US Book publishers smile to banks…thanks to Trump

Book publishers in the United States are making the most of Americans’ fascination with President Donald Trump, selling huge numbers of books on him.

“Fire and Fury,” “A Higher Loyalty,” “Fear”: three books about Trump presidency have each sold more than a million copies in the United States, a record of some sorts.

The great majority of successful books on politics have been written by politicians themselves — or by ghostwriters working with them.

Barack Obama set the standard in the genre, selling a combined 4.6 million copies of his autobiographical books “Dreams From My Father” and “The Audacity of Hope.”

In their time, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Jimmy Carter, Hillary Clinton and even Sarah Palin all topped the best-seller lists at least for a few weeks, while not reaching Obama’s lofty level.

And in 1976, Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward sold 630,000 copies of his “The Final Days,” chronicling the dramatic unwinding of the Nixon presidency.

After that, however, there have been no chart-toppers about a president.

But in just nine months, “Fire and Fury” by journalist and author Michael Wolff, “A Higher Loyalty” by former FBI chief James Comey, and Woodward’s “Fear” have sold a combined total of more than five million copies, according to numbers reviewed by AFP.

“I’m not surprised,” said David Corn, co-author of “Russian Roulette,” a book about Russian interference in the American presidential campaign.

“There is deep desire on the part of many Americans for an understanding of what happened in this country” during the 2016 presidential campaign, he said, and also of “what’s going on now within the Trump White House.”

In the past, books about a presidency were generally published only after it was over, leaving sources freer to talk and allowing greater historical perspective.

But, “as ever, Trump has sped everything up,” Jon Meacham, the author of several best-selling political and historical books, told MSNBC. “It’s almost as if we had a webcam” providing live coverage of events inside the White House.

Trump himself has, however unintentionally, helped promote these books — all of which paint an apocalyptic picture of his administration — by firing off highly critical Twitter messages about them.

“The Woodward book is a Joke,” he tweeted shortly before “Fear” was published, “just another assault against me.”

“I guess people want to see how bad it really is” in the White House, said Marianne Elliott, who is on a long waiting list at the New York public library to read “Fear.”

Many opposition Democrats, though repelled by Trump, his politics and his blustering personality, have been eager to read anything they can find about him.

“They want more bad information, to make you feel better because you know he’s terrible,” Elliott said. “It’s comforting.”

Trade War: China not afraid of extreme measures

China is not afraid of “extreme-measures” the United States is taking in their trade war and will use it as an opportunity to replace imports, promote localisation and development of high-tech-products.

The State media said on Wednesday in a publication by the ruling Communist Party.

The two economies escalate a trade war on Tuesday after Beijing added 60 billion dollars of U.S. products to its import tariff list in retaliation for U.S. President Donald Trump’s planned levies on 200 billion dollars worth of Chinese goods.

“To deal with the trade war, what China really should do is to focus on doing its own thing well,” the People’s Daily said.

“(China) is not worried that the U.S. trade counter measures will raise domestic commodity prices by too much.

”However, she will instead use it as an opportunity to replace imports, promote localisation or develop export-oriented advanced manufacturing,” it said.

The Global Times tabloid, which is affiliated to the People’s Daily, said the trade war was a chance to pursue greater global recognition of its financial markets.

China realised it could open its A-share market more to listings by Western firms.

The United States has so far imposed tariffs on 50 billion worth dollars of Chinese products to pressure China to make sweeping changes to its trade, technology transfer and high-tech industrial subsidy policies.

The new tariffs will begin on Sept. 24 and will increase to 25 percent by the end of 2018.

Beijing has retaliated in kind but some analysts and American businesses are concerned it could resort to other measures, such as pressuring U.S. companies operating in China.

Another Chinese state-owned newspaper, the China Daily, also said in an editorial on Wednesday the U.S. tactics would prove to be ineffective.

“China has always managed to find the proper solutions to put its economy back on track,” the China Daily said.

“The trade conflict will not force China to succumb to US pressure. Instead, given its economic resilience, it will squarely face those challenges, find the right solutions, and emerge stronger,” it said.

China has to take countermeasures to “safeguard the country’s legitimate interests and the global free trade order”, the Ministry of Commerce said, adding that the US move brings new uncertainties to bilateral negotiations.

China urged the US to recognize the negative consequences of its actions and redress its behavior in a timely manner, the ministry said.

Geng Shuang, a foreign ministry spokesman, said talks on an equal footing are the only correct way to resolve trade issues, and “insincerity” is unacceptable.

China and the US have raised tariffs on $50 billion worth of each other’s products since July as their trade tensions escalated over the past few months.

Wei Jianguo, a former vice-minister of commerce, said the two countries need to resume discussions as soon as possible to reduce losses for both sides and safeguard global trade order.

William Zarit, chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China, said, “The best way forward is an imminent return to results-oriented negotiations.”

Fang Xinghai, vice-chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, said the latest US tariff actions will have a negative effect on the Chinese economy, reducing its GDP growth by about 0.7 percentage point.

But he said that “with ample room to maneuver fiscal and monetary policies, the Chinese economy is expected to remain stable”.

Source: China Daily

U.S : 21,476 Nigerians overstayed visas in 2017

No fewer than 21,476 Nigerians have overstayed their visas to the United States within the last one year, Per second news media reports on Thursday.

 It said that information it gathered from Washington indicated that those who overstayed  include students, workers and tourists, with increase in numbers of those that has refused to return to Nigeria.

Illegal immigration by overstaying a visa has been shown to outweigh a number of people entering by an illegal border crossing.

More than 700,000 foreigners who were supposed to leave the United States during a recent 12-month period overstayed their visas,  according to U.S Department of Homeland Security ‘ Fiscal Year 2017 Entry/Exit Overstay Report.

185,375 Nigerian visitors were expected to depart after their stay, with 630 of them overstaying their visas, while 19,046 visitors and business men and women refused to return to Nigeria and residing illegally inside the United States.

In the report obtained,  a total 9,245 students were expected to depart the U.S after their studies with 258 returning to Nigeria after overstaying their visas, while 2,172 refused to return and are currently residing illegally in the U.S

An overstay is a nonimmigrant who was lawfully admitted to the United States for an authorized period but stayed in the United States beyond his or her authorized admission period.

Nonimmigrants admitted for “duration of status” who fail to maintain their status also may be considered overstays.

“Duration of status” is a term used for foreign nationals who are admitted for the duration of a specific program or activity, which may be variable, instead of for a set timeframe.

The authorised admission period ends when the foreign national has accomplished the purpose or is no longer engaged in authorized activities pertaining to that purpose.

An example is a student program that runs for four years. When the program is completed, the student must leave or go on to pursue another program of study.

The DHS classifies individuals as overstays by using the ADIS system to match departure and status change records to arrival records collected during the admission process.

DHS further identifies nonimmigrant status through manual vetting processes to support possible enforcement action.

DHS identifies an individual as having overstayed if his or her departure record shows he or she departed the United States after his or her authorized admission period expired 17 (i.e., Out-of-Country Overstays).

While these individuals are considered overstays, there is evidence indicating they are no longer physically present in the United States.

DHS also identifies individuals as possible overstays if there are no records of a departure or change in status prior to the end of their authorised admission period (i.e., Suspected In-Country Overstays).

Overstays accounted for 1.3 percent of the 52.7 million visitors who arrived by plane or ship during the latest period, an improvement from the overstay rate of 1.5 percent a year earlier.

Canada again occupied the top slot for overstays, followed by Mexico, Venezuela, the United Kingdom and Colombia.

Nigeria, China, France, Spain and Germany rounded out the top 10.

The overstay rate was much higher among students and foreign exchange visitors, with 4.2 percent staying after their visas expired, a decline from 5.5 percent the previous year.

President Donald Trump has focused border security efforts on erecting a multibillion-dollar wall with Mexico. But the latest annual figures underscore how visa overstays are a big driver of illegal immigration.

An estimated 40 percent of the roughly 11 million people in the country illegally stayed past their visas.

Source: http://persecondnews.com/2018/08/in-2017-21476-nigerians-overstayed-their-visas-in-the-u-s/

U.S. slams harsh sanctions on Iran

The United States re-imposed a wave of tough, unilateral sanctions against Iran on Tuesday, bringing back into effect harsh penalties that had been lifted under a historic, multi-party nuclear agreement that President Donald Trump abandoned in May.

The first of two rounds of US sanctions kicked in at 12:01 am (0431 GMT), targeting Iran’s access to US banknotes and key industries, including cars and carpets.

Iranians are already seeing the effects of the sanctions, with Iran’s rial currency losing around half its value since Trump announced the US would withdraw from the 2015 nuclear accord.

Trump’s contempt for the nuclear deal dates back to his time as presidential candidate and on May 8, he made good on a pledge to pull America out of the international agreement.

He blasted the agreement yet again Monday, calling it a “horrible, one-sided deal (that) failed to achieve the fundamental objective of blocking all paths to an Iranian nuclear bomb.”

The unilateral withdrawal came despite other parties to the agreement — Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the EU — pleading with Trump not to abandon the pact aimed at blocking Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, and highlights the US leader’s go-it-alone style and his distaste for multilateral agreements.

In an executive order Monday, Trump said the sanctions seek to pile financial pressure on Tehran to force a “comprehensive and lasting solution” to Iranian threats, including its development of missiles and regional “malign” activities.

The European Union’s diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini said the bloc, as well as Britain, France and Germany, deeply regretted Washington’s move.

“We are determined to protect European economic operators engaged in legitimate business with Iran,” she said in a statement.

Many large European firms are leaving Iran for fear of US penalties, and Trump warned of “severe consequences” against firms and individuals that continued to do business with Iran.

The impact of the return of sanctions has ramped up tensions inside Iran, which has seen days of protests and strikes in multiple towns and cities over water shortages, high prices and wider anger at the political system.

Severe reporting restrictions have made it impossible to verify the swirl of claims coming through social media.

Trump said he was open to reaching a more comprehensive deal with Iran “that addresses the full range of the regime’s malign activities, including its ballistic missile program and its support for terrorism.”

But Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was unimpressed by the offer.

“If you’re an enemy and you stab the other person with a knife, and then you say you want negotiations, then the first thing you have to do is remove the knife,” the Iranian leader said in an interview on state television.

“They want to launch psychological warfare against the Iranian nation,” Rouhani said. “Negotiations with sanctions doesn’t make sense.”

500 hikers missing after deadly Indonesian earthquake

Indonesia mounted a rescue operation Monday to reach more than 500 hikers and guides stranded by landslides on an active volcano on Lombok, a day after a powerful earthquake struck the holiday island.

Helicopters and search teams have been deployed to scour the slopes of Mount Rinjani, which is crisscrossed with hiking routes popular with tourists, while rescuers have made airdrops of food supplies to those stranded.

Tonnes of rock and mud were dislodged on the mountain in the 6.4-magnitude quake, which struck early Sunday and was followed by scores of aftershocks, leaving hikers with no easy way down to safety.

“There are still 560 people trapped,” said the head of Rinjani national park Sudiyono, who goes by one name.

Those believed to be stranded include citizens from the United States, France, the Netherlands, Thailand and Germany, as well as many other countries, search and rescue officials said.

Hundreds of other hikers managed to get off the mountain on Sunday, according to officials.

At least 16 people were killed in the earthquake across affected areas of Lombok, while hundreds of buildings were destroyed including a health clinic.

The quake created panic on the holiday island and sent locals and tourists running outside their homes and hotels.

The rescue operation on Mount Rinjani is likely to run until at least Tuesday and a military helicopter has dropped supplies at several spots on the mountain.

“For supplies, they can still survive for another one to two days,” Agus Hendra Sanjaya, spokesman for Mataram’s search and rescue agency, told AFP.

Rising some 3,726 metres (12,224 feet) above sea level, Rinjani is the second-tallest volcano in Indonesia and a favourite among sightseers keen to take in its expansive views.

Hiking trails on the mountain were closed following the quake due to fear of further landslides.

Thailand’s embassy in Jakarta said 239 of its citizens were stuck in the area surrounding the mountain.

34 Nigerians deported form US

The United States has deported 34 Nigerians who were alleged to have committed various crimes.

The 32 males and two female deportees arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos on Wednesday.

They were sent back to Nigeria on various offences including homicide, fraud, carrying prohibited items, impersonation, among other offences.

They arrived aboard a chartered Omni Air International B767 aircraft which landed at 14:35 hr (2:35pm).

They were received at the MMIA by relevant security agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Source: ChannelsTV

China regrets U.S withdrawal from UN rights council

China has expressed regret over a U.S. decision to withdraw from the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Beijing’s foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Wednesday China plans to work with other council member states on dialogue and cooperation.

“We will continue to work with stakeholder countries in the future,” Geng said.

“We will contribute to the healthy development of international human rights projects through constructive dialogue and cooperation.”

The United States withdrew from the U.N. Human Rights Council, citing political bias against Israel.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley also accused the council of protecting rights abusers and criticised the admission of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“China expresses regret that the United States has decided to withdraw from UNHRC,” Geng said Wednesday.

“The UNHRC was established with the authority of the United Nations General Assembly, and it is an important platform for the countries concerned to promote dialogue and cooperation in the human rights field and to promote the development of human rights through mutual exchange.”

The council was established in 2006. The United States joined the council in 2009.

China is directly addressing U.S. actions at the U.N. at a time of increased trade tensions between Washington and Beijing.

Read More at :https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2018/06/20/4471529500173/

Software engineer leaked CIA secrets to WikiLeaks in trouble

The United States has filed charges against a software engineer who allegedly leaked a trove of classified documents pertaining to the CIA’s hacking programme to whistleblower outfit WikiLeaks.

Joshua Adam Schulte, a former employee of the US spy agency, was arrested last year after child pornography was found on his electronic devices in a raid on his home.

That raid was carried out as part of the investigation into the leak, prosecutors said.

“Leaks of classified information pose a danger to the security of all Americans,” said Assistant Attorney General John Demers in a statement.

The massive leak of thousands of documents, which embarrassed the CIA, came out last year – a year after Schulte had left the agency to work elsewhere. He had apparently been part of a team designing hacking tools for the agency.

Julian Assange, the head of WikiLeaks, remains at the Ecuadorean Embassy in Britain, where he has been since 2012, even as Swedish judicial officials said last year they were no longer seeking him on sexual assault charges.

Source: NAN

US confirms diplomats in China hit by strange illness

The U.S. State Department has brought a group of diplomats home from Guangzhou, China, over concern they were suffering from a mysterious malady that resembles a brain injury and has already affected U.S. personnel in Cuba, a spokeswoman said.

After confirming one government employee had “suffered a medical incident” in the southern Chinese city, the department deployed a team to screen employees and family members at its consulate there, spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement on Wednesday.

“As a result of the screening process so far, the department has sent a number of individuals for further evaluation and a comprehensive assessment of their symptoms and findings in the United States,” Nauert said.

“Medical professionals will continue to conduct full evaluations to determine the cause of the reported symptoms and whether the findings are consistent with those noted in previously affected government personnel or possibly completely unrelated,” she said.

The New York Times reported that the State Department had evacuated at least two Americans who fell ill after hearing strange noises in China.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Thursday that as far as she was aware, the government had not had any formal communication with U.S. officials on any new cases, and that it had investigated an initial incident.

“At present, there’s been no discovery of clues or the reason causing the situation the United States mentioned,” Hua told a regular news briefing in Beijing, adding that China protected diplomats according to international convention.

“If there’s really a problem then the U.S. side can directly contact the Chinese side and communicate, and China will continue to conscientiously investigate and coordinate with a responsible attitude,” Hua said.

Four American members of staff at the U.S. consulate in Guangzhou referred Reuters to the Beijing embassy press office when asked about the situation.

A U.S. government official there reiterated that there had been only one confirmed case in China, announced last month, and the State Department was offering screening to anyone in the U.S. embassy or consulates in China who requested it.

In addition to the Beijing embassy and Guangzhou consulate, the United States operates consulates in the mainland Chinese cities of Chengdu, Shanghai, Shenyang and Wuhan.

Last year, 24 U.S. government employees and family members in Cuba displayed the symptoms, which were similar to those related to concussion and mild traumatic brain injury, according to the State Department.

The illnesses among the American diplomats stationed in Havana heightened tension between the old Cold War foes.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo released a statement on Tuesday saying the department established a task force last month “to direct a multi-agency response to the unexplained health incidents”.

“The precise nature of the injuries suffered by the affected personnel, and whether a common cause exists for all cases, has not yet been established,” Pompeo said.

Source: NAN

Punch chairman Wale Aboderin dies

Mr. Gbadebowale Wayne  Aboderin, the chairman of Punch newspapers is dead. He was 60 years old.

His death was announced today by the newspaper.

The newspaper said Aboderin died early today after a heart surgery at the First Cardiology Consultants, Ikoyi, Lagos.

He attended the Government College, Ibadan and trained as a pilot in the United States.

He was also Chairman Punch Commercial Printing Limited  and  Lukahed Properties Limited.

A sports enthusiast and philanthropist, he was the founder and chairman of  the Dolphins Female  Basketball Foundation, and also a former chairman of the Lagos State Basketball Association.

He was a one-time vice-president of the Nigerian Basketball Supporters Club.

He is survived by his wife, Titilayo, and children.

Source : NAN