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US Navy ‘Stands Up’ Office for Directing Creation of Next-Generation Destroyer by 2028 by Morgan Artvukhina

Life extensions to a number of advanced systems developed in the 1980s have kept the US military relevant long after the Cold War ended, but now it faces the challenge of commissioning a slew of new programs across every service to usher in replacements as maintenance gobbles up more and more of the budget. The US Navy has inaugurated a new office to concoct its future guided-missile destroyer intended to replace the aging Arleiqh Burke-class and Ticonderoga-class warships. According to a statement given to USNI News on Friday, the 16-person Guided-Missile Destroyer (DDG(X)) program office is “tasked with developing an acquisition strategy, a design/technical data package and ship construction, testing, fleet introduction and sustainment plans.” The statement adds that the new warship, which is expected to begin construction in fiscal year 2028, will combine the best parts of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers “with a new hull form, an efficient Integrated Power System and greater endurance reducing the fleet logistics burden.” The US Navy has already tested out an Integrated Power System in its Zumwalt-class destroyers. The huge warships, which are the world’s largest destroyers, can produce an astounding 78 megawatts of power, making them likely candidates for energy-demanding weapons like lasers or a railgun. According to the Navy’s statement, it is also interested in similar options on the forthcoming warship. The Zumwalts were once expected to become massive coastal bombardment platforms, but after costs exploded, the Navy reverted to building Burke-class ships and repurposed the Zumwalts as more typical missile destroyers. Only three vessels from the class were ever built. Their original designation was DD(X), much like the new DDG(X) program office, but they are now known as the DDG-1000. In October 2020, Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Michael Gildav saidthe Burke’s replacement would grow out of the Burke design, which is too small to be expanded upon further, and would incorporate some of the Zumwalt’s capabilities while still being smaller than it. The largest Burkes are 9,500 tons fully loaded and the Zumwalts are roughly 15,600 tons fully loaded. “I need deeper magazines on a manned ship deeper than we have right now. I'm limited. I can't put much more on those hulls,” Gilday said, a likely reference to the Virginia Payload Modules to be installed in the Virginia-class attack submarines, which are capable of carrying hypersonic missiles. The US has no hypersonic missiles currently deployed, but several such devices are in development, including tests that could turn the SM-6 into a hypersonic missile with a unique ability to perform both offensive and defensive roles.

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The first Burke-class destroyers entered service in the early 1990s, but the Ticonderoga-class cruisers are a decade older. The slightly larger “Ticos” were the first to carry the now-ubiquitous Aegis Combat System and the AN/SPY-1 three-dimensional radar system at its core. The Navy previously tried to do away with the class with the CG(X) program, which was closely related to the original plan for the Zumwalt-class and they were cancelled at roughly the same time. The Navy currently has 68 Burke-class ships and 22 Ticonderoga-class ships.

World Bank Pauses $140 Million in Payments to Mali as it ‘Assesses the Situation’After Coup by Morgan Artvukhina

While Africa has long depended on Bretton Woods-era Western financial institutions to provide them much-needed financing, albeit with steep interest rates and neoliberal economic reforms, in recent years China has become the continent’s largest bilateral lender while lacking the same ideological baggage. On Friday, the World Bank said it would be temporarily pausing payments to Mali in response to the military’s seizure of power last week, which removed from power an interim government that had attempted to reduce the military’s role in the transition. "In accordance with the World Bank policy applicable to similar situations, it has temporarily paused disbursements on its operations in Mali, as it closely monitors and assesses the situation,” the Washington, DC-based international financial institution told Reuters in a statement. According to the bank’s website, it has committed to providing $140 million to the Sahelian nation in 2021, much of which aims at fortifying drylands on the fringe of the Sahara desert that are especially vulnerable to desertification. There is no indication as to how much of that money has already been transferred to projects in Mali this year. The World Bank is the latest institution to suspend ties with Mali in the wake of the coup, which saw Interim President Assimi Goita, then the vice-president, oust the then-interim president, prime minister, and defense minister. The African Union. Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), France and the United States have all suspended their relationships with Mali as well, calling on Goita to respect the rule of law and provide guarantees that the path to new democratic elections in 2022 won’t be interrupted. The suspensions could cumulatively have a powerful effect on Malian society. Mali’s economy suffered a 2% contraction in gross domestic product in 2020 and its military is engaged in a protracted struggle with Islamist militias in the north in conjunction with France’s Operation Barkhane counterterrorism mission since 2013. Goita also led the coup in August 2020 that ousted democratically-elected President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita after months of militant protests and violent police repression. Under internal pressure by the M5-RFP protest movement and external pressure via similar relationship suspensions to those happening now, the military relented and yielded power to a civilian-led interim government in October, governed by a Transitional Charter drawn up with M5-RFP but

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assigning them a minor role. Last week’s coup began after then-interim President Baw Ndaw yielded to pressure by M5-RFP to reduce the military’s power in the government, ousting two colonels from the defense and security ministry posts. Goita has said the scheduled transition to democracy, with elections in early 2022, would continue unimpeded by the ouster of Ndaw and Goita’s assumption of his office.

France Offers to Help Tunisia With Neoliberal Reforms as Tunis Weighs Fourth IMF Loan in 10 Years by Morgan Artvukhina

Despite the formal end of colonial rule decades ago, Paris retains close economic and military ties with many of its former subject nations, providing aid in exchange for investment opportunities. On Thursday, France paused its eight-year war against Islamist rebels in Mali and in April offered support to Chad amid death of its ruler, Idris Deby. In Tunis on Thursday, French Prime Minister Jean Castex pledged economic and medical help for Tunisia, which is struggling to patch holes in its national budget amid deep debt and a COVID-19 outbreak that is pushing its health system to the limit. Castex told Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi France was prepared to help Tunisia, a former colony, with neoliberal-style economic reforms necessary for the country to get another loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). "These reforms are important for Tunisia, for the Tunisian people and for the Franco-Tunisian partnership," Castex told reporters after their meeting. Those measures include slashing state subsidies used to keep the prices of essential goods low, restructuring state-owned companies and selling off government-owned stock, and cutting the public sector payroll. According to Reuters, the state Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT), with more than a million members, strongly opposes the proposals. Last month, Tunisian Central Bank governor Marouane Abassi pleaded before the Tunisian Parliament to appeal to the IMF for a $4 billion loan necessary to patch its budget. "If we do not negotiate with the IMF, no one will agree" to loan Tunisia money in the future, Abbasi said. It would be the country’s fourth IMF loan in 10 years. He cautioned that an alternate proposal - financing the deficit using the central bank - would lead to a “Venezuelan scenario” of hyperinflation. "The Central Bank is not ready to open the floodgates to finance the budget, because within four months we would find ourselves with triple-digit inflation," Abassi said. Last year, Paris pledged to lend Tunis €350 million, although it has paid out just €100 million of that promise. Castex pledged to see the rest of the money dispersed, which had been held up because Paris wanted to see further economic reforms. Tunisia’s fragile economy took a nose-dive during the COVID-19 pandemic, with gross domestic product shrinking by 8.9% in 2020 and unemployment reaching as high as 18%. In the first

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quarter of 2021, its economy shrank a further 3%, according to the Tunisian State Statistics Institute. Further, its foreign debt reached the symbolic number of 100 billion dinars (€30 billion), or 100% of its GDP. However, according to AFP, the IMF expects Tunisia’s GDP to grow by 3.8% this year. Castex also asked Mechichi to stem the flow of migrant crossings from Africa to Europe, many of which set out from the Tunisian coast due to its close proximity to both Sicily and greater Italy. However, Mechichi told Le Figaro afterwards that this was “insufficient and impossible” and that the flow of migrants from Africa to Europe could only be addressed by “a solidarity-based model of development.” According to Africa News. Castex has also promised the North African country 240,000 FFP2 masks, 38,000 antigen tests, 18 resuscitation ventilators and 3 oxygen generators. Early last month, as the country entered another lockdown to control spread of the disease, Mechichi described the outbreak as "the worst health crisis in its [Tunisian] history.” According to experts who spoke with Al Jazeera. the number of hospitalized patients had doubled since early April, pushing to the limit. Tunisia has recorded more than 348,000 cases of COVID-19 and 12,793 deaths, out of a population of 12 million. Parallel to Castex’s visit to Tunis, Tunisian President Kais Saied has travelled to Brussels for a summit with European Union leaders “geared towards fostering economic development through the boosting of cooperation in various fields, including job creation, scientific and technological research, the green economy and renewable energy,” according to Aoence Tunis Afrique Presse. The press agency further noted that Tunisia gets as much as €300 million per year in financial support from the EU, which is put into infrastructure projects, and that on Tuesday Brussels had given another €300 million in “macro-financial assistance” to Tunisia.

FBI Files Subpoena for Info on USA Today Readers Who Accessed February Story on Death of Two Agents by Gaby Arancibia

The USA Today article at the center of an FBI subpoena issued against publisher Gannett detailed the events that occurred when two agents with the bureau were killed in Florida in early February while serving a search warrant. The pair of FBI officials had been investigating a child exploitation case. Newly surfaced court documents have revealed that the FBI recently filed a subpoena against publishing company Gannett in order to obtain information that would help identify readers who accessed a February story released by USA Today on the death of two of the bureau’s agents. Gannett, which is one of the largest US publishers of news media, owns the USA Today network, as well as multiple outlets including The Arizona Republic, IndyStar, Cape Cod Times and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

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Although the subpoena was initially served in late April, the legal battle only became public on Thursday after Gannett filed a motion on May 28 to kill the agency’s subpoena efforts. The case, which has been assigned to Judge James Boasberg, was effectively made public by the US District Court in Washington. The subpoena does not specifically ask for the names of the readers, however, it does demand the IP addresses and cellphone information of individuals who clicked on the USA Today article during a 35-minute window after the story was published. The timestamps that the FBI specified ranged between 8:03 p.m. and 8:38 p.m. The article, published on February 2 at approximately 9:29 a.m. E.T., is titled “FBI identifies 2 agents killed in Florida while serving warrant in crimes against children case.” The February piece detailed that in addition to the fatalities, three others had been wounded during the early morning shooting, and that officials were investigating whether the deceased suspect had a rigged camera system. It’s presently unclear whether the news outlet has stored such identifying information on its readers. Authorities have also not provided additional insight regarding the specifics of the requested information, only noting in the subpoena that the particulars are tied to a “federal criminal investigation being conducted by the FBI.” Legal representatives for the Gannett company argued in their late May motion that the FBI subpoena violates both the First Amendment rights of the publisher and the reader, and that the bureau completely disregarded the US Department of Justice’s policy on obtaining information from the media. “The FBI did not communicate with Gannett, as the Department of Justice regulations require, in advance of sending the subpoena. In fact, the FBI faxed the subpoena to an office that has been closed during the COVID-19 pandemic,” the motion reads. “A government demand for records that would identify specific individuals who read specific expressive materials ... invades the First Amendment rights of both the publisher and reader, and must be quashed accordingly.” News of the subpoena has emerged as the Justice Department has itself come under criticism for secretly obtaining the phone records of reporters with The New York Times during the Trump administration. Similar revelations have surfaced with journalists associated with The Washington Post and CNN.

Nigerian Government ‘Indefinitely’ Suspends Twitter Amid Backlash Over Buhari Tweet by Gaby Arancibia

Tensions between the Nigerian government and tech giant Twitter recently emerged after the social media platform deleted a tweet issued by Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari that violated the company’s abusive behavior policy. To that effect, the post was removed and the official’s account was suspended for 12 hours.

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The Nigerian government announced on Friday that it would no longer allow Twitter to continue operating in the African nation, marking the latest tit-for-tat between the two parties after the company deleted a tweet fired off by the Nigerian president. The surprise announcement in Abuja, Nigeria, was declared by Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who serves as the country’s minister of information and culture. The ban stemmed from the “persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria's corporate existence.” Government officials in Nigeria did not offer any further specifics on how Twitter was being used to undercut the nation’s “corporate existence.” It’s also unclear when exactly the ban will take effect. The announcement also indicated that NBC, Nigeria’s national broadcasting regulator, has been ordered to “immediately commence the process of licensing all OTT [internet streaming services] and social media operations” within the country. Twitter responded to the development by indicating that it would be investigating the country’s move and would be providing additional details in the near future. The company deemed the announcement “deeply concerning.” The latest chess move came after Twitter removed a post by Buhari on Wednesday that contained what many deemed was a threat to punish individuals responsible for the recent spate of attacks on electoral offices and police stations across the nation. “Many of those misbehaving today are too young to be aware of the destruction and loss of lives that occurred during the Nigerian Civil War,” Buhari, who served as a general during the conflict, wrote in the since-deleted tweet. “Those of us in the fields for 30 months, who went through the war, will treat them in the language they understand.” Deemed in violation of Twitter’s abusive behavior policy, the tweet was removed and Buhari’s account was suspended for 12 hours, effectively leaving the page in a “read-only” mode for the duration of the suspension. Mohammed later slammed Twitter’s decision and accused the company of being biased, underscoring that the Nigerian president has a right to express his opinions on matters that affect the country. He also stated that “the mission of Twitter in Nigeria is very, very suspect.” Twitter is widely popular in the West African country and played a central role in anti-police brutality protests that rocked Nigeria in 2020, as the platform was used to organize #EndSars demonstrations. Jack Dorsey, the tech giant’s chief executive officer, joined the campaign and even encouraged others to donate to the cause. A special emoji was even created in support of the movement. Speculation previously suggested that Twitter would be establishing its first African headquarters in Nigeria. However, the company later chose to set up shop in Ghana as it is a “supporter of free speech, online freedom and the open internet.” In response to the Friday announcement, rights groups have blasted the development. Amnesty International Nigeria condemned the government’s move and noted that the “unlawful suspension” is “clearly inconsistent and incompatible with Nigeria's international obligations including under the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.” Nigerian nonprofit group SERAP also declared that it would be filing a lawsuit against the government initiative.

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‘Facebook Was Right’: Nadler Praises Facebook’s Trump Ban, Says Platform Correct in Barring ‘Liars’ by Gabv Arancibia

In the wake of the deadly Capitol riot, former US President Donald Trump underwent a severe falling out with various social media platforms that sought to distance themselves from the former commander-in-chief, who was largely seen as inciting the storming of the US Capitol. Among the bevy of platforms were tech giants Twitter and Facebook. US House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) praised Facebook on Friday after the popular social media platform announced that it would be barring Trump from its services for another two years. Nadler addressed the development while speaking with reporters in the halls of the US Capitol, stressing that “Facebook was right” when it declared that Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts would not be reinstated until early 2023. The popular photo-sharing company was acquired by Facebook in April 2012. “I think that they have an absolute right to ban liars and the president - the former president - is an absolute liar,” Nadler said. “It's not a question of free speech, because free speech is a question of the government limiting free speech, and there's no question of that here.” “Private companies ... can print whatever they want, and I think they're right to not print lies”. The congressional lawmaker’s commentary came moments after Facebook had announced that it would not be reinstating Trump’s account until at least January 7, 2023, which would mark a full two years from the day he was initially blocked from the service. However, the company did indicate that Trump may well return to the platform should a reexamination at the end of the suspension period determine that “the risk to public safety has receded.” “We will evaluate external factors, including instances of violence, restrictions on peaceful assembly and other markers of civil unrest,” Nick Clegg, Facebook’s vice president of global affairs and former deputy prime minister of the United Kingdom, explained in a release. “If we determine that there is still a serious risk to public safety, we will extend the restriction for a set period of time and continue to re-evaluate until that risk has receded.” In the event that the suspension is eventually lifted, Clegg stated that “there will be a strict set of rapidly escalating sanctions that will be triggered if Mr. Trump commits further violations in future, up to and including permanent removal of his pages and accounts.” In response to Facebook’s call, Trump slammed the company, accusing the platform of censorship and insulting his followers. “Our country can’t take this abuse anymore!” the statement read. The latest development came on the heels of Facebook’s Oversight Board recently upholding the company’s decision to suspend Trump’s account after thousands of the former president’s supporters stormed the US Capitol in an effort to halt the certification of the US election results.

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‘It is Time’: Award-Winning Rat Retires After Detecting Over 70 Land Mines in Cambodia by Gabv Arancibia

Globally, Cambodia’s K-5 barrier minefield, which runs along the country’s entire border with Thailand, is considered to be one of the largest minefields, with experts estimating the area contains millions of land mines. In the years since the country returned to peacetime, various demining operations have been organized to clear land for locals. Magawa, an African pouched rat who has spent several years tracking down dozens of landmines and other unexploded ordnances in Cambodia, is officially getting ready to enter retirement, officials recently announced. APOPO, a non-profit group that focuses on training pouched rats to detect land mines, revealed in a Thursday announcement that the award-winning rat has officially reached his golden years, and would be retiring at the end of June. “With mixed feelings, we announce that PDSA Gold-medalist Magawa will be retiring this month. Although still in good health, he has reached a retirement age and is clearly starting to slow down,” the agency announced in a tweet. “It is time.” The non-profit group has indicated that since Magawa began searching through Cambodia’s Siem Reap in 2016, the top-ranked rodent unearthed approximately 71 land mines and 38 unexploded ordnance after having cleared more than 225,000 square meters of land. “During his illustrious five-year career, HeroRAT Magawa’s work has directly saved the lives of men, women and children who were impacted by hidden landmines and other deadly remnants of war,” APOPO noted in a release. “Every discovery he made reduced the risk of injury or death for the people of Cambodia.” Incidentally, Magawa’s efforts earned him a gold medal in 2020 from the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA), a UK-based veterinary charity that has been honoring the work of exceptional animals over the last 77 years. Magawa turned out to be the first rat honored by the charity, which has previously highlighted the efforts of dogs, horses, pigeons and even a cat. Officials have noted that Magawa will be spending his last few weeks mentoring new recruits before entering retirement.

Drake Bell, Star of Nickelodeon's 'Drake and Josh,' Pleads Not Guilty to Endangerment of Child by Evan Craighead

Drake Bell, full name Jared Drake Bell, starred on "Drake and Josh," an American sitcom on the Nickelodeon network created by controversial television producer Dan Schneider. Back in 2015,

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Bell, who is also a musician, was found guilty of driving under the influence, and subsequently spent a single day in jail. Bell, 34, appeared in a Cuyahoga County, Ohio, court on Thursday and pleaded not guilty to disseminating matter harmful to juveniles and attempted endangering children. Bell appeared to be smiling in his mugshot, taken at the Cuyahoga County Jail on June 3. Per FOX 8 News. Bell allegedly engaged in inappropriate - and sometimes sexual - conversations with a minor. The incident in question is said to have occurred on December 1, 2017. However, Bell was not indicted until last month. Bell, whose artist name is Drake Campana, tweeted on October 19, 2017 that he would have a tour stop at The Odeon Concert Club in Cleveland, Ohio, on December 1, 2018. "Just Announced: Cleveland, OH - Dec 1 at The Odeon Concert Club," Bell said in the referenced tweet, which was deleted on Friday. Court records show that Bell is out on a $2,500 personal bond. The 34-year-old also agreed to not contact the alleged victim. Bell famously starred alongside Josh Peck during the 2004 to 2007 run of "Drake and Josh" on Nickelodeon. Dan Schneider, the show's creator, remained with Nickelodeon until 2018. around the same time rumors mounted about his temper, alleged abusive nature and overall treatment of younger stars of his shows.

US Broadcasts Interrupted as Cox Media Group Reportedly Hacked in Ransomware Attack by Evan Craighead

Christopher Wray, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), asserted in a recent interview that he sees "a lot of parallels" between a recent string of ransomware attacks and the challenges posed by the terror attacks on September 11, 2001. Ransomware is a type of malware that utilizes encryption to hold the victim's data at ransom. Cox Media Group, manager of radio and television stations in more than 20 markets in the US, has fallen victim to a ransomware attack that disrupted media streams across the country, according to several tech reports. "This morning we were told to shut down everything and log out our emails to ensure nothing spread," an employee for the US media conglomerate told The Record on Thursday. "According to my friends at affiliate stations, we shut things down in time to be safe and should be back up and running soon." However, not all stations are back to business. WFTV in Orlando, Florida, and WPXI in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - both owned by Cox Media Group - remain limited in what they can do. "We are only able to communicate with each other over personal phones and text messages," an unnamed WFTV employee told NBC News.

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Employees at both stations were reportedly instructed to shut down their company computers and phones for the time being. "Since then we've been locked out," a WPXI employee claimed, referring to access to the company server and email. "It's pretty crippling at the moment." Cox Media Group has yet to issue a statement on the matter. The alleged ransomware attack comes days after a ransomware attack triggered the temporary closure of all JBS SA beef plants in the US. The Brazil-based company is the largest meat processing company in the world. Wray went on to tell the outlet that combating cyberattacks comes as a "shared responsibility" of private citizens, government agencies and the private sector. "Time and time again, a huge portion of those traced back to actors in Russia," he claimed. "And so, if the Russian government wants to show that it’s serious about this issue, there’s a lot of room for them to demonstrate some real progress that we’re not seeing right now." Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has panned the FBI Director's comments as possibly "emotionally charged." Peskov also highlighted that hackers and other cyber criminals exist across the globe.

White House: No Foreseeable Circumstance Where Biden Would Fire Dr. Fauci by Evan Craighead

Thousands of pandemic-era emails authored by Dr. Anthony Fauci, the US' leading infectious disease expert, were released this week via Freedom of Information Act requests. The emails have provided a behind-the-scenes look at Fauci's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, and have led to further questions from GOP lawmakers. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki came to Fauci's defense on Friday, highlighting Fauci's decades-long career as reasoning for the administration's pushback. "Dr. Fauci is a renowned career civil servant," Psaki told reporters. "He’s overseen [the] management of multiple global health crises, and attacks launched on him are certainly something we wouldn't stand by." In addition to his role as director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Fauci has also served as a public health adviser to every US president since Ronald Reagan. Within his career, the immunologist has been at the forefront of the US response to a number of viral diseases: HIV/AIDS, SARS, swine flu, MERS, Ebola and COVID-19. "Can you imagine any circumstance where President Biden would ever fire him?" asked Fox News reporter Peter Doocey during Psaki's Friday news briefing. "No," Psaki swiftly replied, before going to another reporter's question. The White House stance falls in line with same-day remarks from US President Joe Biden. "I'm very confident in Dr. Fauci," the US president said of his chief medical adviser earlier Friday. Overall, BuzzFeed obtained some 3,200 pages of emails from Fauci's inbox, while The Washington Post received 860 pages of emails.

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Several GOP lawmakers have raised concerns over Fauci after parsing through his emails to colleagues, fellow scientists, average Americans and government officials. House Republican Whip Member Steve Scalise (R-LA), ranking member of the House Select Subcommittee on the COVID-19 Crisis, has called on House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC) to call Fauci to a hearing. "His emails debunk many Democrats' claims from the past year that he and other administration scientists were 'muzzled' by the Trump administration," Scalise wrote, referring to a now-public email from Fauci to Mark Shlomchik, chair of the University of Pittsburgh's Department of Immunology. "I have been very explicit in stating publicly that I am not being muzzled or censored," Fauci wrote. "I say exactly what I want to say based on scientific evidence." Another vocal critic of Fauci has been Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who has also introduced the 'Fire Fauci Act.' legislation seeking to, in part, audit the immunologist's financial statement and correspondence within the Office of the Director amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The proposed legislation claims that "Fauci has continually failed to provide Americans with accurate information about the COVID-19 pandemic and has shown distrust in the American private sector and American ingenuity."

Chinese Customs Flags Western Brands as Child Safety Risks in Clap-Back at Xinjiang Sanctions by MariTi Blaise Lovell

The United States banned cotton from Xinjiang under accusations of forced labor against Uyghurs and other predominantly Turkic minorities in northwest China. Beijing claims it has not forced Uyghur Muslims to pick cotton, and in response, Chinese state-owned media outlets called for a boycott of US clothing brands like Nike, H&M, and Adidas. In a warning notice published on its website on Tuesday, China's General Administration of Customs listed companies including Lego, Ralph Lauren, Zara, Muji, and others as being flagged for quality and safety risks during the agency's annual examinations. The children's product quality issued from June 2020 to May 2021 involved 81 imported children’s clothing products, 10 brands, and 5 categories. The examination found that the products did not meet safety standards and were somehow deficient in product descriptions and labeling. Nine batches of H&M woven cotton girls' dresses were found to contain what custom authorities claimed to be dyes and other harmful substances that could be easily ingested or absorbed through skin. The officials stated the same concern for a Nike cotton-knit boys' t-shirt, as well as two products from Zara which were a set of children's pajamas and a pair of cotton-knit baby shorts. Similar risks were said to have been spotted in clothing items from The Gap and girls’ T-shirts from GU, a sister retailer of the Japanese chain Uniqlo.

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According to reports, it is not the first time H&M and Zara have been targeted with this type of safety warning. Similar announcements were made in May of last year, when Chinese customs accused the two brands of importing children’s clothes that had potential health risks for children. However, this represents the first time that brands Nike, GU and Gap have been included in the list. China’s General Administration of Customs said it had confiscated, destroyed or returned the non-compliant products, which included children's clothing, children's toys, children's toothbrushes and children's shoes. Global brands have faced growing resistance from Chinese shoppers, who have taken to boycotting companies that are refusing to use cotton grown in Xinjiang Autonomous Region, citing accusations of human rights violations. H&M products have even been removed from China’s main e-commerce sites such as JD.com, Taobao and Pinduoduo. In January, the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency seized two shipments of cotton shirts belonging to Japanese retailer Uniqlo upon arrival at the Los Angeles and Long Beach port, in violation of sanctions placed on China under suspicion of the retail goods being made with forced labor. Muji, a Tokyo-based brand owned by Ryohin Keikaku Co., gets about half its revenue outside its home market from China. The Japanese chain has publicly sided with the Chinese government, saying it uses cotton from the Xinjiang region and doesn’t see a problem with advertising that fact. In fact, Tuesday’s customs notice has prompted patriotic netizens to continue promoting the purchase of domestic brands such as Li-Ning and Anta. Chinese celebrities have also taken to suspending their sponsorship deals with the Swedish company. Chairs of the bipartisan Congressional-Executive Commission on China have since sent a letter to about a dozen NBA players who have deals with these labels, urging them to cut ties. This includes retired NBA All-Star Dwayne Wade, who has a lifetime deal with Li-Ning. Following the backlash, in May, H&M closed one of its stores in Shanghai, which also came after a complaint about a “problematic map of China” featured on its website, which has since been changed. Before that, Inditex, the parent company of Zara, announced it would be shuttering all its Bershka, Pull&Bear and Stradivarius stores in China. The Gap has also weighed the option of selling its businesses in China.

UN Representatives Declare Crippling Sanctions Have Caused Human Rights Violations Amid Pandemic by MariTi Blaise Lovell

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated grievances and concerns, as well as cooperation, in establishing goals directed at enhancing global peace and security. To date, there has not been

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an established, tactful form of retaliation for disagreements concerning human rights, except for Unilateral Coercive Measures (UCM) or sanctions. UN representatives declared during a Thursday virtual event that economic sanctions have caused human rights violations by obstructing access to the updated health systems, technology and humanitarian aid needed to sustain global infrastructure. The virtual event was hosted by the Permanent Mission of Iran to the United Nations (UN), and was geared towards addressing the impact of sanctions on international health systems, specifically the effects such measures have on certain countries most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many nations, including Russia, China and Iran, came together to urge the United States, United Kingdom, EU and other countries to end their enforcement of UCMs, which are shown to have a negative impact on the national health systems of targeted developing countries. In particular, panelists from the Human Rights Council, Iran and Belarus cited the negative impact on the health and well-being of women, children, persons with disabilities and other individuals living in vulnerable situations. The obstruction of humanitarian aid and medical supplies are marked as having a negative impact on the rights to development, access to health and rights to self-determination in violation of humanitarian rights and policies established by the UN Charter and Human Rights Council. “The issue of health is a fundamental aspect of internationally-recognized human rights,” Zamir Akram, the chair rapporteur of the Human Rights Council, said during the virtual meeting, adding that some sanctions often resulted in retaliatory obstacles that impeded adequate help in situations, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. “Countries have the right to cooperate with each other in ensuring development and eliminating the obstacles of development,” he maintained, while suggesting means of combating the negative impact through the draft of Resolution 39/9, a binding instrument meant to legally address the impact that UCMs have on the right to development. The virtual event was co-hosted by several missions to the UN, including Zimbabwe, Cuba, Venezuela and Syria, who have all repeatedly faced an increase in sanctions that resulted in unstable national infrastructure. China’s UN Representative Declares ‘Unilateral Sanctions Are Illegal’ Many of the participating countries maintained that sanctions are illegal and are being used as a political tool to enforce restrictions on global trade, arguing that the financial restrictions also push forward a unilateral agenda, especially amid the pandemic, which has only exacerbated the negative impact of sanctions. “Unilateral sanctions are illegal,” Zhang Jun, permanent representative of China to the UN said, adding that UCMs are “man-made.” The official also called for the lifting of sanctions in order to meet humanitarian needs and uphold multilateralism. China has recently instilled their own restrictions on several international brands, all of which came from countries responsible for sanctions against China’s Xinjiang cotton, as it represents a high portion of the country’s trade revenue. Samuel Moncada, the permanent representative of Venezuela to the UN, echoed Zhang’s sentiments, underscoring that sanctions were being deliberately used during the pandemic to further increase pressures of regime change within vulnerable governments.

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“It is the next level of silent weapons of mass destruction in the field of public health,” Moncada added, backing recent calls from the head of the World Health Organization to create an international treaty on pandemic preparedness and response. Additionally, Moncada called for immediate action to create a platform that would help coordinate commercial, economic and financial strategies geared towards breaking free of international channels that control the flow of legal transactions related to those within the UCMs. “Belarus continues to support the mandate on the negative impact of UCMs. We fully support the initiative of Venezuela to form activities against UCMs,” Valentine Rybakov, the permanent representative of Belarus, to the UN commented, citing the negative impact of sanctions placed on the country following its August 2020 presidential elections. Disagreements Emerge Over Human Rights Violation Claims Two permanent members of the UN Security Council, Russia and the United Kingdom, disagreed on the intended purposes of the sanctions, with Russia maintaining that it was being used for political purposes in pushing a unilateral agenda. Representatives for the UK upheld that sanctions are tapped as part of an effort to deter human rights violations, especially during the pandemic. “We use UCM as a targeted foreign policy tool to deter behavior,” said David Kinna, who serves as the first secretary of the UK to the UN, citing sanctions against Myanmar for the February 1 military coup. Deputy Permanent Representative to Russia Dmitry Chumakov drew reference to sanctions placed on Cuban medical teams who attempted to provide assistance to countries with limited health systems during the pandemic. The inability for some countries to receive updated medical and technological equipment during the pandemic due to sanctions have resulted in what Dr. Janet Blake, professor of international and human rights at the Shahid Beheshti University in Iran’s Tehran, deemed an “attack on peace and security, development and human rights” during the virtual meeting. ‘Unjust Reality’,Sanctions on Syria Cause Increased Concern over Negative Impact Both the UK and EU agreed on the need for humanitarian assistance amid the pandemic, but upheld the notion that sanctions are targeted in a way meant to protect human rights. “EU sanctions are not meant to impede humanitarian aid,” Simona Popan, who serves as a member of the legal department of the European External Action Service, added. However, she later agreed with the decision to place sanctions on Syria for the alleged use of chemical weapons against vulnerable populations, such as women and children. Syria has suffered crippling socio-economic impact due to sanctions that have impeded access to updated medical equipment. Although a formal representative to the US was not present to confirm, dozens of member states have sent a letter to US President Joe Biden urging a lifting of the sanctions in Syria, Chumakov remarked during the proceedings. Sanctions placed on Syria have been shown to have a negative impact on access to health. “Any mention of the humanitarian exemption are [sic] an illusion created to divert public opinion from the unjust reality caused by these actions,” Bassam Sabbagh, permanent representative of Syria to the UN, maintained. Dr. Alena Douhan, the special rapporteur on the negative impact of UCMs on the enjoyment of human rights, argued that facts were important in showing the increased negative impact

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sanctions had on already dire situations. She further suggested the establishment of a database to record the impacts of sanctions on vulnerable populations.

Californians Likely to Back Slavery Reparations After Seeing Evidence - Task Force Member

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - California residents will likely understand the need for the United States to compensate for the lingering negative effects of slavery once they are fully educated about the issue, state Reparations Task Force member Lisa Holder told Sputnik. Earlier this week, a California governor-appointed reparations task force, the first of its kind in the United States, held its inaugural meeting. The group, over the next two years, will study and develop reparation proposals for African Americans who have suffered due to the legacy of slavery. "The main thing is to compile evidence that justifies the need, looking at historical abuses, continuing abuses and slavery and recommendations requiring reparations," Holder, a Los Angeles-based civil rights attorney, said. "Our job is to educate the public and get buy-in. When the public understands the harrowing conditions of slavery, the degradation into the present day, I think they will support this." The task force, established by a state law in 2020, was unveiled in May by California Governor Gavin Newsom, who said the US continues to confront a history of racial injustice that is deeply rooted in the legacy of slavery and the discussion of reparations was long overdue. According to the text of the law, more than 4,000,000 Africans and their descendants were enslaved in the United States - and the colonies that became the United States - from 1619 to 1865. Holder said reparations could take any number of forms and it is too early to say what the recommendation will look like. "In this moment of a so-called racial reckoning, the conversation is already robust which makes me believe that the public is ready to accept the recommendations,” Holder said. “The groundwork is being laid for this moment.” The task force, she added, is comprised of an inter-disciplinary group of scholars and experts who will look at this "in a very comprehensive, far-reaching manner." At the inaugural meeting on Tuesday, California Secretary of State Shirley Weber, who as a state assemblywoman authored the legislation creating the taskforce, said the initiative was an opportunity to right an historic wrong that continues today in the form of large racial disparities in wealth, health and education. Weber, whose parents were sharecroppers, said the task force's job was to “determine the depth of the harm, and the ways in which we are to repair that harm." Weber pointed out that African Americans make up just 6% of California's population yet were 30% of about 250,000 of the state's homeless, according to 2020 estimates. The task force is expected to deliver an initial report next summer and final recommendations for reparations are due in 2023. After the final report’s release, the California state legislature would have to pass another bill approving any reparations.

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US, EC Officials Hold Talks on Reforming International Tax System - Treasury

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - US Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo held a telephone call with European Union Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis and discussed sanctions policy, investment security, and reforming the global tax system, the Treasury Department said. "Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo spoke with European Commission Executive Vice-President and Commissioner for Trade, Valdis Dombrovskis," the Treasury Department said in a press release on Friday. "They discussed international taxation, sanctions policy, investment security, US-EU cross border data flows, combating corruption, and anti-money laundering reform and implementation." The United States welcomes the European Union's mutual interest in making the global tax system more fair, the release said. Adeyemo and Dombrovskis underscored the importance for the United States and European Union to cooperate and coordinate on a wide range of issues.

Blinken Addresses Mideast Violence With US Jewish, Palestinian Communities - State Dept.

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement that he participated in talks with Jewish and Palestinian community leaders in the United States to address concerns over the clashes in the Gaza Stip, West Bank and Israel last month. "Important conversation with Palestinian-American leaders about the violence in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza," Blinken said via Twitter on Friday. "We are committed to rebuilding our relationship with the Palestinian people. Israelis & Palestinians deserve equal measures of security, freedom, opportunity and dignity." Blinken reiterated to Jewish community leaders US President Joe Biden’s commitment to combat a rise in anti-Semitism in the United States. The escalated violence between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement in Gaza spilled over into the United States. A Sputnik correspondent reported clashes among pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian demonstrators attending a rally in front of the Consulate General of Israel in New York. Video footage on social media showed Jews being attacked by Palestinian Americans on the streets of New York.

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US Charges Latvian \Afoman With Developing Malware for Cybercrime Group - Justice Dept.

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - Latvian national Alla Witte has been charged with developing malware for a transnational cybercrime organization operating in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine that was used to steal funds from bank accounts primarily in the United States, the US Justice Department said in a release. "A Latvian national was arraigned in federal court in Cleveland, Ohio, today on multiple charges stemming from her alleged role in a transnational cybercrime organization responsible for creating and deploying a computer banking trojan and ransomware suite of malware known as ‘Trickbot,’" the release said on Friday. "The Trickbot Group operated in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Suriname, and primarily targeted victim computers belonging to businesses, entities, and individuals, including those in the Northern District of Ohio and elsewhere in the United States." The Justice Department said Wtte and her co-conspirators infected computers with the malware since at least 2015 to gain access to victims’ bank accounts and execute electronic funds transfers to foreign beneficiary accounts, the release said. Wtte developed a malware that informed victims that their computer was encrypted and if they want to decrypt their sensitive data, they would need to purchase special software through a Bitcoin address controlled by the Trickbot Group, the release added. If convicted, Wtte faces a sentence of life in prison, according to the release.

Senior US Diplomat to Visit Azerbaijan, Armenia Next Week - State Dept.

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - Acting US Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip Reeker will travel to Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia on June 6-13, the State Department said in a statement. "In Armenia and Azerbaijan, Acting Assistant Secretary Reeker will meet with government, civil society, and business leaders to discuss bilateral priorities and issues related to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," the release said on Friday. Azerbaijan and Armenia are recovering from a military confrontation and the United States is party to the mediation group.

SPUTNIK TOP STORIES OF THE DAY WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) -

PUTIN'S ADDRESS AT ST. PETERSBURG ECONOMIC FORUM

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* Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday dismissed claims of the Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine being a "Russian weapon," linking such claims to the competition between pharmaceutical manufactures. * Russia faces two most acute issues - the conditions of the labor market and inflation, Putin said. * Putin predicted that dropping the US dollar as the main currency in global crude trade would deal a major blow to its status as a key reserve currency. * The participants in the forum from the United States show that US businesses are interested in working in Russia and striving not to lose its position in the Russian market. * Russian gas giant Gazprom is ready to start filling the Nord Stream 2 pipeline with gas as the construction of its first line has been finished, Putin said. * The Nord Stream 2 project should be implemented taking into account the declared US intention to build good relations with Europe, Putin said.

ROSCOSMOS-NASA CHIEFS CALL * NASA is determined to continuing effective ISS ties with Russia’s Roscosmos, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement after a phone call with Roscosmos General Director Dmitry Rogozin on Friday. * Nelson accepted the invitation of Rogozin to come to Russia for negotiations, the Russian space agency said. * Nelson told Rogozin about his intention to extend the operation of the International Space Station (ISS) through 2030, Roscosmos said.

BELARUS DEVELOPMENTS * The European Union officially banned all Belarusian air carriers from using their airspace and airports, the European Council said in a statement on Friday. * European Council President Charles Michel promised that after the official closure of the EU skies for Belarus on Saturday, personal sanctions against individuals and legal entities would follow "rapidly." * The ban on the use of EU airspace and airports by Belarusian air carriers will not apply to humanitarian flights, as well as emergency landings and emergency flights, according to the decree published in the EU Official Journal. * The Belarusian authorities granted the Russian Embassy with multiple permission to visit Russian citizen Sofia Sapega, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said. * The \Afestern reaction to the Ryanair incident is political pressure on Belarus, Zakharova told Sputnik.

RUSSIAN TENNIS PLAYER CASE IN FRANCE * Yana Sizikova, the 26-years-old Russian tennis player who was detained in Paris on Thursday, is accused of sports-related corruption and fraud, the prosecutor’s office of Paris told Sputnik on Friday. * Sizikova completely refutes the charges and intends to file a complaint for libel, her lawyer lawyer Frederic Be lot told Sputnik.

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* Sizikova has been released from custody, the Parisian prosecutor’s office told Sputnik, adding that the investigation is ongoing.

PREVIEW- Trump to Continue Political Comeback at Republican Gathering in North Carolina

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - Former US President Donald Trump will deliver on Saturday his second major public address since leaving the White House in an effort to consolidate his position at the helm of the Republican Party ahead of 2022 and 2024 election campaigns. Trump is the headline speaker at the Republicans’ North Carolina State Convention in Greenville. With an eye on the mid-terms, he is expected to embrace his loyalists and go against party dissidents who sought to ostracize him, shed further light on expectations of another run for president and take aim at his successor Joe Biden’s policies. Trump is likely to attack Biden for easing immigration restrictions, swelling budget expenses, retracting government support for the oil and gas industries, returning the US to the Paris Climate Accord and the World Health Organization, trying to revive the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran and abandoning a hard line position toward China. Most recently, Republicans and their media sympathizers are mounting criticism on Biden for his perceived failure to stand up against Russia in the wake of ransomware attacks and reneging on attempts to block the Nord Stream 2 gas exporting project. Trump’s address at the North Carolina convention dinner will be his second public appearance in the ex-President capacity, more than three months after a speech at the Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC) gathering in his new home state of Florida. There, Trump repeated claims of having won last year’s election and suggested that he "may even decide to beat them for a third time” in 2024. As new electoral battles approach, Trump promises to resume rallies across the country. According to media reports, he is already booked for a July CPAC event in Dallas, Texas, another stop in his political comeback tour.

US Exploring Use of Vanguard Program Cargo Rockets For Global Logistics - Air Force

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - The United States is going to develop a Vanguard rocket program to send military cargo payloads rapidly around the world, the US Air Force (USAF) announced on Friday. "The Department of the Air Force announced June 4 the designation of Rocket Cargo as the fourth Vanguard program as part of its transformational science and technology portfolio

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identified in the DAF 2030 Science and Technology strategy for the next decade,” the USAF said in a statement. The US Space Force was designated as the lead service for Rocket Cargo Vanguard and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) will lead a science and technology effort to determine the viability and utility of using large commercial rockets for the Department of Defense global logistics, the statement explained. The Space and Missile Systems Center will serve as the Program Executive Officer while the AFRL will research and develop the unique aspects needed to leverage the new commercial capability for the Department of Defense logistics mission, the statement said. AFRL scientists and engineers will also research the ability to safely land a rocket near personnel and structures, engineer a rocket cargo bay and logistics for rapid loading and unloading, and airdrop cargo from the rocket after re-entry in order to service locations where a rocket or aircraft cannot possibly land, the statement added.

US National Security Advisor Welcomes Resumption of Talks Between Greece, Turkey

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan welcomed the resumption of dialogue between Greece and Turkey during a call with his Greek counterpart Thanos Dokos, National Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne said on Friday. "Mr. Sullivan welcomed the resumption of dialogue between Greece and Turkey, and he pledged continued U.S. support for UN-facilitated efforts to reunify Cyprus as a bizonal, bicommunal federation," Horne said. Late last month, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the Turkish government was prepared to begin talks with Greece to improve their long-strained bilateral relationship. Much of the countries’ disagreement is rooted in disputes over maritime boundaries and inviolence between Greek and Turkish Cypriots. Sullivan and Dokos also discussed the growing defense cooperation between the United States and Greece, the importance of stability in the Eastern Mediterranean and Greece’s effort to develop critical telecommunications and energy infrastructure.

Blinken Raises Corruption Concerns in Call With Guatemalan Counterpart - State Dept.

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a phone conversation with Guatemalan Foreign Minister Pedro Brolo expressed concern about the country’s efforts to abolish anti-corruption offices, US Department of State Spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement on Friday.

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"Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with Guatemalan Foreign Minister Pedro Brolo today,” Price said. “The Secretary expressed deep concern about any efforts to abolish anti-corruption offices, such as FECI [Public Ministry and the Special Prosecutor's Office Against Impunity], and relayed that the preservation of independent institutions that fight corruption and impunity is fundamental to addressing challenges to security, prosperity, and governance in Guatemala.” Blinken also noted Washington is closely following the challenges to anti-corruption efforts in the Central American country and continues to work with the FECI to support such efforts, Price said. In a ruling on May 19, Guatemala’s high court decided to drop charges against former President Otto Perez Molina in connection with his involvement in a corruption ring. On the same day, the former chief of the country’s Internal Revenue Service who helped to build a case against Molina, was arrested.

US Prosecutors Expect to Charge at Least 550 People in Capitol Riot Case - Court Filing

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - US prosecutors are expecting to charge at least 550 individuals in connection with the riot at the Capitol on January 6 of this year, court filings revealed on Friday. "The investigation and prosecution of these crimes will likely be one of the largest in American history, both in terms of the number of defendants prosecuted and the nature and volume of the evidence. Over 450 individuals have been charged. The investigation continues and the government expects that at least one hundred additional individuals will be charged,” the filing said. Previous estimates anticipated charging 500 people for trespassing, engaging in disruptive or violent conduct in the Capitol itself or on Capitol grounds, destruction of government property, theft of government property, assaults on federal and local police officers, civil disorder, obstruction of an official proceeding, possession and use of destructive devices and conspiracy. The court filing added that more than 900 search warrants have been executed in all 50 US states and Washington, DC as part of the investigation. The aforementioned filing came from the case against Klete Derik Keller, a former Olympic gold medalist in swimming who is being charged with civil disorder, obstructing an official proceeding, and an array of related misdemeanor violations related to unauthorized entry in the Capitol.

Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Aircraft 'Concern' to US National Security - Pentagon

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WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - Unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) aircraft could potentially present a threat to US national security, US Defense Department spokesperson John Kirby said on Friday. The Defense Department and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence will present a report to the Senate Intelligence Committee on June 25 containing the US government's assessment of UAP sightings. "It could potentially involve safety or national security concerns," Kirby said during a press briefing when asked if these UAPs are a concern to national security. Kirby said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has already received a brief on the report from the UAP task force. Since 2020, there has been an increasing number of serious discussions about UAPs following the release and authentication of videos showing such phenomena encountered by US Navy pilots. Media reports, citing US administration officials with knowledge of the report, said the UAPs are not part of a top secret US program and they cannot confirm they are alien spacecraft, however, the US intelligence community is concerned it could be Russian or Chinese hypersonic technology.

US to Fund Regional ‘Incubators’ to Boost Zero-Carbon Power Policies - Energy Dept.

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - The US government has approved funding for ten "incubator” or “accelerator” programs to encourage regional ingenuity on green and renewable energy initiatives in regions across the United States, the Department of Energy announced on Friday. "The Department of Energy today awarded Energy Program for Innovation Clusters (EPIC) funding to ten incubators and accelerators that will harness regional ingenuity and resources, develop pipelines for energy technology to reach the market, and stimulate the formation of new businesses,” the department said in a news release. The aim of the funding grants is to help achieve the Biden administration’s goal of a net-zero carbon economy by 2050, the Energy Department explained. “This funding fills a critical need for targeted financial support to incubators and accelerators that provide opportunity for aspiring energy entrepreneurs looking to fight climate change, create jobs, and empower underserved communities,” Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said in the release. The new funding is the second half of a two-part program created by the department’s Office of Technology Transitions (OTT) to support energy innovation ecosystems and stimulate energy hardware development in regions across the United States, the release explained. Previously, the department awarded $1 million to 20 other “incubator” and “accelerator” programs, it said.

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US Debars 7 Individuals Over Arms Export Violations - State Dept.

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - Seven individuals have been statutorily debarred after being convicted of violating or conspiring to violate US arms control laws, the State Department said on Friday. "On June 4, 2021, the US Department of State published a Federal Register notice of seven persons statutorily debarred for having been convicted of violating, or conspiring to violate, the Arms Export Control Act," the department said in a statement. "This action, pursuant to section 127.7(b) of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR),., highlights the Department’s responsibility to protect the integrity of US defense trade." The debarred individuals include: Ronald Adjei Danso; Julian Alonso Higuera; Qingshan Li; Si Mong Park; Maritza Rubio; Wei Sun; and Randy Lew Williams, according to the notice. The debarment prohibits the aforementioned individuals from engaging, either directly or indirectly, in activities regulated by the ITAR, the State Department said. The restriction lasts three years, after which they can apply for reinstatement, according to the release.

Biden to Meet With NATO Chief to Discuss Challenges Posed by Russia, China - White House

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - US President Joe Biden will meet with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Monday to discuss the upcoming alliance summit agenda, as well as alleged security challenges posed by Russia and China, the White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters. "On Monday, the [US] President [Joe Biden] will meet with a NATO Secretary General [Jens] Stoltenberg at the White House. The President and Secretary General will discuss the June 14 NATO summit in Brussels, and many issues on the NATO agenda, including reinforcing transatlantic security in the face of challenges from Russia and China," Psaki said during a press briefing on Friday. Biden and Stoltenberg will also discuss adapting NATO to address different threats, including cyberattacks and climate change, while continuing to ensure a more equitable sharing of responsibility among allies, Psaki added. US Defense Department spokesperson John Kirby in later remarks said Defense chief Lloyd Austin will host Stoltenberg at the Pentagon on Monday as well.

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White House to Discuss Supply Chain Review Findings Early Next \Neek - Senior US Official

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - The Biden administration will discuss the findings of its review of key US supply chain vulnerabilities early next week, National Economic Council Director Brian Deese said on Friday. In February, President Joe Biden issued an executive order initiating a broad review of US supply chain vulnerabilities in the production of key technologies and essential goods. "That executive order had a hundred-day time frame associated with it which is coming due at the end of this week so you can expect to hear more from us on this topic early next week," Deese said in a press briefing at the White House. Deese said the administration has identified some concrete solutions they need to take on issues regarding the US semiconductor supply chain. The executive order directs an immediate 100-day review across federal agencies to address vulnerabilities in supply chains of four key products: critical minerals, including rare earth elements; pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients; semiconductors and advanced packaging; and large capacity batteries, especially for electric vehicles. In recent years, US households, workers and companies have increasingly felt the strain of shortages of essential products including medicine, food and computer chips.

Biden Directs Transfers Responsibility for Greenland from European to US Northern Command

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - US President Joe Biden ordered the Pentagon on Friday to shift military responsibility for Greenland from the European Command to Northern Command. “Pursuant to my authority as Commander in Chief, I hereby rescind direction dated January 13, 2021, to the Department of Defense to begin drafting Change 1 to the 2020 Unified Command Plan to reassign the responsibility for Greenland from United States European Command to United States Northern Command,” Biden said in a memorandum.

US Calls on Nicaragua to Immediately Release Opposition Leader Chamorro - State Dept

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WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - The United States urges the Nicaraguan government of Daniel Ortega to immediately release opposition candidate for president Cristiana Chamorro who was earlier placed by police under house arrest, Department of State spokesperson Ned Price said on Friday. "The United States calls on the Nicaraguan government to immediately release opposition leader Cristiana Chamorro and her two colleagues from the recently shuttered Violeta Barrios de Chamorro Foundation for Reconciliation and Democracy,” Price said in a statement. "Their detention on trumped up charges is an abuse of their rights, and it represents an assault on democratic values as well as a clear attempt to thwart free and fair elections,” he added.

White House Does Not Expect Putin-Biden Summit to Resolve All Problems in Relationship

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin are not expected to resolve all bilateral issues in their summit on June 16 in Switzerland, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on Friday. "I don't think we're setting this up to be a meeting where there is going to be an outcome that resolves every issue or every challenge in our relationship," Psaki said during a press briefing. "We expect there still to be challenging conversations moving forward." Psaki said Biden and Putin are expected to discuss matters concerning criminal cyber activity, nuclear stability and security, Ukraine, among other things. Putin said in earlier remarks that he would try to raise US-Russia relations from its extremely low level.

Nine US Governors Urge Biden to Prioritize Offshore Wind Development Projects - Letter

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - Nine US governors have sent a letter to President Joe Biden urging him to prioritize offshore wind development projects to protect the environment and create new jobs, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Friday. “Today, I issued a letter with the governors of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Virginia urging the president of the United States to continue to prioritize offshore wind development," Cuomo said via Twitter. The expansion of the offshore wind industry had created an opportunity for the United States to capture significant economic development activity and to build coastal communities while improving air quality and increasing the opportunities for energy diversity, the governors wrote to Biden.

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"We aim to collaborate across our states by consulting with each other on permitting challenges, natural resource consideration, identifying opportunities to coordinate schedules and aligning construction schedules to meet states’ respective clean energy targets,” the letter said. The governors also asked Biden in the letter to ensure the construction of adequate transmission capacity to send high voltage electricity from the new offshore generating facilities to the US mainland.

White House Does Not Expect Putin-Biden Summit to Resolve All Problems in Relationship

NASA Chief Says Committed to Continuing Very Effective' ISS Partnership With Roscosmos

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - NASA is determined to continuing effective ISS ties with Russia’s Roscosmos, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement after a phone call with Roscosmos General Director Dmitry Rogozin on Friday. "I was pleased to speak with General Director Dimitry Rogozin this morning in a productive discussion about continued cooperation between NASA and Roscosmos,” Nelson said. “For more than 20 years, NASA astronauts and Roscosmos cosmonauts have lived and worked together on the International Space Station - a success story that has yielded countless discoveries and enabled research not possible on Earth for the benefit of humanity. NASA is committed to continuing that very effective ISS partnership.” Nelson underscored that he looks forward to future discussions with Rogozin and participating virtually with him at the upcoming Global Space Exploration Conference.

Trump Says Face book Will Not Get Away Wth Acts of ‘Censoring, Silencing’

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WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - Former US President Donald Trump said on Friday that Face book's decision to ban him for two years from its social media platform is an insult to more than 75 million Americans that voted for him and the tech giant will not get away with acts of censoring and silencing. "Facebook’s ruling is an insult to the record-setting 75M[illion] people, plus many others, who voted for us in the 2020 rigged presidential election. They shouldn’t be allowed to get away with this censoring and silencing, and ultimately, we will win," Trump said in a statement. Earlier on Friday, Face book announced its decision to maintain the suspension of Trump’s account for two years due to what it said were "severe violations" of its community standards. In January, the company's Oversight Board blocked Trump's Face book and Instagram accounts after the events at the US Capitol.

Biden to Meet With NATO Chief to Discuss Challenges Posed By Russia, China - White House WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - US President Joe Biden will meet with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Monday to discuss the upcoming alliance summit agenda as well as alleged security challenges posed by Russia and China, the White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters. "On Monday, the [US] President [Joe Biden] will meet with a NATO Secretary General [Jens] Stoltenberg at the White House. The President and Secretary General will discuss the June 14 NATO summit in Brussels, and many issues on the NATO agenda, including reinforcing transatlantic security in the face of challenges from Russia and China," Psaki said during a press briefing on Friday. Biden and Stoltenberg will also discuss adapting NATO to address different threats, including cyberattacks and climate change, while continuing to ensure a more equitable sharing of responsibility among allies, Psaki added.

Trudeau Says Deeply Disappointed in Catholic Church Withholding Residential School Records

TORONTO, June 4 (Sputnik) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday that the failure of the Catholic Church to make available records on residential schools it ran across Canada has left him "deeply disappointed." "[A]s a Catholic, I am deeply disappointed by the position that this Catholic Church has taken now and over the past many years. When I went to the Vatican a number of years ago, I directly asked His Holiness Pope Francis to move forward on apologizing, on asking for forgiveness, on restitution, on making these records available, and we’re still seeing resistance from the Church,” Trudeau said during a press conference.

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The news comes after the remains of 215 indigenous children were found outside a former residential school in Kamloops, British Columbia, that was run by the Catholic Church from the late 19th century to the late 1960s. Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission determined in a 2015 report that aboriginal children were subjected to abuse, malnutrition and rape at the schools and at least 4,000 died. The state-sanctioned, church-administered residential school system was designed to culturally assimilate aboriginal kids into Canadian society, resulting in approximately 150,000 aboriginal children being forcibly placed into the schools between 1883 and 1998.

Biden Administration to Revise Trump Policies on Endangered Species - Wildlife Agency WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - The Biden administration is going to cancel or revise Trump-era policies in an effort to expand environmental protection for endangered species, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced on Friday. “The US Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service have released a plan to improve and strengthen implementation of the Endangered Species Act,” the agency said in a news release. The new set of proposed actions follows Biden's Executive Order 13990, which directed all federal agencies to review and address agency actions during the last four years that conflict with Biden-Harris administration objectives, such as addressing climate change, the FWS noted. "The FWS is committed to working with diverse federal, Tribal, state and industry partners to not only protect and recover America’s imperiled wildlife but to ensure cornerstone laws like the Endangered Species Act are helping us meet 21st century challenges,” FWS Principal Deputy Director Martha Williams said in the release. As a result of the review, the FWS will initiate rule-making in the coming months to revise, rescind, or reinstate five Endangered Species Act regulations finalized by the prior administration, the release added.

Blinken to Discuss Cross-Border Aid Mechanism's Renewal with Lavrov - US Envoy to UN

UNITED NATIONS, June 4 (Sputnik) - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will discuss with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov the renewal of the UN cross-border aid deliveries mechanism into Syria ahead of the UN Security Council's vote on the issue next month, US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said on Friday in a press conference in Turkey.

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"Secretary Blinken will raise it with his counterpart as well, and in all our engagements with the Russians moving forward to July 10th, we will be pushing them to be accommodating on this issue when it's brought before the Security Council," Thomas-Greenfield said. The US diplomat also said upon her return to New York next week, she will brief the Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Vassily Nebenzia, and other UN Security Council members on her visit to the remaining crossing to bring humanitarian assistance into northwest Syria from Turkey, Bab al-Hawa. "I will share with him what I saw on the border ~ the concerns that people have, the worry that they have that this one lifeline that they have for humanitarian assistance might be closed off," Thomas-Greenfield said. Last year, the UN Security Council's voted to reduce the number of border crossings to only one. First authorized in 2014, the mechanism used four points to deliver aid to the Arab Republic. Russia had previously argued that with the transfer of northwestern territories under the control of Damascus and the progress reached in delivering aid from within the country, the council should return to distributing aid from within the Arab Republic.

Senator Calls on Congress to Probe US Links to Wuhan Lab, COVID-19 Origins - Statement

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - US Senator Josh Hawley on Friday called on Congress to investigate any United States links to the Wuhan Institute of Virology, where the novel coronavirus is suspected of originating, and probe whether any US officials have tried to prevent a full investigation into the matter. Hawley is making his call after the release of a trove of emails from National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) Director Anthony Fauci from early in the pandemic. The emails show Fauci discussing allegations that the disease was created by China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology as credible in research partially funded by US taxpayer money. "The public deserves to know if persons within the US [government] tried to stop a full investigation into COVID origins, as recently reported. And Congress must also find out to what extent Fauci’s NIAID was involved in financing research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology," Hawley said in a statement. Hawley also called on Fauci to resign in light of the released emails. President Joe Biden recently ordered the US intelligence community to produce a report re-examining the origins of the novel coronavirus and to help determine whether the disease leaked from a lab or spread from an infected animal to a human. China continues to call the laboratory-leak theory a conspiracy.

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US to Provide Over $266Mln in New Humanitarian Aid to Afghanistan - Blinken

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - The United States will provide more than $266 million in new humanitarian aid to the people of Afghanistan, including to nearly 5 million internally displaced persons, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday. "As part of our commitment to the people of Afghanistan, the United States is providing more than $266 million in new humanitarian assistance, bringing total US humanitarian aid for Afghanistan to nearly $3.9 billion since 2002,’’ Blinken said in a statement. “This assistance from the American people will help our international humanitarian partners provide support to some of the estimated 18 million people in need in Afghanistan, including more than 4.8 million Afghans internally displaced.” The new financial commitment will allow the United States to provide lifesaving protection, shelter, essential health care, emergency food aid, water, sanitation and hygiene services as well as assist women and girls who face risks of gender-based violence, the statement said. Blinken urged the neighboring countries to keep their borders open to Afghans who seek international protection and expressed the US commitment to support countries that host refugees. More than 115,000 persons have been displaced by the conflict in Afghanistan this year while nearly 500,000 have returned to Afghanistan in need of assistance.

Face book Announces Trump's Ban to Last 2 Years

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) ~ Face book announced on Friday the decision to maintain the suspension of former US President Donald Trump for two years. "Given the gravity of the circumstances that led to Mr. Trump's suspension, we believe his actions constituted a severe violation of our rules which merit the highest penalty available under the new enforcement protocols. \Afe are suspending his accounts for two years, effective from the date of the initial suspension on January 7 this year,” the company said in a statement. In January, Face book’s Oversight Board blocked Trump’s accounts in the social network and Instagram after the events led to the violence at the US Capitol. On January 6, a group of Trump’s supporters entered the Capitol to protest the congressional certification of Joe Biden's election victory in several US states Tramp claimed were illegitimate. In the four months since the event, about 440 individuals have been arrested with more than 125 charged on charges of trespassing, impeding law enforcement and assaulting a police officer.

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FBI Probing 100 Ransomware Attacks, Many By Hackers Operating in Russia - Director

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is currently investigating more than 100 ransomware attacks, including many of them that originate in Russia, FBI Director Christopher Wray said in an interview published on Friday. "Time and time again, a huge portion of those traced back to actors in Russia. And so, if the Russian government wants to show that it’s serious about this issue, there’s a lot of room for them to demonstrate some real progress that we’re not seeing right now," Wray told the Wall Street Journal. Wray compared the cyber threat to that of the September 11,2001 terror attacks against the United States that killed nearly 3,000 Americans. The FBI director said there are many parallels between the two and much of the focus has been on prevention. There is a shared responsibility, not just across US government agencies but across the private sector and even the average American, he added.

US to Provide Over $266Mln in New Humanitarian Aid to Afghanistan - Blinken

NATO Ministers Back Dual-Track Approach to Russia - Stoltenberg

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - NATO should continue its dual-approach in the relationship with Russia in its upcoming Strategic Concept, the alliance's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Friday. "I cannot tell you today what the language will be and the precise formulations will be in the new Strategic Concept which we will then start to draft after the summit in a few days’ time. That will

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be a process where all allies will be involved, but I sense and I know that there is very broad support in NATO for what we refer to as the dual-track approach to Russia,” Stoltenberg said during a virtual discussion at the Brookings Institution. NATO leader has acknowledged that the relationship between Brussels and Moscow remains at the lowest point since the cold war. He also accused Russia of “aggressive actions” in Georgia and Ukraine, as well as of military buildup in different regions of the world. In the meantime, Stoltenberg stressed that Russia is a neighbor to NATO, and the alliance has to talk with Moscow on different issues, including arms control and managing relations. "For me, dialogue is not a sign of weakness, dialogue with Russia is a sign of strength,” he said.

NATO Does Not See China as Adversary, Will Include Beijing in New Strategy - Stoltenberg

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - NATO does not consider China to be an adversary but will include the country in its New Strategic Concept for the first time ever, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Friday. "China is asserting itself on the global stage. NATO does not see China as an adversary. There are opportunities to engage with Beijing [on] issues like trade, climate change, and arms control," Stoltenberg said during a virtual event organized by the Brookings Institution. "In the existing strategic concept of NATO, we don’t mention China with one single word. I can guarantee one thing that in the New Strategic Concept, China will be mentioned." Stoltenberg noted that the future communique during the upcoming NATO summit on June 14 will contain "much more language" on China than ever before, including specific decisions that will address Beijing's technological advances and ways to protect NATO member states' key infrastructure against possible cyber threats. In addition, Stoltenberg said NATO recognizes the shift in the global balance of power as a result of the rise of China that has caused a number of security issues, including the fact the alliance has become more important to the United States.

US Envoy to UN, Top Turkish Diplomat Stress Support for Syria's Border Aid Mechanism

UNITED NATIONS, June 4 (Sputnik) - US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in a meeting on Friday discussed their strong support for the expansion of the UN cross-border humanitarian operations in Syria, US Mission to the United Nations spokesperson Olivia Dalton said in a statement.

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"Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield met today with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu," Dalton said. "Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield and Foreign Minister Cavusoglu reaffirmed their strong support for maintaining and expanding the UN-authorized border crossings for urgently needed humanitarian assistance to the Syrian people." The two diplomats also reiterated the value of the US-Turkey strategic partnership. They discussed shared concerns and areas in which the countries can strengthen cooperation, including in advancing sustainable solutions to regional conflicts, Dalton said. The UN cross-border aid delivery mechanism, first authorized in 2014, is due to be renewed next month. After the UN Security Council's vote on its extension a year ago, the number of border crossings to bring aid into Syria was reduced to only one from Turkey. China and Russia, the permanent members of the UN Security Council, voiced their opposition to renewing all four border crossings. Russia had previously argued that with the transfer of northwestern territories under the control of Damascus and the progress reached in delivering aid from within the country, the council should return to distributing aid from within the Arab Republic.

Biden Hails 'Historic Progress' in US Economic Recovery After Underwhelming Jobs Report

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - US President Joe Biden hailed on Friday the new employment data as another sign of “historic progress” in overcoming the worst economic crisis in over a century. The United States saw 559,000 new jobs in May and the unemployment rate fell to 5.8 percent, the Labor Department reported. However, the additions are well below economists’ forecast of 674,000 jobs. "This report is based on week in early May... That week in May we only had 35 percent of working age adults fully vaccinated. They were still all wearing masks. Since then, 21 million more adults have gotten vaccinated making it easier for them to return to work safely,” Biden said in televised remarks. “Sure, this is progress, historic progress in pulling our economy out of the worst crisis that has been in one hundred years," Biden added. The US president described the report as “great news for our economy, our recovery and for the American people.” Biden said the data indicates more than two million jobs have been created since he took office in January, “more jobs than have ever been created in first four months of any presidency in modern history, triple the rate of my predecessor, eight times the rate of President [Ronald] Reagan.” The US president pointed out that the unemployment rate is now below 6 percent for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic hit. "First time in 14 months we saw the largest decline in a number of long-term unemployed more than in the entire decade,” Biden said.

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The United States lost more than 21 million jobs between March and April 2020, at the height of business lockdowns forced by the coronavirus. About 8 million of those jobs have yet to return, analysts said.

Canada to Invest Almost $55M!n in 58 Local Climate Action Projects ~ Ottawa WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) ~ Canada is investing almost $55 million in a program of 58 projects to fight global climate change across the country, the federal government’s Environment and Climate Change Department announced on Friday. “(T)he Government of Canada will invest up to $54.9 million in 58 community-based climate action initiatives from across Canada,” the department said in a news release. “These projects, funded by the Climate Action and Awareness Fund, will build capacity and awareness for local action on climate change.” Each community-focused project will support Canada’s climate goals, including achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, Environment and Climate Change explained. “Canadians from coast to coast to coast are marking Canadian Environment Week, culminating in virtual events on June 5, World Environment Day... Local projects, like those announced today, will help Canada achieve its goals to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40 to 45 percent below 2005 levels by 2030 and reach net-zero emissions by 2050,” the release said. Colleges and Institutes Canada will receive $5.3 million to help colleges and universities across the country reduce emissions and Ryerson University will receive $1.7 million to engage young Canadians on post-secondary campuses and in communities to find local solutions to reach net-zero by 2050, the department said.

Central Bank Digital Currencies Will Challenge US Dollar's Global Hegemony - Investor

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC) will ultimately kick the dollar out of its stratosphere and will test its global dominance, Navigator Principal Investors Director Kyle Shostak told Sputnik. “In the last year, China began testing a digital version of its renminbi, interest in the so-called Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) has propelled enormously. Also, the EU Central Bank is conducting it's own research into a digital Euro,” Shostak said. “In my opinion, it is the CBDCs that will eventually be able to push the dollar out of its stratosphere and will challenge its global hegemony.” Shostak went on to say that CBDCs seem to have a very transformative technology, easy to keep track of and minimizing transactional costs.

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"The benefits of the CBDC are especially relevant for emerging market economies poorly served by the existing correspondent banking arrangements,” he added. US Federal Reserve Governor Lael Brainard said in April that Cryptocurrencies may have multiple inherent risks but central bank digital currencies (CBDC) could still have appealing uses, especially in settling cross-border payments. Her comments came after its Chairman Jerome Powell announced that the US central bank would be releasing this summer a working paper to address multiple CBDC-related issues. While central bank authorities around the world agree that the monetary system of the future might largely be dictated by digital currencies, many are also wary of illegitimate activities from these and have been studying ways to counter them. Bitcoin, the progenitor of digital coins, has shown exceeding volatility this year, rallying more than 800 percent at one point from a year ago before losing almost half its value last month. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has also called Bitcoin an “inefficient" payment system that was too volatile for the average user or investor, often misused for illicit finance and bears an outsized environmental footprint.

Russia’s Dollar Selloff Puts Spotlight on Growing Concern Over Inflation in US - Investor

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - Russia’s decision to cut the US dollar from its National Wealth Fund reveals the increasing concerns about inflation in the United States, Director of investment consulting firm Navigator Principal Investors, Kyle Shostak, told Sputnik. "Russian dollar selloff also put a spotlight on the suddenly growing concern over inflation in the US,” Shostak said. “With so much stimulus money being pumped into the economy at a historical record level - almost $6trn since the beginning of the pandemics, many bankers are rightfully questioning the dollar's continuing dominance. Investors are worried that the money-printing machine will trigger inflation in the very near future.” As a result, Shostak went on to say, many investors have drastically increased allocations in gold and other assets, including cryptocurrencies. “While the dollar is now used in 88% of all currency trades and it still accounts for about 62% of global foreign exchange reserves, this is down from a peak of more than 85% in the 1970s,” he pointed out. “While I don't believe that Bitcoin per se will be recognized by major central banks and sovereign funds as a true reserve asset, in private transactions it will be seen as a major alternative to gold and commodities.” “On a much more massive scale compared to Russia's, China's push to expunge the dollar from its financial system is gaining momentum,” Shostak added. “Since peaking in 2018, China has reduced its holdings of the US Treasuries in the course if 2019-2020 by $88bn. Diversifying away from the US dollar is perfectly in line with China's focus on trade relationship beyond just the United States.”

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On Thursday, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said that the ministry will introduce changes to the structure of the National Wealth Fund within a month, mentioning that the share of the US currency will decrease to zero. The share of the British pound sterling will drop to 5 percent, the share of Japan's yen will remain unchanged at 5 percent, the share of euro will grow to 40 percent and the share of yuan will grow to 30 percent, according to the minister.

Russia Cutting Dollar Assets From Wealth Fund Signal to Emerging Markets - US Investor

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - While Russia’s decision to remove the US dollar from its National Wealth Fund will not hurt the dollar’s position too much, it will, however, send an unequivocal message to the other emerging economies relying solely on this currency, Navigator Principal Investors Director Kyle Shostak told Sputnik. “For starters, almost $65bn dollar selloff is a rather sizable amount on its own and will hardly be considered as too insignificant even by the standards of the American financial sector," Shostak said. “It may not be too painful or critical for the good standing of the dollar as the system will be able to absorb this shock for now.” Shostak stressed, however, that such a complete cutoff will send a certain signal to the other nations. "However, a total elimination of the dollar from a sovereign fund of a nation that once was among the top six purchasers of American financial assets (mostly going into the accounts of the Central Bank) will send an unequivocal signal to other emerging markets holders of the dollar who might want to separate themselves from the often moody and doctrinated US Congressional politics,” he explained. “We clearly see a trend to decoup from the dollar more and more in a long run." On Thursday, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said that the ministry will introduce changes to the structure of the National Wealth Fund within a month, mentioning that the share of the US currency will decrease to zero. “The decision of the Russian Wealthfare Fund, one of the country's key sovereign funds with $185bn in assets, to get rid of the dollar from the allowed reserves (from 35% down to 0) comes hardly as a surprise,” Shostak stated. “Over the past several years, Russian authorities, mostly Finance Ministry and less so Central Bank, have embarked on a journey to reduce dependency on the dollar reserves, a so-called 'de-dollarization policy. This was Russia's response to the increased sanctions pressure by the US and Europe.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stressed that the process of abandoning the use of the dollar is obvious when asked about the decision. The finance ministry explained that the share of the British pound sterling will drop to 5 percent, the share of Japan's yen will remain unchanged at 5 percent, the share of euro will grow to 40 percent and the share of yuan will grow to 30 percent.

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Canada, Catholic Church Must Probe Mass Grave of Indigenous Children - UN Rights Officials WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - Canada and the authorities of the Catholic Church must launch an immediate investigation into the discovery of a mass grave of more than 200 children found at a school for indigenous, or First Nation, children in British Columbia, nine senior UN diplomats dealing with abuse of children and disappearances said on Friday. "\Ne urge the authorities to conduct full-fledged investigations into the circumstances and responsibilities surrounding these deaths, including forensic examinations of the remains found, and to proceed to the identification and registration of the missing children," the officials said accord to a release from the Office of the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR). The officials included Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples Francisco Cali Tzay, Special Rapporteur on the sale and exploitation of children Mama Fatima Singhateh, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial and arbitrary executions Morris Tidball-Binz and Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer. The UN officials, who also included the OHCHR Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, also called on the Canadian government "to undertake similar investigations in all other Indigenous residential schools in the country", recalling the right of victims to know the full extent of the truth about the violations endured. On Wednesday, Canadian Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett announced that the government has earmarked a $22.4 million fund to study former residential schools for potential sites such as those found in British Columbia. The Kamloops Indian Residential School, where the children's remains were found, was run by the Catholic Church from the late 19th century to the late 1960s, when the federal government took over until its closure in the 1970s. The 2015 report of Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission determined that Aboriginal children were subjected to abuse, malnutrition and rape and that at least 4,000 died while at such schools.

Canada Loses 68,000 Jobs in May, Unemployment Rises to 8.2% - Survey

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - Employment in Canada fell by 68,000 or 0.4 percent in May adding to a decline of 207,000 in April and resulted in the unemployment rate increase to 8.2 percent amid the third wave of coronavirus health restrictions, the state statistics agency said on Friday. “Employment fell by 68,000 (-0.4%) in May, adding to a decline of 207,000 in April. The unemployment rate was little changed at 8.2%,” Statistics Canada said in its monthly Labor Force Survey. "Ontario and Nova Scotia accounted for most of the overall employment decline in May.”

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The survey found that the number of people employed in manufacturing fell by 36,000 or 2 percent in May making it the first decline in the industry since April 2020. The Canada economy also saw a decline in retail (-29,000) and "other services” (-24,000) employment due to the ongoing public health restrictions, according to the survey results. In May, the total number of employed Canadians was 18.56 million compared to 18.8 million in March that marked the highest employment rate since the beginning of pandemic. Conservative Party Leader Erin O’Toole blamed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his government for the job losses, admonishing the Canadian leader for a faltering vaccination regime that he says spurred the latest wave of the pandemic that is not being felt in countries like the United States and the United Kingdom.

US Adds 559,000 Jobs in May, Unemployment Down to 5.8% - Labor Dept.

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - The United States saw 559,000 new jobs in May and the unemployment rate fell to 5.8 percent, the Labor Department said Friday, but economists expressed disappointment with the job additions that came in sharply below forecast in a labor market still struggling to shake off the coronavirus pandemic. "Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 559,000 in May, and the unemployment rate declined by 0.3 percentage point to 5.8 percent,” the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a unit within the Labor Department, said in a statement. In April, there were 266,000 job additions, while the unemployment rate was at 6.1 percent. But the job gains for May still fell 115,000 short of the 674,000 forecast by analysts, making what the Labor Department reported somewhat underwhelming. "This is a disappointing number but it's not some kind of catastrophe, it's well within the accepted range,” economist Adam Button said in a comment on ForexLive. “The drop in the unemployment rate is only because of falling labor force participation, which isn't something you want to see. That said, I would have hoped that the April-May reopening in the US economy would have led to much more than an average of 418,000 jobs in those two months.” More than a year into the COVID-19 crisis, restoring job growth remains one of the biggest challenges of US policymakers. The United States lost more than 21 million jobs between March and April 2020, at the height of business lockdowns forced by the coronavirus. About 8 million of those jobs have yet to return, officials say. The economy itself shrank 3.5 percent in 2020, although first quarter data for 2021, released last week by the Commerce Department, showed a dynamic rebound of 6.4 percent. The Fed has forecast an economic growth of 6.5 percent for all of 2021 although Chairman Powell said he did not expect "full employment” — defined by a monthly unemployment rate of 4.0 percent or lower — to return before 2023. And while the economy itself has been recovering, a rash of US data, from consumer spending to home sales, have exceeded forecasts in recent months, putting upward pressure on prices.

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US Says Houthis Bear Major Responsibility in Yemen Conflict

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) ~ The Houthis bearing “major responsibility” in protracted armed conflict in Yemen, US State Department said in a notice Friday after Special Envoy Tim Lederking’s trip to the region. "While there are numerous problematic actors inside of Yemen, the Houthis bear major responsibility for refusing to engage meaningfully on a ceasefire and to take steps to resolve a nearly seven-year conflict that has brought unimaginable suffering to the Yemeni people,” the notice said. Washington accused Houthis of continuing offensive on Marib and other devastating moves. During his trip to the region, Lenderking visited Saudi Arabia, Oman, the UAE, and Jordan, where he met with senior officials along with Yemeni representatives. “During his meetings with Yemenis, Lenderking also discussed the need to strengthen inclusive processes that enable the country's citizens to discuss the future of their country and amplify voices for peace,” the notice said. He also discussed the humanitarian and economic crisis in Yemen and the urgent need for a comprehensive ceasefire, it added.

US Added 559,000 Jobs in May, Unemployment Rate Declines to 5.8% - Labor Dept.

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Sputnik) - The US unemployment rate fell to 5.8 percent in May as the country added 559,000 jobs in an economy swiftly emerging from the coronavirus pandemic, the Labor Department announced on Friday. “Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 559,000 in May, and the unemployment rate declined by 0.3 percentage point to 5.8 percent,” the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a unit within the Labor Department, said in a statement. In April, there were 266,000 job additions, while the unemployment rate was at 6.1 percent.

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