Asia / Europe / United States Thursday, July 11, 2019 09

News Diplomatic crisis deepens Merkel ‘well’ despite in brief

Sri Lanka negotiating third trembling bout new military deal with AFP the US, says PM Berlin Colombo: Sri Lanka is German Chancellor Angela negotiating a fresh military Merkel insisted she was “very cooperation deal with the well”, despite suffering her United States, its Prime third trembling spell in less Minister announced in parlia- than a month on Wednesday ment on Wednesday, even as that has focused attention on the country’s president vowed her health. to veto any agreement. Merkel began shaking Ranil Wickremesinghe involuntarily as national said the government was dis- anthems were being played cussing a replacement for the at the reception of Finnish 1995 Status of Forces (SOFA) Prime Minister Antti Rinne. arrangement that would allow But she attended a press the US military easier access conference as planned just to the strategically placed around an hour later, telling German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Indian Ocean island. His journalists that her health comments came days after was no cause for concern. President Volodymyr Zelen- President Maithripala Siri- “I feel very well, there is no sky, whom she was welcoming sena said he would not let need to worry,” she said, add- with military honours. the government conclude any ing that she was simply still in That first bout of shaking deal giving US forces freer a phase of “processing” a pre- was blamed on dehydration. access to Sri Lanka. (AFP) vious shaking spell, but that But a second episode struck a “there has been progress”. week later at the end of June, First Filipino ‘suicide “I will have to live with it just hours before she was due bomber’ behind last for a while,” added Merkel, to board a plane for a G20 month’s attack: Manila who turns 65 next week. “Just summit in Japan. like how it has come, one day it Officials had sought to play Manila: Philippine security will go away too,” she said. down fears over her health, forces confirmed on Wednes- A source close to the gov- saying that she was fine and day the first Filipino “suicide British Ambassador Kim Darroch (left) at the British Embassy in Washington, DC, and US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G20 ernment had said the cause of that she would not be cancel- bomber” attack in the country, Summit in Osaka recently. (AFP) the repeat shaking was now ling any planned engagements. warning militants were groom- psychological, with memories Merkel has been leader of ing other local prospects. of the first incident provoking Europe’s biggest economy for Norman Lasuca and one renewed trembling at events almost 14 years. other yet to be identified with similar settings. The coalition that she had suspect blew themselves up The shaking on Wednes- forged with the centre-left outside a military camp on day was visible although less Social Democratic Party was the remote southern island UK ambassador to US severe than during the first fragile from the start, and has of Jolo on June 28 in explo- episode in June. On that oc- lurched from crisis to crisis. sions that also killed three casion she appeared unsteady The latest health scare has soldiers and two civilians. and shook as she stood in the prompted additional questions “We can now confirm... midday sun next to Ukrainian over the length of her reign. the incidence of the first suicide bombing in the quits over Trump row Philippines, perpetrated by a Filipino in the person of AFP this point that Darroch decid- Norman Lasuca,” military London US-UK bond stronger than one ed to resign. ‘Plan Bee’ gets Indian elephants spokesman Brigadier-General Yet Johnson himself has to buzz off railway tracks Edgard Arevalo said. (AFP) Britain’s ambassador to individual, says US State Dept previously assailed the US Washington resigned on WASHINGTON: The United States and the United Kingdom have president. As mayor of Lon- Media watchdog Wednesday after being targeted a “special relationship” that is bigger than any one person, don in 2015, he said Trump slams Pakistan curbs by US President Donald Trump the State Department said on Wednesday following the British was “out of his mind” for sug- on TV broadcasters over the leak of highly critical ambassador’s resignation after critical comments by President gesting parts of the UK capital diplomatic cables that put the Donald Trump. were “so radicalised” that even Islamabad: A global media allies’ relationship on edge. “The United States and the United Kingdom share a bond the police stayed away. watchdog has slammed Outgoing Prime Minister that is bigger than any individual, and we look forward to continu- “I think he is betraying a Pakistani authorities over the Theresa May had offered her ing that partnership. We remain committed to the US-UK Special quite stupefying ignorance removal of three television support to Kim Darroch after Relationship and our shared global agenda,” a State Depart- that makes him frankly unfit channels from the airwaves, it was revealed he described ment spokeswoman said. (REUTERS) to hold the office of president saying the move was “indica- the Trump administration as of the United States,” Johnson tive of disturbing dictatorial “inept”. said at the time. tendencies” as pressure But the man tipped to re- roch again, describing him Jeremy Hunt said: “It should Prime Minister May ex- mounts on journalists in the place her in Downing Street as a “very stupid guy” and a never have come to this.” pressed “great regret” that New Delhi: Indian Railways have come up with a novel way of South Asian nation. this month, former foreign sec- “pompous fool”. He also criti- Hunt, who is vying with John- Darroch was leaving, saying: getting elephants to buzz off from train tracks: speakers that The statement from retary Boris Johnson, declined cised May’s “foolish” policies son to replace May as leader of “Good government depends play the sound of bees to scare the jumbos away. Reporters Without Borders to back the diplomat, instead and said it was a good thing the ruling Conservative party on public servants being able Almost 70 elephants were killed by trains between 2013 (RSF) comes days after AbbT- emphasising the need to main- she would soon be replaced. and as prime minister, con- to give full and frank advice.” and June this year, mostly in the north-eastern state of Assam akk TV, 24 News, and Capital tain strong ties with the US. Darroch has been in Wash- demned Trump’s outbursts as Tom Tugendhat, the Con- and northern West Bengal. Nearly 50 buzzing amplifiers have TV all had their broadcasts In a series of confidential ington since January 2016 and “disrespectful and wrong”. servative chairman of parlia- been deployed as part of ‘Plan Bee’ at a dozen “elephant corri- cut, after screening a press cables revealed by a British was due to stay until the end But Johnson declined ment’s foreign affairs commit- dors” in the vast forests of Assam state, home to nearly 6,000 conference with opposi- newspaper at the weekend, of the year. But in a statement several opportunities in a TV tee, warned the incident could elephants, 20 percent of the country’s total. tion leader Maryam Nawaz. Darroch called the Trump he said: “The current situation debate Tuesday night to back have far-reaching implications. “The buzzing is played as trains approach vulnerable points Authorities say the channels administration “uniquely is making it impossible for me Britain’s ambassador. “If the UK can’t protect and can be heard up to half a mile away,” Pranav Jyoti Sharma, were unavailable due to dysfunctional” and said the to carry out my role as I would “I don’t think it was neces- diplomatic communications an Indian Railways spokesperson, told AFP. “technical issues”. (AFP) president was “radiating in- like.” sarily the right thing for him to and that costs people their The devices were tested for efficiency in 2017 on domesti- security”. Darroch has received sup- do,” he said of Trump’s tweets. careers... we will degrade the cated elephants, and then wild ones, before they were deployed 22 envoys condemn Trump hit back with a tor- port from across the political “But our relationship with the quality of our envoys, diminish for real last year. Elephants have long been known to be fright- China’s treatment of rent of angry tweets, saying spectrum in Britain and after US is of fantastic importance.” our influence and weaken our ened by the buzzing of bees and stings. (AFP) Uighurs in Xinjiang he would not deal with Dar he resigned, Foreign Secretary Reports suggest it was at country,” he said. Geneva: More than 20 countries have written to top United Nations human rights officials condemning China’s treatment of Uighur and other minorities in the west- 24 killed in Papua New Guinea tribal massacres ern Xinjiang region, in a letter released on Wednesday. AFP a rugged region in the west on Wednesday that the death deployments and warned the UN ambassadors from Port Moresby of the country -- when rival toll could rise. “We are still perpetrators “your time is up”. 22 states -- including Austral- tribes apparently clashed over waiting for today’s brief from “Today is one of the sad- ia, Britain, Canada, France, At least 24 people, includ- control of local gold deposits our officials on the ground,” dest day of my life,” he said in Germany and Japan -- co- ing two pregnant women and in the mineral-rich soil. he said, calling for at least 100 a statement. “Many children signed the text sent to the their unborn children, were Highland clans have police to be deployed to rein- and mothers innocently mur- Human Rights Council presi- killed in a three-day spasm of fought each other in Papua force some 40 local officers. dered in Munima and Karida dent, Coly Seck, and the High tribal violence in Papua New New Guinea for centuries, but The incident has shocked villages of my electorate.” In Commissioner for Human Guinea’s lawless highlands, an influx of automatic weap- both the country and recently the Karida attack, six women Rights, Michelle Bachelet. prompting the prime minis- ons has made clashes more appointed Prime Minister and eight children — as well China is reportedly hold- ter on Wednesday to promise deadly and escalated the cycle James Marape, whose con- as two pregnant women and ing one million people, mostly swift justice. of violence. stituency includes the district their unborn children — were ethnic Uighurs, in internment Dead bodies lined up on a road in Hela province, in Papua New Officials said the deaths Hela provincial adminis- where the killings occurred. hacked and shot to death in a camps in Xinjiang. (AFP) Guinea, on Tuesday. (AFP) occurred in Hela province -- trator William Bando told AFP He vowed more security 30-minute rampage.

Twitter moves to curb hate speech based on religion Need quick medical advice in Britain? Ask Amazon’s Alexa REUTERS mands, the government said. 65 and over have never used Washington: Twitter is moving to filter out inappropriate con- LONDON The deal could ease pres- the internet, she added. tent based on religion as part of its effort to curb hate speech. sure on the NHS by reduc- The deal marks the latest In a policy update on Tuesday, Twitter said it would take Britain’s state-run health ing the need to visit a doctor. move by Amazon into health- down “dehumanising language” that targets specific religious service is teaming up with Am- However, there are concerns care following its purchase groups. Examples shown by Twitter that would be removed azon to provide medical advice that older people, who are of online pharmacy PillPack would be description of a members of a religion as “disgusting” for common ailments such as used to telephonic or personal last year, and a tie-up with or “filthy animals.” “After months of conversations and feedback migraines and flu via the tech interactions, might find it hard Berkshire Hathaway and JP- from the public, external experts and our own teams, we’re giant’s voice assistant Alexa, to adapt to newer technologies Morgan Chase & Co aimed expanding our rules against hateful conduct to include language aiming to help more patients at for healthcare services. at cutting health costs for US that dehumanizes others on the basis of religion,” the Twitter home and cut down on costs. Caroline Abrahams, char- employees. safety team wrote. The plan is to give patients - ity director at Age UK, said Health Secretary Matt Han- “Starting today, we will require tweets like these to be especially the elderly, blind and smart devices could help older Prompts on how to use Amazon’s Alexa personal assistant are seen in cock said millions of people removed from Twitter when they’re reported to us.” Tweets those unable to access the inter- people access routine health an Amazon ‘experience centre’ in Vallejo, California, US. (REUTERS) were already asking Alexa and that break this rule sent before the update will need to be net through traditional means - information and advice, es- other voice assistants about deleted, but will not result in account suspensions, according access to information verified pecially if there was support “Older people still have such as face to face and tel- health matters, and he wanted to the company. (AFP) by the National Health Service available to help them learn traditional ways of getting the ephone support,” Abrahams to make sure they received the (NHS) by using voice com- how to use them. right information and advice, said. Five million people aged very best advice in response.