Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell said Tuesday the US central bank will be closely scrutinizing Facebook's newly announced <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/creating-g7-task-force-to-ensure-facebooks-libra-governed-by-regulations-france-229231">cryptocurrency Libra</a> with an eye toward potentially regulating the virtual coin.

Powell became the latest official to voice concern over the global virtual currency unveiled last week by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-a-world-first-facebook-to-give-data-on-hate-speech-suspects-to-french-courts-230477">Facebook</a> and an array of partners which aims to lower transaction costs and bring more services to people without access to the banking system.

"We're looking at it very carefully," Powell said at an event sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations. "Given the possible scale of it, I think that our expectations from a consumer protection standpoint, from a regulatory standpoint, are going to be very, very high."

The Libra coin plan, backed by financial and nonprofit partners, represents an ambitious new initiative for the world's biggest social network with the potential to bring crypto-money out of the shadows and into the mainstream.

But the plan has already prompted calls in Europe for close regulatory scrutiny and several US lawmakers have said they more information from Facebook.

Several analysts have said the new currency could create a regulatory conundrum due to the global reach of Facebook, which has more than two billion users.

Powell, speaking at the forum in New York, said that "authority for overseeing Libra is going to be in a number of places but I think the big picture is we're going to be looking really carefully at it."

Facebook said the new virtual coin would be overseen by a nonprofit Libra Association based in Geneva which would maintain a real-world asset reserve to keep its value stable.

Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell said Tuesday the US central bank will be closely scrutinizing Facebook's newly announced cryptocurrency Libra with an eye toward potentially regulating the virtual coin.

Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell said Tuesday the US central bank will be closely scrutinizing Facebook's newly announced cryptocurrency Libra with an eye toward potentially regulating the virtual coin. Powell became the latest official to voice concern over the global virtual currency unveiled last week by Facebook and an array of partners which aims to lower transaction costs and bring more services to people without access to the banking system. "We're looking at it very carefully," Powell said at an event sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations. "Given the possible scale of it, I think that our expectations from a consumer protection standpoint, from a regulatory standpoint, are going to be very, very high." The Libra coin plan, backed by financial and nonprofit partners, represents an ambitious new initiative for the world's biggest social network with the potential to bring crypto-money out of the shadows and into the mainstream. But the plan has already prompted calls in Europe for close regulatory scrutiny and several US lawmakers have said they more information from Facebook. Several analysts have said the new currency could create a regulatory conundrum due to the global reach of Facebook, which has more than two billion users. Powell, speaking at the forum in New York, said that "authority for overseeing Libra is going to be in a number of places but I think the big picture is we're going to be looking really carefully at it." Facebook said the new virtual coin would be overseen by a nonprofit Libra Association based in Geneva which would maintain a real-world asset reserve to keep its value stable.

United States Federal to look 'carefully' at Facebook virtual coin Libra

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lanka-bombings-death-toll-from-terror-attack-rises-to-310-40-people-arrested-212788">Sri Lanka</a> is likely to raise $2 billion through 5-year and 10-year sovereign bonds launched on Monday, two government officials told Reuters, as the Indian Ocean island nation tapped global capital markets for the second time in three months.

The South Asian nation's decision to capitalise on favourable market conditions comes two months after suicide bombers killed more than 250 people in attacks at churches and luxury hotels on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/multiple-blasts-in-sri-lanka-churches-hit-during-easter-sunday-mass-212200">Easter Sunday</a>.&nbsp;

That attack has badly dented the Sri Lankan economy, in particular deterring many thousands of foreign tourists from coming to the island.

"We are planning to raise $500 million from 5-year bonds and $1.5 billion through 10-year bonds," said a senior government official, who declined to be identified because he is not authorised to talk to media.

"Both bonds have been oversubscribed three times during the day's book building process in Asia and Europe alone. We are waiting for US markets to finalise the deal."

A senior finance ministry official also said the total size of the bond borrowing will be $2 billion.

A source who is aware of the deal said the price of 5-year bonds had tightened to near 6.4% from the initial price guidance of 6.6%, while 10-year bond price also got tightened to 7.6% from the initial price guidance of 7.8%.

The sale is part of plans to raise funds via sovereign bonds, as the government seeks new funds to repay loans that are maturing.

In March, Sri Lanka sold $1 billion in five-year bonds with a coupon of 6.85 per cent and $1.4 billion in 10-year bonds with a coupon of 7.85 per cent and the borrowing costs were lower than originally predicted.

The 10-year bond sold in March last traded at 7.302% and the five-year bond last traded at 6.258%, Refinitiv data showed.

BOC International, Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, HSBC, JPMorgan, SMBC Nikko and Standard Chartered Bank, who were the lead managers for the $2.4 billion borrowings in March, are the joint book runners for the bond sale.

The sale of new global sovereign bonds comes as Sri Lanka is struggling to repay foreign loans, with a record $5.9 billion due this year, including $2.6 billion in the first quarter and more than $1.2 billion in the second, central bank data showed.

All three major rating agencies downgraded Sri Lanka's debt after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lanka-mps-defy-president-maithripala-sirisena-to-resume-easter-attack-probe-226346">President Maithripala Sirisena</a> sacked his prime minister in October and replaced him with pro-China former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, though that decision was later reversed.

But the seven-week-long crisis hurt the rupee and drove sovereign bond yields higher, straining state finances.

Sri Lanka is unlikely to hit its full-year economic growth target of 3-4% following the bombings, junior finance minister Eran Wickramaratne told Reuters last month. A Reuters poll has forecast growth to slump to its lowest in nearly two decades this year.

Sri Lanka is likely to raise $2 billion through 5-year and 10-year sovereign bonds launched on Monday, two government officials told Reuters, as the Indian Ocean island nation tapped global capital markets for the second time in three months.

Sri Lanka is likely to raise $2 billion through 5-year and 10-year sovereign bonds launched on Monday, two government officials told Reuters, as the Indian Ocean island nation tapped global capital markets for the second time in three months. The South Asian nation's decision to capitalise on favourable market conditions comes two months after suicide bombers killed more than 250 people in attacks at churches and luxury hotels on Easter Sunday. That attack has badly dented the Sri Lankan economy, in particular deterring many thousands of foreign tourists from coming to the island. "We are planning to raise $500 million from 5-year bonds and $1.5 billion through 10-year bonds," said a senior government official, who declined to be identified because he is not authorised to talk to media. "Both bonds have been oversubscribed three times during the day's book building process in Asia and Europe alone. We are waiting for US markets to finalise the deal." A senior finance ministry official also said the total size of the bond borrowing will be $2 billion. A source who is aware of the deal said the price of 5-year bonds had tightened to near 6.4% from the initial price guidance of 6.6%, while 10-year bond price also got tightened to 7.6% from the initial price guidance of 7.8%. The sale is part of plans to raise funds via sovereign bonds, as the government seeks new funds to repay loans that are maturing. In March, Sri Lanka sold $1 billion in five-year bonds with a coupon of 6.85 per cent and $1.4 billion in 10-year bonds with a coupon of 7.85 per cent and the borrowing costs were lower than originally predicted. The 10-year bond sold in March last traded at 7.302% and the five-year bond last traded at 6.258%, Refinitiv data showed. BOC International, Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, HSBC, JPMorgan, SMBC Nikko and Standard Chartered Bank, who were the lead managers for the $2.4 billion borrowings in March, are the joint book runners for the bond sale. The sale of new global sovereign bonds comes as Sri Lanka is struggling to repay foreign loans, with a record $5.9 billion due this year, including $2.6 billion in the first quarter and more than $1.2 billion in the second, central bank data showed. All three major rating agencies downgraded Sri Lanka's debt after President Maithripala Sirisena sacked his prime minister in October and replaced him with pro-China former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, though that decision was later reversed. But the seven-week-long crisis hurt the rupee and drove sovereign bond yields higher, straining state finances. Sri Lanka is unlikely to hit its full-year economic growth target of 3-4% following the bombings, junior finance minister Eran Wickramaratne told Reuters last month. A Reuters poll has forecast growth to slump to its lowest in nearly two decades this year.

Sri Lanka likely to raise $2 billion via sovereign bonds: Government officials

A <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hungarians-protest-at-state-tv-to-demand-independent-public-media-courts-185137">Hungarian court</a> jailed four human traffickers for life on Thursday for the deaths of 71 migrants whose decomposing bodies were found crammed inside a truck dumped on an Austrian motorway.

The deaths in August 2015 of 59 men, eight women and four children from Syria, Iraq, and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-slams-pakistan-over-imran-khans-remarks-summons-pak-diplomat-recalls-its-envoy-205858">Afghanistan</a> shocked Europe as it was struggling to cope with an influx of more than one million refugees and migrants that year.

It was the worst incident of its kind on the overland route across the Balkans and into central Europe taken by hundreds of thousands of people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

"The suffering in that truck is beyond imagination, as is the utmost indifference the perpetrators showed toward the deaths of these 71 people.&nbsp;

Therefore for those who played a core part, there is no doubt that the only punishment commensurate with their crime is the maximum one, which is life in jail without parole," presiding Judge Erik Mezolaki said.

One of the four defendants received a minimum of 30 years in prison - legally a life term in Hungary - but with the possibility of parole afterwards.

The Afghan ringleader of the gang and three Bulgarian accomplices were found guilty of manslaughter for refusing to stop the refrigerated truck to open the doors and let air in, despite the frantic pleas of that inside.

The passengers realized they were in danger of suffocating, so they banged on the doors, screamed and shouted to get the driver's attention, an investigating judge told an earlier court hearing last year.

Mezolaki said Yahoo Samsooryamal, the Afghan, had ordered the driver not to open the airtight doors of the truck as it headed from Hungary via Austria towards Germany, the preferred destination of many of the migrants who entered Europe in 2015.

He was in contact with Bulgarians Metodi Georgiev, Vencislav Todorov, and Ivaylo Stoyanov by phone during the journey - one of whom drove the truck while the other two followed in cars.

The temperature inside rose quickly after the truck was abandoned on an Austrian highway and the air began to run out, Mezolaki said. The driver had stopped on the motorway to check the truck's engine coolant but left the back doors locked.

All the victims - including children and infants - suffocated within two hours after the traffickers departed.

"They stopped first at about 6 a.m., but the victims made so much noise that (Georgiev) instructed (Todorov and Stoyanov) to keep going," Mezolaki said at the trial in Szeged near Hungary's southern border with Serbia.

"They tried to get away with trafficking even at the cost of the victims' lives ... At 7 a.m., the instruction was to see if they were still screaming so hard, and if not, stop and get lost. By that time, 68 of the victims had died."

Mezolaki said the traffickers had several opportunities to relieve the suffering of the victims. They had even purchased a steel cutter - but opted not to use it to open the truck.

Thursday's sentencing was a final ruling that increased an earlier court verdict of 25 years in jail against the four traffickers reached last year. It also included jail terms of several years for 10 more members of the trafficking ring who were not charged with manslaughter.

The truck was dumped near the town of Parndorf just after it crossed into Austria from Hungary and its rear doors were found wrapped in the wire as a secondary fastener to seal them shut.

Though the truck was left on Austrian territory, the trial was held in Hungary as it was the starting point of the deadly journey.

As Europe's migrant crisis peaked in 2015, the defendants stepped up their operation to maximize profits, smuggling up to 100 people a day from Hungary into Austria or Germany, prosecutors said in an earlier hearing.

A Hungarian court jailed four human traffickers for life on Thursday for the deaths of 71 migrants whose decomposing bodies were found crammed inside a truck dumped on an Austrian motorway.

A Hungarian court jailed four human traffickers for life on Thursday for the deaths of 71 migrants whose decomposing bodies were found crammed inside a truck dumped on an Austrian motorway. The deaths in August 2015 of 59 men, eight women and four children from Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan shocked Europe as it was struggling to cope with an influx of more than one million refugees and migrants that year. It was the worst incident of its kind on the overland route across the Balkans and into central Europe taken by hundreds of thousands of people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. "The suffering in that truck is beyond imagination, as is the utmost indifference the perpetrators showed toward the deaths of these 71 people. Therefore for those who played a core part, there is no doubt that the only punishment commensurate with their crime is the maximum one, which is life in jail without parole," presiding Judge Erik Mezolaki said. One of the four defendants received a minimum of 30 years in prison - legally a life term in Hungary - but with the possibility of parole afterwards. The Afghan ringleader of the gang and three Bulgarian accomplices were found guilty of manslaughter for refusing to stop the refrigerated truck to open the doors and let air in, despite the frantic pleas of that inside. The passengers realized they were in danger of suffocating, so they banged on the doors, screamed and shouted to get the driver's attention, an investigating judge told an earlier court hearing last year. Mezolaki said Yahoo Samsooryamal, the Afghan, had ordered the driver not to open the airtight doors of the truck as it headed from Hungary via Austria towards Germany, the preferred destination of many of the migrants who entered Europe in 2015. He was in contact with Bulgarians Metodi Georgiev, Vencislav Todorov, and Ivaylo Stoyanov by phone during the journey - one of whom drove the truck while the other two followed in cars. The temperature inside rose quickly after the truck was abandoned on an Austrian highway and the air began to run out, Mezolaki said. The driver had stopped on the motorway to check the truck's engine coolant but left the back doors locked. All the victims - including children and infants - suffocated within two hours after the traffickers departed. "They stopped first at about 6 a.m., but the victims made so much noise that (Georgiev) instructed (Todorov and Stoyanov) to keep going," Mezolaki said at the trial in Szeged near Hungary's southern border with Serbia. "They tried to get away with trafficking even at the cost of the victims' lives ... At 7 a.m., the instruction was to see if they were still screaming so hard, and if not, stop and get lost. By that time, 68 of the victims had died." Mezolaki said the traffickers had several opportunities to relieve the suffering of the victims. They had even purchased a steel cutter - but opted not to use it to open the truck. Thursday's sentencing was a final ruling that increased an earlier court verdict of 25 years in jail against the four traffickers reached last year. It also included jail terms of several years for 10 more members of the trafficking ring who were not charged with manslaughter. The truck was dumped near the town of Parndorf just after it crossed into Austria from Hungary and its rear doors were found wrapped in the wire as a secondary fastener to seal them shut. Though the truck was left on Austrian territory, the trial was held in Hungary as it was the starting point of the deadly journey. As Europe's migrant crisis peaked in 2015, the defendants stepped up their operation to maximize profits, smuggling up to 100 people a day from Hungary into Austria or Germany, prosecutors said in an earlier hearing.

Four jailed for life over death of 71 migrants in Hungarian truck

Two children, four women and a man <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nine-migrants-die-as-boat-sinks-off-turkey-coastguard-215755">drowned when a boat carrying</a> them overturned off the Greek island of Lesbos on Tuesday, the coast guard said, the deadliest incident this year involving migrants trying to reach Greece.

Another 57 people were rescued in the operation northeast of the port of Lesbos, the coast guard added.

It did not provide further details on the incident or the nationality of the victims.

Greece became one of the main gateways for refugees flowing into Europe in recent years, many of them fleeing conflict in countries like Syria and Afghanistan, in the continent's worst migration crisis since World War Two.

The influx of migrants was drastically curtailed by a 2016 accord between Turkey and the EU after hundreds died crossing to Greek islands a few miles off the Turkish shore. Many migrants still attempt the short but perilous trip.

"This tragedy is a painful reminder that people continue to take perilous journeys to reach the Greek Aegean islands," said Philippe Leclerc, UNHCR Representative in Greece.

"Redoubled efforts are needed to ensure safe and legal ways to reach Europe, so people stop risking their lives in the hands of ruthless traffickers and smugglers."

Nearly 10,700 refugees and migrants have reached Greece so far this year by sea, and 39 people have lost their lives while attempting the journey, the UNHCR said.

Two children, four women and a man drowned when a boat carrying them overturned off the Greek island of Lesbos on Tuesday, the coast guard said, the deadliest incident this year involving migrants trying to reach Greece.

Two children, four women and a man drowned when a boat carrying them overturned off the Greek island of Lesbos on Tuesday, the coast guard said, the deadliest incident this year involving migrants trying to reach Greece. Another 57 people were rescued in the operation northeast of the port of Lesbos, the coast guard added. It did not provide further details on the incident or the nationality of the victims. Greece became one of the main gateways for refugees flowing into Europe in recent years, many of them fleeing conflict in countries like Syria and Afghanistan, in the continent's worst migration crisis since World War Two. The influx of migrants was drastically curtailed by a 2016 accord between Turkey and the EU after hundreds died crossing to Greek islands a few miles off the Turkish shore. Many migrants still attempt the short but perilous trip. "This tragedy is a painful reminder that people continue to take perilous journeys to reach the Greek Aegean islands," said Philippe Leclerc, UNHCR Representative in Greece. "Redoubled efforts are needed to ensure safe and legal ways to reach Europe, so people stop risking their lives in the hands of ruthless traffickers and smugglers." Nearly 10,700 refugees and migrants have reached Greece so far this year by sea, and 39 people have lost their lives while attempting the journey, the UNHCR said.

Seven drown after migrant boat overturns off Greek island of Lesbos

Iran said on Sunday that Europe was not in a position to criticise Tehran for its military capabilities, and called on European leaders to normalise economic ties with the Islamic Republic despite US sanctions or face consequences.

President Donald Trump last year withdrew the United States from a nuclear deal with Iran and reimposed sanctions. Trump has condemned a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, signed by his predecessor Barack Obama, as flawed for not being permanent and for not covering Iran’s ballistic missile programme or its role in conflicts around the Middle East.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-denounces-latest-us-sanctions-targetting-petrochemical-sector-225586">Iran denounces latest US sanctions targetting petrochemical sector</a>

The European signatories to the deal - France, Britain and Germany - share the same concerns as the United States over Iran’s ballistic missile programme and regional activities.

However, they have defended the nuclear accord saying that at least it puts curbs on Iran’s nuclear programme and can be the basis for future talks. 
"Europeans are not in a position to criticise Iran for issues outside the JCPOA," Zarif was quoted as saying by the state broadcaster, using the acronym for the nuclear deal.

"The Europeans and other signatories of the JCPOA should normalise economic ties with Iran... We will halt our commitments or will take action in accordance to their measures."

Iran last month stopped some commitments under the nuclear deal and warned that in 60 days it would scale back more commitments if Europeans fail to shield it against the US sanctions.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas will visit Iran this week, during which he will explore options for preserving the fraying nuclear non-proliferation pact.

Iranian parliament speaker Ali Larijani on Sunday also criticised French President Emmanuel Macron for saying last week in a meeting with Trump that they shared the same objectives on Iran.&nbsp;

Macron said France wanted to make sure Tehran will not get nuclear weapons: "We had an accord until 2025 and we want to go further and have full certainty in the long run... (Then) reduce ballistic activity and contain Iran regionally."

"The recent remarks by the French president in a meeting with Trump were shameful and inept," Larijani was quoted as saying by Fars news agency.&nbsp; 
"Macron`s comments did not match what he has been telling our president, Mr (Hassan) Rouhani, in their meetings and on the phone."&nbsp;

Iran insists its nuclear activities are entirely peaceful, and has repeatedly refused to discuss its missile programme.&nbsp;

Iran said on Sunday that Europe was not in a position to criticise Tehran for its military capabilities, and called on European leaders to normalise economic ties with the Islamic Republic despite US sanctions or face consequences.

Iran said on Sunday that Europe was not in a position to criticise Tehran for its military capabilities, and called on European leaders to normalise economic ties with the Islamic Republic despite US sanctions or face consequences. President Donald Trump last year withdrew the United States from a nuclear deal with Iran and reimposed sanctions. Trump has condemned a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, signed by his predecessor Barack Obama, as flawed for not being permanent and for not covering Iran’s ballistic missile programme or its role in conflicts around the Middle East. Also read: Iran denounces latest US sanctions targetting petrochemical sector The European signatories to the deal - France, Britain and Germany - share the same concerns as the United States over Iran’s ballistic missile programme and regional activities. However, they have defended the nuclear accord saying that at least it puts curbs on Iran’s nuclear programme and can be the basis for future talks. "Europeans are not in a position to criticise Iran for issues outside the JCPOA," Zarif was quoted as saying by the state broadcaster, using the acronym for the nuclear deal. "The Europeans and other signatories of the JCPOA should normalise economic ties with Iran... We will halt our commitments or will take action in accordance to their measures." Iran last month stopped some commitments under the nuclear deal and warned that in 60 days it would scale back more commitments if Europeans fail to shield it against the US sanctions. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas will visit Iran this week, during which he will explore options for preserving the fraying nuclear non-proliferation pact. Iranian parliament speaker Ali Larijani on Sunday also criticised French President Emmanuel Macron for saying last week in a meeting with Trump that they shared the same objectives on Iran. Macron said France wanted to make sure Tehran will not get nuclear weapons: "We had an accord until 2025 and we want to go further and have full certainty in the long run... (Then) reduce ballistic activity and contain Iran regionally." "The recent remarks by the French president in a meeting with Trump were shameful and inept," Larijani was quoted as saying by Fars news agency. "Macron`s comments did not match what he has been telling our president, Mr (Hassan) Rouhani, in their meetings and on the phone." Iran insists its nuclear activities are entirely peaceful, and has repeatedly refused to discuss its missile programme.

Iran urges Europe to normalise economic ties with it or face consequences

Should European countries want the euro to replace the dollar as the world's dominant reserve currency, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-warns-its-companies-on-us-travel-rebuffs-trade-criticism-224200">US-China trade war may offer a window</a> of opportunity.

The souring of ties between the world's two largest economies will indicate the extent to which China can switch some of its giant reserve holdings to another hard currency and also point to the limitations the eurozone faces in providing a viable alternative.

In the post-World War Two era, no asset has ever fully matched US government bonds for size, liquidity and credit quality. It is the closest any global security has come to being perceived as a cash-like, risk-free asset with over $16 trillion worth of paper in circulation.

Yet, a year into a bitter tariff war, there are some signs of Beijing's discomfort at being both the United States' biggest trade adversary and one of its biggest creditors.

Recent data showed China sold more US Treasuries in March than it has in any month over the past 2-1/2 years. If that proves to be more than a one-month quirk, speculation will rise about where it is diverting those reserves, and the eurozone - the world's biggest trading bloc - tops the list of likely spots.

On size alone, eurozone government bonds appear to provide a credible landing pad: outstanding securities are almost two-thirds of the overall Treasury market.

There are signs already of greater Chinese interest in Europe -- bankers attribute record Asian demand for recent Spanish, French and Belgian debt sales to Beijing.

And China has stepped up buying debt from Europe's quasi-sovereign entities, bankers told Reuters, in particular, the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) a euro zone-guaranteed AAA/A1-rated bailout fund.

Asian investors snapped up 33 per cent&nbsp;of the ESM's recent 2 billion-euro 10-year bond, data from International Financing Review shows. Asian takeup for ESM's euro issues last year was 4 per cent-5 per cent.

But for Chinese reserve managers to shift hundreds of billions of dollars from Treasuries to Europe's single currency, the euro bloc needs to address key shortcomings.

"I find it hard to square the circle how such a huge Treasury holding can be diversified away, given the landscape we are in," said Salman Ahmed, chief investment strategist at Lombard Odier Investment Managers.

"In the eurozone, there is not a big risk-free market...Twenty years down the line it may be different."

For Ahmed, the main issue is that credit risk in the bloc is not uniform. The 19 members each run their own fiscal policies, budget rules are too loosely policed to ensure adherence, and euro exit remains a theoretical possibility.

So wealthier members such as Germany remain net savers that run balanced budgets or even surpluses, while others, mostly in southern Europe, are dogged by high debt.

The resulting mix of credit and political risks make it harder to see the aggregate eurozone bond market as a true mirror of the US Treasury universe.

Ross Hutchison, a fund manager at Aberdeen Standard Investments, says it boils down to the fact the United States "has a federal nature that the euro area hasn't got yet".

Additionally, distortions stemming from years of bond-buying stimulus by the European Central Bank mean available euro government bonds are far fewer than may appear.

While euro government debt outstanding is around $9.5 trillion, the ECB is estimated to hold roughly a quarter.

And the kind of "safe" securities that reserve managers seek are even scarcer -- AAA-rated debt from Germany, the Netherlands and Luxembourg total around $2.5 trillion, less if ECB holdings are discounted. Debt from slightly lower-rated France, Belgium and Austria would add another $3 trillion.

Italy, on the other hand, has the bloc's biggest government bond market, worth $2.3 trillion. But its poor debt-to-GDP ratio, sluggish economy and populist policies make its bonds riskier and its credit rating is a notch or two above junk.

So in times of stress, investors clamour for German bonds, while in Italy, yields spike, threatening to undermine local banks that hold these securities.

Italian 10-year yields are at 2.5 per cent, versus Germany's minus 0.22 per cent.

Such risks have chipped away at the euro's fortunes as a reserve currency -- International Monetary Fund data shows it comprises 20 per cent of global central bank holdings, from 26&nbsp;per cent in 2009.

The decline is linked to the 2011 Greek debt crisis that then ravaged Spain, Italy, Portugal and Ireland, highlighting risks of default by a member state and redenomination of euro debt into a new currency.

Common bond?

European officials are keen to counter the dollar's hegemony, and at a conference last month they debated ways to win the euro a "stronger international role".

But they made no mention of the one measure that could resolve the issue at a stroke -- joint debt issuance via common euro zone bonds. Such securities would pool the bloc's risks, and offer safer securities than those from most individual nations.

Olli Rehn, Bank of Finland governor and an ECB governing council member, said last week a safe asset would help enhance the euro's international role, offering hope the issue will be on the agenda of the new European Commission later this year.

A common bond "would be more significant than the creation of another TLTRO in boosting demand for euros globally and reserve managers would be part of that story," said David Owen, chief European economist at Jefferies.

He was referring to the ECB's cheap multi-year loans.

"Maybe there will be more focus on pushing forward this agenda and taking advantage of the US and China having this trade spat," Owen added.

Others, however, note that wealthier states oppose any common bond programme, fearing they will end up footing the bill. Also, across Europe populist and anti-establishment movements are on the rise, with the agenda of slowing integration and returning power to national capitals.

Such groups grabbed a greater share of the vote in EU parliamentary elections last month, albeit less than expected.

"If anything, the trend is towards decentralisation of power," Ahmed said.

Should European countries want the euro to replace the dollar as the world's dominant reserve currency, the US-China trade war may offer a window of opportunity.

Should European countries want the euro to replace the dollar as the world's dominant reserve currency, the US-China trade war may offer a window of opportunity. The souring of ties between the world's two largest economies will indicate the extent to which China can switch some of its giant reserve holdings to another hard currency and also point to the limitations the eurozone faces in providing a viable alternative. In the post-World War Two era, no asset has ever fully matched US government bonds for size, liquidity and credit quality. It is the closest any global security has come to being perceived as a cash-like, risk-free asset with over $16 trillion worth of paper in circulation. Yet, a year into a bitter tariff war, there are some signs of Beijing's discomfort at being both the United States' biggest trade adversary and one of its biggest creditors. Recent data showed China sold more US Treasuries in March than it has in any month over the past 2-1/2 years. If that proves to be more than a one-month quirk, speculation will rise about where it is diverting those reserves, and the eurozone - the world's biggest trading bloc - tops the list of likely spots. On size alone, eurozone government bonds appear to provide a credible landing pad: outstanding securities are almost two-thirds of the overall Treasury market. There are signs already of greater Chinese interest in Europe -- bankers attribute record Asian demand for recent Spanish, French and Belgian debt sales to Beijing. And China has stepped up buying debt from Europe's quasi-sovereign entities, bankers told Reuters, in particular, the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) a euro zone-guaranteed AAA/A1-rated bailout fund. Asian investors snapped up 33 per cent of the ESM's recent 2 billion-euro 10-year bond, data from International Financing Review shows. Asian takeup for ESM's euro issues last year was 4 per cent-5 per cent. But for Chinese reserve managers to shift hundreds of billions of dollars from Treasuries to Europe's single currency, the euro bloc needs to address key shortcomings. "I find it hard to square the circle how such a huge Treasury holding can be diversified away, given the landscape we are in," said Salman Ahmed, chief investment strategist at Lombard Odier Investment Managers. "In the eurozone, there is not a big risk-free market...Twenty years down the line it may be different." For Ahmed, the main issue is that credit risk in the bloc is not uniform. The 19 members each run their own fiscal policies, budget rules are too loosely policed to ensure adherence, and euro exit remains a theoretical possibility. So wealthier members such as Germany remain net savers that run balanced budgets or even surpluses, while others, mostly in southern Europe, are dogged by high debt. The resulting mix of credit and political risks make it harder to see the aggregate eurozone bond market as a true mirror of the US Treasury universe. Ross Hutchison, a fund manager at Aberdeen Standard Investments, says it boils down to the fact the United States "has a federal nature that the euro area hasn't got yet". Additionally, distortions stemming from years of bond-buying stimulus by the European Central Bank mean available euro government bonds are far fewer than may appear. While euro government debt outstanding is around $9.5 trillion, the ECB is estimated to hold roughly a quarter. And the kind of "safe" securities that reserve managers seek are even scarcer -- AAA-rated debt from Germany, the Netherlands and Luxembourg total around $2.5 trillion, less if ECB holdings are discounted. Debt from slightly lower-rated France, Belgium and Austria would add another $3 trillion. Italy, on the other hand, has the bloc's biggest government bond market, worth $2.3 trillion. But its poor debt-to-GDP ratio, sluggish economy and populist policies make its bonds riskier and its credit rating is a notch or two above junk. So in times of stress, investors clamour for German bonds, while in Italy, yields spike, threatening to undermine local banks that hold these securities. Italian 10-year yields are at 2.5 per cent, versus Germany's minus 0.22 per cent. Such risks have chipped away at the euro's fortunes as a reserve currency -- International Monetary Fund data shows it comprises 20 per cent of global central bank holdings, from 26 per cent in 2009. The decline is linked to the 2011 Greek debt crisis that then ravaged Spain, Italy, Portugal and Ireland, highlighting risks of default by a member state and redenomination of euro debt into a new currency. Common bond? European officials are keen to counter the dollar's hegemony, and at a conference last month they debated ways to win the euro a "stronger international role". But they made no mention of the one measure that could resolve the issue at a stroke -- joint debt issuance via common euro zone bonds. Such securities would pool the bloc's risks, and offer safer securities than those from most individual nations. Olli Rehn, Bank of Finland governor and an ECB governing council member, said last week a safe asset would help enhance the euro's international role, offering hope the issue will be on the agenda of the new European Commission later this year. A common bond "would be more significant than the creation of another TLTRO in boosting demand for euros globally and reserve managers would be part of that story," said David Owen, chief European economist at Jefferies. He was referring to the ECB's cheap multi-year loans. "Maybe there will be more focus on pushing forward this agenda and taking advantage of the US and China having this trade spat," Owen added. Others, however, note that wealthier states oppose any common bond programme, fearing they will end up footing the bill. Also, across Europe populist and anti-establishment movements are on the rise, with the agenda of slowing integration and returning power to national capitals. Such groups grabbed a greater share of the vote in EU parliamentary elections last month, albeit less than expected. "If anything, the trend is towards decentralisation of power," Ahmed said.

US-China trade war offers Europe chance to bank more Chinese reserves: Report

The world risks a descent into lawlessness and a new Cold War if multilateralism fails, UN&nbsp;Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday, calling on the European Union to take a lead role in fighting to preserve a rules-based global order.

Speaking in the western German city of Aachen, where he was being awarded the annual Charlemagne Prize for promoting European unity, Guterres described the 28-nation bloc as a pillar of multilateralism that was "too big to fail".

"If you want to avoid a new Cold War, if you want a real multilateral order, then we have to have a United States of Europe as a strong pillar of it," he said after being presented the medal in Aachen city hall`s ornate Coronation Room.

The prize, first awarded in 1949, is named after the medieval monarch who in 800 was crowned emperor of a Europe-spanning polity that ruled much of modern-day France, Germany, the Low Countries and Central Europe from Aachen.

Former laureates have included French President Emmanuel Macron, Pope Francis and Britain`s wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

In its citation, the prize committee said Guterres, a former prime minister of Portugal, had been chosen for his advocacy of cooperation, tolerance, pluralism and multilateral cooperation.

Guterres said Europe and the global order, with the United Nations at its apex, risked being undermined by rising nationalism and xenophobia at precisely the time when it was needed more than ever to tackle challenges posed by issues such as climate change and migration.

"The bitter truth is that we have taken too many things for granted," he said.

"Human rights has lost ground against the agenda of national sovereignty," he added. "The failure of Europe would inevitably be the failure of multilateralism and the failure of a world in which the rule of law can prevail."

The world risks a descent into lawlessness and a new Cold War if multilateralism fails, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday, calling on the European Union to take a lead role in fighting to preserve a rules-based global order.

The world risks a descent into lawlessness and a new Cold War if multilateralism fails, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday, calling on the European Union to take a lead role in fighting to preserve a rules-based global order. Speaking in the western German city of Aachen, where he was being awarded the annual Charlemagne Prize for promoting European unity, Guterres described the 28-nation bloc as a pillar of multilateralism that was "too big to fail". "If you want to avoid a new Cold War, if you want a real multilateral order, then we have to have a United States of Europe as a strong pillar of it," he said after being presented the medal in Aachen city hall`s ornate Coronation Room. The prize, first awarded in 1949, is named after the medieval monarch who in 800 was crowned emperor of a Europe-spanning polity that ruled much of modern-day France, Germany, the Low Countries and Central Europe from Aachen. Former laureates have included French President Emmanuel Macron, Pope Francis and Britain`s wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill. In its citation, the prize committee said Guterres, a former prime minister of Portugal, had been chosen for his advocacy of cooperation, tolerance, pluralism and multilateral cooperation. Guterres said Europe and the global order, with the United Nations at its apex, risked being undermined by rising nationalism and xenophobia at precisely the time when it was needed more than ever to tackle challenges posed by issues such as climate change and migration. "The bitter truth is that we have taken too many things for granted," he said. "Human rights has lost ground against the agenda of national sovereignty," he added. "The failure of Europe would inevitably be the failure of multilateralism and the failure of a world in which the rule of law can prevail."

Stand firm or face a new Cold War, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warns Europe

By Viviane Gravey

European politics has been seriously shaken up by this month’s parliamentary election. The centre-left/centre-right coalition that has dominated European political proceedings can no longer command a majority in the European Parliament. Eurosceptic parties, meanwhile, made smaller gains than expected.

That has opened up an opportunity for Europe’s green parties, which made big gains and now hold 69 seats in the 751 seat chamber.

This historic showing means environmentalist parties could hold the balance of power. Green MEPs sit in a transnational political group called Greens/European Free Alliance, together with MEPs from regionalist parties including the UK’s Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru. By far the strongest supporters of climate and environmental action in the last parliament, the alliance will seek to leverage its burgeoning influence on key EU policies. It could also play an important role in choosing the EU’s new personnel – including the successor to European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker.

A greener president?

Environmentalists will be thankful that Brexit has been delayed until (at least) October, because it means that UK MEPs will probably still be around to play a part in choosing the new European Commission. The UK Green party delivered a particularly strong result, taking seven seats, along with the Scottish Nationalist Party’s three and one for Plaid Cymru. As a result, the Greens also now have more say over upcoming votes for the European Parliament’s president, 14 vice-presidents and 22 committee chairs that lead legislative negotiations on all policy areas.

In the past MEPs have pushed for the Commission presidency to go to the lead candidate of the political group winning the most seats in the election, which would be the right-leaning European People’s Party’s Manfred Weber. But many EU heads of state (notably Emmanuel Macron in France, Pedro Sanchez in Spain and Mark Rutte in the Netherlands) are unhappy with this approach and would like the Parliament to endorse someone else.

With no candidate able to command a majority by aligning with just one other party, political manoeuvring will be needed, in both the council and the parliament. With backing from the Green group, a strong challenge to Weber could be brought by a broad coalition between the centre-left and the centrist Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe. As potential kingmakers, expect the Greens to try to extract environmental promises from leading candidates. Weber has very poor credentials on this front.

Greener agriculture and trade

Once the new commission starts work in November, Green MEPs will have the opportunity to shape future EU policy. In the last European Parliament, the grand centre-left, centre-right coalition decided 74 per cent of votes, leaving smaller groups at the fringes of power. With a more fragmented European Parliament, smaller groups will now be key to establishing a majority, and coalitions will be much more changeable.

Despite the Greens’ rise, they remain a relatively small group. Their influence will depend on their ability to reach compromises with other parties when necessary – and to know when to pick their battles. Based on their past activities and their manifesto, two such likely red lines will be reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the EU’s trade policy.

During the last reform in 2013, the European Parliament weakened the CAP by making it easier for farmers to qualify for green subsidies without actually changing their practices. More recently, the agriculture committee has supported a proposal to automatically label 40 per cent&nbsp;of CAP spending as “climate expenditure”, writing what Green MEPs called a “blank cheque” on climate change. Meanwhile, the European Commission sat on a report highlighting how little the CAP does for the climate for a year, quietly publishing it a day after the recent elections. This time around, we can expect the Green MEPs riding the resurgent climate wave to push for reform that puts delivery on climate change goals much higher up the agenda.

The Greens are also strong critics of EU trade policy. They have long called for more democratic scrutiny and public consultation by the European Parliament to make trade more environmentally sound. They have pushed for a greater emphasis on improved labour conditions and trade deals which do not undermine the EU’s environmental and emissions targets. We can expect Green MEPs to hold other political parties accountable for their climate change pledges – and to influence the environmental requirements in EU trade policy in the future.

Finally, as staunch defenders of the rule of law and the right to asylum, the larger Green group will also hope to exert influence on the EU’s long-awaited revision to its asylum system, and on how parliament deals with attacks on the rule of law in Hungary and Poland.

The Greens will be keen to influence affairs as much as they can before the UK leaves the EU – when it will lose nearly 20 per cent&nbsp;of its MEPs. They will also still be reliant on how seriously other parties now take the union’s climate and environmental commitments.

(Viviane Gravey is Lecturer in European Politics, Queen's University Belfast)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-green-surge-could-mean-for-the-new-european-parliament-117953">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

By Viviane Gravey European politics has been seriously shaken up by this month’s parliamentary election. The centre-left/centre-right coalition that has dominated European political proceedings can no longer command a majority in the European Parliament.

By Viviane Gravey European politics has been seriously shaken up by this month’s parliamentary election. The centre-left/centre-right coalition that has dominated European political proceedings can no longer command a majority in the European Parliament. Eurosceptic parties, meanwhile, made smaller gains than expected. That has opened up an opportunity for Europe’s green parties, which made big gains and now hold 69 seats in the 751 seat chamber. This historic showing means environmentalist parties could hold the balance of power. Green MEPs sit in a transnational political group called Greens/European Free Alliance, together with MEPs from regionalist parties including the UK’s Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru. By far the strongest supporters of climate and environmental action in the last parliament, the alliance will seek to leverage its burgeoning influence on key EU policies. It could also play an important role in choosing the EU’s new personnel – including the successor to European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker. A greener president? Environmentalists will be thankful that Brexit has been delayed until (at least) October, because it means that UK MEPs will probably still be around to play a part in choosing the new European Commission. The UK Green party delivered a particularly strong result, taking seven seats, along with the Scottish Nationalist Party’s three and one for Plaid Cymru. As a result, the Greens also now have more say over upcoming votes for the European Parliament’s president, 14 vice-presidents and 22 committee chairs that lead legislative negotiations on all policy areas. In the past MEPs have pushed for the Commission presidency to go to the lead candidate of the political group winning the most seats in the election, which would be the right-leaning European People’s Party’s Manfred Weber. But many EU heads of state (notably Emmanuel Macron in France, Pedro Sanchez in Spain and Mark Rutte in the Netherlands) are unhappy with this approach and would like the Parliament to endorse someone else. With no candidate able to command a majority by aligning with just one other party, political manoeuvring will be needed, in both the council and the parliament. With backing from the Green group, a strong challenge to Weber could be brought by a broad coalition between the centre-left and the centrist Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe. As potential kingmakers, expect the Greens to try to extract environmental promises from leading candidates. Weber has very poor credentials on this front. Greener agriculture and trade Once the new commission starts work in November, Green MEPs will have the opportunity to shape future EU policy. In the last European Parliament, the grand centre-left, centre-right coalition decided 74 per cent of votes, leaving smaller groups at the fringes of power. With a more fragmented European Parliament, smaller groups will now be key to establishing a majority, and coalitions will be much more changeable. Despite the Greens’ rise, they remain a relatively small group. Their influence will depend on their ability to reach compromises with other parties when necessary – and to know when to pick their battles. Based on their past activities and their manifesto, two such likely red lines will be reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the EU’s trade policy. During the last reform in 2013, the European Parliament weakened the CAP by making it easier for farmers to qualify for green subsidies without actually changing their practices. More recently, the agriculture committee has supported a proposal to automatically label 40 per cent of CAP spending as “climate expenditure”, writing what Green MEPs called a “blank cheque” on climate change. Meanwhile, the European Commission sat on a report highlighting how little the CAP does for the climate for a year, quietly publishing it a day after the recent elections. This time around, we can expect the Green MEPs riding the resurgent climate wave to push for reform that puts delivery on climate change goals much higher up the agenda. The Greens are also strong critics of EU trade policy. They have long called for more democratic scrutiny and public consultation by the European Parliament to make trade more environmentally sound. They have pushed for a greater emphasis on improved labour conditions and trade deals which do not undermine the EU’s environmental and emissions targets. We can expect Green MEPs to hold other political parties accountable for their climate change pledges – and to influence the environmental requirements in EU trade policy in the future. Finally, as staunch defenders of the rule of law and the right to asylum, the larger Green group will also hope to exert influence on the EU’s long-awaited revision to its asylum system, and on how parliament deals with attacks on the rule of law in Hungary and Poland. The Greens will be keen to influence affairs as much as they can before the UK leaves the EU – when it will lose nearly 20 per cent of its MEPs. They will also still be reliant on how seriously other parties now take the union’s climate and environmental commitments. (Viviane Gravey is Lecturer in European Politics, Queen's University Belfast) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

What Green surge could mean for the new European Parliament

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/juventus-head-coach-massimiliano-allegri-praises-christiano-ronaldos-mental-strength-218734">Massimiliano Allegri </a>oversaw his final game as Juventus coach on Sunday, after guiding the team to an eighth consecutive Serie A title but paying the price for yet another Champions League failure despite the sensational signing of Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo was left out alongside a host of other starters as the Allegri era ended with the whimper of a 2-0 defeat at Sampdoria, having played 31 of 38 matches and closing the season as the team's top scorer with 21 league goals.

But helping the team to another Serie A title was not why the 34-year-old was signed last summer. Ronaldo had spent nine glittering seasons at Real Madrid, lifting a fourth Champions League trophy in five seasons before moving to Italy.

His arrival in Turin on a 100-million-euro ($115 million) deal, plus a reported 30 million euros a year, was hailed as "the deal of the century" by the Italian press.

But after a season in which they were expected to sweep all before them, Juventus have won less than the previous season, with their four-year reign as Coppa Italia holders ended in a 3-0 quarter-final defeat by Atalanta. Ronaldo single-handedly lifted<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/juves-allegri-may-have-been-victim-of-his-own-pragmatism-219580"> Juventus </a>into the Champions League quarter-finals with a hat-trick against Atletico Madrid.

But his hopes of a fourth straight European triumph were ended when they crashed out to daring Dutch Ajax in the last eight. 
Amid criticism of Allegri's tactics, Ronaldo, who has scored 124 goals in 160 Champions League appearances, reportedly said: "I don't work miracles".

"Cristiano showed us he could always score in the games that counted. But then you have to have a strong team behind him," said veteran defender Andrea Barzagli.

Money-spinner&nbsp; 
 
Despite the financial fallout of failing to advance in the Champions League, Ronaldo's signing has been a money-spinning one for Juventus. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner is the most followed sports star on social media with a global reach of over 340 million followers.

More fans ultimately mean more money, and suddenly Ronaldo's transfer fee does not look so extortionate. The club's value on the Milan stock exchange has rocketed by 133 per cent since his arrival last July.

Shares had been trading around 0.6 euro in mid-May, jumping to 1.8 euro during the session on September 20, before dipping slightly following rape allegations against Ronaldo in the United States dating back to 2009 which he vehemently denies.

Shares jumped by 30 per cent after his hat-trick catapulted the Italian football club into the quarterfinals of the Champions League in March.

Next season there will be a new coach on the bench with reports that Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri, former coach of Napoli, Tottenham's Mauricio Pochettino and Lazio boss Simone Inzaghi is among the candidates. On the pitch Welsh international midfielder Aaron Ramsey arrives in Turin from Arsenal.&nbsp;

Massimiliano Allegri oversaw his final game as Juventus coach on Sunday, after guiding the team to an eighth consecutive Serie A title but paying the price for yet another Champions League failure despite the sensational signing of Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.

Massimiliano Allegri oversaw his final game as Juventus coach on Sunday, after guiding the team to an eighth consecutive Serie A title but paying the price for yet another Champions League failure despite the sensational signing of Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo was left out alongside a host of other starters as the Allegri era ended with the whimper of a 2-0 defeat at Sampdoria, having played 31 of 38 matches and closing the season as the team's top scorer with 21 league goals. But helping the team to another Serie A title was not why the 34-year-old was signed last summer. Ronaldo had spent nine glittering seasons at Real Madrid, lifting a fourth Champions League trophy in five seasons before moving to Italy. His arrival in Turin on a 100-million-euro ($115 million) deal, plus a reported 30 million euros a year, was hailed as "the deal of the century" by the Italian press. But after a season in which they were expected to sweep all before them, Juventus have won less than the previous season, with their four-year reign as Coppa Italia holders ended in a 3-0 quarter-final defeat by Atalanta. Ronaldo single-handedly lifted Juventus into the Champions League quarter-finals with a hat-trick against Atletico Madrid. But his hopes of a fourth straight European triumph were ended when they crashed out to daring Dutch Ajax in the last eight. Amid criticism of Allegri's tactics, Ronaldo, who has scored 124 goals in 160 Champions League appearances, reportedly said: "I don't work miracles". "Cristiano showed us he could always score in the games that counted. But then you have to have a strong team behind him," said veteran defender Andrea Barzagli. Money-spinner Despite the financial fallout of failing to advance in the Champions League, Ronaldo's signing has been a money-spinning one for Juventus. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner is the most followed sports star on social media with a global reach of over 340 million followers. More fans ultimately mean more money, and suddenly Ronaldo's transfer fee does not look so extortionate. The club's value on the Milan stock exchange has rocketed by 133 per cent since his arrival last July. Shares had been trading around 0.6 euro in mid-May, jumping to 1.8 euro during the session on September 20, before dipping slightly following rape allegations against Ronaldo in the United States dating back to 2009 which he vehemently denies. Shares jumped by 30 per cent after his hat-trick catapulted the Italian football club into the quarterfinals of the Champions League in March. Next season there will be a new coach on the bench with reports that Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri, former coach of Napoli, Tottenham's Mauricio Pochettino and Lazio boss Simone Inzaghi is among the candidates. On the pitch Welsh international midfielder Aaron Ramsey arrives in Turin from Arsenal.

Ronaldo not enough as Juve extend Italian domination but fall short in Europe

A World War II aircraft that took part in the D-Day invasion in 1944 is returning to Europe for the 75th anniversary of the battle.

D-Day plane returns to Europe for 75th anniversary

For his continuous support in promoting the cause of children's rights, Anil Kapoor was felicitated by Council of European Chambers of Commerce in India and a European Union delegation in Mumbai.

The event also marked the celebration of EU Day 2019 on Friday.

Anil Kapoor, who has been working in collaboration with Plan India, a child rights organisation, was the guest of honour at the event.

Tomasz Kozlowski, EU Ambassador to India said, "Council of European Chambers of Commerce in India traditionally organises EU based celebrations. I am so happy that Anil Kapoor is with us today because he is so famous in promoting cultural ties between India and European countries."

Praising Anil Kapoor, the ambassador added, "Mr Kapoor is also known as a very devoted promoter of social values, women rights. We spent some time together in October last year, promoting girls'&nbsp;rights in an event organised by Plan India."

The actor has been supporting girls'&nbsp;and children's rights for which the actor got recognition from the EU delegation.

Presenting the citation to Kapoor, Tomasz said, "On the occasion of Europe Day 2019, Mr Anil Kapoor is a distinguished exponent in the art of acting and master of his craft."

"He has contributed immensely to the Indian and International film industry and through it connected and inspired many people of the world," he added.

Calling cinema a bridge connecting people, he said, "Cinema transcending across the borders is a strong bridge builder between the people of Europe and India. Numerous Indian films have been shot in Europe."

"Mr Kapoor has lent his support to various important social causes including girl child campaign by Plan India which was supported by EU," said Kozlowski.

"As an organisation, which has always been a strong advocate for the advancement of women empowerment, girl child rights, and equality, the EU would like to felicitate Mr Kapoor for his principled stand and relentless efforts in these areas," he added.

After receiving the citation, an overwhelmed Anil Kapoor expressed his gratitude and said, "It's been very educative, very emotional and one of the best evening of my career. I don't know if I deserve this honour but I want to thank you (Tomasz) for giving me this honour."

"And give my regards and best wishes to your wife because she loves Slumdog Millionaire," Kapoor jokingly replied Tomasz who earlier said that her wife really admires Anil's performance in Slumdog Millionaire.

Emphasising on the need to strengthen Europe-India ties, Kapoor added, "Europe and India have a lot of things in common, we should encourage that our ties become better and better."

Kapoor congratulated the performers for their spectacular performances towards the end of his short address.&nbsp; 
 
 
&nbsp;

For his continuous support in promoting the cause of children's rights, Anil Kapoor was felicitated by Council of European Chambers of Commerce in India and a European Union delegation in Mumbai.

For his continuous support in promoting the cause of children's rights, Anil Kapoor was felicitated by Council of European Chambers of Commerce in India and a European Union delegation in Mumbai. The event also marked the celebration of EU Day 2019 on Friday. Anil Kapoor, who has been working in collaboration with Plan India, a child rights organisation, was the guest of honour at the event. Tomasz Kozlowski, EU Ambassador to India said, "Council of European Chambers of Commerce in India traditionally organises EU based celebrations. I am so happy that Anil Kapoor is with us today because he is so famous in promoting cultural ties between India and European countries." Praising Anil Kapoor, the ambassador added, "Mr Kapoor is also known as a very devoted promoter of social values, women rights. We spent some time together in October last year, promoting girls' rights in an event organised by Plan India." The actor has been supporting girls' and children's rights for which the actor got recognition from the EU delegation. Presenting the citation to Kapoor, Tomasz said, "On the occasion of Europe Day 2019, Mr Anil Kapoor is a distinguished exponent in the art of acting and master of his craft." "He has contributed immensely to the Indian and International film industry and through it connected and inspired many people of the world," he added. Calling cinema a bridge connecting people, he said, "Cinema transcending across the borders is a strong bridge builder between the people of Europe and India. Numerous Indian films have been shot in Europe." "Mr Kapoor has lent his support to various important social causes including girl child campaign by Plan India which was supported by EU," said Kozlowski. "As an organisation, which has always been a strong advocate for the advancement of women empowerment, girl child rights, and equality, the EU would like to felicitate Mr Kapoor for his principled stand and relentless efforts in these areas," he added. After receiving the citation, an overwhelmed Anil Kapoor expressed his gratitude and said, "It's been very educative, very emotional and one of the best evening of my career. I don't know if I deserve this honour but I want to thank you (Tomasz) for giving me this honour." "And give my regards and best wishes to your wife because she loves Slumdog Millionaire," Kapoor jokingly replied Tomasz who earlier said that her wife really admires Anil's performance in Slumdog Millionaire. Emphasising on the need to strengthen Europe-India ties, Kapoor added, "Europe and India have a lot of things in common, we should encourage that our ties become better and better." Kapoor congratulated the performers for their spectacular performances towards the end of his short address.

Anil Kapoor felicitated by European Chambers of Commerce in India

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-police-rescue-dozens-of-rohingya-being-trafficked-to-malaysia-218629&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwik1LqLlaDiAhVt63MBHRnZBiMQFjAEegQIABAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw25m7a90_VHZuksvA79G65o">Bangladesh authorities</a> have launched a crackdown on suspected people-smugglers masquerading as "travel agents" after dozens of Bangladeshis drowned while trying to cross the Mediterranean into Europe, officials said Thursday.

About 60 people died last week when a boat full of would-be migrants capsized while trying to cross from Libya to Italy, in a case that has put the spotlight on the desperate struggle of young unemployed Bangladeshis to find work abroad.

Fourteen Bangladeshis were among 16 people rescued by Tunisian fishermen, while Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said 39 Bangladeshis were unaccounted for.

Families of those who died said the so-called "travel agents" took money from youths in exchange for a passage to Libya and the promise of a sea crossing to Europe.

Authorities sealed off 23 travel agencies in northeastern Sylhet district after it was found many were working for international trafficking networks, Momen said.

"We will take stern action against these agents," he told reporters.

Five mobile courts set up on the back of trucks ordered jail terms for nine suspected traffickers and another 29 were fined, said Sylhet government administrator Kazi Emdadul Islam.

Magistrate Nasirullah Khan said the crackdown will continue against the "greedy and illegal travel agents" who prey on unemployed young men.

"We want to ensure no mother would ever lose her child again," he said.

Tens of thousands of young Bangladeshi men have attempted the perilous Mediterranean crossing in recent years, and the number of traffickers catering to them has mushroomed.

While the <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-police-arrests-poet-for-hurting-religious-sentiments-218789&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjNx5CglaDiAhXJvI8KHaUgDmcQFjAIegQIABAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw09zKOHJVAqnVMyKyx7xOiS">Bangladesh </a>economy has grown at an annual clip of 6-7 per cent through the decade, there are still not enough jobs and many young men try to reach Europe and North America on death-defying illegal routes.

Growing unemployment is fuelling desperation to escape, said Professor Jalal Uddin Sikder, a migration expert at the University of Liberal Arts in Dhaka.

"Low paid jobs are available but these young men want better-paid jobs in the West," he told AFP.

"But many do not survive the long, tiring journey through the desert and across the seas, while some get sold as slaves even before they reach the Libyan coast", the&nbsp;Professor added.

Bangladesh authorities have launched a crackdown on suspected people-smugglers masquerading as "travel agents" after dozens of Bangladeshis drowned while trying to cross the Mediterranean into Europe, officials said Thursday.

Bangladesh authorities have launched a crackdown on suspected people-smugglers masquerading as "travel agents" after dozens of Bangladeshis drowned while trying to cross the Mediterranean into Europe, officials said Thursday. About 60 people died last week when a boat full of would-be migrants capsized while trying to cross from Libya to Italy, in a case that has put the spotlight on the desperate struggle of young unemployed Bangladeshis to find work abroad. Fourteen Bangladeshis were among 16 people rescued by Tunisian fishermen, while Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said 39 Bangladeshis were unaccounted for. Families of those who died said the so-called "travel agents" took money from youths in exchange for a passage to Libya and the promise of a sea crossing to Europe. Authorities sealed off 23 travel agencies in northeastern Sylhet district after it was found many were working for international trafficking networks, Momen said. "We will take stern action against these agents," he told reporters. Five mobile courts set up on the back of trucks ordered jail terms for nine suspected traffickers and another 29 were fined, said Sylhet government administrator Kazi Emdadul Islam. Magistrate Nasirullah Khan said the crackdown will continue against the "greedy and illegal travel agents" who prey on unemployed young men. "We want to ensure no mother would ever lose her child again," he said. Tens of thousands of young Bangladeshi men have attempted the perilous Mediterranean crossing in recent years, and the number of traffickers catering to them has mushroomed. While the Bangladesh economy has grown at an annual clip of 6-7 per cent through the decade, there are still not enough jobs and many young men try to reach Europe and North America on death-defying illegal routes. Growing unemployment is fuelling desperation to escape, said Professor Jalal Uddin Sikder, a migration expert at the University of Liberal Arts in Dhaka. "Low paid jobs are available but these young men want better-paid jobs in the West," he told AFP. "But many do not survive the long, tiring journey through the desert and across the seas, while some get sold as slaves even before they reach the Libyan coast", the Professor added.

Bangladesh launches trafficker crackdown after Mediterranean deaths

The Italian police and Europol announced on Tuesday that they have arrested 24 people for selling massive amounts of fake olive oil to restaurants across Europe.

24 held over fake olive oil scam in Italy

India's antitrust watchdog has ordered an investigation into <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/google-launches-israel-programme-to-help-startups-grow-globally-216732">Alphabet Inc's unit Google</a> for allegedly abusing the dominant position of its popular Android mobile operating system to block rivals, two sources aware of the matter told Reuters.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) last year started looking into the complaint, which is similar to one Google faced in Europe that resulted in a&nbsp;$5 billion&nbsp;fine on the company, Reuters reported in February.

In mid-April, the CCI decided there was merit in the accusations made in the complaint and ordered its investigation unit to launch a full probe, one of the sources with direct knowledge of the matter said.

That decision, which was confirmed by the second source, has not been previously reported and the order calling the full investigation was not made public.

"It is a strong case for the CCI, given the EU precedent," said the first source. "The CCI has (preliminarily) found Google abused its dominant position."

The probe would be completed in about a year and Google executives would likely be summoned to appear before the CCI in coming months, the source said.

The CCI did not respond to a request for comment.

A Google spokesman said Android has enabled millions of Indians to connect to the internet by making mobile devices more affordable. Google looked forward to working with the CCI "to demonstrate how Android has led to more competition and innovation, not less", the spokesman said in a statement.&nbsp;

Reuters could not establish who filed the complaint, which involves more than one person.

Unfair advantage

The precise details of the complaint against Google in India could not be determined, but sources have told Reuters it is on the exact same lines as the case filed against the company in Europe.

In the EU case, regulators said Google forced manufacturers to pre-install Google Search and its Chrome browser, together with its Google Play app store, on Android devices, giving it an unfair advantage.

Google has appealed the order but, in a bid to quell EU antitrust concerns, last month said its Android device users in Europe would be able to choose rival browsers and search engines. Once a user downloads a rival search app, it also prompts them to change their default search engine in their Google Chrome browser, if they so wish.

Android, used by device makers for free, features on about 88 per cent of the world's smartphones. In India, about 99 per cent of the smartphones sold this year used the platform, Counterpoint Research estimates.

It remains possible that the CCI's investigations unit could clear Google of any wrongdoing. The amount of fine that can be imposed on Google if the CCI rules against it was not immediately clear.

The&nbsp;regulator has powers to impose a penalty of up to 10% of the relevant turnover of a company in the last three financial years if it is found to have abused its dominant position. In that case, Google's earnings linked to its web browser and the search engine could be considered to assess the fine, New Delhi-based antitrust lawyer Gautam Shahi said.

Google does not disclose its India earnings from its web browser or search engine.

"They can either change their conduct in India voluntarily or let CCI investigate. Voluntary change in conduct may have an impact on the quantum of penalty, if it's imposed," said Shahi.

The Indian investigation, however, is not the only antitrust trouble for the Mountain View, California-based company in its key market.

Last year, the CCI imposed a fine of 1.36 billion rupees on Google for "search bias" and abuse of its dominant position. It also found Google had put its commercial flight search function in a prominent position on the search results page.

Google appealed against that order, saying the ruling could cause it "irreparable" harm and reputational loss.

India's antitrust watchdog has ordered an investigation into Alphabet Inc's unit Google for allegedly abusing the dominant position of its popular Android mobile operating system to block rivals, two sources aware of the matter told Reuters.

India's antitrust watchdog has ordered an investigation into Alphabet Inc's unit Google for allegedly abusing the dominant position of its popular Android mobile operating system to block rivals, two sources aware of the matter told Reuters. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) last year started looking into the complaint, which is similar to one Google faced in Europe that resulted in a $5 billion fine on the company, Reuters reported in February. In mid-April, the CCI decided there was merit in the accusations made in the complaint and ordered its investigation unit to launch a full probe, one of the sources with direct knowledge of the matter said. That decision, which was confirmed by the second source, has not been previously reported and the order calling the full investigation was not made public. "It is a strong case for the CCI, given the EU precedent," said the first source. "The CCI has (preliminarily) found Google abused its dominant position." The probe would be completed in about a year and Google executives would likely be summoned to appear before the CCI in coming months, the source said. The CCI did not respond to a request for comment. A Google spokesman said Android has enabled millions of Indians to connect to the internet by making mobile devices more affordable. Google looked forward to working with the CCI "to demonstrate how Android has led to more competition and innovation, not less", the spokesman said in a statement. Reuters could not establish who filed the complaint, which involves more than one person. Unfair advantage The precise details of the complaint against Google in India could not be determined, but sources have told Reuters it is on the exact same lines as the case filed against the company in Europe. In the EU case, regulators said Google forced manufacturers to pre-install Google Search and its Chrome browser, together with its Google Play app store, on Android devices, giving it an unfair advantage. Google has appealed the order but, in a bid to quell EU antitrust concerns, last month said its Android device users in Europe would be able to choose rival browsers and search engines. Once a user downloads a rival search app, it also prompts them to change their default search engine in their Google Chrome browser, if they so wish. Android, used by device makers for free, features on about 88 per cent of the world's smartphones. In India, about 99 per cent of the smartphones sold this year used the platform, Counterpoint Research estimates. It remains possible that the CCI's investigations unit could clear Google of any wrongdoing. The amount of fine that can be imposed on Google if the CCI rules against it was not immediately clear. The regulator has powers to impose a penalty of up to 10% of the relevant turnover of a company in the last three financial years if it is found to have abused its dominant position. In that case, Google's earnings linked to its web browser and the search engine could be considered to assess the fine, New Delhi-based antitrust lawyer Gautam Shahi said. Google does not disclose its India earnings from its web browser or search engine. "They can either change their conduct in India voluntarily or let CCI investigate. Voluntary change in conduct may have an impact on the quantum of penalty, if it's imposed," said Shahi. The Indian investigation, however, is not the only antitrust trouble for the Mountain View, California-based company in its key market. Last year, the CCI imposed a fine of 1.36 billion rupees on Google for "search bias" and abuse of its dominant position. It also found Google had put its commercial flight search function in a prominent position on the search results page. Google appealed against that order, saying the ruling could cause it "irreparable" harm and reputational loss.

India orders anti-trust probe of Google for alleged Android abuse: Report

The United States on Wednesday threatened to impose more <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-targets-irans-iron-steel-aluminium-copper-sectors-in-new-sanctions-217134">sanctions on Iran</a> `very soon` and warned Europe against doing business with Tehran, increasing pressure on the Islamic republic hours after saying it will stop complying with parts of an international agreement to curb its nuclear program.

On the first anniversary of Washington`s withdrawal from the 2015 landmark deal between Tehran and world powers, US officials said they would keep squeezing Iran to force it to return to the negotiating table for a more comprehensive deal that would seek to curtail Iranian ambitions in the Middle East.

Tensions were already high between Washington and Tehran when the Trump administration said last weekend that it was deploying a carrier strike group and bombers to the Middle East, in response to what it said were `troubling indications and warnings` from Iran.

Leading Democratic lawmakers such as Representative Adam Schiff warned that the Republican administration`s moves could put the United States on the path to a war and House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi requested a briefing on Iran for members.

Hours before the US&nbsp;threat of more sanctions, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani announced Tehran was reducing curbs to its nuclear program with steps that for now stopped short of violating the 2015 accord. But it threatened more action if countries did not shield it from sanctions.

Tehran halting compliance with some elements of the nuclear deal was "nothing less than nuclear blackmail of Europe," Tim Morrison, special assistant to the US&nbsp;president and senior director for weapons of mass destruction, told a conference.

"Now is the time for the community of nations to strongly condemn Iran’s nuclear misconduct and increase pressure on the regime to comply with U.S. demands," Morrison said, adding that Washington was not `done` with sanctions on Iran.

"Expect more sanctions soon. Very soon," he said.

Morrison said the United States would move quickly against any attempt by European countries to undermine Washington`s sanctions pressure on Iran. He advised them against using the so-called Special Purpose Vehicle to facilitate non-dollar trade to circumvent US sanctions.

"If you are a bank, an investor, an insurer or other business in Europe you should know that getting involved in the … Special Purpose Vehicle is a very poor business decision," Morrison said.

DIPLOMATIC ISOLATION&nbsp;

President Donald Trump a year ago pulled out of the accord signed by Iran, Russia, China, Britain, France, Germany and the United States to put limits on Iran`s disputed nuclear program in return for the lifting of sanctions.

The Trump administration says the deal, negotiated by his predecessor Barack Obama, was flawed as it is not permanent, does not address Iran`s ballistic missile program and does not punish it for waging proxy wars in other Middle East countries.

Spearheaded by national security adviser John Bolton, the Trump administration since then has taken several unprecedented steps to squeeze Iran such as demanding the world halt all Iranian oil imports and designating Iran`s elite Revolutionary Guard Corps as a foreign terrorist organization, which Iran has cast as an American provocation.

"We have made our focus diplomatic isolation and economic pressure and that policy is working," Brian Hook, Special Envoy for Iran, said in a briefing. 
Hook said that more nations now, compared with a year ago, were in agreement with the United States on Iran.

Washington`s European allies opposed Trump`s decision to withdraw from the nuclear deal and have failed so far to find ways to blunt the economic impact of new US&nbsp;sanctions. France and Germany both said they wanted to keep the accord alive, and warned Iran not to violate it.

The United States on Wednesday threatened to impose more sanctions on Iran `very soon` and warned Europe against doing business with Tehran, increasing pressure on the Islamic republic hours after saying it will stop complying with parts of an international agreement to curb its nuclear program.

The United States on Wednesday threatened to impose more sanctions on Iran `very soon` and warned Europe against doing business with Tehran, increasing pressure on the Islamic republic hours after saying it will stop complying with parts of an international agreement to curb its nuclear program. On the first anniversary of Washington`s withdrawal from the 2015 landmark deal between Tehran and world powers, US officials said they would keep squeezing Iran to force it to return to the negotiating table for a more comprehensive deal that would seek to curtail Iranian ambitions in the Middle East. Tensions were already high between Washington and Tehran when the Trump administration said last weekend that it was deploying a carrier strike group and bombers to the Middle East, in response to what it said were `troubling indications and warnings` from Iran. Leading Democratic lawmakers such as Representative Adam Schiff warned that the Republican administration`s moves could put the United States on the path to a war and House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi requested a briefing on Iran for members. Hours before the US threat of more sanctions, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani announced Tehran was reducing curbs to its nuclear program with steps that for now stopped short of violating the 2015 accord. But it threatened more action if countries did not shield it from sanctions. Tehran halting compliance with some elements of the nuclear deal was "nothing less than nuclear blackmail of Europe," Tim Morrison, special assistant to the US president and senior director for weapons of mass destruction, told a conference. "Now is the time for the community of nations to strongly condemn Iran’s nuclear misconduct and increase pressure on the regime to comply with U.S. demands," Morrison said, adding that Washington was not `done` with sanctions on Iran. "Expect more sanctions soon. Very soon," he said. Morrison said the United States would move quickly against any attempt by European countries to undermine Washington`s sanctions pressure on Iran. He advised them against using the so-called Special Purpose Vehicle to facilitate non-dollar trade to circumvent US sanctions. "If you are a bank, an investor, an insurer or other business in Europe you should know that getting involved in the … Special Purpose Vehicle is a very poor business decision," Morrison said. DIPLOMATIC ISOLATION President Donald Trump a year ago pulled out of the accord signed by Iran, Russia, China, Britain, France, Germany and the United States to put limits on Iran`s disputed nuclear program in return for the lifting of sanctions. The Trump administration says the deal, negotiated by his predecessor Barack Obama, was flawed as it is not permanent, does not address Iran`s ballistic missile program and does not punish it for waging proxy wars in other Middle East countries. Spearheaded by national security adviser John Bolton, the Trump administration since then has taken several unprecedented steps to squeeze Iran such as demanding the world halt all Iranian oil imports and designating Iran`s elite Revolutionary Guard Corps as a foreign terrorist organization, which Iran has cast as an American provocation. "We have made our focus diplomatic isolation and economic pressure and that policy is working," Brian Hook, Special Envoy for Iran, said in a briefing. Hook said that more nations now, compared with a year ago, were in agreement with the United States on Iran. Washington`s European allies opposed Trump`s decision to withdraw from the nuclear deal and have failed so far to find ways to blunt the economic impact of new US sanctions. France and Germany both said they wanted to keep the accord alive, and warned Iran not to violate it.

US vows more sanctions for Iran, tells Europe to stop doing business with Tehran

Tension Escalates Between US & Iran; Tehran Threatens To Partially Withdraw From 2015 Nuclear Deal, Gives 60-Day Ultimatum To Europe To Buy Iranian Oil.

Gravitas: Iran Threatens To Partially Withdraw From 2015 Nuclear Deal

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pope-francis-on-sensitive-trip-to-orthodox-bulgaria-and-north-macedonia-215678">Pope Francis</a> urged European leaders on Sunday to address wealth inequality and low birth rates which he said had created an "ice curtain" between Europe's richer and poorer states and was fuelling emigration.

Francis made the comments during a speech at the presidential palace in Sofia during a two-day visit to Bulgaria, his first and the first by a Pope in 17 years.

Using a play on Winston Churchill's famous phrase about an "iron curtain" falling over a divided Europe after World War Two, Francis said new divisions were lacerating the face of the continent 30 years after the fall of communism.

Bulgaria, which joined the European Union in 2007, remains its poorest member state. More than two million Bulgarians have left the country since the fall of communism for better jobs and living standards in western Europe, leaving a current population of about seven million.

Francis also met with leaders of the Eastern Orthodox Church. He moves to North Macedonia on Tuesday.

Pope Francis urged European leaders on Sunday to address wealth inequality and low birth rates which he said had created an "ice curtain" between Europe's richer and poorer states and was fuelling emigration.

Pope Francis urged European leaders on Sunday to address wealth inequality and low birth rates which he said had created an "ice curtain" between Europe's richer and poorer states and was fuelling emigration. Francis made the comments during a speech at the presidential palace in Sofia during a two-day visit to Bulgaria, his first and the first by a Pope in 17 years. Using a play on Winston Churchill's famous phrase about an "iron curtain" falling over a divided Europe after World War Two, Francis said new divisions were lacerating the face of the continent 30 years after the fall of communism. Bulgaria, which joined the European Union in 2007, remains its poorest member state. More than two million Bulgarians have left the country since the fall of communism for better jobs and living standards in western Europe, leaving a current population of about seven million. Francis also met with leaders of the Eastern Orthodox Church. He moves to North Macedonia on Tuesday.

Pope says emigration, low birth rates have brought 'ice curtain' on Europe

All you need to know about China's Belt and Road Initiative

Pope Francis said on Saturday that political leaders who want walls and other barriers to keep migrants out "will end up enslaved within the walls ".

"Migrants are those who bring us richness, always. Europe has also been created by migrants", Pope said during his meeting in the Paul VI audience hall with the teachers and students of San Carlo institute of Milan.

Migration has risen to the fore of national political debates in a number of North African and European countries as well as in the United States.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-expected-to-veto-lawmakers-measure-against-border-wall-203616">US President Donald Trump</a> has declared a national emergency to justify redirecting money earmarked for the military to pay for his promised US-Mexico border wall.

Pope Francis said on Saturday that political leaders who want walls and other barriers to keep migrants out "will end up enslaved within the walls ". "Migrants are those who bring us richness, always.

Pope Francis said on Saturday that political leaders who want walls and other barriers to keep migrants out "will end up enslaved within the walls ". "Migrants are those who bring us richness, always. Europe has also been created by migrants", Pope said during his meeting in the Paul VI audience hall with the teachers and students of San Carlo institute of Milan. Migration has risen to the fore of national political debates in a number of North African and European countries as well as in the United States. US President Donald Trump has declared a national emergency to justify redirecting money earmarked for the military to pay for his promised US-Mexico border wall.

Whoever builds a wall, will end up enslaved within the walls he built: Pope

Europe's domestic leagues, concerned about plans to drastically overhaul football on the continent from 2024, say they will not allow UEFA club competitions to be played at weekends.

The topic, alongside the revenue distribution model for the Champions League and Europa League, is set to dominate discussions when the European Leagues umbrella organisation holds a general assembly in Lisbon on Friday.

UEFA has recently begun discussions with the continent's clubs over the format for European competitions from 2024.

The European Club Association (ECA) has said it wants more teams playing more games in European competition although, after meeting in Amsterdam last week, added that it was too early to give details on what was being planned.

However, the European Leagues are concerned that European soccer's governing body UEFA could ultimately give captive places to some bigger clubs and play matches at weekends.

"We will always protect our weekends. We will not allow European club competition to be played at weekends," European Leagues Deputy General Secretary Alberto Colombo told Reuters.

"The passion of football fans is driven by local football and by their tradition to go to the stadium with family and friends on Saturday and Sunday."

Colombo added that under the current model the clubs earned places in UEFA club competition by finishing at the top of their respective leagues.

"If you give the big clubs guaranteed places in UEFA Club Competition and you destroy this model, it will devalue domestic football which drives the passion of fans," he said.

European club football runs in three-year cycles with the current one ending in 2021.

The format for the 2021-24 cycle was decided last year with the addition of new third-tier competition in addition to the Champions League and the Europa League.

However, revenue distribution for the 2021-24 cycle has not been settled and European Leagues are arguing for a greater share of the spoils to be given to the clubs who do not qualify for European competition.

It wants so-called solidarity payments to be increased from the current 7.3 per cent to 20 per cent in the next cycle.

In a recent statement, the Leagues said it was "imperative to increase solidarity so as to safeguard the dream of all clubs, and not just a few rich ones, to perform in a fair competitive environment."

Europe's domestic leagues, concerned about plans to drastically overhaul football on the continent from 2024, say they will not allow UEFA club competitions to be played at weekends.

Europe's domestic leagues, concerned about plans to drastically overhaul football on the continent from 2024, say they will not allow UEFA club competitions to be played at weekends. The topic, alongside the revenue distribution model for the Champions League and Europa League, is set to dominate discussions when the European Leagues umbrella organisation holds a general assembly in Lisbon on Friday. UEFA has recently begun discussions with the continent's clubs over the format for European competitions from 2024. The European Club Association (ECA) has said it wants more teams playing more games in European competition although, after meeting in Amsterdam last week, added that it was too early to give details on what was being planned. However, the European Leagues are concerned that European soccer's governing body UEFA could ultimately give captive places to some bigger clubs and play matches at weekends. "We will always protect our weekends. We will not allow European club competition to be played at weekends," European Leagues Deputy General Secretary Alberto Colombo told Reuters. "The passion of football fans is driven by local football and by their tradition to go to the stadium with family and friends on Saturday and Sunday." Colombo added that under the current model the clubs earned places in UEFA club competition by finishing at the top of their respective leagues. "If you give the big clubs guaranteed places in UEFA Club Competition and you destroy this model, it will devalue domestic football which drives the passion of fans," he said. European club football runs in three-year cycles with the current one ending in 2021. The format for the 2021-24 cycle was decided last year with the addition of new third-tier competition in addition to the Champions League and the Europa League. However, revenue distribution for the 2021-24 cycle has not been settled and European Leagues are arguing for a greater share of the spoils to be given to the clubs who do not qualify for European competition. It wants so-called solidarity payments to be increased from the current 7.3 per cent to 20 per cent in the next cycle. In a recent statement, the Leagues said it was "imperative to increase solidarity so as to safeguard the dream of all clubs, and not just a few rich ones, to perform in a fair competitive environment."

European Leagues say will not allow UEFA competitions at weekends

Chinese technology giant Huawei at the eye of a global security storm has built a new campus in China that looks like a cluster of European cities.

The campus with an old European feel is connected through a futuristic tram service that takes thousands of Huawei employees to their destinations in the faux-Europe dotted by 12 buildings of architectural wonder.

The company has opted for the ostentatious campus in Dongguan (south) for its research and development.

There are replicas of Italian towers, artificial lakes and palaces. The campus houses buildings and squares that look like the ones of medieval Europe, reflecting Huawei's infinite global ambitions despite a tough year marked by suspicions on security flaws in its devices and the arrest of its CFO Meng Wanzhou in Canada.

But that did not stop the company from announcing on Friday that its net profit in 2018 swelled by 25.1 and it invested 101.5 billion yuan in its research and development.

The feel inside the campus gets you surreal. Employees, visitors and clients riding the train get down at stops named after cities like Paris, Verona, Freiburg and Granada.

The campus is spread over an area of 1.4 million square meters and is situated on the banks of lake Songshan in Dongguan.

It has been designed to create an idyllic work environment to motivate its employees - to host an estimated 25,000 - and where long-term plans of the company could be developed.

According to sources close to Huawei, these places are undergoing heavy investment in innovation in areas of Virtual Reality, in smart cities - with hyper-vigilance and facial recognition - and the Internet of Things.

Before reaching the campus, Joe Kelly, head of international communication, told a group of international journalists that all these new strategies and values of the company inspire self-criticism and cooperation among the employees.

However, the talk soon deviated to the issues the company is facing - the security conditions of 5G mobile connectivity.

Guo Ping, rotating chairman of the company, said on Friday that none of its products has technological back doors or nor does it have the capability to access a device without the knowledge of the user.

The clarification comes in the middle of allegations that Huawei was part of Beijing's intelligence system that led the European Commission to urge countries to analyze and be alert of threats that the tech giant poses to the development of 5G data connectivity.

At the moment, Huawei devices are banned in the United States, Australia and New Zealand.

But a possible ban in other countries would be a bad news for the company, which has its biggest market in Europe.

Kelly said the company understands cyber-security concerns of the European regulators and their need to analyze risks.

"We take (cyber-security) more seriously than anyone else. We don't touch data. We provide infrastructure to the operators. We don't even have access to that data," Kelly said.

Director Wang Jin echoed, saying Huawei devices are more secure than other brands as they are subjected to greater scrutiny.

Wang said the government had never asked the company to spy for them or install back doors in Huawei's products.

He said it was a campaign to tarnish Huawei's image.

The company's current concerns are mainly focused on security and data protection of these 5G network devices - a major issue on which it will base the development of its new infrastructure that will be a deciding factor for the future of the firm.

Chinese technology giant Huawei at the eye of a global security storm has built a new campus in China that looks like a cluster of European cities. The campus with an old European feel is connected through a futuristic tram service that takes thousands of Huawei employees to their destinations in the faux-Europe dotted by 12 buildings of architectural wonder.

Chinese technology giant Huawei at the eye of a global security storm has built a new campus in China that looks like a cluster of European cities. The campus with an old European feel is connected through a futuristic tram service that takes thousands of Huawei employees to their destinations in the faux-Europe dotted by 12 buildings of architectural wonder. The company has opted for the ostentatious campus in Dongguan (south) for its research and development. There are replicas of Italian towers, artificial lakes and palaces. The campus houses buildings and squares that look like the ones of medieval Europe, reflecting Huawei's infinite global ambitions despite a tough year marked by suspicions on security flaws in its devices and the arrest of its CFO Meng Wanzhou in Canada. But that did not stop the company from announcing on Friday that its net profit in 2018 swelled by 25.1 and it invested 101.5 billion yuan in its research and development. The feel inside the campus gets you surreal. Employees, visitors and clients riding the train get down at stops named after cities like Paris, Verona, Freiburg and Granada. The campus is spread over an area of 1.4 million square meters and is situated on the banks of lake Songshan in Dongguan. It has been designed to create an idyllic work environment to motivate its employees - to host an estimated 25,000 - and where long-term plans of the company could be developed. According to sources close to Huawei, these places are undergoing heavy investment in innovation in areas of Virtual Reality, in smart cities - with hyper-vigilance and facial recognition - and the Internet of Things. Before reaching the campus, Joe Kelly, head of international communication, told a group of international journalists that all these new strategies and values of the company inspire self-criticism and cooperation among the employees. However, the talk soon deviated to the issues the company is facing - the security conditions of 5G mobile connectivity. Guo Ping, rotating chairman of the company, said on Friday that none of its products has technological back doors or nor does it have the capability to access a device without the knowledge of the user. The clarification comes in the middle of allegations that Huawei was part of Beijing's intelligence system that led the European Commission to urge countries to analyze and be alert of threats that the tech giant poses to the development of 5G data connectivity. At the moment, Huawei devices are banned in the United States, Australia and New Zealand. But a possible ban in other countries would be a bad news for the company, which has its biggest market in Europe. Kelly said the company understands cyber-security concerns of the European regulators and their need to analyze risks. "We take (cyber-security) more seriously than anyone else. We don't touch data. We provide infrastructure to the operators. We don't even have access to that data," Kelly said. Director Wang Jin echoed, saying Huawei devices are more secure than other brands as they are subjected to greater scrutiny. Wang said the government had never asked the company to spy for them or install back doors in Huawei's products. He said it was a campaign to tarnish Huawei's image. The company's current concerns are mainly focused on security and data protection of these 5G network devices - a major issue on which it will base the development of its new infrastructure that will be a deciding factor for the future of the firm.

Huawei builds mini Europe in China amid global security storm

The Premier League is taking Europe by storm this season but <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-mps-vote-to-seize-control-of-brexit-for-a-day-205630">the dark clouds of Brexit</a> threaten the English top-flight's long-held position as the richest league in world football.

No deal has yet been agreed on the terms under which the United Kingdom will leave the European Union, leading to uncertainty among British businesses.

Despite its international profile, the Premier League is no different, particularly with so much of its success across the globe based on its cosmopolitan collection of players, coaches and owners.

So what could Brexit mean for the Premier League?

Weak pound&nbsp; 
The value of the British pound has plunged since the referendum result in 2016, making transfer fees paid to European competitors much more expensive.

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino referred to the weak pound as one of the reasons his side failed to sign any players in pre-season and compared the impacts of Brexit to a car crash.

Football finance experts Deloitte also signalled the weakening of the pound as a contributory factor in Manchester United surrendering top spot in its Football Money League and falling behind Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Restrictions on foreign talent 
In backing the Remain campaign in 2016, the Premier League's former executive chairman Richard Scudamore described leaving the EU as "incongruous" to the league's commitment to openness.&nbsp;

The global appeal of the competition depends on recruiting the best players, no matter where they are from, and an end to free movement for European players make that a more onerous task.

"The Premier League is essentially the hub for a constellation of star brands," Simon Chadwick, professor of sports enterprise at Salford University, told AFP.

"Therefore, any measures that are adapted to restrict the inward flow of overseas talent could ultimately diminish the Premier League's market positioning, thereby undermining its competitive advantage."

EU national players, including many who represent South American and African nations at the international level but hold EU passports, will have to satisfy much stricter requirements to be handed a work permit.

The current system for non-EU players takes into account international appearances, the transfer fee, proposed wages and recent playing history to determine whether they receive a Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) from the Football Association.

Were these restrictions applied across the board, marquee signings would not be stopped. However, in the ever more competitive transfer market, British clubs could be robbed of the opportunity to find hidden gems at the lower end of the market.

Chelsea's N'Golo Kante and Manchester City's record signing Riyad Mahrez, who were both plucked from relative obscurity in France before winning the Premier League for Leicester City, have been cited as players who would be unlikely to receive a work permit.

In 2016, the BBC calculated that 332 players in the top two tiers of English football and the Scottish Premiership would not meet the criteria if the standards set for non-EU players were applied across the board.

Premier League clubs will also lose out on the chance to sign European players before their 18th birthdays, unless, as seems unlikely, the UK remains within the European Economic Area (EEA).

FIFA bans all overseas transfers for under-18s but makes an exception for movement within the EEA, which has allowed players such as Cesc Fabregas and Paul Pogba to move to England as 16-year-olds.

Economic hit 
Despite lucrative overseas TV deals, the success of the Premier League is linked closely to the performance of the British economy.

There are already fears that domestic TV rights deals have peaked, with broadcasters paying less for matches in 2019-2022 than for the previous three-year period.

Guessing the future trajectory of the economy is tricky but if fans are hit in the pocket, clubs will lose out on ticket sales and merchandising revenue.

Boost for homegrown players? 
One potential benefit from Brexit for the English national team is that more restrictions on foreign players will mean more opportunities for homegrown talent.

Currently, England-qualified players account for around 30 per cent of starts in the Premier League.

However, the Premier League argue such restrictions would not help the England team and instead dilute the standard at which English internationals are competing every week.

"There is no evidence that stronger quotas that exist now would have a positive impact on national teams," the league said in a statement in November.

The Premier League is taking Europe by storm this season but the dark clouds of Brexit threaten the English top-flight's long-held position as the richest league in world football.

The Premier League is taking Europe by storm this season but the dark clouds of Brexit threaten the English top-flight's long-held position as the richest league in world football. No deal has yet been agreed on the terms under which the United Kingdom will leave the European Union, leading to uncertainty among British businesses. Despite its international profile, the Premier League is no different, particularly with so much of its success across the globe based on its cosmopolitan collection of players, coaches and owners. So what could Brexit mean for the Premier League? Weak pound The value of the British pound has plunged since the referendum result in 2016, making transfer fees paid to European competitors much more expensive. Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino referred to the weak pound as one of the reasons his side failed to sign any players in pre-season and compared the impacts of Brexit to a car crash. Football finance experts Deloitte also signalled the weakening of the pound as a contributory factor in Manchester United surrendering top spot in its Football Money League and falling behind Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid. Restrictions on foreign talent In backing the Remain campaign in 2016, the Premier League's former executive chairman Richard Scudamore described leaving the EU as "incongruous" to the league's commitment to openness. The global appeal of the competition depends on recruiting the best players, no matter where they are from, and an end to free movement for European players make that a more onerous task. "The Premier League is essentially the hub for a constellation of star brands," Simon Chadwick, professor of sports enterprise at Salford University, told AFP. "Therefore, any measures that are adapted to restrict the inward flow of overseas talent could ultimately diminish the Premier League's market positioning, thereby undermining its competitive advantage." EU national players, including many who represent South American and African nations at the international level but hold EU passports, will have to satisfy much stricter requirements to be handed a work permit. The current system for non-EU players takes into account international appearances, the transfer fee, proposed wages and recent playing history to determine whether they receive a Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) from the Football Association. Were these restrictions applied across the board, marquee signings would not be stopped. However, in the ever more competitive transfer market, British clubs could be robbed of the opportunity to find hidden gems at the lower end of the market. Chelsea's N'Golo Kante and Manchester City's record signing Riyad Mahrez, who were both plucked from relative obscurity in France before winning the Premier League for Leicester City, have been cited as players who would be unlikely to receive a work permit. In 2016, the BBC calculated that 332 players in the top two tiers of English football and the Scottish Premiership would not meet the criteria if the standards set for non-EU players were applied across the board. Premier League clubs will also lose out on the chance to sign European players before their 18th birthdays, unless, as seems unlikely, the UK remains within the European Economic Area (EEA). FIFA bans all overseas transfers for under-18s but makes an exception for movement within the EEA, which has allowed players such as Cesc Fabregas and Paul Pogba to move to England as 16-year-olds. Economic hit Despite lucrative overseas TV deals, the success of the Premier League is linked closely to the performance of the British economy. There are already fears that domestic TV rights deals have peaked, with broadcasters paying less for matches in 2019-2022 than for the previous three-year period. Guessing the future trajectory of the economy is tricky but if fans are hit in the pocket, clubs will lose out on ticket sales and merchandising revenue. Boost for homegrown players? One potential benefit from Brexit for the English national team is that more restrictions on foreign players will mean more opportunities for homegrown talent. Currently, England-qualified players account for around 30 per cent of starts in the Premier League. However, the Premier League argue such restrictions would not help the England team and instead dilute the standard at which English internationals are competing every week. "There is no evidence that stronger quotas that exist now would have a positive impact on national teams," the league said in a statement in November.

Will Brexit hurt the Premier League?

The benchmark BSE Sensex plunged over 325 points and slipped below the 38,000-mark in early trade Monday, in tandem with weak global cues and depreciating rupee.

The 30-share index, which had lost 222.14 points on Friday, was trading lower by 325.49 points, or 0.85 per cent, at 37,845.24.

Reflecting the bearish mood, all the sectoral indices, led by realty, metal and auto, were trading in the negative zone with losses of up to 1.57 per cent.

Similarly, the NSE Nifty fell 103.90 points, or 0.78 per cent, to 11,353 after hitting a low of 11,342.90.

Brokers said, besides profit-booking in recent gainers, rupee's fall below the 69-mark against the dollar and weak cues from global markets weighed on investor sentiments.

Global cues turned weak tracking Friday's sell-off on the Wall Street after a weak manufacturing data from the US and Europe raised fears of an economic slowdown.

Laggards in domestic equities were Vedanta Ltd, Sun Pharma, Tata Steel, Kotak Bank, SBI, Tata Motors, RIL, ICICI Bank, Yes Bank, HDFC Ltd, Axis Bank, M&amp;M, L&amp;T, IndusInd Bank, ITC Ltd, HCL Tech, Bajaj Auto, HDFC Bank and Infosys, falling by up to 2.16 per cent.

Bucking the trend, shares Coal India, Maruti Suzuki and Hero MotoCorp rose up to 0.84 per cent.

Meanwhile, domestic institutional investors (DIIs) sold shares worth Rs 657.37 crore, while foreign funds bought shares to the tune of Rs 1,374.57 core in Friday's trade, provisional data showed.

Globally, Hong Kong's Hang Seng plunged 2 per cent, while Japan's Nikkei dropped 3.14 per cent, Shanghai Composite Index fell 1.37 per cent in early trade. Singapore's Straits Times dropped 1.39 per cent. Taiwan Index shed 1.48 per cent.

The US Dow Jones Industrial Average had ended 1.77 per cent lower on Friday.

The benchmark BSE Sensex plunged over 325 points and slipped below the 38,000-mark in early trade Monday, in tandem with weak global cues and depreciating rupee.

The benchmark BSE Sensex plunged over 325 points and slipped below the 38,000-mark in early trade Monday, in tandem with weak global cues and depreciating rupee. The 30-share index, which had lost 222.14 points on Friday, was trading lower by 325.49 points, or 0.85 per cent, at 37,845.24. Reflecting the bearish mood, all the sectoral indices, led by realty, metal and auto, were trading in the negative zone with losses of up to 1.57 per cent. Similarly, the NSE Nifty fell 103.90 points, or 0.78 per cent, to 11,353 after hitting a low of 11,342.90. Brokers said, besides profit-booking in recent gainers, rupee's fall below the 69-mark against the dollar and weak cues from global markets weighed on investor sentiments. Global cues turned weak tracking Friday's sell-off on the Wall Street after a weak manufacturing data from the US and Europe raised fears of an economic slowdown. Laggards in domestic equities were Vedanta Ltd, Sun Pharma, Tata Steel, Kotak Bank, SBI, Tata Motors, RIL, ICICI Bank, Yes Bank, HDFC Ltd, Axis Bank, M&M, L&T, IndusInd Bank, ITC Ltd, HCL Tech, Bajaj Auto, HDFC Bank and Infosys, falling by up to 2.16 per cent. Bucking the trend, shares Coal India, Maruti Suzuki and Hero MotoCorp rose up to 0.84 per cent. Meanwhile, domestic institutional investors (DIIs) sold shares worth Rs 657.37 crore, while foreign funds bought shares to the tune of Rs 1,374.57 core in Friday's trade, provisional data showed. Globally, Hong Kong's Hang Seng plunged 2 per cent, while Japan's Nikkei dropped 3.14 per cent, Shanghai Composite Index fell 1.37 per cent in early trade. Singapore's Straits Times dropped 1.39 per cent. Taiwan Index shed 1.48 per cent. The US Dow Jones Industrial Average had ended 1.77 per cent lower on Friday.

Sensex falls over 325 points on weak global cues

Major win for China in Europe; Italy backs silk road project

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-agency-probing-two-fatal-tesla-crashes-in-florida-since-sunday-200840">Tesla chief Elon Musk</a> on Thursday urged workers to make helping with the "biggest wave" of deliveries in the electric car maker's history their top priority, Business Insider reported.

The news website posted a copy of an internal email from Musk rallying Tesla troops to pitch in with "a massive wave of deliveries" throughout Europe, China and North America.

"This is the biggest wave in Tesla's history," the email read. "For the last ten days of the quarter, please consider your primary priority to be helping with vehicle deliveries. This applies to everyone."

The firm is experiencing the kind of tremendous increase in delivery demand seen in North America last year in Europe and China, according to the email, which added the situation was exacerbated by component supplier shortages in Europe.

Musk was reportedly seeking volunteers to drive Tesla cars to destinations such as shipping points, but said he did not expect the delivery crunch to recur in future quarters.

Tesla did not respond to a request for comment.

Meanwhile, a message from Tesla's official Twitter account on Tuesday said that due to trouble processing an unusually high volume of online orders, a planned slight increase in prices of some models was postponed a day.

Tesla currently makes all its cars at a plant in the Northern California city of Fremont and aimed to deliver 400,000 cars this year.

The firm recently introduced a new electric sports utility vehicle slightly bigger and more expensive than its Model 3, pitched as an electric car for the masses.

Tesla last week showed the all-electric Model Y with a starting price of $39,000 for a version with 370-kilometres range.&nbsp;

Deliveries were expected to begin late next year that model, with the standard-range version likely to get to buyers by spring 2021, according to the company.

Musk, 47, is a visionary and inventive boss but also highly unpredictable, especially on social network Twitter, where he has often communicated in defiance of rules imposed on executives of publicly-traded companies.

Tesla chief Elon Musk on Thursday urged workers to make helping with the "biggest wave" of deliveries in the electric car maker's history their top priority, Business Insider reported.

Tesla chief Elon Musk on Thursday urged workers to make helping with the "biggest wave" of deliveries in the electric car maker's history their top priority, Business Insider reported. The news website posted a copy of an internal email from Musk rallying Tesla troops to pitch in with "a massive wave of deliveries" throughout Europe, China and North America. "This is the biggest wave in Tesla's history," the email read. "For the last ten days of the quarter, please consider your primary priority to be helping with vehicle deliveries. This applies to everyone." The firm is experiencing the kind of tremendous increase in delivery demand seen in North America last year in Europe and China, according to the email, which added the situation was exacerbated by component supplier shortages in Europe. Musk was reportedly seeking volunteers to drive Tesla cars to destinations such as shipping points, but said he did not expect the delivery crunch to recur in future quarters. Tesla did not respond to a request for comment. Meanwhile, a message from Tesla's official Twitter account on Tuesday said that due to trouble processing an unusually high volume of online orders, a planned slight increase in prices of some models was postponed a day. Tesla currently makes all its cars at a plant in the Northern California city of Fremont and aimed to deliver 400,000 cars this year. The firm recently introduced a new electric sports utility vehicle slightly bigger and more expensive than its Model 3, pitched as an electric car for the masses. Tesla last week showed the all-electric Model Y with a starting price of $39,000 for a version with 370-kilometres range. Deliveries were expected to begin late next year that model, with the standard-range version likely to get to buyers by spring 2021, according to the company. Musk, 47, is a visionary and inventive boss but also highly unpredictable, especially on social network Twitter, where he has often communicated in defiance of rules imposed on executives of publicly-traded companies.

Tesla chief Elon Musk calls on workers to help deliver cars

Facebook said on Thursday it had restored service to its main app and Instagram, after the world's largest social network suffered a major outage that frustrated users across the globe for about 24 hours.

The company also said it was considering whether to refund advertisers for lost exposure due to the problems, which internet outage trackers showed affected users in Europe, Japan, North and South America.

"Yesterday, a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/working-to-resolve-the-issue-as-soon-as-possible-facebook-203216">server configuration issue made it difficult for people to access our apps</a> and services. We are 100 per cent back up and running and apologize for any inconvenience," a Facebook spokesperson said.

"We are still investigating the overall impact of this issue, including the possibility of refunds for advertisers."

Facebook takes tens of millions of dollars of advertising revenue every day.

Media reports earlier said millions of users were affected, and thousands took to Twitter on Wednesday and Thursday to complain under the hashtag #facebookdown.

DownDetector website - one of the internet's most used sources of numbers on outages - showed the number of complaints had peaked at more than 12,000, gradually falling to about 180 as of 11 am&nbsp;ET on Thursday.

The BBC and a handful of other media outlets said it was the platform's longest ever outage. Reuters was not immediately able to verify those claims and the company declined to comment beyond the statement on resumption of services.

Facebook's shares fell nearly 2 per cent in morning trading on Thursday.

INVESTIGATION

Separately, the New York Times reported on Wednesday that US federal prosecutors were conducting a criminal investigation into data deals Facebook struck with more than 150 technology companies such as Amazon and Apple.

Facebook is facing a slew of lawsuits and regulatory inquiries over its privacy practices, including ongoing investigations by the US Federal Trade Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission and two state agencies in New York.

A spokesman for the social network said the company was cooperating with investigators in multiple federal probes, without addressing the grand jury inquiry specifically.

Facebook said on Thursday it had restored service to its main app and Instagram, after the world's largest social network suffered a major outage that frustrated users across the globe for about 24 hours.

Facebook said on Thursday it had restored service to its main app and Instagram, after the world's largest social network suffered a major outage that frustrated users across the globe for about 24 hours. The company also said it was considering whether to refund advertisers for lost exposure due to the problems, which internet outage trackers showed affected users in Europe, Japan, North and South America. "Yesterday, a server configuration issue made it difficult for people to access our apps and services. We are 100 per cent back up and running and apologize for any inconvenience," a Facebook spokesperson said. "We are still investigating the overall impact of this issue, including the possibility of refunds for advertisers." Facebook takes tens of millions of dollars of advertising revenue every day. Media reports earlier said millions of users were affected, and thousands took to Twitter on Wednesday and Thursday to complain under the hashtag #facebookdown. DownDetector website - one of the internet's most used sources of numbers on outages - showed the number of complaints had peaked at more than 12,000, gradually falling to about 180 as of 11 am ET on Thursday. The BBC and a handful of other media outlets said it was the platform's longest ever outage. Reuters was not immediately able to verify those claims and the company declined to comment beyond the statement on resumption of services. Facebook's shares fell nearly 2 per cent in morning trading on Thursday. INVESTIGATION Separately, the New York Times reported on Wednesday that US federal prosecutors were conducting a criminal investigation into data deals Facebook struck with more than 150 technology companies such as Amazon and Apple. Facebook is facing a slew of lawsuits and regulatory inquiries over its privacy practices, including ongoing investigations by the US Federal Trade Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission and two state agencies in New York. A spokesman for the social network said the company was cooperating with investigators in multiple federal probes, without addressing the grand jury inquiry specifically.

Facebook restores services after global outage

European Council President Donald Tusk called on voters across the continent to reject anti-European parties he said had been set up by hostile foreign forces and could try to use upcoming EU parliamentary elections to seize influence in Brussels.

Tusk, a centre-right former Polish prime minister who chairs summits of EU leaders, gave one of the starkest warnings yet from the bloc about the prospect that openly anti-EU parties could gain ground in May's European Parliament election.

"There are external anti-European forces which are seeking - openly or secretly - to influence the democratic choices of the Europeans," Tusk told a news conference, naming the "Leave" result in Britain's 2016 Brexit referendum as one such example.

"And it may again be the case with the European Parliament election in May," he said. "Do not allow political parties that are founded by external forces hostile to Europe to decide on key priorities of the EU and the leadership of European institutions."

Political parties seen as hostile to the EU have surged across the bloc, particularly since the 2015-2016 migration crisis that saw hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers arrive.

Nationalists now rule in Tusk's native Poland and in Hungary, and share power in coalitions in Italy and Austria. Polls anticipate parties with such views surging in the May vote, when EU citizens elect lawmakers to sit in the European Parliament.

Tusk offered praise for some reforms proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron, who has sought greater European cooperation in what he calls a "Renaissance of Europe".

Macron's proposals include a new European agency that would be charged with protecting democracy, to safeguard the bloc from cyber attacks and propaganda that undermine its elections and from foreign funding of political parties. Other proposals include bloc-wide agencies to deal with borders, security and asylum, and issues such as food safety.

"We cannot wait for the renaissance of Europe. The renaissance of Europe must start now," Tusk said. 
&nbsp;

European Council President Donald Tusk called on voters across the continent to reject anti-European parties he said had been set up by hostile foreign forces and could try to use upcoming EU parliamentary elections to seize influence in Brussels.

European Council President Donald Tusk called on voters across the continent to reject anti-European parties he said had been set up by hostile foreign forces and could try to use upcoming EU parliamentary elections to seize influence in Brussels. Tusk, a centre-right former Polish prime minister who chairs summits of EU leaders, gave one of the starkest warnings yet from the bloc about the prospect that openly anti-EU parties could gain ground in May's European Parliament election. "There are external anti-European forces which are seeking - openly or secretly - to influence the democratic choices of the Europeans," Tusk told a news conference, naming the "Leave" result in Britain's 2016 Brexit referendum as one such example. "And it may again be the case with the European Parliament election in May," he said. "Do not allow political parties that are founded by external forces hostile to Europe to decide on key priorities of the EU and the leadership of European institutions." Political parties seen as hostile to the EU have surged across the bloc, particularly since the 2015-2016 migration crisis that saw hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers arrive. Nationalists now rule in Tusk's native Poland and in Hungary, and share power in coalitions in Italy and Austria. Polls anticipate parties with such views surging in the May vote, when EU citizens elect lawmakers to sit in the European Parliament. Tusk offered praise for some reforms proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron, who has sought greater European cooperation in what he calls a "Renaissance of Europe". Macron's proposals include a new European agency that would be charged with protecting democracy, to safeguard the bloc from cyber attacks and propaganda that undermine its elections and from foreign funding of political parties. Other proposals include bloc-wide agencies to deal with borders, security and asylum, and issues such as food safety. "We cannot wait for the renaissance of Europe. The renaissance of Europe must start now," Tusk said.

Donald Tusk warns of hostile, foreign-funded parties ahead of EU parliamentary elections

The amount of cocaine seized in Central America in 2017 was up on previous years, a trend that the International Narcotics Control Board has linked to greater production of the drug in Colombia and greater demand for it in the United States and Europe, according to a report published Tuesday.

The INCB's latest report said Central America and the Caribbean continued to be used by criminal groups for getting drugs manufactured in South America into the USA and across to Europe.

"Cocaine and cannabis are the drugs most frequently trafficked in large quantities through the region, and the most abused as well," the report said. "Overall, the quantities of cocaine seized in Central America increased in 2017 compared with 2016 and 2015."

The reason behind the hike in cocaine confiscations was due to an increase in coca bush cultivation and cocaine production in Colombia, combined with a growing demand for the drug in Europe and the USA, the report said.

Panama, which shares a border with Colombia, has been confiscating the most cocaine in recent years, having reported to the United Nations-linked agency that it seized 66.9 tons of the drug in 2017, which was 12.7 per cent more than the previous year (59.3 tons).

Costa Rica observed a similar trend in 2017, seizing the second-largest amount of cocaine at 27.9 tons; 20.1 per cent more than in 2016.

The drug arrived in Costa Rica via Panama, on its way to Mexico, the USA, and Europe from Colombia, the INCB said.

Guatemala meanwhile saw a 6.5 per cent increase in cocaine seizures in 2017 (13.6 tons), while Nicaragua saw a 22 per cent rise (5.5 tons).

The INCB said that Central America accounted for 11 per cent of the total cocaine confiscations all over the world, most of which were undertaken in Panama.

Cocaine reached Europe via passenger flights, air freight, private aircraft, postal systems, yachts and shipment containers, the report said.

A total of 70.9 tons of cocaine were seized in the European Union in 2016.

Belgium overtook Spain as the EU country where the most cocaine was seized (30 tons versus 15.6 tons).

"The importance of cocaine trafficking routes to Europe through the Iberian Peninsula may have slightly declined in favour of ports in other European countries," the INCB said.

An estimated 34.2 million people used drugs worldwide in 2016, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.

The amount of cocaine seized in Central America in 2017 was up on previous years, a trend that the International Narcotics Control Board has linked to greater production of the drug in Colombia and greater demand for it in the United States and Europe, according to a report published Tuesday.

The amount of cocaine seized in Central America in 2017 was up on previous years, a trend that the International Narcotics Control Board has linked to greater production of the drug in Colombia and greater demand for it in the United States and Europe, according to a report published Tuesday. The INCB's latest report said Central America and the Caribbean continued to be used by criminal groups for getting drugs manufactured in South America into the USA and across to Europe. "Cocaine and cannabis are the drugs most frequently trafficked in large quantities through the region, and the most abused as well," the report said. "Overall, the quantities of cocaine seized in Central America increased in 2017 compared with 2016 and 2015." The reason behind the hike in cocaine confiscations was due to an increase in coca bush cultivation and cocaine production in Colombia, combined with a growing demand for the drug in Europe and the USA, the report said. Panama, which shares a border with Colombia, has been confiscating the most cocaine in recent years, having reported to the United Nations-linked agency that it seized 66.9 tons of the drug in 2017, which was 12.7 per cent more than the previous year (59.3 tons). Costa Rica observed a similar trend in 2017, seizing the second-largest amount of cocaine at 27.9 tons; 20.1 per cent more than in 2016. The drug arrived in Costa Rica via Panama, on its way to Mexico, the USA, and Europe from Colombia, the INCB said. Guatemala meanwhile saw a 6.5 per cent increase in cocaine seizures in 2017 (13.6 tons), while Nicaragua saw a 22 per cent rise (5.5 tons). The INCB said that Central America accounted for 11 per cent of the total cocaine confiscations all over the world, most of which were undertaken in Panama. Cocaine reached Europe via passenger flights, air freight, private aircraft, postal systems, yachts and shipment containers, the report said. A total of 70.9 tons of cocaine were seized in the European Union in 2016. Belgium overtook Spain as the EU country where the most cocaine was seized (30 tons versus 15.6 tons). "The importance of cocaine trafficking routes to Europe through the Iberian Peninsula may have slightly declined in favour of ports in other European countries," the INCB said. An estimated 34.2 million people used drugs worldwide in 2016, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.

Higher demand for cocaine in US, Europe boosts trafficking in Central America

Anti-Semitism appears to have reached &nbsp;its worst levels since World War II, French President Emmanuel Macron told Jewish community leaders on Wednesday, a day after thousands of people took to the streets to denounce hate crimes.

The scourge has grown in recent years "<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/emmanuel-macron-denounces-unacceptable-increase-in-anti-semitic-acts-197216">and the situation has got worse in recent weeks</a>," Macron told the annual dinner of the Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions (CRIF).

"Our country, and for that matter all of Europe and most Western democracies, seems to be facing a resurgence of anti-Semitism unseen since World War II," he added.

Europe's biggest Jewish community is reeling after a string of attacks that have made global headlines.

Macron announced measures including legislation to fight hate speech on the internet, to be introduced by May.

He said he had asked his interior minister to take steps to ban racist or anti-Semitic groups, singling out "for a start" three far-right groups -- Bastion Social, Blood and Honour Hexagone and Combat 18 -- which he said "fuel hatred, promote discrimination or call for violence".

He also vowed that France would recognise anti-Zionism as a form of anti-Semitism.

Macron earlier balked at a call by a lawmaker in his Republic on the Move party to criminalise anti-Zionist statements, which criticise the movement that established Israel as a home for Jews.

On a visit Tuesday to a cemetery in the Alsace region, near Germany, where 96 Jewish tombstones were daubed with swastikas, Macron promised: "We shall act, we shall pass laws, we shall punish."

Also Tuesday, thousands of people, some carrying banners proclaiming "That's enough", held a rally in Paris to denounce anti-Semitism -- one of around 70 protests staged nationwide.

Macron and his government have linked the appearance of swastikas and other anti-Semitic graffiti on artworks, shopfronts and headstones to far-right and far-left elements within the "yellow vest" protest movement.

'France is ours' 
A protester caught on video hurling abuse at Jewish writer and philosopher Alain Finkielkraut during a "yellow vest" demonstration in Paris last weekend was taken into custody Tuesday in the eastern city of Mulhouse, authorities said.

Police confirmed the suspect, who has been named in French media as telephone salesman Benjamin W., was the bearded man seen on video calling 69-year-old Finkielkraut a "dirty Zionist" and telling him "France is ours" after the philosopher ran into demonstrators on the street.

Police sources described the 36-year-old suspect as a small-time delinquent with ties to ultra-conservative Muslim groups.

He was one of the most vocal members of a group that jeered Finkielkraut and called him a "racist", apparently referring to his past warnings about what he sees as the failure of Muslim immigrants to integrate into French society.

The incident caused outrage both in France and abroad, with Israel's Immigration Minister Yoav Gallant urging French Jews to "come home" to Israel for their safety.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin voiced support for Macron and Finkielkraut, calling the anti-Semitic incidents an "affront" to France.

Earlier Wednesday, Rivlin spoke with Finkielkraut to express his solidarity over the "wicked and hurtful attack."

"I heard that the demonstrators told you to go back to Tel Aviv. I am sure you know that Tel Aviv is a wonderful place but be in no doubt that every Jew, and every person, has the right to choose wherever they live", said Rivlin, who also wrote to Macron to thank him for visiting the Jewish cemetery.

Also on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by telephone with Macron, the Israeli leader's office said.

Focus on anti-Zionism 
Several officials have accused radical "yellow vest" of fomenting a climate of hatred.

The anti-government protests began three months ago over fuel taxes but quickly grew into a broader anti-establishment, anti-capitalist rebellion, with some demonstrators using anti-Semitic slurs to denigrate Macron, a former Rothschild investment banker.

The number of anti-Jewish crimes rose 74 percent last year.

Anti-Semitism has a long history in France where society was deeply split at the end of the 19th century by the Alfred Dreyfus affair over a Jewish army captain wrongly convicted of treason.

During World War II, the French Vichy government collaborated with Germany notably in the deportation of Jews to death camps.

Traditionally associated with the far right, anti-Semitism has become ingrained in the high-rise French housing estates that house many members of France's Muslim community, Europe's largest.

Jews have been targeted in several attacks by French jihadists in recent years.

But the proliferation of anti-Semitic graffiti is seen as a new trend.

In recent days, the word "Juden" was spray-painted on the window of a Paris bagel bakery and swastikas were daubed on postbox portraits of late French Holocaust survivor and women's rights icon Simone Veil.

Anti-Semitism appears to have reached its worst levels since World War II, French President Emmanuel Macron told Jewish community leaders on Wednesday, a day after thousands of people took to the streets to denounce hate crimes.

Anti-Semitism appears to have reached its worst levels since World War II, French President Emmanuel Macron told Jewish community leaders on Wednesday, a day after thousands of people took to the streets to denounce hate crimes. The scourge has grown in recent years "and the situation has got worse in recent weeks," Macron told the annual dinner of the Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions (CRIF). "Our country, and for that matter all of Europe and most Western democracies, seems to be facing a resurgence of anti-Semitism unseen since World War II," he added. Europe's biggest Jewish community is reeling after a string of attacks that have made global headlines. Macron announced measures including legislation to fight hate speech on the internet, to be introduced by May. He said he had asked his interior minister to take steps to ban racist or anti-Semitic groups, singling out "for a start" three far-right groups -- Bastion Social, Blood and Honour Hexagone and Combat 18 -- which he said "fuel hatred, promote discrimination or call for violence". He also vowed that France would recognise anti-Zionism as a form of anti-Semitism. Macron earlier balked at a call by a lawmaker in his Republic on the Move party to criminalise anti-Zionist statements, which criticise the movement that established Israel as a home for Jews. On a visit Tuesday to a cemetery in the Alsace region, near Germany, where 96 Jewish tombstones were daubed with swastikas, Macron promised: "We shall act, we shall pass laws, we shall punish." Also Tuesday, thousands of people, some carrying banners proclaiming "That's enough", held a rally in Paris to denounce anti-Semitism -- one of around 70 protests staged nationwide. Macron and his government have linked the appearance of swastikas and other anti-Semitic graffiti on artworks, shopfronts and headstones to far-right and far-left elements within the "yellow vest" protest movement. 'France is ours' A protester caught on video hurling abuse at Jewish writer and philosopher Alain Finkielkraut during a "yellow vest" demonstration in Paris last weekend was taken into custody Tuesday in the eastern city of Mulhouse, authorities said. Police confirmed the suspect, who has been named in French media as telephone salesman Benjamin W., was the bearded man seen on video calling 69-year-old Finkielkraut a "dirty Zionist" and telling him "France is ours" after the philosopher ran into demonstrators on the street. Police sources described the 36-year-old suspect as a small-time delinquent with ties to ultra-conservative Muslim groups. He was one of the most vocal members of a group that jeered Finkielkraut and called him a "racist", apparently referring to his past warnings about what he sees as the failure of Muslim immigrants to integrate into French society. The incident caused outrage both in France and abroad, with Israel's Immigration Minister Yoav Gallant urging French Jews to "come home" to Israel for their safety. Israeli President Reuven Rivlin voiced support for Macron and Finkielkraut, calling the anti-Semitic incidents an "affront" to France. Earlier Wednesday, Rivlin spoke with Finkielkraut to express his solidarity over the "wicked and hurtful attack." "I heard that the demonstrators told you to go back to Tel Aviv. I am sure you know that Tel Aviv is a wonderful place but be in no doubt that every Jew, and every person, has the right to choose wherever they live", said Rivlin, who also wrote to Macron to thank him for visiting the Jewish cemetery. Also on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by telephone with Macron, the Israeli leader's office said. Focus on anti-Zionism Several officials have accused radical "yellow vest" of fomenting a climate of hatred. The anti-government protests began three months ago over fuel taxes but quickly grew into a broader anti-establishment, anti-capitalist rebellion, with some demonstrators using anti-Semitic slurs to denigrate Macron, a former Rothschild investment banker. The number of anti-Jewish crimes rose 74 percent last year. Anti-Semitism has a long history in France where society was deeply split at the end of the 19th century by the Alfred Dreyfus affair over a Jewish army captain wrongly convicted of treason. During World War II, the French Vichy government collaborated with Germany notably in the deportation of Jews to death camps. Traditionally associated with the far right, anti-Semitism has become ingrained in the high-rise French housing estates that house many members of France's Muslim community, Europe's largest. Jews have been targeted in several attacks by French jihadists in recent years. But the proliferation of anti-Semitic graffiti is seen as a new trend. In recent days, the word "Juden" was spray-painted on the window of a Paris bagel bakery and swastikas were daubed on postbox portraits of late French Holocaust survivor and women's rights icon Simone Veil.

Anti-Semitism worst since WWII, Macron tells Jewish group

President Donald Trump said Wednesday he is barring a US-born former Islamic State propagandist from returning home, making the highly unusual case that she is not a US citizen.

Trump's refusal to admit 24-year-old Hoda Muthana comes just as <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/take-back-jihadists-trump-tells-europe-197895">he is pressing Europeans to repatriate their own Islamic State fighters</a> and will likely face legal challenges, with US citizenship extremely difficult to lose.

Trump said on Twitter he has "instructed" Secretary of State Mike Pompeo "not to allow Hoda Muthana back into the country" — a break with usual US protocol not to comment on individuals' immigration issues.

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I have instructed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and he fully agrees, not to allow Hoda Muthana back into the Country!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1098327855145062411?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2019</a></blockquote>
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"Ms. Hoda Muthana is not a US citizen and will not be admitted into the United States," Pompeo said in a terse statement.

"She does not have any legal basis, no valid US passport, no right to a passport, nor any visa to travel to the United States," he added.

The US generally grants citizenship to everyone born on its soil and the Alabama-raised Muthana is believed to have traveled to Syria on a US passport.

But a US official said a later investigation showed that she had not been entitled to her passport, adding: "Ms. Muthana's citizenship has not been revoked because she was never a citizen."

Officials declined further comment but in a loophole that could boost the government case, Muthana's father had been a diplomat from Yemen -- and children of diplomats are not automatically given citizenship.

Muthana's lawyer, Hassan Shilby, showed a birth certificate that demonstrated she was born in New Jersey in 1994 and said her father had ceased being a diplomat "months and months" before her birth.

"She is a US citizen. She had a valid passport. She may have broken the law and, if she has, she's willing to pay the price," Shilby told AFP at his office in Tampa.

He said Muthana wanted due process and was willing to go to prison if convicted.

"We cannot get to a point where we simply strip citizenship from those who break the law. That's not what America is about. We have one of the greatest legal systems in the world, and we have to abide by it."

US-born and radicalised 
Just this weekend, Trump took to Twitter to chastise European allies that have not taken back hundreds of Islamic State prisoners caught in Syria, where Trump plans to withdraw US troops.

Comparatively few Americans have embraced radical Islam, with the Counter Extremism Project at George Washington University identifying 64 who went to join the Islamic State group in Syria or Iraq.

Muthana, raised in a strict household in Hoover, Alabama, said she was brainwashed by social media messages and headed to Syria without her parents' knowledge in 2014.

Shortly afterward, Muthana posted on Twitter a picture of herself and three other women who appeared to torch their Western passports, including an American one.

She went on to post vivid calls on social media to kill Americans, glorifying the ruthless extremist group notorious for its beheadings that for a time ruled vast swathes of Syria and Iraq.

But with the Islamic State group down to its last stretch of land, Muthana said she has renounced extremism and wants to return home with her toddler son, born to one of her three jihadist husbands.

"To say that I regret my past words, any pain that I caused my family and any concerns I would cause my country would be hard for me to really express properly," she said in a handwritten note to her lawyer.

Tough to lose US citizenship 
The US decision on Muthana comes amid rising debate in Europe on the nationality of extremists. Britain recently revoked the citizenship of Shamina Begum, who similarly traveled to Syria and wants to return to her country of birth.

Britain asserted that she was entitled to Bangladeshi citizenship due to her heritage, but the Dhaka government on Wednesday denied that she was eligible, leading her to become effectively stateless.

US citizenship is significantly more difficult to lose. The 14th Amendment to the US Constitution, ratified in 1868 after the Civil War as slavery was abolished, establishes that anyone born in the country is a citizen with full rights.

The US Supreme Court in the landmark 1967 Afroyim decision rejected the government's attempt to revoke the nationality of a Polish-born naturalized American after he voted in Israel.

And last year a federal judge rejected a bid to strip the nationality of a Pakistani-born naturalized American who was convicted in a plot to blow up the Brooklyn Bridge.

But Trump has campaigned on a hard line over immigration and raised the prospect of ending birthright citizenship ahead of last year's congressional elections.

In 2011, President Barack Obama ordered drone strikes that killed two Americans in Yemen — prominent Al-Qaeda preacher Anwar al-Awlaki and his 16-year-old son — but did not believe it was possible to revoke citizenship.

President Donald Trump said Wednesday he is barring a US-born former Islamic State propagandist from returning home, making the highly unusual case that she is not a US citizen.

President Donald Trump said Wednesday he is barring a US-born former Islamic State propagandist from returning home, making the highly unusual case that she is not a US citizen. Trump's refusal to admit 24-year-old Hoda Muthana comes just as he is pressing Europeans to repatriate their own Islamic State fighters and will likely face legal challenges, with US citizenship extremely difficult to lose. Trump said on Twitter he has "instructed" Secretary of State Mike Pompeo "not to allow Hoda Muthana back into the country" — a break with usual US protocol not to comment on individuals' immigration issues. I have instructed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and he fully agrees, not to allow Hoda Muthana back into the Country! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 20, 2019 × "Ms. Hoda Muthana is not a US citizen and will not be admitted into the United States," Pompeo said in a terse statement. "She does not have any legal basis, no valid US passport, no right to a passport, nor any visa to travel to the United States," he added. The US generally grants citizenship to everyone born on its soil and the Alabama-raised Muthana is believed to have traveled to Syria on a US passport. But a US official said a later investigation showed that she had not been entitled to her passport, adding: "Ms. Muthana's citizenship has not been revoked because she was never a citizen." Officials declined further comment but in a loophole that could boost the government case, Muthana's father had been a diplomat from Yemen -- and children of diplomats are not automatically given citizenship. Muthana's lawyer, Hassan Shilby, showed a birth certificate that demonstrated she was born in New Jersey in 1994 and said her father had ceased being a diplomat "months and months" before her birth. "She is a US citizen. She had a valid passport. She may have broken the law and, if she has, she's willing to pay the price," Shilby told AFP at his office in Tampa. He said Muthana wanted due process and was willing to go to prison if convicted. "We cannot get to a point where we simply strip citizenship from those who break the law. That's not what America is about. We have one of the greatest legal systems in the world, and we have to abide by it." US-born and radicalised Just this weekend, Trump took to Twitter to chastise European allies that have not taken back hundreds of Islamic State prisoners caught in Syria, where Trump plans to withdraw US troops. Comparatively few Americans have embraced radical Islam, with the Counter Extremism Project at George Washington University identifying 64 who went to join the Islamic State group in Syria or Iraq. Muthana, raised in a strict household in Hoover, Alabama, said she was brainwashed by social media messages and headed to Syria without her parents' knowledge in 2014. Shortly afterward, Muthana posted on Twitter a picture of herself and three other women who appeared to torch their Western passports, including an American one. She went on to post vivid calls on social media to kill Americans, glorifying the ruthless extremist group notorious for its beheadings that for a time ruled vast swathes of Syria and Iraq. But with the Islamic State group down to its last stretch of land, Muthana said she has renounced extremism and wants to return home with her toddler son, born to one of her three jihadist husbands. "To say that I regret my past words, any pain that I caused my family and any concerns I would cause my country would be hard for me to really express properly," she said in a handwritten note to her lawyer. Tough to lose US citizenship The US decision on Muthana comes amid rising debate in Europe on the nationality of extremists. Britain recently revoked the citizenship of Shamina Begum, who similarly traveled to Syria and wants to return to her country of birth. Britain asserted that she was entitled to Bangladeshi citizenship due to her heritage, but the Dhaka government on Wednesday denied that she was eligible, leading her to become effectively stateless. US citizenship is significantly more difficult to lose. The 14th Amendment to the US Constitution, ratified in 1868 after the Civil War as slavery was abolished, establishes that anyone born in the country is a citizen with full rights. The US Supreme Court in the landmark 1967 Afroyim decision rejected the government's attempt to revoke the nationality of a Polish-born naturalized American after he voted in Israel. And last year a federal judge rejected a bid to strip the nationality of a Pakistani-born naturalized American who was convicted in a plot to blow up the Brooklyn Bridge. But Trump has campaigned on a hard line over immigration and raised the prospect of ending birthright citizenship ahead of last year's congressional elections. In 2011, President Barack Obama ordered drone strikes that killed two Americans in Yemen — prominent Al-Qaeda preacher Anwar al-Awlaki and his 16-year-old son — but did not believe it was possible to revoke citizenship.

Trump says US woman who joined Islamic State cannot return

By Elizabeth Pearson

Just days after Shamima Begum called for public sympathy for her return to the UK, another young woman was jailed in Baghdad for her role with the so-called Islamic State. Linda Wenzel is German and, like Begum, was 15 years old when she joined Islamic State in 2016. Wenzel has also asked to return to Europe to serve her sentence. There are no signs this will be allowed.

In 2016 I was in Germany, trying to understand young women like Wenzel, for a five-country study on the gender dynamics of violent extremism with my colleague Emily Winterbotham, a senior research fellow at the RUSI think tank. We talked to communities and families affected by radicalisation in the UK, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Canada.

These countries had diverse approaches to radicalisation. France produced counter-radicalisation strategies after the Paris attacks of 2015, while the UK and Netherlands have worked on policy to counter violent extremism since the mid-2000s. Both the Netherlands and UK permit deprivation of citizenship without criminal conviction – which is what has now happened to Begum.

We heard stories of people prevented from travel by police, as well as of both women and men who left for Syria and Iraq. Across the five countries, we noted differences in how men and women were recruited, such as more cases of online approaches to women. We also saw how Muslim community anger was often reserved for the young men who fled to join the Islamic State. Focus groups within Muslim communities often told us women were “naïve”, lacking in self-esteem, “tricked” by “lover-boys” they met online. They were seen as victims.

Back in 2015-16 this sentiment was mirrored in government policy. France, Germany and the Netherlands tended to treat women jihadists as “victims” of Islamic State. Recent research on returning foreign fighters in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands noted that back then women were “treated with more clemency” and routinely not prosecuted.

That position has changed, with toughening measures for both men and women across Europe. Countries including the UK, Netherlands, Germany and France now investigate and risk-assess both men and women returners. From a position where women and their agency in joining Islamic State were not recognised, the pendulum swung firmly in the other direction.

Hardening attitudes

The first reason why this shift happened was numbers. Countries have had to evolve to catch up with events on the ground. From the Islamic State’s announcement of a “caliphate” in 2014, Europe saw a significant minority of women travel – and women made up around 16-17 per cent of the approximately 6,000 people who left Europe to join the caliphate.

In the case of France, which was new to counter-radicalisation strategies at home and where women made up around 28 per cent of its returners, the shift in policy meant sharp changes to the law and procedures. Canada, which had fewer fighters, adopted a liberal response with few prosecutions of returners – both fighters and others.&nbsp;

This prompted accusations from Canada’s opposition Conservative Party of a policy of “group hug sessions”.

A second reason for the hardening of attitudes to women who joined IS was increased knowledge of women’s role in Islamic State. Women were active propagandists, recruiters, ideologues, supporters of current warriors and producers of the next generation. They were involved in the abuse of other women, whether enslaved Yazidis, or in the al-Khansaa brigade, which policed women. Both Begum and Wenzel suggested they were only housewives. But for Islamic State, the wife is the key to the endurance – or baqiya – of both ideology and “caliphate”.

The perception of women’s threat was also explicitly influenced by cases involving women and a seemingly new phenomenon: the all-female jihadist cell. In 2016, three women were arrested in France after a failed attack near Notre Dame. This proved a game-changer for both public opinion and policy regarding returners, despite the fact that these women were radicalised in France. In the UK, another all-female plot was uncovered in 2017.

An increase in threat levels linked to male returners also had an influence on how women were viewed. In 2015, male returners were involved in the Paris attacks and the following year in attacks in Brussels. While women have not yet returned in large numbers, the fear is that women, newly recognised as ideologically committed, might also carry out an attack. 
 
The gender dimension

Both policy and public opinion are shifting from ignoring women in jihadist movements, to “adding” them into counter-extremism strategies, and increasingly treating the threat they pose as equal to men. There is now an increased assumption in France, the Netherlands and Germany of parity in male and female potential for violence. However, it’s not enough to just to “add women” into existing strategies – governments must recognise the ways in which terrorist groups understand men and women differently.

This means acknowledging two important facts related to power. First, compared to men, instances of women perpetrators of jihadist violence are rare, not because women are “naturally” less violent, or do not support jihad, but because patriarchal jihadi ideology judges female violence is highly transgressive.&nbsp;

The second relates to the power imbalances in women’s radicalisation. Islamic State ran a systemised online recruitment campaign targeting women, with parallels to child sexual exploitation and grooming. Often older men sought out teenage girls. Women desperate to return emphasise their own victimhood. Some women radicalised to join Islamic State report experiences of sexual abuse, domestic or honour-based violence.

This doesn’t deny women agency or excuse them from complicity in Islamic State atrocities but recognises the context within which their choices were made. It is more important now, in the current chaos of the end of the caliphate when many women may return to their countries of origin, including within Europe and North America, to recognise the complexity of what it meant to be involved in Islamic State.

 
(Elizabeth Pearson is Lecturer at the Cyber Threats Research Centre, Swansea University)

(This article was originally published on the Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/shamima-begum-how-europe-toughened-its-stance-on-women-returning-from-islamic-state-112048">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

 
&nbsp;

By Elizabeth Pearson Just days after Shamima Begum called for public sympathy for her return to the UK, another young woman was jailed in Baghdad for her role with the so-called Islamic State.

By Elizabeth Pearson Just days after Shamima Begum called for public sympathy for her return to the UK, another young woman was jailed in Baghdad for her role with the so-called Islamic State. Linda Wenzel is German and, like Begum, was 15 years old when she joined Islamic State in 2016. Wenzel has also asked to return to Europe to serve her sentence. There are no signs this will be allowed. In 2016 I was in Germany, trying to understand young women like Wenzel, for a five-country study on the gender dynamics of violent extremism with my colleague Emily Winterbotham, a senior research fellow at the RUSI think tank. We talked to communities and families affected by radicalisation in the UK, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Canada. These countries had diverse approaches to radicalisation. France produced counter-radicalisation strategies after the Paris attacks of 2015, while the UK and Netherlands have worked on policy to counter violent extremism since the mid-2000s. Both the Netherlands and UK permit deprivation of citizenship without criminal conviction – which is what has now happened to Begum. We heard stories of people prevented from travel by police, as well as of both women and men who left for Syria and Iraq. Across the five countries, we noted differences in how men and women were recruited, such as more cases of online approaches to women. We also saw how Muslim community anger was often reserved for the young men who fled to join the Islamic State. Focus groups within Muslim communities often told us women were “naïve”, lacking in self-esteem, “tricked” by “lover-boys” they met online. They were seen as victims. Back in 2015-16 this sentiment was mirrored in government policy. France, Germany and the Netherlands tended to treat women jihadists as “victims” of Islamic State. Recent research on returning foreign fighters in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands noted that back then women were “treated with more clemency” and routinely not prosecuted. That position has changed, with toughening measures for both men and women across Europe. Countries including the UK, Netherlands, Germany and France now investigate and risk-assess both men and women returners. From a position where women and their agency in joining Islamic State were not recognised, the pendulum swung firmly in the other direction. Hardening attitudes The first reason why this shift happened was numbers. Countries have had to evolve to catch up with events on the ground. From the Islamic State’s announcement of a “caliphate” in 2014, Europe saw a significant minority of women travel – and women made up around 16-17 per cent of the approximately 6,000 people who left Europe to join the caliphate. In the case of France, which was new to counter-radicalisation strategies at home and where women made up around 28 per cent of its returners, the shift in policy meant sharp changes to the law and procedures. Canada, which had fewer fighters, adopted a liberal response with few prosecutions of returners – both fighters and others. This prompted accusations from Canada’s opposition Conservative Party of a policy of “group hug sessions”. A second reason for the hardening of attitudes to women who joined IS was increased knowledge of women’s role in Islamic State. Women were active propagandists, recruiters, ideologues, supporters of current warriors and producers of the next generation. They were involved in the abuse of other women, whether enslaved Yazidis, or in the al-Khansaa brigade, which policed women. Both Begum and Wenzel suggested they were only housewives. But for Islamic State, the wife is the key to the endurance – or baqiya – of both ideology and “caliphate”. The perception of women’s threat was also explicitly influenced by cases involving women and a seemingly new phenomenon: the all-female jihadist cell. In 2016, three women were arrested in France after a failed attack near Notre Dame. This proved a game-changer for both public opinion and policy regarding returners, despite the fact that these women were radicalised in France. In the UK, another all-female plot was uncovered in 2017. An increase in threat levels linked to male returners also had an influence on how women were viewed. In 2015, male returners were involved in the Paris attacks and the following year in attacks in Brussels. While women have not yet returned in large numbers, the fear is that women, newly recognised as ideologically committed, might also carry out an attack. The gender dimension Both policy and public opinion are shifting from ignoring women in jihadist movements, to “adding” them into counter-extremism strategies, and increasingly treating the threat they pose as equal to men. There is now an increased assumption in France, the Netherlands and Germany of parity in male and female potential for violence. However, it’s not enough to just to “add women” into existing strategies – governments must recognise the ways in which terrorist groups understand men and women differently. This means acknowledging two important facts related to power. First, compared to men, instances of women perpetrators of jihadist violence are rare, not because women are “naturally” less violent, or do not support jihad, but because patriarchal jihadi ideology judges female violence is highly transgressive. The second relates to the power imbalances in women’s radicalisation. Islamic State ran a systemised online recruitment campaign targeting women, with parallels to child sexual exploitation and grooming. Often older men sought out teenage girls. Women desperate to return emphasise their own victimhood. Some women radicalised to join Islamic State report experiences of sexual abuse, domestic or honour-based violence. This doesn’t deny women agency or excuse them from complicity in Islamic State atrocities but recognises the context within which their choices were made. It is more important now, in the current chaos of the end of the caliphate when many women may return to their countries of origin, including within Europe and North America, to recognise the complexity of what it meant to be involved in Islamic State. (Elizabeth Pearson is Lecturer at the Cyber Threats Research Centre, Swansea University) (This article was originally published on the Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Shamima Begum: How Europe toughened its stance on women returning from Islamic State

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