Social Media Scramble to Remove New Zealand Suspect's Video

WASHINGTON, LELEMUKU.COM - They built their services for sharing, allowing users to reach others around the world. Now they want people to hold back.

Facebook and other social media companies battled their own services on Friday as they tried to delete copies of a video apparently recorded by the gunman as he killed 49 people and wounded scores of others in the attack on two New Zealand mosques Friday.

The video was livestreamed on the suspect's Facebook account and later reposted on other services.

According to news reports, Facebook took down the livestream of the attack 20 minutes after it was posted and removed the suspect's accounts. But people were able to capture the video and repost it on other sites, including YouTube, Twitter and Reddit.

YouTube has tweeted that it is "working to remove any violent footage." A post from one user on Reddit asks others not to "post the videos. If you see the videos, bring it to themoderators' attention."

Criticism of pace

Despite the companies' quick actions, they still came under fire for not being fast enough. Critics said the platforms should have better systems in place to locate and remove content, instead of a system that helps others facilitate its spread once something is posted.

One critic, Tom Watson, a member of the British Parliament and deputy leader of the Labor Party, called for YouTube to stop all new videos from being posted on the site if it could not stop the spread of the New Zealand video.

Resistance to censorship

The companies' race to stamp out the New Zealand video highlighted the dilemma that social media companies have faced, particularly as they have allowed livestreaming.

Built on users' content, Facebook, YouTube and others have long resisted the arduous task of censoring objectionable content.

At hearings in Washington or in media interviews, executives of these firms have said that untrue information isin itself notagainst their terms of service.

Instead of removing information deemed fake or objectionable, social media companies have tried to frame the information with fact checking or have demoted the information on their sites, making it harder for people to find.

That is what Facebook appears to be doing with the anti-vaccination content on its site. Earlier this month, Facebook said it would curtail anti-vaccination information on its platforms, including blocking advertising that contains false information about vaccines. It did not say it would remove users expressing anti-vaccination content.

But sometimes the firms do remove accounts. Last year, Facebook, Twitter and others removed from their platforms Alex Jones, an American commentator, used for spreading conspiracy theories and stirring hatred.

More monitors

In the past year, some social media companies have hired more people to monitor content so that issues are flagged faster, rather than having to wait for other users or the firm's algorithms to flag objectionable content.

With the New Zealand shooting video, Facebook and other firms appeared to be in lockstep, saying they would remove the content as quickly as they found it.

But there have been more calls for human and technical solutions that can quickly stop the spread of content across the internet.(VOA)

British Parliament to Vote on Revised Brexit Deal

LONDON, LELEMUKU.COM - Britain's parliament is holding the first of what could be three days of votes Tuesday in order to decide how to proceed with its divorce from the European Union.

Members are voting Tuesday on Prime Minister Theresa May's latest version of her plan, based on an agreement her government reached with the EU last year.

It initially got little support when first put to a vote, but May made a last-ditch trip to Strasbourg on Monday to secure altered terms in talks with EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker that she hopes will win over her opponents.

May said Juncker announced "legally binding changes" that in part address the longtime sticking point involving what to do with the border between Britain's Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland.

The original deal calls for a so-called backstop agreement that keeps Britain and the EU in a customs union until they agree on a new trade agreement. Opponents in Britain's parliament are concerned about being locked into EU rules instead of being able to gain full control of trade policies.

May said the new terms agreed to Monday would ensure the backstop deal is not a permanent part of Britain's exit from the EU.

The opposition Labour Party rejected the plan, saying it still does not go far enough to allay their concerns.

Juncker warned that Britain is running out of options for Brexit, which is set to take place March 29.

"It is this deal or Brexit might not happen at all," he said.

If the Brexit agreement fails the Tuesday vote, another would be held on Wednesday to see if lawmakers approve of exiting the EU at the end of the month with no terms in place. If that fails too, a third vote would come Thursday on whether to ask the EU for more time. (VOA)

BBC Wants Security Review After Cameraman Attacked at Trump Rally

WASHINGTON, LELEMUKU.COM - The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) asked the White House for a review of security arrangements on Tuesday after a BBC cameraman was assaulted at a Donald Trump rally.

BBC cameraman Ron Skeans was attacked by a Trump supporter yelling anti-media slogans during the U.S. president's rally in El Paso, Texas, Monday night.

Skeans was unhurt and the man wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat was restrained and removed from the riser where the media had assembled.

Paul Danahar, the BBC's Americas Bureau Editor, said in a tweet that he had asked White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders for a "full review of security arrangements after last night's attack."

"Access into the media area was unsupervised," Danahar said. "No one in law enforcement intervened before, during or after the attack."

BBC Washington correspondent Gary O'Donoghue, who was covering the El Paso event, said his cameraman was pushed and shoved by the unidentified assailant "after the president repeatedly goaded the crowd over supposed media bias."

He said the man attempted to smash the BBC camera.

"Happily, Ron is fine," O'Donoghue said.

Trump paused his remarks following the commotion in the crowd and -- pointing at the media - asked "You alright? Everything OK?"

Trump repeatedly denounces the media as the "enemy of the people" and frequently condemns critical reports about his administration as "fake news."

New York Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger urged Trump during an interview last month to tone down what he called his "potentially dangerous" rhetoric towards the press. (VOA)

Britain's Prince Philip, 97, Gives Up Driver's License After Crash

LONDON, LELEMUKU.COM - Prince Philip has decided to stop driving at age 97, less than a month after he was involved in a collision that left two women injured, Buckingham Palace said Saturday.

The palace said in a statement that "after careful consideration,'' Queen Elizabeth II's husband "has taken the decision to voluntarily surrender his driving license.''

Philip was behind the wheel of a Land Rover near the royal family's Sandringham estate in eastern England when he smashed into another car on Jan. 17. Philip had to behelped outof his overturned vehicle but wasn't injured. Two women in the other car were injured, though not seriously, and a 9-month-old baby boy was unhurt.

Philip was photographed driving again two days later, without a seat belt. Police said they offered him "suitable words of advice'' after that.

The prince was not charged in the crash. Police said he and the other driver were both given breath tests for alcohol and passed.

In a letter of apology to one of the injured women, Philip said he was dazzled by the sun when he pulled onto a main road near the royal retreat, 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of London.

He told Emma Fairweather, who suffered a broken wrist in the crash, that "I can only imagine that I failed to see the car coming, and I am very contrite about the consequences.'' The letter was published by a newspaper.

There is no upper age limit for licensing drivers in Britain, although drivers over 70 are required to renew their licenses every three years and tell authorities about any medical conditions that might raise safety issues. (VOA)

Rare Tiger Kills Prospective Mate in London at First Meeting

LONDON, LELEMUKU.COM - For 10 days, the London Zoo kept its newly arrived male Sumatran tiger, Asim, in a separate enclosure from Melati, the female tiger who was supposed to become his mate.

Zoologists gave them time to get used to each other's presence and smells, and waited for what they felt would be the right time to let them get together. On Friday, they put the two tigers into the same enclosure — and Asim killed Melati as shocked handlers tried in vain to intervene.

It was a tragic end to hopes that the two would eventually breed as part of a Europe-wide tiger conservation program for the endangered Sumatran subspecies.

"Everyone here at ZSL London Zoo is devastated by the loss of Melati and we are heartbroken by this turn of events,'' the zoo said in a statement.

It said the focus now is"caring for Asim as we get through this difficult event.''

The zoo said its experts had been carefully monitoring the tigers' reactions to each other since Asim arrived 10 days ago and had seen"positive signs'' that indicated the two should be put together.

"Their introduction began as predicted, but quickly escalated into a more aggressive interaction,'' the zoo said.

Contingency plans called for handlers to use loud noises, flares and alarms to try to distract the tigers, but that didn't work. They did manage to put Asim, 7, back in a separate paddock, but by that time Melati, 10, was already dead.

Asim's arrival at the zoo last week had been trumpeted in a press release showing him on the prowl and describing him as a"strapping Sumatran tiger.''

The organization Tigers in Crisis says there are estimated to be only 500 to 600 Sumatran tigers in the wild. (VOA)

Social Media Giants Blamed for British Teenage Suicides

LONDON, LELEMUKU.COM - “She had so much to offer." Ian Russell is speaking of his 14-year-old daughter Molly, the youngest of three sisters, who committed suicide in 2017, leaving a note that read, “I am sorry. I did this because of me.”

After Molly’s suicide, her parents examined the teenager’s social media use and discovered she was interacting with other teenage users caught in the grip of depression and who were suicidal and self-harming. The users were almost grooming themselves and goading each other to take drastic action.

“I have no doubt that Instagram helped kill my daughter,” Molly’s father told the BBC in an explosive interview that drew a public apology from U.S. social media giant Facebook, owner of the photo sharing site Instagram, as well as a promise to do more to tackle suicide and self-harming posts.

“We're going to look at this from top to bottom and change everything we're doing, if necessary, to get this right,” Nick Clegg, a former British deputy prime minister and now Facebook's head of global affairs, said in a statement.

The promise, though, has done little to tamp down criticism.

In the past eight years, the suicide rate among British teenagers has nearly doubled. Last year around 200 schoolchildren killed themselves. Tech giants do not bear all of the responsibility for the deaths, their critics say, but they are abetting them by not doing enough to help stop them.

Amid growing public uproar, the British government has said next month, it will unveil groundbreaking legislation designed to enforce a legal duty of care on such firms.

“Social media companies clearly need to do more to ensure they are not promoting harmful content to vulnerable people,” said a government official.

The British plan to order social media providers to protect users against material that promotes suicide methods and self-harm will be watched closely by policymakers in other European countries, who are also grappling with how to cope with malign consequences of social media use.

Germany is cracking down on what Facebook does with users’ personal data. In France, the government is “embedding” regulators inside social media companies to investigate how they combat online hate speech.

Since January, Facebook, in particular, has been targeted for criticism in the United States. The company operates a unique suite of apps, but U.S. critics say the social media giant is too casual about social responsibilities.

U.S. lawmakers accuse Facebook of doing too little to stop Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential race, and along with YouTube and Twitter, it has been attacked for being slow in taking down jihadist posts and videos.

Laying the groundwork for the British measure, the country’s chief medical officer will announce this week that Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and WhatsApp figure as important links in a dangerous chain leading from self-harm to suicide.

Sally Davies will urge parents to be more alert and to limit, as well as monitor, their children’s screen time.

The legislation is likely to be based on recommendations from a British parliamentary committee which wrapped up an inquiry last week and concluded social media use is disrupting young users’ sleep patterns, distorting their body image and leaving them exposed to bullying, grooming and sexting.

The panel said that self-regulation will no longer suffice.

“We must see an independent, statutory regulator established as soon as possible, one which has the full support of the government to take strong and effective actions against companies who do not comply,” the committee said.

Clegg said some of the criticism is over-wrought. In a television interview last week, he said the company had “saved the lives” of thousands of potentially suicidal users by flagging them to authorities.

Recent academic studies, including one by psychologists at Oxford University, suggest that social media use has no major adverse impact on mental health. The Oxford University study concluded that “wearing glasses has more negative effect on adolescent mental health.”

But the academic studies are not assuaging critics, and some lawmakers cast doubt on their overall accuracy, saying they do not look closely enough on teenage girls, who seem the most vulnerable.

“Worryingly, social media companies — who have a clear responsibility toward particularly young users — seem to be in no rush to share vital data with academics that could help tackle the very real harms our young people face in the virtual world,” said lawmaker Norman Lamb.

More than 30 British families have complained that social media giants have blocked or hindered their access to social media data after their children’s suicides. A requirement on firms to share data which can help identify and protect teenagers at risk will likely be among the new legal requirements the government unveils, officials said. (VOA)

21 Savage Arrested, Faces Deportation to United Kingdom

ATLANTA, LELEMUKU.COM - Grammy-nominated Atlanta-based rapper 21 Savage was arrested on Sunday by U.S. immigration officials, who said he was illegally in the country and a convicted felon.

The rapper, whose real name is Sha Yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, came to the United States from the UK in 2005, overstaying his visa to settle in Atlanta, said Bryan Cox, a spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Cox said Abraham-Joseph, whose 21 Savage, Facebook page shows several upcoming concerts, was in custody in Georgia and faced deportation proceedings in federal immigration courts.

He said Abraham-Joseph was convicted on felony drug charges in Georgia in 2014, and was arrested on Sunday as part of a targeted operation with the cooperation of local law enforcement.

"Our staff are in contact with the lawyer of a British man following his detention in the USA," Britain's Foreign Office said in statement. British officials only get involved in such cases if the person involved is a British passport holder.

The rapper's lawyer, Dina LaPolt, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters on Sunday, but told the entertainment publication Variety that Abraham-Joseph was a "role model" who was working on financial literacy programs aimed at helping underprivileged youth.

"We are working diligently to get Mr. Abraham-Joseph out of detention while we work with authorities to clear up any misunderstanding," she said, according to Variety.

Cox said he did not know whether Abraham-Joseph, who media reports said is 26, would have been eligible for protection under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA program, which protects "Dreamers", young immigrants brought illegally to the United States as children. DACA does not cover people convicted of felonies.

Variety said the rapper performed as recently as Thursday in Atlanta as part of the run-up to Sunday's Super Bowl game in the city. His most recent album, "I Am > I Was", debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart, the publication said.

An ICE official told the Atlanta Journal Constitution that when Abraham-Joseph was arrested in 2014, ICE was not aware of his immigration status. It only learned later that he is allegedly from the UK, the official said. (VOA)

Nissan Cancels Plans to Make SUV in UK

LONDON, LELEMUKU.COM - Nissan announced Sunday it has cancelled plans to make its X-Trail SUV in the UK — a sharp blow to British Prime Minister Theresa May, who fought to have the model built in northern England as she sought to shore up confidence in the British economy after it leaves the European Union.

Nissan said it will consolidate production of the next generation X-Trail at its plant in Kyushu, Japan, where the model is currently produced, allowing the company to reduce investment costs in the early stages of the project.

That reverses a decision in late 2016 to build the SUV at Nissan's Sunderland plant in northern England, which employs 7,000 workers. That plant will continue to make Nissan's Juke and Qashqai models. The announcement Sunday made no mention of any layoffs relating to the X-Trail SUV decision.

"While we have taken this decision for business reasons, the continued uncertainty around the UK's future relationship with the EU is not helping companies like ours to plan for the future," Nissan Europe Chairman Gianluca de Ficchy said in a statement.

Less than two months before Britain is scheduled to leave the European Union on March 29, Britain still doesn't have an agreement on what will replace 45 years of frictionless trade. This has caused an enormous amount of concern among businesses in Britain, which fear the country is going to crash out of the vast EU trade bloc without a divorce deal, a scenario economists predict would hurt the U.K. economy.

The Nissan decision, first reported by Sky News, is a major setback for May's Conservative government, which had pointed to Nissan's 2016 announcement that Sunderland would make the SUV — months after the country's Brexit referendum — as proof that major manufacturers still had confidence in Britain's economic future.

Nissan's announced its plans to build the X-Trail and Qashqai models in Sunderland after the government sent a letter to company officials offering undisclosed reassurances about its ability to compete in the future.

British politicians have sharply criticized May's Brexit deal and voted it down in Parliament.

May's government has refused to rule out a no-deal Brexit, saying the threat strengthens her hand with EU negotiators. Parliament voted last week to give May more time to try to iron out a compromise with the bloc.

Nissan's change of heart comes just days after Britain's carmakers issued a stark assessment about Brexit's impact on the industry, warning that their exports are at risk if the U.K. leaves the EU without an agreement.

Investment in the industry fell 46 percent last year and new car production dropped 9.1 percent to 1.52 million vehicles, in part because of concerns over Brexit, the Society of Motor Manufacturing said.

The group's chief executive, Mike Hawes, described the threat of a no-deal Brexit as "catastrophic."

He says the drop in investment is only a foreshadowing of what could happen if the U.K. leaves the EU on March 29 without a deal.

"With fewer than 60 days before we leave the EU and the risk of crashing out without a deal looking increasingly real, UK Automotive is on red alert," Hawes said Thursday. "Brexit uncertainty has already done enormous damage to output, investment and jobs." (VOA)

UK Minister: ‘Irresponsible’ of EU to Not Reopen Brexit Deal

LONDON, LELEMUKU.COM - It would be irresponsible for the European Union to refuse to reopen negotiations over Britain’s exit deal, British trade minister Liam Fox said in an interview aired Sunday.

British Prime Minister Theresa May has said she is seeking changes to the Withdrawal Agreement she agreed to with Brussels last year in order to win the support of parliament.

The EU has said the deal cannot be renegotiated.

“Are they really saying that they would rather not negotiate and end up in a ‘no-deal’ position?” Fox told Sky News in a prerecorded interview. “It is in all our interests to get to that agreement and for the EU to say we are not going to even discuss it seems to me to be quite irresponsible.”

With less than two months until Britain is scheduled to leave the European Union on March 29, the opposition Labour Party has said it is now inevitable that the government will have to request an extension to the Article 50 exit negotiation period.

Fox, who has previously spoken out strongly against delaying the exit date, said extending the negotiations without a deal in place would not solve anything, but it was “a very different argument” if Britain just needed more time to get the necessary legislation in place for a smooth exit.

He is the second senior minister to suggest such a delay may be needed, after Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said Thursday Britain may need time to get legislation through.

“There is a big difference between if we had an agreement and we need some time to get the legalities done, that is one thing,” Fox said. “I think to extend simply because we hadn’t reached an agreement would not provide any impetus for that agreement to be reached.”

Fox said Britain would “be able to deal” with leaving the bloc without an agreement but it would not be in the country’s interests. (VOA)

Queen Elizabeth II Urge Britain to Find Common Ground on Brexit

LONDON, LELEMUKU.COM - Queen Elizabeth II urged Britain to seek the common ground and grasp the big picture, a coded plea to the political class to resolve the Brexit crisis that has shocked investors and allies alike.

With the clock ticking down to March 29, the date set in law for Brexit, the United Kingdom is in the deepest political crisis in half a century as it grapples with how, or even whether, to exit the European project it joined in 1973.

While Elizabeth, 92, did not mention Brexit explicitly in a speech to her local Women’s Institute in Norfolk, the monarch said every generation faced “fresh challenges and opportunities.”

“As we look for new answers in the modern age, I for one prefer the tried and tested recipes, like speaking well of each other and respecting different points of view; coming together to seek out the common ground; and never losing sight of the bigger picture,” the queen said.

The comments were interpreted as a coded signal to Britain’s political class. The Times’ main headline read: “End Brexit feud, Queen tells warring politicians” while the BBC said there was no doubt the monarch was sending a message.

As head of state, the queen remains neutral on politics in public and is unable to vote, though ahead of the 2014 referendum on Scottish independence, she made a delicately crafted plea for Scots to think carefully about their future. (VOA)

Sick, Elderly Fear Shortages of Meds, Thanks to Brexit

LONDON, LELEMUKU.COM - Things are already tough for Victoria Mickleburgh, whose 3-year-old daughter Grace, has Type 1 diabetes and needs insulin every day to stay alive.

Mickleburgh, 38, gave up her job as a management consultant to care for her daughter, who must be monitored constantly, even in the middle of the night, to make sure her blood sugar levels are steady. Every time Grace has so much as a cookie, Vicki needs to check her.

So for this family in southeastern England, the question of whether insulin and the equipment needed to deliver it will be available if Britain leaves the European Union without a Brexit agreement is more than just a political debate. Unlike produce or machinery, a delay in the supply of drugs from continental Europe could have dire consequences.

“It’s a life or death situation,” Mickleburgh said. The constant talk about a no-deal Brexit and the havoc it could cause in trade with the EU is making her nervous. “You don’t want the additional stress or worry of where her next vial of insulin is going to come from.”

Mickleburgh’s stress highlights a problem for everyone in this country. Britain’s pending departure from the EU comes at a time when drug supplies are stretched because of market forces that have little to do with Brexit. Now pharmacists and drugmakers are concerned that shortages of life-saving medicines may occur if Britain can’t negotiate an agreement to facilitate trade after March 29, the day it is scheduled to leave the bloc.

Planning for a no-deal Brexit

The risk of a no-deal Brexit is increasing as Prime Minister Theresa May tries to push ahead with the draft agreement she negotiated with the EU after it was overwhelmingly defeated by Parliament. While opposition leaders have demanded that the government reject the possibility of a no-deal departure, May says this would weaken her negotiating position.

Against this backdrop, the government has stepped up planning for the disruptions that are likely to be caused if 45 years of free trade end abruptly March 29, triggering border checks that could cause lengthy delays at the English Channel ports that are the gateway to trade with the EU. Pharmaceutical companies are building up stockpiles of drugs in Britain and insist they are ready for disruption.

“Despite the industry doing everything it can (to prepare) for no deal, the complexity of no deal means there will be stresses in the system,” said Mike Thompson, chief executive of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, which represents drugmakers who supply more than 80 percent of branded medicines to the National Health Service. “This is a challenge for everybody.”

Stockpiling not enough

But stockpiling isn’t enough to ensure long-term supplies because two-thirds of the medicines consumed in the U.K. come from the continent and 90 percent of that is shipped on trucks through three chokepoints: Calais in France and the ports of Dover and Folkestone in Britain.

Drug companies are pushing the British government to open other ports for their use. There are plans to lease additional ferries and the government has proposed airlifting drugs if necessary.

“The government recognizes the vital importance of medicines and medical products and is working to ensure that there is sufficient roll-on, roll-off freight capacity to enable these vital products to continue to move freely into the U.K.,” Health Secretary Matt Hancock said a statement, adding that medicines would be given priority over other things.

Consumers wonder whether the government is doing enough. Much of the focus has been on drugs that require strict temperature controls and are most at risk from long delays on hot summer days. Insulin, for example, must be stored at between 2 degrees and 8 degrees Celsius (35.6 degrees to 46.4 degrees Fahrenheit).

Novo Nordisk, a Danish company that is Britain’s biggest insulin provider, has made expanding storage capacity one of its primary goals. The company says it has a 16-week supply of insulin in Britain, more than double the normal seven weeks, and it plans to increase that to 18 weeks within the next few months.

“In the event of a no deal Brexit, then the replenishment of the stock is the really key thing here,” said Pinder Sahota, general manager of Novo Nordisk in the U.K. He says the company has booked air freights and looking to transport through additional ports.

Shortages not Brexit related

Britain is already experiencing shortages of some drugs for reasons not to do with Brexit, including manufacturing problems, increasing global demand and price pressures. The Department of Health agreed to pay a premium for 80 generic drugs that were in short supply last month, up from less than 50 in October.

Graham Phillips, superintendent pharmacist at Manor Pharmacy Group in Wheathampstead, north of London, said anxiety is increasing because of Brexit. People in his village, where many are elderly, are already calling the pharmacy because of concerns about supplies.

“I have no confidence that this can be managed on this scale,” he said. “It’s an enormous undertaking. The idea that you can stockpile the whole of the NHS’ drug bill for a six-month period, which is billions of pounds, and you can manage logistics, I think that’s cloud cuckoo land.” (VOA)

No-deal Brexit Would Cost Ford Up to $1 Billion

LONDON, LELEMUKU.COM - Ford Motor Co said on Thursday it faces a bill of up to $1 billion if Britain leaves the European Union without a deal, comprising World Trade Organization tariffs and the impact of a weaker pound.

The impact of Brexit on Ford, based on internal calculations, would be in the range of $500 million to $1 billion depending on a variety of factors, Ford said in a statement.

Sky News earlier on Thursday reported the hit could be $800 million.

Car makers and other manufacturers, including Airbus earlier on Thursday, have warned about the toll a no-deal Brexit could impose, including higher tariffs, disruption to supply chains and threats to jobs.

Countdown to Brexit

Britain is due to leave the European Union in 64 days, and with Prime Minister Theresa May failing to win support for her negotiated deal, companies are increasingly worried about the possibility of a chaotic Brexit.

Ford Chief Financial Officer Bob Shanks on Wednesday declined to say what the financial impact of a no-deal exit could be, but said Ford was already planning for it.

"We clearly have already started to work on the eventuality of there being a hard Brexit," he told reporters at the No. 2 U.S. automaker's headquarters outside Detroit. "We're certainly hoping that does not happen, but we can't wait."

"We're actually incurring costs, doing things now to prepare for that, so there will be an impact. It's a material impact," he added.

Last week, Shanks said a no-deal exit was unlikely, but if it occurred it would be "catastrophic."

Ford estimated last March that a hard Brexit, which would see WTO tariffs of 10 percent on imports and exports and lower levels on components, would cost it up to $1 billion per year.

Top-selling auto brand

Ford, the top-selling automotive brand in Britain, operates two engine plants in Britain, its third-largest market, and the destination for roughly one in three cars made at its German Cologne plant.

On Jan. 10, Ford, which employs 53,000 people in Europe, said it would cut thousands of jobs and look at plant closures in Europe as part of its plan to return to profit in the region.

The automaker employs about 13,000 people in Britain. (VOA)

The World Refugee Council Called to Use Frozen Billions to Aid World's Displaced

WASHINGTON, LELEMUKU.COM - The World Refugee Council called Thursday for up to $20 billion stolen by government leaders and now frozen in the United States, Britain and other countries to be reallocated by courts to help millions of displaced people forced to flee conflict, persecution and victimization.

The council also called for people responsible for the growing crisis of refugees and internally displaced people — including government leaders, military officers, and opposition and rebel figures — to be held accountable, all the way to the International Criminal Court.

Chaired by former Canadian Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy, the 24-member council, which was formed in May 2017, includes former heads of state and ministers, Nobel Peace Prize laureateLeymahGbowee, and leading business, civil society and human rights officials.

Displacement at postwar peak

The 218-page report it launched Thursday goes beyond what the United Nations has done, at a time when the number of people forcibly displaced from their homes is 68.5 million, the highest since World War II. Its release also comes as populist and nationalist political figures"are exploiting people's anxieties, fears'' about refugees, Axworthy said,

Tanzania's former President Jakaya Kikwete, a council co-chair, said the current crisis is a consequence of some countries' internal policies, authoritarianism, sectarianism, violence and conflicts,"but the other aspect is that the attitude towards refugees has changed.''

"In the past people have been welcoming, friendly,'' he said."Now people are ... closing the doors for people who are ... fleeing from danger. But they say, 'No, no, you can't come' ... and refugees are being blamed as being the problem.''

Kikwete said"unscrupulous politicians'' are using refugees to get votes"because when you tell your people they're dangerous,'' they react, and the politicians become popular.

At the same time, the report said,"the humanitarian commitment of nations, once a norm, has given way to nativism. Xenophobia — fear and exclusion of the ‘outsider' — has gathered force in America, Europe, Australia and elsewhere.''

The U.N. refugee agency, which relies on voluntary contributions, is seriously underfunded, and its head, Filippo Grandi, called in his latest report on forced displacement for"a new and far more comprehensive approach'' to the crisis"so that countries and communities aren't left dealing with this alone.''

Axworthy told a news conference:"What we've really proposed is a way in which you have to get out of the box in which refugees are seen simply as 'ahumanitarian issue.' ''

"Therehas tobe a much stronger level of involvement,'' he said, in matters of security, development, human rights, accountability and finance for the world's 25.4 million refugees and 40 million internally displaced, along with 3.1 million asylum seekers.

Axworthy said the World Bank has estimated that there are between $15 billion and $20 billion"in purloined assets that various political leaders have stolen from their people.''

Swiss actions

How much of that can be recovered, he said, depends on how many governments and countries are prepared to give their courts the right to reallocate the money. He pointed to Switzerland, which has done just that, as a model.

Fen Osler Hampson, the council's executive director, said Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's regime has complained it doesn't have access to $3 billion in bank accounts frozen in the United States. He said there are several hundred million dollars belonging to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's family frozen in London bank accounts. And in the case of South Sudan, he said,"the generals have several hundredmillionsthat are frozen in bank accounts in Nairobi.''

"All it takes is political will to introduce that legislation'' to give courts the right to reallocate that money, Hampson said.

The World Refugee Council's argument is that refugees and internally displaced people,the majority ofthem women and children, are the most vulnerable in the world and should therefore have the primary claim on those assets, he said.

Other prospects for new money, Hampson said, are to leverage the vast resources of the private sector and create"refugee bonds,''similar to"green bonds'' to tackle climate change.

Another proposal is a kind of cap-and-trade system in whicha country unwilling to resettle refugees for political reasons could contribute money todeveloping countries saddled with the huge costs of hosting millions of refugees, Hampson said.

Remove the 'impunity'

As for accountability, Axworthy said using the International Criminal Court to prosecute Myanmar's military leaders for alleged crimes against humanity for the crackdown that led over 700,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee to Bangladesh would"take away the impunity'' for those responsible for massive displacement.

The council also called for the drafting of a new protocol to the 1951 Refugee Convention requiring"collective responsibility for refugees.''

And it urged nations to promote the achievements and contributions of refugees to counter the negative narrative of opponents and populists.

"For example, Syrian refugees in Turkey have established an estimated 6,000 businesses providing 100,000 jobs,'' the report said."In Sweden, the intake of about 600,000 refugees and migrants has produced some of the highest growth rates in Europe and aided in addressing the challenges of an otherwise aging population.'' (VOA)

Britain's Brexit-Battered Party Leaders 'Hope Something Turns Up'

LONDON, LELEMUKU,COM - They're united in nothing when it comes to political philosophy, but the leaders of Britain's two main political parties share a similar Brexit-related conundrum — namely, how can they corral their fractious lawmakers?

Jeremy Corbyn, leader of Britain's Labor Party, the country's main opposition party, is caught between powerful factions over whether he should back growing calls for a rerun referendum on leaving the European Union. On Tuesday, he edged closer to doing so, but now risks seeing resignations from his front-bench parliamentary team.

Likewise, British Prime Minister Theresa May is also boxed in after her highly contentious Brexit withdrawal agreement was voted down last week in the biggest parliamentary reversal ever handed a prime minister in British history.

A total of 432 lawmakers, including a third of her own ruling Conservative Party, refused to endorse the deal. Her cabinet, split down the middle between rebellious hardline Brexiters and dissident pro-EU ministers, is being buffeted by threats of ministerial resignations and conspiracies.

Wilkins Micawber, the British fictional character conceived by novelist Charles Dickens, would no doubt sympathize with their plight as they try to navigate their way out of a political labyrinth. Both leaders appear to be running down the clock, having adopted the so-called Micawber Principle of hoping "something turns up" to rescue them.

But it isn't clear anything can, and a smashup seems inevitable in what the Economist has dubbed "the mother of all messes." Parliament's rejection of the proposed Brexit deal has thrust the rancorously divided country into a political and constitutional crisis.

May stubbornly plows on with a draft deal she stills appears to believe can be tinkered, if only EU negotiators would play ball. So far, they have refused to do so, as exasperation mounts across Europe with Britain's chaotic state.

On Monday, Corbyn accused May of being trapped in Groundhog Day, as she ruled out a second referendum to break the political deadlock or even delay Britain's scheduled March 29 departure from the European Union. Corbyn was referencing the 1993 film starring Bill Murray, in which a weatherman is fated to live out the same day over and over again.

Customs union with EU

May indicated she would try to secure "concessions" from Brussels to make an amended deal more palatable for critics before bringing it back to the House of Commons for another vote.

As the squabbling continues, traditional procedures and conventions are increasingly being cast aside. Cabinet ministers and lawmakers are in open revolt.

May's proposed deal would see Britain locked in a customs union with the EU for several years while it negotiates a vaguely defined free trade settlement.

In the temporary customs union, Britain would be unable to influence EU laws, regulations and product standards it would have to observe. The transition was reached to avoid customs checks on the border separating Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic, but British lawmakers fear Britain could be trapped indefinitely in the transition.

Threat of resignations

Most lawmakers and commentators say the deal is dead, leaving Britain either having to leave the EU without a deal, which could push the country into recession, or staying in the bloc. The third alternative is developing another last-minute plan. Either of the options could fail to secure a majority in the House of Commons.

Corbyn is backing a parliament vote on holding a rerun referendum to avoid a rebellion from one party faction, but without actually endorsing another plebiscite himself in the hopes he can avoid half his leadership team resigning.

His tactic throughout the uproar over Brexit has been one of calculated equivocation, his critics complain. But it arguably has been dictated by the splits in his own party.

Amber Rudd, May's works and pensions minister, and a possible candidate to replace her, has warned May that up to 40 ministers could quit next week when parliament votes on a motion to prohibit the government from taking the country out of the EU in March without a deal.

How that would work legally is unclear. (VOA)

Few Signs of Breakthrough as Theresa May Set to Unveil Brexit Plan B

LONDON, LELEMUKU.COM - Prime Minister Theresa May was set to unveil her new plan to break Britain's Brexit deadlock on Monday — one expected to look a lot like the old plan that was decisively rejected by Parliament last week.

May was scheduled to brief the House of Commons on how she intends to proceed. There were few signs she planned to make radical changes to her deal, though she may seek alterations to its most contentious section, an insurance policy known as the "backstop" that is intended to guarantee there are no customs checks along the border between EU member Ireland and the U.K.'s Northern Ireland after Brexit.

The EU insists it will not renegotiate the withdrawal agreement, and says the backstop is an integral part of the deal.

"This is the text we all invested ourselves in," Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl said as she arrived for a meeting of EU ministers in Brussels.

British lawmakers are due to vote on May's "Plan B," and possible amendments, on Jan. 29, two months before Britain is due to leave the EU.

Britain and the EU sealed a divorce deal in November after months of tense negotiations. But the agreement has been rejected by both sides of Britain's divide over Europe. Brexit-backing lawmakers say it will leave the U.K. tethered to the bloc's rules and unable to forge an independent trade policy. Pro-Europeans argue it is inferior to the frictionless economic relationship Britain currently enjoys as an EU member.

After her deal was thrown out last week by a crushing 432-202 vote in Parliament, May said she would consult with lawmakers from all parties to find a new way forward.

But Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn called the cross-party meetings a "stunt," and other opposition leaders said the prime minister did not heed their entreaties to rule out a "no-deal" Brexit and retain close economic ties with the EU.

Instead, May looks set to try to win over pro-Brexit Conservatives and her party's Northern Irish ally, the Democratic Unionist Party. Both groups say they will not back the deal unless the border backstop is removed.

May's spokesman James Slack said May's talks with opposition lawmakers were "genuine," and that a "significant number" had expressed concerns about the backstop.

He said it was clear "we're going to have to come forward with something that is different" to get Parliament's approval.

Britain's political impasse over Brexit is fueling concerns that the country may crash out of the EU on March 29 with no agreement in place to cushion the shock. That could see tariffs imposed on goods moving between Britain and the EU, sparking logjams at ports and shortages of essential supplies.

Labour Party Brexit spokesman Keir Starmer said Sunday that a no-deal Brexit would be "catastrophic," and it was "inevitable" Britain will have to ask the EU to extend the two-year countdown to exit.

Several groups of lawmakers are trying to use parliamentary rules and amendments to May's plan to block the possibility of Britain leaving the EU without a deal.

One of those legislators, Labour's Yvette Cooper, said May was shirking her responsibility to the country by refusing to take "no deal" off the table.

"I think she knows that she should rule out 'no deal' in the national interest because it would be so damaging,'' Cooper told the BBC. "She's refusing to do so, and I think she's hoping that Parliament will do this for her. That is not leadership."

EU leaders, meanwhile, expressed frustration with British indecision.

"We now know what they don't want in London," German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said. "Now we must at last find out what they want."

Chief EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said that while the EU would not amend the legally binding withdrawal agreement, it was ready to adjust the political declaration— a non-binding statement on future relations that forms the second part of the divorce deal.

Spanish Foreign Affairs Minister Josep Borrell said it was crucial to find out what type of deal Britain's Parliament would support.

"We cannot keep negotiating something this way and when everything is negotiated, the U.K. Parliament refuses," he said in Brussels. "We have to have the guarantee that the proposal has the parliamentary support not to be refused again." (VOA)

Sudanese-British Billionaire Mo Ibrahim Calls on Sudan’s Al-Bashir to Stop Deadly Protest Crackdowns

LONDON, LELEMUKU.COM - A month of deadly protests across Sudan represents a “total rejection” of President Omar al-Bashir’s 30-year rule, said Mohammed “Mo” Ibrahim, a Sudanese-British billionaire and founder of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation.

Since mid-December, Sudanese youth have taken to the streets to protest failed policies, repression, government-sanctioned torture, ongoing conflict and a deteriorating economy that has left many unsure of their next meal.

“People are hungry, and they see the looting of the country’s resources by the ruling clique,” Ibrahim told VOA by phone Friday. “Just, people had enough.”

Protests erupted last month over concerns about the government’s economic policies, Ahmed Elzobier, a Sudan researcher at Amnesty International, told VOA.

After violent crackdowns across the country, which human rights groups say have left more than 40 people dead, protesters’ demands have expanded, Elzobier added.

Now, they want the country’s leadership to step aside.

“People just eat bread because you cannot afford anything else,” Ibrahim said. “When they are pushed against the wall, they just have nothing to lose.”

Impunity

Ibriham decried a culture of impunity that has, so far, shielded Bashir and the ruling party, the National Congress Party. Politicians openly flaunt their power, Ibrahim said, while the country’s 40 million people can only watch.

“If 70 percent of the budget is allocated to the president, at his whims, to spend on the militias, the armies, the security forces — what is left? Thirty percent to support education, health, agriculture, road infrastructure, clean water?” Ibrahim said. “This is not a way to run a country.”

Ibrahim said protesters face “a huge array of armed forces” in the capital, Khartoum, and across the country.

“The people of Sudan were courageously going out in the street everywhere — in every single town and city and village in Sudan, demonstrating and asking those guys to go,” he said.

But security forces have abused their power, Elzobier added, putting protesters at risk.

“We received many reports from different activists and human rights defenders that the Sudanese security forces use lethal force — live ammunition — against protesters,” Elzobier said.

Government empathy

With protesters showing no signs of relenting, the government has made a point to acknowledge their concerns.

Bashir has called the youth “the future of Sudan” and said he respects their right to protest “in search of better conditions,” promising to make their “just demands” a reality, Al Arabiya, a Dubai-based, Saudi-owned news organization reported Sunday.

But the government has shown two sides, according to Amnesty.

Despite their gestures of appeasement, the ruling party also wants to protect the government and its grip on power. To do that, Elzobier said, they’ve enlisted the help of “shadowy groups” — heavily armed militias that travel in unmarked pickup trucks wearing masks.

The country’s former vice president has said this armed militia “will protect the regime at any cost,” Elzobier added.

Outside help

As the protesters press on, Amnesty has called for the immediate cease of lethal force, the unconditional release of peaceful protesters and an investigation into those who have committed crimes against civilians.

But Ibrahim said the Sudanese people need help outside the country to find justice.

“It just cannot go on unpunished, and we look for the international community to really stand up and say ‘enough is enough’,” Ibrahim said.

That could involve imposing sanctions on officials involved in the killing of protesters and more media coverage of the protests and the violence unfolding.

In 2017, the United States lifted long-standing sanctions against Sudan following months of diplomacy in a bid to boost the economy.

Ibrahim expressed doubt, however, that pursuing charges against Bashir in the International Criminal Court was the best course of action, suggesting instead that abandoning that route could entice Bashir to prevent further violence and deaths.

Room for optimism

Despite unrest in his home country, Ibrahim sees reasons for optimism in governance across Africa.

“There is a lot of positive things happening,” he said. “In Angola, in Botswana, in Namibia, in Ghana — I would hope in Nigeria.”

Each of these countries has, in the past five years, held successful elections or seen the peaceful transfer of power. Nigerians will head to the polls again in February.

“The battle now is moving towards peaceful elections, more transparency. I am optimistic, and I think we are moving forward — unfortunately not in my country.”

Ibrahim’s foundation, established in 2006, seeks to promote good leadership and governance in Africa through an annual index of governance, a cash prize for noteworthy achievements in leadership and other initiatives. (VOA)

IRA Dissidents Suspected in Northern Ireland Car Bomb Blast

BELFAST, LELEMUKU.COM  - Police in Northern Ireland said Sunday they suspect Irish Republican Army dissidents were behind a car bombing outside a courthouse in the city of Londonderry. Two men in their 20s have been arrested.

The device was placed inside a hijacked delivery vehicle and exploded Saturday night as police, who had received a warning, were evacuating the area. There were no reports of injuries.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland posted a photograph of a vehicle in flames and urged the public to stay away.

Police and army bomb-disposal experts remained at the scene on Sunday.

Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said the bomb had been a "crude" and unstable device, and called the attack "incredibly reckless."

"The people responsible for this attack have shown no regard for the community or local businesses," he said.

Hamilton said the "main line of inquiry" was that the bomb had been planted by a group known as the New IRA.

More than 3,700 people died during decades of violence before Northern Ireland's 1998 peace accord. Most militants have renounced violence, but small groups of IRA dissidents have carried out occasional bombings and shootings.

Northern Ireland's power-sharing government has been suspended for two years because of a dispute between the main Protestant and Catholic political parties. Uncertainty about the future of the Irish border after Brexit is adding to tensions.

John Boyle, who is mayor of the city also known as Derry, said violence "is the past and it has to stay in the past." (VOA)

UK Faces 'Political Tsunami' if Brexit Halted

LONDON, LELEMUKU.COM - Britain's trade minister says the country will face a ``political tsunami'' if the government does not deliver on voters' decision to leave the European Union.

International Trade Secretary Liam Fox wrote in the Sunday Telegraph that "failure to deliver Brexit would produce a yawning gap between Parliament and the people, a schism in our political system with unknowable consequences."

The Brexit process has been deadlocked since Prime Minister Theresa May's EU divorce deal was rejected by Parliament last week. Some lawmakers are pushing for the U.K. to delay its departure, scheduled for March 29, until politicians can agree on a way forward.

May is due to report to Parliament Monday on how she plans to alter the rejected deal. There are few signs she plans to make radical changes. (VOA)

Car Bomb Blast in Northern Ireland; No Injuries Reported

BELFAST, LELEMUKU.COM - Northern Ireland police and politicians have condemned a "reckless" car bombing outside a courthouse in the city of Londonderry.

The device was placed inside a hijacked delivery vehicle and exploded Saturday night as police, who had received a warning, were evacuating the area. There were no reports of injuries.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland posted a photograph of a vehicle in flames and urged the public to stay away.

Police and army bomb-disposal experts remained at the scene on Sunday.

Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton called the attack "incredibly reckless."

"The people responsible for this attack have shown no regard for the community or local businesses," he said. "They care little about the damage to the area and the disruption they have caused."

More than 3,700 people died during decades of violence before Northern Ireland's 1998 peace accord. Most militants have renounced violence, but some Irish Republican Army dissidents carry out occasional bombings and shootings.

Uncertainty about the future of the Irish border after Brexit is adding to tensions in Northern Ireland.

John Boyle, who is mayor of the city also known as Derry, said violence "is the past and it has to stay in the past." (VOA)

Human Diet Causing 'Catastrophic' Damage to Planet

LONDON, LELEMUKU.COM - The way humanity produces and eats food must radically change to avoid millions of deaths and "catastrophic" damage to the planet, according to a landmark study published Thursday.

The key to both goals is a dramatic shift in the global diet — roughly half as much sugar and red meat, and twice as many vegetables, fruits and nuts — a consortium of three dozen researchers concluded in The Lancet, a medical journal.

"We are in a catastrophic situation," co-author Tim Lang, a professor at the University of London and policy lead for the EAT-Lancet Commission that compiled the 50-page study, told AFP.

Currently, nearly a billion people are hungry and another 2 billion are eating too much of the wrong foods, causing epidemics of obesity, heart disease and diabetes.

Unhealthy diets account for up to 11 million avoidable premature deaths every year, according to the most recent Global Disease Burden report.

At the same time the global food system is the single largest emitter of greenhouse gases, the biggest driver of biodiversity loss, and the main cause of deadly algae blooms along coasts and inland waterways.

Agriculture — which has transformed nearly half the planet's land surface — also uses up about 70 percent of the global fresh water supply.

"To have any chance of feeding 10 billion people in 2050 within planetary boundaries" — the limits on Earth's capacity to absorb human activity — "we must adopt a healthy diet, slash food wasteand invest in technologies that reduce environmental impacts," said co-author JohanRockstrom, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Change Impact Research.

"It is doable but it will take nothing less than global agricultural revolution," he told AFP.

The main culprit

The cornerstone of "the great food transformation" called for in the study is a template human diet of about 2,500 calories per day.

"We are not saying everyone has to eat in the same way," Lang said by phone. "But broadly —especially in the rich world — it means a reduction of meat and dairy, and a major increase in plant consumption."

The diet allows for about 7 grams(.25 ounce) of red meat per day, and up to 14. A typical hamburger patty, by comparison, is 125 to 150grams.

For most rich nations, and many emerging ones such as China and Brazil, this would represent a drastic five- to tenfold reduction.

Beef is the main culprit.Not only do cattle pass massive quantities of planet-warming methane, huge swaths of carbon-absorbing forests — mostly in Brazil — are cut down every year to make room for them.

"For climate, we know that coal is the low-hanging fruit, the dirtiest of fossil fuels," saidRockstrom. "On the food side, the equivalent is grain-fed beef."

It takes at least 5 kilos of grain to produce a kilo of meat.

And once that steak or lamb chop hits the plate, about 30 percent will wind up in the garbage bin.

Dairy is also limited to about one cup (250grams) of whole milk — or its equivalent in cheese or yogurt — per day, and only one or two eggs per week.

At the same time, the diet calls for a more than 100 percent increase in legumes such as peas and lentils, along with vegetables, fruits and nuts.

Grainsare considered to beless healthy sources of nutrients.

"We can no longer feed our population a healthy diet while balancing planetary resources," said Lancet editor-in-chief Richard Horton."For the first time in 200,000 years of human history, we are severely out of sync with the planet and nature."

Pushback

The report drew heavy fire from the livestock and dairy industry, and some experts.

"It goes to the extreme to create maximum attention, but we must be more responsible when making serious dietary recommendation," said Alexander Anton, secretary-general of the European Dairy Association, noting that dairy products are "packed" with nutrients and vitamins.

ChristopherSnowdonof the Institute of Economic Affairs in London said the report "reveals the full agenda of nanny-state campaigners."

"We expected these attacks," said Lang. "But the same food companies pushing back against these findingsrealizethat they may not have a future if they don't adapt.

"The question is: Does this come by crisis, or do we start planning for it now?"

Some multinationals responded positively, if cautiously, to the study.

"We need governments to help accelerate the change by aligning national dietary guidelines with healthy and sustainable requirements, and repurposing agricultural subsidies," the World Business Council for Sustainable Development said in a statement. (VOA)