TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES:
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, the First Lady of the United States, and Citizens of America:
Tonight, as we mark the conclusion of our celebration of Black History Month, we are reminded of our Nation's path toward civil rights and the work that still remains. Recent threats targeting Jewish Community Centers and vandalism of Jewish cemeteries, as well as last week's shooting in Kansas City, remind us that while we may be a Nation divided on policies, we are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its forms.
Each American generation passes the torch of truth, liberty and justice –- in an unbroken chain all the way down to the present.
That torch is now in our hands. And we will use it to light up the world. I am here tonight to deliver a message of unity and strength, and it is a message deeply delivered from my heart.
A new chapter of American Greatness is now beginning.
A new national pride is sweeping across our Nation.
And a new surge of optimism is placing impossible dreams firmly within our grasp.
What we are witnessing today is the Renewal of the American Spirit.
Our allies will find that America is once again ready to lead.
All the nations of the world -- friend or foe -- will find that America is strong, America is proud, and America is free.
In 9 years, the United States will celebrate the 250th anniversary of our founding -- 250 years since the day we declared our Independence.
It will be one of the great milestones in the history of the world.
But what will America look like as we reach our 250th year? What kind of country will we leave for our children?
I will not allow the mistakes of recent decades past to define the course of our future.
For too long, we've watched our middle class shrink as we've exported our jobs and wealth to foreign countries.
We've financed and built one global project after another, but ignored the fates of our children in the inner cities of Chicago, Baltimore, Detroit -- and so many other places throughout our land.
We've defended the borders of other nations, while leaving our own borders wide open, for anyone to cross -- and for drugs to pour in at a now unprecedented rate.
And we've spent trillions of dollars overseas, while our infrastructure at home has so badly crumbled.
Then, in 2016, the earth shifted beneath our feet. The rebellion started as a quiet protest, spoken by families of all colors and creeds -– families who just wanted a fair shot for their children, and a fair hearing for their concerns.
But then the quiet voices became a loud chorus -- as thousands of citizens now spoke out together, from cities small and large, all across our country.
Finally, the chorus became an earthquake – and the people turned out by the tens of millions, and they were all united by one very simple, but crucial demand, that America must put its own citizens first ... because only then, can we truly MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.
Dying industries will come roaring back to life. Heroic veterans will get the care they so desperately need.
Our military will be given the resources its brave warriors so richly deserve.
Crumbling infrastructure will be replaced with new roads, bridges, tunnels, airports and railways gleaming across our beautiful land.
Our terrible drug epidemic will slow down and ultimately, stop.
And our neglected inner cities will see a rebirth of hope, safety, and opportunity.
Above all else, we will keep our promises to the American people.
It's been a little over a month since my inauguration, and I want to take this moment to update the Nation on the progress I've made in keeping those promises.
Since my election, Ford, Fiat-Chrysler, General Motors, Sprint, Softbank, Lockheed, Intel, Walmart, and many others, have announced that they will invest billions of dollars in the United States and will create tens of thousands of new American jobs.
The stock market has gained almost three trillion dollars in value since the election on November 8th, a record. We've saved taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars by bringing down the price of the fantastic new F-35 jet fighter, and will be saving billions more dollars on contracts all across our Government. We have placed a hiring freeze on non-military and non-essential Federal workers.
We have begun to drain the swamp of government corruption by imposing a 5 year ban on lobbying by executive branch officials –- and a lifetime ban on becoming lobbyists for a foreign government.
We have undertaken a historic effort to massively reduce job‑crushing regulations, creating a deregulation task force inside of every Government agency; imposing a new rule which mandates that for every 1 new regulation, 2 old regulations must be eliminated; and stopping a regulation that threatens the future and livelihoods of our great coal miners.
We have cleared the way for the construction of the Keystone and Dakota Access Pipelines -- thereby creating tens of thousands of jobs -- and I've issued a new directive that new American pipelines be made with American steel.
We have withdrawn the United States from the job-killing Trans-Pacific Partnership.
With the help of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, we have formed a Council with our neighbors in Canada to help ensure that women entrepreneurs have access to the networks, markets and capital they need to start a business and live out their financial dreams.
To protect our citizens, I have directed the Department of Justice to form a Task Force on Reducing Violent Crime.
I have further ordered the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice, along with the Department of State and the Director of National Intelligence, to coordinate an aggressive strategy to dismantle the criminal cartels that have spread across our Nation.
We will stop the drugs from pouring into our country and poisoning our youth -- and we will expand treatment for those who have become so badly addicted.
At the same time, my Administration has answered the pleas of the American people for immigration enforcement and border security. By finally enforcing our immigration laws, we will raise wages, help the unemployed, save billions of dollars, and make our communities safer for everyone. We want all Americans to succeed –- but that can't happen in an environment of lawless chaos. We must restore integrity and the rule of law to our borders.
For that reason, we will soon begin the construction of a great wall along our southern border. It will be started ahead of schedule and, when finished, it will be a very effective weapon against drugs and crime.
As we speak, we are removing gang members, drug dealers and criminals that threaten our communities and prey on our citizens. Bad ones are going out as I speak tonight and as I have promised.
To any in Congress who do not believe we should enforce our laws, I would ask you this question: what would you say to the American family that loses their jobs, their income, or a loved one, because America refused to uphold its laws and defend its borders?
Our obligation is to serve, protect, and defend the citizens of the United States. We are also taking strong measures to protect our Nation from Radical Islamic Terrorism.
According to data provided by the Department of Justice, the vast majority of individuals convicted for terrorism-related offenses since 9/11 came here from outside of our country. We have seen the attacks at home -– from Boston to San Bernardino to the Pentagon and yes, even the World Trade Center.
We have seen the attacks in France, in Belgium, in Germany and all over the world.
It is not compassionate, but reckless, to allow uncontrolled entry from places where proper vetting cannot occur. Those given the high honor of admission to the United States should support this country and love its people and its values.
We cannot allow a beachhead of terrorism to form inside America -- we cannot allow our Nation to become a sanctuary for extremists.
That is why my Administration has been working on improved vetting procedures, and we will shortly take new steps to keep our Nation safe -- and to keep out those who would do us harm.
As promised, I directed the Department of Defense to develop a plan to demolish and destroy ISIS -- a network of lawless savages that have slaughtered Muslims and Christians, and men, women, and children of all faiths and beliefs. We will work with our allies, including our friends and allies in the Muslim world, to extinguish this vile enemy from our planet.
I have also imposed new sanctions on entities and individuals who support Iran's ballistic missile program, and reaffirmed our unbreakable alliance with the State of Israel.
Finally, I have kept my promise to appoint a Justice to the United States Supreme Court -- from my list of 20 judges -- who will defend our Constitution. I am honored to have Maureen Scalia with us in the gallery tonight. Her late, great husband, Antonin Scalia, will forever be a symbol of American justice. To fill his seat, we have chosen Judge Neil Gorsuch, a man of incredible skill, and deep devotion to the law. He was confirmed unanimously to the Court of Appeals, and I am asking the Senate to swiftly approve his nomination.
Tonight, as I outline the next steps we must take as a country, we must honestly acknowledge the circumstances we inherited.
Ninety-four million Americans are out of the labor force.
Over 43 million people are now living in poverty, and over 43 million Americans are on food stamps.
More than 1 in 5 people in their prime working years are not working.
We have the worst financial recovery in 65 years.
In the last 8 years, the past Administration has put on more new debt than nearly all other Presidents combined.
We've lost more than one-fourth of our manufacturing jobs since NAFTA was approved, and we've lost 60,000 factories since China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001.
Our trade deficit in goods with the world last year was nearly $800 billion dollars.
And overseas, we have inherited a series of tragic foreign policy disasters.
Solving these, and so many other pressing problems, will require us to work past the differences of party. It will require us to tap into the American spirit that has overcome every challenge throughout our long and storied history.
But to accomplish our goals at home and abroad, we must restart the engine of the American economy -- making it easier for companies to do business in the United States, and much harder for companies to leave.
Right now, American companies are taxed at one of the highest rates anywhere in the world.
My economic team is developing historic tax reform that will reduce the tax rate on our companies so they can compete and thrive anywhere and with anyone. At the same time, we will provide massive tax relief for the middle class.
We must create a level playing field for American companies and workers.
Currently, when we ship products out of America, many other countries make us pay very high tariffs and taxes -- but when foreign companies ship their products into America, we charge them almost nothing.
I just met with officials and workers from a great American company, Harley-Davidson. In fact, they proudly displayed five of their magnificent motorcycles, made in the USA, on the front lawn of the White House.
At our meeting, I asked them, how are you doing, how is business? They said that it's good. I asked them further how they are doing with other countries, mainly international sales. They told me -- without even complaining because they have been mistreated for so long that they have become used to it -- that it is very hard to do business with other countries because they tax our goods at such a high rate. They said that in one case another country taxed their motorcycles at 100 percent.
They weren't even asking for change. But I am.
I believe strongly in free trade but it also has to be FAIR TRADE.
The first Republican President, Abraham Lincoln, warned that the "abandonment of the protective policy by the American Government [will] produce want and ruin among our people."
Lincoln was right -- and it is time we heeded his words. I am not going to let America and its great companies and workers, be taken advantage of anymore.
I am going to bring back millions of jobs. Protecting our workers also means reforming our system of legal immigration. The current, outdated system depresses wages for our poorest workers, and puts great pressure on taxpayers.
Nations around the world, like Canada, Australia and many others –- have a merit-based immigration system. It is a basic principle that those seeking to enter a country ought to be able to support themselves financially. Yet, in America, we do not enforce this rule, straining the very public resources that our poorest citizens rely upon. According to the National Academy of Sciences, our current immigration system costs America's taxpayers many billions of dollars a year.
Switching away from this current system of lower-skilled immigration, and instead adopting a merit-based system, will have many benefits: it will save countless dollars, raise workers' wages, and help struggling families –- including immigrant families –- enter the middle class.
I believe that real and positive immigration reform is possible, as long as we focus on the following goals: to improve jobs and wages for Americans, to strengthen our nation’s security, and to restore respect for our laws.
If we are guided by the well-being of American citizens then I believe Republicans and Democrats can work together to achieve an outcome that has eluded our country for decades.
Another Republican President, Dwight D. Eisenhower, initiated the last truly great national infrastructure program –- the building of the interstate highway system. The time has come for a new program of national rebuilding.
America has spent approximately six trillion dollars in the Middle East, all this while our infrastructure at home is crumbling. With this six trillion dollars we could have rebuilt our country –- twice. And maybe even three times if we had people who had the ability to negotiate.
To launch our national rebuilding, I will be asking the Congress to approve legislation that produces a $1 trillion investment in the infrastructure of the United States -- financed through both public and private capital –- creating millions of new jobs.
This effort will be guided by two core principles: Buy American, and Hire American.
Tonight, I am also calling on this Congress to repeal and replace Obamacare with reforms that expand choice, increase access, lower costs, and at the same time, provide better Healthcare.
Mandating every American to buy government-approved health insurance was never the right solution for America. The way to make health insurance available to everyone is to lower the cost of health insurance, and that is what we will do.
Obamacare premiums nationwide have increased by double and triple digits. As an example, Arizona went up 116 percent last year alone. Governor Matt Bevin of Kentucky just said Obamacare is failing in his State -- it is unsustainable and collapsing.
One third of counties have only one insurer on the exchanges –- leaving many Americans with no choice at all.
Remember when you were told that you could keep your doctor, and keep your plan?
We now know that all of those promises have been broken.
Obamacare is collapsing –- and we must act decisively to protect all Americans. Action is not a choice –- it is a necessity.
So I am calling on all Democrats and Republicans in the Congress to work with us to save Americans from this imploding Obamacare disaster.
Here are the principles that should guide the Congress as we move to create a better healthcare system for all Americans:
First, we should ensure that Americans with pre-existing conditions have access to coverage, and that we have a stable transition for Americans currently enrolled in the healthcare exchanges.
Secondly, we should help Americans purchase their own coverage, through the use of tax credits and expanded Health Savings Accounts –- but it must be the plan they want, not the plan forced on them by the Government.
Thirdly, we should give our great State Governors the resources and flexibility they need with Medicaid to make sure no one is left out.
Fourthly, we should implement legal reforms that protect patients and doctors from unnecessary costs that drive up the price of insurance – and work to bring down the artificially high price of drugs and bring them down immediately.
Finally, the time has come to give Americans the freedom to purchase health insurance across State lines –- creating a truly competitive national marketplace that will bring cost way down and provide far better care.
Everything that is broken in our country can be fixed. Every problem can be solved. And every hurting family can find healing, and hope.
Our citizens deserve this, and so much more –- so why not join forces to finally get it done? On this and so many other things, Democrats and Republicans should get together and unite for the good of our country, and for the good of the American people.
My administration wants to work with members in both parties to make childcare accessible and affordable, to help ensure new parents have paid family leave, to invest in women's health, and to promote clean air and clear water, and to rebuild our military and our infrastructure.
True love for our people requires us to find common ground, to advance the common good, and to cooperate on behalf of every American child who deserves a brighter future.
An incredible young woman is with us this evening who should serve as an inspiration to us all.
Today is Rare Disease day, and joining us in the gallery is a Rare Disease Survivor, Megan Crowley. Megan was diagnosed with Pompe Disease, a rare and serious illness, when she was 15 months old. She was not expected to live past 5.
On receiving this news, Megan's dad, John, fought with everything he had to save the life of his precious child. He founded a company to look for a cure, and helped develop the drug that saved Megan's life. Today she is 20 years old -- and a sophomore at Notre Dame.
Megan's story is about the unbounded power of a father's love for a daughter.
But our slow and burdensome approval process at the Food and Drug Administration keeps too many advances, like the one that saved Megan's life, from reaching those in need.
If we slash the restraints, not just at the FDA but across our Government, then we will be blessed with far more miracles like Megan.
In fact, our children will grow up in a Nation of miracles.
But to achieve this future, we must enrich the mind –- and the souls –- of every American child.
Education is the civil rights issue of our time.
I am calling upon Members of both parties to pass an education bill that funds school choice for disadvantaged youth, including millions of African-American and Latino children. These families should be free to choose the public, private, charter, magnet, religious or home school that is right for them.
Joining us tonight in the gallery is a remarkable woman, Denisha Merriweather. As a young girl, Denisha struggled in school and failed third grade twice. But then she was able to enroll in a private center for learning, with the help of a tax credit scholarship program. Today, she is the first in her family to graduate, not just from high school, but from college. Later this year she will get her masters degree in social work.
We want all children to be able to break the cycle of poverty just like Denisha.
But to break the cycle of poverty, we must also break the cycle of violence.
The murder rate in 2015 experienced its largest single-year increase in nearly half a century.
In Chicago, more than 4,000 people were shot last year alone –- and the murder rate so far this year has been even higher.
This is not acceptable in our society.
Every American child should be able to grow up in a safe community, to attend a great school, and to have access to a high-paying job.
But to create this future, we must work with –- not against -– the men and women of law enforcement.
We must build bridges of cooperation and trust –- not drive the wedge of disunity and division.
Police and sheriffs are members of our community. They are friends and neighbors, they are mothers and fathers, sons and daughters – and they leave behind loved ones every day who worry whether or not they'll come home safe and sound.
We must support the incredible men and women of law enforcement.
And we must support the victims of crime.
I have ordered the Department of Homeland Security to create an office to serve American Victims. The office is called VOICE –- Victims Of Immigration Crime Engagement. We are providing a voice to those who have been ignored by our media, and silenced by special interests.
Joining us in the audience tonight are four very brave Americans whose government failed them.
Their names are Jamiel Shaw, Susan Oliver, Jenna Oliver, and Jessica Davis.
Jamiel's 17-year-old son was viciously murdered by an illegal immigrant gang member, who had just been released from prison. Jamiel Shaw Jr. was an incredible young man, with unlimited potential who was getting ready to go to college where he would have excelled as a great quarterback. But he never got the chance. His father, who is in the audience tonight, has become a good friend of mine.
Also with us are Susan Oliver and Jessica Davis. Their husbands –- Deputy Sheriff Danny Oliver and Detective Michael Davis –- were slain in the line of duty in California. They were pillars of their community. These brave men were viciously gunned down by an illegal immigrant with a criminal record and two prior deportations.
Sitting with Susan is her daughter, Jenna. Jenna: I want you to know that your father was a hero, and that tonight you have the love of an entire country supporting you and praying for you.
To Jamiel, Jenna, Susan and Jessica: I want you to know –- we will never stop fighting for justice. Your loved ones will never be forgotten, we will always honor their memory.
Finally, to keep America Safe we must provide the men and women of the United States military with the tools they need to prevent war and –- if they must –- to fight and to win.
I am sending the Congress a budget that rebuilds the military, eliminates the Defense sequester, and calls for one of the largest increases in national defense spending in American history.
My budget will also increase funding for our veterans.
Our veterans have delivered for this Nation –- and now we must deliver for them.
The challenges we face as a Nation are great. But our people are even greater.
And none are greater or braver than those who fight for America in uniform.
We are blessed to be joined tonight by Carryn Owens, the widow of a U.S. Navy Special Operator, Senior Chief William "Ryan" Owens. Ryan died as he lived: a warrior, and a hero –- battling against terrorism and securing our Nation.
I just spoke to General Mattis, who reconfirmed that, and I quote, "Ryan was a part of a highly successful raid that generated large amounts of vital intelligence that will lead to many more victories in the future against our enemies." Ryan's legacy is etched into eternity. For as the Bible teaches us, there is no greater act of love than to lay down one's life for one's friends. Ryan laid down his life for his friends, for his country, and for our freedom –- we will never forget him.
To those allies who wonder what kind of friend America will be, look no further than the heroes who wear our uniform.
Our foreign policy calls for a direct, robust and meaningful engagement with the world. It is American leadership based on vital security interests that we share with our allies across the globe.
We strongly support NATO, an alliance forged through the bonds of two World Wars that dethroned fascism, and a Cold War that defeated communism.
But our partners must meet their financial obligations.
And now, based on our very strong and frank discussions, they are beginning to do just that.
We expect our partners, whether in NATO, in the Middle East, or the Pacific –- to take a direct and meaningful role in both strategic and military operations, and pay their fair share of the cost.
We will respect historic institutions, but we will also respect the sovereign rights of nations.
Free nations are the best vehicle for expressing the will of the people –- and America respects the right of all nations to chart their own path. My job is not to represent the world. My job is to represent the United States of America. But we know that America is better off, when there is less conflict -- not more.
We must learn from the mistakes of the past –- we have seen the war and destruction that have raged across our world.
The only long-term solution for these humanitarian disasters is to create the conditions where displaced persons can safely return home and begin the long process of rebuilding.
America is willing to find new friends, and to forge new partnerships, where shared interests align. We want harmony and stability, not war and conflict.
We want peace, wherever peace can be found. America is friends today with former enemies. Some of our closest allies, decades ago, fought on the opposite side of these World Wars. This history should give us all faith in the possibilities for a better world.
Hopefully, the 250th year for America will see a world that is more peaceful, more just and more free.
On our 100th anniversary, in 1876, citizens from across our Nation came to Philadelphia to celebrate America's centennial. At that celebration, the country's builders and artists and inventors showed off their creations.
Alexander Graham Bell displayed his telephone for the first time.
Remington unveiled the first typewriter. An early attempt was made at electric light.
Thomas Edison showed an automatic telegraph and an electric pen.
Imagine the wonders our country could know in America's 250th year.
Think of the marvels we can achieve if we simply set free the dreams of our people.
Cures to illnesses that have always plagued us are not too much to hope.
American footprints on distant worlds are not too big a dream.
Millions lifted from welfare to work is not too much to expect.
And streets where mothers are safe from fear -- schools where children learn in peace -- and jobs where Americans prosper and grow -- are not too much to ask.
When we have all of this, we will have made America greater than ever before. For all Americans.
This is our vision. This is our mission.
But we can only get there together.
We are one people, with one destiny.
We all bleed the same blood.
We all salute the same flag.
And we are all made by the same God.
And when we fulfill this vision; when we celebrate our 250 years of glorious freedom, we will look back on tonight as when this new chapter of American Greatness began.
The time for small thinking is over. The time for trivial fights is behind us.
We just need the courage to share the dreams that fill our hearts.
The bravery to express the hopes that stir our souls.
And the confidence to turn those hopes and dreams to action.
From now on, America will be empowered by our aspirations, not burdened by our fears –-
inspired by the future, not bound by the failures of the past –-
and guided by our vision, not blinded by our doubts.
I am asking all citizens to embrace this Renewal of the American Spirit. I am asking all members of Congress to join me in dreaming big, and bold and daring things for our country. And I am asking everyone watching tonight to seize this moment and --
Believe in yourselves.
Believe in your future.
And believe, once more, in America.
Thank you, God bless you, and God Bless these United States.
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Kellyanne Conway's feet on Oval Office couch spark social media outrage
Kellyanne Conway has been accused of lacking respect for the White House after a series of photos showed her kneeling on an Oval Office couch with her shoes on.
The images show the President's adviser perched on her knees on the couch with her feet behind her, as she was snapping photos on her phone of Donald Trump's meeting with leaders of historically black colleges and universities.
The photos were quickly shared - and debated - on social media.
To her critics, the photos showed a lack of respect from Ms Conway, while hers and the President's supporters pointed to images of former President Barack Obama resting his feet on the office's desk.
Others referenced the sex scandal of Bill Clinton, and Monika Lewinsky.
Ms Conway has not publicly responded to the criticism.
Like her boss, Ms Conway has had a rocky time since the inauguration on 20 January.
She made an embarrassing mistake when she referred to the non-existent "Bowling Green massacre" and raised ethical questions when she promoted the fashion products created by Mr Trump's daughter Ivanka during a TV interview.
Recently, she went on TV to say that the then embattled National Security Adviser, General Michael Flynn, had Mr Trump's "full confidence" - just hours before the President asked him to resign.
Her absence from the airwaves for a few days led some to speculate she was pulled off the air following her blunders, but this has been denied by members of the administration.
The images show the President's adviser perched on her knees on the couch with her feet behind her, as she was snapping photos on her phone of Donald Trump's meeting with leaders of historically black colleges and universities.
The photos were quickly shared - and debated - on social media.
To her critics, the photos showed a lack of respect from Ms Conway, while hers and the President's supporters pointed to images of former President Barack Obama resting his feet on the office's desk.
Others referenced the sex scandal of Bill Clinton, and Monika Lewinsky.
Ms Conway has not publicly responded to the criticism.
Like her boss, Ms Conway has had a rocky time since the inauguration on 20 January.
She made an embarrassing mistake when she referred to the non-existent "Bowling Green massacre" and raised ethical questions when she promoted the fashion products created by Mr Trump's daughter Ivanka during a TV interview.
Recently, she went on TV to say that the then embattled National Security Adviser, General Michael Flynn, had Mr Trump's "full confidence" - just hours before the President asked him to resign.
Her absence from the airwaves for a few days led some to speculate she was pulled off the air following her blunders, but this has been denied by members of the administration.
Australian man arrested for 'helping IS develop missiles'
An Australian man has been charged with helping Islamic State develop missiles, police said.
Haisem Zahab, a 42-year-old electrician, was picked up during a raid at his home in the town of Young, in rural New South Wales.
He is accused of researching and designing systems to assist the extremist group's efforts to develop their own long-range guided missiles, Police Commissioner Andrew Colvin told reporters in Canberra.
Zahab is also accused of researching and designing a laser warning device that could alert IS, also known as ISIL, to incoming guided weapons used by coalition forces in Syria and Iraq.
Mr Colvin said: "We believe he has networks and contacts in ISIL - not necessarily just in the conflict zones, but in other parts of the world as well and he has been relying on them to pass this information."
He called Zahab's research "fairly sophisticated".
The raid, at the end of an 18-month investigation, involved dozens of police, including a dog squad and officers with metal detectors. The property is about 270km (170 miles) southwest of Sydney.
Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said: "This highlights that terrorism, support for terrorist groups, and Islamist extremism is not limited to our major cities."
The suspect, who appeared in court briefly on Tuesday, faces charges of supporting extremist groups overseas, which are punishable by life imprisonment.
He was refused bail and will reappear on 8 March.
Since Australia's terrorist threat level was elevated in September 2014, the government says there have been 12 extremist plots foiled by police.
Haisem Zahab, a 42-year-old electrician, was picked up during a raid at his home in the town of Young, in rural New South Wales.
He is accused of researching and designing systems to assist the extremist group's efforts to develop their own long-range guided missiles, Police Commissioner Andrew Colvin told reporters in Canberra.
Zahab is also accused of researching and designing a laser warning device that could alert IS, also known as ISIL, to incoming guided weapons used by coalition forces in Syria and Iraq.
Mr Colvin said: "We believe he has networks and contacts in ISIL - not necessarily just in the conflict zones, but in other parts of the world as well and he has been relying on them to pass this information."
He called Zahab's research "fairly sophisticated".
The raid, at the end of an 18-month investigation, involved dozens of police, including a dog squad and officers with metal detectors. The property is about 270km (170 miles) southwest of Sydney.
Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said: "This highlights that terrorism, support for terrorist groups, and Islamist extremism is not limited to our major cities."
The suspect, who appeared in court briefly on Tuesday, faces charges of supporting extremist groups overseas, which are punishable by life imprisonment.
He was refused bail and will reappear on 8 March.
Since Australia's terrorist threat level was elevated in September 2014, the government says there have been 12 extremist plots foiled by police.
Four dead as plane crashes into homes in California
Four people have been killed and another two injured after a small plane crashed into two homes and caused a huge fire in southern California.
Riverside Fire chief Michael Moore said a husband, wife and three teenagers were returning to San Jose on Monday after a weekend cheerleading conference at Disneyland.
One of the teenagers, a girl, was thrown from the plane on impact and suffered only minor injuries.
She was able to talk to firefighters about what happened as she was taken to hospital.
An unconscious victim from one of the homes is in surgery.
Four bodies have been found in the wreckage, but firefighters have not established how many were from the plane and how many are from the homes.
They are searching for two possible victims in the wreckage.
The two homes were destroyed, and there was minor damage to some neighbouring homes.
Riverside Fire chief Michael Moore said a husband, wife and three teenagers were returning to San Jose on Monday after a weekend cheerleading conference at Disneyland.
One of the teenagers, a girl, was thrown from the plane on impact and suffered only minor injuries.
She was able to talk to firefighters about what happened as she was taken to hospital.
An unconscious victim from one of the homes is in surgery.
Four bodies have been found in the wreckage, but firefighters have not established how many were from the plane and how many are from the homes.
They are searching for two possible victims in the wreckage.
The two homes were destroyed, and there was minor damage to some neighbouring homes.
Monday, February 27, 2017
Two women to be charged over Kim Jong-Nam's murder
Two women will be charged with the murder of Kim Jong-Nam, who was assassinated at Kuala Lumpur's main airport.
Malaysia's attorney general Mohamed Apandi Ali said: "They will be charged in court under Section 302 (murder) of the penal code."
If they are found guilty, the women could face be hanged for the crime.
Indonesian Siti Aisyah, 25, reportedly told a senior diplomat Saturday she had been paid a small amount of cash for her role, and added she believed she was handling a liquid like "baby oil".
Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong, 28, told Hanoi officials she had been tricked into killing Mr Kim and thought she was taking part in a spoof for a comedy video.
A third suspect, 46-year-old North Korean man Ri Jong-Chol, was also arrested.
Seven North Korean suspects are being hunted by police, including four who fled the country on the day of the killing and are believed to be back in North Korea.
The killing on February 13 took place amid crowds of travellers at Kuala Lumpur's airport and appeared to be a well-planned hit.
Malaysian authorities said North Koreans put the deadly nerve agent VX on the hands of Aisyah and Huong, who then placed the toxin on Mr Kim's face.
He died on the way to hospital within about 20 minutes of the attack.
South Korean legislators said on Monday that the country's National Intelligence Service told them in a private briefing that four of the North Koreans identified as suspects are from the Ministry of State Security, the North's spy organisation.
Malaysia's attorney general Mohamed Apandi Ali said: "They will be charged in court under Section 302 (murder) of the penal code."
If they are found guilty, the women could face be hanged for the crime.
Indonesian Siti Aisyah, 25, reportedly told a senior diplomat Saturday she had been paid a small amount of cash for her role, and added she believed she was handling a liquid like "baby oil".
Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong, 28, told Hanoi officials she had been tricked into killing Mr Kim and thought she was taking part in a spoof for a comedy video.
A third suspect, 46-year-old North Korean man Ri Jong-Chol, was also arrested.
Seven North Korean suspects are being hunted by police, including four who fled the country on the day of the killing and are believed to be back in North Korea.
The killing on February 13 took place amid crowds of travellers at Kuala Lumpur's airport and appeared to be a well-planned hit.
Malaysian authorities said North Koreans put the deadly nerve agent VX on the hands of Aisyah and Huong, who then placed the toxin on Mr Kim's face.
He died on the way to hospital within about 20 minutes of the attack.
South Korean legislators said on Monday that the country's National Intelligence Service told them in a private briefing that four of the North Koreans identified as suspects are from the Ministry of State Security, the North's spy organisation.
Car involved in Tupac Shakur shooting goes on sale for £1.2m
A memorabilia dealer is selling the car which rapper Tupac Shakur was travelling in when he was shot and killed in a drive-by attack nearly 20 years ago.
The BMW 750iL, which once belonged to Death Row Records co-founder Suge Knight, has been listed with an asking price of $1.5m (£1.2m) in California.
Several photographs of the BMW have been uploaded by Moments In Time, but the company has not provided any details of the car's history since Shakur's death in September 1996.
However, it appears the car has been well-used, as there are more than 92,000 miles on the odometer.
Shakur, whose hits included Dear Mama and California Love, was travelling with Knight in Las Vegas when he was shot several times by a gunman in another car.
The rapper was taken to hospital and put on a life support machine, but died six days later at the age of 25. His murder was never resolved.
Several of Shakur's belongings have been listed by Moments In Time over recent months.
Last October, the company listed a pendant which the rapper was apparently wearing on the night he was shot in New York City - two years before his death.
The dented gold and diamond pendant's asking price was $125,000 (£100,000) - but TMZ reported that Shakur's estate was "strongly against" the listing and had threatened to file a lawsuit against anyone who purchased the jewellery.
It remains available to buy on the dealer's website.
The BMW 750iL, which once belonged to Death Row Records co-founder Suge Knight, has been listed with an asking price of $1.5m (£1.2m) in California.
Several photographs of the BMW have been uploaded by Moments In Time, but the company has not provided any details of the car's history since Shakur's death in September 1996.
However, it appears the car has been well-used, as there are more than 92,000 miles on the odometer.
Shakur, whose hits included Dear Mama and California Love, was travelling with Knight in Las Vegas when he was shot several times by a gunman in another car.
The rapper was taken to hospital and put on a life support machine, but died six days later at the age of 25. His murder was never resolved.
Several of Shakur's belongings have been listed by Moments In Time over recent months.
Last October, the company listed a pendant which the rapper was apparently wearing on the night he was shot in New York City - two years before his death.
The dented gold and diamond pendant's asking price was $125,000 (£100,000) - but TMZ reported that Shakur's estate was "strongly against" the listing and had threatened to file a lawsuit against anyone who purchased the jewellery.
It remains available to buy on the dealer's website.
TIME Person of the Year, Dies in Childbirth
The 2014 West African Ebola outbreak killed 11,310 people. Liberian nursing assistant Salome Karwah was not one of them. The disease that tore through her town in August of that year took her mother, her father, her brother, aunts, uncles, cousins and a niece. But by some miracle it left Karwah, her sister Josephine Manley and her fiancé James Harris still alive.
But just because Karwah escaped Ebola, it didn’t mean she was secure against the failures of Liberia’s broken medical system. She died on Feb. 21, 2017, from complications in childbirth and the lingering social stigma faced by many of Ebola’s survivors.
Karwah used to joke that survivors had “super powers” — because after overcoming the disease they were forever immune from it. Like any superhero, she often quipped, it was her moral duty to use those powers for the betterment of humankind. So as soon as she recovered, she returned to the hospital where she had been treated — the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Ebola treatment unit just outside of the capital, Monrovia — to help other patients. Not only did she understand what they were going through, she was one of the rare people who could comfort the sick with hands-on touch. She could spoon-feed elderly sufferers, and rock feverish babies to sleep.
When I met Karwah, in November 2014, she, her fiancée, and her sister were already planning to re-open the family medical clinic that had been forced to close when her father, the local doctor, succumbed to Ebola. She envisioned a kind of super-clinic, whose survivor nurses would able to go where other medical personnel feared to tread because of their immunity. “I can do things that other people can’t," she said then. "If an Ebola patient is in his house, and his immediate relative cannot go to him, I can go to him. I can take [care of] him.”
It was her determination to help Ebola patients when most of the world fled in fear that put her among the Ebola Fighters who were named TIME Magazine’s Person of the Year in 2014.
At the time, Karwah seemed invincible. When the outbreak in Liberia ended, and people could have a party without fear of catching the virus, she finally married her fiancé, changed her name to Salome Harris, and had her third child. She picked the name Destiny. Then she got pregnant again. On Feb. 17 she delivered a healthy boy, Solomon, by cesarian section. She was discharged from hospital three days later.
But just because Karwah escaped Ebola, it didn’t mean she was secure against the failures of Liberia’s broken medical system. She died on Feb. 21, 2017, from complications in childbirth and the lingering social stigma faced by many of Ebola’s survivors.
Karwah used to joke that survivors had “super powers” — because after overcoming the disease they were forever immune from it. Like any superhero, she often quipped, it was her moral duty to use those powers for the betterment of humankind. So as soon as she recovered, she returned to the hospital where she had been treated — the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Ebola treatment unit just outside of the capital, Monrovia — to help other patients. Not only did she understand what they were going through, she was one of the rare people who could comfort the sick with hands-on touch. She could spoon-feed elderly sufferers, and rock feverish babies to sleep.
When I met Karwah, in November 2014, she, her fiancée, and her sister were already planning to re-open the family medical clinic that had been forced to close when her father, the local doctor, succumbed to Ebola. She envisioned a kind of super-clinic, whose survivor nurses would able to go where other medical personnel feared to tread because of their immunity. “I can do things that other people can’t," she said then. "If an Ebola patient is in his house, and his immediate relative cannot go to him, I can go to him. I can take [care of] him.”
It was her determination to help Ebola patients when most of the world fled in fear that put her among the Ebola Fighters who were named TIME Magazine’s Person of the Year in 2014.
At the time, Karwah seemed invincible. When the outbreak in Liberia ended, and people could have a party without fear of catching the virus, she finally married her fiancé, changed her name to Salome Harris, and had her third child. She picked the name Destiny. Then she got pregnant again. On Feb. 17 she delivered a healthy boy, Solomon, by cesarian section. She was discharged from hospital three days later.
Kim Jong-nam death: Four N Korean suspects 'are spies'
Four suspects in the killing of Kim Jong-nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korean ruler Kim Jong-un, are North Korean spies, South Korea's intelligence service told members of parliament in Seoul.
Kim Jong-nam died February 13 at Kuala Lumpur's airport in what Malaysian police say was a well-planned hit by a Vietnamese womanand an Indonesian woman who separately wiped a liquid onto Kim's face.
South Korean lawmakers cited the National Intelligence Service as telling them in a private briefing on Monday that four of the North Koreans identified as suspects by Malaysian police investigating the death are from the Ministry of State Security, the North's spy agency.
The NIS was quoted as saying that two other suspects are affiliated with Pyongyang's Foreign Ministry, according to Lee Cheol-woo, one of the politicians who attended the briefing.
Another legislator, Kim Byeong-ki cited the NIS as saying Kim Jong-un directed a "state-organised terror" to kill his brother.
The politicians did not say how the NIS got the information and if it elaborated on what specific roles these North Korean suspects performed.
The NIS has a mixed record on reporting developments in the secretive North. The agency said it cannot confirm its reported assessment on Kim Jong-nam's death.
Malaysia has not directly accused North Korea of having masterminded the Kim Jong-nam killing but is pursuing several North Korean suspects, including a diplomat at the North Korean Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
Police last week identified the substance as the banned chemical weapon VX nerve agent, and Malaysia's health minister said on Sunday the dose was so high it caused "very serious paralysis" and killed him within 20 minutes.
Malaysian officials have said four North Korean men provided the two women with the VX agent, then fled Malaysia the same day.
It was unclear if those four were the four North Korean spies cited by South Korea's intelligence agency.
North Korea has repeatedly criticised Malaysia's investigation and has not acknowledged the victim's identity.
Kim Jong-nam died February 13 at Kuala Lumpur's airport in what Malaysian police say was a well-planned hit by a Vietnamese womanand an Indonesian woman who separately wiped a liquid onto Kim's face.
South Korean lawmakers cited the National Intelligence Service as telling them in a private briefing on Monday that four of the North Koreans identified as suspects by Malaysian police investigating the death are from the Ministry of State Security, the North's spy agency.
The NIS was quoted as saying that two other suspects are affiliated with Pyongyang's Foreign Ministry, according to Lee Cheol-woo, one of the politicians who attended the briefing.
Another legislator, Kim Byeong-ki cited the NIS as saying Kim Jong-un directed a "state-organised terror" to kill his brother.
The politicians did not say how the NIS got the information and if it elaborated on what specific roles these North Korean suspects performed.
The NIS has a mixed record on reporting developments in the secretive North. The agency said it cannot confirm its reported assessment on Kim Jong-nam's death.
Malaysia has not directly accused North Korea of having masterminded the Kim Jong-nam killing but is pursuing several North Korean suspects, including a diplomat at the North Korean Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
Police last week identified the substance as the banned chemical weapon VX nerve agent, and Malaysia's health minister said on Sunday the dose was so high it caused "very serious paralysis" and killed him within 20 minutes.
Malaysian officials have said four North Korean men provided the two women with the VX agent, then fled Malaysia the same day.
It was unclear if those four were the four North Korean spies cited by South Korea's intelligence agency.
North Korea has repeatedly criticised Malaysia's investigation and has not acknowledged the victim's identity.
Sony unveils 4K and super slow motion Xperia XZ Premium smartphone
Sony has unveiled the world’s first smartphone to be equipped with a 4K definition high dynamic range screen – technologies which until now have been limited to premium televisions.
The inclusion of ultra-high definition and colour contrast on Sony's Xperia XZ Premium will allow users to download and watch movies and TV in 4K directly on the device's 5.5-inch screen.
The water-resistant device also packs an improved camera which is capable of shooting slow motion video at 960 frames per second - which Sony says is four times slower than any other smartphone.
It is set to go on sale in the spring - but some tech experts say they are reserving judgement on the device until they know how much it will cost.
TechRadar news website's early verdict read: "A strong phone from Sony with excellent innovation in the screen.
"However, it all depends on how much this monster of a phone will cost, and whether the streamed 4K footage actually looks good on here at all."
Announcing the Xperia XZ Premium at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Sony director Hideyuki Furumi said: "We've continued to evolve and transform our smartphone portfolio, with an unwavering focus on delivering the most advanced technology in elegantly designed products.
"Whether it's a memory-stacked camera system capable of super slow motion capture or the world's first 4K HDR smartphone display, we're delivering experiences that connect with users in emotional and meaningful ways like never before."
As well as announcing the Xperia XZ Premium, Sony unveiled two mid-range smartphones.
The Xperia XA1 and larger screen XA1 Ultra will both come with 23 megapixel rear cameras and high-end 16 megapixel front-facing cameras.
The tech giant also revealed an interactive projector, Xperia Touch, which can turn any flat horizontal or vertical surface into a HD touchscreen for playing games or watching movies.
The device, which can connect with Android smartphones and tablets, is priced at €1,499 (£1,278) and will go on sale this spring.
The inclusion of ultra-high definition and colour contrast on Sony's Xperia XZ Premium will allow users to download and watch movies and TV in 4K directly on the device's 5.5-inch screen.
The water-resistant device also packs an improved camera which is capable of shooting slow motion video at 960 frames per second - which Sony says is four times slower than any other smartphone.
It is set to go on sale in the spring - but some tech experts say they are reserving judgement on the device until they know how much it will cost.
TechRadar news website's early verdict read: "A strong phone from Sony with excellent innovation in the screen.
"However, it all depends on how much this monster of a phone will cost, and whether the streamed 4K footage actually looks good on here at all."
Announcing the Xperia XZ Premium at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Sony director Hideyuki Furumi said: "We've continued to evolve and transform our smartphone portfolio, with an unwavering focus on delivering the most advanced technology in elegantly designed products.
"Whether it's a memory-stacked camera system capable of super slow motion capture or the world's first 4K HDR smartphone display, we're delivering experiences that connect with users in emotional and meaningful ways like never before."
As well as announcing the Xperia XZ Premium, Sony unveiled two mid-range smartphones.
The Xperia XA1 and larger screen XA1 Ultra will both come with 23 megapixel rear cameras and high-end 16 megapixel front-facing cameras.
The tech giant also revealed an interactive projector, Xperia Touch, which can turn any flat horizontal or vertical surface into a HD touchscreen for playing games or watching movies.
The device, which can connect with Android smartphones and tablets, is priced at €1,499 (£1,278) and will go on sale this spring.
Severe food shortages hit Africa’s refugees hard, UNHCR and WFP warn
The Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), Ertharin Cousin, and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, are very concerned that critical shortages in food assistance are affecting some 2 million refugees in 10 countries across Africa.
The shortages could worsen in coming months without new resources to meet food needs.
The number of refugees in Africa nearly doubled from 2.6 million in 2011 to nearly 5 million in 2016. While donor funding for refugee assistance increased during this period, it did not keep pace with rapidly rising needs. As a result, the humanitarian response is significantly underfunded. This has forced cuts in food assistance for some groups of refugees.
The two agency heads warn that food shortages will have dire consequences on the health and protection of such vulnerable people, unless more support is urgently made available.
“We can’t imagine how difficult life is for thousands of refugee families with no food, and often denied the possibility to work or provide for themselves in other ways. Refugees are extraordinarily resilient, but cuts in food assistance – sometimes as high as 50 percent – are having a devastating impact on the health and nutrition of thousands of families,” said UNHCR’s Grandi. “The right to food is a basic human right. We are working with WFP to ensure that no refugee goes to sleep hungry, but support has to come quickly.”
“Millions of refugees depend on WFP food and our work to treat and prevent malnutrition to stay alive. But in Africa they are in danger of being overshadowed by large humanitarian crises elsewhere,” said Cousin. “Donors have been very generous facing unprecedented global needs. But no refugee deserves to be abandoned and left behind.”
UNHCR and WFP recognize the very concerning food security and nutrition situation in the Horn of Africa and the unprecedented needs for assistance. Individuals are fleeing Somalia and South Sudan and arriving as refugees in critical condition. Over 75 percent of the Somali refugee children who have arrived in Dollo Ado in Ethiopia since January were acutely malnourished.
Ten refugee operations in Africa have experienced cuts affecting the quantity and quality of food assistance for approximately 2 million refugees. Food rations have been dramatically cut – in some cases by up to 50 percent – in large operations including Cameroon, Chad, Kenya, Mauritania, South Sudan and Uganda.
Refugees in Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Burundi and Ethiopia have had specific commodities cut including micronutrient fortified blended foods, needed to ensure an adequate quality diet.
UNHCR and WFP are concerned that sustained cuts to food assistance will have severe nutrition and protection-related consequences as refugees try to cope by skipping meals, pulling their children out of schools to stay at home or work and selling family assets.
The nutritional situation of these refugees before the cuts to food assistance was already worrying and is now worsening. Nutrition surveys in 2016 documented high levels of acute malnutrition, anaemia and stunting. In many refugee sites in Ethiopia, Chad, Sudan and Djibouti acute malnutrition is ‘critical’ and anaemia is greater than 40 percent, indicating a public health crisis.
The shortages could worsen in coming months without new resources to meet food needs.
The number of refugees in Africa nearly doubled from 2.6 million in 2011 to nearly 5 million in 2016. While donor funding for refugee assistance increased during this period, it did not keep pace with rapidly rising needs. As a result, the humanitarian response is significantly underfunded. This has forced cuts in food assistance for some groups of refugees.
The two agency heads warn that food shortages will have dire consequences on the health and protection of such vulnerable people, unless more support is urgently made available.
“We can’t imagine how difficult life is for thousands of refugee families with no food, and often denied the possibility to work or provide for themselves in other ways. Refugees are extraordinarily resilient, but cuts in food assistance – sometimes as high as 50 percent – are having a devastating impact on the health and nutrition of thousands of families,” said UNHCR’s Grandi. “The right to food is a basic human right. We are working with WFP to ensure that no refugee goes to sleep hungry, but support has to come quickly.”
“Millions of refugees depend on WFP food and our work to treat and prevent malnutrition to stay alive. But in Africa they are in danger of being overshadowed by large humanitarian crises elsewhere,” said Cousin. “Donors have been very generous facing unprecedented global needs. But no refugee deserves to be abandoned and left behind.”
UNHCR and WFP recognize the very concerning food security and nutrition situation in the Horn of Africa and the unprecedented needs for assistance. Individuals are fleeing Somalia and South Sudan and arriving as refugees in critical condition. Over 75 percent of the Somali refugee children who have arrived in Dollo Ado in Ethiopia since January were acutely malnourished.
Ten refugee operations in Africa have experienced cuts affecting the quantity and quality of food assistance for approximately 2 million refugees. Food rations have been dramatically cut – in some cases by up to 50 percent – in large operations including Cameroon, Chad, Kenya, Mauritania, South Sudan and Uganda.
Refugees in Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Burundi and Ethiopia have had specific commodities cut including micronutrient fortified blended foods, needed to ensure an adequate quality diet.
UNHCR and WFP are concerned that sustained cuts to food assistance will have severe nutrition and protection-related consequences as refugees try to cope by skipping meals, pulling their children out of schools to stay at home or work and selling family assets.
The nutritional situation of these refugees before the cuts to food assistance was already worrying and is now worsening. Nutrition surveys in 2016 documented high levels of acute malnutrition, anaemia and stunting. In many refugee sites in Ethiopia, Chad, Sudan and Djibouti acute malnutrition is ‘critical’ and anaemia is greater than 40 percent, indicating a public health crisis.
Oscars In Memoriam gaffe:'dead' woman in tribute video is alive
La La Land being mistakenly announced as the winner of the best picture award wasn't the only slip up at the Oscars this year.
During the show's In Memoriam tribute to industry figures who have passed away in the last 12 months, a photograph of a woman who is still alive was used by mistake.
The mishap came as the Academy attempted to pay tribute to Janet Patterson.
Instead of showing a picture of the costume-designer, an image of fellow Australian Jan Chapman was shown alongside Patterson's name and job description.
Patterson, who died in October, was a four-time Oscars nominee for films The Piano, Portrait of a Lady, Oscar and Lucinda, and Bright Star.
Jan Chapman meanwhile is one of Australia's leading film-makers.
She had previously worked with Patterson on Bright Star and The Piano.
In a statement to Variety, Chapman said: "I was devastated by the use of my image in place of my great friend and long-time collaborator Janet Patterson.
"I had urged her agency to check any photograph which might be used and understand that they were told that the Academy had it covered.
"Janet was a great beauty and four-time Oscar nominee and it is very disappointing that the error was not picked up."
The In Memoriam video paid tribute to stars including Carrie Fisher, Prince and Debbie Reynolds.
It played during a rendition of the Joni Mitchell song Both Sides Now by Sara Bareilles.
During the show's In Memoriam tribute to industry figures who have passed away in the last 12 months, a photograph of a woman who is still alive was used by mistake.
The mishap came as the Academy attempted to pay tribute to Janet Patterson.
Instead of showing a picture of the costume-designer, an image of fellow Australian Jan Chapman was shown alongside Patterson's name and job description.
Patterson, who died in October, was a four-time Oscars nominee for films The Piano, Portrait of a Lady, Oscar and Lucinda, and Bright Star.
Jan Chapman meanwhile is one of Australia's leading film-makers.
She had previously worked with Patterson on Bright Star and The Piano.
In a statement to Variety, Chapman said: "I was devastated by the use of my image in place of my great friend and long-time collaborator Janet Patterson.
"I had urged her agency to check any photograph which might be used and understand that they were told that the Academy had it covered.
"Janet was a great beauty and four-time Oscar nominee and it is very disappointing that the error was not picked up."
The In Memoriam video paid tribute to stars including Carrie Fisher, Prince and Debbie Reynolds.
It played during a rendition of the Joni Mitchell song Both Sides Now by Sara Bareilles.
Judges involved in unpopular rulings boost home security amid threats
Tens of thousands of pounds of public money has been spent on boosting security measures at the homes of judges who have become fearful for their safety following unpopular rulings.
Nearly £25,000 was spent on upgrading measures at the homes of four judges between 2014 and 2016, Ministry of Justice figures show.
Some £20,918.74 was spent on safety improvements at a judge's home in the financial year 2014/15.
The following year £3,939.93 was spent increasing security at the homes of three judges.
The data was released to the Press Association under the Freedom of Information Act and follows a recent backlash against three judges who made a ruling on Brexit.
In November 2016, three High Court judges ruled the Government must seek MPs' approval before triggering Article 50 - the formal process of leaving the EU.
The Daily Mail called them "enemies of the people" while the Daily Express claimed the ruling was a marker of "the day democracy died". Several Tory MPs also criticised the judges.
This month the Judicial Attitude Survey, which is released every two years, revealed 48% of female judges and 36% of male judges fear for their safety outside of court, while 51% of judges fear for their personal safety while in court.
One judge who worked in Britain's family and civil courts said hostage-taking, physical assaults and death threats have become common - compounded by cuts in court staff.
Speaking on condition of anonymity to the Press Association, she told of how a man who had his children taken away from him threatened to kill her and tried to smuggle a knife into her court.
She said: "The level of threats is getting worse. Incidents are common and the authorities are not even recording them."
Some judges are getting training in how to use social media sites so they can protect themselves against online abuse.
Cheryl Thomas, a UCL law professor who coordinated the survey, said judges who sit on high-profile cases which attract media attention can feel more vulnerable online.
She said: "Judges in their day jobs are judges, but they are also normal human beings and they may have Facebook accounts that have nothing to do with their work, and they may think that means that no one can find out anything about them.
"Or they may be completely unaware about the details about them that are simply very easily obtainable by quick internet searches.
"I know there has been some recent work done with those judges to help them understand what kind of information is out there, freely available, about them, whether they wish that to be the case, and if not how to ensure that they have a bit more privacy in terms of their online life."
Nearly £25,000 was spent on upgrading measures at the homes of four judges between 2014 and 2016, Ministry of Justice figures show.
Some £20,918.74 was spent on safety improvements at a judge's home in the financial year 2014/15.
The following year £3,939.93 was spent increasing security at the homes of three judges.
The data was released to the Press Association under the Freedom of Information Act and follows a recent backlash against three judges who made a ruling on Brexit.
In November 2016, three High Court judges ruled the Government must seek MPs' approval before triggering Article 50 - the formal process of leaving the EU.
The Daily Mail called them "enemies of the people" while the Daily Express claimed the ruling was a marker of "the day democracy died". Several Tory MPs also criticised the judges.
This month the Judicial Attitude Survey, which is released every two years, revealed 48% of female judges and 36% of male judges fear for their safety outside of court, while 51% of judges fear for their personal safety while in court.
One judge who worked in Britain's family and civil courts said hostage-taking, physical assaults and death threats have become common - compounded by cuts in court staff.
Speaking on condition of anonymity to the Press Association, she told of how a man who had his children taken away from him threatened to kill her and tried to smuggle a knife into her court.
She said: "The level of threats is getting worse. Incidents are common and the authorities are not even recording them."
Some judges are getting training in how to use social media sites so they can protect themselves against online abuse.
Cheryl Thomas, a UCL law professor who coordinated the survey, said judges who sit on high-profile cases which attract media attention can feel more vulnerable online.
She said: "Judges in their day jobs are judges, but they are also normal human beings and they may have Facebook accounts that have nothing to do with their work, and they may think that means that no one can find out anything about them.
"Or they may be completely unaware about the details about them that are simply very easily obtainable by quick internet searches.
"I know there has been some recent work done with those judges to help them understand what kind of information is out there, freely available, about them, whether they wish that to be the case, and if not how to ensure that they have a bit more privacy in terms of their online life."
Sunday, February 26, 2017
Style Oscars 2017: Complete winners list
Best picture
“Moonlight”
[Oscars 2017 live coverage: Red carpet, winners and biggest moments]
Best actress in a leading role
Emma Stone, “La La Land”
Best actor in a leading role
Casey Affleck, “Manchester by the Sea”
Best director
Damien Chazelle, “La La Land”
Actress in a supporting role
Viola Davis, “Fences”
Actor in a supporting role
Mahershala Ali, “Moonlight”
Best documentary
“O.J.: Made in America”
Best foreign language film
“The Salesman”
Best animated feature film
“Zootopia”
Best adapted screenplay
“Moonlight,” Barry Jenkins and Tarell McCraney
Best original screenplay
“Manchester by the Sea,” Kenneth Lonergan
Best original song
“City of Stars,” “La La Land”
Best original score
“La La Land,” Justin Hurwitz
Best cinematography
“La La Land,” Linus Sandgren
Best production design
“La La Land,” David Wasco and Sandy Reynolds-Wasco
Best visual effects
“The Jungle Book,” Robert Legato, Adam Valdez, Andrew R. Jones and Dan Lemmon
Best costume design
“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” Colleen Atwood
Best makeup and hair styling
“Suicide Squad,” Alessandro Bertolazzi, Giorgio Gregorini and Christopher Nelson
Best animated short film
“Piper”
Best live action short film
“Sing (Mindenki)”
Best documentary short subject
“The White Helmets”
Best film editing
“Hacksaw Ridge,” John Gilbert
Best sound editing
“Arrival,” Sylvain Bellemare
Best sound mixing
“Hacksaw Ridge,” Kevin O’Connell, Andy Wright, Robert Mackenzie and Peter Grace
“Moonlight”
[Oscars 2017 live coverage: Red carpet, winners and biggest moments]
Best actress in a leading role
Emma Stone, “La La Land”
Best actor in a leading role
Casey Affleck, “Manchester by the Sea”
Best director
Damien Chazelle, “La La Land”
Actress in a supporting role
Viola Davis, “Fences”
Actor in a supporting role
Mahershala Ali, “Moonlight”
Best documentary
“O.J.: Made in America”
Best foreign language film
“The Salesman”
Best animated feature film
“Zootopia”
Best adapted screenplay
“Moonlight,” Barry Jenkins and Tarell McCraney
Best original screenplay
“Manchester by the Sea,” Kenneth Lonergan
Best original song
“City of Stars,” “La La Land”
Best original score
“La La Land,” Justin Hurwitz
Best cinematography
“La La Land,” Linus Sandgren
Best production design
“La La Land,” David Wasco and Sandy Reynolds-Wasco
Best visual effects
“The Jungle Book,” Robert Legato, Adam Valdez, Andrew R. Jones and Dan Lemmon
Best costume design
“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” Colleen Atwood
Best makeup and hair styling
“Suicide Squad,” Alessandro Bertolazzi, Giorgio Gregorini and Christopher Nelson
Best animated short film
“Piper”
Best live action short film
“Sing (Mindenki)”
Best documentary short subject
“The White Helmets”
Best film editing
“Hacksaw Ridge,” John Gilbert
Best sound editing
“Arrival,” Sylvain Bellemare
Best sound mixing
“Hacksaw Ridge,” Kevin O’Connell, Andy Wright, Robert Mackenzie and Peter Grace
Kim Jong-nam: VX dose was 'high and lethal'
Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korea's leader, was given a very high amount of the toxic nerve agent VX and he died in pain within 15-20 minutes, Malaysia's health minister says.
No antidote would have worked, said Subramaniam Sathasivam.
Mr Kim died two weeks ago after two women accosted him in a check-in hall at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
They say they thought they were doing a TV prank. North Korea denies killing the high-profile critic of the regime.
Re-tracing the killers' steps
Who in North Korea could organise a VX murder?
Unravelling the mystery of Kim Jong-nam's death
VX is classified as a weapon of mass destruction by the United Nations. A drop on the skin can kill in minutes.
Indonesian national Siti Aisyah, 25, one of two women held, told Indonesian embassy officials that she was given 400 Malaysian ringgit ($80; £72) to smear Kim Jong-nam's face with "baby oil" as part of a reality show joke.
Doan Thi Huong, a Vietnamese national born in 1988, has also said she thought she was taking part in a television prank.
Malaysian police say the attackers had been trained to wash their hands immediately after the attack.
Some experts have suggested that they might have each smeared two different non-lethal elements of VX, which became deadly when mixed on Mr Kim's face.
A North Korean man has also been arrested in connection with the killing.
At least seven other suspects are wanted for questioning by police, including Hyon Kwang Song, 44, second secretary at the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
On Sunday, Malaysian authorities swept the airport and declared it safe.
They are also analysing samples found at a flat said to have been rented by suspects.
What is the deadly VX nerve agent?
The most potent of the known chemical warfare agents, it is a clear, amber-coloured, oily liquid which is tasteless and odourless
No antidote would have worked, said Subramaniam Sathasivam.
Mr Kim died two weeks ago after two women accosted him in a check-in hall at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
They say they thought they were doing a TV prank. North Korea denies killing the high-profile critic of the regime.
Re-tracing the killers' steps
Who in North Korea could organise a VX murder?
Unravelling the mystery of Kim Jong-nam's death
VX is classified as a weapon of mass destruction by the United Nations. A drop on the skin can kill in minutes.
Indonesian national Siti Aisyah, 25, one of two women held, told Indonesian embassy officials that she was given 400 Malaysian ringgit ($80; £72) to smear Kim Jong-nam's face with "baby oil" as part of a reality show joke.
Doan Thi Huong, a Vietnamese national born in 1988, has also said she thought she was taking part in a television prank.
Malaysian police say the attackers had been trained to wash their hands immediately after the attack.
Some experts have suggested that they might have each smeared two different non-lethal elements of VX, which became deadly when mixed on Mr Kim's face.
A North Korean man has also been arrested in connection with the killing.
At least seven other suspects are wanted for questioning by police, including Hyon Kwang Song, 44, second secretary at the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
On Sunday, Malaysian authorities swept the airport and declared it safe.
They are also analysing samples found at a flat said to have been rented by suspects.
What is the deadly VX nerve agent?
The most potent of the known chemical warfare agents, it is a clear, amber-coloured, oily liquid which is tasteless and odourless
Works by penetrating the skin and disrupting the transmission of nerve impulses - a drop on the skin can kill in minutes. Lower doses can cause eye pain, blurred vision, drowsiness and vomiting
It can be disseminated in a spray or vapour when used as a chemical weapon, or used to contaminate water, food, and agricultural products
VX can be absorbed into the body by inhalation, ingestion, skin contact, or eye contact
Clothing can carry VX for about 30 minutes after contact with the vapour, which can expose other people
Banned by the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention
Read more about VX
Who was Kim Jong-nam?
The well-travelled and multilingual oldest son of late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, he was once considered a potential future leader. He has lived abroad for years and was bypassed in favour of his half-brother, Kim Jong-un.
He had been travelling on a passport under the name Kim Chol. North Korea has yet to confirm that the deceased was actually Kim Jong-nam.
For many years, it was believed Kim Jong-nam was being groomed to succeed his father as the next leader.
But that appears to have come to an end in 2001 when Kim was caught sneaking into Japan on a fake passport.
He later became one of the regime's most high-profile critics, openly questioning the authoritarian policies and dynastic succession his grandfather Kim Il-sung began crafting in 1948.
It can be disseminated in a spray or vapour when used as a chemical weapon, or used to contaminate water, food, and agricultural products
VX can be absorbed into the body by inhalation, ingestion, skin contact, or eye contact
Clothing can carry VX for about 30 minutes after contact with the vapour, which can expose other people
Banned by the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention
Read more about VX
Who was Kim Jong-nam?
The well-travelled and multilingual oldest son of late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, he was once considered a potential future leader. He has lived abroad for years and was bypassed in favour of his half-brother, Kim Jong-un.
He had been travelling on a passport under the name Kim Chol. North Korea has yet to confirm that the deceased was actually Kim Jong-nam.
For many years, it was believed Kim Jong-nam was being groomed to succeed his father as the next leader.
But that appears to have come to an end in 2001 when Kim was caught sneaking into Japan on a fake passport.
He later became one of the regime's most high-profile critics, openly questioning the authoritarian policies and dynastic succession his grandfather Kim Il-sung began crafting in 1948.
La La Land handed best picture Oscar in error instead of Moonlight
Moonlight has been awarded the best picture Oscar after La La Land was handed the top gong in error.
The awards ceremony was plunged into chaos after presenter Warren Beatty was given the wrong envelope and announced the musical as the winner.
Host Jimmy Kimmel came forward to inform the cast that Moonlight had indeed won, showing the envelope as proof.
"This is not a joke," Kimmel said.
Beatty then proceeded to excuse himself for the mixup, explaining he had been handed the wrong envelope.
"I want to tell you what happened I opened the envelope and it said Emma Stone, La La Land and that is why I took
such a long look at Faye and at you," he said.
Moonlight director Barry Jenkins eventualy took to the stage to accept the award.
"Very clearly even in my dreams this can't be true. But to hell with it because this is true. It's true, its not fake."
The awards ceremony was plunged into chaos after presenter Warren Beatty was given the wrong envelope and announced the musical as the winner.
Host Jimmy Kimmel came forward to inform the cast that Moonlight had indeed won, showing the envelope as proof.
"This is not a joke," Kimmel said.
Beatty then proceeded to excuse himself for the mixup, explaining he had been handed the wrong envelope.
"I want to tell you what happened I opened the envelope and it said Emma Stone, La La Land and that is why I took
such a long look at Faye and at you," he said.
Moonlight director Barry Jenkins eventualy took to the stage to accept the award.
"Very clearly even in my dreams this can't be true. But to hell with it because this is true. It's true, its not fake."
Storm Ewan arrives only days after Doris left trail of destruction
Parts of the UK are bracing for strong winds, heavy rain and ice just days after Storm Doris left a trail of destruction in its wake.
Storm Ewan is not expected to be as troublesome or as widespread as its predecessor but the Met Office has still issued a series of warnings for Wales, Northern Ireland, parts of Scotland and the north west of England.
Ewan, the fifth named storm of the season, hit Ireland on Sunday morning.
A yellow (be prepared) warning is in place for the Highlands, Strathclyde; Central, Tayside and Fife with heavy rain expected on Sunday afternoon and clearing away during the evening.
The Met Office said that the rain, combined with melting snow, could see some flooding and travel disruption.
A yellow warning is also in place for strong winds until 6am Monday, affecting Orkney and Shetland; Highlands; Grampian; Strathclyde; Central, Tayside and Fife; Dumfries, Galloway, Lothian and Borders; Wales and North West England.
Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland are also covered by a yellow warning for ice until 9am Monday, with up to 2cm of snow expected on higher ground in Northern Ireland and western Scotland.
:: The latest Sky News weather forecast
Sky News weather producer Kirsty McCabe said: "While Storm Ewan isn't expected to be as disruptive as Doris was in the UK, it heralds a change to colder conditions in the week ahead with wintry showers and a risk of ice."
She added that Irish Sea coasts and much of Scotland could see gusts of up to 70mph on Sunday evening with heavy rain and snow moving through northern Scotland and outbreaks of rain clearing southeast England.
Storm Ewan is not expected to be as troublesome or as widespread as its predecessor but the Met Office has still issued a series of warnings for Wales, Northern Ireland, parts of Scotland and the north west of England.
Ewan, the fifth named storm of the season, hit Ireland on Sunday morning.
A yellow (be prepared) warning is in place for the Highlands, Strathclyde; Central, Tayside and Fife with heavy rain expected on Sunday afternoon and clearing away during the evening.
The Met Office said that the rain, combined with melting snow, could see some flooding and travel disruption.
A yellow warning is also in place for strong winds until 6am Monday, affecting Orkney and Shetland; Highlands; Grampian; Strathclyde; Central, Tayside and Fife; Dumfries, Galloway, Lothian and Borders; Wales and North West England.
Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland are also covered by a yellow warning for ice until 9am Monday, with up to 2cm of snow expected on higher ground in Northern Ireland and western Scotland.
:: The latest Sky News weather forecast
Sky News weather producer Kirsty McCabe said: "While Storm Ewan isn't expected to be as disruptive as Doris was in the UK, it heralds a change to colder conditions in the week ahead with wintry showers and a risk of ice."
She added that Irish Sea coasts and much of Scotland could see gusts of up to 70mph on Sunday evening with heavy rain and snow moving through northern Scotland and outbreaks of rain clearing southeast England.
Neil Fingleton: Game of Thrones actor and 'gentle giant' dies at 36
Game of Thrones actor Neil Fingleton, who was Britain's tallest man, has reportedly died at the age of 36.
The 7ft 7in star played the giant known as Mag the Mighty in the hit TV fantasy drama.
He is believed to have died of heart failure.
Fingleton played basketball in the US before becoming an actor and also appeared in X-Men First Class, Doctor Who and 47 Ronin.
He is thought to have recently finished filming on the latest series of Game of Thrones in Northern Ireland.
His agent Kenneth Earle told Sky News he was a "gentle giant".
He said Fingleton was "very polite, respectful and a nice guy" as well as being a "good actor".
Mr Earle said the star had a "bad fall" about a year ago when he fell out of bed and was in hospital for about a week. However he later recovered.
Born in Durham, Mr Fingleton was awarded a basketball scholarship in the US, playing for a number of teams there and in Spain before returning to the UK to focus on his acting career.
The 7ft 7in star played the giant known as Mag the Mighty in the hit TV fantasy drama.
He is believed to have died of heart failure.
Fingleton played basketball in the US before becoming an actor and also appeared in X-Men First Class, Doctor Who and 47 Ronin.
He is thought to have recently finished filming on the latest series of Game of Thrones in Northern Ireland.
His agent Kenneth Earle told Sky News he was a "gentle giant".
He said Fingleton was "very polite, respectful and a nice guy" as well as being a "good actor".
Mr Earle said the star had a "bad fall" about a year ago when he fell out of bed and was in hospital for about a week. However he later recovered.
Born in Durham, Mr Fingleton was awarded a basketball scholarship in the US, playing for a number of teams there and in Spain before returning to the UK to focus on his acting career.
Nokia 3310 mobile phone resurrected at MWC 2017
Nokia's 3310 phone has been relaunched nearly 17 years after its debut.
Many consider the original handset iconic because of its popularity and sturdiness. More than 126 million were produced before it was phased out in 2005.
The revamped version will be sold under licence by the Finnish start-up HMD Global, which also unveiled several Nokia-branded Android smartphones.
One expert said it was a "fantastic way" to relaunch Nokia's phone brand.
"The 3310 was the first mass-market mobile and there's a massive amount of nostalgia and affection for it," commented Ben Wood from the technology consultancy CCS Insight.
"If HMD had just announced three Android devices they would have barely got a couple of column inches in the press.
"So, the 3310 is a very clever move and we expect it will sell in significant volumes."
The announcement was made ahead of the start of the Mobile World Congress tech show in Barcelona. LG, Huawei and Lenovo are among others to have unveiled new devices.
Nokia no longer makes phones itself, but manufactures telecoms equipment, Ozo virtual reality cameras, and health kit under the Withings brand.
Long life
The new 3310 qualifies as a "feature phone" rather than a smartphone as it only provides limited internet facilities.
It relies on 2.5G connectivity - which has slower data speeds than 3G or 4G - and is powered by the S30+ operating system, which allows web browsing but has a much smaller range of apps than Android or iOS. Its single camera is also restricted to two megapixels.
However, its advantage over more powerful handsets is its battery life. HMD says the colour-screened phone has up to a month's standby time and delivers more than 22 hours of talk time.
It also comes with the modern version of the classic game Snake preinstalled.
Its launch price is €49 ($51,75; £41.51).
"It's almost like a digital detox or a holiday phone," HMD's chief executive Arto Nummela told the BBC.
"If you want to switch off to an extent but you still need to have a [mobile] lifeline, it's a brilliant solution.
"Why wouldn't you buy this like candy? If you see this hanging on the shelf at the checkout in a [see-through] package, then you'd just buy it as an accessory."
More from MWC 2017:
LG G6 phone is made for split-screen apps
Huawei P10 has smarter selfie camera
Google brings Assistant to more Android phones
Blackberry revives classic keyboard phone
HMD also confirmed the Nokia 6 Android smartphone would be released worldwide following its China debut in January.
The device has a 16 megapixel rear camera, a 5.5in (14cm) 1080p "full definition" screen and includes the Google Assistant helper - the search engine's rival to Apple's Siri.
It is priced as a mid-tier device at €229, alongside a glossy black special edition that costs €299.
In addition, the firm showed off smaller, lower-range Nokia 5 and Nokia 3 models.
Taiwan's Foxconn will manufacture the phones, which may offset concerns that networks might have about HMD's capacity to deliver.
"Foxconn - with its experience working with Apple and Samsung - is certainly the standout device manufacturer," commented Tim Coulling from the tech research firm Canalys.
"It's ability to help HMD go from small to large scale will be a critical factor in their partnership.
"It also means if HMD wants to locate manufacturing in different regions to take advantage of pockets of demand, that's something Foxconn will allow them to achieve."
Many consider the original handset iconic because of its popularity and sturdiness. More than 126 million were produced before it was phased out in 2005.
The revamped version will be sold under licence by the Finnish start-up HMD Global, which also unveiled several Nokia-branded Android smartphones.
One expert said it was a "fantastic way" to relaunch Nokia's phone brand.
"The 3310 was the first mass-market mobile and there's a massive amount of nostalgia and affection for it," commented Ben Wood from the technology consultancy CCS Insight.
"If HMD had just announced three Android devices they would have barely got a couple of column inches in the press.
"So, the 3310 is a very clever move and we expect it will sell in significant volumes."
The announcement was made ahead of the start of the Mobile World Congress tech show in Barcelona. LG, Huawei and Lenovo are among others to have unveiled new devices.
Nokia no longer makes phones itself, but manufactures telecoms equipment, Ozo virtual reality cameras, and health kit under the Withings brand.
Long life
The new 3310 qualifies as a "feature phone" rather than a smartphone as it only provides limited internet facilities.
It relies on 2.5G connectivity - which has slower data speeds than 3G or 4G - and is powered by the S30+ operating system, which allows web browsing but has a much smaller range of apps than Android or iOS. Its single camera is also restricted to two megapixels.
However, its advantage over more powerful handsets is its battery life. HMD says the colour-screened phone has up to a month's standby time and delivers more than 22 hours of talk time.
It also comes with the modern version of the classic game Snake preinstalled.
Its launch price is €49 ($51,75; £41.51).
"It's almost like a digital detox or a holiday phone," HMD's chief executive Arto Nummela told the BBC.
"If you want to switch off to an extent but you still need to have a [mobile] lifeline, it's a brilliant solution.
"Why wouldn't you buy this like candy? If you see this hanging on the shelf at the checkout in a [see-through] package, then you'd just buy it as an accessory."
More from MWC 2017:
LG G6 phone is made for split-screen apps
Huawei P10 has smarter selfie camera
Google brings Assistant to more Android phones
Blackberry revives classic keyboard phone
HMD also confirmed the Nokia 6 Android smartphone would be released worldwide following its China debut in January.
The device has a 16 megapixel rear camera, a 5.5in (14cm) 1080p "full definition" screen and includes the Google Assistant helper - the search engine's rival to Apple's Siri.
It is priced as a mid-tier device at €229, alongside a glossy black special edition that costs €299.
In addition, the firm showed off smaller, lower-range Nokia 5 and Nokia 3 models.
Taiwan's Foxconn will manufacture the phones, which may offset concerns that networks might have about HMD's capacity to deliver.
"Foxconn - with its experience working with Apple and Samsung - is certainly the standout device manufacturer," commented Tim Coulling from the tech research firm Canalys.
"It's ability to help HMD go from small to large scale will be a critical factor in their partnership.
"It also means if HMD wants to locate manufacturing in different regions to take advantage of pockets of demand, that's something Foxconn will allow them to achieve."
Kim Jong-nam 'died about 20 minutes after VX poisoning'
Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korea's leader, died about 20 minutes after being poisoned by a nerve agent at Kuala Lumpur airport, according to an official postmortem report by Malaysian authorities.
S Subramaniam, Malaysia's health minister, said on Sunday in the capital Kuala Lumpur that an autopsy revealed that Kim Jong-un's sibling died due to a large amount of VX in his body.
VX is considered to be the most toxic nerve agent ever produced.
It is classified by the UN as a weapon of mass destruction, can paralyse the nervous system and kill by suffocation within a half-hour after exposure either through direct skin contact or inhalation.
"The amount of the VX was so high that it affected his heart and lungs. The absorption was very rapid, and that resulted in him being killed in 15 to 20 minutes" after exposure, Subramaniam said.
Postmortem complete
Subramaniam said the victim's relatives had still not travelled to Malaysia to verify Kim's identity.
He said if no next-of-kin was available, other methods would be used to confirm the identity, such as dental profiling and photo comparisons where identifications can be made via marks such as moles.
Subramaniam also said the postmortem, excluding the verification process, was complete and would be handed over to Malaysian police for further investigation.
Kim died after falling ill on February 13 at Kuala Lumpur International Airport after two women allegedly wiped his face with the nerve agent.
Separately, Hilmi Yahaya, deputy health minister, said that the VX found in Kim's body has never before been seen in Malaysia's recorded history.
He said the nerve agent was difficult for immigration or customs officers to detect in small amounts.
VX is an extremely toxic, odourless, tasteless liquid with a brownish colour that has been used in chemical warfare and can be fatal through direct skin contact or inhalation.
It is substantially more potent than the nerve agent Sarin, but works in a similar way.
The official postmortem report came as Malaysian authorities questioned a number of detained suspects, including a North Korean national suspected of producing the VX used to kill Kim.
S Subramaniam, Malaysia's health minister, said on Sunday in the capital Kuala Lumpur that an autopsy revealed that Kim Jong-un's sibling died due to a large amount of VX in his body.
VX is considered to be the most toxic nerve agent ever produced.
It is classified by the UN as a weapon of mass destruction, can paralyse the nervous system and kill by suffocation within a half-hour after exposure either through direct skin contact or inhalation.
"The amount of the VX was so high that it affected his heart and lungs. The absorption was very rapid, and that resulted in him being killed in 15 to 20 minutes" after exposure, Subramaniam said.
Postmortem complete
Subramaniam said the victim's relatives had still not travelled to Malaysia to verify Kim's identity.
He said if no next-of-kin was available, other methods would be used to confirm the identity, such as dental profiling and photo comparisons where identifications can be made via marks such as moles.
Subramaniam also said the postmortem, excluding the verification process, was complete and would be handed over to Malaysian police for further investigation.
Kim died after falling ill on February 13 at Kuala Lumpur International Airport after two women allegedly wiped his face with the nerve agent.
Separately, Hilmi Yahaya, deputy health minister, said that the VX found in Kim's body has never before been seen in Malaysia's recorded history.
He said the nerve agent was difficult for immigration or customs officers to detect in small amounts.
VX is an extremely toxic, odourless, tasteless liquid with a brownish colour that has been used in chemical warfare and can be fatal through direct skin contact or inhalation.
It is substantially more potent than the nerve agent Sarin, but works in a similar way.
The official postmortem report came as Malaysian authorities questioned a number of detained suspects, including a North Korean national suspected of producing the VX used to kill Kim.
Brexit will 'end freedom of movement as we know it', says Home Secretary Amber Rudd
Brexit will spell the "end of freedom of movement as we know it" - but the numbers will not just suddenly fall once Britain leaves the European Union, the Home Secretary has said.
Amber Rudd said the Government was "against cliff edges" - appearing to back Brexit Secretary David Davis' suggestion that the door will not "suddenly shut" - as she revealed businesses and other stakeholders would be consulted in the summer on new immigration controls.
She also appeared to back his suggestion that it will take "years and years" for British workers to fill the low-skilled jobs left by EU migrants.
Ms Rudd confirmed reports that ministers are considering plans to limit benefits for new immigrants, but insisted it is one of a number of options the Home Office is looking into.
She said: "We are working on a range of options. It would be a mistake for me to go any further than that. We are looking at all the different options.
"How they are implemented and how long it will take will depend on the final arrangement and how we set it up," she told ITV's Peston on Sunday.
Earlier this week, Mr Davis' comments during a visit to Estonia raised questions over Theresa May's pledge to use Brexit to take back control of immigration and reduce net migration to the tens of thousands.
He warned: "In the hospitality sector, hotels and restaurants, in the social care sector, working in agriculture, it will take time - it will be years and years before we get British citizens to do those jobs.
"Don't expect just because we're changing who makes the decision on the policy, the door will suddenly shut: it won't."
The Prime Minister has consistently said the UK wants to continue to attract talent, but the focus has been on highly skilled workers in industries such as finance and technology - not care workers, fruit pickers and barristas.
Mrs May has made it clear that transitional arrangements may need to be imposed on certain parts of the economy, especially where there are skill shortages, after Britain formally withdraws from the EU.
Ms Rudd's comments come amid reports that new arrivals could be given five-year working visas if they have a job, but be banned from claiming any benefits during that time.
According to The Sunday Times, ministers are also discussing plans for the independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to decide on how many visas are issued to workers in key industries such as health and hospitality, which are heavy reliant on immigrants, to take the political sting out of the issue.
Ms Rudd said Mrs May also considered guaranteeing the rights of all EU nationals who are resident in the UK - if a similar deal is reciprocated for British expats in Europe - a "priority" when she triggers Article 50 to formally begin Britain's exit negotiations.
Amber Rudd said the Government was "against cliff edges" - appearing to back Brexit Secretary David Davis' suggestion that the door will not "suddenly shut" - as she revealed businesses and other stakeholders would be consulted in the summer on new immigration controls.
She also appeared to back his suggestion that it will take "years and years" for British workers to fill the low-skilled jobs left by EU migrants.
Ms Rudd confirmed reports that ministers are considering plans to limit benefits for new immigrants, but insisted it is one of a number of options the Home Office is looking into.
She said: "We are working on a range of options. It would be a mistake for me to go any further than that. We are looking at all the different options.
"How they are implemented and how long it will take will depend on the final arrangement and how we set it up," she told ITV's Peston on Sunday.
Earlier this week, Mr Davis' comments during a visit to Estonia raised questions over Theresa May's pledge to use Brexit to take back control of immigration and reduce net migration to the tens of thousands.
He warned: "In the hospitality sector, hotels and restaurants, in the social care sector, working in agriculture, it will take time - it will be years and years before we get British citizens to do those jobs.
"Don't expect just because we're changing who makes the decision on the policy, the door will suddenly shut: it won't."
The Prime Minister has consistently said the UK wants to continue to attract talent, but the focus has been on highly skilled workers in industries such as finance and technology - not care workers, fruit pickers and barristas.
Mrs May has made it clear that transitional arrangements may need to be imposed on certain parts of the economy, especially where there are skill shortages, after Britain formally withdraws from the EU.
Ms Rudd's comments come amid reports that new arrivals could be given five-year working visas if they have a job, but be banned from claiming any benefits during that time.
According to The Sunday Times, ministers are also discussing plans for the independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to decide on how many visas are issued to workers in key industries such as health and hospitality, which are heavy reliant on immigrants, to take the political sting out of the issue.
Ms Rudd said Mrs May also considered guaranteeing the rights of all EU nationals who are resident in the UK - if a similar deal is reciprocated for British expats in Europe - a "priority" when she triggers Article 50 to formally begin Britain's exit negotiations.
IS terror threat 'is highest since days of IRA' - UK terror laws watchdog
Islamic State militants are planning "indiscriminate attacks" on UK citizens on a scale similar to those perpetrated by the IRA 40 years ago, the new terrorism watchdog has said.
Max Hill QC, the new Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, warned that Islamists were targeting UK cities and said there was an "enormous ongoing risk which none of us can ignore".
But Mr Hill, who successfully prosecuted the failed 21/7 bombers, praised the intelligence services' "truly remarkable" success rate for foiling plots since the 2005 London bombings.
Speaking in his first interview in the role, Mr Hill told the Sunday Telegraph: "I think the intensity and the potential frequency of the serious plot planning - with a view to indiscriminate attacks on innocent civilians of whatever race or colour in metropolitan areas - represents an enormous ongoing risk that none of us can ignore.
"So I think that there is undoubtedly significant ongoing risk which is at least as great as the threat to London in the 70s when the IRA were active on the mainland."
Mr Hill questioned whether the fall of IS strongholds in the Middle East will cause British extremists to return to the UK.
"Of course the imminent fall of Mosul and perhaps the prospective retaking of Raqqa are both bound to lead to a higher instance of returning fighters. Does that mean that the British public need to be immediately alarmed at a spike in terrorist activity within this country?" he said.
"The answer to that is, I don't know, but it doesn't follow as a matter of fact that those who chose to go to live or fight abroad will bring that fight back to this country."
When Mr Hill was appointed to his role on Monday, he was praised by Home Secretary Amber Rudd who said that his "wealth of experience and legal expertise" would ensure the UK's terror laws were fair, necessary and proportionate.
Max Hill QC, the new Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, warned that Islamists were targeting UK cities and said there was an "enormous ongoing risk which none of us can ignore".
But Mr Hill, who successfully prosecuted the failed 21/7 bombers, praised the intelligence services' "truly remarkable" success rate for foiling plots since the 2005 London bombings.
Speaking in his first interview in the role, Mr Hill told the Sunday Telegraph: "I think the intensity and the potential frequency of the serious plot planning - with a view to indiscriminate attacks on innocent civilians of whatever race or colour in metropolitan areas - represents an enormous ongoing risk that none of us can ignore.
"So I think that there is undoubtedly significant ongoing risk which is at least as great as the threat to London in the 70s when the IRA were active on the mainland."
Mr Hill questioned whether the fall of IS strongholds in the Middle East will cause British extremists to return to the UK.
"Of course the imminent fall of Mosul and perhaps the prospective retaking of Raqqa are both bound to lead to a higher instance of returning fighters. Does that mean that the British public need to be immediately alarmed at a spike in terrorist activity within this country?" he said.
"The answer to that is, I don't know, but it doesn't follow as a matter of fact that those who chose to go to live or fight abroad will bring that fight back to this country."
When Mr Hill was appointed to his role on Monday, he was praised by Home Secretary Amber Rudd who said that his "wealth of experience and legal expertise" would ensure the UK's terror laws were fair, necessary and proportionate.
Lord Heseltine to head Tory rebellion against PM on Brexit
Theresa May is facing a rebellion in the House of Lords - with Tory grandee Michael Heseltine vowing to defy the Prime Minister and back opposition efforts to ensure Parliament gets a meaningful vote on the final outcome of Brexit negotiations.
Lord Heseltine said Labour, Lib Dem and rebellious Conservative colleagues are prepared to throw their support behind a change to the Government's Brexit Bill.
They want Parliament to have the ability to veto the outcome of Mrs May's negotiations in Brussels, including if she walks away without a deal.
Writing for The Mail on Sunday, Lord Heseltine said he was not engaging in a "confrontation" with the Government - but warned the Supreme Court's ruling that MPs and peers have ultimate authority over Brexit needs to be upheld.
He wrote: "In the end the outcome of Brexit will have to be confirmed by Parliament.
"It will also have to pass in 27 national European parliaments, several sub-national parliaments and the European Parliament.
"It was perhaps unwise for our Government to suppose that our Parliament should be excluded where all others were included."
Senior ministers have vowed to thwart Lord Heseltine's rebellion - telling the newspaper that he and his supporters as "bad losers who are trying to wreck Brexit".
Sky's Chief Political Correspondent Jon Craig said Lord Heseltine's decision to lead the charge against Article 50 will be a "rallying call to the rebels".
He explained: "They want more votes before a Brexit deal happens and also protection for EU citizens living in this country.
"It is a headache that Theresa May could do without as she is celebrating a good by-election result in Copeland."
This Quiz Tests Your Internet Abbrev. Knowledge
Some people speak in a foreign language made up entirely of acronyms, while others think FML might be shorthand for female. Luckily WPromote published a helpful quiz to Visual.ly to test where you fall on the internet abbreviation spectrum:
OMG: oh my god, BRB: be right back, LOL: laugh out loud, TTYL: talk to you later, JK: just kidding, NP: no problem, LMFAO: laughing my f****** a** off, WTF:what the f***, POV: point of view, TMI: too much information, EOD: end of day, DL: down low, FML: f*** my life, MILF: mom I'd like to f***, DND: do not disturb, ROFL: rolling on floor laughing, LMK: let me know, IMHO: in my humble opinion, GMAB: give me a break, AFK: away from keyboard, TCB: taking care (of) business, TYVM: thank you very much, SMH: shake my head, EAD: eat a d***, WOW: world of warcraft, HTML: hypertext markup language, LAMP: Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP/Python/Perl (or look at me post), MMS: multimedia messaging service, CSS: counter-strike: source, WYSIWYG: what you see is what you get, MMORPG: massive multi-player role-playing game, LARP: live action role play, ASL: age sex location, WYWH: wish you were here, GNOC: get nude on cam, MOS: member (of the) opposite sex, FTF: first to find, BTDT: been there done that, FBTW: fine be that way, LAB: life's a bitch
OMG: oh my god, BRB: be right back, LOL: laugh out loud, TTYL: talk to you later, JK: just kidding, NP: no problem, LMFAO: laughing my f****** a** off, WTF:what the f***, POV: point of view, TMI: too much information, EOD: end of day, DL: down low, FML: f*** my life, MILF: mom I'd like to f***, DND: do not disturb, ROFL: rolling on floor laughing, LMK: let me know, IMHO: in my humble opinion, GMAB: give me a break, AFK: away from keyboard, TCB: taking care (of) business, TYVM: thank you very much, SMH: shake my head, EAD: eat a d***, WOW: world of warcraft, HTML: hypertext markup language, LAMP: Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP/Python/Perl (or look at me post), MMS: multimedia messaging service, CSS: counter-strike: source, WYSIWYG: what you see is what you get, MMORPG: massive multi-player role-playing game, LARP: live action role play, ASL: age sex location, WYWH: wish you were here, GNOC: get nude on cam, MOS: member (of the) opposite sex, FTF: first to find, BTDT: been there done that, FBTW: fine be that way, LAB: life's a bitch
Saturday, February 25, 2017
At 93rd birthday bash, Robert Mugabe says he won't quit
Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has marked his 93rd birthday with lavish celebrations, addressing his own mortality in a speech but showing no signs of quitting politics.
Thousands of government supporters, some wearing clothing adorned with Mugabe's image in younger days, converged in Matabeleland for Saturday's birthday bash and show of strength for the ruling ZANU-PF party.
Also wearing a multi-coloured suit emblazoned with his own image and dark glasses, Mugabe, , the world's oldest head of state, told the crowd he had no intention of stepping down.
"People who are busy forming their own groupings saying Mr Mugabe must go. I ask myself where should I go?" Mugabe, who has been in power for 37 years, said in a speech that was broadcast on state radio and television.
Speaking for over an hour, Mugabe said he would not impose his successor and that if ZANU-PF party felt he should retire, it would hold an extraordinary congress to choose a new leader.
"Others are saying 'President, choose a successor before you retire'. Is that not imposition? Me imposing someone on the party? No, I don't want that," Mugabe said.
"This is an issue for the congress to choose. We can have an extraordinary congress if the president retires but you said I should be your candidate in the next election."
His hands gripping the podium, Mugabe spoke slowly. He said that at times he felt alone, but that he has a "mission" and "mandate" as Zimbabwe's leader and appealed for the ruling party to overcome its divisions.
"It's not always easy to predict that, although you are alive this year, you will be alive next year," he said.
"It does not matter how healthy you might feel. The decision that you continue to live and enjoy life is that of one personality we call the Almighty God."
Guests at the birthday party enjoyed pieces of a cake weighing 93kg, according to party organiser Kudzai Chipanga.
The cake was shaped like the continent of Africa because "everyone in Africa loves him", said Chipanga.
ZANU-PF officials said hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent on the birthday bash at a school in Matobo, just outside Zimbabwe's second biggest city, Bulawayo.
But critics said the money should had been used for other priorities amid a deepening economic crisis.
Zimbabwe's economy is set to contract by 2.5 percent this year, according to the International Monetary Fund.
More than 80 percent of the workforce scrape a living in the informal sector, while the government has failed to pay civil servants' salaries in time since June.
Mugabe celebrated his actual birthday on February 21 with a smaller cake-cutting ceremony.
Thousands of government supporters, some wearing clothing adorned with Mugabe's image in younger days, converged in Matabeleland for Saturday's birthday bash and show of strength for the ruling ZANU-PF party.
Also wearing a multi-coloured suit emblazoned with his own image and dark glasses, Mugabe, , the world's oldest head of state, told the crowd he had no intention of stepping down.
"People who are busy forming their own groupings saying Mr Mugabe must go. I ask myself where should I go?" Mugabe, who has been in power for 37 years, said in a speech that was broadcast on state radio and television.
Speaking for over an hour, Mugabe said he would not impose his successor and that if ZANU-PF party felt he should retire, it would hold an extraordinary congress to choose a new leader.
"Others are saying 'President, choose a successor before you retire'. Is that not imposition? Me imposing someone on the party? No, I don't want that," Mugabe said.
"This is an issue for the congress to choose. We can have an extraordinary congress if the president retires but you said I should be your candidate in the next election."
His hands gripping the podium, Mugabe spoke slowly. He said that at times he felt alone, but that he has a "mission" and "mandate" as Zimbabwe's leader and appealed for the ruling party to overcome its divisions.
"It's not always easy to predict that, although you are alive this year, you will be alive next year," he said.
"It does not matter how healthy you might feel. The decision that you continue to live and enjoy life is that of one personality we call the Almighty God."
Guests at the birthday party enjoyed pieces of a cake weighing 93kg, according to party organiser Kudzai Chipanga.
The cake was shaped like the continent of Africa because "everyone in Africa loves him", said Chipanga.
ZANU-PF officials said hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent on the birthday bash at a school in Matobo, just outside Zimbabwe's second biggest city, Bulawayo.
But critics said the money should had been used for other priorities amid a deepening economic crisis.
Zimbabwe's economy is set to contract by 2.5 percent this year, according to the International Monetary Fund.
More than 80 percent of the workforce scrape a living in the informal sector, while the government has failed to pay civil servants' salaries in time since June.
Mugabe celebrated his actual birthday on February 21 with a smaller cake-cutting ceremony.
Donald Trump to skip White House correspondents' dinner
US President Donald Trump has announced he will not attend a century-old annual correspondents' dinner, a day after a fierce fight erupted over press access to the White House.
In a post on Twitter on Saturday, Trump wrote, "I will not be attending the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner this year. Please wish everyone well and have a great evening!"
He made the announcement just a day after a speech to conservative activists, wherein he reiterated his criticism of journalists as "the enemy of the people", and a decision by his spokesman to excludemajor news organisations, including Al Jazeera, from a media briefing.
THE LISTENING POST: America's media under Trump - An ominous start (7:24)
The reporters' group said it would go ahead with its April 29 dinner despite Trump's decision, which breaks with an annual tradition in which the US president is the guest of honour at a light-hearted roast held by journalists and typically studded with movie stars, politicians and business leaders.
The dinner "has been and will continue to be a celebration of the First Amendment and the important role played by an independent news media in a healthy republic", said Jeff Mason, a Reuters White House correspondent who heads the association this year.
Ronald Reagan was the last president to sit out the event after he was shot in 1981.
Some news outlets such as Bloomberg News and the New Yorker have said they will not host the lavish after-parties that have been a fixture of past events.
The dinner event occasionally makes news: in 2011, President Barack Obama delivered a scathing evisceration of Trump, joking that the mogul, who sat stone-faced in the audience, would move on from questioning Obama's citizenship to figuring out "did we fake the moon landing".
This was after Trump appeared on several networks questioning the legitimacy of Obama's presidency, and promoting the conspiracy that the 43rd president was born in Kenya, not the US state of Hawaii.
Critics of the correspondents' say the event encourages journalists to cosy up to politicians they should cover aggressively.
News outlets blocked
Trump built his campaign on criticising the mainstream US press - many of whose editorial boards opposed his election - and has intensified his rhetoric since taking office, routinely accusing the media of bias in overstating his setbacks and downplaying his accomplishments.
On Friday, the White House excluded several news outlets from covering a question-and-answer session with spokesman Sean Spicer held in place of the daily press briefing.
Media organisations including The New York Times, CNN, Politico and Al Jazeera were blocked from joining the informal, on-the-record, off-camera press briefing on Friday, referred to as a "gaggle".
Spicer invited only a pool of news organisations that represents and shares reporting with the larger press corps.
Journalists from several right-leaning outlets were also allowed into Spicer's office, including the website Breitbart News, whose former executive chairman, Steve Bannon, is Trump's chief strategist.
Dozens injured as truck ploughs into crowd in New Orleans
Police say 28 people have been hurt after a pickup truck ploughed into crowds attending a Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans.
Of the 21 people taken to hospital following the crash, five victims are said to be seriously hurt.
The incident happened during the Krewe of Endymion parade in the state of Louisiana at about 6.45pm local time.
One person has been taken into custody following the crash on suspicion of driving while intoxicated.
Children as young as three years old are among those injured - as well as a New Orleans police officer.
Investigators have stressed they do not believe it was a terrorist incident.
"We send a strong message about not drinking and driving, and about making smart decisions," New Orleans police superintendent Michael Harrison said.
Kourtney McKinnis told the New Orleans Advocate that the driver seemed almost unaware of what he had done in the aftermath of the crash.
"He was just kind of out of it," the 20-year-old said.
The incident happened on one of the busiest nights of Mardi Gras, with thousands of people descending on the city to watch elaborate floats and catch beads and trinkets thrown by performers.
Of the 21 people taken to hospital following the crash, five victims are said to be seriously hurt.
The incident happened during the Krewe of Endymion parade in the state of Louisiana at about 6.45pm local time.
One person has been taken into custody following the crash on suspicion of driving while intoxicated.
Children as young as three years old are among those injured - as well as a New Orleans police officer.
Investigators have stressed they do not believe it was a terrorist incident.
"We send a strong message about not drinking and driving, and about making smart decisions," New Orleans police superintendent Michael Harrison said.
Kourtney McKinnis told the New Orleans Advocate that the driver seemed almost unaware of what he had done in the aftermath of the crash.
"He was just kind of out of it," the 20-year-old said.
The incident happened on one of the busiest nights of Mardi Gras, with thousands of people descending on the city to watch elaborate floats and catch beads and trinkets thrown by performers.
Paying for a pint with your finger: The tech that could kill off cards
Camden Market in north London. A swirl of people hunting for bargains, trends and photo opportunities. And amid it all is a chance to see the future.
In a bar called Proud is an unassuming gadget, sitting on the bar and linked to a small screen.
It is a finger-scanner, the sort of thing you might see in a hospital, but here it is not designed to measure your blood, but rather to pay for your drink.
This is the latest frontier in biometric payments, the ongoing battle to rid us of cash, cards, cheque books and other such accoutrements.
Instead, runs the logic, we will use the humble finger to pay for things, quickly and securely.
And that's where the finger-scanner comes in.
The layout of veins in your fingers is all but unique - the chances of you sharing that layout with someone else is 3.4 billion to one - so by analysing those veins, the machine can be pretty sure that you are who you say you are.
By linking the details of that vein pattern to a bank card, you can then close the circle. Instead of using a contactless card to pay for a round of drinks, you instead use your finger.
This is very clever technology, being used in a very small test, but so far it is working.
Regulars at Proud have signed up to the test and bought drinks, and the ones who spoke to Sky News seemed happy, partly because it was fast and reliable, and partly because of the novelty of using your finger to buy a round of drinks.
But can this become anything more than a novelty? The man behind trying to sell this technology to the world is Nicholas Dryden, the chief executive of the payments company Sthaler.
He told Sky News the technology would soon be rolled out for testing in supermarkets, cinemas and at music festivals.
"The supermarket trial is very important to us," he said.
"There are lots of applications, but what they want to know is whether you can replace a loyalty card with your finger. Lots of us forget our wallets when we go out. You probably won't forget your finger."
The concept of using your body to pay may seem a curious idea, but it is part of a trend.
Ever since the Romans first came up with basic cheques, people have looked at new ways to pay for products. From carbon paper to chip and pin.
It was only last year that just about all smartphones could be used as wallets. Now, biometrics. Your body as a bank card.
:: Selfies And Contactless Rings: New Ways To Pay
It is a trend that intrigues the British Bankers' Association.
"In a few years' time, maybe 10 years' time, the way we bank could be almost unrecognisable from what we do now," said Chief Executive Anthony Browne.
"We'll have far more biometric security and far more convenient ways of paying - less cash, less cards, people just using their finger, or their iris to make payments."
It is an intriguing world, but there is one question that absolutely everyone wanted to know the answer to - so here it is. No, you can't just chop off someone else's finger and use that instead. It won't work in the scanner. So now you know.
In a bar called Proud is an unassuming gadget, sitting on the bar and linked to a small screen.
It is a finger-scanner, the sort of thing you might see in a hospital, but here it is not designed to measure your blood, but rather to pay for your drink.
This is the latest frontier in biometric payments, the ongoing battle to rid us of cash, cards, cheque books and other such accoutrements.
Instead, runs the logic, we will use the humble finger to pay for things, quickly and securely.
And that's where the finger-scanner comes in.
The layout of veins in your fingers is all but unique - the chances of you sharing that layout with someone else is 3.4 billion to one - so by analysing those veins, the machine can be pretty sure that you are who you say you are.
By linking the details of that vein pattern to a bank card, you can then close the circle. Instead of using a contactless card to pay for a round of drinks, you instead use your finger.
This is very clever technology, being used in a very small test, but so far it is working.
Regulars at Proud have signed up to the test and bought drinks, and the ones who spoke to Sky News seemed happy, partly because it was fast and reliable, and partly because of the novelty of using your finger to buy a round of drinks.
But can this become anything more than a novelty? The man behind trying to sell this technology to the world is Nicholas Dryden, the chief executive of the payments company Sthaler.
He told Sky News the technology would soon be rolled out for testing in supermarkets, cinemas and at music festivals.
"The supermarket trial is very important to us," he said.
"There are lots of applications, but what they want to know is whether you can replace a loyalty card with your finger. Lots of us forget our wallets when we go out. You probably won't forget your finger."
The concept of using your body to pay may seem a curious idea, but it is part of a trend.
Ever since the Romans first came up with basic cheques, people have looked at new ways to pay for products. From carbon paper to chip and pin.
It was only last year that just about all smartphones could be used as wallets. Now, biometrics. Your body as a bank card.
:: Selfies And Contactless Rings: New Ways To Pay
It is a trend that intrigues the British Bankers' Association.
"In a few years' time, maybe 10 years' time, the way we bank could be almost unrecognisable from what we do now," said Chief Executive Anthony Browne.
"We'll have far more biometric security and far more convenient ways of paying - less cash, less cards, people just using their finger, or their iris to make payments."
It is an intriguing world, but there is one question that absolutely everyone wanted to know the answer to - so here it is. No, you can't just chop off someone else's finger and use that instead. It won't work in the scanner. So now you know.
Friday, February 24, 2017
Who produced the VX poison that killed Kim Jong-nam?
Malaysian police have launched an investigation into how the killers of Kim Jong-nam obtained the highly toxic nerve agent allegedly used in the assassination of the North Korean leader's half brother.
Police have detained and are questioning a North Korean national suspected of producing the chemical, VX, Al Jazeera's Florence Looi reported.
Investigators are trying to establish whether the man, who has a background in science, had the "training and expertise to manufacture" the chemical, possibly in a laboratory in Kuala Lumpur, Looi said from the Malaysian capital on Saturday.
READ MORE: Meet the Kims - Who's who in North Korea's first family
"The big question is how these two women get hold of the toxic substance," she said. "How did this highly toxic substance come into this country?"
VX is a fast-acting toxin that sparks respiratory collapse and heart failure. Tiny amounts of the poison are enough to kill an adult, whether it is inhaled or absorbed through the skin.
On Friday, officials confirmed that during autopsy they found the chemical on the face of Kim, who died on February 13 after he was attacked inside Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
Two women were seen on CCTV footage shoving something in his face. He later suffered a seizure and was dead before he reached the hospital.
Authorities are now looking into de-contaminating the airport, as the VX chemical could linger on equipment and in airport facilities, Al Jazeera's Looi said.
North Korea is not a signatory to the international convention banning the production and use of the odourless, tasteless, and highly toxic chemical, which is considered a weapon for mass destruction by the United Nations.
The revlation that VX was used in the killing brought swift condemnation from South Korea, which slammed its use as a "blatant violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and other international norms".
Outrage in Malaysia
Experts in the South said on Friday that North Korea had up to 5,000 tonnes of chemical weapons stockpiled, including a supply of VX.
"I am outraged that the criminals used such a dangerous chemical in a public area," Malaysia's Environment Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said.
It "could have caused mass injuries or even death to other people".
One of the two women arrested after the attack fell ill in custody, police said, adding she had been vomiting.
National police chief Khalid Abu Bakar previously said the woman who attacked Kim from behind clearly knew she was carrying out an attack, dismissing claims that she thought she was taking part in a TV prank.
Malaysian detectives are holding three people - women from Indonesia and Vietnam, and a North Korean man - but want to speak to seven others, four of whom are believed to have fled to Pyongyang.
One man wanted for questioning, who is believed to be still in Malaysia, is senior North Korean embassy official Hyon Kwang Song.
Police have acknowledged that his diplomatic status prevents them from questioning him unless he surrenders himself.
North Korea, which has not acknowledged the dead man's identity, has vehemently protested the investigation, saying Malaysia is in cahoots with its enemies.
Police have detained and are questioning a North Korean national suspected of producing the chemical, VX, Al Jazeera's Florence Looi reported.
Investigators are trying to establish whether the man, who has a background in science, had the "training and expertise to manufacture" the chemical, possibly in a laboratory in Kuala Lumpur, Looi said from the Malaysian capital on Saturday.
READ MORE: Meet the Kims - Who's who in North Korea's first family
"The big question is how these two women get hold of the toxic substance," she said. "How did this highly toxic substance come into this country?"
VX is a fast-acting toxin that sparks respiratory collapse and heart failure. Tiny amounts of the poison are enough to kill an adult, whether it is inhaled or absorbed through the skin.
On Friday, officials confirmed that during autopsy they found the chemical on the face of Kim, who died on February 13 after he was attacked inside Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
Two women were seen on CCTV footage shoving something in his face. He later suffered a seizure and was dead before he reached the hospital.
Authorities are now looking into de-contaminating the airport, as the VX chemical could linger on equipment and in airport facilities, Al Jazeera's Looi said.
North Korea is not a signatory to the international convention banning the production and use of the odourless, tasteless, and highly toxic chemical, which is considered a weapon for mass destruction by the United Nations.
The revlation that VX was used in the killing brought swift condemnation from South Korea, which slammed its use as a "blatant violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and other international norms".
Outrage in Malaysia
Experts in the South said on Friday that North Korea had up to 5,000 tonnes of chemical weapons stockpiled, including a supply of VX.
"I am outraged that the criminals used such a dangerous chemical in a public area," Malaysia's Environment Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said.
It "could have caused mass injuries or even death to other people".
One of the two women arrested after the attack fell ill in custody, police said, adding she had been vomiting.
National police chief Khalid Abu Bakar previously said the woman who attacked Kim from behind clearly knew she was carrying out an attack, dismissing claims that she thought she was taking part in a TV prank.
Malaysian detectives are holding three people - women from Indonesia and Vietnam, and a North Korean man - but want to speak to seven others, four of whom are believed to have fled to Pyongyang.
One man wanted for questioning, who is believed to be still in Malaysia, is senior North Korean embassy official Hyon Kwang Song.
Police have acknowledged that his diplomatic status prevents them from questioning him unless he surrenders himself.
North Korea, which has not acknowledged the dead man's identity, has vehemently protested the investigation, saying Malaysia is in cahoots with its enemies.
White House excludes news outlets including CNN and New York Times from briefing
The White House has excluded several news outlets from a media briefing, leading to accusations Donald Trump is retaliating for unwelcome reporting.
Among organisations denied access were CNN, the New York Times, Politico, the Los Angeles Times and BuzzFeed.
Those selected to attend included Fox and NBC, and conservative media organisations such as The Washington Times.
CNN attacked the block, saying: "This is an unacceptable development by the Trump White House.
"Apparently this is how they retaliate when you report facts they don't like. We'll keep reporting regardless."
Sky's Siobhan Robbins, reporting from Maryland, where Mr Trump was speaking, said: "Both CNN and the New York Times have been quite critical of Donald Trump, quite questioning of his policies.
"It seems he has really escalated that fight with the media."
New York Times executive editor Dean Baquet wrote: "Nothing like this has ever happened at the White House in our long history of covering multiple administrations of different parties.
"We strongly protest the exclusion of The New York Times and the other news organisations.
"Free media access to a transparent government is obviously of crucial national interest."
The White House Correspondents Association also complained.
"The WHCA board is protesting strongly against how today's gaggle is being handled by the White House," the organisation said.
The meeting was an off-camera session known as a "gaggle", which is less formal than the televised question and answer sessions.
The White House defended the move, claiming there was "a pool of journalists" who could relay information to others.
During the briefing, press secretary Sean Spicer said the White House had shown an "abundance of accessibility".
"We've actually gone above and beyond, with making ourselves, our team and our briefing room more accessible than probably any previous administration," he said.
It is not uncommon for Republican and Democratic administrations to brief select reporters.
But the event was initially billed as a regular briefing which is open to any credentialed media.
Earlier, Mr Trump again laid into the media, describing many journalists as "the enemy of the people".
"They are the enemy of the people because they have no sources," Mr Trump said.
Among organisations denied access were CNN, the New York Times, Politico, the Los Angeles Times and BuzzFeed.
Those selected to attend included Fox and NBC, and conservative media organisations such as The Washington Times.
CNN attacked the block, saying: "This is an unacceptable development by the Trump White House.
"Apparently this is how they retaliate when you report facts they don't like. We'll keep reporting regardless."
Sky's Siobhan Robbins, reporting from Maryland, where Mr Trump was speaking, said: "Both CNN and the New York Times have been quite critical of Donald Trump, quite questioning of his policies.
"It seems he has really escalated that fight with the media."
New York Times executive editor Dean Baquet wrote: "Nothing like this has ever happened at the White House in our long history of covering multiple administrations of different parties.
"We strongly protest the exclusion of The New York Times and the other news organisations.
"Free media access to a transparent government is obviously of crucial national interest."
The White House Correspondents Association also complained.
"The WHCA board is protesting strongly against how today's gaggle is being handled by the White House," the organisation said.
The meeting was an off-camera session known as a "gaggle", which is less formal than the televised question and answer sessions.
The White House defended the move, claiming there was "a pool of journalists" who could relay information to others.
During the briefing, press secretary Sean Spicer said the White House had shown an "abundance of accessibility".
"We've actually gone above and beyond, with making ourselves, our team and our briefing room more accessible than probably any previous administration," he said.
It is not uncommon for Republican and Democratic administrations to brief select reporters.
But the event was initially billed as a regular briefing which is open to any credentialed media.
Earlier, Mr Trump again laid into the media, describing many journalists as "the enemy of the people".
"They are the enemy of the people because they have no sources," Mr Trump said.
Uber sued by Waymo over self-driving technology 'theft'
Uber is being sued by Waymo - the self-driving car unit of Google owner Alphabet - over allegations of technology theft.
Details of the case emerged as Waymo filed a lawsuit in San Francisco.
It accuses former executive Anthony Levandowski of stealing key technology that is now helping Uber assemble a fleet of autonomous vehicles for its ride-hailing service.
The allegations date back to late 2015, before Mr Levandowski left to create a start-up called Otto that is building self-driving lorries.
Uber bought Otto for $680m (£540m) last year and he is now overseeing the cab service's efforts to develop cars driven by robots.
There was no immediate comment from Uber and Mr Levandowski.
The claim by Alphabet alleges that the executive loaded 14,000 confidential files on a laptop before leaving Waymo to start Otto.
The alleged theft included the designs for circuit boards needed for LiDAR, an array of sensors that enable self-driving cars to see what is around them in order to navigate roads safely.
Waymo is seeking a court order prohibiting Uber from relying on its technology for self-driving vehicles, as well as damages.
The company was founded as part of Google eight years ago but now operates as a subsidiary of Google's parent company.
Details of the case emerged as Waymo filed a lawsuit in San Francisco.
It accuses former executive Anthony Levandowski of stealing key technology that is now helping Uber assemble a fleet of autonomous vehicles for its ride-hailing service.
The allegations date back to late 2015, before Mr Levandowski left to create a start-up called Otto that is building self-driving lorries.
Uber bought Otto for $680m (£540m) last year and he is now overseeing the cab service's efforts to develop cars driven by robots.
There was no immediate comment from Uber and Mr Levandowski.
The claim by Alphabet alleges that the executive loaded 14,000 confidential files on a laptop before leaving Waymo to start Otto.
The alleged theft included the designs for circuit boards needed for LiDAR, an array of sensors that enable self-driving cars to see what is around them in order to navigate roads safely.
Waymo is seeking a court order prohibiting Uber from relying on its technology for self-driving vehicles, as well as damages.
The company was founded as part of Google eight years ago but now operates as a subsidiary of Google's parent company.
Donald Trump: Border wall building starts 'soon' and is 'ahead of schedule'
Donald Trump has said his controversial border wall with Mexico is going to start being built "soon" and "way ahead of schedule".
Speaking to a conference of conservative activists, he said: "For too long the US has defended other nation's borders while leaving ours wide open."
The wall is aimed at "stopping the flow of illegal immigration" and "stopping the drugs pouring in", he said.
He told the Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland that "as we speak today, immigration officers are finding gang members, drug dealers and criminal aliens and throwing them the hell out".
He said: "We're building the wall. It's going to start soon, way ahead of schedule."
Sky's Siobhan Robbins, who was at the event, said Mr Trump was on "comfortable ground".
"The feeling of the speech was that of a returning hero, a man who had previously talked about being president and then returned with the title," she said.
"The audience adored him and made it clear, shouting 'We love you' or erupting into spontaneous applause.
"The biggest hit was arguably his continued commitment to protecting the borders which inspired a chorus of 'build the wall, build the wall'.
"Confident, witty and charismatic, Donald Trump was full of headlines but still fairly thin on policy detail.
"Those within the conservative capsule of the hall told me that didn't matter, that he'd only been president for just over a month and he was already 'the best'.
"This week's protests at Republican town hall meetings suggest other voters disagree. They're demanding details about planned changes, especially to do with healthcare and the scrapping of Obamacare. They're tired of talk, they want content. These are the people the President still needs to convince."
There are reports the "wall" along the US-Mexico border would be a series of fences and walls that would cost as much as $21.6bn (£17.2bn), and take more than three years to construct.
Mr Trump also pledged that "in a matter of days", his administration will take "a brand new action" to prevent potential terrorists from entering the US.
He did not specify what that action will be, but White House officials say a new immigration ban will be brought in soon following opposition to the previous order affecting travellers from seven mainly Muslim countries.
In a wide-ranging speech, he also covered long-standing plans to repeal and replace Obamacare, rebuild the military, fix "broken trade deals", bring back jobs, cut "wasteful spending" and rebuild inner cities.
He also stepped up his attacks on "fake news media", saying some journalists were "the enemy of the people" and should not be able to use sources in their stories without naming them, adding: "Let their names be put out."
Mr Trump joked: "A source said 'Donald Trump is a horrible, horrible human being'. Let them say it to my face. Let there be no more sources."
He acknowledged there are "talented reporters" but also claimed there are some "terrible, dishonest people" and "they do a tremendous disservice to our country".
Speaking to a conference of conservative activists, he said: "For too long the US has defended other nation's borders while leaving ours wide open."
The wall is aimed at "stopping the flow of illegal immigration" and "stopping the drugs pouring in", he said.
He told the Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland that "as we speak today, immigration officers are finding gang members, drug dealers and criminal aliens and throwing them the hell out".
He said: "We're building the wall. It's going to start soon, way ahead of schedule."
Sky's Siobhan Robbins, who was at the event, said Mr Trump was on "comfortable ground".
"The feeling of the speech was that of a returning hero, a man who had previously talked about being president and then returned with the title," she said.
"The audience adored him and made it clear, shouting 'We love you' or erupting into spontaneous applause.
"The biggest hit was arguably his continued commitment to protecting the borders which inspired a chorus of 'build the wall, build the wall'.
"Confident, witty and charismatic, Donald Trump was full of headlines but still fairly thin on policy detail.
"Those within the conservative capsule of the hall told me that didn't matter, that he'd only been president for just over a month and he was already 'the best'.
"This week's protests at Republican town hall meetings suggest other voters disagree. They're demanding details about planned changes, especially to do with healthcare and the scrapping of Obamacare. They're tired of talk, they want content. These are the people the President still needs to convince."
There are reports the "wall" along the US-Mexico border would be a series of fences and walls that would cost as much as $21.6bn (£17.2bn), and take more than three years to construct.
Mr Trump also pledged that "in a matter of days", his administration will take "a brand new action" to prevent potential terrorists from entering the US.
He did not specify what that action will be, but White House officials say a new immigration ban will be brought in soon following opposition to the previous order affecting travellers from seven mainly Muslim countries.
In a wide-ranging speech, he also covered long-standing plans to repeal and replace Obamacare, rebuild the military, fix "broken trade deals", bring back jobs, cut "wasteful spending" and rebuild inner cities.
He also stepped up his attacks on "fake news media", saying some journalists were "the enemy of the people" and should not be able to use sources in their stories without naming them, adding: "Let their names be put out."
Mr Trump joked: "A source said 'Donald Trump is a horrible, horrible human being'. Let them say it to my face. Let there be no more sources."
He acknowledged there are "talented reporters" but also claimed there are some "terrible, dishonest people" and "they do a tremendous disservice to our country".
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