An inflatable trampoline exploded Sunday in Britain, killing a 3-year-old girl, authorities said.
The incident occurred on Gorleston Beach in Norfolk, England. Emergency responders rushed to help the girl, who suffered serious injuries and cardiac arrest, The Guardian reported.
"Witnesses reported a large bang before the incident but we don't know at this stage what caused the trampoline to burst and that is the purpose of the investigation we will be undertaking," Norfolk police said in a statement.
Witnesses said the explosion threw the girl into the air.
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"Just seen the most horrific thing in my life," Kara Longshaw wrote in a Facebook post. "A bouncy castle exploded at the beach and the child on it was catapulted about 20ft into the air. Please do not allow your children on a bouncy castle in this heat."
A similar incident involving an inflatable trampoline killing a young girl occurred in 2016, which led to manslaughter convictions for two fairground workers in May.
Sunday's incident closely after the convictions of those employees prompted British MP Robert Halfon to call for a temporary ban on inflatable trampolines.
"Another horrific tragedy after the horrific tragedy in #Harlow in 2016. Clearly there needs to be a serious review into regulations around bouncy castles. Just awful," he tweeted.
Farmers across the Midwestern United States expect to lose billions of dollars this year if the trade war between the United States and China continues to escalate.
China has threatened $50 billion in tariffs on American exports -- including soybeans and other agricultural products -- beginning Friday. The move is retaliation for tariffs the United States imposed on China to combat "unfair practices related to the acquisition of American intellectual property and technology," President Donald Trump said. Rather than spur China to alter its trade policies, China punched back, putting the two governments in a standoff.
Midwestern farmers are in the crossfire.
"There are issues related to our trade dealings with China," said Grant Kimberley, the director of market development for the Iowa Soybean Association. "Trump's not wrong. But the stakes are pretty high here. We don't want to be the pawn."
The stakes are high because China buys roughly 30 percent of all America's soy. The proposed 25 percent tariff -- which is a tax buyers pay the government to purchase the commodity -- ensures Chinese buyers will look elsewhere.
A Purdue University study estimated soy exports to China would drop about 65 percent under such a tariff.
"That is a major disaster," said Farzad Taheripour, a professor of agricultural economics at Purdue.
If the trade dispute remains unresolved by fall harvest time, the price of American soy will fall sharply, said Taheripour, who conducted the study. Farmers could lose more than $3 billion in the first year.
An Iowa State University economist said that Iowa farmers alone could lose up to $624 million. What that looks will like on individual farms is hard to predict.
"I think I can weather this," said John Heisdorffer, an Iowa farmer. "I think I can. Farmers are used to markets going up and down, and we try and prepare for the down years. But there is no way to prepare for this. We're going to lose money on every acre of soybeans."
Heisdorffer, who is the president of the American Soybean Association, worries for young farmers with less money put aside. He also fears that farmers who rent land will not earn enough to pay their leases.
"There will be farmers who lose their rentals," he said.
Farmers who stay afloat will do what they can to prepare for a lean year. Most will put off buying new farm equipment and tractors, said Jim Fitkin, an Iowa farmer. Many will probably buy less fertilizer.
"There's not much more we can put off," Fitkin said.
That leaves them in the uncomfortable position of waiting and hoping for a swift resolution between the feuding governments. And they're not the only ones. The soy tariff will have equally profound impacts on the Chinese economy.
Taheripour's study predicts that the Chinese economy lose more than $3 billion due to the tariff. That's on top of the billions of dollars more that the United States' tariffs will cost them.
"We have good relationships with industry buyers in China," Kimberley said. "They also want this resolved quickly. They want to buy from us. We just need our governments to figure out a way to resolve this."
If a swift resolution is not achieved, America's agricultural economy will experience some fast -- and painful -- adjustments over the next few years.
With less demand, American soy production will likely drop 15 percent, Taheripour said. Farmers who stay solvent will have to find other crops to grow.
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Meanwhile, soy production elsewhere in the world will skyrocket to fill China's demand, Taheripour said.
Brazil, which competes with the United States in soy exports, will see a huge economic stimulus.
"Brazilian farmers will do well with this," Taheripour said.
With the extra money, Brazil is planning to build roads and invest in other infrastructure in rural areas, Taheripour said. The new infrastructure will allow that country to not only increase their soy exports, but other crops as well.
"That's going to have lots of unforeseen impacts in the future," Taheripour said. "This trade war is a big gift for Brazil."
American farmers and trade negotiators are hopeful it won't come to that.
"We just have to hope that this is dealt with quickly so we can get back to the business of feeding the world," Kimberley said. "Ultimately, nobody is going to win in a trade war that affects food."
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Saturday survived a no-confidence vote over a deal to end a decades-old dispute regarding the name of neighboring Macedonia.
Lawmakers backed Tsipras by rejecting the motion brought by the opposition New Democracy party, which had accused him of granting too many concessions to Macedonia in the deal, which is set to be signed Sunday.
The European Union, the United Nations, the United States and NATO all welcomed the agreement, which changes the country's name to the Republic of North Macedonia.
The opposition party said the deal is harmful for Greek interests. Before the vote, thousands of protesters gathering for a second day outside the House caused a riot that led to police firing tear gas into the crowd.
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On Wednesday, Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov refused to sign the name change deal and said he wouldn't grant approval if the measure is passed by Madeconia's parliament.
A British lawmaker has blocked a bill that would make it a criminal offense to take a picture up a woman's skirt without her consent.
Sir Christopher Chope, 71, a conservative lawmaker, objected to the bill to make the non-consensual practice called upskirting illegal Friday as it was being read in the House of Commons, TIME reported.
The upskirting bill would make the offense punishable by two years in prison if it becomes law. In Scotland, upskirting is already illegal.
Chope did not give a reason for objecting.
The bill is expected to be up for debate again on July 6.
British Prime Minister Theresa May supported the bill and was "disappointed" in Sir Chope's actions blocking the upskirting bill as the only lawmaker objecting to it advancing.
"Upskirting is an invasion of privacy which leaves victims feeling degraded and distressed," May tweeted Friday. "I am disappointed the Bill didn't make progress in the Commons today, and I want to see these measures pass through Parliament - with government support - soon."
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London resident Gina Martin sparked a campaign against upskirting after being victimized by the practice last year at a London concert when a man beside her suddenly placed his phone up her legs.
Martin said she was outraged by Sir Chope blocking the bill's progress in a statement on social media.
"I am obviously extremely upset and disappointed that Sir Chope decided to object on this vitally important bill for the women of England and Wales," Martin said. "I remain positive, though. We knew this was a risk--but I now stand with powerful, passionate, women and men behind me."
A fire has ripped through Scotland's world-renowned Glasgow School of Art, which was under restoration from a fire four years ago, officials said Saturday.
Firefighters battled the blaze Saturday, which ripped through the school's Mackintosh building overnight and had spread to adjoining buildings.
Officials told The New York Times the blaze had "consumed" about half of the building.
No one was injured in the blaze, which also spread to nearby building, including a campus nightclub, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said.
More than 120 firefighters and 20 fire engines responded to the scene.
Deputy Chief Officer Iain Bushell, in charge at the scene, said the fire caused "extensive damage."
"This is an extremely challenging and complex incident, but the response and professionalism of our firefighters has been exceptional," Bushnell added. "This will be a prolonged incident and crews will remain on the scene as they work to prevent further fire spread and damage."
A cause has not yet been determined, firefighters said.
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The building under restoration from a May 2014 fire had been set to re-open next year prior to this weekend's fire.
The restoration project, estimated to cost between $26.5 million and $46.5 million, was aimed at returning the renowned institution to its former gloryfollowing the 2014 fire.
A projector exploding in the basement caused the 2014 fire, which damaged the library viewed as on of the finest examples of art nouveau in the world.
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told BBC News that the fire was "heartbreaking," and worse than the one four years ago.
"The fire has been a devastating blaze, much worse than the one that took hold of the Mackintosh building four years ago," Sturgeon added. "The damage is severe and extensive. My heart goes out to everybody associated with the art school."
The building, known as lauded designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh's masterpiece, opened in 1909.
A taxi plowed into a crowd of World Cup fans Saturday in Russia's capital, injuring at least seven people.
The injured included two Mexican nationals, who had come to Russia for the World Cup, RT News reported. The driver attempted to flee the scene, but was caught. It's unclear whether a mob of pedestrians caught him or police got him first.
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"Five people hurt in the accident have been taken to hospital," a source in the city's emergencies services told TASS.
March 16 (UPI) -- U.S. consumer confidence has risen this month to its highest level since 2004, a study said Friday.
The University of Michigan Survey of Consumers "index of consumer sentiment" rose from 99.2 in February to 102.0 in March, a record favorable assessment of current economic conditions.
Respondents with incomes in the lower third of distribution were the most optimistic, the surveys shows.
The gain came after favorable reaction to tax cuts enacted by the government and amid a threat of tariffs on imported goods, survey chief economist Richard Curtin said in a statement.
"All of the gain in the Sentiment Index was among households with incomes in the bottom third (+15.7), while the economic assessments of those with incomes in the top third posted a significant monthly decline (-7.3). The decline among upper income consumers was focused on the outlook for the economy and their personal finances," Curtin wrote. "Consumers continued to adjust their expectations in reaction to new economic policies. In early March, favorable mentions of the tax reform legislation were offset by unfavorable references to the tariffs on steel and aluminum; each was spontaneously cited by one-in-five consumers."
The index figure of 102 is a 5.3 percent increase from a year ago.
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Survey data included significant positive sentiment about the near-term economy, with 59 percent of respondents reporting recent personal financial progress. That figure is the largest in that category since the survey began in 1946.
Inflation worries, though, increased in March to their highest level since 2015, with respondents expecting an average 2.9 percent increase in the next year. The survey in January and February noted an expected 2.5 percent annual increase.
A final reading of the month's data will be released on March 29.
March 16 (UPI) -- White House press secretary Sarah Sanders is scheduled to give an on-camera press briefing on Friday afternoon.
The briefing is set to begin at 2 p.m. EDT.
Sanders is likely to address the deadly collapse of a pedestrian bridge at Florida International University's campus in Miami. At least six people died and multiple were injured in the collapse, with authorities warning the death toll could climb.
She will likely address the U.S. military helicopter crash that killed all seven U.S. soldiers on the aircraft in Iraq after hitting a power line on Thursday.
Sanders may be asked about her tweet claiming President Donald Trump and General H.R. McMaster have a "good working relationship" amid rumors that the National Security Advisor is likely to lose his job. The press secretary may also be questioned on rumors of White House chief of staff John Kellyresigning as early as Friday.
The press secretary may also be asked about Vanessa Trump filing for divorce from Trump's eldest son, Donald Jr., after 12 years of marriage.
Prosecutors say the charges stem from a $2.5 billion state arms deal and are related to nearly 800 instances of alleged wrongdoing.
"After consideration of the matter, I am of the view that there are reasonable prospects of successful prosecution of Mr. Zuma on the charges listed in the indictment," Abrahams said.
"I am of the view that a trial court would be the most appropriate forum for these issues to be ventilated and to be decided upon."
Zuma, 75, resigned as president last month amid pressure from the African National Congress.
South Africa's leader since 2007, Zuma said he disagreed with the ANC's decision to recall him. Cyril Ramaphosa, the only candidate nominated in South African Parliament, took over as president.
In 2016, Zuma as ordered by South Africa's top court to repay $15 million in public funds he used to upgrade his private home. Source
A poll Friday said most teachers oppose carrying a gun in schools, something President Donald Trump has supported since a shooting at a Florida high school. Photo by Mike Theiler/UPI
March 16 (UPI) -- A new survey Friday said nearly three-quarters of teachers and educators oppose the notion of carrying guns in schools.
The Gallup poll was conducted after President Donald Trump proposed that teachers be armed following the Feb. 14 shooting at a South Florida high school.
According to the poll, 73 percent of teachers said they are against the idea.
The survey also showed 58 percent said carrying guns in schools would make schools less safe. Eighteen percent said they would be willing to carry a gun in school buildings.
Trump, along with the National Rifle Association, advocates for the policy with the slogan: "To stop a bad guy with a gun, it takes a good guy with a gun."
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The poll says U.S. teachers overwhelmingly disagree with the two main arguments for arming teachers -- that it would make schools safer and limit casualties during a shooting.
Only 20 percent of teachers think it would make schools safer and 22 percent said it would make no difference. Less than 30 percent said arming teachers would be very or somewhat effective, while 71 percent say it would not be effective.
In contrast, recent Gallup research showed 42 percent of Americans favor arming teachers and staff. Better background checks and better active shooter training for first responders have almost unanimous support.
When teachers were asked if they would be willing to go through special training to carry a gun, only 18 percent said yes. A quarter said they own a gun -- a group Gallup found four times as likely as non-gun owners to say they would take the training, if offered.
The findings were based on a survey of 497 U.S. school teachers. It has a margin of error of 7 points.
"To have met Louise Slaughter is to have known a force of nature," Liam Fitzsimmons, her chief of staff, said in a statement. "She was a relentless advocate for western New York whose visionary leadership brought infrastructure upgrades, technology and research investments and two federal manufacturing institutes to Rochester that will transform the local economy for generations to come."
Slaughter, a Democrat born in Kentucky, had served in the House since 1987, winning 16 elections in New York's 25th district.
As the first woman to chair the House Rules Committee, Slaughter helped shepherd the Affordable Care Act, the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 and the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act.
She co-authored the Violence Against Women Act and was a founding member of the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus on reproductive health. She also worked on legislation to ensure women and minorities were included in federal health trials.
House minority leader Nancy Pelosi praised Slaughter's leadership as a bridge builder and her dedication to her constituency.
"Her tireless leadership was invaluable to passing legislation to expand access to affordable, high-quality healthcare and to help young people climb the ladders of opportunity with a good education. She made it her mission to help every man and woman chase their American Dream," Pelosi said in a statement.
Slaughter "was a living icon for women from all walks of life who wanted to get off the sidelines and make a positive change in their community," Jamie Romeo, chairwoman of the Monroe County, N.Y., Democratic Party told the Democrat and Chronicle in Rochester. "I know many, including myself, would not be where they are today without the support and guidance from Louise."
Robert Slaughter, her husband of 57 years, died in 2014. She is survived by three daughters -- Megan, Amy and Emily, as well as seven grandchildren and a great-grandchild. Source
North Korean deputy chief for North American affairs Choe Gang Il was seen in Beijing this week. Photo by Yonhap
March 16 (UPI) -- North Korean diplomats have been sighted abroad, including Stockholm and Beijing, ahead of a planned summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and leader Kim Jong Un.
Chinese officials are denying the North Korean presence in their capital.
North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho, who made headlines in 2017 for suggesting Pyongyang could detonate a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific Ocean, was visiting Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven's Rosenbad office on Friday, South Korean news service News 1 reported.
On Thursday, Ri is believed to have met with Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Valstrom, and has extended his stay to four days, according to the report and Swedish national public TV broadcaster SVT.
Choe Gang Il, the North Korean deputy chief for North American affairs, was seen in Beijing in a trip where he accompanied Ri, until the foreign minister left for Europe, Yonhap reported Friday.
The South Korean news agency reported Choe stayed behind in China and Choe was not included in the list of passengers for Scandinavian Airlines flight SK9511, which Ri boarded to begin his diplomatic visit to Sweden.
Ri was also not seen in a North Korean embassy vehicle that was taking Choe out of the airport's third terminal.
Beijing foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Friday that he "does not know of the situation," regarding Choe.
China and Sweden could be potential locations for the summit.
Ahead of the planned meeting, Trump is defying his critics who are slamming him for his lack of caution and willingness to meet Kim.
"This is the biggest thing that's happened in 40 years," Trump said, at a private fundraiser event on Wednesday, according to The Washington Post.
He also said he disagrees with those who say he "conceded" to Kim.
"And I tell this Korea story because it was, it was somewhat of a miracle. It's actually far ahead of schedule. And you know, you hear that we're making a major concession by agreeing to the meeting, you know, it's the craziest thing. But go back a couple of weeks earlier and listen to what -- they were petrified."
Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton signs copies of her new book 'What Happened' at a book signing in New York City. File photo by Dennis Van Tine/UPI
March 16 (UPI) -- Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton fractured her wrist after she slipped in a bathtub at Umaid Bhawan Palace in India.
The former first lady suffered a hairline fracture while on a three-day private tour of India. An X-ray and a CT scan conducted at Goyal Hospital confirmed the injury.
A team of doctors attended her at the Umaid Palace, leading her to cancel a scheduled visit to the 15th century Mehrangarh Fort.
The fracture comes after Clinton nearly slipped and fell twice while climbing down a stone staircase at Jahaz Mahal in Mandu in Madhya Pradesh.
Earlier this week, Clinton drew criticism from the White House for remarks she made about supporters of President Donald Trump.
"All that red in the middle, where Trump won, what the map doesn't show you is that I won the places that represent two-thirds of America's gross domestic product," Clinton said. "So I won the places that are optimistic, diverse, dynamic, moving forward."
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the comments are a "perfect example" of why Clinton didn't win the presidency.
"She is completely disconnected from the American public and certainly I think shows her disdain for the millions and millions of Americans who came out and voted for President Trump and still support him today," Sanders said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin visits National Grain Center in Krasnodar, south of Moscow. Russia plans to retaliate against the U.S. and Britain for claiming Moscow is responsible for the poisoning of an ex-spy and implementing sanctions. Photo by Yuri Gripas/UPI
March 16 (UPI) -- Russia said it will retaliate against the United States and Britain for claiming Moscow is responsible for the poisoning of an ex-spy and implementing sanctions.
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said Friday it was "overwhelmingly likely" that it was Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to have former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal attacked with a Soviet-era nerve agent.
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said blaming Putin for the attack was undiplomatic.
"We have said on different levels and occasions that Russia has nothing to do with this story," Peskov said. "Any reference or mentioning of our president is nothing else but shocking and unpardonable diplomatic misconduct,"
Russia has faced growing international criticism over their alleged role in the nerve agent attack on Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, in Salisbury. The Skripals remain in critical condition.
Germany, France and the United States joined Britain in blaming Moscow for the attack, with British Prime Minister Theresa May stating it was "highly likely" that Russia was responsible. In response, May expelled 23 Russian diplomats from Britain.
Meanwhile, the United States Treasury sanctioned five Russian entities and 19 citizens Thursday for their role in interfering with the 2016 U.S. presidential election -- slamming Moscow for its "reckless and irresponsible conduct."
In retaliation, Moscow announced plans to blacklist Americans and expel British diplomats, claiming they were ready to escalate a standoff with the West. The number of Americans on the sanctioned people list will be raised to match that U.S. tally.
"We will crank up pressure on the British government over this issue. We will not allow them leave this track for sure," Alexander Yakovenko, Russian Ambassador to Britain, said.
"Retaliatory measures will not be long in coming," Peskov said, adding that the Kremlin was "surprised" at the accusations that Russia was involved in the poisoning of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter.
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who previously said Russia "stopped paying attention" to British statements about the nerve agent attack, claimed that Britain's Secretary of State for Defense Gavin Williamson lacked education after Williamson said Russia should "go away and shut up."
"Theresa May's 'highly likely' is the main argument supporting the Russia blame game and his would be 'Russia should go away and shut up'," Lavrov said. "Maybe he lacks education, I don't know."
"An investigation will be conducted in accordance with the Russian legislation and international law," Russia's Investigative Committee spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko said, adding Moscow would "engage highly qualified experts" and was ready to cooperate with British law enforcement agencies.
A Syrian man carries his mother as hundreds leave rebel-held Eastern Ghouta in the countryside of Damascus, Syria. Photo by Youssef Badawi/EPA-EFE
March 16 (UPI) -- Civilians were killed in airstrikes in the Kafr Batna district in Syria on Friday amid a mass exodus from rebel-held areas.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that 41 civilians, including six children, were killed on Friday. The Britain-based human rights group said more than 25 raids targeted places in Saqba, Ein Tarma, Kafr Batna and Hazza.
As the air strikes continued, an estimated 2,000 more people fled from rebel-held areas after it was reported that between 12,000 and 13,000 people had already left Damascus overnight and into Friday morning.
On Thursday, thousands fled the enclave of Eastern Ghouta as Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government forces advanced into rebel-held areas -- making it the largest mass displacement in the enclave since regime forces and their allies first began their siege of the area in 2013.
Since Feb. 18, the human rights group estimated 1272 civilians, including 252 children and 171 women, had been killed by aerial, rocket and artillery shelling on Syrian cities and towns.
According to United Nations spokeswoman, Ravina Shamdasani, along with Eastern Ghouta, the Kurdish-held town of Afrin is now among the "worsening flashpoints" in Syria.
"We have been receiving deeply alarming reports from Afrin in Syria about civilian deaths and injuries due to airstrikes and ground-based strikes," Shamdasani said Friday. "There is also a severe water shortage due to the reported destruction of a pumping station as well as the control of other water resources by Turkish-led forces."
Shamdasani added that the only hospital in the area, Afrin Hospital, is overwhelmed by the influx of wounded people.
The United Nations Children's Fund reported that Afrin has suffered from severe water shortages, with families relying on untreated water that could increase the risk of diseases for up to 250,000 people.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said in a separate statement Friday that he was "deeply concerned" by the desperation of those fleeing in a mass exodus from Eastern Ghouta and Afrin.
"I urge all parties to the conflict to fully respect international humanitarian and human rights law and guarantee the protection of civilians," Guterres said. "The United Nations and its partners are fully mobilized to bring immediate life-saving relief to all those in need."
Meanwhile, foreign ministers from Russia, Iran and Turkey met in Astana, Kazakhstan, to address the situation in Syria on Friday.
Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his Russian and Turkish counterparts, Sergei Lavrov and Mevlut Carusoglu issued a joint statementafter the meeting to reaffirm the "strong and continued commitment to the sovereignty and independence, unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic."
Presidents from the three countries are expected to speak about Syria again during a summit on April 4, with the situation in Eastern Ghouta expected to take center stage in the talks.
Yuzhmash, a state-owned factory in Dnipro, Ukraine, produced the the Soviet-era RD-250. File Photo by Mykhailo Markiv/EPA
March 16 (UPI) -- A rocket engine North Korea used in the test of its intercontinental ballistic missiles may have been of Ukrainian origin, according to a United Nations panel of experts report.
The report, which included information on two Singaporean firms found to have traded luxury goods with the Kim Jong Un regime, states the Ukrainian government said it was "highly likely" the North Korean engine contained separate components of Ukrainian technology, the Soviet-era RD-250, Tass news agency reported Friday.
Ukraine, however, denied that it had ever "undertaken attempts, signed contracts or entered into relationship with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea," according to the report, which was leaked to the media.
Russian experts disagree, and the case is further complicated by the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Decades before Ukrainian independence, the RD-250 engine was designed by the "Scientific and Production Association Energomash," currently in the Russian Federation.
But the design documentation was transferred in 1965 to the Yuzhnoye State Design Office in the Ukraine, according to the report.
The United States and North Korea are expected to hold a summit in May, and Pyongyang has reportedly signaled interest in denuclearization.
But former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Europe James Dobbins is skeptical about achieving "verifiable" denuclearization, South Korean newspaper Korea Economic daily reported.
Dobbins told the paper the United States should target instead more achievable aims, including a suspension of ICBM tests and the shutdown of North Korea nuclear facilities.
The Trump administration has previously called for a "complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization" of North Korea.
Ivanka Trump, the daughter of President Donald Trump, held a bipartisan round table discussion with members of Congress and the private sector on legislation to fight online sex trafficking Thursday. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI
March 13 (UPI) -- Ivanka Trump met with victims' advocates, tech industry representatives and lawmakers Tuesday regarding a bill looking to prevent online sex trafficking.
The Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act would make it easier to take legal action internet platforms for enabling sex trafficking on their sites.
"I have discussed these pieces of legislation with almost everyone in this room over the past several months and commend you on getting us where we are today," Trump said. "On behalf of the president and administration, we want to thank all the members here today for your leadership and commitment to end the shameful and tragic crime of online sex trafficking."
The bill would remove an exception to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act which protects websites from legal liability for content posted by third parties.
Some tech groups including TechFreedom and Engine, which weren't invited to the meeting, proposed changes to the bill after expressing its removal of websites' liability protections for third-party content could hurt startups.
IBM's vice president of government and regulatory affairs, Christopher Padilla, said the company encourages lawmakers to pass the bill "without any weakening amendments."
Facebook and the Internet Association trade group, which includes Google, initially opposed the bill, but announced support in November after senators clarified websites must knowingly facilitate trafficking to be found in violation of the law.
Mary Mazzio, a documentary filmmaker and victims' advocate applauded the trade group for supporting the bill.
"This was an excruciating battle to watch and to witness and to participate in in the beginning," Mazzio said. "For the Internet Association to come around and support, kudos. Hats off to them."
The bill's sponsor Senator Rob Portman, R-Ohio, said it has support from 68 senators and hopes the chamber will take it up "within the next week."
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif, speaks at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on January 18. On Tuesday, House Democrats blocked a Republican bill that would have allowed people to access experimental drugs without going through the FDA. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI
March 13 (UPI) -- House Democrats on Monday blocked a Republican-sponsored bill that would have allowed terminally ill patients to try experimental drug treatments that haven't been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
The Right to Try Act failed to get the two-thirds of the House vote it needed to move on to the Senate with a vote of 259-140, with only 39 Democrats joining Republicans. After the vote, Republicans blasted Democrats for preventing the bill from moving forward.
"By rejecting this bill, House Democrats have tried to strip hope away from those who need it the most," House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said in a statement. "For people who face terminal illnesses and a future of succumbing to their illness on the one hand or the hope of a cure on the other, we cannot let bureaucratic hurdles be the only obstacle holding them back."
But the bill had its share of critics outside the House cambers, who said it failed to address the problem of gaining access to experimental treatments because it did not require that drug companies allow those treatments to be accessed.
More than 75 patient groups, including the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and the National Organization for Rare Disorders, opposed the measure in a letter to Congress.
"While this version of the legislation includes patient safety improvements compared to previous versions of the legislation, we reiterate our concern with creating a secondary pathway for accessing investigational therapies outside of clinical trials that would remove FDA approval and consultation, and would not increase access to promising therapies for our patients because it does not address the primary barriers to such access," the groups wrote.
Alison Bateman House, a bioethicist at New York University, told Politicothat the "right-to-try approach blames an innocent entity for access problems."
"And by pushing legislation that targets the FDA, those who advocate for right-to-try are not putting forth viable solutions to these problems," House added. "The only way forward is to work with companies and to find out what would make them willing to provide their experimental products to patients who wish to try them."
Former South Korean President Lee Myung-bak (C) arrives to the Seoul Central District Prosecution Office for questioning in Seoul, South Korea, 14 March 2018. Former South Korean President Lee Myung-bak was summoned by a prosecutor for questioning over accusations of bribery and embezzlement. Photo by EPA-EFE/Jeon Heon-kyun.
SEOUL, March 13 (UPI) -- Former South Korean President Lee Myung-bak faces prosecutors Wednesday for an intensive questioning session over various allegations of bribery and irregularities during his years in office.
Lee arrived at Seoul District Prosecutors' Office around 9:30 a.m., the Hankyoreh reported.
Prosecutors have prepared about 120 pages of questions for the former president, as they strongly suspect he is the main culprit behind a web of bribery and embezzlement charges involving his former presidential secretaries, state officials and family members.
Investigators believe Lee ordered the National Intelligence Agency to funnel $1.6 million to his office through his presidential aides, some of whom have already been arrested.
Former NIS officials have testified the agency's funds were delivered under orders from the top office.
The former conservative leader is also believed to have taken at least $9 million in kickbacks from some of the countries' largest firms, including Woori Finance Holdings and Samsung Electronics, through various family members.
Some $5.5 million from Samsung Electronics allegedly funded retainer fees and lawsuit proceedings for an auto part company called DAS, which Lee has long been suspected of owning and using to hide his assets.
Prosecutors estimate Lee holds more than 80 percent of the company's shares under borrowed names.
The firm is also under investigation for creating a secret slush fund of at least $9 million, which Lee is believed to have controlled.
The 76-year-old is largely expected to claim the company belongs to his eldest brother Lee Sang-eun and claim innocence on other charges.
The former president and his legal team have been preparing for the interrogation which is likely to run into the night as he faces some 20 charges, Chosun Ilbo reported.
He has claimed investigations over him and his acquaintances are an act of political revenge by the liberal Moon Jae-in administration.
Before he entered the prosecutors' office, Lee announced to reporters that he is in a "position of terrible discomfort today."
"I am sorry for adding a cause of anxiety for the people, when the economy is struggling and the atmosphere surrounding the Korean Peninsula is severe," he said.
"As a former president, there are many things I want to say but I have decided to spare my words."
The investigation comes five years after Lee left office, making him the fifth former president to be interrogated by prosecutors.
NEW YORK, March 8 (UPI) -- Insufficient evidence that North Korea has fully developed long-range missile systems could mean Pyongyang is mainly using its weapons program as a political deterrent, a U.S. analyst said.
Michael Elleman, a senior fellow for Missile Defense at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in Washington, D.C., told UPI Wednesday that if the main objective for Kim Jong Un is deterrent capacity, then further testing is probably not necessary.
The assessment from Elleman comes as North Korea pursues an unprecedented level of engagement with Seoul and has even signaled some interest in talking denuclearization with the United States.
Kim "intimated that the North Koreans were done developing the weapons," Elleman said, referring to the North Korean leader's New Year speech.
"They've said they've got their arsenal, they're just going to do production now.
"But that surprised me a little bit, because he had not fully developed these long-range systems," the analyst said.
Elleman, a missile technology expert, said North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missiles were tested in a way that casts some doubt on claims Pyongyang's weapons pose an existential threat to the U.S. homeland and on North Korean claims it has completed acquiring nuclear-tipped missile capability.
"They shot [the Hwasong-15] straight up like a space probe [in November], as opposed to a ballistic missile," the analyst said, adding only a small number of tests were conducted for other missiles like the Hwasong-14 and 12.
"And they still have, I think, to prove to themselves that they have a re-entry vehicle that will survive, and they have no measure of how inaccurate or accurate these missiles are."
Elleman said Kim has a political deterrent that is "not viable" in the way U.S. and Russian nuclear arsenals are designed, but has still come at a heavy price for the North Korean regime.
Despite possible transfers of material hardware from the former Soviet Union as far back as the '90s, other technology like missile airframes are likely being produced domestically.
"We're talking several hundreds of man years of labor. I'm guessing for North Korea we're talking four, five hundred man years of effort," Elleman said. "That's a lot of people working and dedicating to a program, when they could be used for other things."
The analyst, who previously served on a United Nations monitoring team for weapons inspection in Iraq, said North Korea's investments have been significant and costs heavy owing to sanctions.
But it is still unclear, he says, what Kim wants out of a program that has taken a toll on the North Korean people.
Meanwhile, as bold moves from Pyongyang, including a planned April summit between Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, are inviting diverging interpretations, Charles Armstrong, the Korea Foundation professor of Korean studies at Columbia University, says North Korea is unambiguously sending a message to the United States.
"North Korea wants to find a way out of sanctions, which have become increasingly onerous and were certainly beginning to take a toll," Armstrong told UPI. "Sanctions relief, security guarantees and denuclearization are all in the mix right now, and the only way to start is to enter into talks."
Armstrong, who has studied the relatively isolated regime for decades, said the inter-Korea reconciliation that began with hasty preparations in January -- ahead of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics -- is a blend of old and new tactics on both sides of the Korean demilitarized zone.
The meetings are "leading to the first North-South summit in over 10 years, so it's getting back on to a track of engagement that had been abandoned since 2008," Armstrong said, adding the situation deteriorated quickly during the terms of conservative South Korean leaders Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye.
The analyst also said North Korea could prove to be more cooperative than expected, and Moon's persistence has paid off.
"It is clear North Korea isn't going to give up its nuclear weapons any time soon, but they've also never taken denuclearization off the table," he said, adding North Korea has previously de-escalated nuclear standoffs in 1994 and again in 2006.
"But for any major breakthrough to take place, there needs to be a direct and face-to-face meeting between Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump," Armstrong said. "President Trump has sent mixed signals on this for a long time...but he has been cautiously supporting these new inter-Korea initiatives in his latest tweets, so we will see where this goes.
"We need to begin I think with having talks without preconditions between the U.S. and North Korea, perhaps three-way talks with South Korea as well."
Elleman said he is in favor of engagement because of the stability the process could restore for the United States and its allies in the region.
"I still think if we can get a test moratorium and a production moratorium on nuclear materials, that's verifiable, I think it does a lot for the security of the world," he said, adding he remains skeptical whether negotiations will meet U.S. objectives.
"I am particularly interested to see how the Trump administration will react. It will be interesting to see how they react or adjust their strategy," Elleman said.
"There's a lot of mistrust and history to overcome." Source
