Category: Новини

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Бізнес, Новини, Фінанси

At France’s Davos, French Bosses Laud Impact of New President

Top French company bosses who have for years lamented their country’s slow pace of reforms at an annual summer gathering in Provence offered glowing praise this year for the first steps taken by newly elected President Emmanuel Macron.

Sixty days after Macron became France’s youngest ever president, the CEOs gathered in the southern town of Aix-en-Provence said they had sensed a radical change in the country’s image abroad.

“The whole world admires France today. There is renewed confidence, optimism about the country,” Patrick Pouyanne, the head of oil major Total, France’s largest company, told reporters.

“What I expect from this government is that it maintains this confidence, this optimism so the French start spending more and companies start investing.”

Although Macron’s government has yet to pass any concrete measures, it outlined its action plan in policy speeches last week, and has begun talks with unions to pass an extensive reform of French labor regulations.

“I think this new president and his government are making an extremely positive start,” Isabelle Kocher of gas utility ENGIE told Reuters at the summit often referred to as a “mini-Davos”.

“They are changing France’s image abroad, I see it everywhere I go, it’s really striking and has happened very quickly,” she said.

“France went from being labeled the sick man of Europe to being seen as the savior of Europe,” a politician who sits on the board of several French companies told Reuters at one of the cafes lining the town’s sunny streets.

Tax cut debates

Even the government’s announcement earlier this week that some tax cuts would be delayed — including exemptions to a wealth tax and the introduction of a flat tax on capital income of 30 percent — did not draw much criticism.

“There are some debates about the government’s tax measures, if they’ll be done now or if it’ll wait because it has no money,” UBS’s head of French operations Jean-Frederic de Leusse told Reuters.

On Sunday, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire seemed to suggest the delays were still the subject of discussions in government.

But when pressed, French CEOs who had in previous gatherings complained loudly about a tax burden which was the EU’s heaviest last year, refused to blame the government.

“Let’s not start criticizing,” Total’s Pouyanne said. “Let’s give them a bit of time. If there were a magic potion, it would have been used a long time ago.”

The CEO of the country’s flagship airline, Air France-KLM, concurred.

“Like all decision-makers, the government has to deal with contradicting demands. Respecting a certain number of European rules, so that our partners can take us more seriously, is important,” Jean-Marc Janaillac told Reuters.

“If the price we have to pay is a slightly delayed timeframe, that doesn’t seem to be a major inconvenience for me compared to its advantages,” he added.

France’s top central bankers agreed the government was right to prioritize deficit reduction over tax cuts so that France can, for the first time in a decade, bring its deficit below the European Union’s 3 percent of GDP ceiling.

ECB Executive Board member Benoit Coeure said France’s respect for the rules would help discussions the government hopes to launch about common budget measures in the euro zone.

“We’re all for tax cuts, but let’s not equate reform with immediate, unfunded tax cuts,” Bank of France Governor Francois Villeroy de Galhau told the conference on Sunday.

“We’ve already paid a heavy price for this kind of liability on the future.”

 
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Влада, Новини, Україна

Парубій на зустрічі з Ґутеррішем: Росію в ООН треба позбавити права вето з українських питань

Голова Верховної Ради Андрій Парубій заявляє про необхідність позбавлення делегації Росії в Раді безпеки ООН права вето в питаннях, що стосуються України. 

«Зараз, коли триває російська агресія, Україна вкрай потребує сильної та дієвої ООН. Я переконаний, що Росія повинна бути позбавлена права вето з питань, які стосуються України», – сказав спікер українського парламенту на зустрічі з генеральним секретарем ООН Антоніу Ґутеррішем, який нині перебуває з візитом у Києві. 

Є п’ять постійних членів Ради безпеки ООН – Великобританія, Китай, США, Франція і Росія, яка фактично не тільки має право, а й постійно ветує будь-яке рішення, яке вона сприймає таким, що скероване проти неї. Зокрема Росія неодноразово використовувала право вето під час розгляду українських питань. 

Україна, яка є наразі непостійним членом Ради безпеки ООН, неодноразово закликала до реформування Ради безпеки ООН, щоб усунути зловживання правом вето її постійними членами.
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Влада, Новини, Україна

Порошенко: спецпредставник США щодо України залишиться в Києві «на кілька днів»

Спецпредставник США з українського врегулювання Курт Волкер залишиться в Україні на кілька днів для вирішення питань двосторонньої співпраці, заявляє президент України Петро Порошенко.

«Я дуже вдячний, що після призначення, буквально через лічені години з вами у складі делегації – Курт Волкер. Вітаємо його і дякуємо за ваше рішення, що він залишається з нами на кілька днів для того, щоб ми не підвішували питання, не затягували його, а одразу після кількох годин після призначення починали ефективну співпрацю», – сказав Порошенко після зустрічі з державним секретарем США Рексом Тіллерсоном 9 липня в Києві.

Порошенко додав, що після призначення Волкера розраховує на прискорення переговорного процесу й координацію дій для імплементації з боку Росії досягнутих у Мінську домовленостей.

7 липня стало відомо, що Тіллерсон призначив колишнього посла США в НАТО Курта Волкера спеціальним представником, який відповідатиме за ведення переговорів щодо ситуації в Україні.

Волкер прибув до Києва разом із Тіллерсоном.

 
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Влада, Новини, Україна

США розчаровані відсутністю прогресу в мінському процесі – Тіллерсон

«Ми призначили спеціального представника, щоб надати додаткового імпульсу цьому процесу»
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Влада, Новини, Україна

Порошенко: саміт лідерів «нормандського формату» може відбутися цього літа

Саміт лідерів України, Франції, Німеччини і Росії може відбутися вже влітку цього року, після телефонної розмови лідерів «нормандської четвірки», заявляє президент України Петро Порошенко.

«Після зустрічей і телефонних переговорів у Берліні, Парижі, Гамбурзі досягнута домовленість, що найімовірніше в липні відбудеться телефонна розмова у «нормандському форматі» на рівні лідерів, і ми не виключаємо, що за підсумками цієї телефонної розмови нам вдасться організувати саміт… вже цього літа», – сказав Порошенко на спільній прес-конференції з держсекретарем США Рексом Тіллерсоном, який 9 липня перебуває в Україні з офіційним візитом.

Він заявив, що наразі невідомо, де саме може відбутися цей саміт. «Ми налаштовані на рішучу прискорену конкретні практичну розмову як у телефонному форматі, так і під час саміту… Україна не зацікавлена в тому, щоб відкладати подібні переговори, бо щодня платить дуже високу ціну у вигляді поранених і, на жаль, загиблих українських героїв і цивільних жителів», – додав президент.

Порошенко заявив, що має «твердий оптимізм» щодо того, що після саміту вдасться гарантувати реалізацію безпекового компоненту Мінських угод.

Він додав, що українська сторона розраховує на активну участь в цьому партнерів зі США. 

Задля мирного вирішення конфлікту на Донбасі у червні 2014 року лідери України, Німеччини, Франції і Росії під час відвідин Нормандії домовились проводити консультації і переговори у «нормандському форматі». Відтоді відбувалися кілька зустрічей на рівні лідерів країн і керівників МЗС.
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ЄС, Новини, Світ

US has Told Russia to De-escalate Ukraine Eastern Violence

During his first official visit to Kyiv Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that the U.S. has told Russia it must take the first steps to de-escalate violence in Eastern Ukraine.

Tillerson spoke alongside Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko after the two met to discuss ways to help end the conflict in eastern Ukraine and support its ongoing reform efforts.  

 

“As long as the parties commit themselves to these goals I’m confident we can make progress,” Tillerson said, referring to the Minsk agreements – a cease-fire deal that Moscow and Kyiv agreed to in 2015.

Ukraine negotiations

Tillerson has named former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker to serve as Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations.

Volker, who was traveling with Tillerson to Ukraine, will also engage regularly with all parties handling the Ukraine negotiations under the so-called Normandy Format — Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine.

 

In an interview with VOA’s Ukraine service recently, Volker laid out his vision on Ukraine: “We need to have Ukraine, which is a sustainable, resilient, prosperous, strong democracy, so that it would be attractive to the regions in the East, and [be the place]where disinformation and propaganda attacks don’t really have much traction.”

Although Tillerson is seeking to rebuild trust with the Russians, Washington dismissed speculation that it will cut a deal with Moscow over Kyiv.

“There certainly is no intent or desire to work exclusively with Russia,” a senior State Department official said earlier this week. “This is a multiparty issue, resolving the conflict in eastern Ukraine. “

 

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the U.S. would not be backing away from concerns of Russia’s support of rebels in eastern Ukraine.

 

“We believe that the so-called rebels are Russian-backed, Russian-financed, and are responsible for the deaths of Ukrainians,” Nauert said Thursday in a briefing. “We continue to call upon the Russians and the Ukrainians to come together.”

Make clear support for sovereignty

 

Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst told VOA on Friday that Tillerson should make it clear of “U.S. strong support for Ukraine sovereignty and territorial integrity, U.S. recognition that Russia is conducting a war in Ukraine, and U.S. willingness to provide necessary support.”

 

Herbst said he expects Poroshenko to bring up the massive Russian cyberattack against Ukraine during Sunday’s meeting with Tillerson, and the U.S. “has a great deal to learn” for what Ukraine has done to counteract these Russia attacks.

 

“I suspect we will see more cooperation in the future,” Herbst added.

 

Tillerson had told U.S. lawmakers that the United States should not be “handcuffed” to the 2015 Minsk agreement in case the parties decide to reach their goals through a different deal.  

 

Senior officials later clarified that Washington would “not exclude looking at other options” as the U.S. is still fully supportive of the Minsk agreements.

 

“The Minsk agreements are the existing framework,” a senior State Department official said. “There is no better option out there.”

The so-called Minsk II agreement is a package of measures to alleviate the ongoing conflicts, including a cease-fire, between Moscow-backed rebels and government forces in eastern Ukraine. It was agreed to by Ukraine, Russia and separatists in February of 2015.

 
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ЄС, Новини, Світ

‘Tranquil Bull Run’: No Gorings on Day 3 in Pamplona

The third running of the bulls in this year’s San Fermin festival in the northern Spanish city of Pamplona produced no gorings and only a few minor injuries on Sunday, officials said.

 

The initial medical report included just two requests for medical treatment from knocks received during the clean and quick bull run, Red Cross spokesman Jose Aldaba said. 

 

Neither of the two patients had serious injuries, hospital spokesman Tomas Belzunegui said.

 

“It was a tranquil bull run,” Belzunegui said.

 

Over the first two days of the festival, five people — four Americans and a Spaniard — were gored during the daily bull runs. None were life-threatening injuries.

 

The bulls from the Puerto de San Lorenzo ranch, which debuted at the festival, completed the 930-yard (850-meter) cobbled-street course Sunday in 2 minutes, 22 seconds. That is well under the average of three minutes for the run.

 

A brown bull named Huracan broke away early and sped ahead through the parting crowds of runners, several of whom barely dodged its swinging horns.

 

Huracan came close to catching a runner when it hooked a horn in the pant leg of a young man entering the bullring, lifting him along the wall before dragging him for a few meters (yards). The man apparently escaped unscathed.

 

The nine-day San Fermin fiesta attracts tens of thousands of partygoers from Spain and abroad. It was popularized by Nobel Literature laureate Ernest Hemingway’s 1926 novel The Sun Also Rises.
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Бізнес, Новини, Фінанси

In India, Drug Makers Try to Stay a Step Ahead of FDA

In 28 years in India’s pharmaceuticals sector, Rajiv Desai has never been busier.

Most of the last six months on his desk calendar is marked green, indicating visits to the 12 plants of Lupin, India’s No. 2 drugmaker, where Desai is a senior quality control executive. Only one day is red — a day off.

That’s what is needed these days to satisfy the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that standards are being met.

“In this sector, you’re only as good as your last inspection,” Desai said in his office in suburban Mumbai.

Often dubbed “the pharmacy of the world,” India is home to the most FDA-approved plants outside of the United States and supplies about 40 percent of the $70 billion worth of generic drugs sold in the country.

Damaged reputation

But sanctions and bans have badly damaged India’s reputation and slowed growth in the $16 billion sector. Drug exports fell in the fiscal year ending in March 2017.

More than 40 plants have been banned by the FDA for issues ranging from data fraud to hygiene since India’s then-largest drugmaker Ranbaxy was pulled up for serious violations in 2008.

Drug companies have spent millions of dollars on training, new equipment and foreign consultants. Yet the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance of the top 20 firms says its members still need at least five more years to get manufacturing standards and data reliability up to scratch.

The case of Lupin shows why.

In the next few months, the FDA is expected to clear Lupin’s Goa plant of problems found in 2015, Desai said.

However, the agency also published a notice last week citing issues with data storage at its plant in Pithampur, central India.

If companies want to continue to sell into the world’s biggest health care market, they must keep constant vigilance.

Asked about Lupin’s case, the FDA said in a statement it did not “comment on compliance matters,” but said generally: “India’s regulatory infrastructure must keep pace to ensure that relevant quality and safety standards are met.”

Form 483

India has its own standards body, the Central Drug Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), which maintains that its quality controls are stringent enough to ensure drugs are safe.

The FDA has taken matters into its own hands and gradually expanded in India to more than a dozen full-time staff.

Inspections are frequent and increasingly unannounced. If the agency finds problems, it issues a Form 483, a notice outlining the violations, which if not resolved can lead to a warning letter and in worst case, a ban.

Violations range from hygiene, such as rat traps and dirty laboratories, to inadequate controls on systems that store data, leaving it open to tampering.

None of the violations the FDA has cited in India have explicitly said the drugs are unsafe, and when companies are banned by the FDA they can sell into other markets, including in the developing world, until the bans are lifted.

There are also no studies showing that the drugs have harmed anyone in the world. But by definition, the notices are issued when the FDA finds conditions that might harm public health.

​Don’t tell anyone

Industry watchers say Lupin, which specializes in oral contraceptives and drugs for diabetes and hypertension, is doing better than most. So far none of its infractions have extended to a ban.

On a recent visit by Reuters to its Goa plant, blue-uniformed employees could be seen working on giant machines, then making notes in hardbound registers. These are being phased out as Lupin transitions to more secure e-files.

Employees are often videotaped to ensure they follow standard operating procedure. Manufacturers have cut back to focus on quality over quantity: five years ago, Lupin was making 1 billion pills a month at one of its Goa plants. Now it makes 450 million.

Both the company and employees needed to be willing to acknowledge errors, Desai said. The first impulse in the past was often “don’t tell anyone,” he said.

“We’re humans after all, not robots. We make mistakes,” said Amol Kolatkar, a production head at the Goa site.

As recently as three years ago, training was a formality, Desai said. Now, when an error is traced to an employee, the entire team undergoes fresh training.

“I have worked at a pharma company before, but this is the first time I went through such a training,” said another Lupin quality control officer, who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

The quality control role is key.

“They (Lupin) have had a practice where company quality heads report directly to Nilesh Gupta (the managing director),” said Amey Chalke, an analyst at HDFC Securities. “Some other companies have also started doing that now.”

The companies also have to be willing to spend big. Lachman, PwC and Boston Consulting conduct mock audits at the Goa plant every three to six months, at a cost of up to $400 an hour.

“These days the FDA is giving us 483 on small, small things,” a third quality control officer said. “So we are always auditing.”
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Бізнес, Новини, Фінанси

Canada’s Desjardins Suspends Lending for Energy Pipelines

Canadian lender Desjardins is considering no longer funding energy pipelines, a spokesman said Saturday, citing concerns about the impact such projects may have on the environment.

Desjardins, the largest association of credit unions in North America, Friday temporarily suspended lending for such projects and may make the decision permanent, spokesman Jacques Bouchard told Reuters by telephone.

He said the lender would make a final decision in September.

Following ING

Desjardins, a backer of Kinder Morgan Canada Ltd’s high-profile expansion of its Trans Mountain pipeline, has been evaluating its policy for such lending for months, Bouchard said.

If it makes the decision permanent, that would likely mean Desjardins would not help finance other major Canadian pipelines projects, including TransCanada Corp’s Keystone XL and Energy East and Enbridge Inc’s Line 3.

Such a move would follow that of Dutch lender ING Groep NV, which has a long-standing policy of not funding projects directly related to oil sands, and is the latest sign that pipelines could have a harder time getting funding as banks face increasing pressure to back away.

Patrick Bonin, a campaigner with the environmental group Greenpeace, praised Desjardins for temporarily halting pipeline funding, but called on the lender to make it permanent and reconsider its C$145 million ($113 million) commitment to Trans Mountain.

Indigenous, environmental groups

Desjardins is among 24 financial institutions that agreed to lend money to a subsidiary of Kinder Morgan Canada, majority owned by Kinder Morgan Inc of Houston, according to regulatory filings.

A coalition of more than 20 indigenous and environmental groups, including Greenpeace, in June called on 28 major banks to pull funding for Trans Mountain, citing the risk of pipeline spills and their potential contribution to climate change.

ING, which was targeted by the coalition, said it will not fund any of the major Canadian pipelines.

The same month, Sweden’s largest national pension fund, AP7, sold investments in six companies that it says violate the Paris climate agreement, including TransCanada, in a decision environmentalists believe is the first of its kind.
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ЄС, Новини, Світ

Former Polish Leader Walesa Hospitalized

Former Polish President Lech Walesa, a democracy hero, has been hospitalized with heart problems in his Baltic coast home city of Gdansk, his son said Saturday.

Jaroslaw Walesa told The Associated Press via text message that his father was feeling “unfortunately weak.” It was not immediately known when he could be discharged from the heart diseases ward of the Gdansk University Clinic.

Lech Walesa, 73, on Thursday attended a speech by President Donald Trump in Warsaw. He was booed by many in a crowd that supported the current government, which criticizes Walesa’s role in Poland’s politics.

Walesa strongly criticizes the government, saying its policies threaten democracy and hurt Poland’s ties with the European Union’s leading nations.

He had been expected to lead a demonstration Monday against monthly observances that the ruling populist party holds in memory of President Lech Kaczynski and 95 others killed in a 2010 plane crash in Russia. The head of the ruling party is Kaczynski’s twin brother, Jaroslaw, who is Poland’s most powerful politician.

Walesa says the monthly observances are used to rally support for the ruling party.

The protest planned for downtown Warsaw will proceed even if Walesa cannot attend, said another pro-democracy activist, Wladyslaw Frasyniuk.

Walesa in 1980 led a massive strike against Poland’s communist authorities, giving rise to the Solidarity freedom movement. Solidarity peacefully ousted the communists from power in 1989, ushering in democracy.

But Kaczynski claims that the transition included a secret deal that allowed the communists to retain some influence and wealth.
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ЄС, Новини, Світ

Trump Is Biggest Attraction at G-20 Summit

The G-20 summit of the world’s richest economies wrapped up Saturday against a backdrop of angry protests, and a pledge by leaders to fight protectionism in the face of U.S. President Donald Trump’s “America First” policy and Brexit. The U.S. leader took center stage at the two-day gathering, and his meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin was the major headline. VOA Europe correspondent Luis Ramirez reports from Hamburg.
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Влада, Новини, Україна

Меркель повідомила про згоду з Путіним і Макроном щодо телефонної бесіди про Україну

«Ми не ухвалили якогось рішення. Але домовилися, що матимемо телефонну розмова разом з Україною, щоб ми продовжити цей (нормандський – ред.) формат»
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Влада, Новини, Україна

Упродовж дня бойовики 11 разів стріляли на Донбасі – штаб АТО

У прес-центрі штабу АТО повідомили, що підтримувані Росією бойовики від початку доби і до 18-ї години суботи здійснили 11 обстрілів на Донбасі. Про це йдеться в повідомленні прес-центру на сторінці у Facebook.

Як повідомили у штабі, сьогодні втрат серед українських військовослужбовців внаслідок обстрілів не було.

Повідомляється, що під час збройних атак проросійські бойовики використовували озброєння БМП, гранатомети, великокаліберні кулемети, міномети, стрілецьку зброю.

Сепаратисти з угруповань «ДНР» та «ЛНР» не повідомляють про обстріли на захоплених ними територіях в суботу. Донецькі бойовики раніше повідомили, що за попередню добу було 44 випадки порушення режиму тиші з боку ЗСУ, луганські заявили про 4 таких факти.

Про припинення вогню на Донбасі домовлялися вже неодноразово, востаннє від 24 червня на час жнив – до 31 серпня. Проте обстріли на Донбасі тривають, а сторони звинувачують одна одну в порушенні режиму тиші.
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Влада, Новини, Україна

Саміт у Гамбурзі: вранці Меркель, Макрон і Путін обговорили Україну, підвечір лідери G20 ухвалили комюніке

Канцлер Німеччини Анґела Меркель, президент Франції Еммануель Макрон і президент Росії Володимир Путін у першій половині дня суботи провели зустріч за лаштунками саміту «Групи двадцяти» в німецькому Гамбурзі, вказавши на важливість дотримання режиму припинення вогню на сході України. Як передають західні ЗМІ, перед початком заключного дня переговорів G20 лідери Німеччини, Франції та Росії мали робочий сніданок, під час якого йшлося про ситуацію на частині території Східної України.

«Лідери Німеччини, Франції і Росії провели у суботу зустріч, на якій підтвердили важливість імплементації угоди про припинення вогню на сході України, згідно з положеннями мінських домовленостей», – повідомила агенція Reuters з посиланням на представника німецького уряду.

​Вже у другій половині дня суботи лідери країн «Групи двадцяти» досягли компромісу щодо питань клімату і світової торгівлі. Після дводенного саміту 19 найбільших промислово розвинених країн і країн з економікою, що розвивається, визнали в заключній заяві (комюніке) рішення Вашингтона, ухвалене президентом США Дональдом Трампом, вийти з Паризької кліматичної угоди 2015-го року.

У комюніке лідери країн також поступилися бажанню Сполучених Штатів внести норму про використання викопного палива.

«Сполучені Штати Америки заявляють, що будуть прагнути тісно співпрацювати з іншими країнами, аби допомогти їм більш ефективно використовувати викопні види палива та сприяти розгортанню поновлюваних та інших екологічно чистих джерел енергії», – йдеться у тексті комюніке.

На підсумковій прес-конференції канцлер Німеччини Анґела Меркель заявила, що «дуже щаслива», що всі члени групи, хоч і без США, погодилися у «незворотності» вступу в силу кліматичної угоди. Вона назвала переговори щодо клімату та інших питань «складними», але додала, що учасники зустрічі домовилися про відкриття ринків, а також боротьбу з «протекціонізмом», на що неохоче погодився Вашингтон, повідомили близькі до переговорів джерела.

У комюніке, серед іншого, вперше було прописано право країн захищати свої ринки «законними інструментами торговельної оборони».

Останній день переговорів у Гамбурзі проходив на тлі протестів, що продовжились після нічних заворушень біля місця проведення саміту – сутичок між антиглобалістами і поліцією. До G20 входять 19 провідних промислово розвинених і країн, що розвиваються, а також Євросоюз.
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ЄС, Новини, Світ

Italy Building Collapse Kills 8; Last Body Pulled From Rubble

Firefighters and police in Italy Saturday pulled the eighth and final body from the rubble of a five-story apartment building that partially collapsed in a seaside town south of Naples. 

 

The digging through the debris for victims ended more than 24 hours after the residential building collapsed in the early morning. About 80 firefighters worked alongside police and other crews through the night. 

 

The dead were identified as an elderly resident and two families, one with children of elementary and high school age, and one with a grown son living at home. 

 

The cause of the collapse remained under investigation, but authorities said it may be linked to renovation work on the building, located along the Naples-Salerno railway line in the town of Torre Annunziata. Debris fell onto the rails, and the scenic line that connects Naples with the nearby Pompeii archaeological site and the scenic Amalfi coast remained closed. 

 

Witnesses said there was no explosion before the collapse but that a train had just passed by. The Italian railway said vibrations from the train have no impact on adjacent buildings because they are absorbed by ballast. 

 

Prosecutors were investigating possible charges.

 

Carabinieri were the first to respond to the collapse at 6:30 a.m. as many residents still slept, digging by hand to find survivors. The work continued for hours by hand until heavier equipment arrived, while sniffer dogs checked for signs of life. 

 

“We intervened immediately,” Carabinieri Marshall Francesco Murciano told Sky TG24. “We found ourselves before a chilling scene. We started to dig with our bare hands, without any tools.”
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ЄС, Новини, Світ

Tillerson, Newly Named Envoy for Ukraine Crisis Head to Kyiv

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has named former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker to serve as Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations.

The announcement came ahead of Tillerson’s first official visit to Kyiv Sunday, where he will meet with President Petro Poroshenko to discuss ways to help end the conflict in eastern Ukraine and support the country’s ongoing reform efforts.

“The United States remains fully committed to the objectives of the Minsk agreement,” Tillerson said in a statement Friday, referring to the cease-fire deal that Moscow and Kyiv agreed to in 2015.

Watch: Tillerson Heads to Ukraine Following Trump-Putin Meeting

​Ukraine negotiations

Volker, who will accompany Tillerson to Ukraine, will also engage regularly with all parties handling the Ukraine negotiations under the so-called Normandy Format — Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine.

In an interview with VOA’s Ukrainian Service recently, Volker laid out his vision on Ukraine.

“We need to have Ukraine, which is a sustainable, resilient, prosperous, strong democracy, so that it would be attractive to the regions in the East, and [be the place] where disinformation and propaganda attacks don’t really have much traction.”

Although Tillerson is seeking to rebuild trust with the Russians, Washington dismissed speculation that it will cut a deal with Moscow over Kyiv.

“There certainly is no intent or desire to work exclusively with Russia,” a senior State Department official said earlier this week. “This is a multiparty issue, resolving the conflict in eastern Ukraine.”

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the U.S. would not be backing away from concerns of Russia’s support of rebels in eastern Ukraine.

“We believe that the so-called rebels are Russian-backed, Russian-financed, and are responsible for the deaths of Ukrainians,” Nauert said Thursday in a briefing. “We continue to call upon the Russians and the Ukrainians to come together.”

Make clear support for sovereignty

Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst told VOA Friday that Tillerson should make it clear of “U.S. strong support for Ukraine sovereignty and territorial integrity, U.S. recognition that Russia is conducting a war in Ukraine, and U.S. willingness to provide necessary support.”

Herbst said he expects Poroshenko to bring up the massive Russian cyberattack against Ukraine during Sunday’s meeting with Tillerson, and the U.S. “has a great deal to learn” from what Ukraine has done to counteract these Russia attacks.

“I suspect we will see more cooperation in the future,” Herbst added.

Tillerson had told U.S. lawmakers that the United States should not be “handcuffed” to the 2015 Minsk agreement in case the parties decide to reach their goals through a different deal. 

Senior officials later clarified that Washington would “not exclude looking at other options” as the U.S. is still fully supportive of the Minsk agreements.

“The Minsk agreements are the existing framework,” a senior State Department official said. “There is no better option out there.”

Ukraine agenda

In Ukraine, Tillerson will also meet with young reformers from government and civil society, as Washington is encouraging Kyiv to continue implementing “reforms that will strengthen Ukraine’s economic, political and military resilience.”

The government of Ukraine said Washington and Kyiv would soon sign a number of agreements boosting defense cooperation, according to Poroshenko after he met with U.S. President Donald Trump last month. Ukraine’s foreign minister said the deal would involve defensive weapons only.

“We’ve neither ruled out providing such weapons to Ukraine nor have we taken a decision to do so,” a senior State Department official said when asked about a possible defensive weapons deal earlier this week.

The so-called Minsk II agreement is a package of measures to alleviate the ongoing conflicts, including a cease-fire, between Moscow-backed rebels and government forces in eastern Ukraine. It was agreed to by Ukraine, Russia and separatists in February 2015.

VOA’s Ukrainian Service contributed to this report.
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ЄС, Новини, Світ

Anti-globalization Protesters, Police Clash Violently at G-20 Summit, Hundreds Injured

Anti-globalization protesters clashed violently Friday with police in Hamburg, Germany, where leaders from the world’s 20 largest economies gathered, causing injuries to nearly 200 police officers and dozens of activists.

Police said they had brought more than 900 additional officers from across the country to help control the situation, bringing the total number of police in the city to more than 20,000.

Officers patrolled dozens of protest marches, and while most demonstrators were peaceful, others set cars on fire, threw bottles at police and tried to enter the convention center where leaders were meeting.

Some protesters threw gasoline bombs, lit fires in the streets and looted businesses.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the protests were “unacceptable.”

“I have every understanding for peaceful demonstrations, but violent demonstrations put human lives in danger,” she said.

Protesters detained

More than 70 protesters were detained. Police used water cannons to push back protesters, including outside a closed metro station where protesters bent iron gates to force their way inside.

Violent protesters often tried to enter closed-off areas surrounding the summit venues.

A group of 22 swimmers from Greenpeace tried to reach a concert hall on the Elbe River where world leaders gathered in the evening to listen to Beethoven. They were intercepted by marine divers.  

Greenpeace boats also blasted music outside the concert hall in an attempt to disrupt the concert and their dinner meetings.

First lady trapped in hotel

Anti-globalization protesters trapped U.S. first lady Melania Trump in her hotel, keeping her from joining the spouses of the other world leaders on a tour of Hamburg harbor.

Officials said most of the injured police were not badly hurt, but some were taken to hospitals, including an officer who was injured when a firework went off in front of him. Fire officials said at least 60 protesters were taken to hospitals, including 11 who fell off a 4-meter wall after fleeing from police.

Police said the majority of the estimated 100,000 demonstrators were peaceful, while around 1,000 militant protesters caused much of the damage.

The protests were expected to continue through Saturday when the summit ends.
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Бізнес, Новини, Фінанси

Argentina Slaps Embattled Firm Odebrecht With 1-year Bid Ban

Argentina on Friday banned embattled Brazilian construction conglomerate Odebrecht from bidding on public works projects in the country for 12 months due to investigations of bribes the company paid here and elsewhere.

 

The announcement published in the government’s official bulletin also cites corruption and money laundering cases in Brazil and other countries that have led to prison sentences, admission of guilt and clemency pleas by company executives.

 

The company said it was evaluating the decision and would make sure its rights are preserved.

 

“Odebrecht reiterates that it is committed to collaborating with authorities and that it is already adopting the necessary measures for an honest, ethical and transparent corporate behavior,” a company statement said.

Odebrecht is a key focus of the “Operation Car Wash” investigation into a mammoth kickback scheme at Brazil’s state-run oil company — the biggest corruption scandal in that country’s history. The initial investigation was launched in 2014 and has mushroomed into related probes abroad because companies like Odebrecht operated across Latin America.

Company executives acknowledged to U.S. prosecutors earlier this year that they paid more than $700 million bribes to officials in 10 Latin American and two African nations in exchange for multi-million-dollar contracts with local governments. About $35 million in bribes were paid in Argentina between 2007 and 2014.

 

Argentine Justice Minister German Garavano recently traveled to Washington to meet with a prosecutor and share information that can advance the Odebrecht case. But Argentine prosecutors say Argentina lacks a legal mechanism that would allow companies to provide information in exchange for leniency deals like those that have been signed in other nations.
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ЄС, Новини, Світ

Trump, Putin Appear to Enjoy First Meeting as G-20 Protests Flare

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says President Trump put the issue of alleged Russian meddling in U.S. elections at the very top of his agenda when the two leaders held their first face-to-face talks on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Germany Friday. The meeting appears to have gone better than expected, with Tillerson describing a “clear positive chemistry” between the two leaders. VOA Europe correspondent Luis Ramirez reports from Hamburg.
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ЄС, Новини, Світ

Trump Confronts Putin on Russia’s Meddling in US Election

U.S. President Donald Trump “pressed” Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Moscow’s meddling in last year’s U.S. presidential election at their first face-to-face meeting Friday, according to U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Tillerson said Putin denied Russian involvement in the election, although the two leaders had a “very robust and lengthy exchange on the subject.”

“The president pressed President Putin on more than one occasion regarding Russian involvement,” Tillerson told reporters after the two leaders’ meeting that overshadowed the gathering in Hamburg, Germany, of the leaders of the world’s 20 largest economies.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who also attended the meeting, later said that Trump accepted Putin’s statements that Russia had not interfered in the election.

Tillerson said the two leaders agreed to continue the discussion, with the intent of securing a commitment from Russia not to meddle in U.S. affairs in the future. He said there was no sign that the two countries would ever agree on the issue, so both leaders were focused on moving forward.

There are several ongoing investigations into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia and interfered in last November’s U.S. presidential election.

At a joint news conference Thursday in Warsaw with Polish President Andrzej Duda, Trump addressed Russia’s involvement. “I think it was Russia, but I think it was probably other people and/or countries,” Trump said. “Nobody really knows for sure.”

Trump’s stance on the issue has been somewhat at odds with the U.S. intelligence community’s conclusion that Russia meddled in the election and with testimony his own nominees presented before Congress.

The meeting also produced an agreement designed to de-escalate fighting in Syria. The two leaders agreed to a cease-fire in southwestern Syria, a deal that increases U.S. involvement in the effort to resolve the Syrian civil war.

Israel and Jordan, which share a border with southern Syria, also have agreed to the cease-fire, which is set to take effect Sunday.

Although both the U.S. and Russia oppose the Islamic State militant group in Syria, the two countries have thrown their support behind opposing sides in the war. The U.S. supports rebel forces who are opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who has the support of Moscow.

The agreement could give the U.S. more influence over who fills a leadership void that is developing as Islamic State is forced out of its most important Syrian strongholds.

The U.S. and Russia have been negotiating the cease-fire for some time, and it came to fruition at the formal bilateral meeting that was highly anticipated by the international community.

The meeting was fraught with symbolism as Trump, still new to the world of global diplomacy, sat down with Putin, a former KGB agent, who came to power in what amounted to a Kremlin coup 17 years ago.

The meeting was closely scrutinized for signs of how the two leaders interacted. Relations between Putin and former President Barack Obama were strained, and Trump repeatedly has said he would like to improve ties with Russia.
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Влада, Новини, Україна

Аваков заявив, що пояснив послові Італії «абсурдність» звинувачень щодо нацгвардійця Маркова

Міністр внутрішніх справ України Арсен Аваков заявив, що на зустрічі з послом Італії в Україні «предметно пояснив абсурдність звинувачень», висунених в Італії на адресу українського нацгвардійця, громадянина Італії і України Віталія Маркова. «Не залишимо без захисту нашого солдата!» – заявив він.

Як написав міністр у фейсбуці, на зустрічі з послом Давідом Ла Чечілія він стверджував, що боєць не може бути причетним до загибелі громадянина Італії, фоторепортера Андреа Роккеллі 2014 року, в чому його звинувачують. «Ми готові надати судові всі наявні документи в цій справі і забезпечити участь у засіданні свідків із боку України», – додав Аваков.

Він детально виклав українську позицію щодо обставин, за яких 25 травня 2014 року неподалік окупованого на той час Слов’янська, на непідконтрольній Києву території внаслідок мінометного обстрілу загинули Андреа Роккеллі і його перекладач, громадянин Росії Андрій Миронов, а громадянин Франції, журналіст Вільям Роґелон був поранений разом із українцем, водієм авта, в якому всі вони їхали. Міністр, зокрема, нагадав, що, за даними слідства, іноземці прибули на територію України без належного оформлення перетину кордону і не оформлювали в СБУ акредитацію для ведення журналістської діяльності в зоні антитерористичної операції. Також, за даними слідства, потерпілі загинули чи були поранені внаслідок мінометного обстрілу; при цьому у підрозділів Національної гвардії України, в тому числі і в тому, в якому служив боєць Віталій Марків, на горі Карачун біля Слов’янська, в той час мінометів на озброєнні взагалі не було. За словами Авакова, слідство встановило, що Марків із його підрозділом мали лише стрілецьку зброю і не могли здійснити мінометного обстрілу.

«МВС і МЗС України взаємодіють із компетентними органами Італії задля швидкого і справедливого вирішення ситуації, що виникла, і зняття несправедливих обвинувачень щодо Віталія Маркова», – запевнив Арсен Аваков.

1 липня стало відомо, що в Італії заарештований заступник командира взводу 1-го батальйону оперативного призначення Національної гвардії імені Кульчицького Віталій Марків, що є громадянином Італії і України і приїхав до своїх родичів в Італію у планову відпустку. Його підозрюють у причетності до вбивства Андреа Роккеллі і Андрія Миронова. Генеральна прокуратура України висловила здивування арештом і звернулася до італійської влади з вимогою надати ґрунтовні докази вини Маркова або негайно звільнити його. Але через його італійське громадянство Італія ставиться до нього як до тільки свого громадянина, і права на консульську допомогу чи інше юридичне втручання з боку України він не має. Наразі Марків залишається за ґратами в місті Павія на півночі Італії під арештом, що визначений йому як запобіжний захід, на невизначений термін.
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Влада, Новини, Україна

У Росії висловили сподівання, що спецпредставник США Волкер «вплине на Київ»

У Росії висловили сподівання, що новопризначений спецпредставник США у справі врегулювання на сході України Курт Волкер вчинить тиск на владу України щодо цього врегулювання.

Як сказав заступник міністра закордонних справ Росії Григорій Карасін російському агентству «Інтерфакс», «важливо, щоб ця людина внесла конструктивний струмінь у те, що стосується впливу на Київ щодо виконання мінських домовленостей і більш відповідального ставлення до взятих на себе зобов’язань».

«Я думаю, що це головне його завдання», – сказав про Волкера Карасін.

Міністр закордонних справ Росії Сергій Лавров, зі свого боку, висловив сподівання, що новий спецпредставник США найближчим часом «прибуде до Москви для консультацій».

Раніше у п’ятницю державний секретар США Рекс Тіллерсон офіційно підтвердив призначення колишнього посла США в НАТО, а нині директора-розпорядника дослідницького центру «Інститут міжнародного лідерства МакКейна» Курта Волкера спеціальним представником США у справі врегулювання на сході України. «Багатий досвід Курта робить його унікально кваліфікованим для просування цього конфлікту в напрямку до миру», – заявив Тіллерсон і додав: «США і далі цілковито віддані цілям мінських домовленостей, і я цілком довіряю Куртові, що він продовжить наші зусилля задля досягнення миру в Україні».

Раніше у п’ятницю про призначення Волкера повідомили в заяві Державного департаменту США для преси. В ній ішлося про те, що Курт Волкер буде «координувати зусилля Державного департаменту з метою досягти вирішення конфлікту, створеного, коли Росія вторглася до Криму і пізніше на схід України».

У Держдепартаменті також повідомили, що Волкер буде супроводжувати Тіллерсона, коли той прибуде з візитом до Києва в неділю, 9 липня.

У перебігу того візиту Рекс Тіллерсон має зустрітися з президентом України Петром Порошенком і активістами громадянського суспільства. Порошенко і Тіллерсон після зустрічі також виступлять із заявами, повідомили в адміністрації президента України і в посольстві США в Києві.

Волкер, як очікують, залишиться в Києві до понеділка, 10 липня, щоб зустрітися з іншими українськими посадовцями, повідомило Радіо Свобода дипломатичне джерело зі США.

Він відомий своєю позицією, прихильною до демократичних сил в Україні.

Про призначення Курта Волкера оголосили якраз напередодні зустрічі президента США Дональда Трампа з президентом Росії Володимиром Путіним у п’ятницю на полях саміту «Групи двадцяти», який триває в Німеччині. Серед головних тем цієї зустрічі, як повідомили посадовці США і Росії, була й Україна.

За адміністрації попереднього президента США Барака Обами таким спеціальним посланцем у справах урегулювання в Україні була помічник держсекретаря з європейських і євразійських питань Вікторія Нуланд.

Росія стверджує, що Україна не виконує своїх зобов’язань за мінськими домовленостями про врегулювання на окупованій частині українського Донбасу, і вимагає від Заходу «тиску на Київ». Але зауваження, що саме Москва не виконує значно більшої частини своїх зобов’язань, вона відкидає. Росія стверджує, ніби таких зобов’язань узагалі не має, бо, мовляв, є не учасником домовленостей, а лише їхнім «гарантом». Київ заявляє, що Захід має чинити більший тиск на Москву, щоб змусити її виконати такі її зобов’язання за мінськими угодами, як звільнити українських полонених і заручників, вивести з України свої війська і озброєння, роззброїти незаконні збройні формування на сході України чи передати непідконтрольну Києву ділянку українсько-російського кордону під моніторинг ОБСЄ.
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Бізнес, Новини, Фінанси

Slavery Thriving on London’s Building Sites and in Restaurants, Says Police Chief

London is a hotspot of modern slavery, with workers in hotels, restaurants and on construction sites at particular risk of exploitation, said the head of the Metropolitan police’s anti-slavery unit.

Modern slavery cases surged in the first half of this year to about 820 by the end of June, compared to about 1,013 in the whole of 2016, Detective Inspector Phil Brewer told Reuters.

The growth in cases is partly due to increased awareness about slavery, and as police and local authorities are now more often considering whether those involved in potential slavery crimes are victims rather than suspects, said Brewer.

The Metropolitan police is working closely with charities and frontline workers to ensure victims are more easily identified and helped faster.

“Everyone realizes now we’re never going to police our way out of this,” Brewer said in an interview this week.

Government departments, local authorities and police are investigating whether people in the construction and hospitality industries are being held against their will, working under threat, for no pay or in dangerous conditions, Brewer said.

Some government departments already have systems in place — on health and safety rules and the enforcement of minimum wages, for example — to lead the battle against modern slavery in construction and hospitality, he added.

Britain passed tough anti-slavery legislation in 2015, introducing life sentences for traffickers and forcing companies to disclose what they are doing to make sure their supply chains are free from slavery.

There are an estimated 13,000 victims of forced labor, sexual exploitation and domestic servitude in Britain, according to government data.

Domestic servitude and slavery in supply chains are also major concerns for the Metropolitan police, said Brewer.

As paperwork is often only processed through embassies, police only hear about mistreatment if domestic workers come into contact with officers for other reasons, he said.

Domestic servitude is also fueled by cultural factors that might make it acceptable in some sections of London’s population to have a worker from a lower social group working as a domestic slave even though it is against the law.

“Labor exploitation in London is really misunderstood or not understood, it’s quite clear that it’s about what we don’t know rather than what we know,” Brewer said.

Victims, not suspects

One of the biggest challenges for the Metropolitan police is to make sure every officer in the force of 30,000 understands and reacts appropriately to modern slavery cases, said Brewer.

He said the police had faced criticism because officers had treated potential victims as suspects, so London’s police now “massively relies” on relationships with charities and advocacy organizations to ensure swift support for victims.

Under the “county lines” crime model, for example, young urban gang members are compelled and threatened to deal drugs in more rural areas. Some of these young people are now being referred as victims — a number that Brewer expects to grow.

Police also needed to have much more “grown-up conversations” with companies that find modern slavery in their supply chains, to calm their fears that reporting cases would result in them being prosecuted.

“There’s not really been any conversation about how companies can actually interact with policing. There’s probably some reassurance that we need to do, that if you come to us and say we found this, it won’t compromise your position,” he said.
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Влада, Новини, Україна

Росія пообіцяла подати в ПА ОБСЄ «резолюцію про злочини в Україні»

Голова делегації Росії в Парламентській асамблеї ОБСЄ, віце-спікер Державної думи Росії Петро Толстой пообіцяв до наступної сесії асамблеї підготувати «резолюцію про злочини в Україні».

За його словами, в ній має йтися про такі «злочини» «від держперевороту 2014 року до вбивств мирних громадян Донбасу», а також про «відродження нацизму» в Україні, де, за його словами, вулиці називають «іменами безпосередніх організаторів Голокосту».

Як написав Толстой у соцмережах, «на відміну від істерик і пропагандистських штампів українських колег, ми будемо виходити з підтверджених фактів».

Перспективи ухвалення резолюції такого кшталту в ПА ОБСЄ неясні.

Раніше у п’ятницю ПА ОБСЄ, попри спротив Росії, ухвалила дві резолюції зі словами підтримки України і з різкою критикою дій Росії проти України.

У резолюції «Зміцнення взаємної довіри і співпраці заради миру і процвітання в регіоні ОБСЄ», серед іншого, визнається, що окремі райони Донецької і Луганської областей перебувають під контролем «російських гібридних сил». Російська делегація виступила з протестом проти цього проекту, запропонувавши поправки, які б вилучили положення про «російсько-гібридні війська» на Донбасі. Зокрема, Петро Толстой стверджував, що на Донбасі немає російських військ і що це «внутрішній конфлікт України».

У резолюції «Відновлення суверенітету і територіальної цілісності України» висловлена підтримка суверенітетові України над Кримом та Донбасом, різка критика дій Росії і заклики до неї зупинити окупацію українських територій, звільнити українських політв’язнів і заручників. Під час обговорення проекту майже всі представники Росії виступили проти ухвалення цієї резолюції, назвавши її антиросійською.

Росія, говорячи про події в Україні і свою агресію проти неї, користується власним набором пропагандистських штампів, що суперечать фактам. У них Революція гідності навесні 2014 року називається «державним переворотом», піднесення національних і патріотичних почуттів українців – «відродженням нацизму», окупація Криму всупереч міжнародному й українському праву – «возз’єднанням» із півостровом і входженням його до Росії, а агресія Росії на Донбасі – «внутрішньою українською громадянською війною». При цьому Москва, всупереч фактам, заперечує свою причетність до подій на окупованій частині українського Донбасу і виправдовує захоплення українського Криму «відновленням історичної справедливості».

Щорічні сесії ПА ОБСЄ проводяться раз на рік, на початку липня.
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Бізнес, Новини, Фінанси

Uganda Public Workers Resist New Dress Code

No more mini-skirts and large earrings for female civil servants in Uganda. Male staff are now required to wear a jacket and tie. The Ugandan government instituted a new dress code for public workers this week, and it continues to anger some people.

Women activists in Uganda have criticized the new dress code as a distraction from the real issues in the country.

 

Perry Aritua, executive director of Women’s Democracy Network, was one of them.

“Is [a woman] saying that men do not have any type of self-control? When a girl is dressed a certain way, that doesn’t mean she’s calling for your attention. Let us focus on the real issues that Ugandans are grappling with – the theft of our public resources, the inefficiency in service delivery, the absenteeism in public service, the capacity needs that public service has,” Aritua said.

The Ministry of Public Service issued the directive on “decent dressing” Tuesday. It prohibits female staff from wearing tight clothing, open-toed shoes, and skirts or dresses above the knees. Bright-colored nail polish, hair extensions, “exaggerated make-up,” and chandelier earrings are also on the banned list.    

 

The directive didn’t spare men either. All male officers are required to dress in neat, dark trousers but not ones that are tight-fitting. And only closed-toe black and brown shoes should be worn to the office, along with a jacket and tie.

 

Adah Muwanga, the human resource manager at the Ministry of Public Service, defends the new measures.  

“People in Uganda have a perception of what a public officer should look like and this is the image we are trying to protect and preserve. We are saying not above the knee, and for one reason, ‘above the knee’ – you know what it means, it can also [be] tantamount to sexual harassment, because when you sit you are exposing your thighs, which is not generally accepted and it can distract others from work,” Muwanga said.

Rights groups say the previous 2010 public order requiring dress to be neat and practical for one’s job was sufficient.

Ugandans have penned opinion pieces in local media against the dress code with one lawyer writing that “rights aren’t taken away overnight. They are taken away in small bits.”

 

The state-owned newspaper published photos it said were taken Wednesday of three civil servants – a man and two women – not adhering to the new dress code.

 

VOA caught up with one public worker on the issue.

 

“Me I think, my bright nails cannot distract someone, so the government should not discuss about that,” said the woman, declining to give her name.

The penalties for disobeying the new dress code are unclear. The directive simply said cases would be referred to the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Public Service.
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ЄС, Новини, Світ

Nearly 130 Nations ‘on the Verge’ of Adopting Nuclear Weapons Ban

More than 120 countries are expected to adopt the first treaty to ban nuclear weapons Friday despite a boycott by all nuclear-armed nations, including the United States, which has pointed to North Korea’s escalating nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

Elayne Whyte Gomez, president of the U.N. conference that has been negotiating the legally binding treaty, told reporters Thursday that “we are on the verge of adopting the treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons.”

“This will be a historic moment and it will be the first multilateral nuclear disarmament treaty to be concluded in more than 20 years,” she said. “The world has been waiting for this legal norm for 70 years,” since the use of the first atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945 at the end of World War II.

Whyte Gomez, Costa Rica’s ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva, said she hoped the treaty would be adopted by consensus, but she said the rules of procedure for the conference also allowed for a vote.

December resolution

In December, U.N. member states overwhelmingly approved a resolution calling for negotiations on a treaty that would outlaw nuclear weapons, despite strong opposition from nuclear-armed nations and their allies who refused to participate in the talks.

Whyte Gomez said 129 countries signed up to take part in drafting the treaty, which represents two-thirds of the U.N.’s 193 member states. But all nuclear states and NATO members have boycotted the negotiations except for the Netherlands, which has U.S. nuclear weapons on its territory and was urged by its parliament to send a delegation to the negotiations.

Following Wednesday’s final review of the text after nearly three weeks of intense negotiations, Whyte Gomez said she was “convinced that we have achieved a general agreement on a robust and comprehensive prohibition on nuclear weapons.”

“I am really confident that the final draft has captured the aspirations of the overwhelming majority of those participating in the conference, including civil society,” she said.

Final language

The final draft treaty requires all countries that ratify “never under any circumstances to develop, test, produce, manufacture, otherwise acquire, possess or stockpile nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.” It also bans any transfer or use of nuclear weapons or nuclear explosive devices — and the threat to use such weapons.

Retired British Royal Navy Cmdr. Rob Green, who flew nuclear strike aircraft and is now co-director of the Peace Foundation’s Disarmament and Security Center, said at a news conference Wednesday that “the heart of this treaty” was the prohibition on threatening to use nuclear weapons.

Richard Moyes, managing director of Article 36, a British-based organization that works to prevent harm from nuclear and other weapons, said it isn’t plausible to think the world can maintain security based on mutually threatening to incinerate hundreds of thousands of people with nuclear weapons “when we know there have been near-misses, errors of judgment — there’s been accidents — and there’s a degree of instability in the political leadership in the world.”

But not one of the nine countries believed to possess nuclear weapons — the United States, Russia, Britain, China, France, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel — is supporting the treaty.

The United States and other nuclear powers instead want to strengthen and reaffirm the nearly half-century-old Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, considered the cornerstone of global nonproliferation efforts.

That pact sought to prevent the spread of atomic arms beyond the five original weapons powers — the U.S., Russia, Britain, France and China. It requires non-nuclear signatory nations to not pursue atomic weapons in exchange for a commitment by the five powers to move toward nuclear disarmament and to guarantee non-nuclear states access to peaceful nuclear technology for producing energy.

North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile tests, including its July 3 launch, have become a timely argument for proponents and opponents of the treaty to ban atomic weapons.

Beatrice Fihn, executive director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, said 15,000 nuclear weapons around the world have not managed to deter Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions and a new approach is needed starting with prohibition as the first step to eliminate nuclear arms.
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Влада, Новини, Україна

Україна не буде в центрі уваги розмови Трампа і Путіна – економіст Алексашенко

Ситуація в Україні не буде центральною темою на першій зустрічі президентів США та Росії Дональда Трампа та Володимира Путіна. Про це Радіо Свобода заявив науковий співробітник американського Інституту Брукінгса, колишній заступник голови Центрального банку Росії Сергій Алексашенко.

«Україна не буде в списку перших трьох тем розмови Трампа та Путіна, можливо навіть не увійде до списку перших п’яти тем. Очевидно, що є хакерські атаки Росії на американську виборчу систему, очевидно, є боротьба із «Ісламською державою» і Сирією, яка пов’язана із цим, очевидно, є Північна Корея, є Афганістан і є проблема в роззброєнні. І Америка, і Росія збираються виходити на договори про ракети середнього радіусу дії. Тобто є ці перші п’ять тем, які для президента Трампа більш важливі, ніж Україна», – твердить російський економіст. 

За словами Алексашенка, якщо про Україну йтиметься, то стосуватиметься розмова виключно дотримання Мінських угод та участі США у «нормандському форматі».

6 липня у Варшаві президент США Дональд Трамп закликав Росію припинити дестабілізувати Україну і приєднатися до західних країн у вирішенні світових проблем. За словами Трампа, Москва має «припинити дестабілізаційну діяльність в Україні і деінде, а також свою підтримку ворожих режимів, зокрема в Сирії та Ірані, і натомість приєднатися до спільноти відповідальних народів у боротьбі зі спільними ворогами і на захист самої цивілізації».

Перша особиста зустріч Трампа з російським колегою Володимиром Путіним відбудеться 7 липня на полях саміту «Групи двадцяти» в німецькому Гамбурзі.
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ЄС, Новини, Світ

Cyprus Reunification Talks Fail, UN’s Guterres Says

High-level talks aimed at reunifying Cyprus have failed to reach an agreement, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Friday, again dashing hopes that the island’s 43-year ethnic split could be healed.

 

Guterres made the announcement after marathon, U.N.-sponsored talks concluded at a Swiss resort in the early hours of Friday. 

 

“Unfortunately … an agreement was not possible and the conference was closed without the possibility to bring a solution to this dramatically long-lasting problem,” Guterres told reporters.

 

“I want to express my deep gratitude and appreciation to the leaders of the two communities and to wish the best to all Cypriots north and south.”

Door not entirely shut

 

But Guterres didn’t entirely shut the door on any renewed, U.N.-assisted attempt to get the island’s Greek Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and the leader of the breakaway Turkish Cypriots Mustafa Akinci back to the negotiating table again.

 

“The conference is closed,” Guterres said. “That doesn’t mean that other initiatives cannot be developed to address the Cyprus problem.”

 

Echoing Guterres, Cyprus government spokesman Nicos Christodoulides said the failed result wasn’t “the end of the road” for peace efforts.

 

“The existing, unacceptable situation can’t be Cyprus’ future and the president will redouble his efforts,” Christodoulides said.

Why the talks collapsed

 

Also participating in the talks were Cyprus’ three ‘guarantors’ — Greece, Turkey and former colonial ruler Britain.

 

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the talks collapsed because Greece and Greek Cypriots insisted Ankara pull all of its troops from the island and for military intervention rights to be abolished.

 

“For Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side it is not acceptable for troops to be withdrawn,” he told reporters.

 

Security arrangements for an envisioned federal Cyprus were the linchpin to a reunification deal.

 

The issue revolves around the more than 35,000 troops that Turkey has kept in the island’s breakaway Turkish Cypriot north since 1974, when it invaded following a coup mounted by supporters of uniting Cyprus with Greece.

 

Greek Cypriots in the island’s internationally recognized south perceive the Turkish soldiers as a threat and want them to leave. The island’s minority Turkish Cypriots want them to stay as their protectors.

 

Other key disagreements were on how much territory would make up the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot federal zones.

 

Greek Cypriots sought for the town of Morphou to be returned to Greek Cypriot administrative control so a large number of displaced people could swiftly reclaim lost homes and property. Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots offered only part of the town.

 

Another key difference was Turkey’s insistence that a peace accord grant Turkish nationals the right to relocate and transfer money, services and goods to a reunified Cyprus. Greek Cypriots were reluctant to cede unregulated access to Turkish nationals over concerns that the small island of 1.1 million people would be overwhelmed economically and demographically. 
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Бізнес, Новини, Фінанси

Infosys Plans 2,000 New Tech Jobs in North Carolina by 2021

India-based Infosys, an information technology outsourcing firm, announced Thursday it will hire 2,000 workers over the next four years for a technology hub in North Carolina, the second of four planned hubs in the U.S.

 

Infosys executives were joined by North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper at a news conference in which they said the hub will be developed in the state’s Research Triangle region. The company expects to hire the first 500 North Carolina workers within two years as part of an overall strategy leading to eventual creation of 10,000 job overall across the four sites. The first was announced for Indiana in May and the other two locations haven’t yet been announced.

 

Infosys already has more than 1,100 jobs in North Carolina and will begin hiring later this year, company President Ravi Kumar said in the appearance before reporters at North Carolina’s old Capitol Building with Cooper.

 

Kumar stressed that the jobs created as part of its U.S. expansion would go to American workers. While workers could come to North Carolina from all over the country, Kumar emphasized the company aimed to fill positions in part through recruiting local university graduates and training workers via a customized community college program.

 

“This was an easy one for us,” Kumar said. “That’s one of the key reasons why we chose North Carolina — there’s such an excellent ecosystem of colleges and schools.”

 

The jobs will be created in Wake County, which contains Raleigh and parts of the Research Triangle Park, with average salaries of $71,000. A state incentives panel earlier finalized an agreement whereby Infosys could receive more than $22 million in taxpayer-funded grants if they meet job creation, investment and wage thresholds. Another $3 million from the state would help create the community college training program.

 

Infosys said it will use the technology hubs to work with its clients on products such as artificial intelligence, big data analysis and shared computing.

 

Previously, Infosys announced its first hub as part of plans to hire 2,000 new workers by the end of 2021 in the Indianapolis area, home turf of Vice President Mike Pence, a former Indiana governor. President Donald Trump has blasted an American visa program that tech companies have heavily relied upon to temporarily bring in workers from other countries at lower wages.
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Бізнес, Новини, Фінанси

Brazil: Main Points of Mercosur-EU Trade Deal Need to Be Concluded in December

The main points of market access in a trade deal between the South American Mercosur bloc and the European Union need to be concluded by December, Brazil’s chief negotiator said on Thursday.

The EU and Mercosur have committed to a series of negotiations until the end of the year in what both parties say is a last-ditch effort at sealing a deal that has suffered a series of setbacks since talks first began in 1999.

“You cannot have an announcement of an agreement if you do not have the big numbers on market access. I cannot say I have finished and not know what the market access for beef and ethanol will be like,” said Ronaldo Costa Filho, Brazil’s chief negotiator in the talks.

The EU and Japan on Thursday reached a “political agreement” on a free trade deal, and officials insisted the key snags have been overcome for the deal to go into effect early in 2019.

A deal with the EU would be Mercosur’s first large trade deal, though the bloc scheduled talks with other countries.

The EU has eyes on access to public contracts, with the market in Brazil alone worth nearly 150 billion euros ($170 billion), though in return Mercosur will want access to EU agricultural markets such as beef and sugar and derivatives such as ethanol.

“Ethanol is essential. I cannot go back home and say ‘tough luck,'” Costa-Filho told a press briefing in Brussels.

With Britain leaving the European Union and not benefiting from the deal, Costa-Filho added that Mercosur’s door was “wide open” for Britain to seek a separate deal with the South-American bloc.

($1 = 0.8759 euros)
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