South Korean officials in North to arrange new summit

A South Korean delegation leaves for Pyongyang from an airport in Sungnam City, South Korea, September 5, 2018. (Photo by AFP)

North Korea has received a high-ranking South Korean presidential delegation in Pyongyang for talks to arrange anther inter-Korean summit this month, as talks between Washington and Pyongyang have stalled over disagreements on denuclearization.

The five-member delegation, led by South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s special envoy Chung Eui-yong, arrived in the North’s capital on Wednesday.

Chung said he planned to discuss ways to “completely denuclearize” the Korean Peninsula and establish “lasting peace”.

This is the same team that brokered a summit between the North’s leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump in Singapore in July.

It is not yet clear whether the South Korean delegation will meet Kim before flying back to the South later on Wednesday.

The delegates held a 20-minute meeting with senior North Korean officials Kim Yong-chol who has been negotiating with the United States on nuclear issues and Ri Son-gwon, the chairman of the North’s agency that handles inter-Korean affairs, at Pyongyang’s Koryo hotel.

According to Moon’s office, the South Korean president on Tuesday held a 50-minute telephone conversation with his American counterpart, during which Trump said he would be waiting for the South Korean envoy to bring good news from Pyongyang.

South Koreans rally for a peace treaty between North Korea and the US near the US Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, June 12, 2018. (Photo by AFP)

 

Trump has also expressed his hope for the success of the next inter-Korean summit. Earlier, the US president had cited a lack of progress in talks with the North to cancel a visit by his point man for the North Korea dossier, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Specifics have been scarce about the South Korean delegation’s visit to the North, and some observers have been speculating about its purpose.

“The envoy (Chung) is believed to be carrying a proposal that Kim give a firm commitment to presenting a list of nuclear weapons and fissile materials demanded by the US in return for a declaration of the end of the Korean War,” Yang Moo-jin of the University of North Korean Studies was quoted by AFP as saying.

Trump and Kim made a broad agreement on denuclearization at the Singapore summit in June, but sanctions meant to punish Pyongyang for its nuclear and missile programs still remain in place.

Those talks are now stalled due to disagreements between the two sides, with Pyongyang accusing the US of obstructing inter-Korean talks as well.

The leaders of the two Koreas first met at a historic summit at the border village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone back in April. They held a second meeting in May.

The US joined that diplomacy only later, including with the Trump-Kim summit.

While inter-Korean engagement has been proceeding more successfully, US-North Korean talks have stalled.

ING settles with Dutch prosecutors on money laundering charges

ING has agreed to an out-of-court settlement with the Dutch public prosecutor, facing potential money laundering charges.

The Dutch lender will pay €775m – €675m and repayment of €100m – admitting failure to monitor capital movement effectively. The prosecutor accuses ING of allowing clients to move millions without flagging suspicious transactions from 2010 to 2016.

The Dutch prosecutor believes the lender has allowed the laundering of at least €150m, signalled as a transaction of a “woman’s underwear trade.”

Among the suspicious transactions that should have been reported is the alleged multi-million-euro kickback paid by VimpelCom (Veon) telecom to the daughter of the former Uzbek president, Gulnara Karimova. VimpelCom used a Dutch account, channelling the transaction via Gibraltar.

Karimova is in custody following a conviction for embezzlement.

Dutch authorities claim the lender failed to heed central bank (DNB) warnings in 2008. ING is suspending members of senior management and withholding bonuses. However, the prosecutor has pointed to systemic failure, as ING failed to staff its compliance department adequately.

senior management and withholding bonuses. However, the prosecutor has pointed to systemic failure, as ING failed to staff its compliance department adequately.

ING is not alone in its failure. Denmark’s Danske Bank has also admitted failure to monitor clients in Estonia and is conducting its own internal investigation.

European regulators are considering a tighter regulatory framework to tackle financial crime, pending the approval of Commission proposals by the Eurogroup later this week. Part of the challenge at hand is a failure to implement the existing regulation on cross-border cooperation. However, new legislation is unlikely before the new European Parliament takes office next year.

Besides the Netherlands and Denmark, at the epicentre of concerns is Latvia, long seen as the financial nod between Russian money, Europe and the United States.

I was called K-legs, mocked, ridiculed – Nollywood actress, Juliet Ibrahim

Ghanaian actress, Juliet Ibrahim has revealed how she was body-shamed and called all sorts of names.

In a post she shared on Instagram on Tuesday morning, the actress admonished her fans to stick to what they believe in despite what the world has to say about them and also learn to embrace their flaws.

Miss Ibrahim, a mother of one revealed she has been called all sorts of names, even mocked and called K-legs.

She said the names did not, however, deter her from achieving what she planned out for her life.

The actress went on to say that success comes with a price and it will not be possible to be famous internationally with endorsements and photos on billboards if one does not appreciate one’s flaws and then look out for ways to better one’s life despite the flaws

“See, I have been called all sorts; “k legs” mocked and ridiculed, only because I embrace who I am and I’m not afraid of pushing the limit.

“Those insecure about themselves will always try to make others insecure about themselves, but my secret has always been to embrace my flaws and be proud of my uniqueness.

“You cannot walk on runways and grace billboards, ‘talkless’ of be the face of multi-national companies if you don’t appreciate your uniqueness and embrace your flaws.”

Kremlin says Syrian army ready to deal with ‘pocket of terrorism’ in Idlib

Russian armoured personnel carriers supporting Syrian government troops.

The Syrian army is getting ready to solve the “terrorism” in Idlib, according to the Kremlin, despite a warning from Donald Trump against a “reckless attack”.

Speaking in the wake of a message on Twitter from the US president, Vladimir Putin’s spokesman said the army was preparing to solve the issue in what he called a “pocket of terrorism”.

Mr Trump said the Syrian government and its allies Russia and Iran “would be making a grave humanitarian mistake to take part in this potential human tragedy”.

He added: “Hundreds of thousands of people could be killed. Don’t let that happen!”

The province is one of the last areas in Syria held by forces opposed to President Bashar al Assad.

Mr Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not give a timeframe for their plans.

Syrian rebel forces prepare for an expected government assault on Idlib

He said numerous “terrorists” are in the country’s last rebel stronghold, leading to a “general destabilisation of the situation”.

He added: “This undermines attempts to push the situation towards a political and diplomatic settlement and most importantly presents a significant threat for our temporary facilities.

“No doubt one needs to deal with this problem.”

But he also took issue with the warning from Mr Trump, saying the situation could have “dangerous” consequences for the country.

It follows comments by Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, that “terrorists must be purged” from Idlib and the entire northwestern province returned to government control.

Thousands of government troops have been surrounding the area, preparing for what appears to be a major assault.

Most of Idlib and the adjacent area of Hama remain under the control of several different armed groups – some which are backed by Turkey, others by independent Islamist groups.

Many people in the area have already fled fighting elsewhere

However, the strongest set of fighters is led by an al Qaeda-linked group, which controls most of an area that is home to more than three million people.

The leaders of Iran, Turkey, and Russia are expected to meet on 7 September in Iran to discuss the situation.

Assad has vowed to defeat the opposition in its last refuge in the province if the rebels do not surrender to government rule.

Last week, Russia said a military operation was needed to flush out “terrorists” from the area who have been blamed for targeting coastal army bases.

It also said talks were under way to establish a humanitarian corridor for civilians to leave Idlib.

Turkey has expressed fears of a potential humanitarian crisis on its borders.

The country, which backs several opposition groups in Syria, has set up observation points around the rebel stronghold and has been seeking to stop a full-scale state offensive.

Ben Kingsley Biography Actor, Musician (1943–)

Ben Kingsley

Real Name

Ben Kingsley’s real name is Krishna Pandit Bhanji.

Early Life & Career

Sir Ben Kingsley was born on December 31, 1943 in the village of Snainton, North Yorkshire, England. Raised in Salford as the son of Rahimtulla Harji Bhanji, a Kenyan-born physician of Indian ancestry, and Anna Lyna Mary Bhanji, an English-born fashion model, Kingsley began acting as a teenager while also developing his craft as a musician and vocalist. Though he later described his parents as emotionally distant and lacking affection, he took the name Ben as a tribute to his father, who had been called Ben in college.

Though offered a recording contract as a singer/guitarist, Kingsley chose acting and joined the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in 1967. He soon began performing in lead roles, including Demetrius in a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a part which he reprised for U.S. audiences in 1971, and the title character in Hamlet in 1975. Kingsley first officially appeared on the big screen in the Alistair MacLean thriller Fear Is the Key (1972), having already been featured on British TV programs.

Movies, TV and Stage Work

‘Gandhi’

During the mid ’70s, Kingsley worked with the National Theatre. He subsequently returned to the RSC, where he originated the role of Squeers in Nicholas Nickleby. When the production traveled to Broadway, Kingsley was unable to reprise the role due to film commitments. His career soared to new heights in 1981 with the title role in Richard Attenborough‘s acclaimed biopic Gandhi, telling the life story of the iconic, revered leader of India’s independence movement. In only his second accredited big-screen film, Kingsley won numerous accolades for his performance, including an Academy Award for Best Actor.

‘Betrayal,’ ‘Murderers Among Us: The Simon Wiesenthal Story’

Kingsley appeared in several more European films, notably a 1983 adaptation of Harold Pinter‘s Betrayal, co-starring Jeremy Irons, and James Ivory‘s Maurice (1987). He also made his Broadway return in the one-man show Edmund Kean (1984) before making his U.S. film debut in Without a Clue (1988), playing the capable Dr. Watson to Michael Caine‘s bumbling Sherlock Holmes. The film was an unusually comic choice for Kingsley, and was met with mixed reviews. In 1989 he again ventured into historical biopic territory, earning critical praise for his performance in the title role of the HBO feature Murderers Among Us: The Simon Wiesenthal Story as the famed Holocaust survivor who steadfastly sought vengeance against the Nazis.

‘Bugsy,’ ‘Bobby Fischer,’ ‘Dave,’ ‘Schindler’s List’

Kingsley earned his second Academy Award nomination for his sharp-edged supporting turn as Jewish gangster Meyer Lansky in the Warren Beatty vehicle Bugsy(1991). After a villainous performance in the thriller Sneakers (1992), co-starring Robert Redford, he essayed a trio of more benevolent roles, including a patient coach to a chess prodigy in Searching for Bobby Fischer, a U.S. vice president in the comedy Dave, co-starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver, and Itzhak Stern, the trusted friend of Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson) in Steven Spielberg‘s acclaimed Holocaust epic Schindler’s List (all 1993). This last performance garnered Kingsley his best reviews since Gandhi, once again proving the actor’s gift for portraying complicated characters of uncommon dignity and historical importance.

Rules of Engagement,’ ‘Moses,’ ‘Alice in Wonderland’

A series of less well-received movies followed, including Roman Polanski‘s Death and the Maiden (1994), the science-fiction thriller Species (1995), the spy drama The Assignment (1997), the alien comedy What Planet Are You From? (2000), co-starring Garry Shandling and Annette Bening, and the military thriller Rules of Engagement(2000). In addition, Kingsley acted in a number of high profile TV projects, including the TNT miniseries Joseph (1995) and Moses (1996, in which Kingsley played the title role), Showtime’s The Tale of Sweeney Todd (1998) and the NBC movies Dostoevsky‘s “Crime and Punishment” (1998) and Alice in Wonderland (1999).

‘A.I. Artificial Intelligence,’ ‘House of Sand and Fog’

Kingsley had a busy year in 2001, beginning with his chilling, outrageous performance as the tightly wound British gangster Don Logan in the British import Sexy Beast. For the scene-stealing turn, Kingsley earned rave reviews and numerous critical accolades, including his third Academy Award nomination. The same year, he nabbed an Emmy nod for another supporting performance as Otto Frank in the lauded ABC miniseries Anne Frank. Kingsley also narrated the Spielberg-directed science fiction film A.I. Artificial Intelligence and co-starred with Mira Sorvino in The Triumph of Love, which was released in the U.S. in 2002. In 2004 Kingsley received his fourth Oscar nomination for his performance as an exiled Iranian colonel in the film adaptation of Andre Dubus III’s acclaimed novel House of Sand and Fog.

‘Shutter Island,’ ‘Hugo’

Kingsley has not slowed down and continues to take on an array of roles, with some projects more well received than others. He co-starred in big-screen outings like The Last Legion (2007), The Wackness (2008), Journey to Mecca (2009) and Prince of Persia: Sands of Time (2010). He also worked with iconic director Martin Scorsese on two projects: the thriller Shutter Island (2010) and the family film Hugo (2011), a charming, fantastic work that earned an Oscar nomination for Best Picture, winning several awards in other categories. In Hugo, Kingsley portrayed film trailblazer Georges Méliès, known for fare like 1902’s A Trip to the Moon

‘Iron Man 3,’ ‘Tut,’ ‘The Jungle Book’

Standing out among other fare, Kingsley became part of the world of comic book fandom via his with-a-twist portrayal of the Mandarin in 2013’s Iron Man 3, opposite Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow and Don Cheadle. Then in late summer 2014, the actor portrayed a Sikh cabbie in the art-house comedy/drama Learning to Drive, co-starring Patricia Clarkson, and during the holiday season appeared in Ridley Scott‘s big budget Exodus: Gods and Kings, which flopped in the U.S. After having appeared in the TV mini-series Tut and the drama The Walk, both in 2015, Kingsley returned to the world of children’s narratives. He depicted the panther Bagheera in director Jon Favreau‘s 2016 adaptation of Disney’s The Jungle Book, a remake which went on to earn nearly $1 billion worldwide.

In 2018 he starred in the historical drama Operation Finale, as SS officer Adolf Eichmann who is being hunted down by Jewish Nazi hunters.

Personal Life

Kingsley has a son and daughter, Thomas and Jasmine, from his first marriage to actress Angela Morant, and two sons, Edmund and Ferdinand, from his second to theater director Alison Sutcliffe, with whom he worked on the one-man show Edmund Kean. He and his third wife, Alexandra, separated after just 15 months of marriage in 2005. Kingsley wed Brazilian actress Daniela Barbosa de Carneiro, aka Daniela Lavender, in 2007 in a small, private ceremony.

On March 19, 2002, Kingsley was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II of Britain, an honor about which he has expressed deep pride.

Deadly venoms may drive medical advances

Despite the fast pace of research, there are still many diseases that defy treatment. A paper, recently published in the journal Science, asks whether venom might help design innovative treatments.

Venomous plants and animals are incredibly common — 15 percent of Earth’s biodiversity, according to the authors — occupying every ecological niche and habitat.

From worms to lizards and from arachnids to mammals, venom has proven to be a winning tool in the game of survival.

Venom is so effective that it actually evolves independently in a variety of species; but can we harness these toxins and use them to our advantage?

Until recently, harvesting venom and dissecting it on a molecular level was hard; many venomous animals are small, making it challenging to harvest. Also, venom is often a complicated cocktail of chemicals.

However, this is slowly changing as technology steadily improves, and its full potential is coming into focus.

EPL: Shearer predicts how Mourinho may end Manchester United career.

Newcastle United legend, Alan Shearer, has claimed that Manchester United boss, Jose Mourinho, may not last long at the Old Trafford.

The former Porto and Chelsea boss is hanging on at the Old Trafford after a dismal pre-season and start to the Premier League campaign.

Although, the United boss has been upbeating at press conferences lately, but Shearer feels he will struggle to ‘ride it out’.

“I understand where Jose is coming from but his team have to answer the criticisms for him,” he told Coral.

“He made a point against Spurs by playing Herrera at centre-back when he had defenders who were fit to play on the bench.

“If that isn’t sending a message to his vice-chairman, I don’t know what is.

“He clearly did not get the players he wanted in the summer.

“It was well documented that he wanted a centre-half.

“He also talked a while back about how maybe he should now be called the head coach and not the manager.

“That is also a dig at the vice-chairman, implying he has no control of the players he brings in or sells.

“I don’t think he is going to ride this out.”

IGP, political stakeholders promise peaceful poll in Osun

 

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, and political stakeholders in the state have promised a conducive atmosphere for peaceful poll.

Idris spoke yesterday in Osogbo, the state capital, at a one-day seminar he organised for stakeholders in the election.

The theme of the seminar was, “Imperativeness of police collaboration with essential stakeholders: Towards secured, free, fair and credible election in Nigeria.”

He allayed fears about the poll, and urged people to put their minds at rest, as the police collaborate with other agencies to provide adequate security for the peaceful conduct of the election.

He said each of the local governments in the state would be massively policed to ensure a nonviolent election.

According to him, critical stakeholders would still meet to plan, adding that the police would distribute telephone numbers for residents to call in case of violence in any part of the state.

He however appealed to political parties and their supporters to conduct themselves properly within the ambit of the law to achieve the desire objective.

The Journey Begins

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Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton