year-old man who was in critical condition. One of those people, who did not suffer a gunshot wound, was treated for an ankle injury.
San Bruno police said they found Aghdam, who died of what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, at 12:53 p.m. in a courtyard area inside the YouTube complex.
Nasim Aghdam, who opened fire at YouTube headquarters in San Buno, Calif. on April 3, 2018, seen in an undated photo provided by the San Bruno Police Department.
Nasim Aghdam, who opened fire at YouTube headquarters in San Buno, Calif. on April 3, 2018, seen in an undated photo provided by the San Bruno Police Department. San Bruno Police Department—AP
Aghdam was an animal rights activist, according to AP, who participated in a 2009 protest with the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) in Oceanside, California. She was also a prolific YouTube user, posting videos on a range of topics from multiple accounts, according to a report by NBC’s Bay Area Investigative Unit. In a video posted in January, Aghdam alleged that the company “discriminated and filtered” her videos to reduce their number of views; she also published rants attacking the company on her personal website.
Afghdam’s father, Ismail Aghdam, said that he told police earlier this week that Nasim was “angry” at YouTube and “hated” the company. Aghdam had reported his daughter missing on Monday, and early Tuesday morning was informed that she had been found sleeping in her car in Mountain View, about an hour from YouTube’s San Bruno headquarters. Ismail said he warned the police that she might be headed toward YouTube.
The majority of shootings are perpetrated by men, according to a 2014 FBI study of 160 “active shooter incidents” that took place in the U.S. between 2000 and 2013. Women were the shooters in just six of the incidents studied, according to the FBI.
Wednesday, April 4, 2018
Specter of Full Trade War Returns to Batter Stocks: Markets Wrap - Bloomberg
Specter of Full Trade War Returns to Batter Stocks: Markets Wrap
April 4, 2018, 8:35 AM GMT+10 Updated on April 4, 2018, 8:36 PM GMT+10
U.S. equity futures slump as protectionist moves intensify
Treasuries, European bonds advance; yen gains with gold
China’s response to U.S. tariffs is "smaller than it could have been," says Algebris’s Alberto Gallo.
Fears of a trade war between the world’s two largest economies returned to haunt markets on Wednesday, sending U.S. stock futures tumbling and sinking European and Asian equities. Treasuries climbed while the dollar was steady, and gold jumped.
Hopes that Tuesday’s gains in U.S. equity markets would lead to a more lasting rebound foundered as contracts for the S&P 500, Nasdaq 100 and Dow all slumped alongside both the Stoxx Europe 600 Index and the MSCI Asia Pacific Index. China said it would levy 25 percent tariffs on imports of 106 U.S. products including soybeans, automobiles, chemicals and aircraft, in response to proposed American duties on its high-tech goods. Safe-haven assets including bullion and the Japanese yen rallied, while European bonds tracked the jump in Treasuries.
Terminal users can follow the escalating trade tensions in our live blog.
Markets have been buffeted in recent weeks by everything from a volatility spike and a tech selloff to fears of an all-out trade war, and developments on Wednesday suggest there may be more turbulence to come. Investors are having to weigh the growing protectionist rhetoric between the U.S. and China against the chances of measures having a meaningful effect on the still-upbeat global growth picture.
“Trade uncertainty is the main headwind to the market,” Charles St-Arnaud, an investment strategist at Lombard Odier Asset Management in London, said by phone. “At this juncture we need to be careful. The macro picture hasn’t changed massively yet. Growth remains robust, unless we go into a bigger trade war.”
The trade spat won’t escalate and earnings will stay on track, says JPMorgan Asset Management’s Karen Ward.
Source: Bloomberg
Elsewhere inflation data from Europe matched estimates, and the euro stayed higher. West Texas oil fell as commodities were roiled by the growing trade dispute, while emerging-market stocks tumbled and their currencies dropped.
“This is a tricky one for markets,” said Thomas Thygesen, SEB AB’s head of cross-asset strategy in Copenhagen. “This inherent unpredictability will weigh on global economic growth. Sentiment is quite negative and the one thing that could change this is some sort of signal from central banks that they are willing to adapt their hawkish tone.”
Here are some key events coming up this week:
U.S. employment data are due Friday; the jobless rate probably fell in March after holding at 4.1 percent for five straight months.
The Reserve Bank of India decides on policy Thursday.
These are the main moves in markets:
Stocks
The Stoxx Europe 600 Index sank 1.2 percent as of 11:33 a.m. London time on the largest tumble in almost two weeks.
Futures on the S&P 500 Index declined 1.9 percent to the lowest in more than five months.
The MSCI All-Country World Index dipped 0.4 percent.
The U.K.’s FTSE 100 Index sank 0.7 percent to the lowest in more than a week on the biggest dip in almost two weeks.
Germany’s DAX Index sank 1.7 percent to the lowest in more than a week on the largest tumble in more than a week.
The MSCI Emerging Market Index fell 1.7 percent to the lowest in almost eight weeks on the biggest fall in a week.
The MSCI Asia Pacific Index fell 0.6 percent to the lowest in almost eight weeks.
Currencies
The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index increased less than 0.05 percent to the highest in a week.
The euro gained 0.1 percent to $1.2284.
The British pound fell 0.1 percent to $1.4037.
The Japanese yen jumped 0.5 percent to 106.06 per dollar, the largest climb in almost two weeks.
Bonds
The yield on 10-year Treasuries declined two basis points to 2.75 percent.
Germany’s 10-year yield dipped two basis points to 0.48 percent, the lowest in 12 weeks.
Britain’s 10-year yield declined two basis points to 1.359 percent, the lowest in almost 11 weeks.
Commodities
West Texas Intermediate crude decreased 1.9 percent to $62.31 a barrel, the lowest in more than two weeks.
Copper sank 2.5 percent to $2.99 a pound and the biggest tumble in eight weeks.
Gold increased 0.8 percent to $1,343.36 an ounce, the highest in more than a week.
The Bloomberg Commodity Index decreased 1.3 percent to 85.91, the lowest in almost eight weeks on the biggest tumble in almost eight weeks.
— With assistance by Andreea Papuc, Sofia Horta E Costa, and Sheldon Reback
April 4, 2018, 8:35 AM GMT+10 Updated on April 4, 2018, 8:36 PM GMT+10
U.S. equity futures slump as protectionist moves intensify
Treasuries, European bonds advance; yen gains with gold
China’s response to U.S. tariffs is "smaller than it could have been," says Algebris’s Alberto Gallo.
Fears of a trade war between the world’s two largest economies returned to haunt markets on Wednesday, sending U.S. stock futures tumbling and sinking European and Asian equities. Treasuries climbed while the dollar was steady, and gold jumped.
Hopes that Tuesday’s gains in U.S. equity markets would lead to a more lasting rebound foundered as contracts for the S&P 500, Nasdaq 100 and Dow all slumped alongside both the Stoxx Europe 600 Index and the MSCI Asia Pacific Index. China said it would levy 25 percent tariffs on imports of 106 U.S. products including soybeans, automobiles, chemicals and aircraft, in response to proposed American duties on its high-tech goods. Safe-haven assets including bullion and the Japanese yen rallied, while European bonds tracked the jump in Treasuries.
Terminal users can follow the escalating trade tensions in our live blog.
Markets have been buffeted in recent weeks by everything from a volatility spike and a tech selloff to fears of an all-out trade war, and developments on Wednesday suggest there may be more turbulence to come. Investors are having to weigh the growing protectionist rhetoric between the U.S. and China against the chances of measures having a meaningful effect on the still-upbeat global growth picture.
“Trade uncertainty is the main headwind to the market,” Charles St-Arnaud, an investment strategist at Lombard Odier Asset Management in London, said by phone. “At this juncture we need to be careful. The macro picture hasn’t changed massively yet. Growth remains robust, unless we go into a bigger trade war.”
The trade spat won’t escalate and earnings will stay on track, says JPMorgan Asset Management’s Karen Ward.
Source: Bloomberg
Elsewhere inflation data from Europe matched estimates, and the euro stayed higher. West Texas oil fell as commodities were roiled by the growing trade dispute, while emerging-market stocks tumbled and their currencies dropped.
“This is a tricky one for markets,” said Thomas Thygesen, SEB AB’s head of cross-asset strategy in Copenhagen. “This inherent unpredictability will weigh on global economic growth. Sentiment is quite negative and the one thing that could change this is some sort of signal from central banks that they are willing to adapt their hawkish tone.”
Here are some key events coming up this week:
U.S. employment data are due Friday; the jobless rate probably fell in March after holding at 4.1 percent for five straight months.
The Reserve Bank of India decides on policy Thursday.
These are the main moves in markets:
Stocks
The Stoxx Europe 600 Index sank 1.2 percent as of 11:33 a.m. London time on the largest tumble in almost two weeks.
Futures on the S&P 500 Index declined 1.9 percent to the lowest in more than five months.
The MSCI All-Country World Index dipped 0.4 percent.
The U.K.’s FTSE 100 Index sank 0.7 percent to the lowest in more than a week on the biggest dip in almost two weeks.
Germany’s DAX Index sank 1.7 percent to the lowest in more than a week on the largest tumble in more than a week.
The MSCI Emerging Market Index fell 1.7 percent to the lowest in almost eight weeks on the biggest fall in a week.
The MSCI Asia Pacific Index fell 0.6 percent to the lowest in almost eight weeks.
Currencies
The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index increased less than 0.05 percent to the highest in a week.
The euro gained 0.1 percent to $1.2284.
The British pound fell 0.1 percent to $1.4037.
The Japanese yen jumped 0.5 percent to 106.06 per dollar, the largest climb in almost two weeks.
Bonds
The yield on 10-year Treasuries declined two basis points to 2.75 percent.
Germany’s 10-year yield dipped two basis points to 0.48 percent, the lowest in 12 weeks.
Britain’s 10-year yield declined two basis points to 1.359 percent, the lowest in almost 11 weeks.
Commodities
West Texas Intermediate crude decreased 1.9 percent to $62.31 a barrel, the lowest in more than two weeks.
Copper sank 2.5 percent to $2.99 a pound and the biggest tumble in eight weeks.
Gold increased 0.8 percent to $1,343.36 an ounce, the highest in more than a week.
The Bloomberg Commodity Index decreased 1.3 percent to 85.91, the lowest in almost eight weeks on the biggest tumble in almost eight weeks.
— With assistance by Andreea Papuc, Sofia Horta E Costa, and Sheldon Reback
Migrants at U.S.-Mexico border say Trump's tough talk won't deter them - Reuters
APRIL 4, 2018 / 8:11 PM / UPDATED 17 MINUTES AGO
Migrants at U.S.-Mexico border say Trump's tough talk won't deter them
Mica Rosenberg
MISSION, Texas (Reuters) - On Tuesday, the same day that U.S. President Donald Trump announced his intention to deploy military to help patrol the U.S.-Mexico border, Edwin Valdez and four other Central American migrants were walking through dense brush at a south Texas wildlife reserve, hoping to escape notice.
A border patrol agent apprehends immigrants who illegally crossed the border from Mexico into the U.S. in the Rio Grande Valley sector, near McAllen, Texas, U.S., April 3, 2018.
The men had illegally crossed into the United States that morning, guided by a smuggler who had since abandoned them. Now they were lost and uncertain how to proceed.
In vehicles nearby, U.S. Border Patrol agents had been alerted to migrants moving through the area, and after detecting movement in the bushes, they swooped in to arrest the men.
It was business as usual in the Rio Grande Valley, one of the busiest crossing points for migrants trying to enter the United States illegally.
In just a few hours that morning, 61 migrants, including Valdez, were rounded up in the area. Ten, including four from China, were caught with the help of a tracking dog in a sugar cane field. Two Hondurans were taken into custody at a public park.
Several of those caught said they were unfazed by tough talk from Trump, who has made headlines around the world with tweets railing about border security and threatening to end the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) unless Mexico does more to “stop the big drug and people flows.”
Trump’s renewed frustration about border security, rekindled over the weekend by news of a “caravan” of Central American migrants moving through Mexico toward the U.S. border, reflects the broader frustration of his administration.
In the months after Trump took office, the number of migrants caught along the U.S.-Mexico border fell dramatically, hitting a low of about 15,700 in April, from more than 42,400 in January 2017, U.S. Customs and Border Protection data shows.
Border patrol agents apprehend immigrants who illegally crossed the border from Mexico into the U.S. in the Rio Grande Valley sector, near McAllen, Texas, U.S., April 3, 2018. REUTERS/Loren Elliott
But arrests have crept back up since, and in the first months of 2018 have reached levels at, or near, those seen during the last year of his predecessor, President Barack Obama.
Rising arrests of families and unaccompanied minors along the border are a particular concern.
In March, their numbers surpassed the previous three years and “rivaled fiscal year 2014, when we had a crisis,” Manuel Padilla, chief of the border patrol’s Rio Grande Valley sector, said in an interview with Reuters.
He said about families with children, who are more difficult to deport quickly, form about 49 percent of the current apprehensions in his region. He said they often walk up to the first U.S. officials they find to ask for help.
“It doesn’t matter how many agents are out there,” when it comes to families, he said, “because this population is turning themselves in.”
REVOLVING DOOR
Valdez, 20, who worked as an electrician’s assistant in his home country of El Salvador, said he previously tried to cross the border illegally in 2016.
But he was picked up by border patrol officers after wandering lost and dehydrated in the desert for four days. After six months in detention, he was deported last year, but decided to travel north again after gangs threatened him at his job.
While crossing has become more and more difficult in recent years, Valdez said, need is a powerful spur.
“Necessity forces people to leave their countries so they can bring a better life to their families,” he said. “That’s why people are willing to suffer through all this.”
Slideshow (10 Images)
After his arrest on Monday, Valdez put his personal belongings in a plastic bag, removed his shoelaces and was searched by the agents who arrested him. Then he and his companions were taken to a processing facility.
People who have been previously deported can often be quickly sent home.
Immigrants traveling with small children when caught often spend only a few days in custody, however, because of a shortage of detention facilities suitable for families and court settlements that preclude prolonged detention of minors.
In the Rio Grande Valley, parents are often released with electronic ankle monitors and ordered to appear with their children in court on a specific date for deportation proceedings. Trump has railed against the practice, which he calls “catch and release.”
For migrants like Jose Romero, 27, who made the harrowing days-long trip through Mexico with his 8-year-old daughter in the back of a dark cargo truck, threats from the president are little deterrent.
In his mountain home in Honduras, Romero made just $4 a day as a farm laborer, not enough to feed his family of five, he said. After his arrest and subsequent release to wait court proceedings, he said he doubted if migrants can be deterred.
“They will keep coming,” he said, because of violence and poverty south of the border. “The people are afraid.”
Reporting by Mica Rosenberg; Editing by Sue Horton and Clarence Fernandez
Migrants at U.S.-Mexico border say Trump's tough talk won't deter them
Mica Rosenberg
MISSION, Texas (Reuters) - On Tuesday, the same day that U.S. President Donald Trump announced his intention to deploy military to help patrol the U.S.-Mexico border, Edwin Valdez and four other Central American migrants were walking through dense brush at a south Texas wildlife reserve, hoping to escape notice.
A border patrol agent apprehends immigrants who illegally crossed the border from Mexico into the U.S. in the Rio Grande Valley sector, near McAllen, Texas, U.S., April 3, 2018.
The men had illegally crossed into the United States that morning, guided by a smuggler who had since abandoned them. Now they were lost and uncertain how to proceed.
In vehicles nearby, U.S. Border Patrol agents had been alerted to migrants moving through the area, and after detecting movement in the bushes, they swooped in to arrest the men.
It was business as usual in the Rio Grande Valley, one of the busiest crossing points for migrants trying to enter the United States illegally.
In just a few hours that morning, 61 migrants, including Valdez, were rounded up in the area. Ten, including four from China, were caught with the help of a tracking dog in a sugar cane field. Two Hondurans were taken into custody at a public park.
Several of those caught said they were unfazed by tough talk from Trump, who has made headlines around the world with tweets railing about border security and threatening to end the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) unless Mexico does more to “stop the big drug and people flows.”
Trump’s renewed frustration about border security, rekindled over the weekend by news of a “caravan” of Central American migrants moving through Mexico toward the U.S. border, reflects the broader frustration of his administration.
In the months after Trump took office, the number of migrants caught along the U.S.-Mexico border fell dramatically, hitting a low of about 15,700 in April, from more than 42,400 in January 2017, U.S. Customs and Border Protection data shows.
Border patrol agents apprehend immigrants who illegally crossed the border from Mexico into the U.S. in the Rio Grande Valley sector, near McAllen, Texas, U.S., April 3, 2018. REUTERS/Loren Elliott
But arrests have crept back up since, and in the first months of 2018 have reached levels at, or near, those seen during the last year of his predecessor, President Barack Obama.
Rising arrests of families and unaccompanied minors along the border are a particular concern.
In March, their numbers surpassed the previous three years and “rivaled fiscal year 2014, when we had a crisis,” Manuel Padilla, chief of the border patrol’s Rio Grande Valley sector, said in an interview with Reuters.
He said about families with children, who are more difficult to deport quickly, form about 49 percent of the current apprehensions in his region. He said they often walk up to the first U.S. officials they find to ask for help.
“It doesn’t matter how many agents are out there,” when it comes to families, he said, “because this population is turning themselves in.”
REVOLVING DOOR
Valdez, 20, who worked as an electrician’s assistant in his home country of El Salvador, said he previously tried to cross the border illegally in 2016.
But he was picked up by border patrol officers after wandering lost and dehydrated in the desert for four days. After six months in detention, he was deported last year, but decided to travel north again after gangs threatened him at his job.
While crossing has become more and more difficult in recent years, Valdez said, need is a powerful spur.
“Necessity forces people to leave their countries so they can bring a better life to their families,” he said. “That’s why people are willing to suffer through all this.”
Slideshow (10 Images)
After his arrest on Monday, Valdez put his personal belongings in a plastic bag, removed his shoelaces and was searched by the agents who arrested him. Then he and his companions were taken to a processing facility.
People who have been previously deported can often be quickly sent home.
Immigrants traveling with small children when caught often spend only a few days in custody, however, because of a shortage of detention facilities suitable for families and court settlements that preclude prolonged detention of minors.
In the Rio Grande Valley, parents are often released with electronic ankle monitors and ordered to appear with their children in court on a specific date for deportation proceedings. Trump has railed against the practice, which he calls “catch and release.”
For migrants like Jose Romero, 27, who made the harrowing days-long trip through Mexico with his 8-year-old daughter in the back of a dark cargo truck, threats from the president are little deterrent.
In his mountain home in Honduras, Romero made just $4 a day as a farm laborer, not enough to feed his family of five, he said. After his arrest and subsequent release to wait court proceedings, he said he doubted if migrants can be deterred.
“They will keep coming,” he said, because of violence and poverty south of the border. “The people are afraid.”
Reporting by Mica Rosenberg; Editing by Sue Horton and Clarence Fernandez
Mueller claims Trump is not criminal target in his investigation, report says - Fox News
3/4/2018
Mueller claims Trump is not criminal target in his investigation, report says
By Samuel Chamberlain | Fox News
Report: Mueller says Trump is not a criminal target
The Washington Post reports the special counsel told Trump's legal team the president remains a subject of the Russian investigation.
Special counsel Robert Mueller told President Trump's attorneys last month that he does not consider Trump to be a criminal target in his investigation of Russian actions during the 2016 campaign, The Washington Post reported Tuesday night.
The paper, citing "three people familiar with the discussions," reported that Mueller made the comments while negotiating with Trump's attorneys about a potential interview with the president. The Post also reported -- citing "two people with knowledge of the conversations" -- that Mueller reiterated his need to interview Trump to determine whether the president intended to halt the Russia investigation while in office.
According to the Post, Trump has "privately expressed relief" at Mueller's description of his legal status, but some advisers have warned that the special counsel may be baiting the president into letting his guard down for any interview.
Mueller also has said he needs to interview Trump in order to complete a report he will present to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who is overseeing the investigation and who could decide to make Mueller's report public.
The report added that John Dowd resigned from Trump's legal team last month after the president ignored Dowd's advice to decline Mueller's request for an interview.
According to the Post, Trump's other attorneys -- Ty Cobb and Jay Sekulow -- have told the president that refusing to sit down with Mueller would create an awkward situation since the president has repeatedly described the Russian investigation as a "witch hunt."
Mueller claims Trump is not criminal target in his investigation, report says
By Samuel Chamberlain | Fox News
Report: Mueller says Trump is not a criminal target
The Washington Post reports the special counsel told Trump's legal team the president remains a subject of the Russian investigation.
Special counsel Robert Mueller told President Trump's attorneys last month that he does not consider Trump to be a criminal target in his investigation of Russian actions during the 2016 campaign, The Washington Post reported Tuesday night.
The paper, citing "three people familiar with the discussions," reported that Mueller made the comments while negotiating with Trump's attorneys about a potential interview with the president. The Post also reported -- citing "two people with knowledge of the conversations" -- that Mueller reiterated his need to interview Trump to determine whether the president intended to halt the Russia investigation while in office.
According to the Post, Trump has "privately expressed relief" at Mueller's description of his legal status, but some advisers have warned that the special counsel may be baiting the president into letting his guard down for any interview.
Mueller also has said he needs to interview Trump in order to complete a report he will present to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who is overseeing the investigation and who could decide to make Mueller's report public.
The report added that John Dowd resigned from Trump's legal team last month after the president ignored Dowd's advice to decline Mueller's request for an interview.
According to the Post, Trump's other attorneys -- Ty Cobb and Jay Sekulow -- have told the president that refusing to sit down with Mueller would create an awkward situation since the president has repeatedly described the Russian investigation as a "witch hunt."
Five Star Wants a Coalition Deal With Anyone But Berlusconi - Bloomberg
Five Star Wants a Coalition Deal With Anyone But Berlusconi
April 4, 2018, 6:48 PM GMT+10
Di Maio blackballs Berlusconi sparking clash with center-right
President Mattarella in two days of talks with party leaders
Bloomberg’s John Follain discusses efforts to form Italy’s Next government.
The anti-establishment Five Star Movement said it’s ready to go into government with any of Italy’s major parties -- except Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia.
As Italy’s president starts talks with political leaders in a bid to break a monthlong deadlock, Five Star leader Luigi Di Maio proposed a government contract with either his fellow populists of the League or the ruling Democratic Party, in an interview with La7 television on Tuesday night, but he also set out his red line: no deal with Berlusconi. Di Maio insisted that he should be premier, a claim that puts him at odds with Matteo Salvini, leader of the anti-immigrant League.
Luigi Di MaioPhotographer: Alessia Pierdomenico/Bloomberg
While Five Star is the biggest single party in the new parliament, the center-right alliance led by the League has the most seats overall. Both Di Maio and Salvini have claimed a mandate to lead the next government, though neither has a majority.
“Salvini has to choose between revolution or restoration,” Di Maio said. “He has to decide whether to ditch Berlusconi and start to change Italy, or stay stuck to Berlusconi and not change anything.”
President Sergio Mattarella, whose task it is to nominate a new premier, meets party leaders on Wednesday and Thursday, his first consultations since general elections a month ago. Mattarella is unlikely to designate a premier after this week’s talks, and may hold a new round next week, according to a senior state official.
Political Brinkmanship
Di Maio’s remarks did nothing to break the impasse, sparking instead a clash with Salvini’s center-right bloc, in which Berlusconi is a junior partner. Five Star sees Berlusconi, who is banned from public office until next year because of a 2013 tax-fraud conviction, as a symbol of the corrupt political class it rebels against.
Salvini wrote in a Facebook post that he won’t get involved with the Democrats, since they were “rejected by the Italians.” He added the center-right had won most votes “and that is the starting point.” Salvini has ruled out breaking with his bloc to join Five Star.
European Parliament head Antonio Tajani, who was Berlusconi’s pick for prime minister before the elections, accused Di Maio of “anti-democratic methods” in an interview with RAI radio Wednesday, adding he “fails to show respect for the almost five million citizens” who voted for Forza Italia.
The center-left Democratic Party also swiftly snubbed Di Maio after he said it must choose whether to stay in opposition. Di Maio said former leader Matteo Renzi had ruled out a role in the next government “to spite me and Five Star.”
“Dear Luigi Di Maio, we don’t lend ourselves to these little games: whoever tries to divide the PD won’t succeed,” acting party leader Maurizio Martina said in a post on Twitter. His party however is divided on whether to take part in government, and faces a leadership contest in coming weeks.
April 4, 2018, 6:48 PM GMT+10
Di Maio blackballs Berlusconi sparking clash with center-right
President Mattarella in two days of talks with party leaders
Bloomberg’s John Follain discusses efforts to form Italy’s Next government.
The anti-establishment Five Star Movement said it’s ready to go into government with any of Italy’s major parties -- except Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia.
As Italy’s president starts talks with political leaders in a bid to break a monthlong deadlock, Five Star leader Luigi Di Maio proposed a government contract with either his fellow populists of the League or the ruling Democratic Party, in an interview with La7 television on Tuesday night, but he also set out his red line: no deal with Berlusconi. Di Maio insisted that he should be premier, a claim that puts him at odds with Matteo Salvini, leader of the anti-immigrant League.
Luigi Di MaioPhotographer: Alessia Pierdomenico/Bloomberg
While Five Star is the biggest single party in the new parliament, the center-right alliance led by the League has the most seats overall. Both Di Maio and Salvini have claimed a mandate to lead the next government, though neither has a majority.
“Salvini has to choose between revolution or restoration,” Di Maio said. “He has to decide whether to ditch Berlusconi and start to change Italy, or stay stuck to Berlusconi and not change anything.”
President Sergio Mattarella, whose task it is to nominate a new premier, meets party leaders on Wednesday and Thursday, his first consultations since general elections a month ago. Mattarella is unlikely to designate a premier after this week’s talks, and may hold a new round next week, according to a senior state official.
Political Brinkmanship
Di Maio’s remarks did nothing to break the impasse, sparking instead a clash with Salvini’s center-right bloc, in which Berlusconi is a junior partner. Five Star sees Berlusconi, who is banned from public office until next year because of a 2013 tax-fraud conviction, as a symbol of the corrupt political class it rebels against.
Salvini wrote in a Facebook post that he won’t get involved with the Democrats, since they were “rejected by the Italians.” He added the center-right had won most votes “and that is the starting point.” Salvini has ruled out breaking with his bloc to join Five Star.
European Parliament head Antonio Tajani, who was Berlusconi’s pick for prime minister before the elections, accused Di Maio of “anti-democratic methods” in an interview with RAI radio Wednesday, adding he “fails to show respect for the almost five million citizens” who voted for Forza Italia.
The center-left Democratic Party also swiftly snubbed Di Maio after he said it must choose whether to stay in opposition. Di Maio said former leader Matteo Renzi had ruled out a role in the next government “to spite me and Five Star.”
“Dear Luigi Di Maio, we don’t lend ourselves to these little games: whoever tries to divide the PD won’t succeed,” acting party leader Maurizio Martina said in a post on Twitter. His party however is divided on whether to take part in government, and faces a leadership contest in coming weeks.
Salisbury poisoning: UK experts cannot prove novichok nerve agent used on Skripals came from Russia, MoD says- Independent
3/4/2018
Salisbury poisoning: UK experts cannot prove novichok nerve agent used on Skripals came from Russia, MoD says
'We have not identified the precise source, but we have provided the scientific info to government who have then used a number of other sources to piece together the conclusions'
Kim Sengupta
Porton Down: We have 'not identified the source' of nerve agent used in the Salisbury attack
Spielberg beat James Cameron to Jurassic Park film rights by hours
Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway nominated for Bafta TV award
Russell Crowe selling 227 possessions in 'The Art of Divorce' auction
YouTube shooting brings to fore widespread conspiracy theory
Accusations and recriminations between Britain and Russia are set to escalate with the news that scientists at the Porton Down military research facility have been unable to establish exactly where the novichok nerve agent used to carry out the Skripal attack was manufactured.
The admission comes the day before Moscow convenes an emergency meeting of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague in which it is expected to demand access to samples from the Salisbury poisoning for analysis by Russian scientists.
Russia’s embassy in London responded that Porton Down’s assessment “proves that all political declarations on the Russian origin of the crime are nothing but assumptions not stemming from objective facts or the course of the investigation”.
The development also comes after Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, suggested that British intelligence services carried out the attempted assassination of the former MI6 agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia and claimed that it had proved “beneficial” in distracting attention from Theresa May’s government having to make major concessions to the European Union on Brexit.
Russia challenges UK to prove it was behind spy poisoning in court
The OPCW is due to present its own conclusions on the nerve agent in the near future. It remains to be seen whether it will be able to provide definite proof that the novichok came from a Russian government facility or echo the Porton Down position.
Gary Aitkenhead, the chief executive of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) at Porton Down, Wiltshire, told Sky News that the substance required “extremely sophisticated methods to create something only in the capabilities of a state actor. We were able to identify it as novichok, to identify that it was military-grade nerve agent.”
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Mr Aitkenhead went on to say: “We have not identified the precise source, but we have provided the scientific info to the government who have then used a number of other sources,” some of them intelligence-based.
The head of Porton Down denied claims that his research centre had been connected in any way with a “false flag” operation or that the novichok used may have come from it. “There is no way that anything like that would ever have come from us or leave the walls of our facilities,” he said. “We deal with a number of very toxic substances as part of the work that we do.”
There has been no immediate reaction from the Kremlin on the Porton Down assessment, but there is little doubt that it will be used to support its claims that UK has no real evidence to back up the accusation of Russian state culpability in the attack.
porton-down.jpg
The novichok was tested by scientists at Porton Down research laboratory (Reuters)
Speaking of the OPCW emergency meeting, Yury Filatov, the Russian ambassador to Ireland, said: “We hope to discuss the whole matter and call on Britain to provide every possible element of element of evidence they might have on their hands. Russia is interested in establishing the whole truth of the matter and we hope certainly that this meeting will help to return to at least the realm of normality within the realm of international law and decency in international matters.”
A British government spokesperson insisted that the Porton Down assessment was “only part of the intelligence picture”. He continued: “As the Prime Minister has set out in a number of statements to the Commons since 12 March, this includes our knowledge that within the past decade, Russia has investigated ways of delivering nerve agents probably for assassination and as part of this programme has produced and stockpiled small quantities of novichoks, Russia’s record of conducting state-sponsored assassinations and our assessment that Russia views former intelligence officers as targets.
“It is our assessment that Russia was responsible for this brazen and reckless act and, as the international community agrees, there is no other plausible explanation.”
Russia says it could have been in UK interests to poison Skripal
Twenty-nine countries and Nato carried out a mass expulsion of almost 150 Russians working under diplomatic credentials after Britain provided information that pointed to Vladimir Putin’s government as responsible for Salisbury attack.
“Unprecedented levels of intelligence” had been divulged to convince these states, said senior government officials, including conclusions of Porton Down and an explanation of how this was obtained.
However, in addition, highly classified information, which is normally shared only between the “Five Eyes” countries – the UK, the US, Australia, New Zealand and Canada – was supplied to close allies with the national security adviser, Sir Mark Sedwill, taking it to the European Union and the North Atlantic Council. Other countries were given differing levels of intelligence.
US Department of State: There is ‘no justification’ for Russia’s response to expulsions
The development came as a former Russian general warned the response to the Salisbury the attack could trigger “the last war in the history of mankind”.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Evgeny Buzhinsky said the West was “cornering Russia and to corner Russia is a very dangerous thing”.
He added: “If the situation develops in the way it is now, it will end up in a very bad outcome.”
Salisbury poisoning: UK experts cannot prove novichok nerve agent used on Skripals came from Russia, MoD says
'We have not identified the precise source, but we have provided the scientific info to government who have then used a number of other sources to piece together the conclusions'
Kim Sengupta
Porton Down: We have 'not identified the source' of nerve agent used in the Salisbury attack
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YouTube shooting brings to fore widespread conspiracy theory
Accusations and recriminations between Britain and Russia are set to escalate with the news that scientists at the Porton Down military research facility have been unable to establish exactly where the novichok nerve agent used to carry out the Skripal attack was manufactured.
The admission comes the day before Moscow convenes an emergency meeting of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague in which it is expected to demand access to samples from the Salisbury poisoning for analysis by Russian scientists.
Russia’s embassy in London responded that Porton Down’s assessment “proves that all political declarations on the Russian origin of the crime are nothing but assumptions not stemming from objective facts or the course of the investigation”.
The development also comes after Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, suggested that British intelligence services carried out the attempted assassination of the former MI6 agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia and claimed that it had proved “beneficial” in distracting attention from Theresa May’s government having to make major concessions to the European Union on Brexit.
Russia challenges UK to prove it was behind spy poisoning in court
The OPCW is due to present its own conclusions on the nerve agent in the near future. It remains to be seen whether it will be able to provide definite proof that the novichok came from a Russian government facility or echo the Porton Down position.
Gary Aitkenhead, the chief executive of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) at Porton Down, Wiltshire, told Sky News that the substance required “extremely sophisticated methods to create something only in the capabilities of a state actor. We were able to identify it as novichok, to identify that it was military-grade nerve agent.”
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by Taboola Sponsored Links
Mr Aitkenhead went on to say: “We have not identified the precise source, but we have provided the scientific info to the government who have then used a number of other sources,” some of them intelligence-based.
The head of Porton Down denied claims that his research centre had been connected in any way with a “false flag” operation or that the novichok used may have come from it. “There is no way that anything like that would ever have come from us or leave the walls of our facilities,” he said. “We deal with a number of very toxic substances as part of the work that we do.”
There has been no immediate reaction from the Kremlin on the Porton Down assessment, but there is little doubt that it will be used to support its claims that UK has no real evidence to back up the accusation of Russian state culpability in the attack.
porton-down.jpg
The novichok was tested by scientists at Porton Down research laboratory (Reuters)
Speaking of the OPCW emergency meeting, Yury Filatov, the Russian ambassador to Ireland, said: “We hope to discuss the whole matter and call on Britain to provide every possible element of element of evidence they might have on their hands. Russia is interested in establishing the whole truth of the matter and we hope certainly that this meeting will help to return to at least the realm of normality within the realm of international law and decency in international matters.”
A British government spokesperson insisted that the Porton Down assessment was “only part of the intelligence picture”. He continued: “As the Prime Minister has set out in a number of statements to the Commons since 12 March, this includes our knowledge that within the past decade, Russia has investigated ways of delivering nerve agents probably for assassination and as part of this programme has produced and stockpiled small quantities of novichoks, Russia’s record of conducting state-sponsored assassinations and our assessment that Russia views former intelligence officers as targets.
“It is our assessment that Russia was responsible for this brazen and reckless act and, as the international community agrees, there is no other plausible explanation.”
Russia says it could have been in UK interests to poison Skripal
Twenty-nine countries and Nato carried out a mass expulsion of almost 150 Russians working under diplomatic credentials after Britain provided information that pointed to Vladimir Putin’s government as responsible for Salisbury attack.
“Unprecedented levels of intelligence” had been divulged to convince these states, said senior government officials, including conclusions of Porton Down and an explanation of how this was obtained.
However, in addition, highly classified information, which is normally shared only between the “Five Eyes” countries – the UK, the US, Australia, New Zealand and Canada – was supplied to close allies with the national security adviser, Sir Mark Sedwill, taking it to the European Union and the North Atlantic Council. Other countries were given differing levels of intelligence.
US Department of State: There is ‘no justification’ for Russia’s response to expulsions
The development came as a former Russian general warned the response to the Salisbury the attack could trigger “the last war in the history of mankind”.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Evgeny Buzhinsky said the West was “cornering Russia and to corner Russia is a very dangerous thing”.
He added: “If the situation develops in the way it is now, it will end up in a very bad outcome.”
US-China trade: Beijing responds with tariffs of its own - BBC News
4/4/2018
US-China trade: Beijing responds with tariffs of its own
Motorcycles made in China are among the imports that would be hit with a tax
Trade tensions between China and the US have been ramped up after Beijing responded to US plans for putting new taxes on hundreds of Chinese imports.
China said it would place 25% trade tariffs on 106 US goods, including soybeans, cars and orange juice.
The tit-for-tat action comes hours after Washington detailed about 1,300 Chinese products it intended to hit with tariffs - also set at 25%.
US-targeted items include Chinese-made televisions and motorcycles.
The White House said its proposals were a response to unfair Chinese intellectual property practices.
Analysis: Why China won't baulk at US tariff threat
Trump trade war: China tells US it will defend national interests
Earlier, Beijing said it "strongly condemns and firmly opposes" the proposed US tariffs, calling them "unilateralistic and protectionist", and vowing to retaliate.
It then responded with specifics, as the Chinese finance ministry published a list of its own.
The products targeted by the Chinese tariffs were worth $50bn (£35.5bn) in 2017, according to the Chinese commerce ministry.
US chemicals, some types of aircraft and corn products are among the goods facing the taxes, the finance ministry said.
Extra tariffs will also be placed on whiskey, cigars and tobacco, some types of beef, lubricants, and propane and other plastic products.
US orange juice, certain sorghum products, cotton and some types of wheat, as well as trucks, some SUVs and certain electric vehicles, will also be subject to the new duties, the ministry added.
Economists had previously warned the Trump administration's move to penalise China with the tariffs could prompt Beijing to retaliate and lead to higher prices for US consumers.
Beijing Deals
What China sells to the US
$462.6bn
The value of of goods bought by the US from China in 2016.
18.2% of all China's exports go to the United States
$129bn worth of China-made electrical machinery bought by US
59.2% growth in Chinese services imported by US between 2006 & 2016
$347bn US goods trade deficit with China
CIA Factbook; USTR. All data for 2016.
Getty Images
'No winner'
The planned US tariffs are the result of an investigation ordered by US President Donald Trump into China's intellectual property practices.
Last month, he said the inquiry had found evidence of problems, such as practices that pressure US companies to share technology with Chinese firms
The office of the US Trade Representative, which handles trade negotiations, said that its tariffs would apply to about $50bn of Chinese imports.
That was an amount which was "appropriate both in light of the estimated harm to the US economy and to obtain elimination of China's harmful acts, policies and practices", it said.
The list includes parts of communication satellites, semiconductors, aviation equipment and brewery machinery, as well as more niche products such as bakery ovens and rocket launchers.
A final list will be determined after a public comment period and review, expected to last about two months.
Economists have warned the Trump administration's move to slap China with the tariffs could prompt Beijing to retaliate
Beijing has been adamant that it did not want a trade war, but that it would not not back down under US pressure.
"Any attempt to bring China to its knees through threats and intimidation will never succeed. It will not succeed this time either," foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said.
"There is no winner in a trade war, and an initiator will harm itself as well as others."
Mr Geng said China had referred the US to the World Trade Organization.
Hopes for a resolution
China's economy has become less dependent on selling goods abroad in recent years, which is likely to blunt the effect of the US tariffs, according to analysts for S&P Global Ratings.
The US was the destination for about 18.2% of all Chinese exports in 2016, according to the US trade department.
American business groups have urged the two sides to try to resolve the issues through talks, expressing concern that threatening tariffs could lead to a dispute that hurts the US economy.
"The administration is rightly focused on restoring equity and fairness in our trade relationship with China," said the US Chamber of Commerce.
"However, imposing taxes on products used daily by American consumers and job creators is not the way to achieve those ends."
Speaking before Beijing announced its retaliatory measures, Joseph Brusuelas, chief economist at RSM US, said he did not think the Chinese would take the US list seriously, pointing to low-demand items such as monitors with video cassette recorders.
Instead, he said the main outcome was likely to be higher prices for US manufacturers - and eventually, consumers.
That may not be enough to persuade the Trump administration to opt for a different strategy, he added.
"At this point, if the Trump administration does not follow through on this, they're going to lose face and credibility," he said.
The actions proposed by both countries came just after China hit $3bn worth of US products with tariffs.
That was in response to separate steel and aluminium tariffs the US has imposed.
US-China trade: Beijing responds with tariffs of its own
Motorcycles made in China are among the imports that would be hit with a tax
Trade tensions between China and the US have been ramped up after Beijing responded to US plans for putting new taxes on hundreds of Chinese imports.
China said it would place 25% trade tariffs on 106 US goods, including soybeans, cars and orange juice.
The tit-for-tat action comes hours after Washington detailed about 1,300 Chinese products it intended to hit with tariffs - also set at 25%.
US-targeted items include Chinese-made televisions and motorcycles.
The White House said its proposals were a response to unfair Chinese intellectual property practices.
Analysis: Why China won't baulk at US tariff threat
Trump trade war: China tells US it will defend national interests
Earlier, Beijing said it "strongly condemns and firmly opposes" the proposed US tariffs, calling them "unilateralistic and protectionist", and vowing to retaliate.
It then responded with specifics, as the Chinese finance ministry published a list of its own.
The products targeted by the Chinese tariffs were worth $50bn (£35.5bn) in 2017, according to the Chinese commerce ministry.
US chemicals, some types of aircraft and corn products are among the goods facing the taxes, the finance ministry said.
Extra tariffs will also be placed on whiskey, cigars and tobacco, some types of beef, lubricants, and propane and other plastic products.
US orange juice, certain sorghum products, cotton and some types of wheat, as well as trucks, some SUVs and certain electric vehicles, will also be subject to the new duties, the ministry added.
Economists had previously warned the Trump administration's move to penalise China with the tariffs could prompt Beijing to retaliate and lead to higher prices for US consumers.
Beijing Deals
What China sells to the US
$462.6bn
The value of of goods bought by the US from China in 2016.
18.2% of all China's exports go to the United States
$129bn worth of China-made electrical machinery bought by US
59.2% growth in Chinese services imported by US between 2006 & 2016
$347bn US goods trade deficit with China
CIA Factbook; USTR. All data for 2016.
Getty Images
'No winner'
The planned US tariffs are the result of an investigation ordered by US President Donald Trump into China's intellectual property practices.
Last month, he said the inquiry had found evidence of problems, such as practices that pressure US companies to share technology with Chinese firms
The office of the US Trade Representative, which handles trade negotiations, said that its tariffs would apply to about $50bn of Chinese imports.
That was an amount which was "appropriate both in light of the estimated harm to the US economy and to obtain elimination of China's harmful acts, policies and practices", it said.
The list includes parts of communication satellites, semiconductors, aviation equipment and brewery machinery, as well as more niche products such as bakery ovens and rocket launchers.
A final list will be determined after a public comment period and review, expected to last about two months.
Economists have warned the Trump administration's move to slap China with the tariffs could prompt Beijing to retaliate
Beijing has been adamant that it did not want a trade war, but that it would not not back down under US pressure.
"Any attempt to bring China to its knees through threats and intimidation will never succeed. It will not succeed this time either," foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said.
"There is no winner in a trade war, and an initiator will harm itself as well as others."
Mr Geng said China had referred the US to the World Trade Organization.
Hopes for a resolution
China's economy has become less dependent on selling goods abroad in recent years, which is likely to blunt the effect of the US tariffs, according to analysts for S&P Global Ratings.
The US was the destination for about 18.2% of all Chinese exports in 2016, according to the US trade department.
American business groups have urged the two sides to try to resolve the issues through talks, expressing concern that threatening tariffs could lead to a dispute that hurts the US economy.
"The administration is rightly focused on restoring equity and fairness in our trade relationship with China," said the US Chamber of Commerce.
"However, imposing taxes on products used daily by American consumers and job creators is not the way to achieve those ends."
Speaking before Beijing announced its retaliatory measures, Joseph Brusuelas, chief economist at RSM US, said he did not think the Chinese would take the US list seriously, pointing to low-demand items such as monitors with video cassette recorders.
Instead, he said the main outcome was likely to be higher prices for US manufacturers - and eventually, consumers.
That may not be enough to persuade the Trump administration to opt for a different strategy, he added.
"At this point, if the Trump administration does not follow through on this, they're going to lose face and credibility," he said.
The actions proposed by both countries came just after China hit $3bn worth of US products with tariffs.
That was in response to separate steel and aluminium tariffs the US has imposed.
YouTube shooting: Three shot at California HQ, female suspect dead - BBC News
4/4/2018
YouTube shooting: Three shot at California HQ, female suspect dead
How the attack on YouTube's HQ in San Bruno unfolded
A woman shot and wounded three people at YouTube's headquarters in Northern California before killing herself, police say.
Police have named the suspect as Nasim Aghdam, 39, and say they are still investigating a motive.
They say there is no evidence yet that she knew the victims, a 36-year-old man said to be in a critical condition, and two women aged 32 and 27.
Aghdam had in the past posted material venting anger at YouTube.
Such "active shooter" incidents are overwhelmingly carried out by men - an FBI report found that out of 160 incidents between 2000-2013 only six of the people who opened fire were women.
How YouTube shooting unfolded online
What happened?
The suspect is reported to have approached an outdoor patio and dining area at the offices in San Bruno, near San Francisco, at about lunchtime and opened fire with a handgun.
San Bruno Police Chief Ed Barberini said officers arrived at the offices at 12:48 (19:48 GMT) local time to find a "chaotic scene", with numerous people fleeing.
Images broadcast on local TV stations showed employees leaving with their hands raised. Other footage showed evacuees forming a queue before being individually frisked by police.
People gathered outside the YouTube building with their arms raised as the incident unfolded
One person with a bullet wound was found at the front of the company headquarters, Mr Barberini said. Minutes later officers found a woman who appeared to have shot herself, he said.
Two further victims were later discovered at an adjacent business.
An employee at a nearby fast food restaurant told Fox station KTVU he had treated a young woman who suffered a bullet wound to the leg.
He said he had fashioned a makeshift tourniquet from a bungee cord as they waited for first responders.
Several YouTube employees tweeted about the attack as it was taking place.
Product manager Todd Sherman said people fled the building in panic as the shooting unfolded.
Skip Twitter post by @tdd
Todd Sherman
✔
@tdd
We were sitting in a meeting and then we heard people running because it was rumbling the floor. First thought was earthquake. https://twitter.com/lavrusik/status/981259304408788993 …
6:10 AM - Apr 4, 2018
Another employee, Vadim Lavrusik, tweeted he was barricaded in a room with other staff. He later said he had been evacuated.
Skip Twitter post by @Lavrusik
Vadim Lavrusik
✔
@Lavrusik
Active shooter at YouTube HQ. Heard shots and saw people running while at my desk. Now barricaded inside a room with coworkers.
5:57 AM - Apr 4, 2018
The three wounded were taken to Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. Officials said the 32-year-old woman's condition was serious and the 27-year-old's condition was fair.
A fourth person was also taken to hospital with an ankle injury sustained while trying to escape, Mr Barberini said.
Some 1,700 people work at the YouTube HQ. The company is owned by Google and is the area's biggest employer.
Who was the suspect?
San Bruno police identified the suspect as Nasim Aghdam, a Californian resident of Iranian descent.
She appeared often on YouTube and in one of her videos criticised the platform for discriminating against and filtering her posts.
Nasim Aghdam railed against YouTube on her personal website
YouTube terminated her account following the shooting. Her Instagram and Facebook accounts have also been removed.
On her personal website she accused YouTube of taking steps to prevent her videos from getting views.
"There is no equal growth opportunity on YouTube or any other video sharing site. Your channel will grow if they want to!" she wrote.
There had been earlier media reports that the man shot was her boyfriend, but police later said; "At this time there is no evidence that the shooter knew the victims of this shooting or that individuals were specifically targeted."
What's the reaction been?
YouTube spokesman Chris Dale praised the police response to the incident.
"Today it feels like the entire community of YouTube and all of the employees were victims of this crime. Our hearts go out to those who suffered in this particular attack," he said.
Another online giant, Twitter, said it was horrified by the shooting and said it was monitoring instances of misinformation.
Twitter Safety
✔
@TwitterSafety
Replying to @TwitterSafety
We are also aware of attempts by some people to deceive others with misinformation around this tragedy. We are tracking this and are taking action on anything that violates our rules.
8:31 AM - Apr 4, 2018
President Trump said he had been briefed about the incident.
Skip Twitter post by @realDonaldTrump
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
Was just briefed on the shooting at YouTube’s HQ in San Bruno, California. Our thoughts and prayers are with everybody involved. Thank you to our phenomenal Law Enforcement Officers and First Responders that are currently on the scene.
7:49 AM - Apr 4, 2018
YouTube shooting: Three shot at California HQ, female suspect dead
How the attack on YouTube's HQ in San Bruno unfolded
A woman shot and wounded three people at YouTube's headquarters in Northern California before killing herself, police say.
Police have named the suspect as Nasim Aghdam, 39, and say they are still investigating a motive.
They say there is no evidence yet that she knew the victims, a 36-year-old man said to be in a critical condition, and two women aged 32 and 27.
Aghdam had in the past posted material venting anger at YouTube.
Such "active shooter" incidents are overwhelmingly carried out by men - an FBI report found that out of 160 incidents between 2000-2013 only six of the people who opened fire were women.
How YouTube shooting unfolded online
What happened?
The suspect is reported to have approached an outdoor patio and dining area at the offices in San Bruno, near San Francisco, at about lunchtime and opened fire with a handgun.
San Bruno Police Chief Ed Barberini said officers arrived at the offices at 12:48 (19:48 GMT) local time to find a "chaotic scene", with numerous people fleeing.
Images broadcast on local TV stations showed employees leaving with their hands raised. Other footage showed evacuees forming a queue before being individually frisked by police.
People gathered outside the YouTube building with their arms raised as the incident unfolded
One person with a bullet wound was found at the front of the company headquarters, Mr Barberini said. Minutes later officers found a woman who appeared to have shot herself, he said.
Two further victims were later discovered at an adjacent business.
An employee at a nearby fast food restaurant told Fox station KTVU he had treated a young woman who suffered a bullet wound to the leg.
He said he had fashioned a makeshift tourniquet from a bungee cord as they waited for first responders.
Several YouTube employees tweeted about the attack as it was taking place.
Product manager Todd Sherman said people fled the building in panic as the shooting unfolded.
Skip Twitter post by @tdd
Todd Sherman
✔
@tdd
We were sitting in a meeting and then we heard people running because it was rumbling the floor. First thought was earthquake. https://twitter.com/lavrusik/status/981259304408788993 …
6:10 AM - Apr 4, 2018
Another employee, Vadim Lavrusik, tweeted he was barricaded in a room with other staff. He later said he had been evacuated.
Skip Twitter post by @Lavrusik
Vadim Lavrusik
✔
@Lavrusik
Active shooter at YouTube HQ. Heard shots and saw people running while at my desk. Now barricaded inside a room with coworkers.
5:57 AM - Apr 4, 2018
The three wounded were taken to Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. Officials said the 32-year-old woman's condition was serious and the 27-year-old's condition was fair.
A fourth person was also taken to hospital with an ankle injury sustained while trying to escape, Mr Barberini said.
Some 1,700 people work at the YouTube HQ. The company is owned by Google and is the area's biggest employer.
Who was the suspect?
San Bruno police identified the suspect as Nasim Aghdam, a Californian resident of Iranian descent.
She appeared often on YouTube and in one of her videos criticised the platform for discriminating against and filtering her posts.
Nasim Aghdam railed against YouTube on her personal website
YouTube terminated her account following the shooting. Her Instagram and Facebook accounts have also been removed.
On her personal website she accused YouTube of taking steps to prevent her videos from getting views.
"There is no equal growth opportunity on YouTube or any other video sharing site. Your channel will grow if they want to!" she wrote.
There had been earlier media reports that the man shot was her boyfriend, but police later said; "At this time there is no evidence that the shooter knew the victims of this shooting or that individuals were specifically targeted."
What's the reaction been?
YouTube spokesman Chris Dale praised the police response to the incident.
"Today it feels like the entire community of YouTube and all of the employees were victims of this crime. Our hearts go out to those who suffered in this particular attack," he said.
Another online giant, Twitter, said it was horrified by the shooting and said it was monitoring instances of misinformation.
Twitter Safety
✔
@TwitterSafety
Replying to @TwitterSafety
We are also aware of attempts by some people to deceive others with misinformation around this tragedy. We are tracking this and are taking action on anything that violates our rules.
8:31 AM - Apr 4, 2018
President Trump said he had been briefed about the incident.
Skip Twitter post by @realDonaldTrump
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
Was just briefed on the shooting at YouTube’s HQ in San Bruno, California. Our thoughts and prayers are with everybody involved. Thank you to our phenomenal Law Enforcement Officers and First Responders that are currently on the scene.
7:49 AM - Apr 4, 2018
YouTube shooting: Female suspect 'angry over video postings' - BBC News
4/4/2018
YouTube shooting: Female suspect 'angry over video postings'
How the attack on YouTube's HQ in San Bruno unfolded
The suspect in a gun attack at YouTube's HQ in California had expressed anger over its treatment of her video postings, media reports say.
Police have named Nasim Aghdam, 39, as the suspect but say they are still investigating a motive.
US media say Aghdam was angry that YouTube was filtering her videos and reducing the money she could make.
Tuesday's attack left a man and two women injured with gunshot wounds. The attacker shot herself dead.
Police in San Bruno, California, say there is no evidence yet that the attacker knew the victims, a 36-year-old man said to be in a critical condition, and two women aged 32 and 27.
How YouTube shooting unfolded online
What do we know of the suspect?
Nasim Aghdam lived in San Diego in southern California.
Police have revealed few details about her but US media said she ran a number of channels and a website, posting videos on a variety of subjects including those highlighting animal cruelty. The channels have now been deleted.
Aghdam has been variously described as a vegan bodybuilder, artist and rapper.
Nasim Aghdam railed against YouTube on her personal website
In January 2017 she posted a video complaining that YouTube was filtering her content, leading to fewer views.
On her website she also ranted against YouTube, saying: "Videos of targeted users are filtered and merely relegated, so that people can hardly see their videos."
She also quotes Adolf Hitler, saying: "Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it."
She also wrote: "There is no equal growth opportunity on YouTube or any other video sharing site. Your channel will grow if they want [it] to!"
Aghdam's father, Ismail, told local US media she was angry because YouTube had stopped paying her for videos.
Video posters can receive money from linked advertisements but the company can "de-monetise" channels for various reasons, taking adverts off. It is unclear if this happened with Aghdam's material.
Her father said Aghdam had been reported missing on Monday after not answering calls for two days. Police later found her sleeping in her car in Mountain View, 25km (15 miles) south of the YouTube offices in San Bruno and reported this to her family, but they did not detain her.
Her father told police she might go to YouTube as she "hated the company", local media said.
YouTube terminated her account following the shooting. Her Instagram and Facebook accounts have also been removed.
However, many Twitter users posted her Facebook video rant against YouTube:
Roeland Roovers
@r0eland
Attack inside #YouTube office in #SanBruno by NASIM AGHDAM seems directed at the company because she states her videos are being censored, hear and see her explain:
12:44 PM - Apr 4, 2018
What happened in the attack?
The suspect is reported to have approached an outdoor patio and dining area at the offices in San Bruno, near San Francisco, at about lunchtime on Tuesday and opened fire with a handgun.
San Bruno Police Chief Ed Barberini said officers arrived at the offices at 12:48 (19:48 GMT) local time to find a "chaotic scene", with numerous people fleeing.
Images broadcast on local TV stations showed employees leaving with their hands raised. Other footage showed evacuees forming a queue before being individually frisked by police.
Police said officers had "encountered one victim with an apparent gunshot wound at the site and two additional gunshot victims that had fled to a neighbouring business".
Inside the complex, officers then found a woman dead from a gunshot wound that was believed to be self-inflicted.
People gathered outside the YouTube building with their arms raised as the incident unfolded
An employee at a nearby fast food restaurant told Fox station KTVU he had treated a young woman who suffered a bullet wound to the leg.
He said he had fashioned a makeshift tourniquet from a bungee cord as they waited for first responders.
Several YouTube employees tweeted about the attack as it was taking place.
Product manager Todd Sherman said people fled the building in panic as the shooting unfolded.
Todd Sherman
✔
@tdd
We were sitting in a meeting and then we heard people running because it was rumbling the floor. First thought was earthquake. https://twitter.com/lavrusik/status/981259304408788993 …
6:10 AM - Apr 4, 2018
Another employee, Vadim Lavrusik, tweeted he was barricaded in a room with other staff. He later said he had been evacuated.
Vadim Lavrusik
✔
@Lavrusik
Active shooter at YouTube HQ. Heard shots and saw people running while at my desk. Now barricaded inside a room with coworkers.
5:57 AM - Apr 4, 2018
The three wounded were taken to Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. Officials said the 32-year-old woman's condition was serious and the 27-year-old's condition was fair.
A fourth person was also taken to hospital with an ankle injury sustained while trying to escape, Mr Barberini said.
Some 1,700 people work at the YouTube HQ. The company is owned by Google and is the area's biggest employer.
There had been earlier media reports that the man shot was Aghdam's boyfriend, but police later said; "At this time there is no evidence that the shooter knew the victims of this shooting or that individuals were specifically targeted."
Such "active shooter" incidents are overwhelmingly carried out by men - an FBI report found that out of 160 incidents between 2000-2013, only six of the people who opened fire were women.
What's the reaction been?
YouTube spokesman Chris Dale praised the police response to the incident.
"Today it feels like the entire community of YouTube and all of the employees were victims of this crime. Our hearts go out to those who suffered in this particular attack," he said.
Another online giant, Twitter, said it was horrified by the shooting and said it was monitoring instances of misinformation.
Twitter Safety
✔
@TwitterSafety
Replying to @TwitterSafety
We are also aware of attempts by some people to deceive others with misinformation around this tragedy. We are tracking this and are taking action on anything that violates our rules.
8:31 AM - Apr 4, 2018
President Donald Trump said he had been briefed about the incident.
Skip Twitter post by @realDonaldTrump
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
Was just briefed on the shooting at YouTube’s HQ in San Bruno, California. Our thoughts and prayers are with everybody involved. Thank you to our phenomenal Law Enforcement Officers and First Responders that are currently on the scene.
7:49 AM - Apr 4, 2018
YouTube shooting: Female suspect 'angry over video postings'
How the attack on YouTube's HQ in San Bruno unfolded
The suspect in a gun attack at YouTube's HQ in California had expressed anger over its treatment of her video postings, media reports say.
Police have named Nasim Aghdam, 39, as the suspect but say they are still investigating a motive.
US media say Aghdam was angry that YouTube was filtering her videos and reducing the money she could make.
Tuesday's attack left a man and two women injured with gunshot wounds. The attacker shot herself dead.
Police in San Bruno, California, say there is no evidence yet that the attacker knew the victims, a 36-year-old man said to be in a critical condition, and two women aged 32 and 27.
How YouTube shooting unfolded online
What do we know of the suspect?
Nasim Aghdam lived in San Diego in southern California.
Police have revealed few details about her but US media said she ran a number of channels and a website, posting videos on a variety of subjects including those highlighting animal cruelty. The channels have now been deleted.
Aghdam has been variously described as a vegan bodybuilder, artist and rapper.
Nasim Aghdam railed against YouTube on her personal website
In January 2017 she posted a video complaining that YouTube was filtering her content, leading to fewer views.
On her website she also ranted against YouTube, saying: "Videos of targeted users are filtered and merely relegated, so that people can hardly see their videos."
She also quotes Adolf Hitler, saying: "Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it."
She also wrote: "There is no equal growth opportunity on YouTube or any other video sharing site. Your channel will grow if they want [it] to!"
Aghdam's father, Ismail, told local US media she was angry because YouTube had stopped paying her for videos.
Video posters can receive money from linked advertisements but the company can "de-monetise" channels for various reasons, taking adverts off. It is unclear if this happened with Aghdam's material.
Her father said Aghdam had been reported missing on Monday after not answering calls for two days. Police later found her sleeping in her car in Mountain View, 25km (15 miles) south of the YouTube offices in San Bruno and reported this to her family, but they did not detain her.
Her father told police she might go to YouTube as she "hated the company", local media said.
YouTube terminated her account following the shooting. Her Instagram and Facebook accounts have also been removed.
However, many Twitter users posted her Facebook video rant against YouTube:
Roeland Roovers
@r0eland
Attack inside #YouTube office in #SanBruno by NASIM AGHDAM seems directed at the company because she states her videos are being censored, hear and see her explain:
12:44 PM - Apr 4, 2018
What happened in the attack?
The suspect is reported to have approached an outdoor patio and dining area at the offices in San Bruno, near San Francisco, at about lunchtime on Tuesday and opened fire with a handgun.
San Bruno Police Chief Ed Barberini said officers arrived at the offices at 12:48 (19:48 GMT) local time to find a "chaotic scene", with numerous people fleeing.
Images broadcast on local TV stations showed employees leaving with their hands raised. Other footage showed evacuees forming a queue before being individually frisked by police.
Police said officers had "encountered one victim with an apparent gunshot wound at the site and two additional gunshot victims that had fled to a neighbouring business".
Inside the complex, officers then found a woman dead from a gunshot wound that was believed to be self-inflicted.
People gathered outside the YouTube building with their arms raised as the incident unfolded
An employee at a nearby fast food restaurant told Fox station KTVU he had treated a young woman who suffered a bullet wound to the leg.
He said he had fashioned a makeshift tourniquet from a bungee cord as they waited for first responders.
Several YouTube employees tweeted about the attack as it was taking place.
Product manager Todd Sherman said people fled the building in panic as the shooting unfolded.
Todd Sherman
✔
@tdd
We were sitting in a meeting and then we heard people running because it was rumbling the floor. First thought was earthquake. https://twitter.com/lavrusik/status/981259304408788993 …
6:10 AM - Apr 4, 2018
Another employee, Vadim Lavrusik, tweeted he was barricaded in a room with other staff. He later said he had been evacuated.
Vadim Lavrusik
✔
@Lavrusik
Active shooter at YouTube HQ. Heard shots and saw people running while at my desk. Now barricaded inside a room with coworkers.
5:57 AM - Apr 4, 2018
The three wounded were taken to Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. Officials said the 32-year-old woman's condition was serious and the 27-year-old's condition was fair.
A fourth person was also taken to hospital with an ankle injury sustained while trying to escape, Mr Barberini said.
Some 1,700 people work at the YouTube HQ. The company is owned by Google and is the area's biggest employer.
There had been earlier media reports that the man shot was Aghdam's boyfriend, but police later said; "At this time there is no evidence that the shooter knew the victims of this shooting or that individuals were specifically targeted."
Such "active shooter" incidents are overwhelmingly carried out by men - an FBI report found that out of 160 incidents between 2000-2013, only six of the people who opened fire were women.
What's the reaction been?
YouTube spokesman Chris Dale praised the police response to the incident.
"Today it feels like the entire community of YouTube and all of the employees were victims of this crime. Our hearts go out to those who suffered in this particular attack," he said.
Another online giant, Twitter, said it was horrified by the shooting and said it was monitoring instances of misinformation.
Twitter Safety
✔
@TwitterSafety
Replying to @TwitterSafety
We are also aware of attempts by some people to deceive others with misinformation around this tragedy. We are tracking this and are taking action on anything that violates our rules.
8:31 AM - Apr 4, 2018
President Donald Trump said he had been briefed about the incident.
Skip Twitter post by @realDonaldTrump
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
Was just briefed on the shooting at YouTube’s HQ in San Bruno, California. Our thoughts and prayers are with everybody involved. Thank you to our phenomenal Law Enforcement Officers and First Responders that are currently on the scene.
7:49 AM - Apr 4, 2018
Tuesday, April 3, 2018
Trump suggested White House as potential venue for possible Putin meeting, White House says - Fox News
April 2, 2018.
Trump suggested White House as potential venue for possible Putin meeting, White House says
Brooke Singman By Brooke Singman | Fox News
Kremlin says President Trump invited Putin to White House
President Trump has reportedly invited Vladimir Putin to the White House for a visit, according to a statement from the Kremlin. Rich Edson reports from the State Department.
The White House said Monday that President Trump discussed a possible meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the near future, suggesting the White House as a “potential venue” for the summit.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders released a statement on Monday in response to reports from the Kremlin that Trump had invited Putin to a meeting at the White House, but had yet to begin any preparations for the potential visit.
“As the President himself confirmed on March 20, hours after his last call with President Putin, the two had discussed a bilateral meeting in the ‘not-too-distant future’ at a number of potential venues, including the White House,” Sanders said Monday. “We have nothing further to add at this time.”
If a Trump-Putin meeting does take place at the White House, it will mark the first time the Russian president visited 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue since the George W. Bush administration. Putin visited the White House in both November 2001 and September 2005. At the time, former President George W. Bush said, “this is a new day in the long history of Russian-American relations, a day of progress and a day of hope.”
President George W. Bush (R) makes a point as he talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Oval Office of the White House November 13, 2001. [Their meeting kicks off a three-day summit which will focus on reducing nuclear arsenals and U.S. plans to build a missile shield which would overturn provisions of a 1972 arms pact. The two will also discuss the situation in Afghanistan as Taliban forces flee the city of Kabul. ] - PBEAHUKWLDP
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and former President George W. Bush, right, met at the White House in September 2005 and November 2001. This photo shows a meeting in the Oval Office in November 2001. (Reuters)
The telephone conversation between Trump and Putin took place on March 20. Trump congratulated Putin on winning the Russian presidential election two days earlier, despite warnings from his National Security Council suggesting he “not congratulate” Putin.
“I called President Putin of Russia to congratulate him on his election victory (in past, Obama called him also.) The Fake News Media is crazed because they wanted me to excoriate him. They are wrong! Getting along with Russia (and others) is a good thing, not a bad thing….” Trump tweeted a day after his phone call.
“They can help solve problems with North Korea, Syria, Ukraine, ISIS, Iran and even the coming Arms Race,” Trump tweeted, adding, “Bush tried to get along, but didn’t have the ‘smarts.’ Obama and Clinton tried, but didn’t have the energy of chemistry (remember RESET.) PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.”
Both the White House and the Kremlin have confirmed that neither government has begun to arrange a potential meeting between the two leaders.
Putin aide Yuri Ushakov told Russian news agencies on Monday that their government did not have time to begin to schedule a meeting before the U.S. joined Britain and more than two dozen allies in sanctioning Russia over the poisoning of a Russian ex-spy in England.
Fox News' Rich Edson, John Roberts and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump suggested White House as potential venue for possible Putin meeting, White House says
Brooke Singman By Brooke Singman | Fox News
Kremlin says President Trump invited Putin to White House
President Trump has reportedly invited Vladimir Putin to the White House for a visit, according to a statement from the Kremlin. Rich Edson reports from the State Department.
The White House said Monday that President Trump discussed a possible meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the near future, suggesting the White House as a “potential venue” for the summit.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders released a statement on Monday in response to reports from the Kremlin that Trump had invited Putin to a meeting at the White House, but had yet to begin any preparations for the potential visit.
“As the President himself confirmed on March 20, hours after his last call with President Putin, the two had discussed a bilateral meeting in the ‘not-too-distant future’ at a number of potential venues, including the White House,” Sanders said Monday. “We have nothing further to add at this time.”
If a Trump-Putin meeting does take place at the White House, it will mark the first time the Russian president visited 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue since the George W. Bush administration. Putin visited the White House in both November 2001 and September 2005. At the time, former President George W. Bush said, “this is a new day in the long history of Russian-American relations, a day of progress and a day of hope.”
President George W. Bush (R) makes a point as he talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Oval Office of the White House November 13, 2001. [Their meeting kicks off a three-day summit which will focus on reducing nuclear arsenals and U.S. plans to build a missile shield which would overturn provisions of a 1972 arms pact. The two will also discuss the situation in Afghanistan as Taliban forces flee the city of Kabul. ] - PBEAHUKWLDP
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and former President George W. Bush, right, met at the White House in September 2005 and November 2001. This photo shows a meeting in the Oval Office in November 2001. (Reuters)
The telephone conversation between Trump and Putin took place on March 20. Trump congratulated Putin on winning the Russian presidential election two days earlier, despite warnings from his National Security Council suggesting he “not congratulate” Putin.
“I called President Putin of Russia to congratulate him on his election victory (in past, Obama called him also.) The Fake News Media is crazed because they wanted me to excoriate him. They are wrong! Getting along with Russia (and others) is a good thing, not a bad thing….” Trump tweeted a day after his phone call.
“They can help solve problems with North Korea, Syria, Ukraine, ISIS, Iran and even the coming Arms Race,” Trump tweeted, adding, “Bush tried to get along, but didn’t have the ‘smarts.’ Obama and Clinton tried, but didn’t have the energy of chemistry (remember RESET.) PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.”
Both the White House and the Kremlin have confirmed that neither government has begun to arrange a potential meeting between the two leaders.
Putin aide Yuri Ushakov told Russian news agencies on Monday that their government did not have time to begin to schedule a meeting before the U.S. joined Britain and more than two dozen allies in sanctioning Russia over the poisoning of a Russian ex-spy in England.
Fox News' Rich Edson, John Roberts and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
German prosecutors file for extradition of ex-Catalan leader Puigdemont - Reuters
APRIL 3, 2018 / 6:41 PM / UPDATED 44 MINUTES AGO
German prosecutors file for extradition of ex-Catalan leader Puigdemont
Reuters Staff
BERLIN (Reuters) - German prosecutors filed a request to a regional court on Tuesday for the extradition of former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont to Spain, where he faces charges of rebellion over the region’s campaign for independence.
Puigdemont has been held in a detention center in the northern German town of Neumuenster for just over a week after he was arrested in Germany on March 25.
Prosecutors in the state of Schleswig-Holstein said Spain’s extradition request was admissible because accusations of rebellion included carrying out an anti-constitutional referendum even though violent clashes could be expected.
“This has a comparable equivalent in German law,” said the prosecutors in a statement.
Prosecutors also asked the Higher Regional Court in Schleswig-Holstein, which will decide on the extradition, to keep Puigdemont in prison during the proceedings because there was a danger he would try to escape.
Puigdemont fled Spain five months ago for Belgium after Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy dismissed his regional administration and imposed direct rule from Madrid.
The charges he faces over the organizing of an illegal secession referendum could lead to 25 years behind bars.
The German government has insisted Puigdemont’s extradition is a matter for the courts, even though last week his German lawyer Wolfgang Schomburg said he would also be looking to the German government in his attempts to get the ex-Catalan leader freed. The justice minister is entitled to veto any extradition.
Prosecutors also said the Spanish accusation of misuse of public money - for carrying out an unconstitutional referendum - also had an equivalent in German law.
On Monday, Puigdemont appealed against the charge of rebellion in Spain’s Supreme Court, saying he did not commit any acts of violence to justify this. He also appealed against the charge of mis-use of public funds.
It is unclear when the German court will make its decision.
The Spanish court aims to try a total of 25 Catalan leaders for rebellion and other charges. International arrest warrants are active against four other politicians who fled abroad last year, including Carla Ponsati, a former Catalan education minister who is fighting extradition from her home in Scotalnd.
Five separatist leaders are in jail in Spain pending trial. They all deny any wrongdoing.
The Catalans say they will not get a fair trial in Spain and are being prosecuted for their political beliefs. Spain denies this and says their actions violated the Spanish constitution.
Reporting by Madeline Chambers and Hans-Edzard Busemann; Additional reporting by Raquel Castillo in Madrid; Editing by Angus MacSwan
German prosecutors file for extradition of ex-Catalan leader Puigdemont
Reuters Staff
BERLIN (Reuters) - German prosecutors filed a request to a regional court on Tuesday for the extradition of former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont to Spain, where he faces charges of rebellion over the region’s campaign for independence.
Puigdemont has been held in a detention center in the northern German town of Neumuenster for just over a week after he was arrested in Germany on March 25.
Prosecutors in the state of Schleswig-Holstein said Spain’s extradition request was admissible because accusations of rebellion included carrying out an anti-constitutional referendum even though violent clashes could be expected.
“This has a comparable equivalent in German law,” said the prosecutors in a statement.
Prosecutors also asked the Higher Regional Court in Schleswig-Holstein, which will decide on the extradition, to keep Puigdemont in prison during the proceedings because there was a danger he would try to escape.
Puigdemont fled Spain five months ago for Belgium after Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy dismissed his regional administration and imposed direct rule from Madrid.
The charges he faces over the organizing of an illegal secession referendum could lead to 25 years behind bars.
The German government has insisted Puigdemont’s extradition is a matter for the courts, even though last week his German lawyer Wolfgang Schomburg said he would also be looking to the German government in his attempts to get the ex-Catalan leader freed. The justice minister is entitled to veto any extradition.
Prosecutors also said the Spanish accusation of misuse of public money - for carrying out an unconstitutional referendum - also had an equivalent in German law.
On Monday, Puigdemont appealed against the charge of rebellion in Spain’s Supreme Court, saying he did not commit any acts of violence to justify this. He also appealed against the charge of mis-use of public funds.
It is unclear when the German court will make its decision.
The Spanish court aims to try a total of 25 Catalan leaders for rebellion and other charges. International arrest warrants are active against four other politicians who fled abroad last year, including Carla Ponsati, a former Catalan education minister who is fighting extradition from her home in Scotalnd.
Five separatist leaders are in jail in Spain pending trial. They all deny any wrongdoing.
The Catalans say they will not get a fair trial in Spain and are being prosecuted for their political beliefs. Spain denies this and says their actions violated the Spanish constitution.
Reporting by Madeline Chambers and Hans-Edzard Busemann; Additional reporting by Raquel Castillo in Madrid; Editing by Angus MacSwan
Dinosaur footprints dating back 170 million-years discovered on Isle of Skye - Independent
3/4/2018
Dinosaur footprints dating back 170 million-years discovered on Isle of Skye
'This new site records two different types of dinosaurs - long-necked cousins of Brontosaurus and sharp-toothed cousins of Tyrannosaurus rex'
Shehab Khan @shehabkhan
The footprints were made by the 'older cousin' of the Tyrannosaurus rex Jon Hoad/University of Edinburgh/PA
New dinosaur footprints believed to be around 170 million years old have been discovered on the Scottish Island of the Isle of Skye.
Made by the "older cousins" of Tyrannosaurus rex, called theropods, they were found in a muddy lagoon off the north-east coast of the Isle.
The creatures stood up to two-metres tall and are believed to have been a similar size to the long-necked sauropods.
Giant T-Rex bursts into flames at dinosaur theme park
Underwater volcanoes may have contributed to dinosaur extinction
'Rainbow' dinosaur had shiny, colourful feathers like a hummingbird
Perfectly preserved 130-million-year-old dinosaur eggs found in China
"The more we look on the Isle of Skye, the more dinosaur footprints we find," said Dr Steve Brusatte, from the University of Edinburgh's School of GeoSciences, who led the field team which made the discovery.
"This new site records two different types of dinosaurs - long-necked cousins of Brontosaurus and sharp-toothed cousins of Tyrannosaurus rex - hanging around a shallow lagoon, back when Scotland was much warmer and dinosaurs were beginning their march to global dominance."
Peek Inside the $38 Million Home Lenny Kravitz Designed
Lonny
Make waves with a conference in New Zealand.
Tourism New Zealand
Boracay and Phi Phi islands to tell tourists not to come
Nikkei Asian Review
by Taboola Sponsored Links
They are the second set of dinosaur footprints found on Skye, the first being discovered in 2015. However, the latest discoveries were made in older rocks.
The find is considered to be globally important as it is rare evidence of the Middle Jurassic period, from which few fossil sites have been found around the world.
Researchers measured, photographed and analysed about 50 footprints in a tidal area at Rubha nam Brathairean, a dramatic headland on Skye's Trotternish peninsula also known as Brother's Point.
The largest, left by a sauropod, was 70cm across, while the largest theropod track was around 50cm across.
Researchers used drone photographs to make a map of the site, while additional images were collected using a paired set of cameras and tailored software to help model the prints.
"It was found in rocks that were slightly older than those previously found at Duntulm on the island and demonstrates the presence of sauropods in this part of the world through a longer timescale than previously known," said Paige dePolo, another member of the research team.
"This site is a useful building block for us to continue fleshing out a picture of what dinosaurs were like on Skye in the Middle Jurassic."
Press Association contributed to this report
Dinosaur footprints dating back 170 million-years discovered on Isle of Skye
'This new site records two different types of dinosaurs - long-necked cousins of Brontosaurus and sharp-toothed cousins of Tyrannosaurus rex'
Shehab Khan @shehabkhan
The footprints were made by the 'older cousin' of the Tyrannosaurus rex Jon Hoad/University of Edinburgh/PA
New dinosaur footprints believed to be around 170 million years old have been discovered on the Scottish Island of the Isle of Skye.
Made by the "older cousins" of Tyrannosaurus rex, called theropods, they were found in a muddy lagoon off the north-east coast of the Isle.
The creatures stood up to two-metres tall and are believed to have been a similar size to the long-necked sauropods.
Giant T-Rex bursts into flames at dinosaur theme park
Underwater volcanoes may have contributed to dinosaur extinction
'Rainbow' dinosaur had shiny, colourful feathers like a hummingbird
Perfectly preserved 130-million-year-old dinosaur eggs found in China
"The more we look on the Isle of Skye, the more dinosaur footprints we find," said Dr Steve Brusatte, from the University of Edinburgh's School of GeoSciences, who led the field team which made the discovery.
"This new site records two different types of dinosaurs - long-necked cousins of Brontosaurus and sharp-toothed cousins of Tyrannosaurus rex - hanging around a shallow lagoon, back when Scotland was much warmer and dinosaurs were beginning their march to global dominance."
Peek Inside the $38 Million Home Lenny Kravitz Designed
Lonny
Make waves with a conference in New Zealand.
Tourism New Zealand
Boracay and Phi Phi islands to tell tourists not to come
Nikkei Asian Review
by Taboola Sponsored Links
They are the second set of dinosaur footprints found on Skye, the first being discovered in 2015. However, the latest discoveries were made in older rocks.
The find is considered to be globally important as it is rare evidence of the Middle Jurassic period, from which few fossil sites have been found around the world.
Researchers measured, photographed and analysed about 50 footprints in a tidal area at Rubha nam Brathairean, a dramatic headland on Skye's Trotternish peninsula also known as Brother's Point.
The largest, left by a sauropod, was 70cm across, while the largest theropod track was around 50cm across.
Researchers used drone photographs to make a map of the site, while additional images were collected using a paired set of cameras and tailored software to help model the prints.
"It was found in rocks that were slightly older than those previously found at Duntulm on the island and demonstrates the presence of sauropods in this part of the world through a longer timescale than previously known," said Paige dePolo, another member of the research team.
"This site is a useful building block for us to continue fleshing out a picture of what dinosaurs were like on Skye in the Middle Jurassic."
Press Association contributed to this report
Stormy Daniels case should be settled privately, according to Trump's lawyers - Independent ( source : New York Times )
2/4/2018
Stormy Daniels case should be settled privately, according to Trump's lawyers
The actress was previously paid $130,000 to keep quiet about alleged affair with president
Maggie Astor, Jim Rutenberg
President Donald Trump and a company affiliated with him filed court papers Monday seeking to force the pornographic film actress Stephanie Clifford to raise her disputes through private arbitration, not lawsuits.
Clifford, whose stage name is Stormy Daniels, was paid $130,000 to keep quiet about her claims of an affair with Trump. She sued last month to get out of the nondisclosure agreement she signed in October 2016, alleging that it was void because Trump had never signed it. That raised the prospect of further embarrassing revelations for a president who has already been rocked by Clifford’s public statements.
In a motion filed Monday, Essential Consultants — a shell company established by Trump’s lawyer Michael Cohen to pay Clifford — asked the US District Court for the Central District of California to compel Clifford “to arbitrate any and all disputes arising” from the confidentiality agreement she signed. In a separate document filed on the same day, Trump formally joined the motion.
Arbitration would be beneficial to Trump because it is a private process in which a third party resolves a legal dispute after all parties agree to be bound by the decision. A lawsuit, by contrast, could create a public spectacle, bringing embarrassing information to light through the discovery process and trial.
I know what Stormy Daniels is going through. I went through it, too
Trump may be forced to testify under oath about Stormy Daniels
Donald Trump denies affair with porn star Stormy Daniels
Porn star reveals explosive details about affair with Donald Trump
Michael J Avenatti, a lawyer for Clifford, said Monday that they would “vigorously oppose the motion by Mr Trump and Mr Cohen to have this case decided in a secret arbitration, in a private conference room, purposely hidden from the American public.”
“This is a democracy, and this matter should be decided in an open court of law owned by the people,” Avenatti said.
Trump and his lawyers have been trying vigorously to avoid further public statements by Clifford, particularly since she said in February that she believed that Cohen had violated the agreement and that she, as a result, was no longer bound by it. Cohen secretly obtained a restraining order late that month to prevent her from speaking.
Stormy Daniels claims she was threatened to 'leave Trump alone'
And last month, Trump’s legal team filed a motion asking to move the case from state court to federal court, which may have been motivated by a desire to keep the case in arbitration: The Federal Arbitration Act favors arbitration in certain types of disputes, and federal courts have generally applied that law more strictly than state courts.
Also on Monday, America Media Inc. answered a lawsuit from the former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who also claims to have had an affair with Trump. McDougal alleged in her lawsuit that the company, which publishes The National Enquirer, misled her when it made a $150,000 deal to squelch her story, buying the exclusive rights to it during the campaign but never publishing anything.
American Media asked the Los Angeles Superior Court to throw McDougal’s lawsuit out based on an “anti-SLAPP” statute, which many states have enacted to halt frivolous lawsuits devised to “chill the valid exercise of the constitutional right of free speech and petition.” In effect, the company’s lawyers are arguing that McDougal is challenging its “constitutional and contractual right to exercise its editorial discretion not to publish.”
The company said in a statement Monday that it hoped McDougal would stay on as “a valued contributor” and that it still sought “an amicable resolution” with her.
A lawyer for McDougal, Peter K. Stris, wrote on Twitter, “The tabloid went to great lengths to silence her and others, and they are now attempting to silence her again with the absurd claim that their own free speech was violated.”
McDougal’s lawsuit alleges that American Media engaged her in the agreement in order to influence the 2016 election. The watchdog group Common Cause has filed complaints with the Justice Department and the Federal Election Commission charging that the $150,000 payment — which also bought the rights to columns, blog posts and cover shoots with McDougal — was an illegal, in-kind contribution to Trump’s campaign.
New York Times
Stormy Daniels case should be settled privately, according to Trump's lawyers
The actress was previously paid $130,000 to keep quiet about alleged affair with president
Maggie Astor, Jim Rutenberg
President Donald Trump and a company affiliated with him filed court papers Monday seeking to force the pornographic film actress Stephanie Clifford to raise her disputes through private arbitration, not lawsuits.
Clifford, whose stage name is Stormy Daniels, was paid $130,000 to keep quiet about her claims of an affair with Trump. She sued last month to get out of the nondisclosure agreement she signed in October 2016, alleging that it was void because Trump had never signed it. That raised the prospect of further embarrassing revelations for a president who has already been rocked by Clifford’s public statements.
In a motion filed Monday, Essential Consultants — a shell company established by Trump’s lawyer Michael Cohen to pay Clifford — asked the US District Court for the Central District of California to compel Clifford “to arbitrate any and all disputes arising” from the confidentiality agreement she signed. In a separate document filed on the same day, Trump formally joined the motion.
Arbitration would be beneficial to Trump because it is a private process in which a third party resolves a legal dispute after all parties agree to be bound by the decision. A lawsuit, by contrast, could create a public spectacle, bringing embarrassing information to light through the discovery process and trial.
I know what Stormy Daniels is going through. I went through it, too
Trump may be forced to testify under oath about Stormy Daniels
Donald Trump denies affair with porn star Stormy Daniels
Porn star reveals explosive details about affair with Donald Trump
Michael J Avenatti, a lawyer for Clifford, said Monday that they would “vigorously oppose the motion by Mr Trump and Mr Cohen to have this case decided in a secret arbitration, in a private conference room, purposely hidden from the American public.”
“This is a democracy, and this matter should be decided in an open court of law owned by the people,” Avenatti said.
Trump and his lawyers have been trying vigorously to avoid further public statements by Clifford, particularly since she said in February that she believed that Cohen had violated the agreement and that she, as a result, was no longer bound by it. Cohen secretly obtained a restraining order late that month to prevent her from speaking.
Stormy Daniels claims she was threatened to 'leave Trump alone'
And last month, Trump’s legal team filed a motion asking to move the case from state court to federal court, which may have been motivated by a desire to keep the case in arbitration: The Federal Arbitration Act favors arbitration in certain types of disputes, and federal courts have generally applied that law more strictly than state courts.
Also on Monday, America Media Inc. answered a lawsuit from the former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who also claims to have had an affair with Trump. McDougal alleged in her lawsuit that the company, which publishes The National Enquirer, misled her when it made a $150,000 deal to squelch her story, buying the exclusive rights to it during the campaign but never publishing anything.
American Media asked the Los Angeles Superior Court to throw McDougal’s lawsuit out based on an “anti-SLAPP” statute, which many states have enacted to halt frivolous lawsuits devised to “chill the valid exercise of the constitutional right of free speech and petition.” In effect, the company’s lawyers are arguing that McDougal is challenging its “constitutional and contractual right to exercise its editorial discretion not to publish.”
The company said in a statement Monday that it hoped McDougal would stay on as “a valued contributor” and that it still sought “an amicable resolution” with her.
A lawyer for McDougal, Peter K. Stris, wrote on Twitter, “The tabloid went to great lengths to silence her and others, and they are now attempting to silence her again with the absurd claim that their own free speech was violated.”
McDougal’s lawsuit alleges that American Media engaged her in the agreement in order to influence the 2016 election. The watchdog group Common Cause has filed complaints with the Justice Department and the Federal Election Commission charging that the $150,000 payment — which also bought the rights to columns, blog posts and cover shoots with McDougal — was an illegal, in-kind contribution to Trump’s campaign.
New York Times
5 things to know Before the Bell - CNN Money
5 things to know Before the Bell
Pain on Wall Street; Spotify goes public; Fox and Sky
by Ivana Kottasová @ivanakottasova
April 3, 2018: 5:05 AM ET
premarket tuesday
1. Painful start to the quarter: US markets are off to a disastrous start in the second quarter amid concerns over trade and President Donald Trump's attacks on Amazon.
The Dow Jones industrial average shed 1.9% on Monday. The S&P 500 dropped 2.2% and the Nasdaq plunged 2.7%.
Investors are worried about the possibility of a trade war between the United States and China, and they were unsettled by Beijing's announcement of new tariffs on US goods.
Meanwhile, tweets from Trump hit tech stocks. The president accused Amazon of taking advantage of the US Postal Service, causing the online retailer's stock to drop 5%.
Tesla (TSLA), Netflix (NFLX) and Cisco (CSCO) all dropped by at least 4%.
The VIX volatility index jumped more than 15% on Monday and CNNMoney's Fear & Greed Index dropped further into "extreme fear" territory.
2. Global market overview: US stock futures were pointing higher on Tuesday.
inRead invented by Teads
Major indexes in Asia fell more than 1% on Tuesday morning before recovering much of their losses later in the day. European stock markets dipped, with some major indexes down by 1% to 2% as trading resumed after the holiday.
3. Spotify IPO: Spotify (SPOT) is expected to go public on Tuesday in an unusual IPO process that has analysts effectively throwing up their hands about what to expect.
Unlike traditional IPOs, Spotify will not raise new capital. Instead it will simply list existing shares directly on the New York Stock Exchange without relying on underwriters to help assess demand and set a price.
It will trade under the ticker SPOT.
Before the Bell newsletter: Key market news. In your inbox. Subscribe now!
4. Fox ups its Sky guarantees: Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox is making a new pitch to win approval for its planned takeover of British broadcaster Sky.
The UK Competitions and Markets Authority published two new proposals from 21st Century Fox on Tuesday that are designed to address the regulator's concerns that the purchase would give the Murdoch family too much control over UK media.
The first proposal would see 21st Century Fox selling Sky (SKYAY) news business to Disney (DIS).
According to 21st Century Fox (FOXA), Disney wants to get its hands on Sky News whether or not its planned $52 billion purchase of a big chunk of 21st Century Fox is successful.
Under the second proposal, Sky News would be legally separated from the rest of Sky in a bid to ensure its editorial independence.
5. Earnings and economics: Dave & Buster's (PLAY) will release its earnings after the US close.
Auto sales data will be published by the Commerce Department at 2 p.m. ET.
Markets Now newsletter: Get a global markets snapshot in your inbox every afternoon. Sign up now!
6. Coming this week:
Tuesday — Spotify IPO expected
Wednesday — ADP National Employment Report
Thursday — February trade deficit report
Friday — Jobs report
CNNMoney (London)
First published April 3, 2018: 5:05 AM ET
Pain on Wall Street; Spotify goes public; Fox and Sky
by Ivana Kottasová @ivanakottasova
April 3, 2018: 5:05 AM ET
premarket tuesday
1. Painful start to the quarter: US markets are off to a disastrous start in the second quarter amid concerns over trade and President Donald Trump's attacks on Amazon.
The Dow Jones industrial average shed 1.9% on Monday. The S&P 500 dropped 2.2% and the Nasdaq plunged 2.7%.
Investors are worried about the possibility of a trade war between the United States and China, and they were unsettled by Beijing's announcement of new tariffs on US goods.
Meanwhile, tweets from Trump hit tech stocks. The president accused Amazon of taking advantage of the US Postal Service, causing the online retailer's stock to drop 5%.
Tesla (TSLA), Netflix (NFLX) and Cisco (CSCO) all dropped by at least 4%.
The VIX volatility index jumped more than 15% on Monday and CNNMoney's Fear & Greed Index dropped further into "extreme fear" territory.
2. Global market overview: US stock futures were pointing higher on Tuesday.
inRead invented by Teads
Major indexes in Asia fell more than 1% on Tuesday morning before recovering much of their losses later in the day. European stock markets dipped, with some major indexes down by 1% to 2% as trading resumed after the holiday.
3. Spotify IPO: Spotify (SPOT) is expected to go public on Tuesday in an unusual IPO process that has analysts effectively throwing up their hands about what to expect.
Unlike traditional IPOs, Spotify will not raise new capital. Instead it will simply list existing shares directly on the New York Stock Exchange without relying on underwriters to help assess demand and set a price.
It will trade under the ticker SPOT.
Before the Bell newsletter: Key market news. In your inbox. Subscribe now!
4. Fox ups its Sky guarantees: Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox is making a new pitch to win approval for its planned takeover of British broadcaster Sky.
The UK Competitions and Markets Authority published two new proposals from 21st Century Fox on Tuesday that are designed to address the regulator's concerns that the purchase would give the Murdoch family too much control over UK media.
The first proposal would see 21st Century Fox selling Sky (SKYAY) news business to Disney (DIS).
According to 21st Century Fox (FOXA), Disney wants to get its hands on Sky News whether or not its planned $52 billion purchase of a big chunk of 21st Century Fox is successful.
Under the second proposal, Sky News would be legally separated from the rest of Sky in a bid to ensure its editorial independence.
5. Earnings and economics: Dave & Buster's (PLAY) will release its earnings after the US close.
Auto sales data will be published by the Commerce Department at 2 p.m. ET.
Markets Now newsletter: Get a global markets snapshot in your inbox every afternoon. Sign up now!
6. Coming this week:
Tuesday — Spotify IPO expected
Wednesday — ADP National Employment Report
Thursday — February trade deficit report
Friday — Jobs report
CNNMoney (London)
First published April 3, 2018: 5:05 AM ET
Credit Suisse Equities Trading Chief Plots Return to World Top 5 - Bloomberg
Credit Suisse Equities Trading Chief Plots Return to World Top 5
By
April 3, 2018, 6:09 PM GMT+10
UBS veteran Mike Stewart says management revamp is complete
Focus on hedge fund business, derivatives, trading systems
While wealth management may be the business Credit Suisse Group AG favors growing these days, the Wall Street veteran who took over the bank’s equity trading unit has no intention of taking a back seat.
“We have more than sufficient resources to be a top-five equities player,” equities chief Mike Stewart said in his first interview since taking the job in June. “Right now, the business really is in execution mode. I’ve got my key people in every seat.”
Stewart took up his job in the midst of some rocky years for the trading business. The group lost almost one-third of its market share from 2015 to 2017 after a push into Asia backfired, a team wagering on algorithms caused revenue to plunge and a new unit set up for the most complex products frustrated traders. The bank was the seventh-biggest globally by revenue among equity-trading houses, as of 2017.
Since joining from cross-town rival UBS Group AG, Stewart has hired at least 18 senior investment bankers at the unit, which caters to institutional investors, hedge funds and insurance companies. Key hires at the unit include Mike Di Iorio, Roger Anerella, David Bleustein, Stuart McGuire, Gerry Milligan and Scott Miller.
Stewart said he wants to reboot the bank’s business with hedge funds as he improves electronic trading systems and strengthens flows into Credit Suisse’s private-banking empire. In 2011, the trading unit held the No. 3 spot globally, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
Pick and Choose
While the sudden return of volatility has prompted many banks to rediscover their passion for trading, Stewart said sorting the good performers from the bad is becoming more important.
“There has been a huge dispersion” in the performance of hedge funds, he said. “Anyone prudently running an equities business has got to be focused on the clients that are surviving and thriving in a challenging market. Hedge funds are critical and a high percentage of our business."
While Stewart will continue hiring for areas including derivatives -- a business that’s in demand as investors hunt for yield -- he says the trading business is finished with its overall revamp and the key executives are in place. Stewart said he doesn’t intend to exit any product lines and that while the unit has been trimming some positions, there a no larger headcount reductions planned for 2018.
Prime Services
Stewart’s responsibilities include the prime services operations, which Thiam shrank after taking the helm of the bank in 2015. The business of settling trades and lending to hedge funds has come under pressure due to stricter capital rules.
“We want to refocus and lean into prime brokerage, which has been a historical strength," Stewart said. “However, we did feel it was over-resourced from a personnel standpoint."
Brokerage Cuts
The bank has made some cuts to its brokerage business in recent weeks, with Stewart saying they were small compared to number of new hires. Among people who left were Michael Wingertzahn, Gardy Berthoumiex and Indrajit Bardhan, according to a person familiar with the matter. They couldn’t be reached for comment and Credit Suisse declined to comment. In total, a few dozen employees have left the trading unit recently, two people familiar with the matter said without being more specific.
Equity hedge funds declined in February but returned 1.4 percent so far this year, according to Hedge Fund Research data from early March. In 2017, equity-focused funds had their best start to the year since 2013 as long-and-short equity managers benefited from surging markets in Europe, the U.S. and emerging markets.
Stewart may need some time to prove that his measures are bearing fruit. Equities revenues slumped 27 percent in the fourth quarter and 19 percent for the year in the bank’s Global Markets division, excluding Asia.
Credit Suisse sounded bullish about its trading business at the start of the year. However Thiam was more cautious March, saying business in the quarter was very "confused" and that profitability won’t return to the levels seen in the first months of 2018.
“Obviously volatility brings opportunity and over time we will monetize it,” Stewart said.
By
April 3, 2018, 6:09 PM GMT+10
UBS veteran Mike Stewart says management revamp is complete
Focus on hedge fund business, derivatives, trading systems
While wealth management may be the business Credit Suisse Group AG favors growing these days, the Wall Street veteran who took over the bank’s equity trading unit has no intention of taking a back seat.
“We have more than sufficient resources to be a top-five equities player,” equities chief Mike Stewart said in his first interview since taking the job in June. “Right now, the business really is in execution mode. I’ve got my key people in every seat.”
Stewart took up his job in the midst of some rocky years for the trading business. The group lost almost one-third of its market share from 2015 to 2017 after a push into Asia backfired, a team wagering on algorithms caused revenue to plunge and a new unit set up for the most complex products frustrated traders. The bank was the seventh-biggest globally by revenue among equity-trading houses, as of 2017.
Since joining from cross-town rival UBS Group AG, Stewart has hired at least 18 senior investment bankers at the unit, which caters to institutional investors, hedge funds and insurance companies. Key hires at the unit include Mike Di Iorio, Roger Anerella, David Bleustein, Stuart McGuire, Gerry Milligan and Scott Miller.
Stewart said he wants to reboot the bank’s business with hedge funds as he improves electronic trading systems and strengthens flows into Credit Suisse’s private-banking empire. In 2011, the trading unit held the No. 3 spot globally, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
Pick and Choose
While the sudden return of volatility has prompted many banks to rediscover their passion for trading, Stewart said sorting the good performers from the bad is becoming more important.
“There has been a huge dispersion” in the performance of hedge funds, he said. “Anyone prudently running an equities business has got to be focused on the clients that are surviving and thriving in a challenging market. Hedge funds are critical and a high percentage of our business."
While Stewart will continue hiring for areas including derivatives -- a business that’s in demand as investors hunt for yield -- he says the trading business is finished with its overall revamp and the key executives are in place. Stewart said he doesn’t intend to exit any product lines and that while the unit has been trimming some positions, there a no larger headcount reductions planned for 2018.
Prime Services
Stewart’s responsibilities include the prime services operations, which Thiam shrank after taking the helm of the bank in 2015. The business of settling trades and lending to hedge funds has come under pressure due to stricter capital rules.
“We want to refocus and lean into prime brokerage, which has been a historical strength," Stewart said. “However, we did feel it was over-resourced from a personnel standpoint."
Brokerage Cuts
The bank has made some cuts to its brokerage business in recent weeks, with Stewart saying they were small compared to number of new hires. Among people who left were Michael Wingertzahn, Gardy Berthoumiex and Indrajit Bardhan, according to a person familiar with the matter. They couldn’t be reached for comment and Credit Suisse declined to comment. In total, a few dozen employees have left the trading unit recently, two people familiar with the matter said without being more specific.
Equity hedge funds declined in February but returned 1.4 percent so far this year, according to Hedge Fund Research data from early March. In 2017, equity-focused funds had their best start to the year since 2013 as long-and-short equity managers benefited from surging markets in Europe, the U.S. and emerging markets.
Stewart may need some time to prove that his measures are bearing fruit. Equities revenues slumped 27 percent in the fourth quarter and 19 percent for the year in the bank’s Global Markets division, excluding Asia.
Credit Suisse sounded bullish about its trading business at the start of the year. However Thiam was more cautious March, saying business in the quarter was very "confused" and that profitability won’t return to the levels seen in the first months of 2018.
“Obviously volatility brings opportunity and over time we will monetize it,” Stewart said.
Some stock markets have formed ‘death crosses’ and will likely see a long-term slump, strategist says - CNBC News
Some stock markets have formed ‘death crosses’ and will likely see a long-term slump, strategist says
The U.K. FTSE 100 and the German DAX are both down by around 8 percent year-to date amid a wider slump in global markets.
Some investors have started questioning whether stocks are reaching the end of their bull market.
"The best markets are still in Asia, so it's China, emerging markets and Japan, it's where you should be putting money."
Silvia Amaro | @Silvia_Amaro
Published April 3, 2018
CNBC.com
High probability Europe now in a bear market High probability Europe now in a bear market: ECU Group
3 Hours Ago | 03:20
U.K. and European stocks have broken key through technical levels in recent days and are now likely to be in long-term "bear" markets, according to one strategist.
Robin Griffiths, global macro team chief technical strategist at U.K.-based currency investment firm ECU Group, explained that "death crosses" had been reached — where markets fall below their long-term trend line, which is then itself crossed by its short-term trend line.
"If you've seen a dead cross you've probably seen a bull market and you're now in a bear," he said. "Some (markets) have formed dead crosses and the message from the charts are the U.K. and core Europe have formed dead crosses and there's a very high probability they are now in a bear market."
The U.K. FTSE 100 and the German DAX are both down by around 8 percent year-to date amid a wider slump in global markets. The recent sell-off in technology stocks has compounded the move lower after a market correction earlier this year. Rising interest rates and fears of a global trade war have also sparked concerns that the long run-up in stock markets could end very soon.
Some investors have started questioning whether stocks are reaching the end of their bull market — where prices rise consistently over the long term.
Nonetheless, Griffiths said that not all markets are in immediate danger, adding that there is still at least six to nine months of upside for certain regions.
"The top of the stock market will come before the top of the economy but if that's 18 months away, we've got 6 to 9 months more left in the stock markets that haven't given death cross signals," he said on Tuesday morning.
"The rest of the market, in particular the strongest Asian ones, are having a violent correction … And they are very likely to regain their composure," he said. He added that U.S. and Asian markets are likely to outperform their European counterparts, saying the former should benefit from the White House's plans to cut regulation, reduce taxes and boost infrastructure spending.
"The best markets are still in Asia, so it's China, emerging markets and Japan, it's where you should be putting money and right at the top of the list is commodity-related investments," he said.
Dozens of children feared dead after Afghan air strike on religious school killed 59 including Taliban commanders and pupils - Daily Mail
Dozens of children feared dead after Afghan air strike on religious school killed 59 including Taliban commanders and pupils
Hundreds attended a graduation ceremony at a religious school on Monday
Afghan Air Force helicopters struck the madrassa in Taliban-controlled district
At least 59, including Taliban commanders, were killed, security sources say
On Tuesday, the UN said it was on the ground 'establishing facts' about the strike
By Afp and Reuters and Khaleda Rahman For Mailonline
PUBLISHED: 18:32 AEST, 3 April 2018 | UPDATED: 19:48 AEST, 3 April 2018
Dozens of children are feared dead after an Afghan air strike on a religious school reportedly left at least 59 people dead.
Hundreds of people were attending a graduation ceremony at the madrassa in a Taliban-controlled district in northeastern Afghanistan on Monday when Afghan Air Force helicopters struck, witnesses told AFP.
At least 59 people, including Taliban commanders meeting at the compound in the Dashte Archi district in Kunduz province, were killed in the attack, Afghan security sources said on condition of anonymity.
Most of the civilian victims were children, they said. The wounded were driven more than 50km to hospital for treatment.
On Tuesday, the United Nations said it was investigating 'disturbing reports of serious harm to civilians' in the airstrike.
Dozens of children are feared dead after an Afghan air strike on a religious school reportedly left at least 59 people dead. Pictured, an Afghan child receives treatment after the strike +9
Dozens of children are feared dead after an Afghan air strike on a religious school reportedly left at least 59 people dead. Pictured, an Afghan child receives treatment after the strike
In a brief statement, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said: 'Human Rights team on ground establishing facts. All parties reminded of obligations to protect civilians from impact of armed conflict.'
'I myself counted 35 bodies,' Abdul Khalil told AFP at the hospital in the provincial capital Kunduz where health officials said 57 injured had been taken.
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ISIS 'to target World Cup players and fans in Russia with...
'I arrived at the scene right after the airstrikes - it was like a butcher's shop. Everywhere was covered with blood, the ground was littered with body parts, heads, limbs and other parts.'
A man called Yousuf, who was at the ceremony when the airstrikes happened, said he saw 'blood and body parts everywhere'.
On Tuesday, villagers in the Afghan province of Kunduz said on Tuesday they had buried dozens of victims of the government air strike.
An Afghan child is seen on a stretcher on his way to hospital after Monday's airstrike in Aghanistan's Kunduz province +9
An Afghan child is seen on a stretcher on his way to hospital after Monday's airstrike in Aghanistan's Kunduz province
The UN says it is investigating claims that civilians were affected by an Afghan air strike on a school in a Taliban-controlled area +9
The UN says it is investigating claims that civilians were affected by an Afghan air strike on a school in a Taliban-controlled area
Sayed Jaan, a resident of the district of Dasht-i Archi, said he attended two mass funerals of almost 40 people, adding that other burials had taken place.
He said the helicopter attack happened during a religious ceremony, called Dastaar Bandi, to mark young men completing the memorization of the Koran, the Muslim holy book.
'There were two mass graves to bury the victims of the bombing and I took part in both burials. In one grave, 16, and in another, 21. Many were young children,' Sayed Jaan said.
'There were other burials and people were digging graves.'
But so far, the defence ministry has denied civilians were among the casualties.
An Afghan resident is treated at a hospital following an airstrike in Kunduz on Sunday +9
An Afghan resident is treated at a hospital following an airstrike in Kunduz on Sunday
An Afghan airstrike on a religious school in a Taliban stronghold on April 2 caused multiple casualties, including civilians, an Afghan security source and witnesses said +9
An Afghan airstrike on a religious school in a Taliban stronghold on April 2 caused multiple casualties, including civilians, an Afghan security source and witnesses said
'Twenty Taliban, including the commander of their Red Unit in the district, and also a key member of the Quetta Shura were killed,' defence ministry spokesman Mohammad Radmanish told AFP on Monday.
The same number were wounded, Radmanish added.
The Red Unit is the insurgent group's elite unit and the Quetta Shura is its leadership council.
A senior Afghan defence ministry official told Reuters the air attack killed at least 35 Taliban and wounded many more.
But he denied reports that civilians were harmed and said two senior Taliban commanders were among those killed.
But provincial government leaders including the governor and police had determined that the strike was against a Taliban meeting but it had also inflicted an undetermined number of civilian casualties, the governor's office said.
An Afghan boy is treated at a hospital following an airstrike in the Char Dara district of Kunduz province +9
An Afghan boy is treated at a hospital following an airstrike in the Char Dara district of Kunduz province
The Taliban said the airstrike hit a religious school during a graduation ceremony, killing dozens of civilians +9
The Taliban said the airstrike hit a religious school during a graduation ceremony, killing dozens of civilians
The Taliban on Monday confirmed the attack on the madrassa, but denied militants had been meeting at the religious school.
According to Reuters, the Taliban said the strike killed 150 religious scholars and civilians and denied that any of their forces had been there.
The madrassa was run by Islamic scholars sympathetic to the Taliban but the facility was open to the public, a senior Taliban commander speaking from an unknown location in Pakistan told AFP on Tuesday.
He said as many as 2,000 people were at the school on Monday, including 750 students, for a graduation ceremony but denied senior Taliban leaders were present.
He estimated that 400 people had been killed and an unknown number wounded. The Taliban are known to exaggerate battlefield claims.
The Taliban said the strike killed 150 religious scholars and civilians and denied that any of their forces had been there. Pictured, a boy receives treatment in hospital +9
The Taliban said the strike killed 150 religious scholars and civilians and denied that any of their forces had been there. Pictured, a boy receives treatment in hospital
On Tuesday, villagers in the Afghan province of Kunduz said on Tuesday they had buried dozens of victims of the government air strike. Pictured, a boy in hospital +9
On Tuesday, villagers in the Afghan province of Kunduz said on Tuesday they had buried dozens of victims of the government air strike. Pictured, a boy in hospital
A video posted online by the Taliban showed at least four bodies of children, wrapped in white shrouds.
Other images circulated of children and adults being treated in hospital for injuries, but they could not be verified.
Several boys with their arms and legs bandaged were seen lying in beds and along the corridors of the hospital.
One of the security sources said the Taliban had started meeting at madrassas in the hope of avoiding airstrikes.
US and Afghan forces are increasing ground and air offensives against Taliban and Islamic State insurgents as they try to get the upper hand in the 16-year war.
The casualties underlined the risk of greater use of air power under a new U.S. strategy announced last year to try to force the militant group to the negotiating table.
The Taliban briefly seized Kunduz city in 2015 and they overran it for a second time the following year.
U.S. air strikes destroyed a Kunduz hospital in 2015 killing 42 people, most of them patients and medical staff.
The city has been considered relatively secure over the past year or two but the Taliban control much of the surrounding area.
Building up the fledgling government air force has been a major priority for the NATO-led Resolute Support training and advisory mission.
Last year, more than 10,000 civilians died or were wounded in the war between Afghanistan's Western-backed government and the militants, down 9 percent from the previous year, UNAMA said in a report in February.
Hundreds attended a graduation ceremony at a religious school on Monday
Afghan Air Force helicopters struck the madrassa in Taliban-controlled district
At least 59, including Taliban commanders, were killed, security sources say
On Tuesday, the UN said it was on the ground 'establishing facts' about the strike
By Afp and Reuters and Khaleda Rahman For Mailonline
PUBLISHED: 18:32 AEST, 3 April 2018 | UPDATED: 19:48 AEST, 3 April 2018
Dozens of children are feared dead after an Afghan air strike on a religious school reportedly left at least 59 people dead.
Hundreds of people were attending a graduation ceremony at the madrassa in a Taliban-controlled district in northeastern Afghanistan on Monday when Afghan Air Force helicopters struck, witnesses told AFP.
At least 59 people, including Taliban commanders meeting at the compound in the Dashte Archi district in Kunduz province, were killed in the attack, Afghan security sources said on condition of anonymity.
Most of the civilian victims were children, they said. The wounded were driven more than 50km to hospital for treatment.
On Tuesday, the United Nations said it was investigating 'disturbing reports of serious harm to civilians' in the airstrike.
Dozens of children are feared dead after an Afghan air strike on a religious school reportedly left at least 59 people dead. Pictured, an Afghan child receives treatment after the strike +9
Dozens of children are feared dead after an Afghan air strike on a religious school reportedly left at least 59 people dead. Pictured, an Afghan child receives treatment after the strike
In a brief statement, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said: 'Human Rights team on ground establishing facts. All parties reminded of obligations to protect civilians from impact of armed conflict.'
'I myself counted 35 bodies,' Abdul Khalil told AFP at the hospital in the provincial capital Kunduz where health officials said 57 injured had been taken.
SAS sniper killed by roadside bomb while embedded with Seal...
ISIS 'to target World Cup players and fans in Russia with...
'I arrived at the scene right after the airstrikes - it was like a butcher's shop. Everywhere was covered with blood, the ground was littered with body parts, heads, limbs and other parts.'
A man called Yousuf, who was at the ceremony when the airstrikes happened, said he saw 'blood and body parts everywhere'.
On Tuesday, villagers in the Afghan province of Kunduz said on Tuesday they had buried dozens of victims of the government air strike.
An Afghan child is seen on a stretcher on his way to hospital after Monday's airstrike in Aghanistan's Kunduz province +9
An Afghan child is seen on a stretcher on his way to hospital after Monday's airstrike in Aghanistan's Kunduz province
The UN says it is investigating claims that civilians were affected by an Afghan air strike on a school in a Taliban-controlled area +9
The UN says it is investigating claims that civilians were affected by an Afghan air strike on a school in a Taliban-controlled area
Sayed Jaan, a resident of the district of Dasht-i Archi, said he attended two mass funerals of almost 40 people, adding that other burials had taken place.
He said the helicopter attack happened during a religious ceremony, called Dastaar Bandi, to mark young men completing the memorization of the Koran, the Muslim holy book.
'There were two mass graves to bury the victims of the bombing and I took part in both burials. In one grave, 16, and in another, 21. Many were young children,' Sayed Jaan said.
'There were other burials and people were digging graves.'
But so far, the defence ministry has denied civilians were among the casualties.
An Afghan resident is treated at a hospital following an airstrike in Kunduz on Sunday +9
An Afghan resident is treated at a hospital following an airstrike in Kunduz on Sunday
An Afghan airstrike on a religious school in a Taliban stronghold on April 2 caused multiple casualties, including civilians, an Afghan security source and witnesses said +9
An Afghan airstrike on a religious school in a Taliban stronghold on April 2 caused multiple casualties, including civilians, an Afghan security source and witnesses said
'Twenty Taliban, including the commander of their Red Unit in the district, and also a key member of the Quetta Shura were killed,' defence ministry spokesman Mohammad Radmanish told AFP on Monday.
The same number were wounded, Radmanish added.
The Red Unit is the insurgent group's elite unit and the Quetta Shura is its leadership council.
A senior Afghan defence ministry official told Reuters the air attack killed at least 35 Taliban and wounded many more.
But he denied reports that civilians were harmed and said two senior Taliban commanders were among those killed.
But provincial government leaders including the governor and police had determined that the strike was against a Taliban meeting but it had also inflicted an undetermined number of civilian casualties, the governor's office said.
An Afghan boy is treated at a hospital following an airstrike in the Char Dara district of Kunduz province +9
An Afghan boy is treated at a hospital following an airstrike in the Char Dara district of Kunduz province
The Taliban said the airstrike hit a religious school during a graduation ceremony, killing dozens of civilians +9
The Taliban said the airstrike hit a religious school during a graduation ceremony, killing dozens of civilians
The Taliban on Monday confirmed the attack on the madrassa, but denied militants had been meeting at the religious school.
According to Reuters, the Taliban said the strike killed 150 religious scholars and civilians and denied that any of their forces had been there.
The madrassa was run by Islamic scholars sympathetic to the Taliban but the facility was open to the public, a senior Taliban commander speaking from an unknown location in Pakistan told AFP on Tuesday.
He said as many as 2,000 people were at the school on Monday, including 750 students, for a graduation ceremony but denied senior Taliban leaders were present.
He estimated that 400 people had been killed and an unknown number wounded. The Taliban are known to exaggerate battlefield claims.
The Taliban said the strike killed 150 religious scholars and civilians and denied that any of their forces had been there. Pictured, a boy receives treatment in hospital +9
The Taliban said the strike killed 150 religious scholars and civilians and denied that any of their forces had been there. Pictured, a boy receives treatment in hospital
On Tuesday, villagers in the Afghan province of Kunduz said on Tuesday they had buried dozens of victims of the government air strike. Pictured, a boy in hospital +9
On Tuesday, villagers in the Afghan province of Kunduz said on Tuesday they had buried dozens of victims of the government air strike. Pictured, a boy in hospital
A video posted online by the Taliban showed at least four bodies of children, wrapped in white shrouds.
Other images circulated of children and adults being treated in hospital for injuries, but they could not be verified.
Several boys with their arms and legs bandaged were seen lying in beds and along the corridors of the hospital.
One of the security sources said the Taliban had started meeting at madrassas in the hope of avoiding airstrikes.
US and Afghan forces are increasing ground and air offensives against Taliban and Islamic State insurgents as they try to get the upper hand in the 16-year war.
The casualties underlined the risk of greater use of air power under a new U.S. strategy announced last year to try to force the militant group to the negotiating table.
The Taliban briefly seized Kunduz city in 2015 and they overran it for a second time the following year.
U.S. air strikes destroyed a Kunduz hospital in 2015 killing 42 people, most of them patients and medical staff.
The city has been considered relatively secure over the past year or two but the Taliban control much of the surrounding area.
Building up the fledgling government air force has been a major priority for the NATO-led Resolute Support training and advisory mission.
Last year, more than 10,000 civilians died or were wounded in the war between Afghanistan's Western-backed government and the militants, down 9 percent from the previous year, UNAMA said in a report in February.
Singapore Court Imposes Hefty Fines for Airbnb Rentals - Bloomberg ( source : Associated Press )
Singapore Court Imposes Hefty Fines for Airbnb Rentals
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
April 3, 2018, 6:27 PM GMT+10 Updated on April 3, 2018, 7:33 PM GMT+10
Singapore (AP) -- A court in Singapore on Tuesday fined two men 60,000 Singapore dollars ($45,800) each for breaching laws banning short-term rentals by renting out condominium units through online services such as Airbnb, Craigslist and HomeAway.
Terence Tan En Wei and Yao Songlaing had pleaded guilty at the State Court in February to four charges of illegally renting out four units last year, in the first case of its kind in the Southeast Asian island nation.
Defense lawyer Wong Soo Chih said prosecutors had requested a fine of 20,000 Singapore dollars ($15,267) per charge but the judge set it at 15,000 Singapore dollars ($11,450) per charge.
Offering short stays in private homes is illegal in Singapore, where most residents live in subsidized public housing. The minimum rental period had been six months, but has since been reduced to three months. Officials have said the rule minimizes disturbances to neighbors.
Despite these limitations, Airbnb continues to thrive in the city-state, where the platform has over 8,000 active listings. Last year, 350,000 guests stayed in Airbnb apartments in Singapore, according to the company.
Airbnb said in a statement after the sentencing that it will work with Singapore's authorities to allow the fair use of home sharing.
"We believe that an individual should, minimally, be able to share the private residence that they live in; and that no individual should be criminalized for sharing their home," said the statement from Mich Goh, Airbnb's head of public policy for Southeast Asia.
Describing the issue as "complex and multifaceted," the statement said the company looks forward to clarifying the rules through an upcoming public consultation and supports "a framework that allows responsible and sustainable home sharing to thrive to Singapore's immediate and long-term benefit."
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
April 3, 2018, 6:27 PM GMT+10 Updated on April 3, 2018, 7:33 PM GMT+10
Singapore (AP) -- A court in Singapore on Tuesday fined two men 60,000 Singapore dollars ($45,800) each for breaching laws banning short-term rentals by renting out condominium units through online services such as Airbnb, Craigslist and HomeAway.
Terence Tan En Wei and Yao Songlaing had pleaded guilty at the State Court in February to four charges of illegally renting out four units last year, in the first case of its kind in the Southeast Asian island nation.
Defense lawyer Wong Soo Chih said prosecutors had requested a fine of 20,000 Singapore dollars ($15,267) per charge but the judge set it at 15,000 Singapore dollars ($11,450) per charge.
Offering short stays in private homes is illegal in Singapore, where most residents live in subsidized public housing. The minimum rental period had been six months, but has since been reduced to three months. Officials have said the rule minimizes disturbances to neighbors.
Despite these limitations, Airbnb continues to thrive in the city-state, where the platform has over 8,000 active listings. Last year, 350,000 guests stayed in Airbnb apartments in Singapore, according to the company.
Airbnb said in a statement after the sentencing that it will work with Singapore's authorities to allow the fair use of home sharing.
"We believe that an individual should, minimally, be able to share the private residence that they live in; and that no individual should be criminalized for sharing their home," said the statement from Mich Goh, Airbnb's head of public policy for Southeast Asia.
Describing the issue as "complex and multifaceted," the statement said the company looks forward to clarifying the rules through an upcoming public consultation and supports "a framework that allows responsible and sustainable home sharing to thrive to Singapore's immediate and long-term benefit."
Who really came up with China's 'four new inventions'? - BBC News
3/4/2018
Who really came up with China's 'four new inventions'?
By Pratik Jakhar
BBC Monitoring
Claim: China invented high-speed rail, mobile payment, e-commerce, and bike-sharing.
Reality Check verdict: China did not invent any of these technologies - but it has led the way in their widescale implementation.
This is a claim that has repeatedly come up in Chinese state media since May 2017.
Global Times
✔
@globaltimesnews
China's 'four great new inventions' in modern times http://bit.ly/2BclxRK
5:01 AM - Dec 20, 2017
It was most recently repeated at China's National People's Congress (NPC) by Pony Ma - an NPC delegate who's better known as the chief executive of the Chinese internet giant Tencent. He's also the richest man in China, according to the Hurun Global Rich List.
"We have a new phrase called the 'new four great inventions' in China, including high-speed railway, online shopping, mobile payment and sharing bikes," he told journalists at the NPC.
But these technologies did not originate in China and were first devised decades ago.
Where did the claim come from?
The provenance of the claim appears to be a Beijing Foreign Studies University survey from May 2017, which asked young people from 20 countries to list the technology they "most wanted to bring back" to their country from China.
The respondents' top answers were high-speed rail, mobile payment, bike sharing, and e-commerce.
Since then, Chinese media and officials have drawn on this to promote these technologies as China's "four new great inventions" in modern times.
Why keep making the claim?
The term "four new inventions" harks back to the "four great inventions" of ancient China - papermaking, gunpowder, printing and the compass.
China has been putting strong emphasis on technological advancement as it seeks to become what it calls an "innovation nation" by 2020.
"After years of subordination to the technological supremacy of developed nations in the West, China has come to realise the importance of developing core technologies on its own. Only by doing so can it truly gain independence and win respect from both partners and competitors," the Xinhua news agency says.
Already, China is the second-largest spender on research and development after the US, accounting for 21% of the world's total of nearly $2 trillion in 2015, according to the World Economic Forum.
A 50th anniversary ceremony for the Shinkansen bullet train was held in Tokyo in 2014.
High-speed rail
There is no standardised definition of what constitutes "high-speed rail." The European Union defines "high-speed" as at least 250km/h (155mph) on new tracks, and 200km/h on older tracks.
According to the Worldwide Rail Organisation (UIC), the first high-speed train service began in 1964 - Japan's Shinkansen or bullet train.
There had been significant speed records set before in Europe - in France, a train reached 331 km/h in 1955 - but the Tokyo to Osaka line was the first regular service to travel that fast - the first trains had a maximum speed of 210 km/h.
China opened its first high-speed rail line in 2008, from Beijing to Tianjin, just ahead of the Olympic Games.
Mobile payments
Some of the first payments by a mobile device were made in 1997 in Finland.
Local news reports from the time (in Finnish) stated that Telecom Finland had enabled a music jukebox and drinks vending machines to be operated by calling a payphone number - including Coca-Cola machines in Helsinki Airport.
However, some argue that mobile payment technology truly began when Apple Pay made its debut in 2014.
E-commerce
Englishman Michael Aldrich is credited with inventing the online shopping concept in 1979.
This picture shows what is believed to be the first online shopping order in Gateshead as 72-year-old Jane Snowball used her television to order margarine, cornflakes and eggs from her local supermarket.
Using a technology called Videotex, Mr Aldrich connected an ordinary TV set to the local retailer's computer via a telephone line.
But it wasn't until the 1990s that e-commerce became popular, when Amazon and eBay launched their websites in 1995.
Bike-sharing
Lastly, the first bike-sharing concept - called the "white bicycle plan" - was introduced in Amsterdam in the 1960s by the Dutch counterculture movement Provo. However, the bikes were confiscated by the police in case they encouraged theft.
The first large-scale bike sharing schemes began in the 1990s in European cities - Copenhagen is credited with introducing the first.
But Chinese firms like Mobike and Ofo are at the forefront of "dockless" bike-sharing, a new system where users locate bikes with their smartphone, and drop them off anywhere without the need to park them at a specific dock.
Image copyrightAFP/GETTY IMAGES
Image caption
Mobile payment is even available at market stalls in China - in this picture a woman buys fruit in Beijing by scanning QR codes on her phone
Dominant player
Likewise, China has outpaced other countries in the widespread adoption and adaptation of all of the four technologies.
"Some may argue that the technologies the 'four new great inventions' are based on did not originate in China. That is true, but it is China that used the technologies to come up with the new inventions," writes Xu Gongcheng, a professor at Xiamen University.
China now has the world's largest high-speed rail network - about 25,000 kilometres (15,500 miles) - and aims to double it by 2030.
China's total mobile payments in the first 10 months of 2017 stood at $12.7 trillion, the world's largest volume, according to China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
And with more than 700 million internet users, China is also the biggest and fastest growing e-commerce market in the world, according to a 2017 study by PricewaterhouseCoopers.
In February, the vice minister of China's Ministry of Transport said that there are 400 million registered bike-sharing users and 23 million shared bikes in China.
Who really came up with China's 'four new inventions'?
By Pratik Jakhar
BBC Monitoring
Claim: China invented high-speed rail, mobile payment, e-commerce, and bike-sharing.
Reality Check verdict: China did not invent any of these technologies - but it has led the way in their widescale implementation.
This is a claim that has repeatedly come up in Chinese state media since May 2017.
Global Times
✔
@globaltimesnews
China's 'four great new inventions' in modern times http://bit.ly/2BclxRK
5:01 AM - Dec 20, 2017
It was most recently repeated at China's National People's Congress (NPC) by Pony Ma - an NPC delegate who's better known as the chief executive of the Chinese internet giant Tencent. He's also the richest man in China, according to the Hurun Global Rich List.
"We have a new phrase called the 'new four great inventions' in China, including high-speed railway, online shopping, mobile payment and sharing bikes," he told journalists at the NPC.
But these technologies did not originate in China and were first devised decades ago.
Where did the claim come from?
The provenance of the claim appears to be a Beijing Foreign Studies University survey from May 2017, which asked young people from 20 countries to list the technology they "most wanted to bring back" to their country from China.
The respondents' top answers were high-speed rail, mobile payment, bike sharing, and e-commerce.
Since then, Chinese media and officials have drawn on this to promote these technologies as China's "four new great inventions" in modern times.
Why keep making the claim?
The term "four new inventions" harks back to the "four great inventions" of ancient China - papermaking, gunpowder, printing and the compass.
China has been putting strong emphasis on technological advancement as it seeks to become what it calls an "innovation nation" by 2020.
"After years of subordination to the technological supremacy of developed nations in the West, China has come to realise the importance of developing core technologies on its own. Only by doing so can it truly gain independence and win respect from both partners and competitors," the Xinhua news agency says.
Already, China is the second-largest spender on research and development after the US, accounting for 21% of the world's total of nearly $2 trillion in 2015, according to the World Economic Forum.
A 50th anniversary ceremony for the Shinkansen bullet train was held in Tokyo in 2014.
High-speed rail
There is no standardised definition of what constitutes "high-speed rail." The European Union defines "high-speed" as at least 250km/h (155mph) on new tracks, and 200km/h on older tracks.
According to the Worldwide Rail Organisation (UIC), the first high-speed train service began in 1964 - Japan's Shinkansen or bullet train.
There had been significant speed records set before in Europe - in France, a train reached 331 km/h in 1955 - but the Tokyo to Osaka line was the first regular service to travel that fast - the first trains had a maximum speed of 210 km/h.
China opened its first high-speed rail line in 2008, from Beijing to Tianjin, just ahead of the Olympic Games.
Mobile payments
Some of the first payments by a mobile device were made in 1997 in Finland.
Local news reports from the time (in Finnish) stated that Telecom Finland had enabled a music jukebox and drinks vending machines to be operated by calling a payphone number - including Coca-Cola machines in Helsinki Airport.
However, some argue that mobile payment technology truly began when Apple Pay made its debut in 2014.
E-commerce
Englishman Michael Aldrich is credited with inventing the online shopping concept in 1979.
This picture shows what is believed to be the first online shopping order in Gateshead as 72-year-old Jane Snowball used her television to order margarine, cornflakes and eggs from her local supermarket.
Using a technology called Videotex, Mr Aldrich connected an ordinary TV set to the local retailer's computer via a telephone line.
But it wasn't until the 1990s that e-commerce became popular, when Amazon and eBay launched their websites in 1995.
Bike-sharing
Lastly, the first bike-sharing concept - called the "white bicycle plan" - was introduced in Amsterdam in the 1960s by the Dutch counterculture movement Provo. However, the bikes were confiscated by the police in case they encouraged theft.
The first large-scale bike sharing schemes began in the 1990s in European cities - Copenhagen is credited with introducing the first.
But Chinese firms like Mobike and Ofo are at the forefront of "dockless" bike-sharing, a new system where users locate bikes with their smartphone, and drop them off anywhere without the need to park them at a specific dock.
Image copyrightAFP/GETTY IMAGES
Image caption
Mobile payment is even available at market stalls in China - in this picture a woman buys fruit in Beijing by scanning QR codes on her phone
Dominant player
Likewise, China has outpaced other countries in the widespread adoption and adaptation of all of the four technologies.
"Some may argue that the technologies the 'four new great inventions' are based on did not originate in China. That is true, but it is China that used the technologies to come up with the new inventions," writes Xu Gongcheng, a professor at Xiamen University.
China now has the world's largest high-speed rail network - about 25,000 kilometres (15,500 miles) - and aims to double it by 2030.
China's total mobile payments in the first 10 months of 2017 stood at $12.7 trillion, the world's largest volume, according to China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
And with more than 700 million internet users, China is also the biggest and fastest growing e-commerce market in the world, according to a 2017 study by PricewaterhouseCoopers.
In February, the vice minister of China's Ministry of Transport said that there are 400 million registered bike-sharing users and 23 million shared bikes in China.
White House criticises China for $3bn tariffs on US imports - BBC News
3/4/2018
White House criticises China for $3bn tariffs on US imports
US pork products are among those affected by new tariffs imposed by China
The White House has criticised China after it imposed retaliatory tariffs against the US on a range of goods, including pork and wine.
Beijing put duties of up to 25% on 128 American imports following President Donald Trump's decision to slap taxes on imports of steel and aluminium.
China said the move was intended to safeguard its interests and balance losses caused by the new tariffs.
US stocks fell sharply and Asia traded generally lower, amid trade war fears.
On Wall Street, the S&P 500 Index lost 2.2%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1.9%.
In Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 opened down about 1.5% on Tuesday but recovered a little to close 0.45% lower. The Shanghai Composite closed down even further, dropping 0.84%, although Hong Kong's Hang Seng bucked the trend, reversing earlier losses to finish up 0.29%.
What are tariffs and trade wars (and should you worry?)
Five reasons why trade wars aren't easy to win
What could China do in a US trade war?
The White House reacted angrily to China's move.
"Instead of targeting fairly traded US exports, China needs to stop its unfair trading practices which are harming US national security and distorting global markets," spokeswoman Lindsay Walters said.
She added; "China's subsidisation and continued overcapacity is the root cause of the steel crises,"
The back-and-forth reflects rising tensions between the US and China, which President Trump has described as an "economic enemy".
What is this fight about?
The US has taken two major steps on tariffs recently that have triggered tension with China, the first on steel and aluminium and the second on intellectual property.
The global steel and aluminium tariffs were announced on 8 March. The US is using national security laws to impose the tariffs, which it says are needed to protect US producers.
Certain allies such as Canada, Mexico and the European Union are in line for exemptions, pending talks.
Donald Trump has vowed to cut the US trade deficit with China
China has challenged the US use of national security laws and announced retaliatory tariffs on $3bn (£2.1bn) worth of US products.
Those tariffs went into effect on Monday, targeting US goods including frozen pork, nuts, fresh and dried fruit, ginseng and wine.
The US tariffs related to intellectual property are expected to be set out this week.
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
When a country (USA) is losing many billions of dollars on trade with virtually every country it does business with, trade wars are good, and easy to win. Example, when we are down $100 billion with a certain country and they get cute, don’t trade anymore-we win big. It’s easy!
8:50 PM - Mar 2, 2018
They stem from a US investigation into the alleged theft of intellectual property and Beijing's "Made in China 2025" programme, which the US says puts its firms at a disadvantage and unfairly pressures them to share technology, especially in fields such as robotics and telecommunications.
Up to $60bn in tariffs could be imposed on Chinese imports.
China's ambassador to the US, Cui Tiankai, warned Beijing would take counter-measures of "the same proportion".
What is a trade war and why should I worry?
Reality Check: Is Trump right about US trade deficit?
Who will blink first?
By Stephen McDonell, BBC News, Hong Kong
China's theft of foreign intellectual property is what sparked all this in the first place, according to Washington. If international companies want to operate in China they must hand over their intellectual property for the privilege, thus delivering the likes of German high-speed rail technology into the hands of Chinese engineers.
Yet now that China's retaliatory tariffs have kicked in, there are also those sympathetic with that argument who are worried that launching a potential tariff war is not the way to fix the problem. Naturally others say China has been getting away with this for years and tough measures were needed in order to force change.
There is also the overall imbalance in US-China trade but a large Chinese surplus, of course, means it is potentially much more exposed during a trade war than America. For this reason Beijing will want to negotiate a way out of this escalating tariff showdown.
Its first set of tariffs are relatively mild but they come in response to the first round of US tariffs and a second has already been announced. There are plenty more American companies to be hit and other nations, especially those in Europe and Asia, could soon find themselves dragged into this conflict.
How have producers reacted?
American businesses caught up in the dispute have raised alarms, noting that China is a large market for certain goods, including pork, soya beans and aircraft.
For example, last year China was the third largest market for US pork, receiving about $1.1bn worth of products, according to the National Pork Producer Council.
"Any restriction on export markets is not a good development for US pork producers," Jim Monroe, a spokesman for the National Pork Producers Council, told the BBC.
US companies have said that while they share some of the Trump administration's concerns, they are worried that threatening tariffs is not the best way to resolve the problems.
"The direction of what the US government is doing, and that is to apply some pressure, use some leverage, to level the playing field is the right one, although I don't think tariffs is the best way to go," said William Zarit. chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China.
Mr Zarit told the BBC that members of his organisation, which represents more than 900 companies operating across China, including Intel, Dell, Honeywell and Coca-Cola, were encouraged to hear that top officials have started talking again.
"I think it shows that both sides want to solve this before it gets out of hand," he said.
White House criticises China for $3bn tariffs on US imports
US pork products are among those affected by new tariffs imposed by China
The White House has criticised China after it imposed retaliatory tariffs against the US on a range of goods, including pork and wine.
Beijing put duties of up to 25% on 128 American imports following President Donald Trump's decision to slap taxes on imports of steel and aluminium.
China said the move was intended to safeguard its interests and balance losses caused by the new tariffs.
US stocks fell sharply and Asia traded generally lower, amid trade war fears.
On Wall Street, the S&P 500 Index lost 2.2%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1.9%.
In Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 opened down about 1.5% on Tuesday but recovered a little to close 0.45% lower. The Shanghai Composite closed down even further, dropping 0.84%, although Hong Kong's Hang Seng bucked the trend, reversing earlier losses to finish up 0.29%.
What are tariffs and trade wars (and should you worry?)
Five reasons why trade wars aren't easy to win
What could China do in a US trade war?
The White House reacted angrily to China's move.
"Instead of targeting fairly traded US exports, China needs to stop its unfair trading practices which are harming US national security and distorting global markets," spokeswoman Lindsay Walters said.
She added; "China's subsidisation and continued overcapacity is the root cause of the steel crises,"
The back-and-forth reflects rising tensions between the US and China, which President Trump has described as an "economic enemy".
What is this fight about?
The US has taken two major steps on tariffs recently that have triggered tension with China, the first on steel and aluminium and the second on intellectual property.
The global steel and aluminium tariffs were announced on 8 March. The US is using national security laws to impose the tariffs, which it says are needed to protect US producers.
Certain allies such as Canada, Mexico and the European Union are in line for exemptions, pending talks.
Donald Trump has vowed to cut the US trade deficit with China
China has challenged the US use of national security laws and announced retaliatory tariffs on $3bn (£2.1bn) worth of US products.
Those tariffs went into effect on Monday, targeting US goods including frozen pork, nuts, fresh and dried fruit, ginseng and wine.
The US tariffs related to intellectual property are expected to be set out this week.
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
When a country (USA) is losing many billions of dollars on trade with virtually every country it does business with, trade wars are good, and easy to win. Example, when we are down $100 billion with a certain country and they get cute, don’t trade anymore-we win big. It’s easy!
8:50 PM - Mar 2, 2018
They stem from a US investigation into the alleged theft of intellectual property and Beijing's "Made in China 2025" programme, which the US says puts its firms at a disadvantage and unfairly pressures them to share technology, especially in fields such as robotics and telecommunications.
Up to $60bn in tariffs could be imposed on Chinese imports.
China's ambassador to the US, Cui Tiankai, warned Beijing would take counter-measures of "the same proportion".
What is a trade war and why should I worry?
Reality Check: Is Trump right about US trade deficit?
Who will blink first?
By Stephen McDonell, BBC News, Hong Kong
China's theft of foreign intellectual property is what sparked all this in the first place, according to Washington. If international companies want to operate in China they must hand over their intellectual property for the privilege, thus delivering the likes of German high-speed rail technology into the hands of Chinese engineers.
Yet now that China's retaliatory tariffs have kicked in, there are also those sympathetic with that argument who are worried that launching a potential tariff war is not the way to fix the problem. Naturally others say China has been getting away with this for years and tough measures were needed in order to force change.
There is also the overall imbalance in US-China trade but a large Chinese surplus, of course, means it is potentially much more exposed during a trade war than America. For this reason Beijing will want to negotiate a way out of this escalating tariff showdown.
Its first set of tariffs are relatively mild but they come in response to the first round of US tariffs and a second has already been announced. There are plenty more American companies to be hit and other nations, especially those in Europe and Asia, could soon find themselves dragged into this conflict.
How have producers reacted?
American businesses caught up in the dispute have raised alarms, noting that China is a large market for certain goods, including pork, soya beans and aircraft.
For example, last year China was the third largest market for US pork, receiving about $1.1bn worth of products, according to the National Pork Producer Council.
"Any restriction on export markets is not a good development for US pork producers," Jim Monroe, a spokesman for the National Pork Producers Council, told the BBC.
US companies have said that while they share some of the Trump administration's concerns, they are worried that threatening tariffs is not the best way to resolve the problems.
"The direction of what the US government is doing, and that is to apply some pressure, use some leverage, to level the playing field is the right one, although I don't think tariffs is the best way to go," said William Zarit. chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China.
Mr Zarit told the BBC that members of his organisation, which represents more than 900 companies operating across China, including Intel, Dell, Honeywell and Coca-Cola, were encouraged to hear that top officials have started talking again.
"I think it shows that both sides want to solve this before it gets out of hand," he said.
France strike: Rail misery as three-month action tests Macron - BBC News
3/4/2018
France strike: Rail misery as three-month action tests Macron
TGV high-speed services are among those hardest hit
France's rail network has been severely disrupted, as a wave of strikes against President Emmanuel Macron's labour reforms gets under way.
The start of the strike has been dubbed "Black Tuesday", but the action will spread over three months, affecting two days in every five.
Staff at state railway SNCF are leading the strike, but the energy and waste collection sectors are also affected.
The unrest presents Mr Macron's biggest challenge since his election last May.
How is the strike taking hold?
With the four main rail unions observing the strike, services have been severely curtailed. Some 77% of SNCF drivers are on strike, and 48% of all staff.
Only one in eight high-speed TGVs are scheduled and only one in five regional trains.
Commuter lines into Paris have also been slashed and bus services have been hugely overcrowded. Some stations were crammed for the few trains available, others were deserted.
The website that measures car traffic around the capital recorded about 420km (260 miles) of jams at rush hour.
How this could affect your train journey (in French)
International services are more sketchily affected. Eurostar has 75% of trains running and the Thalys services to Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany is almost normal, but there are no services to Spain, Switzerland or Italy.
Crowds at stations varied. Busy here at the Gare de Lyon in Paris...
... less so at the Gare du Nord
Employees of Air France, who are demanding a 6% pay rise, are into the fourth day of industrial action. The airline is operating 75% of its flights.
Unions have also called out all rubbish collectors, to push for the creation of a national collection service and better retirement options. The capital, the north and east, along with Marseilles could be worst affected.
Energy sector unions have also called strikes to demand, among other things, an end to the liberalisation of the energy markets and a review of deregulation.
Can Macron face down the strikers?
Analysis by the BBC's Hugh Schofield in Paris
There are three reasons why President Macron feels relatively optimistic about the rail strike.
First, unlike in the last massive (and successful) general strike in 1995, this time there can have been no mistaking the government's intention to reform. Neither the public nor SNCF staff can pretend the planned changes come out of the blue. They are clearly part of the broad reform agenda for which Mr Macron was elected.
Second, there is far less automatic sympathy for the SNCF than there used to be. The level of rail services has declined sharply, especially for commuters, who are as a result more open to calls for reform.
Third, new options have opened up for commuters. There is home-working; car-pooling; expanded coach services. This should make it easier for workers to get round the inconvenience.
All that said, these will be tense weeks for the government. Nerves are going to fray. People will get angry. Daily life will not be easy. In these circumstances, plans can go badly awry. A wrong move and public opinion could easily shift back behind the strikers.
What is the strike about?
SNCF workers enjoy generous conditions, including automatic annual pay rises, early retirement, 28 days of paid annual leave and protection from dismissal. Their close relatives are also entitled to free rail tickets.
But the rail unions feel the action is wider than that, and it will be a major test of union clout.
Emmanuel Macron insists he has a mandate for reform
Just over 11% of the French workforce is unionised - one of the lowest levels in the EU - but the unions traditionally punch above their weight, economically and politically.
"We're defending the French public service, not just rail workers," said Emmanuel Grondein, head of union Sud Rail.
French unions strike over labour reforms
Macron launches overhaul of labour laws
Macron's meteoric rise - in-depth analysis
The Macron government wants to phase out the special SNCF contracts, proposing to put new hires on contracts like those that apply elsewhere in industry.
The aim is to open up the state railways to competition from 2023, in line with EU requirements. SNCF has €46.6bn ($57.5bn; £40bn) of debt.
Mr Macron's Republic On The Move party also feels the strike has wider connotations.
"We need to rid this country of its strike culture," spokesman Gabriel Attal said.
Opposition to Mr Macron's agenda was shown on 22 March, when tens of thousands of teachers, nurses and other workers joined rail staff on strike.
The BBC's Lucy Williamson in Paris says many union members see Mr Macron as the man who wants to break the power of the unions.
But strikes in September failed to stop Mr Macron passing laws that make it easier for firms to hire and fire, and the majority of the public are opposed to industrial action this time.
France strike: Rail misery as three-month action tests Macron
TGV high-speed services are among those hardest hit
France's rail network has been severely disrupted, as a wave of strikes against President Emmanuel Macron's labour reforms gets under way.
The start of the strike has been dubbed "Black Tuesday", but the action will spread over three months, affecting two days in every five.
Staff at state railway SNCF are leading the strike, but the energy and waste collection sectors are also affected.
The unrest presents Mr Macron's biggest challenge since his election last May.
How is the strike taking hold?
With the four main rail unions observing the strike, services have been severely curtailed. Some 77% of SNCF drivers are on strike, and 48% of all staff.
Only one in eight high-speed TGVs are scheduled and only one in five regional trains.
Commuter lines into Paris have also been slashed and bus services have been hugely overcrowded. Some stations were crammed for the few trains available, others were deserted.
The website that measures car traffic around the capital recorded about 420km (260 miles) of jams at rush hour.
How this could affect your train journey (in French)
International services are more sketchily affected. Eurostar has 75% of trains running and the Thalys services to Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany is almost normal, but there are no services to Spain, Switzerland or Italy.
Crowds at stations varied. Busy here at the Gare de Lyon in Paris...
... less so at the Gare du Nord
Employees of Air France, who are demanding a 6% pay rise, are into the fourth day of industrial action. The airline is operating 75% of its flights.
Unions have also called out all rubbish collectors, to push for the creation of a national collection service and better retirement options. The capital, the north and east, along with Marseilles could be worst affected.
Energy sector unions have also called strikes to demand, among other things, an end to the liberalisation of the energy markets and a review of deregulation.
Can Macron face down the strikers?
Analysis by the BBC's Hugh Schofield in Paris
There are three reasons why President Macron feels relatively optimistic about the rail strike.
First, unlike in the last massive (and successful) general strike in 1995, this time there can have been no mistaking the government's intention to reform. Neither the public nor SNCF staff can pretend the planned changes come out of the blue. They are clearly part of the broad reform agenda for which Mr Macron was elected.
Second, there is far less automatic sympathy for the SNCF than there used to be. The level of rail services has declined sharply, especially for commuters, who are as a result more open to calls for reform.
Third, new options have opened up for commuters. There is home-working; car-pooling; expanded coach services. This should make it easier for workers to get round the inconvenience.
All that said, these will be tense weeks for the government. Nerves are going to fray. People will get angry. Daily life will not be easy. In these circumstances, plans can go badly awry. A wrong move and public opinion could easily shift back behind the strikers.
What is the strike about?
SNCF workers enjoy generous conditions, including automatic annual pay rises, early retirement, 28 days of paid annual leave and protection from dismissal. Their close relatives are also entitled to free rail tickets.
But the rail unions feel the action is wider than that, and it will be a major test of union clout.
Emmanuel Macron insists he has a mandate for reform
Just over 11% of the French workforce is unionised - one of the lowest levels in the EU - but the unions traditionally punch above their weight, economically and politically.
"We're defending the French public service, not just rail workers," said Emmanuel Grondein, head of union Sud Rail.
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The Macron government wants to phase out the special SNCF contracts, proposing to put new hires on contracts like those that apply elsewhere in industry.
The aim is to open up the state railways to competition from 2023, in line with EU requirements. SNCF has €46.6bn ($57.5bn; £40bn) of debt.
Mr Macron's Republic On The Move party also feels the strike has wider connotations.
"We need to rid this country of its strike culture," spokesman Gabriel Attal said.
Opposition to Mr Macron's agenda was shown on 22 March, when tens of thousands of teachers, nurses and other workers joined rail staff on strike.
The BBC's Lucy Williamson in Paris says many union members see Mr Macron as the man who wants to break the power of the unions.
But strikes in September failed to stop Mr Macron passing laws that make it easier for firms to hire and fire, and the majority of the public are opposed to industrial action this time.
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