01001, Київ, Україна
info@ukrlines.com

WhatsApp Raises EU Minimum Age Ahead of New Data Privacy Law

WhatsApp, the popular messaging service owned by Facebook Inc, is raising its minimum age from 13 to 16 in Europe to help it comply with new data privacy rules coming into force next month.

WhatsApp will ask European users to confirm they are at least 16 years old when they are prompted to agree to new terms of service and a privacy policy provided by a new WhatsApp Ireland Ltd entity in the next few weeks.

It is not clear how or if the age limit will be checked given the limited data requested and held by the service.

Facebook, which has a separate data policy, is taking a different approach to teens aged between 13 and 15 in order to comply with the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) law.

It is asking them to nominate a parent or guardian to give permission for them to share information on the platform, otherwise they will not see a fully personalized version of the social media platform.

But WhatsApp, which had more than 1.5 billion users in January according to Facebook, said in a blog post it was not asking for any new rights to collect personal information in the agreement it has created for the European Union.

“Our goal is simply to explain how we use and protect the limited information we have about you,” it said.

WhatsApp, founded in 2009, has come under pressure from some European governments in recent years because of its end-to-end encrypted messaging system and its plan to share more data with its parent, Facebook.

Facebook itself is under scrutiny from regulators and lawmakers around the world since disclosing last month that the personal information of millions of users wrongly ended up in the hands of political consultancy Cambridge Analytica, setting off wider concerns about how it handles user data.

WhatsApp’s minimum age of use will remain 13 years in the rest of the world, in line with its parent.

GDPR is the biggest overhaul of online privacy since the birth of the internet, giving Europeans the right to know what data is stored on them and the right to have it deleted.

Apple Inc and some other tech firms have said they plan to give people in the United States and elsewhere the same protections and rights that Europeans will gain.

European regulators have already disrupted a move by WhatsApp to change its policies to allow it to share users’ phone numbers and other information with Facebook to help improve the product and more effectively target ads.

WhatsApp suspended the change in Europe after widespread regulatory scrutiny. It said on Tuesday it still wanted to share the data at some point.

“As we have said in the past, we want to work closer with other Facebook companies in the future and we will keep you updated as we develop our plans,” it said.

Other changes announced by WhatsApp on Tuesday include allowing users to download a report detailing the data it holds on them, such as the make and model of the device they used, their contacts and groups and any blocked numbers.

“This feature will be rolling out to all users around the world on the newest version of the app,” it said.

The blog post also points to safety tips on the service, such as the ability to block unwanted users, and delete and report spam.

Read More

На Харківщині запустили найпотужніший у країні асфальтобетонний завод – Укравтодор

У селищі Дергачі Харківської області ввели в експлуатацію найпотужніший в Україні асфальтобетонний завод, повідомляє сайт Державного агентства автомобільних доріг України.

«Завод став виробничою базою для виконання робіт на об’єкті поточного середнього ремонту автомобільної дороги державного значення Р-46 Харків – Охтирка у Харківській області», – зазначає агентство.

Крім того, за повідомленням відомства, дорожньо-будівельний матеріал, вироблений на новому заводі, буде спрямований і на влаштування асфальтобетонного покриття на трасах М-03 Київ-Харків-Довжанський та Т-2104 Харків-Вовчанськ.

За словами керівника Укравтодора Славомира Новака, нова виробнича база дозволить здійснювати будівництво та ремонт доріг з використанням найсучасніших технологій, найкращих матеріалів, причому в умовах досить обмежених термінів реалізації проектів.

14 квітня прем’єр-міністр Володимир Гройсман заявив, що в найближчі п’ять років на ремонт і будівництво українських доріг виділять 300 мільярдів гривень.

У держбюджеті на 2018 рік на ремонт доріг заклали 44 мільярди гривень (з яких 32,6 мільярда гривень – бюджет Державного дорожнього фонду).

Read More

German State Orders Crosses Mounted at Government Buildings

Bavaria’s conservative government is ordering Christian crosses to be placed at the entrance of all state administrative buildings.

The regional government says the crosses shouldn’t be seen as religious symbols, but are meant to reflect the southern German state’s “cultural identity and Christian-western influence.”

German news agency dpa reported that Tuesday’s decree won’t affect municipal and federal government buildings in Bavaria.

Crosses are already compulsory in public schools and courtrooms in predominantly Catholic Bavaria.

The governing Christian Social Union — the Bavaria-only wing of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party — is hoping to avoid losing its state majority to Alternative for Germany, a party on the right whose anti-Muslim campaigns have struck a chord with some German voters.

Read More

Вартість проїзду в наземному транспорті в Києві хочуть підняти до 8 гривень – ЗМІ

«Київпастранс» має намір підняти вартість проїзду в наземному комунальному транспорті до 8 гривень, повідомляють «Українські новини», посилаючись на фінансовий план комунального підприємства на 2018 рік.

За даними інформаційного агентства, згадані нововведення планують упровадити з 15 липня після громадських обговорень проекту рішення, який буде розроблений КМДА.

«У результаті «Київпастранс» прогнозує одержати 1 117,4 мільйонів гривень доходів від перевезення пасажирів за підсумками 2018 року, що на 59,1% більше, ніж у планах на 2017 рік, і на 53,7% більше від фактичних показників за 2017 рік», – йдеться в повідомленні.

Наразі вартість проїзду в столичних автобусах, трамваях, тролейбусах, фунікулерах становить 4 гривні за поїздку, міських електричках – 5 гривень, а єдиний разовий квиток на перевезення пасажирів у міській електричці та трамваях на маршрутах № 4, 5 або в автобусах № 59, 60, 61 коштує 7 гривень.

Read More

Одеський припортовий завод зупинив виробництво карбаміду – Щуріков

Одеський припортовий завод (ОПЗ) зупинив виробництво карбаміду на обох наявних на підприємстві агрегатах, повідомив перший заступник директора ОПЗ Микола Щуріков.

«Причина зупинки – брак складських площ для зберігання виробленого карбаміду», – вказав Щуріков у Facebook.

У коментарях до свого повідомлення керівник додав, що для зниження відпускної ціни на продукцію «потрібно знизити ціну на газ». Він додає, що «у випадку з ОПЗ це питання більше до уряду, який не створює умов для бізнесу, і газ у газовидобувній Україні на порядок дорожчий, ніж у більшості європейських країн, які газ не видобувають».

«Завод давно працює виключно за давальницькими договорами. Ми не знаємо, за якою ціною бере газ давалець, але якщо взяти ціну газу у НАКу («Нафтогаз України» – ред.), то собівартість виробництва однієї тонни карбаміду буде далеко за 250 доларів, тоді як сьогодні реальна експортна ціна карбаміду в нашому регіоні в районі 225 доларів», – вказав Микола Щуріков.

Одеський припортовий завод є одним із найбільших підприємств хімічної галузі як в Україні, так і в Європі. Кількість працівників перевищує 4 тисячі осіб. Він спеціалізується на виробництві та реалізації хімічної продукції – аміаку та карбаміду, – а також перевантажує на експорт продукцію інших підприємств України та Росії.

Read More

Threats Posed by North Korea, Iran Dominate NPT Conference

Nations attending a U.N. conference on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty warn the threat of nuclear weapons use is growing and efforts toward the elimination of such arsenals must be re-doubled.

The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which came into force nearly 50 years ago, has successfully prevented the widespread development of these weapons of mass destruction. But many nations worry global insecurity is eroding international commitments to disarmament.

At the opening session of the NPT conference, the United States singled out North Korea and Iran as two of the greatest threats facing the non-proliferation regime. The assistant secretary of state for international security and nonproliferation, Christopher Ford, noted that North Korea withdrew from the NPT after being caught violating the agreement’s terms. He said that while the North continued to violate legally-binding U.N. Security Council resolutions, the nonproliferation regime faced a real, but longer-term challenge from Iran.

“A country that for years unlawfully and secretly sought to develop nuclear weapons, suspended its weaponization work only when confronted by potentially dire consequences, continued to enrich uranium in violation of U.N. Security Council requirements, and retains the ability to position itself, several years hence, dangerously close to rapid weaponization,”  Ford said.

The Trump administration will decide by May 12 whether it will continue to participate in the Iranian Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, a deal that was negotiated by the five nuclear powers and the European Union.

The special European envoy for disarmament and non-proliferation, Jacek Bylica, spoke on behalf of the European Union, which he says remains committed to the Iranian deal and expects all parties to implement it in full.

“It is in our common interest to preserve a deal that strengthens the global non-proliferation regime, contributes positively to reach international peace and security and provides the international community with necessary assurances on the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program,”  Bylica said.

The EU envoy received strong support from the International Atomic Energy Agency, which has been monitoring Iran’s nuclear program since 2016. It said Iran was subject to the world’s most robust nuclear verification regime and was in compliance with its commitments under the JCPA.  

Read More

Труханов був членом угруповання, яке ховало прибутки в елітних лондонських квартирах – BBC

Протягом чотирьох років спеціалісти з питань боротьби проти мафії відстежували пересування членів угруповання на всьому континенті

Read More

In Turkey, Remembrance of 1915 Mass Killings of Armenians Amid Genocide Debate

In Turkey, commemorations are being held to mark the mass killings of Armenians during World War I by Ottoman Turks. The killings, recognized as genocide by much of the international community, remains contentious, with Ankara strenuously claiming the deaths were the result of a civil war in which Turks also perished.

Turkish-Armenian groups, along with nongovernmental organizations mainly in Turkey’s largest city, Istanbul, are organizing a series of events to remember the deaths. 

On Tuesday, public ceremonies are planned outside some of the homes of 270 Armenian intellectuals, religious and civic leaders arrested in Istanbul on April 24, 1915. The detentions marked the start of the mass deportations and killings of Armenians across Turkey. As many as one-and-a-half million people were killed as the Ottoman Empire disintegrated, according to a version of events accepted by many historians.

Until Turkey’s ruling AK Party came to power in 2002, public discussion challenging the state’s official version of events was forbidden. 

“There has been some tolerance by the state, they were not participating themselves, but they were allowing the commemorations, publications of books, articles and the gatherings and so on,” said political scientist Cengiz Aktar. “But this progress has come to a halt, because of the very restrictive environment of free speech,” Aktar added, referring to the current emergency rule, introduced after a failed 2016 coup.

Analysts say campaigners for the recognition of the killings as a genocide are focusing their attention on U.S. President Donald Trump.

“The only thing that might happen is Trump may pronounce the ‘G’ [genocide] word; we will see. It may happen; there are some indications Trump may pronounce it,” said Aktar. “The American administration, the Senate, House of Representatives, are getting more and more nervous with Turkey; the president may come with the ‘G’ word tomorrow.”

On April 24, U.S. presidents deliver a speech to mark the mass killings of Armenians. Last year Trump, like his recent predecessors, sidestepped using the word genocide, instead, using the Armenian phrase, “Meds Yeghern,” meaning great calamity. This month, more than 100 members of the U.S. Congress wrote to Trump, calling on the president to recognize the mass killings as genocide.

U.S., Turkish relations

Turkey has angered the U.S. recently over several issues, including Syria, the imprisonment of U.S. citizens and local employees of diplomatic missions, and Ankara’s deepening ties with Moscow. 

“Compared to years past, Turkey’s ability to influence Congress [against using the word genocide] has been vastly diminished, that is certainly true,” said analyst Sinan Ulgen, a visiting scholar of Brussels-based Carnegie Europe.

Ulgen suggests Ankara will be banking on Trump’s sensitivity toward Turkey.

“There is a sizable constituency on the part of the executive, including President Trump, who believes in and understands the value of Turkey,” he said. “So, there are certainly efforts that want to re-establish a sense of balance and direction to the bilateral relationship.”

If Trump were to use the word genocide, observers suggest Erdogan will seize on the occasion to whip up nationalist sentiment and anti-Americanism as Turkey prepares for presidential and general elections in June. 

Ankara, however, is likely to be more concerned by any move by Congress to legislate the recognition of an Armenian genocide.

“The Congress resolution is much more binding than a presidential statement,” said political scientist Aktar. “Ankara will be more concerned and irritated, and up until now Congress never passed a resolution. But with the anti-Turkish feelings, it may pass; there is something rumored to be in the pipeline, but not now.”

Growing recognition

In recent years, growing numbers of countries have recognized the Armenian mass killings as a genocide. Given the growing tide of recognition, experts suggest Ankara’s reaction has become more restrained.

“The Dutch parliament recently passed an [Armenian genocide] resolution; all we saw were a couple of strong words and nothing else,” said international relations expert Soli Ozel of Istanbul’s Kadir Has University.

“Turkey’s government has decided that it is better to keep calm rather than raise hell every single time something important or unimportant happens. It may very well be the same as with the Americans; but, the American acceptance of a genocide is significantly more important than any other country,” Ozel added.

If Congress recognized the Armenian killings as genocide, experts suggest the move could open the door to numerous legal cases against Turkey by relatives of those killed. Genocide does not have a legal statute of limitations. Even though Ankara lost many of its allies in Washington, it may still retain some support.

“The Turkish side tried to keep relations with the Jewish or pro-Israeli lobbies pretty good,” Ozel said. “Every time the president [Erdogan] visited the United States, he made sure that he met with the Jewish organizations, so maybe they are on board, and if they are on board, you have a fighting chance.”

Read More

Pakistan, Russia Hold High-Level Security Talks

Russia and Pakistan have held their first national security advisers-level bilateral talks in Moscow, focusing on prospects for closer cooperation in defense, space, cyber security, nuclear, intelligence-sharing as well as trade.

Pakistani National Security Adviser, Nasser Janjua, and Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, Nikolai Patrushev, led their respective delegations in the two-day meeting that ended on Monday.

A statement released after their meeting said the Pakistani delegation included senior military, civilian, intelligence and officials from the Strategic Plans Division, which oversees the country’s nuclear weapons and missiles program.

The two sides expressed satisfaction at “the positive trajectory and progression” of mutual relationship at bilateral and multilateral levels, the statement noted.

Monday’s wide-ranging high-level discussions happened as a Russian business delegation is due to arrive in Pakistan later this week to explore investment opportunities in various sectors, including banking, railways and telecommunications, government and diplomatic sources told VOA.

The turnaround in bilateral relations comes as Islamabad’s decades-old, but often mistrusted, relations with Washington have again deteriorated in recent years.

The tensions primarily stem from allegations Pakistani security institutions harbor and support Taliban insurgents waging a deadly war on Afghan and U.S.-led international forces in the neighboring country.

Pakistan rejects the charges and insists Washington is scapegoating the country in the wake of deteriorating Afghan security.

Declining U.S. economic assistance to Pakistan was compounded this year by the Trump administration’s decision to also suspend military assistance until the country takes decisive action against militant sanctuaries on its territory.Last week, the U.S. announced new travel restrictions for Pakistani diplomats working in the United States.

Analysts say as the United States appears to be cooling its relations with Pakistan, regional powers like Russia and traditional ally China are courting the country.

“Russians have overcome bitterness of Afghan war days. They see U.S. interest in Pakistan is waning and Islamabad is looking for strategic alternatives,” said Syed Talat Hussain, senior newspaper columnist and television political talk show host.

Beijing and Moscow are “filling the power vacuum” as they try to “enlarge” their influence in Asia, Hussain noted.

“They [Russians] see Islamabad cash-strapped and investment-hungry and its army trying to come out of Washington’s embrace,” he said.

Pakistan sided with the U.S.-backed Afghan armed resistance of the 1980s that forced the Soviet occupation forces to withdraw from Afghanistan.

In a recent interview with VOA, Pakistani Defense Minister Khurram Dastgir said Islamabad and Moscow have been able to “transcend” their history of mistrust, leading to improved mutual ties.

“It is a beginning because, of course, that history of mistrust and essentially standing on two opposite sides is there; but, both countries, because of many geo-strategic reasons, now find it a more optimal path to be cooperating with each other,” noted Dastgir.

The bilateral re-engagement between Islamabad and Moscow gained traction in 2014 when the two signed a defense cooperation framework agreement during the Russian defense minister’s landmark visit to Pakistan.

Under the agreement, Pakistan has purchased four Russian Mi35 combat helicopters to bolster counterterrorism efforts. The delivery of more aircraft is in the works, along with other military hardware.

Pakistani and Russian special forces conducted joint military exercises in 2016 and 2017, and plan to do so again this year, focusing on how to counter terrorism in the region.

Russia and Pakistan are also in talks for potential multi-billion-dollar energy deals, while Moscow will also build a gas pipeline linking the Pakistani cities of Karachi and Lahore.

China has invested an unprecedented $19 billion in Pakistan in the past three years to help the neighboring country build roads, railways, power plants, and ports.

Beijing has pledged to invest an estimated $62 billion by 2030 under the massive cooperation deal known as China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, or CPEC and declared as the flagship project of BRI.

Read More

МЗС України вимагає від Росії повідомити причини затримання харків’янина Стешенка

Міністерство закордонних справ України вимагає від Росії повідомити причини затримання харків’янина Олександра Стешенка, заявила речниця МЗС Мар’яна Беца.

«У зв’язку із затриманням Олександра Стешенка при в’їзді до окупованого Криму надіслали ноту Росії з вимогою повідомити причини затримання і місце його перебування», – написала Беца у Twitter.

За даними проекту «Крим SOS», 11 квітня російські силовики затримали Стешенка на пункті пропуску «Чонгар» під час в’їзду до анексованого Росією Криму. У той день він зателефонував матері і повідомив, що російські правоохоронці на «Чонгарі» «засумнівалися в його схожості з фото в паспорті». З того часу на зв’язок він не виходив.

За словами активістів, ФСБ Росії спочатку підтвердила затримання Стешенка, а потім заперечила.

Read More

Клімкін про зустріч голів МЗС «Групи семи»: було відчуття, що Україна є частиною цієї спільноти

«Говорили про все: від окупованих Криму і Донбасу до українських заручників, яких незаконно утримує Росія»

Read More

Порошенко підписав закон, що дозволяє обмежувати час продажу алкоголю

Президент Петро Порошенко підписав закон, що надає органам місцевого самоврядування право обмежувати продаж алкоголю у певний час доби. Про це йдеться на сайті Верховної Ради.

«Сільські, селищні та міські ради в межах відповідної адміністративної території можуть встановлювати заборону продажу пива (крім безалкогольного), алкогольних, слабоалкогольних напоїв, вин столових суб’єктами господарювання (крім закладів ресторанного господарства) у визначений згідно з їхнім рішенням час доби», – йдеться у тексті закону.

Верховна Рада схвалила законопроект 22 березня. За його схвалення проголосували 230 народних депутатів за мінімально необхідних 226.

Згадану законодавчу ініціативу зареєструвала група народних депутатів ще у вересні 2015 року, документ набирає чинності від дня наступного за днем його опублікування.

Раніше окремі міста – Київ, Львів, Луцьк, Черкаси, Ужгород  – намагались заборонити продавати алкоголь у нічний час, проте через відсутність загального врегулювання заборону легко було оскаржити в суді.

Зокрема, в Антимонопольному комітеті це рішення Київради визнали порушенням у вигляді вчинення антиконкурентних дій органом місцевого самоврядування, що полягає у встановленні не передбаченої законами України заборони та обмеження самостійності підприємств щодо реалізації товарів.

 

 

 

Read More

НАБУ завершило слідство щодо зловживань у «Адміністрації морських портів України» – заява

Національне антикорупційне бюро повідомило про завершення досудового слідства щодо сімох підозрюваних у заволодінні понад 247 мільйонів гривень державного підприємства «Адміністрація морських портів України».

За даними НАБУ, розслідування під процесуальним керівництвом Спеціалізованої антикорупційної прокуратури тривало від грудня 2015-го, серед підозрюваних – колишній голова підприємства та його перший заступник, екс-начальник відділу закупівель та чинний заступник начальника Одеської філії.

«За даними слідства, посадові особи ДП «АМПУ» у змові з приватними особами у 2015–2016 роках реалізували схему з розкрадання коштів під час державних закупівель послуг із днопоглиблення підхідних каналів і акваторій Бердянського та Маріупольського морських портів. Йдеться про вчинення антиконкурентних дій з метою забезпечення перемоги заздалегідь визначеного учасника конкурсних торгів, а також подальшого завищення вартості виконаних ним робіт. Внаслідок цього, на переконання детективів Бюро, державі (в особі ДП «АМПУ») завдано збитків на суму 247 млн. грн. Ця сума підтверджена висновком судово-економічної експертизи та іншими матеріалами кримінального провадження», – йдеться у повідомленні на сайті НАБУ.

Як повідомляє бюро, підозрюваних було затримано 29 січня цього року, а зараз цим особам та їхнім захисникам відкрито доступ до матеріалів кримінального провадження для ознайомлення. Після ознайомлення справу передадуть до суду.

«Адміністрація морських портів України» – підприємство, яке займається утриманням і забезпеченням ефективного використання державного майна, переданого йому в господарське ведення, в тому числі модернізації, ремонту, реконструкції та будівництва гідротехнічних споруд, інших об’єктів портової інфраструктури.

Read More

ПАРЄ обговорить 23 квітня «незаконні вибори президента Росії» в окупованому Криму

Парламентська асамблея Ради Європи на своєму засіданні 23 квітня в межах весняної сесії обговорить дотримання прав людини в окупованому Криму. Про це йдеться в порядку денному, оприлюдненому на сайті організації.

Другий із трьох пунктів, запланованих до розгляду 23 квітня, має таке формулювання: «Незаконні вибори президента Російської Федерації на тимчасово окупованій території Автономної Республіки Крим: порушення прав людини».

Крім того, в ПАРЄ відбудуться дебати на тему зростання антисемітизму, ісламофобії та ксенофобії в Європі і реформування механізму Конвенції про захист прав людини.

Read More

У Росії продовжать судити українського журналіста Романа Сущенка

Московський міський суд 23 квітня планує продовжити розгляд справи арештованого у Росії українського журналіста Романа Сущенка, повідомив його адвокат Марк Фейгін.

«Сьогодні продовжиться суд у справі мого підзахисного, українського журналіста Романа Сущенка. Він як не визнавав провину, так і не визнаЄ. І не вИзнає. Це і відповідає на запитання, чому от уже рік мене намагаються позбавити статусу (адвоката – ред.)», – написав Фейгін у Twitter.

На засіданні 28 березня, за словами Фейгіна, суд допитував головного свідка обвинувачення. Імені свідка адвокат не назвав. Суд відбувається в закритому режимі.

Розгляд справи по суті суд почав 27 березня. На початку суду Сущенко не визнав провину в повному обсязі.

Також 27 березня Московський міський суд продовжив українському журналісту арешт на півроку.

ФСБ Росії 30 вересня 2016 року в Москві затримала Романа Сущенка, назвавши його співробітником української розвідки, який нібито «цілеспрямовано збирав відомості про діяльність збройних сил і військ національної гвардії Росії, що становлять державну таємницю». Кримінальну справу стосовно журналіста порушили за статтею «шпигунство».

Сам Роман Сущенко заявив у суді, що до затримання шість років офіційно проживав у Парижі і був власним кореспондентом агентства «Укрінформ». В «Укрінформі» підтвердили що Сущенко від 2002 року є кореспондентом агентства, і відкинули звинувачення в шпигунстві, відзначивши, що журналіст був у відпустці, коли прибув до Москви у приватних справах.

Українська сторона називає звинувачення проти журналіста безпідставними і вимагає негайно його звільнити.

Наприкінці березня адвокат Сущенка Марк Фейгін заявляв, що розгляд справи українського журналіста в російському суді може завершитися вже у травні, і тоді ж під впливом міжнародних посередників Сущенко може бути звільнений. Втім підтвердження такого припущення з боку офіційних органів Росії немає.

Read More

Порошенко і Гройсман виходять на виборчі перегони. Разом чи поодинці? – Ранковий ефір Радіо Свобода

Вибори наближаються. Політики визначаються.

ТОП-100 найбагатших. Ахметов поза конкуренцією.

Луценко готує справи проти п’яти депутатів.

На ці теми говоритимуть ведучий «Ранкової Свободи» Дмитро Баркар і гості студії: політичний аналітик Олександр Кочетков, експерт Інституту політичної освіти Олександр Солонтай; заступник директора Центру економічної стратегії Дмитро Яблоновський, голова Комітету економістів України Андрій Новак; громадський діяч, адвокат Тетяна Козаченко, народний депутат (фракція «Самопоміч») Роман Семенуха і політолог Андрій Миселюк.

Read More

France’s Macron: US Role in Syria Vital

French President Emmanuel Macron is heading to the United States for a state visit with President Donald Trump, looking to convince him of the need to keep a U.S. presence in Syria even after the defeat of Islamic State terrorists.

Ahead of his arrival in Washington Monday, Macron told Fox News during an interview at the Elysee Palace in Paris, “We will have to build a new Syria after war. That’s why I think the U.S. role is very important.”

He described the U.S. as “a player of last resorts for peace and multilateralism.”

Trump has said he wants to pull the estimated 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria as soon as possible, even as a week ago he ordered the U.S. military to join France and Britain in launching a barrage of missiles targeting Syrian chemical weapons facilities in response to a suspected Syrian gas attack. Trump’s planned troop withdrawal comes after the fall of Raqqa, IS’s self-declared capital of its religious caliphate in northern Syria.

“I’m going to be very blunt,” Macron said in the interview. “If we leave … will we leave the floor to the Iranian regime and [Syrian President] Bashar al-Assad? They will prepare a new war.”

He said the U.S. and France are allied but that “even Russia and Turkey will have a very important role to play to create this new Syria and ensure the Syrian people decide for the future.”

Macron is set to arrive in Washington on Monday for three days of meetings, a speech in English to Congress, social events and Trump’s first state dinner.

His visit is occurring as an international chemical weapons monitoring group said its team of inspectors has collected samples at the site of the alleged gas attack two weeks ago in the Syrian town of Douma.

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons said a report based on the findings and other information gathered by the team will be drafted after the samples are analyzed by designated laboratories.

The group added it will “evaluate the situation and consider future steps, including another possible visit to Douma.”

The fact-finding team’s attempts to enter the town were initially postponed for several days due to a series of security-related setbacks.

Emergency responders said at least 40 people were killed in the suspected April 7 gas attack, which the U.S. and its allies blamed on the Assad regime.

The Syrian government has denied using chemical weapons, a violation of international law, and invited inspectors to investigate.

They arrived in Syria on April 14, the same day the U.S., Britain and France launched missiles targeting three chemical weapons facilities in Syria.

Ken Ward, the U.S. ambassador to the OPCW, claimed on April 16 the Russians had already visited the site of the chemical weapons attack and “may have tampered with it,” a charge Moscow rejected.

On April 9, Moscow’s U.N. ambassador told the U.N. Security Council that Russian experts had visited the site, collected soil samples, interviewed witnesses and medical personnel, and determined no chemical weapons attack had taken place.

U.S. military officials have said the airstrikes were designed to send a powerful message to Syria and its backers, showing that the United States, Britain and France could slice through the nation’s air defense systems at will.

Read More

47 мільярдів гривень складає очікувана економія в ProZorro станом на квітень – #Точно

Очікувана економія в системі електронних закупівель ProZorro станом на середину квітня 2018 року складає 47,1 мільярда гривень. Така інформація міститься на офіційному порталі аналітики Business Intelligence Prozorro, передає #Точно, проект Радіо Свобода.

Загалом в системі ProZorro зареєстровано понад 31 тисячу організаторів торгів, які оголосили 1,83 мільйона тендерів на суму понад 1,32 трильйона гривень.

ProZorro – це система електронних майданчиків, на яких відбуваються електронні аукціони, де перемагає найдешевша пропозиція.

Аукціони в ProZorro проходять щодо всіх державних закупівель для товарів і послуг, вартість яких дорівнює або перевищує 200 тисяч гривень, для робіт – дорівнює або перевищує 1,5 мільйона гривень. Для замовників, які здійснюють свою діяльність в окремих сферах господарювання, так званні монополісти, вартість товарів і послуг дорівнює або перевищує мільйон гривень і для робіт – дорівнює або перевищує 5 мільйонів гривень.

Із 1 серпня 2016 року ProZorro стало обов`язковим для всіх замовників державних закупівель. На той час очікувана економія склала 2,63 мільярда гривень.

У січні цього року Президент України Петро Порошенко підписав закон про внесення змін до закону «Про публічні закупівлі» щодо здійснення моніторингу закупівель в системі ProZorro.

Як повідомляє прес-служба Адміністрації президента, новий закон дозволяє органам державного фінансового контролю здійснювати ефективний моніторинг закупівель із метою попередження порушень у цій сфері та дотримання замовниками законодавства на всіх стадіях закупівлі.

Read More

Turkey Opposition OKs Party Switch in Challenge to Erdogan

More than a dozen Turkish opposition lawmakers switched parties Sunday in a show of solidarity as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s rivals scramble to challenge him in a surprise snap election that could solidify his rule.

A year ago, Erdogan narrowly won a referendum to change Turkey’s form of government to an executive presidency, abolishing the office of the prime minister and giving the president more powers. The change will take effect after the next elections.

 

The snap elections, called for June, caught Turkey off guard and come as the opposition is in disarray as it struggles to put forward candidates and campaign plans. The elections were initially supposed to take place in November 2019.

 

Officials from the pro-secular Republican People’s Party, or CHP, said 15 of its lawmakers would join the Iyi Party. The CHP, which is the main opposition party, said the decision was borne out of “democratic disposition.”

 

The center-right Iyi Party, established last fall, has been facing eligibility issues before the June 24 presidential and parliamentary elections, including not having enough seats in parliament.

 

The Iyi Party, which means “Good Party,” now has 20 lawmakers in parliament, enough to form a political group, satisfying an eligibility requirement. It wasn’t immediately clear if they would be asked to fulfill other requirements, including establishing organizations in half of Turkey’s provinces and completing its general congress, all to be completed six months before voting day.

 

But the party said it had already fulfilled those requirements as well.

 

That timing has posed a challenge after Erdogan agreed Wednesday to hold the elections more than a year ahead of schedule.

 

Iyi Party founder Meral Aksener, a former interior minister, is considered a serious contender against Erdogan and has announced her candidacy. She defected from Turkey’s main nationalist party allied with Erdogan, whose leader Devlet Bahceli called for the early elections.

 

Aksener, 61, can run for the presidency even without her party, if she can get 100,000 signatures from the public.

 

Turkey’s electoral board has yet to announce the presidential candidates and parties eligible to run.

 

 

Read More

На зустрічі глав МЗС «Групи семи» говоритимуть про Балуха – Клімкін

Вже понад місяць в окупованому Криму Володимир Балух продовжує оголошене 19 березня безстрокове голодування

Read More

Armenian Opposition Leader Arrested

Armenia’s opposition leader was arrested Sunday, hours after the country’s prime minister walked out of a televised meeting between the two.

Opposition politician Nikol Pashinyan was arrested Sunday in the Armenian capital of Yerevan, as he participated in one of the demonstrations that began last week when parliament elected Serzh Sargsyan prime minister after a decade serving as president.

Critics see the move as an attempt by Sargsyan to hold on to power.

Pashinyan has said he would like the demonstrations to be the “start of a peaceful velvet revolution,” a reference to the protests in 1989 that ended communist rule in Czechoslovakia.

About 15,000 people began the rallies Wednesday at Yerevan’s central Republic Square, with some holding posters that read “Make a step and reject Serzh.”  

The meeting Sunday between Sargsyan and Pashinyan was held with the aim of ending continuing anti-government protests.  Sargsyan walked out of the meeting when Pashinyan told him that he came to discuss his resignation, to which the prime minister responded, “This is blackmail.”

Sargsyan was nearing the end of his second and final term as president earlier this year when the country moved from a presidential to parliamentary system, empowering the position of the prime minister, which does not face term limits.  In April, Armenia’s ruling party moved to appoint Sargsyan as prime minister.

 

 

 

 

About 15,000 people began the rallies Wednesday at Yerevan’s central Republic Square, with some holding posters that read “Make a step and reject Serzh.”

 

Read More

Talks in Armenia Break Down

A televised meeting between Armenia’s prime minister and an opposition leader lasted only a few minutes Sunday.

The meeting between Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan and opposition activist Nikol Pashinyan was held with the aim of ending continuing anti-government protests. The demonstrations began last week when parliament elected Sargsyan prime minister after a decade serving as president.

Opponents of Sargsyan see the move as an attempt by him and his supporters to hold on to power.

Pashinyan told the prime minister, “I came here to discuss your resignation.”

The prime minister said, “This is blackmail,” and walked out.

Pashinyan has said he would like the demonstrations to be the “start of a peaceful velvet revolution,” a reference to the peaceful demonstrations in 1989 that ended communist rule in Czechoslovakia.

Later Sunday, Armenian police said Pashinyan was “forcibly taken” from a protest rally. The police said in a statement, “Despite repeated calls to stop illegal rallies, Pashinyan continued leading a demonstration” in Yerevan, the capital. The statement said that two opposition lawmakers were also “forcibly” removed as riot police dispersed the rally.

About 15,000 people began the rallies Wednesday at Yerevan’s central Republic Square, with some holding posters that read “Make a step and reject Serzh.”

 

Read More

Macron to Give Trump Seedling From World War I Battle Site

French President Emmanuel Macron is bringing an environmentally friendly gift to the White House when he visits President Donald Trump this week: a tree sapling.

The young oak also has historical significance — it sprouted at a World War I battle site that became part of U.S. Marine Corps legend. Macron’s office said Sunday he hopes it will be planted in the White House gardens.

 

The oak sapling grew up near what’s known by the Marines as the Devil Dog fountain, in Belleau Wood. About 2,000 American troops died in the June 1918 Battle of Belleau Wood fighting the German spring offensive.

 

Macron arrives Monday in Washington for the Trump presidency’s first state visit. The two men have an unlikely friendship, despite strong differences on areas such as climate change.

 

 

Read More

Iran Deal, Transatlantic Trade Loom Over Macron Visit

U.S. President Donald Trump will host French President Emmanuel Macron for a state visit next week as the Iran nuclear agreement hangs in the balance, and the expiration of EU’s exemptions from steel and aluminum tariffs nears.

Macron’s visit will be the first state visit of the Trump administration. Over the past year, Macron and Trump have forged an unlikely partnership. U.S. media dubbed the relationship a “bromance” and “one of history’s oddest diplomatic couples.”

“The Trump-Macron relationship is perhaps one of the most unexpected partnerships of the Trump era,” observed Nile Gardiner, director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at Heritage Foundation in an interview with VOA. “Clearly, Emmanuel Macron is very different to Trump in many respects ideologically, but the two leaders have formed a very pragmatic working relationship.”

Iran deal​

A senior administration official said the themes of the visit include celebrating the close ties between France and the United States, trade and investment issues, and security concerns, such as combating terrorism and the way forward in Syria.

It is expected that the Iran nuclear deal, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), will be front and center of the bilateral discussions. Analysts see Macron’s visit, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s visit to the White House later in the week, as last-minute efforts to save the deal ahead of Trump’s May 12 deadline for the U.S. to pull out of the agreement if the terms are not changed.

A senior administration official told reporters it’s difficult to say the degree of detail the two leaders will go into regarding the Iran accord. He noted the discussions between European allies and the United States are “not quite done yet,” so the timeframe for the president make a decision on the deal will be “mid-May.”

“The president’s three priorities with respect to JCPOA are the sunset clause, the ballistic missile program, and more broadly, Iran’s malign activities throughout the region and throughout the world,” the official said.

Trump has demanded these flaws be fixed in the 2015 deal Iran made with six major powers — the United States, Britain, Germany, France, Russia and China — to curb its nuclear program in exchange for relief from international sanctions that hobbled its economy.

Trump has called the agreement crafted under the Obama administration “the worst deal ever negotiated.” Trump contends Iran would quickly achieve nuclear capability at the end of the 10-year agreement and often assails its current military adventures in Syria, Yemen and Lebanon.

Heritage Foundation expert Gardiner said it will be very interesting to see what Macron has to offer.

“Unless measures are taken to strengthen the deal, the deal should be dropped by the United States. I expect actually that’s what the president is going to do, unless there is a convincing case made by European leaders that Europe is committed to fundamentally strengthen the agreement. We haven’t seen that commitment yet,” he said.

Eric Jones, director of European and Eurasian Studies at Johns Hopkins University, also doesn’t see Trump changing his mind about Iran after meeting with Macron, and he believes the Europeans see that as well.

“They’re hoping to convince the president they are going to introduce their own sanctions outside of the agreement in order to punish Iran for its behavior in Syria and other places, and that will be adequate reasons for the president to continue to waive U.S. sanctions under the deal where it stands. That’s what they want, a short-term achievement, not a long-term change in the president’s perspective,” Jones told VOA.

​US-European trade

Regarding trade, for Macron, extending the steel and aluminum exemption for the EU will be the first priority. A senior administration official said it’s hard to say if there will be any trade announcement following the state visit.

Jones said there are a lot of differences on trade, the most important of which is that Trump’s team hasn’t wrapped its collective mind around the idea that the European Union is a single trading entity.

“President Trump’s team has repeatedly approached not just France, but Germany and other European countries with the eye of making bilateral deals with these countries. Unfortunately, that’s a category error. These countries can’t make bilateral deals with the United States, so I think part of what President Macron is going to try to do, is better to push the conversation forward as a way of suggesting the United States should imagine the European Union as a single trading entity and a bilateral arrangement between the US and EU is what the White House should aspire to achieve,” he noted.

 

WATCH: Trump Rolls Out Red Carpet for French Leader

Macron’s state visit will start Monday with a tour of Mount Vernon and a private couples’ dinner hosted by Trump. Macron and Trump will meet at the White House Tuesday morning for a one-on-one session in the Oval Office, followed by a joint press conference. That evening, Trump will host Macron for a state dinner at the White House. On Wednesday, Macron will address a joint session of Congress.

Read More

Chemical Monitor Gathers Samples in Douma, Site of Suspected Gas Attack

An international chemical weapons monitor group said a team of inspectors collected samples Saturday at the site of an alleged gas attack two weeks ago in the Syrian town of Douma.

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons said a report based on the findings and other information gathered by the team will be drafted after the samples are analyzed by designated laboratories.

The group added it will “evaluate the situation and consider future steps, including another possible visit to Douma.”

The fact-finding team’s attempts to enter the town were postponed several days due to a series of security-related setbacks.

Emergency responders said at least 40 people were killed in the suspected April 7 gas attack, which the U.S. and its allies blamed on the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The Syrian government has denied using chemical weapons, a violation of international law, and invited the inspectors to investigate.

They arrived in Syria on April 14, the same day the United States, Britain and France launched a barrage of missiles targeting three chemical weapons facilities in Syria.

Ken Ward, the U.S. ambassador to the OPCW, claimed on April 16 the Russians had already visited the site and “may have tampered with it,” a charge Moscow rejected.

On April 9, Moscow’s U.N. ambassador told the U.N. Security Council that Russian experts had visited the site, collected soil samples, interviewed witnesses and medical personnel, and determined no chemical weapons attack had taken place.

U.S. military officials have said the air strikes were designed to send a powerful message to Syria and its backers, showing that the United States, Britain and France could slice through the nation’s air defense systems at will.

 

Read More

Significant Drop in Mediterranean Migrant Arrivals in Europe

The U.N. migration agency has measured an impressive drop in the number of migrants and refugees entering Europe by sea this year, compared to the same period the two previous years.

Through mid-April of this year, data shows 18,575 migrants and refugees arrived in Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Spain by crossing the Mediterranean Sea.  The International Organization for Migration says that is less than half of last year’s pace.  

More impressive is the steep decline this year, to nine percent, of the number of arrivals in Europe from 2016, which exceeded 200,000.

IOM spokesman Joel Millman says much of the drop can be explained by changes in the central Mediterranean route linking North Africa to Italy.  He says it is likely the repatriation of some 25,000 African migrants from Libya as well as stepped up activity by the Libyan coast guard have reduced the number of people crossing to Italy.

“Return to shore by coast guard is now almost 3,500 this year — 3,479,” said Millman. “This, we think, contributes to the same repatriation flights.  We think that people have endured, sometime, months of onerous conditions in unofficial detention centers or for better …who do get rescued by the coast guard …Maybe they are more susceptible to greater repatriations.  So, maybe those two things are happening in tandem.  But, they have brought the numbers down considerably.”  

Millman says there also is good news regarding fatalities.  He says 53 deaths in the Mediterranean have been recorded in April this year compared to 1,222 deaths during the same period in April three years ago.

While 53 deaths is tragic, he says this relatively low number of sea fatalities at the start of what is usually a very busy and deadly migration season is worth noting.  

He says the IOM hopes this is the start of a virtuous cycle and that this problem finally will disappear.

Read More

Red Carpet and Tough Issues Await Macron in Washington

After laying out a dazzling Bastille Day parade and an Eiffel Tower dinner complete with stunning Paris vistas, French President Emmanuel Macron can expect return treatment when he heads to Washington Monday, for the first official state visit of Donald Trump’s presidency.

But along with dining at the historic landmark of Mount Vernon and a chance to address Congress, lie talks on serious transatlantic differences. Macron’s three-day visit to the U.S. will test whether he can translate his reputation as Trump’s “go-to” European leader into deliverables for France and for Europe.

“If he gives the impression that he is too much aligned with Washington and Trump in particular, this can backfire domestically in France,” says Alexandra de Hoop Scheffer, Paris office head of the German Marshall Fund of the United States. “Especially if French and European interests are at risk by a decision President Trump could take.”

Trade, Iran and Syria count among key issues of discussion where the two leaders do not see eye-to-eye.  The talks will also center around the broader French-U.S. security cooperation that forms the bedrock of today’s relationship.

 

 

More broadly, Macron’s visit will underscore two clashing world visions, analysts say.

“On the one side, there is a strategy of withdrawal, on the other a strategy of opening,” says Philippe Moreau Defarges, a former French diplomat and international specialist, comparing Trump to Macron. “But the disagreements are quite clear, and (this clarity) can help them settle their differences.”

Less than a year ago, few would have thought France’s youngest president and America’s oldest one could have built such a close rapport. From work habits to extracurricular passions — art versus golf — 40-year-old Macron and 71-year-old Trump appear diametrically opposed. And indeed, their first encounter, sealed in snapshots of Macron bypassing Trump to greet German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a NATO meeting last May, then the famous arm-wrestling handshake, did not appear promising.

Yet both men are also political outsiders, whose ascent to power toppled the status quo. And Trump’s trip to Paris last July helped to mark a U-turn in their relations.

“They talk to each other frequently. It’s obvious that Macron tries to keep the United States within the circle of countries and leaders — and that means speaking to Donald Trump respectfully, frequently and strongly,” says French historian and U.S. expert Nicole Bacharan.

“And on Donald Trump’s side, he seems to enjoy this dominant alpha male relationship. (Macron’s) youth and popularity is something he likes to be close to.”

The military linchpin

Long gone are the Freedom Fries’ days that marked a nadir in bilateral ties, after former French leader Jacques Chirac refused to join the 2003 U.S.-led coalition to topple former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. The “special” transatlantic relationship then was forged between U.S. President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Then came U.S. President Barack Obama, who made German Chancellor Angela Merkel his top European interlocutor.

But today, Merkel is perceived as waning and weakened — and criticized by Trump for not spending enough on defense. For her part, Britain’s Theresa May is busy with Brexit.

Macron’s new “special” status in Washington helps to burnish his international credentials in Europe, not to mention France’s place on the world stage, analysts say. It amounts to a bright spot amid a cascade of domestic problems facing both leaders.

But today, many are waiting to see whether it can produce concrete results. On areas like the status of Jerusalem and climate change, Macron and Trump are far apart — although some experts say the French president still hopes to persuade his U.S. counterpart to rejoin the Paris climate treaty.

Defense is another matter. From targeting militants in the Sahel to the recent joint strikes against suspected Syrian chemical weapons facilities, France and the U.S. work closely together.

“What really sticks France and the United States together — and what Germany and the UK cannot sell to Washington — is this military cooperation,” says The German Marshall Fund’s De Hoop Scheffer. “This general-to-general cooperation …which gives (Macron) leverage on many issues where France and Europe have interests.”

Indeed, on some issues, such as the need for other European allies to spend more on defense, the two leaders broadly agree, experts say. Others, such as a longer-term strategy on Syria, are more complex.

 

Following the Syria strikes, Macron said he had persuaded Trump to a limited campaign and to stay engaged in the country for the longer term — then appeared to walk back on his remarks after a swift rebuttal from the White House. More fundamentally, perhaps, observers doubt the U.S. president will sign onto Macron’s call for investing in a longer-term political solution in Syria — one that engages key Trump administration nemesis Iran.

But fundamentally, analyst Moreau Defarges believes their views are not so far apart.

“Basically they agree, but they won’t say that,” he says. “They are not ready to intervene in Syria. Because they cannot forget what happened in Afghanistan, Libya, Iraq.”

Sticking points: trade, Iran

Trade may prove a trickier matter. Europe wants Washington to make permanent a temporary European exemption for U.S. iron and steel tariffs. The European Union has drawn up a list of U.S. products it may slap retaliatory duties on, if this doesn’t happen.

“We are close allies between the EU and the United States. We cannot live with full confidence with the risk of being hit by those measures and by those new tariffs,” French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said Friday, saying this was necessary to then work with the U.S. on trade issues with China. “We cannot live with a kind of sword of Damocles hanging over our heads.”

Yet paradoxically, Trump’s “America First” trade policies may also have its upsides for Europe, De Hoop Scheffer says — manifest for example, by accelerated trade pacts with Japan and Canada.

 

“We could say a positive outcome of the Trump presidency and disruptive approach to international relations is it has allowed the European Union to become much more assertive on such issues,” she says, “and much more collective in its response.”

Iran is another big sticking point, as France and other EU nations seek to persuade Trump not to pull out of the 2015 nuclear agreement. With a May 12 deadline looming for Trump to decide on the deal, the Europeans are reportedly considering tougher sanctions against Tehran as an added incentive.

While some analysts, including Moreau Defarges, doubt Trump can be persuaded to stick with the nuclear accord, others believe the U.S. and Europe are narrowing their differences.

And for some, whether Macron leaves Washington with more than just the smiles and handshakes of last year’s Bastille Day visit, may be a key test of Macron’s credibility. Others believe simply being Trump’s main man in Europe is a plus.

“Just the fact he is the one leader who can talk frankly to Donald Trump, who can keep the United States as a reliable — or semi-reliable —  partner, and insists on protecting the post-World War II world order,” says analyst Bacharan, “He has almost everything to win, and nothing to lose.”

Read More

Депутати Європарламенту закликають бойкотувати Чемпіонат світу з футболу в Росії

60 депутатів Європарламенту закликають уряди країн ЄС бойкотувати фінал Чемпіонату світу з футболу 2018 року в Росії. Про це повідомила депутат Європейського парламенту Ребекка Гармс на сторінці у Twitter.

«60 депутатів Європарламенту звернулися до урядів ЄС утриматися від відвідування фіналу Чемпіонату світу з футболу-2018 (#FifaWorldCup2018), що відбудеться у Росії. Мир, спорт і Путін? Це неможливо», – написала Гармс.

Вона оприлюднила текст листа, в якому депутати Європарламенту закликають урядовців приєднатися до урядів Ісландії та Великої Британії і не відвідувати фінальну частину Чемпіонату світу з футболу 2018 року в Росії.

«Напад у Солсбері був просто останньою насмішкою Володимира Путіна над нашими європейськими цінностями. Цьому передували невибіркові бомбардування шкіл, лікарень і цивільних районів у Сирії, вторгнення в Україну; систематичні хакерські атаки; дезінформаційні кампанії; втручання у вибори; спроби дестабілізувати наше суспільство та ослабити й розділити ЄС – все це не робить Росію добрим господарем чемпіонату світу», – удеться у зверненні.

Євродепутати переконані, що уряди європейських держав не повинні зміцнювати авторитарний і антизахідний шлях російського президента, а мають бойкотувати ЧС-2018 з футболу й висловитися на захист прав людини, демократичних цінностей та світу.

11 квітня міністр закордонних справ України Павло Клімкін закликав європейських політиків до політичного бойкоту Чемпіонату світу з футболу в Росії.

Фінал Чемпіонату світу з футболу 2018 року відбудеться з 14 червня по 15 липня. Ігри проходитимуть у 11 містах Російської Федерації.

Read More