Tranding Video: July 2018

One year ago, on July 25, 2017, FBI agents working with special counsel Robert Mueller presented a thick stack of papers under seal to a federal magistrate in Alexandria, Va. It is unclear at this point whether investigators have discovered evidence of collusion involving Manafort and the Russians.

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'Deck parks' restore community ties in neighborhoods divided by highways

When Marvin Anderson walks along the tree-lined streets of Rondo – his childhood neighborhood – in St. Paul, Minn., the memories come rushing back. Mr. Anderson was born in this primarily African-American neighborhood in 1949.

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Trump enlarges his vision on trade

After starting trade skirmishes with America’s closest economic partners, the Trump administration may be moving toward resolutions that could bring substantial benefits – and not only on trade itself. The latest shift was President Trump’s July 25 agreement to negotiate key trade and economic issues with the European Union. Significantly, Mr. Trump said both sides of the Atlantic could win in this “new phase” of the relationship.

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In Malaysia, a new attempt to know one's neighbor – and his faith

Jason Lee holds three smoldering incense sticks at his forehead and bows three times at the altar in the open courtyard. Mr. Lee is a Buddhist, his neighbor is a Hindu, his cousin is a Taoist, his best friend is a Christian. “We are many faiths but one country,” Lee says while leaving the Maha Vihara Buddhist temple, which has stood in Kuala Lumpur since 1894.

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Trump says he is willing to meet with Iran's Rouhani

US president says no preconditions for talks but top Iranian official says meeting must include return to nuclear deal.

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Macedonia to hold referendum on name change on September 30

A "yes" vote would pave way for resolving a long-running row with Greece and clearing the path to join NATO and the EU.

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Polls close in Comoros referendum on presidential powers

Opposition leaders called for a boycott of the vote, which critics say is a power grab by President Azali Assoumani.

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Vote counting under way in historic Zimbabwe elections

High turnout in presidential poll seen as two-horse race between Emmerson Mnangagwa and Nelson Chamisa.

from Al Jazeera English https://ift.tt/2uYSjAE

What are the requirements to be 'Indian' in Assam state?

Four million people have been left off a list of citizens in the northern Indian state of Assam.

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Indonesia's Lombok earthquake: Hundreds trapped on mountain

Group including 239 Thais struggling to evacuate mountain before landslides blocked them since Sunday's deadly disaster.

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US confirms deployment of armed drones in Niger

The armed drones are currently deployed to Niger's Air Base 101 in the capital, Niamey.

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Jordan faces its historical reckoning

Jordanians have shown that they will no longer accept austerity without major political changes and accountability.

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Syria talks led by Russia, Iran and Turkey revived in Sochi

Meetings in Black Sea resort city held within the framework of Astana diplomatic track also attended by UN officials.

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Zimbabwe elections: Voters cast ballots in landmark polls

More than five million have registered to vote in first poll since 1980 without Robert Mugabe on the ballot.

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Millions at risk of losing citizenship in India

The government has published a register of citizens of Assam state on the Bangladesh border, and to be included, residents must prove they came to India by March 24, 1971.

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Brazil: Many alarmed over boost to pesticide use in agriculture

Families slam commission recommendation on easing restrictions on deadly pesticides that are contaminating the environment and causing sky-high cancer rates and other health crises.

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Eritrea and Somalia agree to restore diplomatic relations

The move comes weeks after Eritrea and Ethiopia signed an historic peace deal, establishing relations between the two.

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Vote counting under way in Mali's tense elections

'Armed attacks or other violence' halt voting in three percent of the country's polling stations, government says.

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Jean-Pierre Bemba: Set to shake up DRC politics

The recently acquitted former DRC vice president discusses 10 years in captivity, upcoming elections and Congo's future.

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Why the Russia hysteria in the US is dangerous

The US exaggerating and obsessing about foreign threats seems quite similar to what is happening in Russia.

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Latest report into missing MH370 fails to unravel mystery

Lead investigator into disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight, with 239 people on board, is not ruling out foul play.

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Saudi halts oil shipments through key strait after Houthi attacks

Oil shipments through strategic Red Sea lane suspended after Yemen's rebels attack two tankers in the waterway.

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Oligarch named in Al Jazeera investigation faces questioning

Kiev prosecutors summon Russian-Ukrainian gas tycoon Pavel Fuchs for questioning.

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'We are not wildlife': Kibera residents slam poverty tourism

Tourism in Nairobi slum is rising but many residents are angry at becoming an attraction for wealthy foreign visitors.

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MH370 probe fails to find disappearance cause; foul play likely

Report says controls possibly manipulated to take Malaysian Airlines off course but remains unknown who is responsible.

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Assam: Some four million left out of final India NRC draft list

Authorities say 28.9 million people out of total 32.9 million population included in final draft citizenship list.

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Welcome to the Palestine Aquarium, the first of its kind

The aquarium, which has 250 species, took more than a year to set up and was funded by a group of Palestinian investors.

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What's next for the 4 million stripped of citizenship in India?

After declaring four million people 'illegal', Al Jazeera takes a closer look at controversial draft citizenship list.

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Typhoon Jongdari takes an unusual path across Japan

Minimal damage so far, but the tropical cyclone is strengthening again.

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U.S. Closing In On NAFTA Agreement With Mexico. Canada Has Been Shut-Out

President Donald Trump is greeted by Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during the official welcoming ceremony at the G7 Summit in the Charlevoix town of La Malbaie, Quebec, Canada, June 8, 2018. (Christinne Muschi/Reuters)

National Post: Canada rejected in bid to be part of high-level NAFTA talks between Mexico and U.S.: sources

A source said the U.S. side, fuelled in part by Lighthizer’s dislike of Freeland, has decided to not even let Canada back into the process until it makes a substantive concession.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — American officials have taken the “highly unusual” step of rejecting Canada’s bid to take part in senior-level NAFTA talks between the U.S. and Mexico later this week, sources familiar with the trade negotiations said Monday.

One person said attempts by Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland to get a seat at the table in Washington Thursday were either ignored, or spurned outright by the office of U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.

Another source said the request to be at the meeting was made in a low-key fashion “so as not to spark a diplomatic incident” and was followed by “a retreat to diplomatic silence.”

Lighthizer is scheduled to meet Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo of Mexico after similar bilateral meetings between the officials last week made significant progress, analysts say.

Canada’s apparent sidelining follows Lighthizer’s recent comments that he hoped to strike a separate deal with Mexico, then use that as pressure to win compromises from Canada.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: There are many reasons why I do not understand the Canadian NAFTA position (and I live in Canada making a living in understanding these economic trends). But demanding to retain their NAFTA access to the U.S. market while simultaneously retaining their ability to broker imported Chinese goods while the U.S. is in the middle of a trade war with China does not make sense to me. Nor does it make sense that Canada's manufacturing base be sacrificed to accommodate Chinese demands that their goods can enter Canada at the rate they are entering now. But such is the position that Canada is taking, and the media/political establishment/and business community is all in favor of it. My prediction .... Canada is going to be burned bad if this continues. As for Mexico .... they want a deal now, and they are probably going to get it.

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U.S. Intelligence: North Korea Is Constructing New Missiles

Washington Post: U.S. spy agencies: North Korea is working on new missiles

U.S. spy agencies are seeing signs that North Korea is constructing new missiles at a factory that produced the country’s first intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the United States, according to officials familiar with the intelligence.

Newly obtained evidence, including satellite photos taken in recent weeks, indicates that work is underway on at least one and possibly two liquid-fueled ICBMs at a large research facility in Sanumdong, on the outskirts of Pyongyang, according to the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe classified intelligence.

The findings are the latest to show ongoing activity inside North Korea’s nuclear and missile facilities at a time when the country’s leaders are engaged in arms talks with the United States. The new intelligence does not suggest an expansion of North Korea’s capabilities but shows that work on advanced weapons is continuing weeks after President Trump declared in a Twitter posting that Pyongyang was “no longer a Nuclear Threat.”

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Japan's reaction has been contradictory. On the one hand saying the threat has been minimized .... Japan withdraws Patriot missiles as North Korea tensions cool (Nikkei Asian Review), and on the other hand saying the opposite .... Japan cites continued N. Korean “threat” in new missile defense system details (NK News)

More News On Reports That North Korea Is Constructing New Missiles

U.S. detects new activity at North Korea factory that built ICBMs: source -- Reuters
North Korea 'working on new missiles', US officials say -- BBC
North Korea Is Working on New Missiles, Report Says -- Bloomberg
US intelligence agencies determine that North Korea is constructing new missiles: report -- The Hill
WaPo: New indicators show North Korea potentially working on missiles -- CNN
US Intelligence Detects North Korea Developing New ICBMs - Reports -- Sputnik
US Intelligence: North Korea Is Continuing to Produce ICBMs -- The Diplomat
North Korea's missile program reportedly continues after Trump and Kim Jong Un's pledge to promote 'peace and prosperity' -- Business Insider

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U.S. Wants The Afghan Government To Abandon The Rural Areas Of The Country To The Taliban

An Afghan Army soldier in Kabul, the capital, one of the urban population centers that a shift in strategy is meant to safeguard.CreditMohammad Ismail/Reuters

New York Times: Newest U.S. Strategy in Afghanistan Mirrors Past Plans for Retreat

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is urging American-backed Afghan troops to retreat from sparsely populated areas of the country, officials said, all but ensuring the Taliban will remain in control of vast stretches of the country.

The approach is outlined in a previously undisclosed part of the war strategy that President Trump announced last year, according to three officials who described the documents to The New York Times on the condition of anonymity. It is meant to protect military forces from attacks at isolated and vulnerable outposts, and focuses on protecting cities such as Kabul, the capital, and other population centers.

The withdrawal resembles strategies embraced by both the Bush and Obama administrations that have started and stuttered over the nearly 17-year war. It will effectively ensure that the Taliban and other insurgent groups will hold on to territory that they have already seized, leaving the government in Kabul to safeguard the capital and cities such as Kandahar, Kunduz, Mazar-i-Sharif and Jalalabad.

The retreat to the cities is a searing acknowledgment that the American-installed government in Afghanistan remains unable to lead and protect the country’s sprawling rural population. Over the years, as waves of American and NATO troops have come and left in repeated cycles, the government has slowly retrenched and ceded chunks of territory to the Taliban, cleaving Afghanistan into disparate parts and ensuring a conflict with no end in sight.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: The Soviets implemented the same strategy when they were in Afghanistan in the 1980s, and it failed. The fact that the U.S. is following the same policy does not surprise me. It is being pursued to to fulfill President Trump's election promise to leave the country and the war .... Can Trump Get America Out of Afghanistan? (Gil Barndollar, National Interest). My prediction .... if the U.S. and its allies do withdraw from Afghanistan, within a year the Afghan government will fall and the country will be fractured into competing tribal/sectarian regions. But it will no longer be a U.S. problem and responsibility (unless of course Al Qaeda or ISIS become dominant).

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Mexico's Murder Rate Is Now At A Record High

A police officer looked on as members of a forensic team worked at a crime scene where a man was gunned down in Cancún, Mexico, on Sunday. Photo: Israel Leal/Reuters

Wall Street Journal: Mexico’s Murder Rate Hits Highest Level in Decades

The number of homicides rose 27% last year, highlighting the challenge facing President-elect López Obrador

The number of murders in Mexico rose sharply last year, pushing the homicide rate to its highest level since at least 1990 as violence among drug gangs persisted and highlighting the challenge faced by the incoming administration to contain criminal violence.

The National Statistics Institute said Monday the number of murders rose 27% last year to 31,174, the most on record going back to 1990 and equivalent to 25 per 100,000 inhabitants. The homicide rate rose from 20 per 100,000 in 2016, and was above the recent high of 24 in 2011.

Criminal violence began soaring in 2008 after the government engaged the military and federal police in efforts to rein in powerful drug gangs that were taking control of hot spots around the country. After a lull from 2012 to 2014, the violence took off again in 2015.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: The economy, crime, and Mexican citizens fleeing the country for a better life will be the biggest problems facing President-elect López Obrador when he assumes office later this year.

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Zimbabwe Chooses A New Leader In First Post-Mugabe Election

Reuters: Zimbabwe counts votes after first post-Mugabe election

HARARE (Reuters) - Counting began in Zimbabwe on Monday in the first election since the removal of former president Robert Mugabe, a watershed vote that could pull a pariah state back into the international fold and spark an economic revival.

The election is a two-horse race between 75-year-old President Emmerson Mnangagwa, a long-time Mugabe ally, and 40-year-old Nelson Chamisa, a lawyer and pastor who is vying to become Zimbabwe’s youngest head of state.

Mnangagwa is viewed as the frontrunner, though the latest opinion polls showed a tight race. There will be a runoff on Sept. 8 if no candidate wins more than half the votes.

Voting closed at 7 p.m. (1700 GMT). The official result has to be announced within five days but there will likely be an indication of the outcome on Tuesday.

Read more ....

More News On Zimbabwe's Election To Choose A New Government

The Latest: Counting underway in Zimbabwe's historic vote -- ABC News/AP
Zimbabwe election: High turnout in first post-Mugabe poll -- BBC
Zimbabwe Holds a Peaceful Vote, Its First Ballot Since Mugabe’s Fall -- The New York Times
The Zimbabwe election isn't just about who wins, but how it's won -- Wilf Mbanga, The Guardian
Zimbabwe's historic election: A look at the top candidates -- FOX News/AP

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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi: US Trade Gap Complaints ‘Perplexing’ But China’s Door Is Still Open For Talks

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi addresses the media during a news conference following his meeting with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias (not pictured) at the Foreign Ministry in Athens, Greece, April 23, 2017. REUTERS/Michalis Karagiannis

SCMP: US trade gap complaints ‘perplexing’ but China’s door is still open for talks, Wang Yi says

Foreign minister repeats stance that Beijing doesn’t want a trade war

Washington’s complaints about trade imbalances between the US and China are “perplexing” but Beijing’s door remains open for talks, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday.

Wang, who is also a State Councillor, added that dialogue should be based on mutual respect while threats and pressure would be “counterproductive”, reiterating that Beijing did not want a trade war with Washington.

“China’s door of dialogue and negotiation remains open, but any dialogue must be based on equality, mutual respect and rules. Any threat or pressure by one side will only be counterproductive,” Wang said during a joint news conference with Britain’s Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt in Beijing.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: China's door is not open for trade talks, and what's perplexing to the Chinese foreign minister is not the trade imbalance, but that the U.S. is now doing to China what China has been doing to the U.S. for years. This analysis is correct .... China Is Losing the Trade War With Trump (Donald L. Luskin, WSJ).

Update: This is only going to escalate .... Trade War Casualties: Factories Shifting Out Of China (Kenneth Rapoza, Forbes).

Update #2: Another analysis saying the same thing .... US is winning the trade war, and Chinese growth falling to 5 per cent will be the proof (David Brown, SCMP).

Update #3: I expect the Chinese will be doing this in the coming months, and the trade war will become a currency war with graver consequences .... Should We Expect A Large Chinese Yuan Devaluation? (Seeking Alpha).

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President Trump Says He Is Ready To Meet With Iran 'Anytime They Want To' – With No Preconditions

CNBC: Trump: I am ready to meet with Iran 'anytime they want to' – with no preconditions

* President Donald Trump on Monday said that he would be willing to meet with Iran "anytime they want to."
* A meeting with Rouhani would be "good for the country, good for them, good for us, and good for the world," the president said.
* In July, Rouhani's chief of staff, Mahmoud Vaezi, said Trump had asked eight times for a meeting with Rouhani, and was rejected each time, according to a state-run news agency.

President Donald Trump on Monday said that he would be willing to meet with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani "anytime they want to," and that he would impose no preconditions on such a meeting.

"They want to meet, I'll meet. Anytime they want," Trump said. The president's comments came amid escalating tension between the U.S. and Iran. Earlier this month, Trump threatened Rouhani in an all-caps post on Twitter that called out the Iranian leader by name.

A meeting with Rouhani would be "good for the country, good for them, good for us, and good for the world," the U.S. president said.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Iran's leaders have rejected President Trump's offer for unconditional talks .... Iran Sues U.S. to Stop Imposition of Trump’s New Sanctions (Washington Free Beacon).

More News On President Trump Saying He Is Ready To Meet With Iran 'Anytime They Want To'

Trump says he is willing to talk to Iran's leader without preconditions -- Reuters
Trump says willing to meet with Iran leaders 'any time' -- AFP
Trump says he'll meet Iran's leaders with 'no preconditions' after tense standoff with Rouhani and reports that the U.S. was ready to bomb Tehran -- Daily Mail
Trump says he would 'certainly meet' with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani -- Los Angeles Times
Trump offers to meet with Iranian President Rouhani, without preconditions -- FOX News
Trump says he'd meet with Iranian leader Rouhani with 'no preconditions' -- NBC
Trump offers to meet Iran without preconditions -- Washington Times
Trump says he would meet Iran's leaders 'anytime' with 'no preconditions' -- Yahoo News

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Iran's Currency Hits A New Low

A money changer counts out US dollars for a customer, Tehran, Iran, Jan. 20, 2016. REUTERS/Raheb Homavandi

Daily Mail/Reuters/AP: Iran's currency in free fall as American sanctions loom following U.S. decision to withdraw from nuclear deal

* Iranian currency plunges to a low of 115,000 rials against one U.S. dollar
* Rial has lost about half of its value since April because of a weak economy
* U.S. set to reimpose sanctions on Iran after pulling out of 2015 nuclear deal

Iran's currency is continuing its downward spiral as increased American sanctions loom, hitting a new low on the thriving black market exchange.

On Sunday, the Iranian rial plunged to a low of 111,500 against one U.S. dollar on the unofficial market, down from about 97,500 rials on Saturday, according to foreign exchange website Bonbast.com.

Other websites said the dollar was exchanged between 108,500 and 116,000 rials.

The rial has lost about half of its value since April because of a weak economy, financial difficulties at local banks and heavy demand for dollars among Iranians who fear the effects of sanctions.

Read more ....

Update: Iran's rial hits record-low 100,000 to the dollar (France 24)

WNU Editor: Iran's economy is already weak because of mismanagement, poor government policies, and corruption. This recent plunge is just another sign that people who have wealth and money in Iran no longer have confidence in the Tehran government when it comes to the economy.

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Russia Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov: Russia Has Insider Knowledge On The Military Plans Of The U.S. And Its Western Allies

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. © Alexandr Sherbak/TASS

TASS: Russia has information on possible military plans by US, other countries, says Lavrov

Lavrov assures Moscow has information about schemes hatched by the militaries of both the US and other Western countries against Russia

DVORIKI /Vladimir Region/, July 30. /TASS/. The Russian Federation possesses the information about military plans of the US and other countries against it, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday in his speech before the participants of the Russian educational youth forum Terra Scientia.

"Rest assured, we are aware of the schemes harbored by the militaries of both the US and other Western countries against the Russian Federation," Lavrov stated in response to the question about how Russia meets modern challenges in the sphere of security. The minister highlighted that Russia keeps its global military presence to further support its defensive capacity.

Read more ....

Update: Russia Says It Will Know of U.S. Military Plans Before They Happen (Newsweek)

WNU Editor: I guess Moscow has confidence in its spy networks.

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Ecuadorian President: Ecuador Is In Talks With Britain Over The Fate Of WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is seen on the balcony of the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, Britain, May 19, 2017. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls Reuters

France 24: Ecuador, Britain in talks over Assange fate: Ecuadorian president

MADRID (AFP) - Ecuador is in talks with Britain over the fate of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who has been holed up at Ecuador's embassy in London since 2012 when he was granted political asylum, the country's president said in an interview published Sunday.

"The issue of Mr. Assange is being treated with the British government and I understand that we have already established contact with Mr. Assange's lawyers so we can find a way out," Ecuador President Lenin Moreno told top-selling Spanish daily newspaper El Pais.

"Mr. Assange has been in this situation for over five years and we have to find a way out for him. A way out that defends his rights, mainly his right to life, and which at the same time can give Ecuador the possibility to not have what, without a doubt, represents a problem for our country."

Read more ....

WNU Editor: My gut is telling me that the Ecuadorian government is trying to arrange safe passage for Julian Assange to a safe country (probably Iceland). But this is nothing new, and the U.K. government has been insistent in the past that once he steps out of the embassy he will be arrested because of his legal problems with other countries .... notably with the U.S.. But Ecuador wants Julian Assange gone, and it looks like for Julian Assange, his time is running out.

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U.S. Official: U.S. - Taliban Peace Talks Ended With 'Positive Signals' Last Week

Taliban walk as they celebrate ceasefire in Ghanikhel district of Nangarhar province, Afghanistan June 16, 2018. REUTERS/Parwiz/File Photo

Reuters: 'Very positive signals' after U.S., Taliban talks: sources

PESHAWAR, Pakistan/KABUL (Reuters) - A meeting between a senior U.S. diplomat and Taliban representatives in Doha last week to discuss a possible ceasefire ended with “very positive signals” and a decision to hold more meetings, people with knowledge of the talks said on Sunday.

The meeting between a delegation led by Alice Wells, deputy assistant secretary in the State Department’s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, and Taliban representatives was first reported in The Wall Street Journal but has not been officially confirmed.

According to one Taliban official, who said he was part of a four-member delegation, there were “very positive signals” from the meeting, which he said was conducted in a “friendly atmosphere” in a Doha hotel.

“You can’t call it peace talks,” he said. “These are a series of meetings for initiating formal and purposeful talks. We agreed to meet again soon and resolve the Afghan conflict through dialogue.”

He said the talks had been held without the presence of Afghan government officials at the insistence of the Taliban.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: I am not optimistic of these talks. The Taliban want only one thing from the U.S. and its allies .... withdrawal from Afghanistan so that they can then intensify their military operations against the Afghan government. The fact that these were held without the presence of Afghan government officials at the insistence of the Taliban is all that anyone needs to know.

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North Korea: US 'detects new activity' at ICBM factory

Photos and infrared imaging indicate vehicles moving in and out of the facility at Sanumdong

North Korea has pressed ahead with construction at the factory that produced the country’s first intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the US, despite ongoing negotiations over the fate of its nuclear and missile programs.

US spy satellites captured photos and infrared imaging indicating vehicles moving in and out of the facility at Sanumdong, but do not show how advanced any missile construction might be, a US official told Reuters on condition of anonymity because the intelligence is classified.

Continue reading...

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Zimbabwe election: counting begins in first post-Mugabe poll

Voters choose between current president Mnangagwa and opposition leader Chamisa

Counting has begun in Zimbabwe’s first election since the removal of Robert Mugabe, with the result determining the former British colony’s future for decades.

Millions of people voted peacefully across the county on Monday and turnout appeared extremely high, with long lines of voters forming outside polling stations across the country when they opened at 7am (0600 BST).

Continue reading...

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Trump offer to meet Iran president Rouhani dismissed by both sides

Mike Pompeo and Rouhani adviser unite in adding caveats before any talks could happen

Donald Trump has said he would “certainly meet” Iranian president Hassan Rouhani without preconditions, a move that was later rejected by Trump’s own administration and one of Rouhani’s advisers.

Continue reading...

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#MeToo in China: movement gathers pace amid wave of accusations

More than 20 women have come out with allegations against former bosses, acquaintances, and colleagues in the last week

A Chinese anti-discrimination campaigner, an environmentalist, three journalists, an academic, two badminton coaches, and one of China’s most watched television hosts. These are some of the men who have been accused of sexual misconduct in the last week, in an avalanche of cases that signal China’s #MeToo moment is gaining momentum even as authorities try to suppress it.

“There is no industry where this isn’t happening. These are not isolated cases,” says Yi Xiaohe, a Shanghai-based producer who has accused a well-known journalist and commentator of sexually harassing her in 2011.

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'Solidarity!' French politicians praise woman who stood up to harasser

Marie Laguerre was punched by a man who she told to shut up after he whistled at her in the street

French politicians have rallied in support of a woman who was hit by a man when she stood up to him after he harassed her in the street, calling the attack “unacceptable”, “revolting” and “intolerable behaviour”.

“Total solidarity! Thank you Marie Laguerre for your courage! Stop harassment!” Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, wrote in response to a tweet by the victim of the attack, 22-year-old architecture student Marie Laguerre.

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Trump lawyer Giuliani: 'scumbag' Cohen is a traitor like Iago and Brutus

Ex-New York mayor gives rambling 32-minute CNN interview
Won’t discuss ‘very nasty’ link between Mueller and Trump

Donald Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani has angrily compared Michael Cohen, the president’s former long-time lawyer, to famous traitors Benedict Arnold, Brutus and Iago.

“You’ve got a really bad guy here,” said Giuliani, during a 32-minute long, rambling interview on CNN on Monday.

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60% of babies ‘at risk due to breastfeeding delay after birth’

WHO and Unicef recommend children should be breastfed within an hour of being born

Almost 60% of babies around the world are not breastfed within the first hour after their birth, putting them at risk of sickness and even death, a new report has revealed.

Current guidelines from the World Health Organization and Unicef recommend babies should be breastfed within an hour of their birth and fed only by breastfeeding until they are six months old.

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Maryland newspaper shooting: accused gunman pleads not guilty

Jarrod Ramos enters plea of not guilty to all 23 felony charges against him after deadly incident at Capital Gazette

The man accused of shooting five people to death last month at a newspaper office in Annapolis, Maryland, entered a plea of not guilty on Monday to all 23 felony charges against him, including five counts of first-degree murder.

The plea was entered on behalf of Jarrod Ramos, 38, by his lawyers in a filing with the Anne Arundel county circuit court, along with motions seeking a speedy jury trial and to obtain prosecution evidence through pretrial discovery.

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Body in bin identified as man who went missing 17 years ago

Remains of graphic artist John Christianos, 40, discovered in Melbourne storage facility

A body found in a wheelie bin at a Melbourne storage facility has been identified as that of a graphic artist who went missing more than 17 years ago.

Workers discovered the remains of John Christianos, 40, on 13 July in Oakleigh South while they were cleaning out a storage unit. He went missing in 2001 and was last seen at a residential home in Bentleigh East.

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Black athlete attacked as Salvini criticised for 'climate of hate' in Italy

Opposition politicians condemn far-right minister after series of racist assaults

Opposition politicians in Italy have accused the far-right interior minister, Matteo Salvini, of creating a climate of hate after a series of racist attacks that have coincided with his anti-immigration drive.

In the latest assault possibly motivated by racism, a black Italian athlete, Daisy Osakue, was injured early on Monday when unknown assailants drove alongside her in a street near the northern city of Turin and hurled an egg at her face.

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Spain's foreign minister scorns mass immigration claim

Under pressure to take a tough line, Josep Borrell says issue must be kept in perspective

Spain’s foreign minister has rejected suggestions the country is experiencing mass immigration, calling instead for perspective on the issue and arguing that Europe needs new blood to make up for a low birth rate.

Around 21,000 migrants and refugees have arrived in Spain by sea this year, placing the country’s reception infrastructure under severe strain.

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Mike Pompeo pledges US 'partnership not domination' in 'Indo-Pacific' region

Secretary of state says US will ‘oppose any country’ that seeks to dominate the region in what appeared to be a reference to China

Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, has promised a conference on “Indo-Pacific affairs” that Washington would be a faithful partner in the region without seeking “domination”.

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Flight MH370 report: 'unlawful interference by third party' not ruled out

Families’ hopes dashed as report fails to provide concrete conclusions for why plane disappeared in March 2014

A safety report into the disappearance of flight MH370 has concluded that the plane was manually turned around in mid-air, rather than being under the control of autopilot, and that “unlawful interference by a third party” could not be ruled out.

However, it dismissed theories that had suggested the pilot and first officer brought the plane down in a suicide mission, and also ruled out mechanical failure as a cause.

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Adelaide archbishop Philip Wilson resigns after covering up child abuse

Pope accepts resignation from Wilson, who is appealing his conviction

The pope has accepted the resignation of Philip Wilson as archbishop of Adelaide after he was convicted of concealing child abuse, in a further sign of the Vatican’s struggle to keep on top of a series of scandals.

In May, Wilson became the most senior Catholic cleric to be convicted of not disclosing to police abuse by another priest. He failed to report the abuse of two altar boys by James Fletcher, a paedophile priest, in the 1970s.

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'No Cambodia left': how Chinese money is changing Sihanoukville

The once-sleepy beach town of Sihanoukville has been transformed by Chinese investment – and the sheer speed of development has divided locals

Inside a lavishly decorated casino where chandeliers hang from the ceiling, cigarette smoke lingers in the air and platters of mango are served to gamblers, a game of baccarat is getting heated. Cards are slammed down, $100 bills are brandished and the gathered crowd of Chinese tourists shout excitedly.

This is not Las Vegas, nor is it Macau. It is Sihanoukville, a once-sleepy city in Cambodia that has become a ballooning enclave for Chinese-run casinos – despite gambling being banned. These towering skyscrapers and vast domed structures covered in flashing neon signs have transformed Sihanoukville beyond recognition in less than two years. It will have more than 70 of them by the end of 2018.

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What is China's Belt and Road Initiative?

The project is often described as a 21st century Silk Road, made up of a ‘belt’ of overland corridors and a maritime ‘road’ of shipping lanes

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Follow the New Silk Road

In the first part of a week-long series revealing the effects of China’s Belt and Road Initiative on cities around the world,Jon Watts journeys from the steppes of Central Asia to the Black Sea and into Europe,as Beijing’s grand plan radically remakes the lives of people in its path

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Ringing the changes for the red phone box – in pictures

The red telephone box, or Kiosk No 2 to give it its official General Post Office name, is as iconically British as London’s black cabs and the royal family. However, it has fallen into decline, owing to the spread of mobile phones. In recent years, it has made a minor comeback, partly due to the restoration work of Tony Inglis of Unicorn Restorations in Surrey

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Britain must sometimes support 'unsavoury regimes', report states

Study admits that hasty efforts to set up liberal democratic institutions are likely to fail

Britain’s big postwar era foreign interventions have not relied enough on striking bargains between sometimes unsavoury regional elites, a Foreign Office study endorsed by ministers has found.

“There will be times when we have to hold our nose and support dialogue with those who oppose our values, or who may have committed war crimes,” said Alistair Burt, a Foreign Office minister who commissioned the report.

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Obama and Biden make surprise visit to DC bakery – video

Former US president Barack Obama and vice president Joe Biden made a surprise visit on Monday to a bakery that supports veterans. The two men, whose friendship is so legendary as to have inspired memes, ordered food from Dog Tag Bakery, which aims to empower veterans with 'service-connected disabilities'. Obama gave a speech to bakery workers saying their work in the community, having already served their country 'makes us proud'.

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'Animals remain behind bars': the broken promises of Buenos Aires Zoo

After it was announced in 2016 the zoo would become an ecopark, 119 animals have died, leaving activists to feel little has changed

When the mayor of Buenos Aires announced in 2016 that the Argentinian capital’s 140-year-old zoo was to be shut down and redeveloped as an ecopark, animal welfare campaigners heaved a collective sigh of relief.

But after a string of animal fatalities at the former zoo, there is growing consternation among members of the public and activists that nothing has changed.

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'Newborns were fed fish soup': Papua New Guinea's malnutrition crisis | Jo Chandler

Undernutrition in under fives causes damage that has an impact throughout their lives – a legacy that is borne by nearly 50% of the nation’s children

Spiderman is coiled for action across three-year-old Samuel’s bloated tummy. But the boy under the superhero T-shirt is floppy with lethargy. He mutely eyes the doctor from his aunt Margaret’s lap and clutches a half-eaten frankfurter in one grubby hand.

It’s not exactly health food, but paediatrician Dr Henry Welch is nonetheless pleased.

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Meriton fined $3m for manipulating TripAdvisor hotel reviews

Meriton found to have withheld emails of serviced apartment guests who had complained

Australian property giant Meriton has been ordered to pay $3m for manipulating TripAdvisor reviews about its serviced apartments, in breach of consumer law.

Meriton was found by the federal court to have withheld from the travel website the emails of guests who had complained or had a negative experience between November 2014 and October 2015.

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MPs accuse aid groups of 'abject failure' in tackling sexual abuse

Damning report says sector has shown ‘complacency verging on complicity’

Charities have shown “complacency verging on complicity” in responding to sexual abuse that is endemic across the sector, according to a damning report by MPs.

In the report, the international development committee (IDC) said the aid sector had a record of “abject failure” in dealing with longstanding concerns about exploitation by its own personnel and appeared more concerned for their reputations than for victims. The response to abuse claims has been reactionary and superficial, it added.

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Book lifts lid on litany of mistakes in Ebola outbreak that killed 11,300 people

A British doctor and Irish diplomat who worked on the frontline of the crisis in west Africa in 2014 say failures by international aid agencies and donors exacerbated the catastrophe

The World Health Organization and other global agencies have failed to learn sufficient lessons from the 2014 Ebola outbreak that killed more than 11,300 people in west Africa, a British doctor at the centre of the battle in Sierra Leone has said.

Although the response to the most recent Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) was swift and effective, the international community’s long-term strategies have only marginally changed, said Oliver Johnson, who in a book with Irish diplomat Sinead Walsh lifts the lid on the extraordinary behind-the-scene failures four years ago.

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Paid domestic violence leave means, to me, a rare moment of empowerment | Anonymous

I lived through an abusive relationship, and New Zealand’s legislation is a relief from the shame and fear

I am from what many would consider an advantaged upbringing. My parents worked hard and my basic needs were always met. I am Pākehā [a European New Zealander] and I grew up in a respectable suburb of Wellington.

However, it turns out that my story of domestic violence is not dissimilar to many other women in New Zealand.

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Q&A: Leprosy Increases as World Gives Attention to Newer Endemic Diseases

MAPUTO, Jul 30 (IPS) - IPS correspondent Elisio Muchanga spoke to the World Health Organisation goodwill ambassador for leprosy elimination, Yohei Sasakawa, during a recent visit to Mozambique to evaluate the country's progress in treating leprosy patients.In the first six months of this year, the southern African nation of Mozambique has already registered 300 more cases of leprosy, some 951 cases, than it registered for the whole of 2017.

Read the full story, “Q&A: Leprosy Increases as World Gives Attention to Newer Endemic Diseases”, on globalissues.org →

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Global Economy Vulnerable a Decade After

SYDNEY & KUALA LUMPUR, Jul 30 (IPS) - Ten years ago, deteriorating confidence in the value of US sub-prime mortgages threatened a liquidity crisis. The US Federal Reserve injected considerable capital into the market, but could not prevent the 2008-2009 global financial crisis (GFC).

The 2008 meltdown exposed the extent of finance-led international economic integration, with countries more vulnerable to financial contagion and related policy ‘spillovers' exacerbating real economic volatility. It also revealed some vulnerabilities of the post-Second World War (WW2) US-centred international financial ‘architecture' – the Bretton Woods system – modified after its breakdown in the early 1970s.

Read the full story, “Global Economy Vulnerable a Decade After”, on globalissues.org →

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Global Compact & the Art of Cherry-Picking Refugees

UNITED NATIONS, Jul 30 (IPS) - When Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was asked about the legality of the UN's much-ballyhooed Global Compact for Migration, he was initially evasive in his response.

"I'm not a lawyer", he told reporters July 12, "and I presume that this question might be better asked from a lawyer".

Read the full story, “Global Compact & the Art of Cherry-Picking Refugees”, on globalissues.org →

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Pakistan’s Vote - a Loud and Clear Message that People Want Democracy at Any Cost

Jul 30 (IPS) - Voters in Pakistan's general election outrightly rejected political parties with extremism records and candidates linked to banned terrorist groups, opting instead to back liberal forces in a support for peace.

Read the full story, “Pakistan’s Vote - a Loud and Clear Message that People Want Democracy at Any Cost”, on globalissues.org →

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States Must Treat Refugees & Migrants as Rights Holders & Prevent Trafficking & Exploitation

GENEVA, Jul 30 (IPS) - Maria Grazia Giammarinaro* is UN Special Rapporteur on trafficking in personsStates around the world must act now to strengthen their efforts to prevent and combat trafficking in human beings, including by ensuring that victims and potential victims are considered and treated as rights holders.

Many people who fall prey to traffickers are migrants, including refugees and asylum seekers, who have decided to leave their country for various reasons, such as conflict, natural disaster, persecution or extreme poverty.

Read the full story, “States Must Treat Refugees & Migrants as Rights Holders & Prevent Trafficking & Exploitation”, on globalissues.org →

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Otokar awarded USD28 million tactical vehicle production contract

Turkish company Otokar has been awarded USD28 million to build and deliver new tactical wheeled armored vehicles for the Turkish Military and Security Forces, said in the company’s statement on 30 July.

“Otokar, leading supplier of the Turkish Military and Security Forces for wheeled tactical vehicles, was awarded 28.9 million USD contract for its tactical wheeled armored vehicles,” noted in a statement.

Work and delivery of the vehicles will be completed in the first quarter of 2019.

The contract covers build and deliver new tactical wheeled armored vehicles in different modifications, spare parts and training services.

Highlighting Otokar’s success at global markets, General Manager Serdar Görgüç stated, “Our strength in the defense industry is driven by our experience, engineering and R&D capabilities, and successful use of technology. Today over 30,000 Otokar military vehicles are in service in many different parts of the world with an outstanding performance. Our military vehicles serve almost 50 different end users in over 30 countries.”

Görgüç continued: “Otokar continues to increase its armored vehicle deliveries in line with user expectations. The success of Otokar’s vehicles has always been a reference for new orders. We are proud that this new order is awarded by an existing user of our armored vehicles. Otokar has also started to stand out in global scale not just for its products with fully-owned intellectual property rights, but also with its know-how, engineering, R&D and technology transfer capabilities.”

The post Otokar awarded USD28 million tactical vehicle production contract appeared first on Defence Blog.

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French Mirage 2000D conducts test release of Thales’s BAT-120 laser-guided munition

Thales has announced that the French Air Force’s Mirage 2000D fighter jet has successfully conducted a test release of a laser-guided BAT-120 lightweight munition prototype.

According to the company, the BAT-120 is a new air-to-surface weapon system designed to be launched from military aircraft at targets on land or sea.

The laser-guided BAT-120 is a precision strike weapon, reasonably sized that can be carried in large numbers on the aircraft’s wing pylons to fight all types of fixed or mobile targets (lightly armoured or unarmoured vehicles, go-fast vessels).

According to Thales, the laser-guided BAT-120 is a lightweight (35 kg) weapon with low operating costs. This 120 mm precision strike system can be fired at medium and high altitudes. No major modifications to the aircraft are needed because it uses the fire control system of a laser-guided weapon.

Thales is developing and make the modern defence solutions, from designing smart sensors and advanced defence systems, to developing collaborative combat, and connecting and equipping soldiers on the digital battlefield, company’s systems deliver information superiority and give joint forces mastery of action whenever they face their decisive moments.

The post French Mirage 2000D conducts test release of Thales’s BAT-120 laser-guided munition appeared first on Defence Blog.

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U.S. Marine’s Shadow UAS conducted final flight during RIMPAC

China makes progress with third aircraft carrier

Russian Armata modern tanks production delayed due to high cost

Russia to equip newest ground effect vehicles with cruise missiles

The prototype of the ground effect vehicles “Orlan”, armed with cruise missiles, is planned to be developed in Russia as part of the state armament programme for the period until 2027, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov told reporters on 29 July.

“In the state armament programme of 2018-2027 there is an experimental development activity “Orlan”, which provides for the construction of an ekranoplan (ground effect vehicles), the prototype will be created within the framework of this weapons program, it will carry missile weapons,” Borisov said.

According to him, the ekranoplan will be used to protect the Northern Sea Route, where the Russian infrastructure is poorly developed. “He can patroling, close these areas, the inner seas too: the Caspian Sea, the Black Sea,” the deputy prime minister said.

A ground effect vehicle (GEV), are also called ekranoplan, is a vehicle that is capable of being elevated above ground or water, but should not be confused with a hovercraft or aircraft, though it floats like both above surfaces.

Previously, two GEV models were developed for the Soviet and Russian Armed Forces — a military-transport Orlyonok ekranoplan and the Lun-class ekranoplan with cruise missiles, but in the 1990s, these projects were curtailed after funding was cut.

At present, the only existing model of Lun GEV is decommissioned and mothballed in the Caspian Sea.

It is likely that a new GEV will develop by the Alekseev’s Design Bureau. SC Alekseev’s Design Bureau — is a Russian company that builds high-speed civil, dual-purpose and military vehicles based on various hydrodynamic principles. These are hovercraft and hydrofoils, air cavity craft and gliding boats with different bottom configuration, multipurpose platforms and ekranoplanes. The company is the world leader in these design fields.

The post Russia to equip newest ground effect vehicles with cruise missiles appeared first on Defence Blog.

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Monday, 30 July 2018

Newest Hall of Famers Carry Records and Memories Into Cooperstown

By RICHARD SANDOMIR from NYT Sports https://ift.tt/2vhhAVV

No Corrections: July 30, 2018

By Unknown Author from NYT Corrections https://ift.tt/2LRsID4

Michael Cohen Takes a Bullet

By CHARLES M. BLOW from NYT Opinion https://ift.tt/2AhwO2S

How Trump Lost Re-election in 2020

By DAVID LEONHARDT from NYT Opinion https://ift.tt/2Al88Xj

What I Learned at Beautycon, Where ‘Everyone Wants to Be Extra’

By ELIZABETH HOLMES from NYT Times Insider https://ift.tt/2uWNKa0

CBS Board to Meet on Les Moonves’s Role After Misconduct Allegations

By EDMUND LEE from NYT Business Day https://ift.tt/2OqGYkM

Spain, Cryptocurrency, France: Your Monday Briefing

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‘Sharp Objects’ Episode 4: The End Zone

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Suicide Blast Kills 31 As Pakistan Holds General Elections

ISLAMABAD (AP) — A suicide bomber on a motorcycle rammed into people waiting outside a busy polling station in the Pakistani city of Quetta on Wednesday, killing at least 31 and casting a dark shadow on what was to be a historic day for the country as Pakistanis cast ballots to elect their thirds consecutive civilian government.

The attack in Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province, underscored the difficulties this majority Muslim nation faces on its wobbly journey toward sustained democracy.

The bombing also wounded 35 people, with several reported to be in critical condition, raising concerns the death toll could rise further, said hospital official Jaffar Kakar, a doctor.

Wednesday’s voting for a National Assembly, the lower house of parliament, and four provincial assemblies followed a rancorous campaign marked by widespread allegations of manipulation. Analysts and rights groups have warned of post-election instability and predicted losing parties would cry foul.

The uncertainty of the outcome of the vote — no single party appeared assured of a simple majority win — could also lead to prolonged post-election jockeying that would hamper the forming of the next government.

“Whatever way elections run, I see a lot of instability,” said defense analyst Ayesha Siddiqua, who authored Military Inc., a look at the extensive financial holdings of Pakistan’s army.

A witness to the attack in Quetta, Abdul Haleem, who was waiting to cast his ballot, said he saw a motorcycle drive into the crowd of voters just seconds before the explosion. Haleem’s uncle was killed in the blast.

“There was a deafening bang followed by thick cloud of smoke and dust and so much crying from the wounded people,” he told The Associated Press.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing but local officials were quick to blame the Islamic State group.

Baluchistan also saw the worst violence during election campaigning earlier this month, when a suicide bomber blew himself up at a political rally, killing 149 people, including the candidate Siraj Raisani. Another 400 were wounded. Voting in that constituency has been suspended.

IS claimed responsibility for that attack, though Baluchistan has seen relentless attacks, both by the province’s secessionists and Sunni militants who have killed hundreds of Shiites living there. In recent years, the IS affiliate in the region has emerged as a major force behind violence, often using local Sunni radicals from the outlawed Lashkar-e-Jhangvi to carry out its attacks.

Citing security concerns, Pakistan’s election commission announced that internet and cellphone services in several Baluchistan districts were suspended. Election commission secretary Babar Yaqub told reporters there were also threats against polling stations, staff and even candidates.

Militants on Tuesday lobbed grenades and opened fire at a military convoy escorting election staffers and voting material in Baluchistan’s district of Turbat, killing four troops. Pakistan’s military deployed 350,000 troops countrywide at polling stations.

Also Wednesday, shooting between supporters of two opposing political parties killed one person and wounded two in a village near the northwestern city of Swabi. Later, more clashes between rival political parties killed another person and wounded 15 elsewhere in the country.

Early voting was heavy at some polling stations in Islamabad, the capital, and also in the Punjab provincial capital, with several political party leaders standing in line to cast their ballots. Local television reported scattered incidences of police arresting people with pre-marked ballots.

Another concern is the unprecedented participation in these elections of radical religious groups, including those banned for terror links but resurrected and renamed, has also raised concerns — especially for minorities and women — ahead of the voting.

Jibran Nasir, an independent candidate from Pakistan’s financial hub of Karachi, said he received death threats and even had a fatwa, or religious edict, issued against him after he refused to condemn Ahmadis, reviled by mainstream Muslims as heretics because they believe the messiah promised in Islam arrived over a century ago. Pakistan in 1974 declared Ahmadis non-Muslims.

The leading contenders in Wednesday’s polling are former cricket star Imran Khan and his right-of-center Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Party, and the right-of-center Pakistan Muslim League, the party of disgraced Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who is in jail serving 10 years on corruption charges. His younger brother Shahbaz Sharif took control of the party.

Khan’s supporters showered his vehicle with rose petals as he arrived to vote at a polling station near his home suburb in. Islamabad. After voting, he appealed on Pakistanis to come out and vote in huge numbers “to save future generations.”

The third-largest party in the running is the left-leaning Pakistan People’s Party, headed by Bilawal Bhutto, the son of late Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, assassinated by the Pakistani Taliban, whom she had vowed to eradicate.

Election officials say more than 11,000 candidates are vying for 270 seats in Pakistan’s law-making Lower House of Parliament and 577 seats in four provincial assemblies.

The 85,307 polling stations opened at 8 a.m. and will continue for 10 hours, an hour longer than in the 2013 polls. Voting for two parliamentary seats and six seats in provincial assemblies has been postponed due to attacks on candidates or disqualifications. First results are expected early Thursday.

There are more than 105 million eligible voters in Pakistan, 59 million men and 46 million women.

Pakistan’s election commission reminded candidates their elections will be nullified if the female voter turnout didn’t reach 10 percent. The requirement was imposed after the 2013 elections, when several areas banned voting by women, mostly in Pakistan’s religiously conservative northwest. Some candidates were elected without a single woman marking a ballot.

Veteran rights activist Tahira Abdullah warned on Tuesday that local jirgas, or councils of elders, from 60 areas of the country representing 16 different constituencies, had signed agreements banning women from voting despite the new ruling. While some areas have refused to relent, others allowed women to cast ballots.

In Pakistan’s deeply tribal and religiously conservative North Waziristan, where Taliban insurgents have found safe havens, women voted for the first time on Wednesday, said Mohamad Ayaz Khan, a government administrator.

“We made history today,” said Khan. “It is the first time that women have come out of their homes to cast their vote.”

Voting is segregated throughout Pakistan with every single polling station divided into sections for men and women, including separate election officials.
Results will trickle in after polling ends, with the outcome expected early Thursday, according to election officials.

International and domestic election observers will monitor the voting. The European Union Election Observation Mission has 120 monitors at polling stations in major centers across Pakistan, with the exception of Baluchistan.

Under Pakistani law, separate seats are reserved for women and for non-Muslim minorities, which comprise 4 percent of the population.

___

Associated Press writer Zarar Khan in Islamabad, Abdul Sattar in Quetta, Baluchistan, Zaheer Babar, in Lahore Adil Jawad in Karachi, Pakistan and Riaz Khan in Peshawar, Pakistan, contributed to this report.

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North Korea Appears To Be Dismantling Key Parts Of Launch Site

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea appears to have started dismantling key facilities at its main satellite launch site in a step toward fulfilling a commitment made by leader Kim Jong Un at his summit with President Donald Trump in June.

While Pyongyang could be trying to build trust with Washington as they engage in talks to resolve the nuclear standoff, analysts say dismantling a few facilities at the site alone wouldn’t realistically reduce North Korea’s military capability or represent a material step toward denuclearization. And they expressed concern that the work is being done without verification.

The North Korea-focused 38 North website said commercial satellite images from July 20 to 22 indicate the North began dismantling key facilities at the Sohae launch site. The facilities being razed or disassembled include a rocket engine test stand used to develop liquid-fuel engines for ballistic missiles and space-launch vehicles and a rail-mounted processing building where space launch vehicles were assembled before being moved to the launch pad, according to the report.

“Since these facilities are believed to have played an important role in the development of technologies for the North’s intercontinental ballistic missile program, these efforts represent a significant confidence building measure on the part of North Korea,” analyst Joseph Bermudez wrote in the report.

An official from South Korea’s presidential office said Tuesday that Seoul has also been detecting dismantlement activities at the Sohae launch site but did not specify what the North was supposedly taking apart.

Other analysts said North Korea is giving up little in dismantling the rocket engine test site when it’s clear the country is satisfied with its current design of long-range weapons and could easily build other similar facilities if needed in the future.

Adam Mount, a senior defense analyst at the Federation of American Scientists, said it’s also troubling that the North has been apparently allowed to duck verification by unilaterally dismantling parts of its nuclear and missile facilities without the presence of international inspectors. In May, North Korea invited foreign journalists to observe the destruction of tunnels at its nuclear testing ground, but did not invite outside experts capable of certifying what had been destroyed.

“The actions at Sohae are a helpful signal that Pyongyang wants to continue negotiations, but do not in themselves advance nuclear disarmament,” Mount said in an email. “North Korea still has not disclosed or offered to dismantle facilities that produce or store nuclear or missile systems, or the means to transport the missiles. So far, the facilities dismantled have been peripheral to these core functions.”

Lee Choon Geun, a missile expert at South Korea’s Science and Technology Policy Institute, said the North’s supposed move to dismantle the rail-mounted processing building was the more meaningful development as it potentially indicated to broader dismantlement activities at the site.

“If North Korea goes further and dismantles the entire Sohae site, that would meaningfully reduce the country’s long-range missile capability by eliminating a facility where it could fire multiple ICBMs in succession,” Lee said. “The North can also fire ICBMs from transporter erector launchers, but their technology with these vehicles isn’t stable.”

However, Mount said the military consequences of a broader dismantlement would be “marginal.” North Korea has invested a great deal of effort in ensuring its missiles can be fired from austere locations and doesn’t require a site like Sohae, he said.

“Dismantling a test site does not seriously constrain the existing arsenal or even future designs,” said Mount. “While it would be a significant step for the regime to shut down its space launch programs, it has always argued that these programs are distinct from military ones. Easing the missile threat would require restrictions on the number, types, or capabilities of missiles or the vehicles that transport and fire them.”

After his summit with Kim in Singapore on June 12, Trump said he was told by Kim that the North was “already destroying a major missile engine testing site” without identifying which site. The leaders concluded their summit by declaring their vague aspirational goal of moving toward a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula, but there’s lingering doubts on whether Kim would ever agree to fully give up the nuclear weapons that he may see as a stronger guarantee of his survival than whatever security assurances the United States can provide.

In late 2017, Kim declared his nuclear weapons and missile program was complete, following a torrent of nuclear and missile tests that included the detonation of a purported thermonuclear warhead and flight tests of three developmental ICBMs potentially capable of reaching the U.S. mainland. Kim announced the mission of his nuclear testing site as finished weeks before inviting foreign journalists to observe the destruction of the tunnels.

The South Korean presidential official, who didn’t want to be named, citing office rules, said the supposed dismantlement activities shows the North is moving gradually.

“We need further analysis to figure out why the North didn’t turn the dismantlement activities into an event and whether the country is trying to control the speed of the process to maintain a pace it wants,” he said.

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