Trump Sanctions War Crimes Court To Silence Investigations Into U.S. Misconduct

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Trump Sanctions War Crimes Court To Silence Investigations Into U.S. Misconduct

President Donald Trump issued an executive order to sanction top officials on an international court responsible for investigating war crimes after the court announced potential investigations into U.S. misconduct during the war in Afghanistan.

During a press conference on Thursday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that top officials on the International Criminal Court could face economic sanctions, to be determined on a case-by-case basis, for investigating the actions of the U.S. and allied forces against the will of those nations. In addition, the officials, along with their families, will be restricted from traveling to the United States.

Pompeo was joined at the press conference by Attorney General William Barr, Defense Secretary Mike Esper and national security adviser Robert O’Brien. 

In March, the International Criminal Court, which is based in The Hague, Netherlands, authorized an investigation into possible war crimes committed in Afghanistan from 2003 to 2014. The investigation will look into actions taken by the Taliban and troops from multiple countries, including the United States, that may have defied international war crimes law regarding the treatment of civilians and prisoners. Back in March, Pompeo called the inquiry “breathtaking action by an unaccountable political institution masquerading as a legal body.” On Thursday, he referred to the court’s investigation as an “ideological crusade.”

More than 100 countries count themselves as members of the International Criminal Court, which was created in 2002 to investigate and try “individuals charged with the gravest crimes of concern to the international community: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression.”

The United States officially opposed the formation of the court and is not one of the member countries, who may choose to defer to it on human rights matters. The court was established to prosecute these offenses for nations unwilling or unable to prosecute them on their own. 

“The United States maintains the sovereign right and obligation to properly investigate and address any of our personnel’s alleged violations of the laws of war,” Esper said on Thursday. “We have a proven record of doing just that.”

The Trump administration’s announcement of sanctions against war crimes investigators is in line with the president’s own support of people who violate human rights. Trump has repeatedly touted murderous dictators and said he “gets along” with them; he has downplayed the brutal killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which was reportedly authorized by Saudi Arabian leader Mohammed bin Salman; he has pardoned and saluted U.S. service members accused of war crimes; and he has publicly threatened to authorize war crimes. 



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‘Keeping puppets in power is a cost that outweighs any benefit’: Bilawal

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‘Keeping puppets in power is a cost that outweighs any benefit’: Bilawal


PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said Thursday said that keeping “puppets” at the helm of affairs outweighs “any” benefit and questioned that till when  would Pakistan  pay in terms of economy with the “selected” premier. 

“How much will this selection ultimately cost Pakistan in terms of loss of lives, damage to economy and federation?” he asked.

Bilawal also questioned who can be assigned the blame for the “consequences of actions and decisions of selected PM”.

“At some point cost of keeping puppet in power out weighs ANY benefit. We’ve long crossed it,” the PPP chairman said.

His remarks come soon after a pre-budget presentation of the economy made earlier in the day by the ministry of finance, following which the premier addressed the nation regarding the country’s response to the coronavirus thus far and what lies ahead.

The PTI-led government and the opposition PPP along with PML-N have been heavily at odds with each other throughout the government’s tenure, with a particular rise in tensions seen with the budget approaching.

As is traditionally witnessed in Pakistan, it is expected that the government will face severe resistance to the budget presentation due to be made on Friday.

Bilawal’s remarks on the eve of the budget proposal mark a likely precursor to what can be expected tomorrow.

In preparation of the resistance, the government had already begun tightening the noose around the two parties.

PPP has constantly been the subject of the Centre’s criticism over it’s handling of the virus outbreak in Sindh whereas PML-N has landed in hot waters following the release of the sugar inquiry commission’s report which has named Shehbaz Sharif’s family owned mills as partly responsible for the country’s sugar crisis.

Shehbaz, who is also embroiled in cases of assets beyond known sources of income as well as money laundering, had been a no show for a NAB appearance on June 2, following which the anti-graft watchdog’s officials along with police raided his Model Town residence in Lahore.

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First U.S. Coronavirus Patient Receives Double Lung Transplant

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First U.S. Coronavirus Patient Receives Double Lung Transplant

Surgeons in Chicago have given a new set of lungs to a young woman with severe lung damage from the coronavirus.

Northwestern Medicine on Thursday announced the procedure, which took place last Friday. Only a few other COVID-19 survivors, in China and Europe, have received lung transplants. The Chicago patient is in her 20s and was on a ventilator and heart-lung machine for almost two months before her operation at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

The 10-hour procedure was challenging because the virus had left her lungs full of holes and almost fused to the chest wall, said Dr. Ankit Bharat, who performed the operation.

She remains on a ventilator while her body heals but is well enough to visit with family via phone video and doctors say her chances for a normal life are good.

Read more: The Coronavirus Sidelined Me From My Work as a Doctor. Soon I’ll Be Back on the Frontlines

“We are anticipating that she will have a full recovery,” said Dr. Rade Tomic, medical director of the hospital’s lung transplant program.

The patient was not identified but Bharat said she had recently moved to Chicago from North Carolina to be with her boyfriend. She was otherwise pretty healthy but her condition rapidly deteriorated after she was hospitalized in late April. Doctors waited six weeks for her body to clear the virus before considering a transplant.

Lungs accounted for just 7% of the nearly 40,000 U.S. organ transplants last year. They are typically hard to find and patients often wait weeks on the transplant list.

The Chicago patient was in bad shape, with signs that her heart, kidneys and liver were beginning to fail, so she quickly moved up in line, Bharat said.

Contact us at editors@time.com.

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Revolve Sale: Save Up to 65% Off on Top Fashion Brands

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Revolve Sale: Save Up to 65% Off on Top Fashion Brands


Revolve Sale: Save Up to 65% Off on Top Fashion Brands | Entertainment Tonight

































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Brighton boss Graham Potter says lack of home advantage won’t be a concern

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Brighton boss Graham Potter says lack of home advantage won’t be a concern

“It’s not like the Amex was a massive fortress for us before and now we haven’t got that anymore. So we have to play football and we get on with it”

Last Updated: 11/06/20 6:47pm


Brighton have won four out of 14 league games at the Amex this season

Brighton manager Graham Potter says he is not concerned by the loss of home advantage for teams when the Premier League gets back underway behind closed doors following the coronavirus shutdown.

Brighton begin their run-in with a home match against Arsenal and have four more games at the Amex Stadium as they look to guarantee their survival.

The evidence from Germany, where Bundesliga matches have been back since mid-May, suggests that the absence of fans has all-but removed home advantage, though a record of four wins from 14 outings at their own stadium suggests Brighton do not have as much to lose as others.

Potter said: “It’s not like the Amex was a massive fortress for us before and now we haven’t got that anymore. So we have to play football and we get on with it.

“I think the hostility of the home crowd in the Premier League is where the advantage is. Certainly, the crowd in the British game get so involved in the game and little moments can change things in the match.

“As an away team it’s difficult when there’s 30, 40, 50, 60,000 people at a game – that’s normal. But it’s not there, we haven’t got the crowd and you just have to play football as well as you can. That’s the challenge now.”

Brighton face Arsenal at home in their return to Premier League action on June 20

Brighton face Arsenal at home in their return to Premier League action on June 20

Brighton were without a win in their previous 10 games before the coronavirus crisis halted the campaign, leaving them just two points above the relegation zone with nine games to play. But, since full-contact training has been back on the agenda, Potter has seen plenty of reason for optimism.

“The players have adapted really well and come back in good spirits – they’re focused and positive. The boys came back in a really good way and it’s been the best two or three weeks training since I’ve been at the club,” he said.

“The performance, the attitude, the quality has all been really high. We’ve had a long period out and it’s not been nice to go through, because people have been losing their lives, which puts things in perspective.

“But now we’ve got to go ahead and play and we want to get out there. We’re looking forward to starting and I’m really happy with how the players have approached the return.”

Brighton sit two points above the relegation zone with nine games remaining

Brighton sit two points above the relegation zone with nine games remaining

Potter also said that he expects the club to make an acknowledgment towards the Black Lives Matter movement when they return to action, adding that recent events have given everyone the chance to talk about the issues and gain greater understanding of the historical background.

Brighton will also have cardboard cutouts of fans in the stands at the Amex, and while Potter doesn’t believe it’ll have any influence on the game, it’s good for the fans to be able to engage.

“It’s hard for a cardboard cutout to generate the same atmosphere that 30,000 in the Amex can, but it’s an opportunity for fans to engage,” said Potter.

“To have real-life supporters would be far better – unless they’re hurling abuse at me, in which case I’m happy with the cutouts.”

Super 6: Bayern to sail past Gladbach?

Do not miss your chance to land the £50,000 jackpot on Saturday. Play for free, entries by 2:30pm.



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Kelly Clarkson Files for Divorce from Husband Brandon Blackstock After Nearly 7 Years of Marriage

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Kelly Clarkson Files for Divorce from Husband Brandon Blackstock After Nearly 7 Years of Marriage


Kelly Clarkson Files for Divorce from Husband Brandon Blackstock | PEOPLE.com

























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Boris Johnson, EU leaders to hold Brexit video summit Monday

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Boris Johnson, EU leaders to hold Brexit video summit Monday

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson | Tolga Akmen/AFP via Getty Images

London and Brussels must decide by July 1 on whether the transition period should be extended.

EU leaders will confer by videoconference with U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson about the state of Brexit negotiations on Monday, June 15, EU and U.K. officials said Thursday.

Talks have been virtually deadlocked, and the sides are facing a July 1 deadline by which a decision must be taken on extending the U.K.’s stand-in-place transition period. Johnson and his government have repeatedly insisted they do not want to extend the transition, which ends on December 31.

The U.K. had been pushing for a meeting later in June, after EU leaders meet for a virtual summit on June 19. But in the end, they settled for the earlier date preferred by the EU side.

A U.K. government spokesperson confirmed the news: “The High Level Meeting between the Prime Minister and [European Commission] President von der Leyen, [European Council] President Michel and [European Parliament] President Sassoli will take place by video conference on the afternoon of Monday 15 June.”

They added: “The UK and the EU have agreed an intensified timetable for FTA negotiations in July. This new process will involve a mix of formal negotiating rounds and smaller group meetings, both in London and Brussels assuming public health guidelines enable this. There will be talks each week of the 5 weeks between W/C 29 June and W/C 27 July.”

This article has been updated.



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Ramaphosa appoints members of the State-Owned Enterprise Council

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Ramaphosa appoints members of the State-Owned Enterprise Council

President Cyril Ramaphosa, on Thursday 11 June, announced the members of the State-Owned Enterprise Council. 

The State-Owned Enterprise Council, chaired by Ramaphosa, is intended to help the government reposition state-owned enterprises as effective instruments of economic transformation and development. 

HERE’S WHO WILL MAKE UP THE STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISE COUNCIL 

The State-Owned Enterprise Council will be composed of ministers responsible for SOEs.

The following South Africans with “proven leadership” and “strategic capabilities” have been appointed by the president:

  • Ms Monhla Hlahla: Chairperson of Denel Soc Ltd;
  • Mr Joel Khathuthshelo Netshitenzhe: Executive Director and Board Vice-Chairperson of the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (MISTRA);
  • Mr Vusi Khanyile: Chairperson of Thebe Investments;  
  • Mr Michael Sachs: Adjunct Professor at Wits University;
  • Ms Marion Lesego Dawn Marole: Non-Executive Director of MTN Group Ltd and Development Bank of South Africa;
  • Ms Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala: Vice President for Finance and Chief Financial Officer at African Development Bank;
  • Mr Sipho Nkosi: Director of the Sanlam Board;
  • Ms Kandimathie Christine Ramon: Chief Financial Officer at Anglo Gold Ashanti;
  • Mr Ian Kirk: Group Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director at Sanlam; and
  • Ms Nazmeera Moola: Economist and Head of investments at Ninety One plc, an asset management business.

COUNCIL MANDATE 

According to the presidency, the state-owned enterprise council’s mandate includes the following:  

  • Strengthening the framework governing SOEs, including the introduction of an overarching Act governing SOEs; and
  • The determination of an appropriate Shareholder Ownership Model.

The council will also ensure that State-Owned Enterprise-specific interventions are implemented to stabilise companies through the strengthening of their governance, addressing their immediate liquidity challenges and implementing agreed turnaround strategies.

The council mandate will extend to a review of the role and mandate of State-Owned Enterprises to ensure a positive socio-economic contribution and alignment to the national development agenda.

“The council will also review SOE corporate plans to ensure alignment to government priorities and to ensure appropriate systems are in place to monitor implementation of such plans, as well as the operational and financial performance of SOEs,” said the presidency. 

“Furthermore, the council will review business models, capital structure and sources of financing for SOEs and will monitor and mitigate risks,” it added. 

The Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) will serve as the secretariat for the council as the department is the shareholder representative for government, with oversight responsibility for State-Owned Enterprise. 



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Snapchat Expands Deals With N.F.L., Disney and Others

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Snapchat Expands Deals With N.F.L., Disney and Others

LOS ANGELES — Disney, NBCUniversal, ViacomCBS, the National Basketball Association and the National Football League are expanding deals to supply Snapchat with customized short-form content, underscoring the platform’s renewed momentum.

Snap, which makes the ephemeral-messaging app, unveiled the multiyear deals on Thursday, along with a spate of original series and a breaking news feature called “Happening Now” that counts The Washington Post, Bloomberg and ESPN as partners. Maggie Suniewick, president of NBCUniversal Digital Enterprises, said in an email that Snapchat was “a brand-safe environment where we can reach millions of new viewers.”

Snapchat’s reassertion of itself in entertainment and news comes as one would-be competitor, Quibi, an app offering short-form shows designed for viewing on phones, attempts to regroup after a disastrous arrival in April. Quibi fell out of the list of the 50 most downloaded free iPhone apps in the United States a week after it went live. On Thursday it ranked No. 285.

Jeffrey Katzenberg, the Hollywood mogul behind Quibi, blamed the coronavirus pandemic for its rough start, but people have been spending more time on platforms like Snapchat and TikTok, an app for making and sharing short videos, since the shutdowns began. Snap said in April that daily active users had grown more rapidly than expected, reaching 229 million people. To compare, Twitter had about 166 million. Snap said time spent watching its original shows had doubled in recent months compared to a year earlier.

Snap sells six-second, non-skippable ads for its originals. The company, based in Santa Monica, Calif., introduced scripted programs and docuseries in 2018 and unscripted shows in 2016. “The Rundown,” an E! News series, just celebrated its 500th episode. Episodes for scripted shows are typically five minutes long, with eight to 12 episodes in a season.

Entertainment and news programming is still a small part of Snap’s business, however. “It’s not enough to move the needle — yet,” said Michael Pachter, an analyst at Wedbush Securities.

Snap’s programming emphasizes inclusion and new storytelling tools, notably augmented reality lenses. A continuing unscripted series, “Nikita Unfiltered,” stars the transgender beauty influencer Nikita Dragun. Shows announced on Thursday include “Coach Kev,” billed as a daily dose of “positivity and wisdom” from the comedian Kevin Hart, and “Life by the Horns,” a docuseries about Ezekiel Mitchell, an African-American bull rider.

Scripted shows coming to Snapchat include “Frogtown,” about an all-female skate crew (directed by Catherine Hardwicke of “Twilight” fame), and “Action Royale,” about a teenager who starts an underground e-sports gambling ring.

“We’re getting better and better at programming,” Sean Mills, Snap’s content chief, said by phone. “It’s not about episode length. It’s not about aspect ratio. It’s not about how many stars you have. It’s how you tell the story and how well you know your audience.”

Mr. Mills declined to give many specifics about the company deals that Snap unveiled, including how long “multiyear” meant. (“At least two,” he said.) All the deals call for expanded programming commitments. For instance, Disney has long had an agreement with Snap that covers exclusive content from ESPN; the new deal also covers Disney-owned properties like ABC and Freeform, a cable channel aimed at young adults, as well as unspecified Disney franchises.

Under the expanded N.F.L. deal, the league will triple the number of what it calls “near real-time” highlights shows on Snapchat. The league will also continue to supply Snapchat with other video programming year-round and develop augmented-reality lenses and filters tied to specific teams and events, including the Super Bowl.

Blake Stuchin, the league’s vice president for digital media business development, said that 70 percent of Snapchat users that view N.F.L. content are under the age of 25. Courting younger fans is crucial for the league’s future. Snapchat reaches more 13 to 34 year olds in the United States than Facebook or Instagram, according to public data from the companies.

“We want to meet our fans where they already are, whether that means making sure they know there is a game coming up or telling them more about a favorite player or giving them creative tools to express themselves,” Mr. Stuchin said.

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Railways witnesses an increase of 8.4% in gross earnings

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Railways witnesses an increase of 8.4% in gross earnings

The passenger traffic (km million), freight carried (tonnes million), and freight (tonnes km million) declined by 3.54%, 0.56%, and 0.07%, respectively during financial year 2020 (July-February) . — AFP/Files

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Railways’ witnessed an increase of 8.4% in its gross earnings in the first eight months of the financial year 2020 (July-February) that amounted to Rs 36,916.85 million as compared to Rs34,066.12 million during the same period last year.

According to the Economic Survey 2020 issued on Thursday, during the above mentioned term, the number of carried passengers decreased to 39.4 million against 39.9 million during the corresponding period last year, representing a decline of 1.20%.

The passenger traffic (km million), freight carried (tonnes million), and freight (tonnes km million) declined by 3.54%, 0.56%, and 0.07%, respectively.

The department comprises a total of 474 locomotives including 458 diesel engines and 12 steam engines for the 7,791km length of the route across the country.

Asian Development Bank (ADB) assisted the department to prepare the Pakistan Railways Strategic Plan (PRSP), which has been approved by the Railways Board.

The ADB also gave training to Pakistan Railway staff on route optimisation bringing efficiency in current operations.

PRSP includes suggestions to facilitate the railways in achieving its targets of being efficient and profitable. The policy dialogue was still on-going.

Pakistan Railways has recently submitted a business plan to the Supreme Court of Pakistan that outlines a strategy for turning the railways into a profitable entity.

The 121-page report was prepared in connection with a suo-motu case on the losses incurred by the institution.

It was informed in the report that 50% of its engines were old and needed replacement, meanwhile, a shortage of the required funds was affecting the repair work of engines.

As per the proposed plan, the railways would need to sign international joint venture agreements to become a profitable entity.

Passengers would be provided with secure, comfortable, and affordable travel facilities.

The entity would require the assistance of other departments as well to make itself financially stable.

It would also need political and financial support and effective monitoring of its governance and the Railways board. The entire Railway system would be digitalised.

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