NEWS-PRESS TELEGRAM: May 2022

This is SDC News One Radio, a service of sdc radio works. Thanks for listening.

Legal · May 11, 2022 · 11:33 AM MST

Judge says Trump must pay $110,000 fine, meet other conditions to purge contempt

Former U.S. President Donald Trump must pay a $110,000 fine and meet other conditions to purge a contempt of court order over his failure to comply with a subpoena in a civil probe into his business practices by New York state's attorney general, a judge said on Wednesday.

Europe · May 11, 2022 · 11:31 AM MST

UK strikes new security agreement with Sweden and Finland

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday said he had agreed new deals with Sweden and Finland to bolster European security, pledging to support both countries' armed forces should they come under attack.

World · May 11, 2022 · 11:28 AM MST

Biden visits Illinois farm to highlight Russia-driven food inflation

U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday blamed Russia's war on Ukraine for the latest spike in global food prices and pledged to support the nation's farmers as they seek to fill the supply shortage during a visit to a family farm in Illinois.

Americas · May 11, 2022 · 11:27 AM MST

Bolsonaro swaps Brazil energy minister amid fuel-price flap,

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro replaced his energy minister with a high-ranking Economy Ministry official on Wednesday in the latest sign of political turmoil over fuel-price hikes by state-run oil company Petrobras.

Europe · May 11, 2022 · 11:26 AM MST

Ukraine proposes swapping injured Azovstal defenders for Russia prisoners

Ukraine has proposed to Russia that badly injured defenders in the Azovstal plant in the port of Mariupol be swapped for Russian prisoners of war, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said on Wednesday.

Europe · May 11, 2022 · 11:21 AM MST

Pro-Russian hackers target Italy institutional websites -ANSA news agency

Pro-Russian hackers have attacked the websites of several Italian institutions, including the senate, ANSA news agency reported on Wednesday.

Legal · May 11, 2022 · 11:18 AM MST

Arizona carries out first execution in eight years

Arizona carried out its first execution since 2014 on Wednesday, putting to death a prisoner convicted of killing a student more than four decades ago, local media reported.

Middle East · May 11, 2022 · 11:17 AM MST

U.N. receives $33 mln to address threat of tanker oil spill in Red Sea

The United Nations said on Wednesday it had received $33 million in pledges to address the danger of an oil spill from the Safer tanker moored off Yemen's coast.

Technology · May 11, 2022 · 11:17 AM MST

Google unveils artificial intelligence tool for real-world searches

Alphabet Inc's Google on Wednesday laid out plans to bridge the real world and its digital universe of search, Maps and other services using new advances in artificial intelligence.

United States · May 11, 2022 · 11:16 AM MST

Democrats scramble to protect abortion rights in liberal U.S. states

In New York, lawmakers have introduced a bill to expand funding for abortion care. California legislators will soon vote on measures aimed at increasing the number of abortion providers. And Connecticut just enacted a law aimed at protecting providers from lawsuits in states where abortion is banned.

Asia Pacific · May 11, 2022 · 11:15 AM MST

Vietnamese photographer gives pope famous 'Napalm Girl' picture

Award-winning photographer Nick Ut on Wednesday gave Pope Francis one of the 20th century's most famous and consequential news pictures, that of a 9-year old Vietnamese girl running naked from a napalm attack in 1972.

Technology · May 11, 2022 · 11:15 AM MST

Russian cyber experts restore RuTube access after three-day outage

Access to Russian video-hosting site RuTube was restored on Wednesday after a three-day outage, following a cyberattack that had demanded the attention of expert cybersecurity teams and called the service's durability into question.

Europe · May 11, 2022 · 11:11 AM MST

France investigates Interpol chief over allegations of complicity with torture

French prosecutors have opened an investigation into global police agency Interpol president Ahmed Nasser Al-Raisi over allegations that he may have been an accomplice to torture, an official said.

Asia Pacific · May 11, 2022 · 11:11 AM MST

Sri Lankan president to appoint new PM, cabinet this week

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said on Wednesday he would appoint a new prime minister and cabinet this week, after his elder brother and former premier Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned following deadly violence in the country.

Europe · May 11, 2022 · 11:10 AM MST

Russia's economy to start stabilising in 'new equilibrium' near year-end -central bank

Russia's economy will begin stabilising in its "new equilibrium" closer to the end of this year after beginning to go through a structural transformation in the second and third quarters, the central bank said in a report on Wednesday.

United States · May 11, 2022 · 11:09 AM MST

Biden moves to revitalise U.S. sentencing panel, nominates first Black chair

President Joe Biden on Wednesday nominated seven new members to the hobbled U.S. Sentencing Commission, restoring hope among criminal justice reform advocates that it could soon issue new guidelines to help ease prison sentences they view as excessive.

Asia Pacific · May 11, 2022 · 11:08 AM MST

U.S. welcomes Marcos victory in Philippines -Blinken

The United States welcomed Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s presidential victory in the Philippines and looked forward to working with his administration, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on Wednesday.

Americas · May 11, 2022 · 11:07 AM MST

Bolivian president will not attend U.S. summit if other nations excluded

Bolivian President Luis Arce has announced that he will not participate in next month's Summit of the Americas in the United States if Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela are excluded from the gathering.

United States · May 11, 2022 · 11:07 AM MST

U.S. Treasury posts record budget surplus in April as revenues soar

The U.S. government posted a $308 billion surplus in April -- a record for any month -- as receipts nearly doubled from a year earlier amid a strong economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Treasury Department said on Wednesday.

United States · May 11, 2022 · 11:06 AM MST

Fed's Bostic: Rising market yields show Fed retains credibility

Risings interest rates on home mortgages, U.S. Treasury bonds and other key forms of credit show the Federal Reserve remains credible in its pledge to tame inflation, Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic said on Wednesday.

United Kingdom · May 11, 2022 · 11:01 AM MST

UK retail warns unilateral action on N.Ireland protocol risks hurting consumers

Unilateral action by Britain to overrule post-Brexit rules agreed with the European Union for trade in Northern Ireland could harm all UK consumers if there was retaliatory action by the EU, Britain's retail industry warned on Wednesday.

United States · May 11, 2022 · 10:58 AM MST

U.S. lawmakers to examine infant formula shortage

U.S. lawmakers plan to hold a hearing this month on shortages of infant formula, the House Energy and Commerce Committee said on Wednesday, calling the situation "increasingly alarming."

United Kingdom · May 11, 2022 · 10:56 AM MST

Bank of England interest rate could hit 4% or more, ex-policymakers warn

The Bank of England will probably need to raise interest rates much more sharply than financial markets expect to get soaring inflation under control, former policymakers said on Wednesday.

Middle East · May 11, 2022 · 10:54 AM MST

Biden administration seeks Congress approval for small weapons deal to Turkey -sources

The Biden administration has informally reached out to the U.S. Congress to seek approval for a proposed sale of missiles and equipment upgrades to NATO ally Turkey, sources familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

Europe · May 11, 2022 · 10:54 AM MST

Greece bans LGBTQ conversion therapy

Greece on Wednesday banned conversion therapy for minors, a practice aimed at suppressing a person's sexual orientation or gender identity and which the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans community worldwide, as well as health experts, have condemned as harmful.

Europe · May 11, 2022 · 10:52 AM MST

Ukraine pushes Russian forces back, restricts gas flow to Europe

Ukrainian forces reported battlefield gains on Wednesday in a counterattack that could signal a shift in the momentum of the war, while Kyiv shut gas flows on a route through Russian-held territory, raising the spectre of an energy crisis in Europe.

Technology · May 11, 2022 · 10:51 AM MST

Google unveils new 10-shade skin tone scale to test AI for bias

Alphabet Inc's Google on Wednesday unveiled a palette of 10 skin tones that it described as a step forward in making gadgets and apps that better serve people of color.

Aerospace & Defense · May 11, 2022 · 10:48 AM MST

Boeing sees progress on 787, China, but supply chain risks loom

Boeing Co said on Wednesday it would study an equity raise after unlocking deliveries of its 787 and returning its cash-cow 737 MAX to service in China, but flagged supply chain risks amid broader certification and industrial problems.

World · May 11, 2022 · 10:48 AM MST

Russian spy boss compares U.S. to German Nazi propaganda machine

A Russian spy chief on Wednesday compared the U.S. State Department to the World War Two Nazi propaganda machine run by Joseph Goebbels, saying without providing evidence that it had launched an anti-Russia messaging campaign across social media, prompting a rebuke from Washington.

United States · May 11, 2022 · 10:47 AM MST

Arkansas sues drugmakers, pharmacy benefit managers over insulin costs,

Arkansas's attorney general on Wednesday accused drugmakers and pharmacy benefit managers of colluding to drive up the price of insulin drugs, the latest in a series of lawsuits to take aim at skyrocketing insulin costs.

South American Countries.

Mexico and Brazil leaders suggest they may snub Biden's Americas summit

By Kylie Madry and Lisandra Paraguassu

MEXICO CITY/SAO PAULO, May 10 (Reuters) - Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Tuesday he would not attend the U.S.-hosted Summit of the Americas next month if all countries in the region were not invited, while Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is also likely to skip the meeting, sources told Reuters.

The absence of the leaders of Latin America's two biggest economies would be a blow for the get-together of regional heads of state, which is expected to tackle issues from migration to the environment but also showcase democracy in the hemisphere.

Mexico's leader, a leftist, has said he wants all the countries in the region to be invited. It is unclear whether the United States will invite Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela, who are governed by authoritarian socialist administrations that have been at odds with Washington.

"If they're excluded, if not all are invited, a representative from the Mexican government would go, but I wouldn't," Lopez Obrador said during his regular news conference on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Bolsonaro - a far-right leader who is an admirer of U.S. President Joe Biden's predecessor Donald Trump and who has not yet spoken to Biden - has told his aides he won't be going, but gave no reason why, two people familiar with the matter said. read more

U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters the White House, as summit host, would determine who would be invited and the official invitations had not yet been issued.

"I expect those will go out soon," he said. Price described the summit as "an opportunity for countries throughout the hemisphere to come together to speak to our shared values."

White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters on Tuesday a final decision on who would be invited had not yet been made.

A person in Washington familiar with the matter told Reuters last week that Nicaragua had been informed that it would not be invited. read more

Lopez Obrador emphasized his wish for Cuba to be invited while visiting the country Sunday, saying also he would continue to push for the United States to lift its embargo against the Communist-run island. read more

The Mexican president has criticized the United States for not investing enough in Central America, which he argues is central to addressing the issue of mass migration from the region.

The United States will host the Ninth Summit of the Americas June 6-10 for the first time since the inaugural summit in Miami in 1994. It takes place every three years.

SDC News One Analysis: Marcos as Philippine president a boon for China, awkward for U.S.

By Tom Allard

May 10 (Reuters) - The decisive victory of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the Philippines' presidential election on Monday is set to re-shape the Southeast Asian country's relations with China and the United States as he seeks closer ties with Beijing.

Marcos, the son and namesake of the country's former dictator, has long-standing ties with China and is seeking a new deal with Chinese ruler Xi Jinping over the contested waters of the South China Sea.

Marcos's relations with the United States, on the other hand, are complicated by a contempt of court order for his refusal to co-operate with the District Court of Hawaii, which in 1995 ordered the Marcos family to pay $2 billion of plundered wealth to victims of Marcos Sr.'s rule.

The Philippines is a fulcrum of the geopolitical rivalry between the U.S. and China, with its maritime territory encompassing part of the South China Sea, a strategic and resource-rich waterway over which China also claims sovereignty.

In 2016, an arbitral tribunal constituted under the International Law of the Sea ruled in favour of the Philippines over China's claim, a decision seized upon by other claimant states, as well as the U.S. and its allies concerned by China's construction of military installations on islands in the waters.

But in interviews during the election campaign, Marcos said the ruling was "not effective" because China did not recognise it. He would seek a bilateral agreement with China to resolve their differences, he said.

"If you let the U.S. come in, you make China your enemy," he told DZRH Radio. "I think we can come to an agreement (with China). As a matter of fact, people from the Chinese embassy are my friends. We have been talking about that."

A spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry said on Wednesday the two countries, "facing each other across the waters, enjoy a longstanding traditional friendship" and that China remains "committed to good-neighbourliness" under the incoming president.

Antonio Carpio, the former Supreme Court Judge who led the Philippines' legal team at the arbitral tribunal, said Marcos's stance was a "betrayal".

"He's taken the side of China against the Philippines," he said.

Rommel Banlaoi, a Manila-based security expert, said Marcos, also known as Bongbong, wanted friendlier ties with China but not at the expense of ceding territory.

"He's open to direct consultations and bilateral negotiations with China to settle their differences," he said. "He is willing to explore areas of pragmatic co-operation with China, including the development of natural gas and oil in the West Philippines Sea."

The West Philippines Sea is within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea, but is also claimed by China. There have been repeated clashes between vessels belonging to the two countries in the area in recent years.

'FOND MEMORIES'

Marcos is also keen to attract investment from China for his ambitious infrastructure agenda, said Banlaoi. "The Marcoses have very fond memories of their trips to China."

Marcos's father ruled the Philippines for 20 years until 1986 and was a close U.S. ally but began engaging with China after diplomatic relations were established in 1975.

A year earlier, Marcos Jr., then 18, accompanied his mother Imelda to Beijing in a historic trip that paved the way for the diplomatic detente. Footage of the trip shows the beaming youngster meeting Chinese leader Mao Zedong.

It was the first of many visits. In a cable sent to Washington D.C. in March 2007, obtained by WikiLeaks, the U.S. embassy reported that Marcos "travelled frequently to the PRC in 2005 and 2006 to drum up business".

A month after the cable was written, China opened a consulate in Laoag City, capital of the family's fiefdom in the province of Ilocos Norte, where Marcos was governor. Laoag City has a population of just 102,000 in a country of almost 110 million people and is one of two consulates outside the capital Manila.

'COERCION AND AGGRESSION'

The United States has upped its engagement in Southeast Asia, and the Philippines, in recent months, to combat China's "coercion and aggression" in the region.

In March and April, more than 5,000 U.S. military personnel undertook exercises with their Philippine counterparts, the largest in seven years.

Renato Cruz De Castro, an international affairs analyst at De la Salle university in Manila, said the manoeuvres highlighted how strategic imperatives had forced outgoing Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to build strong relations with Washington despite his hostility to the country's former coloniser. Soon after he was elected, Duterte called for the Philippines' "separation" from the U.S. and courted China.

"Duterte realised that, whether you appease or challenge China, it doesn't matter. They are still going to try to take your maritime territory," he told Reuters.

"Marcos might have some issues with the United States (but) he will face constraints from his bureaucrats and the armed forces who really value the alliance."

U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said during a press briefing on Tuesday it was too early to comment on the results of the Philippines election or the impact it might have on relations, but said "we look forward to renewing our special partnership" and working with a new administration in Manila.

"As friends, as partners, as allies we’ll continue to collaborate closely to advance a free and open, connected, prosperous, secure and resilient Indo-Pacific region," Price said. "We’ll also continue...to promote respect for human rights and the rule of law, which is fundamental to U.S. relations with the Philippines."

Marcos hasn't visited the United States for 15 years, fearful of the consequences given he and his mother are facing a contempt of court ruling and a $353 million fine. That's on top of the $2 billion payout he and his mother have been ordered to pay to 9,539 human rights victims, of which only $37 million has been recovered, according to the lawyer who launched the class action, Robert Swift.

"Somebody might think and say, 'OK, Let's jail this person'. They can do that," Marcos told a Philippines journalist, Anthony Taberna, in August. "We don't take that risk anymore."

A spokesman for Marcos did not immediately respond to requests for comment on his U.S. travel plans as president.

The U.S. State Department and Department of Justice did not respond to requests for comment about whether Marcos would be granted diplomatic immunity if he visited. Swift, for his part, expected that he would get the customary immunity.

"Bongbong Marcos's apparent victory will be met with disappointment among many in Washington," said Greg Poling, director of Southeast Asia Studies at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"But it doesn't change the fact that the U.S.-Philippines alliance is more vital than ever and the United States needs to continue working to deepen it."

Banlaoi said Marcos would seek to preserve the U.S. alliance but keep his options open.

"Depending on how the bilateral relationship of the Philippines and the U.S. proceeds under BBM, renegotiating the mutual defence treaty remains an option," he said, using another nickname for Marcos.

Reporting by Tom Allard in Jakarta; additional reporting by Daphne Psaledakis in Washington; Editing by Nick Macfie

This is SDC News One Radio, a service of sdc radio works. Thanks for listening.

SDC NEWS ONE

Sunday, May 15, 2022

Payton Gendron - What we know about the Buffalo shooting suspect

Wednesday, May 11, 2022

Jimih Jones for US Congress - Yolo County California

SDC News One Radio May 11, 2022 · 11:33 AM MST